Vipassana (Cont'd) - Editorial by Ven. Hok Savann

Vipassana (Cont'd) - By Ven. Hok Savann

https://www.box.com/s/ysl8ijqz4595h09581k8

Vipassana (Cont'd) - Op-Ed by Ven. Hok Savann

https://www.box.com/s/6f5926cc596abfa3c984

Understanding Buddhism

19 August 2012
By Bouawat Sithi

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain the state of nothingness or the state of no rebirth and no death called nirvana (Nibbana in Pali) through rigorous mindfulness meditation practice or Vipassana in Pali. A person who is taught and trained this way may gain a constant awareness of one's action and could do no wrong. The end of suffering is when all one’s desire and attachments are totally extinguished.

Lord Buddha taught us that we are master of our destiny and no one else. We create our own hell and heaven; therefore, we must watch our mind before we act. If we act with wholesome state of mind we create ourselves and others a heaven (peace), but if we act with unwholesome state of mind we create ourselves and others a hell (suffering).

Buddhism is not about them; it is about us.... it is about ourselves. It is not about changing the world to be better, but it is about changing ourselves to be better and it is about selflessness, unlimited and unbiased compassion and love. What people in the rest of world do, think, act and behave have nothing to do with us, but what we do, act and behave will affect and impact the people around us.

Vipassana - Op-Ed by Ven. Hok Savann

https://www.box.com/s/185c9321144fe338eb71

Faith Alive in Phnom Penh

08/08/2012
Katherine Marshall
Senior Fellow, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University
Huffington Post

Aug. 1 was a special day in Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia), the start of Choul Vassa. Buddhist monks dedicate themselves for three months (during the rainy season) to their Buddhist practice, retreating to the pagodas. By tradition people visit the pagodas (also called wats) on this day with offerings for the monks, seeking their blessings. This year the festival came the day before high school exams and hordes of young people crowded the Somrong An Deth Pagoda outside Phnom Penh, as laughing monks poured pitchers of water on their bowed heads to bring them good luck. Music played, children ran about the sprawling pagoda grounds with its fanciful statues of gods riding chickens and serpents, and white clad head shaved nuns added their blessings.

Some 95 percent of Cambodia's people are Buddhist. "Nation, Religion, King" is Cambodia's national motto and it is one of the few world nations where Buddhism is the state religion. The religious world here, however, is not just about Buddhism. Freedom of religion is guaranteed and there's an extraordinary range of different faith traditions, mostly working on education and to help the poor and vulnerable, but also bringing their beliefs to Cambodia. Cambodia has ancient Muslim communities also, and a host of small but distinctive traditional indigenous religions. And Cambodia's Buddhism is recovering still from its near destruction during the Khmer Rouge period (1975-9) when most monks were killed or disrobed and many pagodas were destroyed.

But the religious marketplace is a story for another day. What piques my interest on this trip is how religion is lived in daily life.

Bonn Phka at Wat Buddharaingsey, France

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fui1iErYXeY

The path to our faith is not unique

Dear Readers,

An anonymous reader brought to our attention this "interesting" form of preaching (ទេសនា) Buddhism in Thailand. Unlike Buddhism in Cambodia, this form Thai religious preaching is apparently quite old and it includes both music (although very basic) and actual singing (at least it sounds like it). As the Romans used to say: "All roads lead to Rome", we thought this preaching may be enlightening to our Compatriots as there are many roads that lead to Buddha/God. Just because we follow one path, that does not mean that there are no other paths that lead us to our faith. Likewise, believing in Buddhism does not necessarily mean that other faith believers are wrong, therefore please be tolerant and respectful to others, just like you would others to be tolerant and respectful to your own faith.

Peace be with you, Shalom, As-Salamu Alaykum!

Socheata

PS: If you are tempted to criticize these Thai monks, remember Tum, the novice monk in Tumteav, was known for his singing of religious verse, if only we knew how his singing style was...

ព្រះសង្ឃ សៀម ទេសនាមហាជាតិ សូត្រឆ្លងឆ្លើយ បែបភ្លេងបុរាណ សាយ៉ាំ (សៀម)មានញាក់ស្មា និងវ៉ៃ ចិញ្ចើម ហិហិហិ...តែស្រុកគេ ឥតអីទេ បើនៅខ្មែរវិញ ប្រហែលគេ រិះគន់ខ្មូរមុខហើយ !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twxip6kSgkc

Abhidhamma in Khmer and English

Dhamma Lovers,

I would like to share this Abhidhammattha Sangaha with friends who I think would benefit from reading it.

I would like to thank Dhammacariya Ros Sophat and Dr. Thel Thong for their efforts in making Abhidhammattha Sangaha available in Khmer version.

This is probably the only complete and concise Khmer Abhidhammattha Sangaha that I have found on the internet.

May all the beings be at peace and happiness,

Bouawat Sithi


https://www.box.com/s/fdb2d34f1d6def42bf1f


https://www.box.com/s/79e8e4c439ed856843f1

Invitation to the 1st Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at Wat Khemara Rangsey, San Jose, California on 14-15 July 2012

លិខិតអញ្ជើ​ញបុណ្យខួបឆ្នាំទី១ វត្តខេមររង្​សី ក្រុងសាន់ហូ​ស្សេ - Invitation to the First Year Commemoration Ceremony of Wat Khemara Rangsey Pagoda in San Jose, California

Asian-American Week: Bronx House Provides Cambodian Community With A Place To Pray

21 May 2012
By: Shazia Khan
Bronx.NY1.com

To mark Asian-American Heritage Week on NY1, the station revisits communities it has covered over the past two decades. NY1's Shazia Khan filed the following report on Cambodian New Yorkers in the Bronx.

On a residential block in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, a two-story house serves as a house of worship. The Khmer Buddhist Society is a home away from home for many Cambodian-American Buddhists living in the borough.

"We live in the Bronx and we want to meet each other in the Bronx," says worshipper Davin Hun.

Inter-faith perspectives on justice and reconciliation in Cambodia

May 15, 2012
Frank Brennan
EurekaStreet.com.au

It's a great honour to be back here in Cambodia. I first met some of you in Site Two camp on the Thai border back in 1987. Bishop Kike was a young Jesuit scholastic starting work in the camp for the handicapped. I first came to Cambodia in 1995 at the invitation of Sr Denise to assist with drawing up a protocol between JRS and UNHCR. I was here most recently two years ago when the reflection centre here was being fully established. The floor had just been put down in the Chapel and the woman at the well had just taken up here place in the garden.

What can I, a Catholic priest from Australia, say about faith, social justice and public policy here in Cambodia which is a largely Buddhist country? Whether we be Christian, Buddhist, or Muslim (and there are happily representatives here of all those faiths this evening), faith is about my having, owning and reflecting on a belief system which allows me to live fully with the paradoxes and conflicts of life and death, good and evil, beauty and suffering. It is only fundamentalists who are able to live as if these paradoxes are not real, as if they do not impinge on our sense of self and on our considered actions every day.

By embracing these paradoxes and confronting these conflicts, the person of faith whether inspired by Jesus, Mohammed, or Buddha is able to live a life of faith. I am able to commit myself to others, in love and in justice. I am able to accord dignity to all others in the human family, no matter what their distinguishing marks, and regardless of their competencies, achievements or potentialities. I am able to surrender myself to that which is beyond what I know through my senses. I am able to commit myself to the stewardship of all creation. The atheist, the person with no faith except in man himself, may do all these things with varying degrees of success. Suffice to say, I cannot imagine being committed to these life tasks so comprehensively and so universally except with faith. Some atheists are amongst the finest, most generous humanitarians I know. But I know that my faith enhances my humanitarian instincts and achievements. I would be a lesser person without my religious faith. For example I would find it difficult to accord full human dignity to persons at either end of the life cycle but for the abiding conviction that every person is uniquely created in the image and likeness of God.

Please help keep an eyes on certain deviant Buddhist monks

If a man's thoughts are muddy,

If he is reckless and full of deceit,

How can he wear the yellow robe?

Whoever is master of his own nature,

Bright, clear and true,

He may indeed wear the yellow robe. Buddha

Dear Respected Venerable and Dhamma Friends

Please help keep your eyes on Buddhist monks who watch love movies, karaoke, sexual movies and share obscene photos online. Many of them do this on Youtube and Facebook. These types of monks are not the true followers (disciples) of Lord Buddha. They are fake monks. They are creating very bad images for Buddhism and the community. Many Buddhist have already lost trust on them, including myself. They need to get disrobed (leave the monkhood) in order to do so. Please take down their info as much as you can and report them to the abbot of the temple they reside for step 1. As far as I know, many abbots are watching love movies and karaoke as well. Please do not support Buddhist monks who are violating Buddhism rules. Monks are supposed to be spiritual and role models to laypeople. We worship them because they are wearing orange or yellow robes that represent Lord Buddha; because they can do what many ordinary people cannot do. Monks should spend time studying Buddhism, practicing compassion and meditating to cut down craving, lust and unlimited desire not entertaining themselves with movies, karaoke, games, sexual images and chatting with girls about love. Please pass this message around. It's time to stand up and give them the lesson.

We as laypeople, as Buddhists, bring food to the temples to monks, hoping they could dedicate these food to our love ones, our ancestors who have already departed from this earth. How could these fake Buddhist monks dedicate such thing to our ancestors, our love ones? Only pure monks have the ability to do so. Fake monks only have the ability to draw your money into their pockets by sweet talking. Please stay away from sweet talk monks as well.

Our country would be at peace if many pure Buddhist monks exist…

Lord Buddha left his palace, his wealth, his beautiful family to be a beggar, to cut down the craving and unlimited desire. Many Buddhist monks these days are walking the opposite path. They ordained to get rich, ordained for power and fame.

Respectfully,

Jendhamuni Sos

_______________________________

Uposatha Sutta: The Observance

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 1997–2012

Alternate translation: Ireland

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother. Now at that time, the Blessed One — it being the observance day — was sitting surrounded by the community of monks. Then Ven. Ananda — when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch — arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the second watch, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Respected Venerables
Dear Compatriots,

Vesak: The 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment at UN HQs

Video: The United Nations Vesak and the 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City, New York United States of America on Monday the 14th Waxing Moon of Visakha B.E.2554, May 16, A.D.2011 Year of the Rabbit

Watch video: http://www.templenews.org/2012/05/07/vesak-the-2600th-anniversary-of-the-buddhas-enlightenment-at-un-hqs/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejRdHwjqELs

Enjoy Vesak and thank you for watching.

Templenews TV

In celebration of Vesak Day

THE ENLIGHTENED ONE:

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc5RnicGjEM

ស្មូត្រថ្វាយផ្កា (Khmer Buddhist Hymn: Lotus for the Buddha)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk2dZAxqFLQ

ទឹកចិត្តអ្នកម្តាយ (Khmer Buddhist Hymn: Mother's Heart)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjMdPK_xrsE

Compassion-Buddhist Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIF2UBI-IGE

In Lowell, Plans for a $10 Million Pagoda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vWJrB3cdb4

In Lowell, Plans for a $10 Million Pagoda

Photo: by Pin Sisovann

Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer | Massachusetts, Lowell

“Cambodian Buddhists see that what we are going to build will become a heritage for the younger generation, as well as a shelter for aged grandfathers and grandmothers.”

A campaign in Lowell hopes to raise $10 million for a new pagoda in the city.

Fundraising officially began over the Cambodian New Year last month for Wat Khmer in Lowell, which would also act as a cultural and community center, organizers say.

Maya Men, a member of the fundraising committee, which counts 12 monks among its 162 members, said the hope is to raise $10 million in three to five years.

In the past, different factions have vied for control of the old pagoda, but Men said she belied the new project will unite the community.

Vipassana Learning Kick-Off Announcement

Announcement on the 2012 Vipassana Learning Kick-Off at Wat Kirivongsa Bopharam, The Peace Meditation Center, 100A Cave Hill Road, Leverett, MA, United States of America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiV8eS0_4kY

Contact:

413.367.0280
413.367.9526
978.758.0286
978.935.3287

or e-mail: vipassanadhura@gmail.com

Download Vipassana Registration Form

Click on image to download to your desktop for printing.

Thank you.

Templenews TV

.

Cambodian Fellowship Christian Reformed Church hosts New Year, Easter celebration

Jasmine Lam performs the traditional Cambodian Blessing Dance at the Cambodian Fellowship Christian Reformed Church's annual Easter and Cambodian New Year celebration held Saturday, April 1, 2012, at Evergreen Commons. (Annette Manwell/Sentinel staff)

Apr 01, 2012
By ANNETTE MANWELL
The Holland Sentinel

“We never forget where we came from”

Holland — Since 1996, the Cambodian Fellowship Christian Reformed Church has been holding an annual combined Easter and Cambodian New Year celebration.

This year, the event took place earlier than usual on Saturday at Evergreen Commons, primarily because of trouble with hall rental, but also as a kick-off to the season.

The Cambodian New Year typically is celebrated April 13, Deacon Chris Lim said.

The church, though small, always is trying to reach out to the Cambodian non-believers of Christianity in the community who follow Buddha, Lim said. For that reason, the annual celebration takes place in a more public forum.