Buddhist tradition revived in Kalmykia

This is from "Russia, beyond the headlines".........

“Let all our wishes come true! Let all living creatures be free of suffering, of danger, of diseases and sadness! Let peace and happiness govern on Earth!”

More than 2,000 Buddhists chanted the mantra, kneeling on mats before the Golden Abode of Buddha temple in Elista, the capital of the republic of Kalmykia, one of three traditional Buddhist regions in Russia. They repeated words of prayer after the Kalmyk Buddhist leader, Telo Tulku Rinpoche. Finally, the square grew quiet as the group went into deep meditation.

As night fell, thousands of candles were lit. Buddhist monks visiting from Tibet, Thailand, and the United States, as well as Russian Buddhist regions of Buriatya and Tuva, blessed those who gathered from all over Kalmykia and the neighboring southern regions of Russia. They sent candles flying skyward in hot air balloons, illuminating the dark night sky.

The ceremony, an offering of light to Buddha, was introduced to Russian Buddhists for the first time as a symbolic event celebrating the beginning of the international forum, “Buddhism: Philosophy of Non-Violence and Compassion,” held in Elista last month.

Despite objections from China, a group of 30 Tibetan monks from the Gyudmed Monastery, assigned by the Dalai Lama, arrived to bless the republic’s main temple and 17 sculptures of great scholars of Nalanda University inside.

The 17 statues of Nalanda scholars - who compiled outstanding commentaries to Buddha Shakyamuni’s precious teachings - have a particular importance for His Holiness the Dalai Lama who considers Tibetan Buddhists to be spiritual heirs of Nalanda, a major monastic learning centre of India that was destroyed by Muslims, but only after its scholars had passed their skills and knowledge to Tibetans. From Tibet, scholastic traditions of Nalanda were then spread to Mongolia and Buddhist republics of Russia.

At the ceremony, the candle kites formed a path of light in the pitch-black sky. “That is our white road,” somebody whispered in the crowd.

“Have a white road” is the most sincere greeting people traditionally give each other in Kalmykia.

NEW MOON - Wednesday 26th October 2011

While in the midst
of those who are troubled,
to dwell free from troubling
is happiness indeed.

Dhammapada verse 198


When those around us are struggling we could feel that somehow it is not quite right to be happy. The Buddha tells us the opposite. An outward display of excessive delight would be out of place but the maintenance of inner joy is perfectly suitable. In fact to do so might be the very best thing we could offer to a troubled situation.

With Metta,

Bhikkhu Munindo

New Thought for the Day

Every now and then we include a non-Buddhist speaker on our "Thought for the Day" page.
This moving piece is by the Rev. Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly, and is about the horrific killing of Yue Yue, the little Chinese girl run over twice in the street and ignored by passers-by. Since this was broadcast Yue Yue has died.

CCTV footage of little Yue Yue lying horrifically injured as people stepped around her in the road caused outrage around the world and sparked a fierce debate about morality in China.

Thousands of pounds have been donated to her family to help pay for treatment but Yue Yue died on Friday of brain and organ failure.

A hospital official said: “Her injuries were too severe and the treatment had no effect.”

Her tearful mother, Qu Feifei described how she had told her daughter: “Don’t give up on mum. Mum is not giving up. Let mum have one more chance to love and spoil you.”

Yue Yue was hit by a van driver who failed to stop in a street in the southern Guandong province city of Foshan.

The footage shows 18 people walk or drive by before another van runs over her seven minutes later.

A scavenger finally came to her aid, took her to hospital and found her parents.

Note: Latest Talk by Vishvapani

The latest "Thought for the Day" by Vishvapani is now available on our Audio Section.

It's the End of the World...... Again

You may remember our posts "My Last Post?" and "The World Didn't End!" from back in May when an evangelical Christian minister, Harold Camping, proclaimed the end of the World (well, leastways, for all us "non-believers").

Guess what, it's Apocalypse time all over again, “the day when He will destroy the world and all that is therein!" A study of the Book of Revelation apparently reveals the date of October 21, 2011 as the date of the End of the World. Originally thought to come in stages over a 5 month period, the Rapture, Apocalypse, and End of the World will all come in one day!!!

The Rapture will come this Friday morning. Expected to seem like the longest day on earth, October 21 will begin with a large, world wide earthquake, marking the second coming of Jesus. He will be returning to earth at god’s orders to bring his true believers back to heaven, in the Rapture. He will have pre-selected the chosen ones on Judgement Day, leaving the rest of us to a hopeless last day on earth. Those left will be waiting, and begging for the End of the World, as they experience the Apocalypse.

Fire, disaster and lack of saviour will define the Apocalypse. Earthquakes and Tsunami’s causing worldwide destruction will lead to looting and rioting by the anarchists (?), as the final day edges closer to an end. Just as god "created the world", he will destroy his creation in a matter of moments. The End of the World will come on October 21, 2011, and those not saved in the Rapture will experience the Apocalypse.

So now you "know"...................

Self-immolations Continue in Tibet

Yesterday a Tibetan woman killed herself by self-immolation three kilometres outside Ngaba in the Aba County of eastern Tibet an autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province on Monday at around 1PM local time, said Tibetan exile sources with contacts in the area.

Tenzin Wangmo, a 20-year-old nun from Mame Dechen Chokorling nunnery called for the return of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet when she set herself on fire. She is reported to have died at the scene. The nun was from the Nyitse family from the village of Shakoma in Ngaba.

The same sources say Chinese authorities have intensified military presence at Mame nunnery and the local town.



An 8th young Tibetan man has also set fire to himself in Ngaba. A former Kirti monk set fire to himself in a protest on the main street in Ngaba just before noon on Saturday. Norbu Damdrul, a 19-year old former monk at Kirti monastery, shouted “We need freedom and independence for Tibet,” and also called for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet as his body was burning, according to the same sources.

Norbu’s body was badly burned, but according to sources he was still alive when police stationed on the street extinguished the flames and kicked Norbu before taking him away. According to at least one source in the area, the vehicle transporting Norbu Damdrul left the scene headed in the opposite direction to that of the local hospital, Norbu Damdrul’s current whereabouts and well-being are unknown. A large crowd of Tibetans who had gathered at the scene was dispersed at gunpoint by security personnel.

During a video discussion with fellow Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Tutu, the Dalai Lama said he made China uncomfortable by speaking the truth.

"Some Chinese officials describe me as a demon so naturally some fear... the demon," he is quoted by the AFP news agency as telling the archbishop during the live video link.

He said that "hypocrisy" has become part of the fabric of the "communist" system and said that those who spoke the truth made China uncomfortable.

World Vegan Day

As a Buddhist site we often post on issues of animal welfare, one of our Sangha members is a committed Vegan and forwarded this item from the Vegan Society on World Vegan Day.

World Vegan Month is nearly here.

It is time to put up posters in public places, share vegan cakes, take a non-vegan to a vegan festival, and talk to your local newspapers and radio.

World Vegan Day is Tuesday 1 November 2011, launching global vegan celebrations throughout November (World Vegan Month) – take a look at our major events listings on www.worldveganday.org

Get in touch for our two new FREE posters, Because you do care, and World Vegan Day: you can see them at: www.worldveganday.org (plus our great selection of FREE colour leaflets).

FULL MOON - Wednesday 12th October 2011

Like the tongue that can appreciate
the flavour of the soup,
is one who can discern clearly the truth after only a brief association with the wise.

Dhammapada v. 65

The number of retreats we go on is not as important as our ability to discern truth. The amount of time we spend sitting meditation does not matter as much as our ability to see clearly what is in front of us.

If our awareness is here-and-now, whole body-mind and judgement-free, than we can learn from all aspects of our life. If we have the good fortune to encounter wisdom, in whatever form, we will recognize it.
It won't have to appear Buddhist, or up to date, or even overtly wise.
The heart will simply know it and be gladdened.

With Metta,

Bhikkhu Munindo