Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and president of All India Congress Committee, questioned right-wing Hindutva proponents as to why they didnt accept the thoughts of Buddha when they said that Buddha was the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The Hindutva ideologues project Gautam Buddha as the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. They accept the eight avatars and respect their thoughts. When it comes to the ninth avatar [Buddha], they not only disagree with the Buddhist thought, but they also make every effort to kill the Buddhist thought. Because the Buddhist thought is scientific, he said.

He was delivering presidential address at 67th Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, which is celebrated to mark the Buddhist conversion of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his followers to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur in 1956, at Buddha Vihar in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.

Dr. Ambedkar choosing the day and place for converting to Buddhism along with his huge followers had significance. As you all know, Nagpur is the headquarters of RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] which subscribes to Manusmriti which advocates inequality among human beings. There was an RSS parade planned on the day in Nagpur and Dr. Ambedkar chose the same day and city for conversion to Buddhism. On that day in Nagpur, there was a parade conducted by RSS to promote inequality and conversion to Buddhism conducted by Ambedkar to promote equality and self-respect. Not everybody but only those who, like Ambedkar, have guts to challenge the oppressive and exploitative right-wing ideology and are committed to establishing an equal human society can take such an extreme step, Mr. Kharge said.

Terming the Buddhist thoughts as scientific and those based on practical experiences, the Congress veteran said that India could fight starvation and become self-sufficient by following scientific approach.

At a time, India was poor and the vast majority of its population was starving. It was dependent on the grains provided by America. Jawaharlal Nehru adopted the scientific method to put India on the track of development. The Green Revolution that followed made India starvation-free. Then came the white revolution that phenomenally increased milk production. Sonia Gandhi went for the National Food Security Act to ensure that no person starved in India. These thoughts of Congress leaders were influenced by the scientific thoughts of Buddha. It is said that there are 33 crores of Gods and Goddesses. Why didnt they provide food to people? Why was India starving despite the large number of Gods and Goddesses? No God can help you if you dont work hard. Everything goes as per the laws of nature and you cannot change it. It is the scientific thought that Buddha said, he said.

Based on his own experiences of difficulties faced in telling the truth, Mr. Kharge said that people tend to reject the inconvenient truth and accept the convenient false.

Saints and reformers like Basavanna and Tukaram were opposed as they told the truth. Basavanna was chased to Kudala Sangama. Truth, however, triumphed at the end. We must understand that humankind could progress only with truth, he said.

Stressing on Basavannas famous line, work is worship, Mr. Kharge advised the poor, Dalits, backward and other marginalised communities to believe in Basavannas thought and strive hard to get self-reliant and self-respect.

The marginalised communities should get educated and work hard to get economically self-reliant and socially respected. There is now other way to achieve it. This is what Ambedkar also said time and again, he said.

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Kharge asks Hindutva proponents why they dont accept Buddhist thought when they believe Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu - The Hindu

SHANGRI-LA TOWN, China -- First-grade students, hands folded on their desks, watch a teacher write a brush-like stroke on a blackboard in their Tibetan alphabet. Outside, craggy mountains climb toward the brightest of blue skies. The air is clean and crisp at 2,800 meters (9,100 feet), if a bit thin.

The Shangri-La Key Boarding School is an example of bilingual education, Chinese-style. Tibetan activists have a different term for it: forced assimilation. The issue is getting official attention this year, with U.N. human rights experts and representatives from the U.S. and a handful of other Western governments condemning the system.

China has shuttered village schools across Tibet and replaced them with centralized boarding schools over the last dozen years. Many students come from remote farming villages and live at the schools. The practice is not limited to the region but appears to be much more widespread in Tibetan areas.

Activists estimate 1 million Tibetan children study at such boarding schools, though the number is difficult to confirm. They say the schools are part of a broader strategy to dilute Tibetan identity and assimilate Tibetans into the majority Chinese culture. School officials respond that the lessons include Tibetan-related material such as songs and dance, and that the boarding schools were born out of a need to deliver the best education in impoverished remote areas.

In ethnic areas, the population is scattered, and the government has put in a lot of effort to consolidate educational resources and provide an excellent teaching and learning environment for the students, Kang Zhaxi, the principal of the Shangri-La school, told about 10 foreign journalists recently as lines of students spilled out of the cafeteria at dinnertime. This is how it works.

Kang Zhaxi, who was speaking in Chinese, gave the Chinese version of his name, which would be Kham Tashi in Tibetan.

China has long sought to eradicate any possibility of unrest in regions home to sizeable ethnic populations by imprisoning those who dare to protest while reshaping societies and religions including Tibetan Buddhism, Islam and Christianity to align them with the views and goals of the long-ruling Communist Party. The approach has hardened in the past decade under leader Xi Jinping, notably in a brutal crackdown on the Uyghur community in the Xinjiang region north of Tibet.

In the battle for global public opinion, the government organized a tour for foreign journalists to a predominantly Tibetan region in Sichuan province. Officials showed off schools, economic development projects, Buddhist monasteries and a Tibetan medicine hospital. Many of these locations, including boarding schools, would normally be difficult for foreign media to access. All interviews were conducted with government officials listening in.

China's communists, after coming to power in 1949, overthrew the Buddhist theocracy running Tibet in 1951. The Dalai Lama, the head of the dominant school of Tibetan Buddhism, fled into exile during a failed uprising in 1959 and has not returned since.

Protests flared over the years, but after large demonstrations in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the government set out to quash dissent through arrests and intimidation, the reshaping of Tibetan identity into a more Chinese one, and lavish spending on infrastructure to develop the remote, mountainous region that borders northern India and Nepal along one flank of the Himalayas.

FAMILIES HAVE NO CHOICE

Kardze prefecture in Sichuan is a land of craggy mountains, rushing rivers, grazing black-haired yak and glittering pagodas and stupas. At 4,400 meters (14,500 feet), one of its airports is the highest civilian one in the world. Journalists and government officials from Beijing were left short of breath, some finding relief in canisters of oxygen.

The boarding school opened in 2012 in a town that had been renamed Shangri-La a decade earlier to boost tourism. Hotels, including a Holiday Inn Express & Suites near the school, line the streets and steep cliffs rise above the valley.

It's difficult to judge whether the students are happy, or if they are losing their Tibetan way of life, as they bounce basketballs on an outdoor court or try to repeat a simple passage on a keyboard in music class. Their parents were nowhere to be seen, though schools officials said they could visit anytime.

About three-fourths of the 390 students live at the elementary school. Kang Zhaxi, the principal, said many parents choose the boarding option for their children because of the distance from home.

Activists, speaking generally, say the parents have no choice, because village schools have been shut and they may be penalized if they don't send their children to the larger schools that have replaced them. Kang Zhaxi taught in a village for eight years before moving to the Shangri-La boarding school. It wasn't clear if his previous school had been closed.

You just do not in good conscience take young children away from their parents and families and communities and put them in boarding school at the rate that they are in Tibet, said Lhadon Tethong, the Tibetan Canadian director of the U.S.-based Tibet Action Institute.

Her group issued a report in late 2021 that used Chinese government documents and other research to estimate at least 800,000 Tibetan children, or nearly 80% of the school-age population, were in such boarding schools. Gyal Lo, a Tibetan education expert who left China in late 2020, estimates at least 100,000 preschoolers are boarding, bringing the total close to 1 million. China denies the number is that high.

Gyal Lo, who now works at Tibet Action, said he visited more than 50 boarding preschools for field research after seeing the impact one was having on his 4- and 5-year-old grand nieces in 2016. He called it an ideological conspiracy to pull children out of their culture as early as possible so they won't want to speak or be Tibetan. That's their ultimate goal, I think, he said.

THE WORLD REACTS

Human rights campaigns focused on China's actions in Hong Kong and against the Uyghurs in northwest China's Xinjiang region have generated more headlines in recent years, but the boarding school issue has helped nudge Tibet back onto the periphery of the international consciousness.

In February, the U.N. human rights office announced that three outside experts, acting as special U.N. rapporteurs, had sent a 17-page letter to China's foreign minister in November 2022 detailing their concern about an apparent policy to assimilate Tibetan culture into China's through a series of oppressive actions against Tibetan educational, religious and linguistic institutions.

A press release focused on the boarding schools, under the headline: UN experts alarmed by separation of 1 million Tibetan children from families and forced assimilation at residential schools."

The boarding schools then made it onto the agenda of a two-day hearing on China held in March by the U.N. experts committee on economic, social and cultural rights. Chinese officials responded to the criticism at the hearing, but the 18-member committee called on China in its final report to abolish immediately the coerced residential (boarding) school system imposed on Tibetan children and allow private Tibetan schools to be established.

Since then, a German Foreign Ministry official has said his government backs that call, and Czech and Canadian lawmakers have issued statements calling for an end to the boarding schools. The United States went the furthest, announcing in August that it would put visa restrictions on officials involved in the schools, which it said seek to eliminate Tibets distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious traditions among younger generations of Tibetans.

Halfway around the world, there were no signs of change as the sun set on another day at the Shangri-La Key Boarding School.

China has rejected the criticism outright. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the government would respond to the U.S. action by placing visa restrictions on Americans who spread rumors to smear China or have long meddled in Tibet-related issues.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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China shows off a Tibetan boarding school that's part of a system some see as forced assimilation - ABC News

In the West, art is usually considered a product. Rembrandt would paint a portrait for a patron; it would be a masterpiece, and that would be the end of it. Bernini would sculpt Apollo and Daphne, and now it sits in the Galleria Borghese. Even the most monumental pieces the Chartres Cathedrals or Sistine Chapel ceilings of the world had an end date when their initial creation was deemed complete. After that point, few save art historians care to watch the work evolve with the centuries.

Much of this attitude stems from the Western fascination with permanence. We strive to build a lasting legacy; the longer it stands, the more impressive it becomes. Time is the threshing floor for tradition; only the wheat, we assume, can survive the harsh winds. Has Homers Iliad stood the test of time because it is a great work, or is it considered great because it has lasted so long? The answer lies somewhere in between, but there is something curious: long after its creator has died, the Iliad has been passed down, maintained, and translated by a diversity of people and cultures, such that its original significance has grown more and more opaque. It is this process that makes the Western tradition so beautiful, adaptable, and enriching. But longevity is brittle, and it also makes it fragile.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Depiction of the Relocation of the Grand Shrine of Ise, c. 1847-1852

Eastern cultures maintain a different way of relating to time that, while on the surface seems more fatalistic, offers a suppleness that has allowed some elements of Asian life to stand essentially unchanged for hundreds if not thousands of years. By relinquishing the desire for unchanging permanence, the entire structure can withstand the winds of change.

Shinto is one of the more striking examples of this unique form of strength. Most of the world has long since abandoned the shamanistic religions that predated current world religions and even paganism; Shinto has not only lasted in Japan but maintained a firm grip over its thought and culture. Some of this comes from its practitioners willingness to collaborate with other major religions, like Buddhism. Its beliefs complement Buddhisms emphasis on meditation and silence, in which the natural world is often used as an object of contemplation to move toward the spiritual life beyond. Shinto proposes that the world is full of kami, deities that inhabit natural things. There is a strong emphasis on ritual purification and cleanliness to show reverence for the natural world. A clean, well-kept shrine is the best way to show reverence for its kami.

Shinto has also been used to legitimize the authority of the Japanese Imperial family, who claim to be direct descendants of the primary deity, Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. By this connection, it entangles itself in the Confucian practices and beliefs that dominate Japanese political life.

Kagura-den of the Ise Shrine

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Sacred Art: Transience and Continuity at the Grand Shrine of Ise - MutualArt.com

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The rain retreat begins in Esala and concludes in Vap, marking the end of a three-month period of intensive meditation and study for Theravada Buddhist monastics. It is a time for Buddhists to celebrate with spiritual grandeur, offering new robes and other necessities to the monks as a token of their gratitude and support.

The Pali word Katina means unbreakable, symbolising the strength and resilience of the monastic community. The Katina festival is a joyous occasion that brings together laypeople and monastics to celebrate the Buddhas teachings and to reaffirm their commitment to the Buddhist path.

The idea of a fixed rain calendar has now become a thing of the past. Yet, our enduring attachment to age-old traditions persists. It exemplifies our steadfast commitment to the annual rainy retreat, irrespective of whether the heavens grace us with their aqueous blessings.

Resilience Through Rain Retreat

This enduring tradition serves as a poignant reminder of our deep-seated connection to the elements and the importance of mindfulness in an era where so much is uncertain. It is a symbol of our respect for the past and our hope for the future, a testament to the human spirits ability to adapt and endure in the face of change. So, even in a world where predictability is a rare luxury, the rainy retreat stands as a testament to our enduring appreciation for the cycles of nature and the wisdom of our ancestors.

The Buddha, in the company of his revered disciples, initiated a profound tradition now known as rain retreat or vassana. This practice holds a place of great significance within the Buddhist monastic community, particularly for those who have received higher ordination. The essence of this ritual lies in the unwavering commitment of monks to uphold a strict code of discipline during this period.

The fascinating origins of the rain retreat tradition are steeped in the history and teachings of Buddhism. This observance traces its roots to a remarkable event that unfolded during the Buddhas lifetime. It was at this juncture that the Buddhas wisdom and compassion intersected with the practicalities of monastic life.

In the Buddhas time during the rainy season in ancient India, the monastic community was faced with a challenge. The heavy and persistent rains made it difficult for the monks to travel and gather alms, as well as for laypeople to provide food and necessities to the monastic order. This presented a dilemma, as the monks needed to maintain their wandering lifestyle and fulfill their spiritual duties without causing undue hardship to the laity.

In the Face of Criticism

The Buddhas monk disciples used to continue their wandering lifestyle even in the rainy seasons. It became a point of criticism and attack from non-Buddhist sects. Detractors accused Gautama Buddhas followers of causing harm to living beings by walking in the rain, especially during the rainy season. This criticism aimed to challenge the Buddhas teachings and undermine the moral integrity of his monastic community.

The accusations stemmed from a concern for non-harming (ahimsa), a fundamental ethical principle in many Indian spiritual traditions. Walking through fields and forests during the rainy season could lead to trampling on newly sprouted crops, small creatures, and insects, potentially causing harm to living beings. The non-Buddhist sects used these instances to question the sincerity and moral standing of the Buddha and his followers.

In response to this criticism and to uphold the principle of non-harming, the Buddha introduced the rain retreat or vassana. This period of sustained residence in one place during the rainy season allowed the monastic community to avoid unintentional harm to living beings while also making it more convenient for laypeople to offer alms and support to the monks.

The rain retreat, with its emphasis on disciplined practice and ethical conduct, not only addressed these concerns but also served to deepen the spiritual development of the monks. It became a way for the Buddhist monastic community to maintain their wandering way of life while adhering to the principle of non-harming.

Bridge to Monastic-Lay Community Harmony

In this context, the rain retreat illustrates the Buddhas ability to adapt and respond to ethical challenges, ultimately strengthening the moral foundation of his teachings. It also highlights the importance of addressing ethical concerns and finding practical solutions within the context of a spiritual traditions evolution.

The strict observance of rules and discipline during the rain retreat is seen as an act of devotion and a means to deepen ones commitment to the path of enlightenment. This period serves as an opportunity for monks to intensify their meditation, study, and reflection, thereby strengthening their spiritual growth.

On the other hand, when monks stayed indoors and meditated, people mistook it. They thought monks suffer a lot, and reported this to King Bimbisara. The good-hearted king invited the Buddha and his followers to his city of Rajagaha.

It was the custom of the Buddhist monks to roam for their alms. This was so even during the rainy periods. This had been, as usual, criticised by the non-Buddhist sectors especially Jains. Their complaints were that the Buddhist monks walk on the lawns and crops. Jains believe destroying plants too is a sinful act. They also opined that during the rainy season, many insect-like creatures come to the ground, and monks roaming affects their life. Any being, including even birds, will remain indoors during this season, while the Buddhist monks still roam here and there giving a cold shoulder to natural norms.

The Buddha listened to this, surprised them by ruling that the monks should stay indoors in the rainy season and named it rain retreat. It means vas in Pali, because viseema is dwelling in English. The retreat lasts for three months. The vas actually starts in Esala, which is called pera vas, and what happens in Nikini is called pasu vas. This paved the way to a strong bond between the monks and laypeople, as they get to meet oftener.

This period is considered utmost sacred. Many meritorious activities such as discussion and meditation are carried out. Whenever a layperson builds a new house, h/she invites the Buddhist monks to spend a while during this season.

Path to Spiritual Progress

Offering a Katina robe or actively participating in Katina activities is regarded as a highly meritorious and virtuous act within Buddhist traditions. The Katina ceremony is a special and significant event in which a new robe, known as a Katina robe, is offered to a deserving monk who has observed the rainy retreat or vassa. This tradition is rooted in the teachings of the Buddha and holds great importance within the Buddhist community.

The act of offering a Katina robe or engaging in Katina activities is believed to yield immediate and tangible benefits in the present lifetime. It is considered one of the eight great meritorious activities, which are highly valued in Buddhism for accruing positive karma and creating favorable conditions for a better life and spiritual progress. These eight meritorious activities include giving, ethical conduct, mental development, reverence, service, transference of merit, rejoicing in the merits of others, and teaching or sharing wisdom.

Offering a Katina robe reflects a deep reverence for the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns) and a commitment to the practice of dana (generosity). By actively participating in Katina activities, individuals are not only making a material offering but are also contributing to the communal spiritual welfare.

The merit generated from these acts is believed to bring forth positive results in the form of happiness, well-being, and spiritual progress for the giver. It is thought to create positive conditions for the givers present life and future existences.

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Sacred Tradition of Rain Retreat and Katina Robes - DailyNews - Daily News

BARTLESVILLE, OK The Voice of the Martyrs has released a new short feature film about a Nepali boys journey from life in a Buddhist monastery to finding new hope in Christ. Sejun: Nepal will inspire viewers to join in the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP)a global prayer movement on Sunday, Nov. 5 on behalf of Christians who boldly witness for Jesus Christ at any cost.

Over his nine-year stay in the monastery, Sejun experienced the darkness of Buddhism. When he ran away from the monastery at age 13, his family did not welcome his return. His father enrolled him in first grade since his only schooling had been studying Buddhist texts. There, Sejun met a godly teacher who shared the gospel.

Sejun: Nepal was released, along with other free prayer resources, to equip individuals and families, small groups, Sunday School classes and churches to pray for persecuted Christians on IDOP.

The first thing persecuted Christians ask us to do for them is pray, said Todd Nettleton, host of VOM Radio. IDOP is a direct response to their #1 request, and it is our fervent desire that every church and every Christian pray for persecuted members of our spiritual family.

VOMs 2023 Global Prayer Guide designated Nepal a hostile nation. Christians in hostile nations are routinely persecuted by family, community members and/or extremist groups because of their Christian witness.

VOMs free IDOP resources, available at vom.org/idop, include a:

VOM will also host a special 24 Hours of Prayer event on social media. Every hour, a new prayer request from persecuted Christians will be shared on the ministrys social media channels.

Nettleton said his hope is that, this years IDOP resources will inspire tens of thousands of Christians all around the world to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

About The Voice of the Martyrs

Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the worlds most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. For more information, visit VOM.org.

Read more news on Non-Profit / Faith Based Organizations Christian Persecution, and Religious Freedom on Missions Box.

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The Voice of the Martyrs Releases Sejun: Nepal Short Feature for 2023 International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians - MissionsBox

members and public at Save Tibet Save India stall.

Nagpur: The India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO), New Delhi in collaboration with the Core Group for Tibetan Cause India (CGTC-I) and the National Campaign for Free Tibet Support (NCFTS) organised a day-long awareness program on Tibet at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur, Maharashtra on the 67th Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas on 24th October 2023.

Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas is observed annually to commemorate social reformer, visionary leader and architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. B. R. Ambedkars conversion to Buddhism. On October 14, 1956, Dr. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism with thousands of his followers at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur. This day holds immense importance for Ambedkarite Buddhists and followers of Dr B. R. Ambedkar across the country. They gather in hundreds of thousands at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur on the day to remember his ideals and achievements.

At the event, a stall was set up under the banner SAVE TIBET, SAVE INDIA, adorned with both the Indian and Tibetan national flags. A backdrop featured a notable statement made by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1951, which read, Instead of according recognition to China in 1949, had India accorded this recognition to Tibet, there would have been no Sino-Indian border conflict.

Among the people present at the stall were Shri Arvind Nikose, National Co-Convener of CGTC-I and President of NCFTS; members of NCFTS and devoted Tibet supporters from Nagpur and its surrounding areas; Tashi Dekyi and Choney Tsering from ITCO.

Throughout the day, hundreds of individuals visited the stall, where they were provided with valuable insights into Tibet and had access to Tibetan-related literature in both Hindi and English. Pamphlets in Hindi and Marathi were distributed freely to all visitors. The heartfelt response from attendees demonstrated their unwavering support and solidarity with the non-violent Tibetan struggle for freedom.

Tashi Dekyi engaged with the media present at the even to shed light on the current situation within Tibet and underscored the profound and ancient India-Tibet relations. She emphasised the non-violent nature of the Tibetan freedom movement and stressed the significance of Tibet, not only geographically but also environmentally, in the context of India.

Tashi Dekyi pointed out that, prior to the 1950s, Tibet served as a buffer zone between India and China, contributing to a peaceful Indo-Tibetan border. It was only after the Chinese communist invasion of Tibet in the 1950s that Chinas proximity to India became pronounced, eventually leading to the Sino-Indian war in 1962 and ongoing border conflicts. She also highlighted the environmental concerns, particularly the exploitation of rivers in Tibet, which has broader implications for India, as major Asian rivers originate from the Tibetan plateau.

Arvind Nikose, National Co-Convener for the Western Region of CGTC-I and President of NCFTS, stressed the importance of organisng awareness programs on Tibet at such events, where thousands of people gather. He noted that a significant portion of the Indian population still lacks knowledge about Tibet, making it imperative to raise awareness and bolster the Tibetan freedom movement in India.

On the morning of October 24th, Tashi Dekyi participated in an event commemorating Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas at another venue, which was hosted by the India Tibet Friendship Society (ITFS), Nagpur. The event took place at Clubhouse, Leverage Greens in Nagpur and was organized by Shri Sachin Ramteke, a member of the ITFS. During this gathering, Tashi Dekyi had the opportunity to engage with a substantial audience and shed light on the Tibetan cause.

In summary, the day-long awareness program on Tibet proved to be a resounding success in reaching out to a large number of people and informing them about Tibet, the Tibetan movement, and the importance of Tibet in the context of India. It effectively heightened awareness about Tibet among the general Indian population and further solidified support for the Tibetan cause.

-Repot filed by India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO), New Delhi

Crowds flock to the Tibet stall.

From top left- Group photo with Shri E.Z. Khobragade, retired IAS officer and his family, Shri Arvind Nikose Ji engaging with media. From bottom left- Group photo with Shri Chandra Bodhi Patil, National President, Buddhist Society of India, Tashi Dekyi interacting with media.

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Tibet Awareness Program held in Nagpur - Central Tibetan Administration

Dhammachakra Pravartan Din is a significant annual event in India. On October 14, 1956, the architect of the Indian constitution, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar along with other followers embraced Buddhism after renouncing Hinduism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

While Dhammachakra Pravartan Din and Dussehra are two different festivals, they are often celebrated together. This is because Dr Ambedkar chose to convert to Buddhism on Dussehra, which is a day that symbolizes victory over oppression and injustice. This year, it will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 24.

ALSO READ: Vijayadashmi 2023: Happy Dussehra Wishes 2023, Quotes, Images & Photos, WhatsApp Status

This Buddhist celebration stands as a testament to the monumental decision, when Dr. Ambedkar, along with an impressive assembly of around 365,000 fervent followers accepted the teachings of Buddhism. This conversion not only reshaped his own spiritual journey but also strengthened the Dalit movement in India.

ALSO READ: Happy Durga Puja 2023: Best Shubho Pujo Wishes, SMS, Quotes, Messages, Photos, Facebook and WhatsApp Status to Share on Durgotsav

Dr. BR Ambedkar embraced Buddhism on Vijayadashami October 14, 1956. Dhammachakra, or Wheel of the Law, is a symbol of Buddhism that represents the teachings of the Buddha. By celebrating Dhammachakra Pravartan Din on Dussehra, Ambedkarite Buddhists are also celebrating the spread of the Buddhas teachings and the values that they represent.

Dr Ambedkar had decided to leave Hinduism early on and studied other religions to understand which one would suit him better, and finally chose Buddhism. He chose a morally sound religion. Dr. Ambedkar had made 22 pledges on the day when he renounced Hinduism.

The conversion of Dr Ambedkar from Hinduism to Buddhism was a well-considered choice. Driven by a desire to escape the clutches of the oppressive caste system deeply entrenched in Hinduism then, he decided to convert his religion. This bold step symbolised his quest for a liberated voice, free from the constraints imposed by the four-fold varna system within Hinduism.

Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, a day of great historical significance, draws multitudes of Buddhists and admirers to the sacred grounds of Deekshabhoomi annually to commemorate this mass conversion to Buddhism. The event serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar and the transformative impact of his spiritual journey.

It represents not only a spiritual awakening but it is also a significant milestone in the struggle for social justice and equality in India, making it an occasion of great reverence and reflection for each one of us.

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Dhammachakra Pravartan Din 2023: Why it is Celebrated on October 14 and Dussehra? History, Significance and - News18

I like to tell people that I grew up in a construction zone.My dad is a do-it-yourselfer, and over the course of my childhood he managed to add an attached garage, a bedroom, and two bathrooms to my childhood home.

He did all of this while working full-time at a factory and raising five kids with my mom.I was always impressed by his ability to turn a pile of dry wall and two-by-fours into something useful.But I was also intimidated.

My lack of hand eye coordination along with my inability to hammer nails in a single blow barred me from learning the secrets of his labor. I just admired his work from afar and did my best to stay out of the way.

When I was older, I took a sabbatical from the marketplace and traveled the country working on organic farms. Coincidentally, one of the farms I lived on needed a building apprentice, so I spent my time there following the building leader around the property helping in any way I could.

We installed cook stoves and repaired furnaces.We also built a tiny house.

It was during the construction of that house that I was bitten by the DIY bug.Turning a pile of wood pallets, cedar slabs, and two-by-fours into a house was a life-changing experience.

I still remember the day I was sitting inside the house with another apprentice.It was the middle of winter and freezing cold outside with the temperature barely breaking four degrees Celsius.

We were going to be working inside for the rest of the day, installing floors and strengthening the earthen walls.

One of us, I forget who, had the idea to light up the stove, so we could enjoy a little heat during our labor.I filled the wood stove with kindling and a few smallish sticks to get it going.Then I lit a match and threw it in.

The flames started off small, but they grew quickly, and I ran outside to admire how all of the smoke was being expelled through the chimney that wed put in.

When I came back inside a few minutes later the temperature in the house was starting to rise.And it occurred to me that one day our tiny house would be someones tiny home.

One day, another human being would come through the front door, just as Id done, and marvel at how much warmer it was inside than outside.

Theyd walk across the floor that Id installeda floor made from recycled wood pallets and plywood.Theyd stand beside the stove enjoying the heat that radiated from its hot metal surface.And then they might have a cup of tea, or sit down for a meal where they chatted with their family about the market price of corn.

At that moment, I realized that I could follow in my fathers footsteps.I could use my hands to build things; useful things that would help people.

I like to reflect on that moment when I read the Heart Sutra.

The Heart Sutra is a Mahayana Buddhist text that explains Buddhisms teaching of emptiness and attempts to answer the following questions:

1. Do things exist?

2. If things exist, what is the nature of their existence?

My favorite lines from the sutra go as follows:

Listen Sariputra, all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness; their true nature is the nature of no Birth no Death, no Being no Non-being, no Defilement no Purity, no Increasing no Decreasing.

In this passage, The Heart Sutra responds to the questions I listed earlier by stating that things do not exist, per se.However, a thing exists, and it is in a state of constant change.

As humans, we arbitrarily choose parts of this ongoing transformation.And we give them labels such as birth, death, being, and non-being.But these are illusions.In truth, there is only the transformation.

This is the mark of emptiness.

However, because we are human beings, it is impossible to escape our illusions.We cannot survive unless we label things, and we build entire societies based on the labels we share with other people.

Religions, laws, languages, houses, and so on.All of these things are illusions.But we must treat them as if theyre real.

This is the mark of form.

Our project is to learn how to navigate the relationship between form and emptiness, so that we can save ourselves and others from suffering.

We can see a good example of this relationship by looking at the house that I helped build.In truth, there is no house, per se.There is only the constant change and transformation, which is life.

But in order to live within this transformation, we have to call that object something. We have to understand that the illusion, the house, is dependently originatedcreated from equally illusory items such as two-by-fours, wood pallets, and earthen clay.

That said, by learning to use those illusory items skillfully I was able to construct a home that provides warmth and shelter to people on cold winter days.

This is the marriage of form and emptiness, and it exists in every aspect of our lives. Like a chef who brings different foods and spices together to create a meal, when we understand the aggregate nature of our illusions, we can construct them in a way that makes life better.

We can rebuild the houses of our lives and make them happy places for ourselves and others to live.

Namu Amida Butsu

New Heart Sutra translation by Thich Nhat Hanh (Plum Village)

Book Review:Painting Enlightenment: Healing Visions of the Heart Sutra Mahayana Buddhism and Quantum Physics: Illusion, Emptiness, and Reality Makers On Emptiness, Engineering, and Cyberspace The Heart Sutra: A New Translation

Originally posted here:
The Marriage of Form and Emptiness - Buddhistdoor Global

In 2008, when Korean swimming legend Park Tae-hwan secured his and the nation's first Olympic victory, there were 1,570 elementary school swimmers, as reported by the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee ("KSOC"). By 2023, this number had grown nearly 1.6 times to 2,484. This growth is particularly notable as it occurred alongside a decrease in the total number of elementary school students in Korea, which fell from approximately 3.67 million to 2.67 million during the same period.

Elementary school swimmers saw significant growth, notably after the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster. Following the incident, more young students began learning survival swimming, leading to the discovery of new swimming talents. Ironically, this tragic event served to promote the expansion of swimming culture.

Indeed, growing a swimming culture doesn't guarantee immediate success in sports. Take China, for example, where many people ride bicycles, yet they have few global cyclists. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, China secured just two of the 12 gold medals in track cycling, while Japan claimed the remaining gold medals.

In the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, Japan won just two gold medals out of 14 in the same event. Experts widely agree that Japan's rapid rise as a strong player in track cycling within just five years is largely attributed to the High Performance Center of Japan Cycling. Operating under the goal of elevating Japanese cycling to a world-class level, the center provides a systematic elite training program grounded in science.

In Buddhism, occurrences depend on the presence of both direct and indirect elements. For example, cheese forms from milk only when the correct temperature and humidity are present. Similarly, success in 21st-century sports hinges on combining a thriving base culture and elite training programs. Korea's success in the Hangzhou Asian Games can be attributed to the combination of a widespread swimming base and the support of the Korea Swimming Federation.

Using a Buddhist saying to illustrate progress in sports is linked to KSOC President Lee Kee-heung, a devout Buddhist and a two-time leader of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order believers. Lee's appointment as the first president of KSOC may seem fateful, as it coincided with the merger of KSOC, which primarily represents elite sports, and the Korea Council of Sport for All, which focuses on grassroots sports, in 2019. Nevertheless, President Lee seems focused on delineating athletes and non-athletes, possibly due to his emphasis on elite sports representation.

The World Health Organization reported that Korean female students aged 11 to 17 face one of the most severe levels of physical inactivity globally (97.2%). Team Korea in women's sports secured 13 gold medals in Hangzhou, trailing Japan by nine medals. In men's sports, Korea also won 26 gold medals, but its total medal count falls short of Japan's. Prioritizing elite sports over fostering a sports-for-all culture may not yield positive results.

Kyu-In Hwang kini@donga.com

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Impact of the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster on Korean sports -

ISLAMABAD, Oct 27 (APP): To commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Republic of Korea, the Department of Archeology and Museum (DOAM) in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea organized a photographic exhibition titled 40 Years of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Pakistan.

The exhibition, which opened on Friday, features photographs of historical sites and monuments in Pakistan and Korea, including Buddhist sites in Pakistan. It also showcases the work done during excavations, conservation, and restoration of important Buddhist sites in both countries.

In his opening address, notable speakers were Park Kijun, the Korean Ambassador, the Executive Director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (KCHF), and Dr. Abdul Azeem, the Director General of DOAM.

The Joint Secretary of the National Heritage and Culture Division emphasized the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and South Korea, which have resulted in substantial advancements in their bilateral relations over the past four decades. He highlighted the shared interest of both countries in ensuring a peaceful and prosperous South Asia, and their cooperation in various multilateral forums.

The Joint Secretary also stressed the broad spectrum of cooperation between Pakistan and Korea, encompassing areas such as cultural heritage. He mentioned that Buddhism, with its diverse tapestry of traditions and life teachings, was introduced to the ancient Baekje Kingdom in Korea from present-day Pakistan by Monk Maranantha nearly 1,500 years ago.

The Ambassador Park Kijun, in his speech, highlighted the vast potential for mutually beneficial collaboration in diverse fields. He said that the special exhibition promises to bring the cultural heritage of Pakistan and Korea together.

The exhibition features a diverse range of photographs, capturing the rich cultural heritage of both Pakistan and Korea. Some of the notable photographs include:

A panoramic view of the ancient city of Taxila in Pakistan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A close-up of a Buddha statue from the Gandhara region of Pakistan, dating back to the 2nd century AD.

A photograph of the Bulguksa Temple in Korea, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. A photograph of the Seokguram Grotto in Korea, home to a magnificent 7th-century Buddha statue.

The exhibition also features photographs of the ongoing conservation and restoration work at important Buddhist sites in both countries. For example, one photograph shows archaeologists working at the site of the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, while another photograph shows conservators restoring a Buddhist mural at the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in Korea.

The photographic exhibition 40 Years of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Pakistan is a timely and important celebration of the deep cultural ties between the two countries. It is also a reminder of the shared commitment of Pakistan and Korea to preserving and promoting their cultural heritage. The exhibition is open to the public until November 10, 2023, at the Pakistan National Museum in Islamabad.

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Pakistan and Korea Celebrate 40 Years of Diplomatic Ties with ... - Associated Press of Pakistan