Many years ago, when I was walking on the South Devon coastal path [in England] with my mother, I was suddenly struck by what it meant to walk on a path. For some reason, I became aware that while I was on a path, I was necessarily heading toward a destination. A path, all paths, have some sort of purpose. They get you somewhere. You have a sense of direction. At the same time, I realized that in walking along a path, I do so without impediment. Theres nothing getting in my way, no obstacles, which means that Im able to get into my rhythm or pace. So a path is a space of freedoma space where movement is possible.

A path is also something that connects us to a human, and even an animal, community because paths, particularly trails in the countryside, are there only because of people having gone before. Its the tread of their feet that keeps the path open, even though they are long gone and away from view. At the same time, as we walk that path in their wake, we are serving to keep that path open for those who will follow.

When we talk of the eightfold path, it is helpful to reflect on the very metaphor of path itself, which we find in all traditions. What is distinctive about the eightfold path in Buddhism is that it is also described as a middle path, or a middle way. We could even translate that as a centered path or a central way. Its understood as a path that avoids slipping into dead ends. In other words, the middle way is a path that actually will get us somewhere.

Of course many of the paths we follow in our lives are not actually paths at all because they dont get us to where we would like them to get us. They dont fulfill the desires that we hope they will. So often, we pursue a course in our lives, yet we find ourselves back where we started. So often, we go around in circles and keep meeting these dead ends. But the middle way and the eightfold path are also described with the metaphor of a stream. Theres something about this path that is dynamic, or flowing. The person who has entered the eightfold path is one who is said to have entered a stream. In other words, a stream is a flowing body of water that is held between its two banks that allows it that same sense of directionthat same sense of freedom of movement. In some ways, too, being water, [the streamor pathis] something that nourishes society, community, and sentient beings.

For me, the eightfold path is part of a much longer pathing process that I call the four tasks. The four tasks describe in detail how this eightfold path arises. The first task is to embrace life, to fully understand the condition were in, but in a nonreactive way to pay attention with mindfulness, awareness, or sensitivity. That opens up a far greater awareness of how we react. We start noticing how often we encounter a situation, and it feels a certain way to us. That triggers a reaction: We either want it, we dont like it, or were bored by it. So we begin to become aware of these reactive processes.

The second task is to let [our reactions] be or let them go, so we dont get caught up and entangled in their narrative. Instead, we just remain mindfully conscious that this is how were reacting. That awareness of reactivity, that letting it be, rather than jumping on board and following, is what opens up the possibility of experiencing a nonreactive space. That nonreactive space is of the nature of nirvana itself. Its the absence of greed, hatred, fear, or confusion. It may be momentary, but as we touch that openness, and that spaciousness, it makes us aware of our freedom to live differentlyto not just be driven by our habits, but to respond to life situations in a way thats not just a habitual reactive engagement with the situation, but one that allows for greater responsiveness. Its here, [in this third task,] that the eightfold path begins.

The fourth task is to cultivate this path and to bring it into being. Its not reducible simply to being a good meditator or to developing certain spiritual ideas, or to having certain mystical insights (although all of those things can well be part of this process). The eightfold path highlights very clearly that this practice is one that engages the totality of what it means to be human.

In understanding how this process of cultivating a path might work, theres a discourse in the early Buddhist canon called the Bhavana sutta, the discourse on cultivation. [In it], the Buddha illustrates this process of cultivation with the example of a chicken and her eggs. Clearly, the Buddha paid attention to ordinary farming activities that he probably would have encountered throughout his life, and would have been aware that when a hen is sitting on eggs in her nest, she is slowly turning and moving them around to ensure each egg is the same temperature and has the same possibility of being warmed in such a way that the little chick can then break out of the shell. This analogy is presented as a way in which to work with these different bodies of practices.

Im selecting the eightfold path, one of the ones mentioned in that discourse, to show that the order in which we traditionally might have been presented with these ideas is open to modification. Indeed, perhaps, in our time, we need to rethink some of the elements of the eightfold path to highlight those which have been made more marginal, and to reconsider how this path could best be configured for our time and our world today. As an experiment with this egg-moving metaphor, Id like to suggest another way we could look at the eight branches of the path, starting with our perspective, what is sometimes called the right view, or our way of seeing ourselves in the world, and then seeing that perspective as what stimulates and opens up our imagination as we begin to move toward a response. [Then we move onto] how that imagination allows us to then engage ourselves with the tasks at hand through effort, through application itself, and how that can then lead us into a more refined mindfulness, or collectiveness, that enables us to be present and focused. And when we move into the actual response itself, we do so by communication, through our speech, voice, work, and those activities that really make our lives come fully alivewhether that work be one of a teacher, artist, carer, or businessperson. A person who feels a vocation for any particular way of life does so because that is what speaks to his or her needs most deeply. I feel that this way of living, outlined by these different branches, has, as its goal, in a way, the survival of life on Earth. And at our present time, this survival is not just about you, and me, and human beings, but all creatures whose lives have flourished on this planet, but whose lives are now understood to be under threat. So my sense of the eightfold path is that it allows this kind of thinking and questioning to have a framework and perspective.

Adapted from Reimagining the Eightfold Path, Tricycles newest online course, which launches November 14. Learn more here.

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Reflections on the Eightfold Path - Tricycle

In fact, the vows were designed to hurt Hindus.

Dr. Ambedkar had a justification for it.

He had repeatedly spoken about the need to reform Hindu society in a radical way.

Hindu society was (and is) surrounded by aggressively destructive forces. Hindus in vast regions that would soon become Pakistan were facing a definite Holocaust and extinction.

Yet, traditional Hindu leaders, who then had much more influence on Hindu society than they have now, were fighting tooth and nail the reforms that affirmed human dignity of the Scheduled Community Hindus.

In that context, Dr. Ambedkar had the right to offend Hindus. It was a Dharmic right.

But Hindu society has and had been reforming.

The Hindutva movement, particularly, has been able to take forward the fundamental reforms desired by Dr. Ambedkar in an unprecedented way.

Priests from the Scheduled Communities are today a reality. The RSS has contributed immensely to this social change. The toil of decades and the dedicated lives of seers of the Sangh like Dattopant Thengadi and activist-scholars like Ramesh Patange have brought perceivable changes.

Dr. Ambedkar knew that Hindu Dharma alone had the spiritual basis of democracy at its core, in the form of Upanishadic Mahavakyas.

Yet, Hindus did not derive the needed strength and courage to fight social stagnation from these Mahavakyas. A vast section of the Hindu population was oppressed by their own brethren who in turn were under colonial oppression of aliens.

Dr. Ambedkar realised that the Hindus oppressed by fellow Hindus in the name of Dharma, which was in fact pseudo-Dharma, needed a transformational alleviation both collective and individualistic.

A catharsis was needed for the Hindus oppressed and exploited by fellow Hindus and it was a religious transformation alone that could do that. Dr. Ambedkar understood this fundamental truth.

And at a time when people were searching for secular solutions, Dr. Ambedkar alone opted for a Dharmic resolution.

Given the scholar that he was, he would have known that Buddhism had not necessarily distinguished itself when it came to social justice.

Burakumin, the untouchable communities of Japan, were never a problem for Buddhism, including for the global spiritual fad, Zen Buddhism.

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From Hatred to Samanvaya: How Hinduism Can Render The 22 Vows Of 'Navayana Buddhism' Irrelevant - Swarajya

Here at Tricycle, we read a lot of Buddhist books, keeping our eyes peeled for any titles that may interest our readers. But like anyone with a Netflix (or Hulu, or HBO Max, or Disney+) subscription, we also end up watching a lot of shows. Although references to Buddhism in Western TV and film are typically scant or nonexistent, we still often find ourselves drawing connections to Buddhist wisdom. So we assembled a list of recently watched shows or films that called Buddhist themes or principles to mindsome more directly than others. Take them as suggestions the next time youre struggling to find something to watch.

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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp

You may or may not be familiar with Marcel, the anthropomorphic one-inch-tall shell outfitted with a singly googly eye and pair of pink sneakers, who first captivated viewers in 2010 through a series of short YouTube videos that garnered millions of views. Now, hes the star of the recently released A24 film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which premiered in festivals in 2021 before its wide release in July of 2022. The stop-motion-animated film is shot as a mockumentary, with director Dean Fleischer Camp playing a fictionalized version of himself as a recent divorcee and documentary filmmaker who moves into an Airbnb and discovers that hes not its only resident. Camp stumbles upon Marcel (voiced by actress and comedian Jenny Slate) and his grandmother, Nana Connie, two tiny shell creatures who have lived unnoticed in the house for generations.

While the movie is both sweet and laugh-out-loud funny, it doesnt shy away from heavier themes of loss and death. Marcel reveals to Camp that his community of shells used to be much larger, but due to an unexplained tragedy, they have been missing for years. This loss of community drives the plot of the film as Camp and Marcel set out to find the shells family with the help of the internet. I could go on about how the film explores sensationalism in the digital era, astutely highlighting the difference between an audience and a community, but thats not what touched me the most about Marcels story. Rather, its how Marcel deeply understands and appreciates his place in the world, even as a tiny, one-inch mollusk. In the films final moments, Marcel shows us one of his favorite spots in the house, a quiet windowsill where the breeze flutters in. As he stands there, he notes how he can hear the wind blowing through his shell, showing him that hes a small but indispensable part of the worlds beauty. I like the way I sound in the world, he whispers.

Though it may come across as a childrens film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On tempers its sweetness with deep wisdom. Marcel bestows upon audiences the importance of community, love for the little things, and quiet reflection on our interdependence.

Amanda Lim Patton

How to Change Your Mind (2022) Directed by Alison Ellwood and Lucy Walker, starring Michael Pollan

How to Change Your Mind is a four-part Netflix documentary series based on Michael Pollans 2018 book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. In the show, as in the book, Pollan aims to destigmatize psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and MDMA, and investigates how they might be used to understand the mind and treat health conditions like depression and anxiety. Many of the shows interviewees describe their experience with psychedelics as deeply healing and spiritual. In the first episode on LSD, one researcher named James Fadiman explains how his first trip awakened him to the reality of our interdependence. I took LSD and that was the day that my life was transformed, where I realized that Jim Fadiman, for all of his benefits and flaws, was a subset of a larger being. And that larger being was connected to all other beings. In other words, a classical mythical experience of awareness of the unity and the interweaving of all things.

Though Pollan isnt Buddhist himself, he says that his personal experiences with these drugs led him to a regular meditation practice, and his research explores many Buddhist themes, including questioning consciousness, the ego, and the self.

Alison Spiegel and Amanda Lim Patton

The Midnight Gospel (2020)Created by Pendleton Ward and Duncan Trussell

The Midnight Gospel is not a casual watch. Or, I suppose it could be, but then youd either be missing out on all the absurd details of its animation or the nuances of the philosophical conversations. Granted, its often difficult to focus on both at the same time. Co-created by Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward and comedian Duncan Trussell, The Midnight Gospel is an animated Netflix series that follows the cosmic adventures of a spacecaster (video podcaster in space) named Clancy Gilroy. In each episode, Gilroy (voiced by Trussell) travels to a new planet and interviews one of its inhabitants for his spacecast, often asking guests about their life philosophies as the pair navigate an impending apocalyptic disaster.

Uniquely, each episodes spacecast interview is adapted from earlier episodes of Trussells own podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour. A Tibetan Buddhist himself, Trussells selected guests within The Midnight Gospel include an array of spiritual teachers, such as Tibetan teacher David Nichtern, Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman, and the late American spiritual leader Ram Dass. My favorite episode of the series is the last one, in which Gilroy interviews his mother, voiced by retired psychologist and Trussells late mother Deneen Fendig. The two embark on an emotional journey through the cycle of birth, life, and death, which is made more acute given that Fendig had late-stage breast cancer at the time of the interview. Gilroy asks his mother what advice she would give to people who are dealing with heartbreak around death. She replies, I would tell them to cry when they need to cry. And to turn toward this thing thats called death Even if youre afraid to turn toward it, turn toward it. It wont hurt you. And see what it has to teach you. Its a tremendous teacher, free of charge. As I said, the show is not a casual watch. But its definitely worth watching.

Amanda Lim Patton

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019-)Produced by Ufotable

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a thrilling, action-packed anime aboutyou guessed itslaying dangerous demons. Despite the gore, the show manages to be lighthearted and funny. This combination may be the reason its one of the most popular anime series running right now. In fact, the sequel film Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020) is now the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.

When a demon attacks a rural family of charcoal makers, only two survive: Tanjiro and his little sister, Nezuko, who is tragically turned into a demon. To avenge his family and find a way to transform his sister back into a human, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps, a group of elite swordsmen dedicated to protecting humans from their hungry demon adversaries.

Over the course of the series, both of the siblings develop a kind of bodhicittaa strong desire to alleviate the suffering of others and to deal with their demons (both internal and external) skillfully. Motivated by her own willpower and love for her brother, Nezuko learns to control her demon impulse to kill humans and instead fights alongside Tanjiro as a demon slayer. By envisioning all of humanity as her close family, shes able to use her own demonic powers to protect others. And, unlike his demon slayer comrades, Tanjiro develops compassion for even the most despicable, terrifying demons and maintains a gentle spaciousness in his heart amidst immense loss. Many of the demons that Tanjiro fights are moved by his kindness and are able to recall their past lives as humansalong with their trauma or conditions that led them to become a demon. Thanks to Tanjiros compassion for all beings, the demons are able to discover a sense of peace in their final moments.

Aidan Speckhard

Bouddhisme, La Loi du Silence (or Buddhism: The Unspeakable Truth) (2022)Directed by Elodie Emery and Wandrille Lanos

On September 13, Arte, a European public service TV network, released a documentary called Bouddhisme, La Loi du Silence (or Buddhism: The Unspeakable Truth), made by filmmakers Elodie Emery and Wandrille Lanos. The film is currently available to watch in France until December 11, 2022, and the Tricycle editorial staff recently watched the film together. La Loi du Silence spotlights patterns of abuse by Tibetan Buddhist teachers around the world, as well as the insufficient condemnation of such abuse by leaders like the Dalai Lama. In the process, the film raises many questions: How do teachers and communities distort Buddhist teachings in harmful ways? Who is responsible for teacher-student abuse or systemic abuse within a community? How has the Dalai Lamas dual role as a political and spiritual leader compromised his ability to call out abuse and his effectiveness in stopping it? Why were Westerners drawn to Buddhism in the first place, and what led some to leave their children under the care of leaders like Robert Spatz, who is a central figure in the documentary? How can senior teachers and members of Buddhist communities expose, speak out against, and work to prevent this kind of abuse from occurring in the future? Although the documentary may introduce unspeakable truths to new audiences who were not previously familiar with the assault and manipulation that has occurred within some Buddhist groups, ultimately the film leaves many questions unanswered.

Alison Spiegel

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What We're Watching: Buddhist TV Shows and Movies - Tricycle - Tricycle

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has caused yet another storm by calling for the caste and the varna systems to be thrown out of Hinduism lock, stock and barrel.

At a book release event in Nagpur on October 7, Bhagwat criticised the inhuman treatment meted out to some of our own people. He declared, This sin has happened and it must be atoned for.

The speech drew a variety of reactions. Some have welcomed it, some are looking at it with circumspection and others are dismissing it as yet another smokescreen to cover up the disturbing situation in which India finds itself.

Of course, there is much to agree with in Bhagwats statement. Should we abolish the caste system? Yes sooner than later.

So, why view it with scepticism? Here was an opportunity for Sangh supporters to showcase Bhagwats statement to silence the critics who accuse the organisation of being Brahminical.

Ironically, the speech has already resulted in a case being filed against Girish Kuber, the editor of the Marathi daily Loksatta, and the papers Nagpur reporter Rajeshwar Thakte by Sangh members angry that the publication had said that Bhagwat mentioned Brahmins in his speech though he had not specified any caste.

It is true that Bhagwat did not single out any group when he called for the atonement of sins committed in the name of caste and varna but the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief could not have been referring to anyone other than members of the upper castes.

By raising a hue and cry over the misreporting of Bhagwats speech, the followers of the Sangh have unwittingly fallen into a trap. If they say he was not referring to Brahmins, they must explain to whom he was referring.

There could be two proximate causes for Bhagwats decision to attack casteism and at this time. The Sangh has specific inputs about growing unrest among Dalits about the attempt to enfold members of the lower castes into the saffron vote bank. The Sangh also fears a possible surge in religious conversions of Dalits, particularly to Buddhism.

An event in Delhi on October 5, attended by Rajendra Pal Gautam, a minister of the Aam Aadmi Party in that state, saw 10,000 Dalits embrace Buddhism.

BR Ambedkars great grandson Rajratna Ambedkar told a television channel that at the annual Dhammachakra Pravartan Din programme at Nagpur on the same Vijaydashami day, over five lakh Dalits had converted to Buddhism.

While new adherents embrace Buddhism every year in Nagpur on Vijaydashami day in commemoration of BR Ambedkars conversion to Buddhism there in 1956, the number of five lakh new adherents seems like an exaggeration. Generally, the Nagpur event sees a few thousand people converting to Buddhism.

Still, as if that was not enough, Rajratna Ambedkar claimed that about 10 crore Dalits will convert to Buddhism in 2025, the year when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh celebrates its centenary.

Dalits have much to be angry about. Over the past few years, there have been prominent instances of atrocities against Dalits across the country, from Dalit tanners being flogged in Gujarats Una town to the rape and murder of a Dalit girl in the town of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh.

The National Crime Records Bureau reported that crimes against Dalits had increased by 9.3% in 2020 over the previous year. In March, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale told Parliament that 1,38,825 cases related to crimes against Dalits were filed across the country between 2018 and 2020.

While atrocities on Dalits have been occuring from much before the Narendra Modi government took over at the Centre, what is markedly different in the post-2014 incidents is the complete silence from top Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh officials about these crimes.

If the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was sincere about improving the lives of Dalits, it would have focused on caste equality if not on caste annihilation from the beginning. However, instead of equality (samata), it kept emphasising cohesion (samrasta). Many in the Sangh parivar defend the varna system as a scientific way to ensure the smooth functioning of society.

A telling example of the Sanghs ambiguous attitudes to Dalits is its ambivalence on the policy of reservations for members of marginalised groups in educational institutions and government jobs. It has, at times, very magnanimously called for the reservation policy to be continued as long as Dalits themselves dont call for an end to it.

But Bhagwat himself was in the news when he purportedly called for a review of the reservations policy just before Bihar Assembly elections last year.

The Sanghs equivocation about Dalits is also evident in the disjunction in the the positions it has taken on members of marginalised castes compared to Muslims. While it has long demanded that Muslims set right the so-called historical wrongs committed by their forefathers against Hindus, this is the first time that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh called for atonement of sins committed against Dalits in the past.

Still, as some have pointed out, if Muslims must pay for historical atrocities against Hindus, perhaps this demand must also be extended to members of the upper castes for repressing Dalits for centuries.

As a consequence, it is difficult to view the atonement call as anything beyond a safety valve to let out the growing pressure of Dalit disenchantment with the Hindutva project.

Clearly, it will take concrete implementation on the ground of the Sanghs ideas for sceptics to believe that Bhagwat is speaking from the heart.

If the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs intentions are sincere, all doubts will vanish.

Vivek Deshpande worked with The Indian Express and is now a freelance journalist in Nagpur.

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Why RSS chief Mohan Bhagwats call for caste system to be discarded has been met with scepticism - Scroll.in

The second Lotsawa Translation Workshop, titled Celebrating Buddhist Womens Voices in the Tibetan Tradition, was held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, from 13-16 October.

The event was organized with the support of the Tsadra Foundation and Luce/ACLS, two private foundations based in New York, and in cooperation with Northwesterns Department of Religious Studies, and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.

The Lotsawa Translation Workshop was designed to provide an opportunity for translators and scholars to work together in a hands-on setting on translations-in-progress. Among the goals of the workshop are: connecting theory and practice in crafting literary translations of Buddhist literature from Tibetan into English; forging a community of practice around translation through experimentation, dialogue, and feedback; and making short works of Tibetan Buddhist literature available to practitioners, undergraduates, and the general public by publishing thematic anthologies of translations.

The thematic focus of the workshop is an exploration of issues around translating the voices and experiences of Buddhist women from Tibetan sources into English. This includes works from different genres and time periods, ranging from classical Buddhist texts to the writings of modern Tibetan women.

The workshop is inspired by the groundbreaking compilation of 52 volumes of writings by, for, and about Buddhist women in the Tibetan language called kins Great Dharma Treasury (Tib: mkha groi chos mdzod chen mo), published in 2017 by the rya Tre Publishing Committee and combining the writings of Buddhist nuns from Larung Gar in eastern Tibet.

The first Lotsawa Translation Workshop was held at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2018 under the theme Tibetan Songs (mgur) and Affect in a Buddhist Devotional Framework.

The organizers hope that this second Lotsawa Translation Workshop will offer practical support to newer translators and graduate students, provoke fresh approaches to the translation of Tibetan Buddhist texts, and cultivate a greater sense of community among those engaged in translation.

The workshop organizers are four accomplished female scholars: Sarah Jacoby, associate professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University; Padma tsho, a professor in the Philosophy Department of Southwest University for Nationalities in Chengdu, China; Holly Gayley, associate professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder; and Dominique Townsend, assistant professor of Buddhist Studies at Bard College in Annandale on Hudson, New York.

The format for the four-day event combined keynote lectures, panels, and breakout sessions in the mornings. The afternoons were dedicated to working on translations-in-progress in small groups.The program started on 13 October with a keynote dialogue between Sarah Harding and Tenzin Dickie.

There were breakout sessions over the following three days divided into three themes: Politics of Translation, Gender and Genre, and New Directions, along with panels and workshops. A panel dedicated to Reflections on Translating Womens Lives and Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition with Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Choela Tenzin Dadon, Ani Choyang, Damch Diana Finnegan, and Janet Gyatso, was organized on 14 October, followed by three breakout groups: Womens Voices in Tibetan Texts, Power Dynamics in Fe/male Literary Dialogues, and Translating Voices from the Margins.

Evening events included readings by renowned Tibetan authors, organized with the cooperation of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago and titled A Celebration of Tibetan and Himalayan Women Writers. It featured readings by Kunzang Choden, Tsering Yangzom Lama, Nyima Tso, Kelsang Lhamo, and Tenzin Dickie.

A keynote address on Feminist Translation and Translation Studies: In Flux Toward the Transnational was offered by Luise von Flotow on 15 October, followed by three breakout groups: Inclusive/Feminist Approaches to Buddhist Translation, Literary & Liturgical Representations of Women & the Feminine, and Yab Yum Symbolism, Heteronormativity, and Translating Sexual Yoga, as well as a conversation ontranslating the Khandro Chdz Chenmo.

The program concluded on 16 October with a panel on Literary Perspectives from Tibetan and Himalayan Women Writers with Kunzang Chodon, Tsering Yangzom Lama, Nyima Tso, Kelsang Lhamo, and Tashi Dekyidand, and with three breakouts groups: Translation Fidelity or InterventionWhen Should Translators Sanitize Misogyny, Explain It, Reproduce It, or Refuse to Translate It?, Translating Contemporary Womens Writing, and Buddhist Tropes of Masculinity.

The Second Lotsawa Translation WorkshopThe 2018 Lotsawa Translation WorkshopProgram of the workshop

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Northwestern University Hosts Lotsawa Translation Workshop on Buddhist Womens Voices in the Tibetan Tradition - Buddhistdoor Global

When I was a child, the autumn months used to make me sad. The weather would become colder, the days grew shorter, and it seemed like everything was changing for the worst. The icing on this terrible situation was that the trees were dying.

At least, I thought they were dying as their leaves changed color and fell to the ground. The adults in my life told me the trees were just sleeping but I didnt believe them. How could a tree lose all of its leaves and stay alive? I wondered.

As I grew older, and I had a few more autumns under my belt, I realized that the adults were partially correct. Yes, the trees were sleeping, withdrawing nutrients from their branches, and storing up sugars for the winter months. But there were other things happening as well.

I learned that leaves arent actually green. They only look that way because they are filled with chlorophyl. Its only in the fall when the chlorophyl dries up and the leaves are about to die that we see their true colors.

I learned that when the leaves fall on the ground, they provide habitats for a host of insects that need a resting place for the winter. And they insulate the ground so that earthworms in the soil dont freeze. Finally, when the leaves break down and decompose, they fertilize the soil, adding nutrients to support the growth of the trees and other plants in the spring.

As I learned more about the natural processes of the world, my childlike ignorance was replaced with wisdom and I gained an appreciation for the impermanent nature of trees. And when I grew older, Buddhism helped me gain that same appreciation for the impermanent nature of people.

As humans, we are of a nature to be born, to grow old, to fall sick, and to die. In the beginning, growing older is a good thing. Its a transition that adds more richness and complexity to our lives. At 16 we can drive, at 18 we leave home for college, at 25 we can rent a car! But as we age there inevitably comes a tipping point at which life stops giving us things and it starts to take them away.

As we grow older our bodies start to break down, illness becomes more frequent, and we may struggle to keep up with new technology. To be frank, these changes are unpleasant at best, and at worst they can be a source of immense suffering.

And this suffering is multiplied by a secular world that is rooted in ignorance, a world that tells us our bodies should never change. According to the advertisements that appear on our digital devices, every 50-year-old should look like theyre 25 and every sick person just needs to adopt a more positive mindset.

In contrast, Buddhism teaches that change is a natural, inescapable part of life. Everything in the universe, including people, is in a constant state of transition. If we can learn to accept lifes transitions, we can appreciate them in the same way that a child might appreciate the beauty of fallen leaves.

When we approach the aging process with this newfound wisdom, we find beauty in the midst of achy joints and gray hairs.

We notice that our youthful vigor has been replaced with a host of life experiences that help us make better, more considered choices. We realize that a quiet evening with good friends can be more enjoyable than a night out on the town surrounded by strangers. And we find more time for spiritual practice as we let go of our juvenile desires.

More than that, as the autumn leaves fall from our proverbial tree, we realize that theyre making room for new growth to emerge. This may look like taking up a new hobby or deepening our relationship with our partner.

When we do this, when we approach the aging process with a mind of acceptance, the world opens up to us. And the suffering thats normally associated with the process of birth, aging, sickness, and death disappears. Instead, its replaced by a feeling of joy and quiet contentment as we look over the fallen leaves of our past and look forward to the new growth that will emerge in our future.

Like a child who looks at the orange and red leaves of autumn and understands that they are harbingers of good days to come, we experience aging as evidence that life has new, exciting challenges in store. And when the day finally comes, and our human shell stops its worldly function, we can let it go without fear because we know that the end of one life leads to the beginning of another in the same way that the end of one season leads to the beginning of another.

Namu Amida Butsu

Dance for a Passing WorldGratitudeConnecting the Past and Present of Shugendo The Revival of Japans Ancient Mountain Ascetic Tradition, Part FourSowing the Seeds of Light and Life, Harvesting the Fruit of RebirthBodhimandalaPandemics and Inner PeaceAt the Dog Park: Rejoicing in our Common Roots of Good and Evil

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Acceptance and Autumn Leaves - Buddhistdoor Global

The three-month rains retreat of Vassavasa has been a mainstay tradition of monastic communities since the founding of the Buddhist order. However, its conclusion, Pavarana, is an important event in itself, typically falling on the full moon of the 11th lunar month. In 2022, the festival was celebrated on 9 October.

Pavarana means inviting admonition. This refers to inviting ones fellow monks to offer reprimands for any offenses or misdeeds committed during the three-month retreat when monks lived communally. According to the Buddhist teaching, this practice helps to ensure fidelity to the Vinaya, the monastic code of personal conduct. Pavarana is followed by the Kathina robe-offering ceremony, which continues until the full moon of the 12th lunar month.

Theravada Buddhists throughout the world observe Pavarana by performing meritorious acts traditionally associated with the festival. In the morning, laypeople gather in monasteries to observe five or eight precepts for the day. Before noon, there is a lengthy period of chanting during which food, flowers, incense, lamps, and other offerings are made in homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. Then the devotees serve meals to the monks and eat whatever is left over. In the afternoon, the monks give Dhamma talks followed by discussions on the importance of the festival. The ceremony is concluded by sharing the accumulated merits with family members and all sentient beings.

In some Theravada Buddhist societies, including Bangladesh and Thailand, the evening following the Pavarana ceremony is marked by festivities. Devotees launch sky lanternshot-air balloons made of paper with a small flame burning at the centerknown as fanush in Bangladesh and khom fai in Thailand. In Bangladesh, evening festivals often attract hundreds of people, including those of other faiths, in a show of religious harmony.

Sky lanterns have long been used in Chinese and Thai celebrations, and were also a vital part of communication in ancient China as they were occasionally used to send messages across long distances. In China, light is a symbol of harmony and tranquillity, and lanterns occupy an important cultural position to this day. However, using lanterns for celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, music festivals, national holidays, and so on has also been popular around the world throughout history.

The Buddha-Dharma Center of Hong Kong likewise celebrated Pavarana this year. Many Buddhists from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong took part in the celebration and performed meritorious acts. Along with my family, I observed the Five Precepts, worshipped the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and offered food and other essentials to the monks. In his speech to the assembled Buddhists, Venerable Professor K. L. Dhammajoti spoke in depth about the importance of Pavarana. He commended Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan Buddhists in particular for upholding their Buddhist heritage and culture in Hong Kong. To ensure that everyone from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka could appreciate the significance of the occasion, two monks from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka give Dhamma talks in their respective languages. The monks had lunch after the ceremony, and we all ate together thereafter, with the meal becoming a social gathering.

When I lived in Bangladesh, I also made sky lanterns to commemorate Pavarana. Making lanterns involves building artistic structures out of bamboo and applying colored paper to create a variety of designs. However, no holes can be made in the lantern. Afterwards, a light fabric saturated in wax is tied to a wheel of thread that has been made for the lantern.

When lantern is lit, it produces a good deal of heat over time, and the lantern eventually rises upward, drifting toward the sky. The sky can be illuminated by the glow from large groups of lanterns for a long time, providing festival-goers with quite the spectacle. But what happens to the fire within these airborne lanterns? The original pioneers of this festival took into account the potential fire hazard by incorporating a built-in solution. When the burning cloth is exhausted, it turns to ash and the flying lanterns drop back to the ground. There are no hot embers carried in the wind. This makes the ritual relatively safe compared to other lantern rites.

According to Theravada Buddhist legend, Prince Siddhartha, determined to attain liberation from suffering, renounced the household life on the auspicious full moon ofAsadha(Pali:Asalha), amonth that corresponds with June or July in theGregorian calendar. Siddhartha traveled to the riverAnomawith his charioteerChandakaand horseKanthaka. Leaving them both behind, he journeyed into the woods and changed into amendicants robes.Before becoming a wandering sramana, Siddhartha cut his hair with his sword. He resolved to himself: If the perfection to become a Buddha remains within me, may this tuft of hair thrown upwards not fall to the ground but remain in the sky. With this vow of determination, he threw the lock of hair upward. Surprisingly, not a single hair fell to the ground.

Tradition says that King Indra of the deva realm (a heavenly plane associated with good rebirth but also sensual pleasures) kept the Buddhas hair in a gem-studded gold pot. Indra took the hair to his home of the Tavatimsa Heaven. The chaitya in which this hair relic was placed was called the Chulamani Chaitya. Buddhists believe that the gods of Tavatimsa still worship the Chulamani Chaitya. But human worshippers cannot ascend to the deva realm to worship the Buddhas hair. So instead they light paper lanterns, and on Pavarana they send the sky lanterns upward to worship the Chulamani Chaitya. The lanterns are released to the chant of sadhu, sadhu, sadhu from the monks echoing into the night. Then, by reciting prayers, sutta passages, and mantras, Buddhists, who will often be barefoot during this occasion, offer obeisance to the Chulamani Chaitya.

Lanterns are supposed to be lit on the full moon ofAsadha,when the skies are clear. But due to possible rain or cloudy skies, there might not always be the right opportunity to fly the lanterns.

It is unknown exactly when Pavarana and its ritualistic processes became associated with the lanterns. However, what is certain is that it is a skill that has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. Looking back, incidents of fires due to improperly made lanterns have been rare because the rope or cloth contains the flame so well that the lantern only descends when the fire is extinguished.

Nowadays, many people in different countries, regardless of religion, have unwittingly undermined the solemn custom of making lanterns, entrusting their production to unskilled hands. At the same time, low-quality lanterns are available in the open market which do not fly properly or fly without the proper mechanisms for self-extinguishing, potentially causing serious accidents.

There are often also no regulations to determine where people or groups may launch lanterns into the air, resulting in safety problems. As a result, many countries in Asia have tightened regulations around this custom. In some cases, lanterns have become prohibited altogether, including in Bangladesh. During the solar New Year Festival, unfortunate accidents involving flying lanterns have occurred in parts of the country, and so they have been prohibited at any time other than Pavarana. Similarly, due to fire-safety concerns, the US state of Washington outlawed their use in 2015.

Many Buddhists agree that it is time to consider whether it is necessary to give flight to hundreds of lanterns for traditional festivals. Although it is always a joy to launch lanterns, there are also risks. Buddhist communities are apprehensive of the fire risks posed, even though they continue to celebrate the launch of sky lanterns as a part of traditional Bangladeshi and Thai culture.

The Khao Phansa Festival: The Buddhist Lent of ThailandSky Lanterns and Walubi: My Waisak Day at Borobudur in 2018, Part 1Sky Lanterns and Walubi: My Waisak Day at Borobudur in 2018, Part 2Art, Culture, and Healing the World: A Conversation with Haema SivanesanA Journey Through 5,000 Years of Tibetan History and Culture at the Capital Museum in Beijing

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Pavarana: The Theravada Tradition of Launching Sky Lanterns - Buddhistdoor Global

Chinese works of art are often admired for its elegance and sophistication.But more than beauty, these treasures providean open window into a glorious past of a culture, allowing us to explore and understand our own history.

On 25 and 26 October, Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr will present an auction dedicated to the outstanding Rousset Family private collection, led by a museum-qualitywood figure of a Bodhisattva from the Jin dynasty.

On the occasion, let us delve into the renowned French collection and take a glimpse at thegolden age of China's sacredhistory through religious art.

A thousand words are not enough to tell the story of such big names asRobert andJean-Pierre Rousset. But the mere fact that they aredonors to Muse Guimet andMuse Cernuschi,leadingmuseums of Asian art in Paris, stands as a testament to the quality of their collections.

In fact, the Roussets has always had strong ties withMuse Guimet.Visitors to the museum would be able to take the measure of Robert's visionary character and sharp eye through the permanent exhibitof his personal collection of Chinese funerary gures which was also the subject of a book published in 1997 bythe Musee Guimet, Compagnons d'Eternite.

The Rousset family's interest in Asian art originated with Louis Rousset (1878-1929).At the beginning of the 20th century, he startedtrading in Far Eastern art and opened a galleryon the Rue des Arquebusiers in Paris.It was not until 1918, with the eldest son Robert, that the family business became increasinglyprofessional and international.

In 1920, a visit to theForbidden City in Beijingsparked Robert'slifelong passion for Asian art.Already equipped with a keen eye, wishing to continue his distant travels in Asia and with a growing passion for trading in works of art, he decided to make it his profession.

He later acquired the gallery of Compagnie de la Chine et des Indes, and moved it to the prestigious and historic address of 39, avenue de Friedland, a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe. Organised on four floors, the Compagnie de la Chine et des Indes became a reference gallery for Asian art in the world, just like the C.T. Loo gallery.

With no children of his own, Robert took under his wing his nephew Jean-Pierre, and began groominghim to take over the gallery. He loved to wander with Jean-Pierre through the gallery's exhibition rooms and storerooms, tellingstories about each piece while cultivating his eye.Jean-Pierre was also sent by his uncle to train with the great expert in Asian art and closefriend, Michel Beurdeley, whose numerous publications are still reference books today.

When uncle Robert passed away, his private collection was divided between Jean-Pierre and his sister. Anne-Marie's part was sold with great success after her death in 2019, Jean-Pierres is to be auctioned at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr this month.

Estimate:1,000,000 - 1,500,000

Standing at 82 cm tall, the grand statue exquisitely portrays the Bodhisattva Guanyin, known in Sanskrit as Avalokitesvara a deity who has attained enlightenment but decides to delay personal salvation until all sentient beings are saved.

Venerated in Indian Buddhism as the embodiment of the Compassion of the Buddha, it is believed to be capable of hearing all mankind, striving endlessly to help those offering prayers andtransforming at will.

The figures tenderness and approachability is represented through the half-open eyes and gentle smile. Rendering serene in meditation, it is powerfully poised with the right leg crossed in front of the left in vajrasana. The right hand rests on its knee with palm upwards in avakashamudra, a gesture of leisure; while the right hand, though broken, is probably held before the chest in shunimudra, the seal of patience.

Grandeur aside, such an impressive sculpture also bearswitness to a time when Buddhism flourished amidst an unstable period of chaos and war under the Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115-1234).

But as Jurchens burst into Chinese history, their new dynasty faced many problems of state building and governing. Without system of ancient dignitaries and established traditions of state government, the Jin social order was highly volatile, and there was considerable difficulty in keeping the Jurchen tribal units from fighting among themselves when ruling a multi-ethnic empire.

It was during these troubled times that Buddhism thrived. The Jurchen were highly conscious of the fact that Buddhism was not a native Chinese religion, especially when its influence waned due to the revival of Neo-Confucianism during Song dynasty (960 1279). In order to maintain stability and served the interests of the state, Buddhism wasgreatly encouraged and supported by the Jin rulers, as evident by surviving examples of Buddhist figures.

Not only embracing the tradition of Buddhist art, the Jurchens further developed their own unique style, revealing a deep level of influence from the artistic style of the Indian Gupta empire (320-647), which itself was imbued with resonances of the Greek Hellenistic tradition.

The form and the graceful folds of the robes are distinctly Hellenistic in their adherence to the contours of a realistically conceived body as they cascade down. The treatment of the body, particularly the exposed chest, do not stem from Chinese traditions, where little of the naked body was ever depicted, but pay homage to the external influences being introduced into China.

Other large scale wood sculptures from the Jin dynasty,mostly of Guanyin, are preserved in important museum collections. One famous example is a figure of Avalokiteshvara in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. It shares several distinct stylistic features with the present bodhisattva, especially the treatment of the face, softly carved with fleshy modelling, skilful rendering of naturalistic details.

The closest example to the present lot, however,is a wood figure of Guanyin sold at Christies Paris last year for 2.9 million. The two share the same height, facial features and postures.

Estimate:200,000 - 300,000

It is said that history repeats itself. A thousand year before Jurchen Jin dynasty, China had once plunged into another 300 years of prolonged turmoil. States were at constant war with one another for land and political control and northChina was fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states.

Against this backdrop, Buddhism flourished during the Northern Qi period (550-577) and became a source of comfort and guidance for Chinese. Just as the Jin dynasty, copious financial resources were devoted to Buddhism, with several shrines being constructed under the emperor's personal auspices.

Following the dissemination of foreign ideas, Buddhist art experienced a glorious moment at the time, where the sculptures combined powerful and sensuous modelling with subtlety of expression. These features were likely to have derived from the contemporary Indian style of the Gupta period, which was highly regarded by the Qi aristocracy for its exotic traits.

Elegantly proportioned and carved, the present head is a testament to the high standards achieved in Buddhist portraiture during the period. The benevolent expression, conveyed by gently downcast eyes and tendersmile of this majestic head, indicate that it represents Guanyin.

In Buddhist faith, images of deities served as important foci of worship and promoted significant devotional acts, which contributed to the devotee's personal growth towards spiritual liberation.

Similar examples from Northern Qi period could be found across major museums, including the Museum of Art, San Diego; Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C; and Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri.

Estimate:50,000 - 80,000

The Northern Qi dynasty, however,lasted merely for 27yearsbefore it wasconquered by Northern Zhou (557 - 581).Thelong period of division and pervasive turbulenceeventually came to an end with the emergence of Sui dynasty in 589, when they utilised the patronism of Buddhism to unify China.

Characterised by regal countenance and adornment, the present figure bridges the aesthetic style ofNorthern Zhou and Sui dynasties,with craftsmen merging the artistic achievements of the preceding quarter century.Its opulent decoration and rich jewels, for instance, was influenced by the Northern Zhou style.

Also depicting Guanyin, the stone figure saw the deity carryin her left hand a vase, a 'pure water bottle', one of the eight symbols of good fortune.The vase was believed to contain pure water capable of relieving suffering. The right hand probably once held a willow branch used to sprinkle the divine water.

Sculptures from this period are rare and related examples are preserved in the Freer Gallery of Art,Washington, D.C andThe Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

Estimate:20,000 - 30,000

While the main character seems like an ordinary Court lady at first glance, a closer look reveals her identity as a deity this time not of Buddhism, but Daoism instead.

On her elaborate headdress are seven delicately-adorned phoenix, indicating she is likely to be Bixia Yuanjun, the primordial sovereign of the dawn clouds, or Lady of Mount Tai an eminent deity regarded as a northern Daoist equivalent to the Buddhist Guanyin, whose cult was robust in southern China.

Considered the most important of Chinas five sacred mountains, Mount Tai had been associated with renewal and was a chief ceremonial centre where emperor would carry out official state rituals to ensure a dynastys fortunes. In Daoism, Bixia Yuanjun is believed to be the daughter of the god of Mount Tai, and is therefore held in high regard, being venerated as goddess of childbirth and protector of women and children.

Further attesting her as a deity or connected to Daoism are the details of the clothes. Her exquisite robes are decorated with a Daoist Immortal carrying a staff from which hangs a double-gourd containing an elixir, and facing a crane and tortoise, symbols of longevity.

Estimate:120,000 - 180,000

Since Shang (circa 16th-11th century BC), the earliest archaeologically recorded dynasty in Chinese history, Chinese believed in an afterlife and worship of ancestors and heavenly spirits played an essential role in their lives. At the time, bronze vessels would be used during sacrificial ceremonies to offer food and wine to ancestors to obtain their protection.

As with preceding dynasties, ritual bronze vessels were of vital importance in Zhou (1045-221 BC) society. Only the most powerful families of the time, however, were allowed to possess bronze vessels due to the extensive manufacturing costs. As such, they became also a symbol of power and wealth.

A wine container with elaborate decorative design, the present fang hu atteststo the lavish bronze culture of ancient China.

The rectangular neck is adorned with a band of stylised bird set to each side with elephant-head handles, while the body saw four disconnected parts of taotie masks between a band of serpentine designs and waves all combined give it a spectacularsense of dynamic motion.

A Chinese mythological beast, taotie is a common motif on Shang and Zhou bronzes. Legend has it that taotie is a voracious eater who never gets satisfied therefore it is cast with a pair of raised eyes but sometimes no jaw area, serving as a reminder for the nobility not to spend extravagantly.

By the Western Zhou dynasty, birds and phoenix patterns had gradually replaced the popularity of taotie design, suggesting the use of bronze vessels were no longer limited to rites, but also for wedding and major state affairs.

Estimate:400,000 - 600,000

Across China's history, equally as important as a ritualis music. Since the Zhou dynasty, music played a key role in religious and court rituals. Among all instruments, guqin, translated as ancient lute, is regarded as the most prestigious, boasting a history of thousands of years.

Chinese lore holds it that guqin first came into being as a long single-string zither invented during the late third millennium BC by legendary hero Fuxi.In the hands of Emperor Shun (2294-2184 BC), guqin began to have five strings to represent the five basic elements of the universe metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

As it became standardized later, there is still a multitude of cosmological insights and cultural meanings embodied in the structure of guqin:for instance, the slightly convex upper sound board represents heaven, the flat bottom base symbolizesearth.

By the Warring States period (circa 475 - 221 BC),Confucius, considered the paragon of Chinese sages, had elevated guqin playing to a higher spiritual and intellectual level. Also a master of guqin himself, he believeda decent nobleman and scholarshould be able to play it, as it wasa way to nurturemoral character and wisdom.

Perhaps the most significant admirer of theguqinduring the late Ming dynastywas the Chongzhen emperor (1627-1644). The emperor was said to be an extremely accomplishedguqinmusician and could play more than thirty pieces, with his favourite song being 'Autumn in the Han Palace'.It could be that the presenttablewasmade for the Chongzhen emperor's enjoyment.

Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty a five-volume collection of regulations and procedures of the dynastyrecords that duringceremonial occasions, the ensemblethat played Court ritual musichad ten guqin in their orchestra.

Interestingly, the records mention they should each be placed on lacquered tables. It ispossible that the present lotbelonged to a set that was used at Court for ritual purposes.

What adds to the present guqin table is its rarity. Only one other example is known, which is preserved in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C and almost certainly part of the same of set or pair as the present lot.

The Freer Gallery guqin table appears to be near identical to the present table in all aspects except for being red-ground lacquered whereas this one is black-ground lacquered.

This lot was previously in the collection of Adolphe (1843-1915) and Edgar Worch (1880-1972). In the early 20th century Edgar worked for his uncle Adolphe, who was an established German dealer in Chinese art in Paris since 1888. During the First World War, the business in Paris was confiscated by the French government. When the War was over, Worch started his own business in Berlin, dealing in Chinese ceramics.

Estimate:50,000 - 80,000

In the wake of pandemic, Ming (1368-1644) furniture made of huanghuali wood has been highly-prized and coveted among collectors, where many sparked enthusiastic bidding to sold far beyond estimates at auctions.

Take the Hong Kong spring sales in 2020 as an example, among the top ten lots of Chinese works of art, Ming-style furniture made of huanghuali accounted for three of them. The first runner-up went to a recessed-leg table, having sold for over HK$60 million; while the fifth place was secured by an officials hat armchair, which fetched nearly HK$20 million.

A recessed-leg table is known as qiaotouan in Chinese, characterized by a rectangular top terminating in everted flanges on the shorter ends. In households of the late Ming and Qing dynasties, tables as such with impressive proportions demonstrated the high status and wealth of their owners. It was used for placing objects such as fantastic rocks, seasonal flowers, or miniature tray-landscapes.

Estimate:50,000 - 80,000

Southern officials hat armchair, on the other hand, acquired its fame due to its resemblance to the government official headgear. In Chinese culture, it has been regarded as a symbol of elite status and power.

Each armchair has four protruding heads: two found in the backrest chair and a pair at the front with the left and right armrests. These types of chairs are mostly arranged in pairs, which reflects to the principle of symmetry in Chinese interior design. In the Ming and Qing prints, the official's hat armchairs were mostly placed on the side of the dining table in front of the desk in the study room, or in the reception room for guests to use.

Auction Details:

Auction House: Bonhams Cornette de Saint CyrSale:The Robert and Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian ArtViewings: 17 - 25 OctoberSale Date: 25 - 26 OctoberAddress:Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, 6 avenue Hoche, 75008 ParisEnquiries:Claire Tang+33 (0) 188 800 014claire.tang@bonhams.com

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A journey into China's historical past through religious art from the Rousset collection | Auctions News - TheValue.com

Sri Lanka has long been known or described as a Paradise. Hanging like a teardrop in the south-eastern tip of India, as if trying to cozy up to the big neighbor for support, the small island had lots that would qualify it as a paradise.

But for the last 50 years, it has gone through anarchy, war, destruction, and collapse of the state itself, and to add to it, natures wrath in the form of a tsunami. It is not something that we would wish upon any place with a Buddhist majority, since we believe that Buddhists are peace-loving people and have no ulterior motives in whatever they do.

But in Sri Lanka and neighboring Myanmar where Buddhists are a majority they have launched large-scale massacres of minorities. For that Sri Lanka with its Sinhala Buddhist majority has had a terrible unimaginable price to pay in a 25-year-war that threatened the destruction of the State itself.

It is in that battered Sri Lanka that Shehan Karunatilaka places his third novel which has now won the Booker Prize. An anarchic noir, the novel trawls the underbelly of a country at war with itself. The Sinhala state versus Tamil minority versus the anarchic Janata Vimukthi Perumana or JVP, and as if that was not enough, Tamils versus Muslims, Buddhists versus Muslims and various freelance and LTTE bombers versus each other and the State. For total anarchy, there could not have been any better Paradise.

Chats with the Dead (renamed and republished with some changes as The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida in Europe and America) is located in purgatory. This a great device by the author because the dead tell their tales to each other and the narrative moves between the past happenings Down There, interlaced with various happening in purgatory or In Between, where all the dead including the anti-hero, a news photographer Maali Almeida who has all the proof of killings and bombings and plane crashes; where activists, politicians and soldiers wait for their Ears to be checked before being pushed towards the Light. Dripping with sarcasm and anger, the novel is also a death certificate for Sri Lanka we knew not too long ago.

Maali pays the price for being queer when the father of his partner confronts him before killing him saying: I didnt send my son to Cambridge to come back and get AIDS from a queer.

As readers, we are concerned not with ear checks but with history, and the narrative of the novel provides quite a few, especially the much-talked-about feud between the LTTE chief Prabhakaran and his then-deputy Mahata or Colonel Gopalaswamy. Many journalists are named with a slight twist to their names (including Anita Pratap who interviewed Prabhakaran for Time magazine).

When everything is anarchy, anything can happen as part of a daily routine. Maali had left behind some photographs and if any action takes place at all in the novel it is the search for the envelopes of damning films and photographs which are finally exhibited by two Tamil activists who are believed to be agents of Mahata operating under various names. Running parallel to this is homosexuality, since Maali is queer who between dangerous news assignments manages to find boys and even army men.

Finally, Maali pays the price for being queer when the father of his partner confronts him before killing him saying: I didnt send my son to Cambridge to come back and get AIDS from a queer.

So whats the deal in the novel? Well, even if Maali was not a queer, the novel would have worked, for it is a wonderful job of laying bare the underbelly of a Buddhist state that is a paradise for some, bombing yard for others, killing fields for the army, and everyone is part of one war or another. By placing his characters in Purgatory or In Between, Shehan tells us that Sri Lanka itself is purgatory for many, hanging between life and death or near death or after-death.

Being a ghost isnt that different to being a war photographer, the narrator says. Lanka has become purgatory but there is some hope:

If you could end this war once and for all, what is the acceptable number of civilians?None.That is why this war will go on forever.Nothing goes on forever. That is one thing Buddha got right.

Was Shehan writing an obit for the Paradise that will never be and become a place where lakes overflow with the dead?

In war, there are no winners. But any Paradise has its time. It becomes purgatory and then hell. Only a novelist can see that. This surreal and frightening novel about the death and purgatory of a news photographer and an island nation will keep us awake for long, thinking about what fate awaits its bigger neighbor up north.

Binoo John is a senior journalist and author based in New Delhi. He was the literary editor of India Today and Mail Today. He also conducted the Kovalam Literary Festival where Shehan Karunatilake was first introduced to an Indian audience in 2011 after his debut novel Chinaman was published to wide acclaim. John has just released his latest book on sporting excellence titled Top Game: Winning, Losing and a new understanding of Sport.

Continued here:

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida: The Frightening Reality of Paradise Turning Into Purgatory - American Kahani

President Joe Bidens designation of Camp Hale as a national monument reminds us of the brave men of the 10th Mountain Division ski troops, who fought the Nazis in the Italian Alps during World War II.

The Monument should also remind us of some other men who also trained at Camp Hale, and who fought a regime that was even more genocidal and totalitarian than Adolf Hitlers. The Tibetan resistance movement, the Chushi Gangdruk, are also heroes of Camp Hale.

Mao Zedongs Chinese communist regime invaded Eastern Tibet in 1949, and Central Tibet in 1951. Resistance had begun immediately, and it got off to a good start, thanks to Tibetan culture.

Tibetans had a long tradition of autonomous local government and a thriving arms culture. Whether Buddhist or Musliam, every Tibetan was expected to be a proficient marksman. The Buddhist monasteries held huge arsenals. Even the poorest beggar would have a large Tibetan knife.

Resistance intensified in 1955, when the communists announced a gun registration program. The Tibetans recognized is as a prelude to gun confiscation, which the communists imposed in 1957.

As the Dalai Lama later recalled, I knew without being told that a Khamba [eastern Tibetan] would never surrender his rifle he would use it first.

Although the Tibetans were putting up strong resistance to the Chinese communist imperialists, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had been reluctant to get involved. Earlier in the 1950s, the Agency had been duped into attempted support for planned anti-communist uprisings in Poland and Albania, only to be entrapped by sting operations of the communist secret police.

By the summer of 1956, the CIA had realized that reports of the Eastern Tibetan uprisings, with impressive initial successes, were genuine. Since the early 1950s, the CIA had been in touch with the Dalai Lamas elder brother, Gyalo Thondup, the rebels principal ambassador and contact with the outside world, who urged Free World support for the rebels.

So in 1957, several Tibetan freedom fighters were exfiltrated for a pilot program of training in guerilla warfare.

At first, the program was conducted on the Pacific island of Saipan, which is part of a U.S. overseas territory, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The program was soon expanded, with a permanent training center established at Camp Hale, Colorado. The snowy, mountainous, isolated terrain near Leadville was relatively similar to Tibet.

The Tibetans and their American trainers got along very well. One instructor remembered, They really enjoyed blowing things up during demolition class, but when they caught a fly in the mess hall, they would hold it in their cupped palms and let it loose outside.

Tibetan Buddhism is based on ahimsa, compassion for other living beings. In the Tibetan view, compassion includes forcible resistance to evildoers who are attempting to enslave and murder. The example was provided by the Bodhisattva Manjusri. A Boddhisatva is an enlightened being who remains on earth to help others. Manjusris flaming sword cut through the roots of ignorance including communism and its worship of Mao.

Man for man, the Tibetan freedom fighters had always been vastly superior in motivation and firearms proficiency to the conscripted Chinese serfs of Maos so-called Peoples Liberation Army. With the advanced skills disseminated by the Camp Hale students, the Tibetans all the more formidable. The Tibetan freedom army, the Chushi Gangrdruk, liberated hundreds of thousands of square miles of Tibet. The Chinese imperialists dared not venture beyond their military bases, except in large convoys.

But by the fall of 1959, Maos army had gained the upper hand, for the same reason that other barbarians had eventually conquered the Roman empire: overwhelming numbers. In the meantime, the Tibetan resistance made it possible for tens of thousands of Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, to escape to India or Nepal.

Against overwhelming odds, the Chushi Gangdruk continued their war of national liberation. While they made conditions difficult for the Chinese occupation arms, they were not able to take and hold territory. After President Lyndon Johnson was re-elected in 1964, he shut down the Camp Hale training program.

Because the Chushi Gangdruk made it possible for the Dalai Lama and the rest of the Tibetan diaspora to escape, almost everyone today has heard of the Dalai Lama and the plight of colonized Tibet. Thanks to the Tibetan diaspora, and to the resistance army that made the diaspora possible, the great monasteries of Tibet have been reestablished in India, and more people than ever before have learned insights from the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism.

Meanwhile, within Tibet, the authentic Tibetan Buddhist religion is being perverted, like all religions under communist control, into an empty shell where compassion for sentient beings is replaced with submission to the will of the communist party, which worships the false gods of Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping. Against which the true faith of Tibetan Buddhism does and always will stands strong.

Let us celebrate and draw strength from the Camp Hale National Monument. May the example of the 10th Mountain Division and the Chushi Gangdruk bless and inspire people of all faiths who sacrifice all to resist evil.

David B. Kopel is an author, attorney, gun rights advocate, and contributing editor to several publications.

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GUEST COLUMN: Remembering the heroes of Camp Hale - Colorado Springs Gazette