1. Ananda Pagoda, Pagan

    Comment September 25, 2016
    Ananda Pagoda, Pagan

    Ananda Pagoda, Pagan

    61. Ananda Pagoda, Pagan

    Once upon a time, eight Arahants came to the palace of King Kyanzittha ( also known as Hti-hlaing-shin ) at Pagan and stood for alms. The King took the bowls and offered them meals. He then asked them “Where have you come from, Reverend Sirs?” The Arahants replied. “We have come from Gandamadana Mountain”. The King was very pleased and had great faith in them, and built for them a monastery for their residence during the rainy season. He also invited them to come to the palace every morning and have their meals there during the full three months of the rainy season, and fed them regularly.

    One day, the King asked the Arahants to make a cave, by using their superhuman power, in the likeness of the Nandamula Cave which stands at Gandamadana Mountain in the Himalayas. The Arahants complied with his request and fashioned a cave exactly like the one there. The King built a huge cave-temple in Pagan resembling in appearance the Nandamula Cave, and called it Nanda. It is now known as Ananda Pagoda, built in 452 Burmese Era. (1192 C.E.). It is famous all over the world as the best specimen of Myanmar (Burmese) architecture.

    THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
    by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
    Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post

  2. Song of the diamond heart

    Comment September 21, 2016

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    The pine tree’s voice is always whispering
    Yet how many pause to listen?
    For when the churning mind is still,
    The Diamond Heart within
    Reflects even the falling dusk that
    Shrouds every eye and branch
    And hears, but listens not.
    Walking then, with Courage and Kindness,
    Never ceasing to walk in Wonder,
    We follow our ancient path.
    For the Way of the sword is folded two;
    Like the rose we have thorns,
    And like the rose, we unfold

    ~By G. Bluestone

  3. May all beings be peaceful…

    Comment September 15, 2016

    May all beings be peaceful.
    May all beings be happy.
    May all beings be safe.
    May all beings awaken to
    the light of their true nature.
    May all beings be free.

    Prayer of Lovingkindness
    ~Metta Prayer

  5. A New House

    Comment September 14, 2016

    If I search your face only looking for my reflection
    How can I see you as you really are
    If I fill the hours with empty chatter
    How can I hear you when you finally decide to talk
    It is love, indeed
    This that brings me to you
    And this is why a new house needs to be built
    With doors big enough for understanding and compassion to fit through

    ~by Jenifer Edwards

    white-lotus-animation

  6. Anawratha of Pagan conveying the Buddhist scriptures

    Comment September 14, 2016
    Anawratha of Pagan conveying the Buddhist scriptures

    Anawratha of Pagan conveying the Buddhist scriptures

    60. Anawratha of Pagan conveying the Buddhist scriptures

    King Anawratha of Pagan conveyed the Buddhist scriptures from Thaton to Pagan for the benefit of all beings. He then removed the frontal bone, sacred relic of the Buddha, from Kaung-hmu-daw pagoda at Prome built by King Dutta-baung and took it also to Pagan. On arrival there he built a pagoda on the sand-bank of the Irrawaddy river near Pagan and enshrined the frontal bone of the Buddha, there. When the third terrace of this pagoda was constructed, he brought a replica of the Buddha’s tooth from Sri Lanka and enshrined it also in this pagoda. Before the construction of this pagoda was completed King Anawratha died.

    When Kyanzittha became King of Pagan in succession to Anawratha, he continued to build this pagoda as advised by the Venerable Arahan. This pagoda was known as Shwezigon (Golden Sandbank) pagoda because it stands upon a strip of sand bank. King Anawratha started its construction in 393 Burmese Era. (1033 C.E.) and Kyanzittha continued to build it and hoisted a golden hti(crown) on it in 452 Burmese Era. (1192 C.E.).

    THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BUDDHISM
    by ASHIN JANAKA BHIVAMSA (Aggamahapandita)
    Artist: U Ba Kyi | Link to this post

  7. Experience them with compassion…

    Comment September 12, 2016

    Live with compassion
    Work with compassion
    Die with compassion
    Meditate with compassion
    Enjoy with compassion
    When problems come,
    Experience them with compassion.

    ~Lama Zopa Rinpoche

  8. Nothing to do…

    Comment September 12, 2016

    For generosity, nothing to do,
    Other than stop fixating on self.

    For morality, nothing to do,
    Other than stop being dishonest.

    For patience, nothing to do,
    Other than not fear what is ultimately true.

    For effort, nothing to do,
    Other than practise continuously.

    For meditative stability, nothing to do,
    Other than rest in presence.

    For wisdom, nothing to do,
    Other than know directly how things are.

    ~Tibetan practitioner Milarepa

  9. What is Compassion?

    Comment September 12, 2016

    All beings tremble before danger, all fear death. ~Dhammapada 54

    អណ្ដើក​ហ្លូង​ដែល​គេ​យក​ទៅ​ចិញ្ចឹម ថែរក្សា និង​បង្កាត់​ពូជ។ Photo courtesy of WCS

    What exactly is compassion? Compassion is a mind that is motivated by cherishing other living beings and wishes to release them from their suffering. Sometimes out of selfish intention we can wish for another person to be free from their suffering; this is quite common in relationships that are based principally on attachment. If our friend is ill or depressed, for example, we may wish him to recover quickly so that we can enjoy his company again; but this wish is basically self-cen- tred and is not true compassion. True compassion is necessarily based on cherishing others.

    Although we already have some degree of compassion, at present it is very biased and limited. When our family and friends are suffering we easily develop compassion for them, but we find it far more difficult to feel sympathy for people we find unpleasant or for strangers. Furthermore, we feel compassion for those who are experiencing manifest pain, but not for those who are enjoying good conditions, and especially not for those who are engaging in harmful actions. If we genuinely want to realize our potential by attaining full enlightenment we need to increase the scope of our compassion until it embraces all living beings without exception, just as a loving mother feels compassion for all her children irrespective of whether they are behaving well or badly. This universal compassion is the heart of Mahayana Buddhism. Unlike our present, limited compassion, which already arises naturally from time to time, universal compassion must first be cultivated through training over a long period of time.

    Source: About Dharma
    Link to this post

Live & Die for Buddhism

candle

Khmer Tipitaka 1 – 110

ព្រះត្រៃបិដក

ព្រះត្រៃបិដក ប្រែថា កញ្រ្ចែង ឬ ល្អី​ ៣ សម្រាប់ដាក់ផ្ទុកពាក្យពេចន៍នៃព្រះសម្មាសម្ពុទ្ធ

The Tipitaka or Pali canon, is the collection of primary Pali language texts which form the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism. The three divisions of the Tipitaka are: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Maha Ghosananda

Maha Ghosananda

Supreme Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism (5/23/1913 - 3/12/07). Forever in my heart...

Samdech Chuon Nath

My reflection

វចនានុក្រមសម្តេចសង្ឃ ជួន ណាត
Desktop version

Listen to Khmer literature and Dhamma talk by His Holiness Jotannano Chuon Nath, Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Buddhism.

Shantidevas’ Bodhisattva vows

My reflection

Should anyone wish to ridicule me and make me an object of jest and scorn why should I possibly care if I have dedicated myself to others?

Let them do as they wish with me so long as it does not harm them. May no one who encounters me ever have an insignificant contact.

Regardless whether those whom I meet respond towards me with anger or faith, may the mere fact of our meeting contribute to the fulfilment of their wishes.

May the slander, harm and all forms of abuse that anyone should direct towards me act as a cause of their enlightenment.

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not shaken by blame and praise. As a deep lake is clear and calm, so the wise become tranquil after they listened to the truth…

Good people walk on regardless of what happens to them. Good people do not babble on about their desires. Whether touched by happiness or by sorrow, the wise never appear elated or depressed. ~The Dhammapada

Hermit of Tbeng Mountain

Sachjang Phnom Tbeng សច្ចំ​​ ភ្នំត្បែង is a very long and interesting story written by Mr. Chhea Sokoan, read by Jendhamuni Sos. You can click on the links below to listen. Part 1 | Part 2

Beauty in nature

A beautiful object has no intrinsic quality that is good for the mind, nor an ugly object any intrinsic power to harm it. Beautiful and ugly are just projections of the mind. The ability to cause happiness or suffering is not a property of the outer object itself. For example, the sight of a particular individual can cause happiness to one person and suffering to another. It is the mind that attributes such qualities to the perceived object. — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Nature is loved by what is best in us. The sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us a delight in and for themselves. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Our journey for peace
begins today and every day.
Each step is a prayer,
Each step is a meditation,
Each step will build a bridge.

—​​​ Maha Ghosananda