Showing posts with label Religion - Buddhism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion - Buddhism. Show all posts

Monday, April 5, 2010

Life of the Buddha

1. Queen Maya's Dream
One full moon night, sleeping in the palace, the queen had a vivid dream having a white elephant with six great tusks entering her stomach. Soon after that, she was pregnant.


2. The Birth of The Prince
    - On the way back to the Queen's parent palace (Indian custom on delivering baby at parent place), suddenly the pain strikes the Queen. At the garden name Lumbini Park the baby was delivered. According to the legends about this birth, the baby began to walk seven steps forward and at each step a lotus flower appeared on the ground. Then, at the seventh stride, he stopped and with a noble voice saying:

"I am the leader of this world,
Eldest am I in the world,
Foremost am I in the world.
And this is my last birth."

3. The Naming Ceremony
   - During the naming ceremony, Asita, the old and long lost hermit appears. Due to his status and knowledge, The King asked the old hermit for naming the Prince and forecast the life of the little prince. The old hermit said. This prince will become a very great leader or great teacher in this world. The Prince will be the King of Kings if he choose to rule, but if he choose a religious life then he will become The Enlighten One, Wisest among others." Thus the hermit name the prince, Siddhartha meaning "wish-fulfilled".

4. The Prince's Education
On the seventh day after his birth, Prince Siddhartha's mother died. It was the prince's aunt who brought him up. He was the wisest among others, he is a quick learner and very compassionate. It was this that made his cousin, Devadata, his lifetime enemy.

5. The Four Sights
   - In order for the Prince to succeed from his father's throne, the King has ordered not to let Siddhartha leave the Palace. But one day, the prince asked the King for him to go out of the Palace to visits his people. The King refuse at first but agreed after the King ordered his soldiers to make some arrangements. After leaving the palace, with many peoples welcoming him, he saw a beggar. He jump off his chariot and follow the beggar. Till he reached a village he saw many aging people, people who are sick and cremates ceremony with monks chantings.


6. The Prince Leave Home
  - Soon after that, he cannot sleep, thinking and thinking, someday everyone will be get old, sick and death. So Siddhartha left the palace in order to search for the truth on understanding and end the suffering of old age, sickness and death.

7. The Prince's Many Teachers
   - At that time, in India, many religious teachers, monks and hermit are meditating in the jungle.  Siddhartha bump into Alara Kalama, his first teacher who teaches him meditation and spiritual guidance. But Siddhartha personally thinks that this is not what can ends the suffering of old age, sickness and death. So he seeks and practices under many gurus.


8. Six Years of Searching
 At first he practice austerity and fasting having thought that this is the best way taught by the five peoples which becomes his first five disciples. He lived on birds drops, grass, one grain per day. He become so thin and looked like skeletons.


9. The Shepherd and A Bowl
     - One day, a shepherd pass by Siddhartha. She pitied on him having so thin and almost going to died of hunger. She offered him a bowl of milk. Before she left, she fasten a little of the rope on the cow's nose. Saying to the cow, "Sorry for it, you must be in pain as the rope is tighten.". And suddenly Siddhartha realise that austerity is not the way. So he crawl to the river after drank the milk and whisper, "if austerity is not the way, let the bowl flow upward the stream". And indeed, the bowl flow up stream.


10. Striving For Enlightenment
     - After that, Siddhartha looked for a place under a tree (Bodhi tree) to sit down and meditate. He vows that, "Though my skin, my nerves and my bones shall waste away and my life blood go dry, I will not leave this seat until I have attained the highest wisdom, called supreme enlightenment, that leads to everlasting happiness."

11. Under The Full Moon
     - Hearing this solemn vow, Mara, the Buddhist manifestation of death and desire, felt threatened, Mara sent his three beautiful daughters named Desire (Future), Fulfillment (Present), and Regret (Past). But all through the tribulations, Buddha sat calm and unflinching, and Mara had no other recourse than to withdraw, and thus was cleared the final hurdle on the way to Siddhartha enlightenment thus becoming the Buddha.

12. Seven Weeks After Enlightenment
    - Under the tree, the Buddha experiencing the happiness of calm, peace and blissful. After several weeks of claiming the happiness of enlightenment, The Buddha needs to spread the Dharma (which is helping others to end their suffering). It was the First Five Monks The Buddha preach on them thus this indicating the start of The Dharma Wheel being turned.

13. The Passage into Parinirvana
    - Having unconditionally preaching and spreding the Dharma, travelling great distances to disseminate his teachings, Buddha finally realised that death was approaching.The passing away, or the final nirvana of the Buddha, occurred in 543 BC on a full-moon day in the month of May, known in the Indian calendar as Wesak.



14. The First Buddhist Council
The First Buddhist Councilcollected together and arranged the Buddhist Scriptures known as the Pali Tipitaka, which have since been handed down from one generation of monks to another. In the early days of Buddhism, there was no written record of the teachings. The monks had to memorise the scriptures and then teach the next generation of monks in the same way, it being an oral tradition.
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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Title : The Buddha Said
Author: Osho

Back Cover text

"No belief is required to travel with Buddha. You can come to him with all skepticism - he accepts and welcomes you, and he says, 'Come with me'."

This rich and refreshing book invites us to travel with the Buddha on a path or radical wisdom. In his inimitable style, Osho interprets the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters - a scripture compiled by a Chinese emperor in the first century CE - using wonderful contemporary anecdotes to make profound points. As we laugh or shake our heads at the folly or ineptitude of the characters in the stories, or marvel at their goodness, Osho engages us at every level to let us experience the Buddha's teaching and take in their timeless truths.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

What Buddhists Believe

Title : What Buddhists Believe
Author : Dr K Sri Dhammananda's



Back Cover text

What Buddhists Believe answers many questions which are asked about Buddhism by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. there are so many misconceptions regarding superstitious and misinterpretations which are associated with this noble religion that it has become imperative to explain the Teachings in a manner which has contemporary relevance.

Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda's What Buddhist Believe is already a classic in that it has proved to be extremely popular not only with practicing Buddhists who are born into the religion, but also those who are really interested in knowing what the buddha taught. Its popularity can be attested into Spanish, Dutch, Singhalese, Nepali, Parshi, Burmese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian.

This revised and enlarged volume covers almost every aspect of Buddhism, and is written in clear and precise language which will appeal not only to the casual reader but also to the intellectual student of Dhamma. Directed mainly to an average person, this book adopts a non-textual approach to explain the Buddhist viewpoint on a wide range of doctrinal and contemporary topics, including those not normally touched upon by traditional buddhists writers.
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This is a very very good book indeed. It touches many topic regarding questions that Buddhist's normally asked. This book can be downloaded for free, yes for free, from Ven. K Sir Dhammananda's website (http://www.ksridhammananda.com) or you can go to Brickfield Maha Vihara temple to puchase the book. I already bought a few copies for my friends and family members. All the money goes to the donation. So I recommend that you purchase and get merit by reading the book and making donations to the temple.
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Nothing Changes Everything Changes

Title : Nothing Changes Everything Changes
Author: Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

Publisher: Kechara Publications



Back Cover text

It is a simple truth by just changing our perspective about things and people around us, nothing changes and yet, everything in our world changes.

In this collection of animated, lively teachings, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche shows us how the simple transformation of our perspectives can shed entirely new light on what we often regard as unbearable, painful, or just plain irritating. He speaks of problems we struggle with and offers brighter, lighter ways of looking at life, love and its difficulties so tha each new perspectives transforms an entire reality within us.

Though his talks are drawn from ancient teachings of a Buddhist tradition, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche shrus off the robes and queitness of spirituality, bringing a fresh, funny, gregarious approach that strikes at the heart of comtemporary life and its challenges.

It's about time we stop sitting in a corner bellyaching! Find your own new window of looking out to the world within these pages. It could make all the difference.
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For more info about the book, please log onto kechara.com You can purchase it at any Kechara outlet or major bookstores mainly MPH, Kinokuniya and Borders.
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Friday, September 11, 2009

Gurus For Hire Enlightment For Sale (revised edition)

Title : Gurus For Hire Enlightment For Sale (revised edition)
Author : Tsem Tulku Rinpoche
Publisher: Kechara House

All you ever wanted to know but never dared ask about Gurus, disciples, groupies, sponsors, Dharma centres, different approaches and philosophies, who's right, who's best, why there is neither right nor best, and what it all has to do with You.

Through insightful observations, warm-hearted advice and deeply personal experiences. His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche explores what a Guru-disciple relationship is all about and what it means for comtemporary spiritual aspirants. He reveals the ups, downs, benefits and troubles of Dharma centres all around the world and shows us how it is one of the most liberating places we'll ever know.

Touching on a variety of near-taboo subjects. Rinpoche compassionately shows us the keys to finding our way in the labyrinths of today's spiritual supermarket and why the holy journey is still worth thorny step we take.
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This is a revised edition of the previous book. This book available on all Kechara outlet and major bookstores. If you feel that you want to pre-taste what the book really talk's about, you can try read the free distribution series where a small portions of the book being extract into a small booklet. I think it available in all Kechara outlet.
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Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Master Tell Stories

Title : The Master Tell Stories
Author : Master Cheng Yen


Back Cover text
In this book, Master Cheng Yen has collected stories from the Buddhist sutras and tells them in language that is simple and easy to understand.

From these stories, we can learn how to plant good fortune, do good deeds, and appreciate and create new blessings. Furthermore, we can learn to grasp every moment to give our life more meaning and value.



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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Title : The Master Tells Stories (Volume 2)
Author : Master Cheng Yen


Back Cover text
Everyone has the buddha-nature and their own innate wisdom. However, this wisdom is often blocked by the poisons of greed, anger and delusion, as well as all other kinds of arrogance and worry. It is like trying to look into a mirror covered with dust. By reading the stories in this book, we may learn to sweep away the dust and dirt that block our wisdom and to grasp every moment to give our lives more meaning and value.
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I bought this book from Jing-Si Books & Cafe near Jalan Bukit Bintang. I believe that those who like to read stories related to moral values, Jataka stories and Zen, you will love this book. Unfortunately only a few books of Master Cheng Yen's are available in English.
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Friday, August 21, 2009

Still Thoughts, Wisdom and Love

Title : Still Thoughts, Wisdom and Love
Author : Master Cheng Yen



Back Cover text
May all our greed, anger and delusion be eliminated.
May we have the wisdom to understand the Truth.
May we eradicate all the bad karma we have created.
May we walk on the Path of Boddhisattvas life after life.
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

100 Buddhas in Chinese Buddhism

Title : 100 Buddhas in Chinese Buddhism
Author : Lu Yanguang
Publisher: AsiaPac Books

100 series art album by Lu Yanguang is the first successful full-scale attempt to depict historical and legendary Chinese characters in drawings.

In 100 Buddhas in Chinese Buddhism, Lu Yanguang traces the beginnings of Buddhism and how it spread from Central Asia and India to China 2,000 years ago.

Buddhism took on a Chinese flavour in the course of history and produced many outstanding figures such as Hui Neng, under whom Zen flourished, and Xuan Zang, a great travaller and translator of Buddhist textc. Boddhisatvas Avalokitesvara, who was originally in male form, became a female in China and was known as Guan Yin. Not suprisingly, this Boddhisatva of Compassion has become the most popular deity in Chinese.

Buddhism become so much a part of Chinese civilization that it was, together with Taoism and Confucianism, collectively called the "three philosophies" of the Chinese people.

This collection of Buddhist figures not only includes those who are revered for their contribution to China's civilization - Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha; Kumarajiva, a pioneer translator of Buddhist scriptures; Bodhidharma, whom introduced Zen to China but also those who spread Buddhism to Korea and japan.

Uniquely synthesized with the historical background as described by the niography, every figure in this album is brought about life and vitality, revealing the author's skill in Chinese figure painting using his own style of 'double-line sketch" to convey a sense of hazy beauty.

Full of artistic charm and appeal, this album server as a useful reference book on Chinese religious history as well as an excellent collector's item.
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I bought this book quite sometime ago. Bought it in one of the Popular Bookstore in Penang for RM39.90. A book from AsiaPac publishing. And to tell you, this book ain't really about 100 Buddhas, it includes Bodhisattva, Arahants and other great Buddha's diciples to make in till 100 figures.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Treasure f The Dhamma

Author: Late Ven K Sri Dhammananda
Title : Treasure Of The Dhamma

Everywhere in the world we may witness a tremendous revival of interest in the sublime teachings of the Buddha, not only by devotees who wish to call themselves "Buddhist" but also by scholars and professionals who wish to gain insight into human nature as revealed by the enlightened religious teachers.

As such, it has become necessary to present the most important source references from the sacred texts so that scholars and students alike may have easy access to the most authoritative records of the sayings of the Buddha.

The Treasure of the Dhamma is designed primarily to cater for the needs of these seekers of the truth. This work seeks to identify the most important aspects of the Teachings of the Buddha which are directly relevant to living the Buddhist Way of life and to present them in accurate but straight forward translations from the Original Pali scriptures. Every attempt has been made to provide source references so the athe student has access to the original texts if he so desires, it is hoped that this book will serve the genuine seeker of the truth in order that the Sublime Message of the Compassion One will be made available to all for the hapiness of humanity.

Ven Dr. K Sri Dhammananda has compiled this book through his vast knowledge and experience on Buddhist doctrine.
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