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( Random Thoughts on Contemporary Issues )
| 30th January 1999 |
..........When Glen Hoddle, the England Coach, said the Karma was working from another lifetime for people with physical deformities, there was a public outcry. Actually that was what the Buddha taught more than 25 centuries ago. To millions of Buddhists, it is a basic concept. Whosoever kills any living being may be reborn in four lower worlds (hell, animals, peta and asura). Even when freed from there and reborn as a human, he or she may encounter the following evil consequences:-
..........Although born with deformities, these 'unfortunate' people have much better Kamma (Karma) than those beings who are still serving in the four lower worlds. Instead of feeling outraged about his remark, they should start building up Kusala Kamma for future existences. |
| 29th January 1999 |
..........Susannah Herbert from Paris reported today (The Daily Telegraph, 29-01-99) that two scholars have found 74 verses by the Greek philosopher-poet Empedocles of the fifth century BC. According to legend, he was a self-styled god, convincing his followers of his divinity after flinging into Mount Etna's active volcanic crater. ..........'His thinking held that matter consists of the four elements - water, fire, air and earth - which are animated by love and strife. He also believed in life after death, reincarnation and punishment for evil deeds.' It makes me wonder. Had he reached a Jhanic stage after following the teachings of Gotama Buddha who was born in 624 BC? Pathavi, apo, tejo and vayo are the basic four elements as taught by the Buddha. Life after death and Kamma are also principle concepts in Buddhism for most beings travelling in Samsara . |
| 17th December 1998 |
..........A recent survey on Christianity in Britain indicates that most adults have a copy of the Bible at home, however nearly all say they never read it. (The Times, 15-12-98) ..........The Buddhist equivalent of the Bible is the Tipitaka which is said to be 11 times bigger than the original Bible ( There are 16000 pages of Canonical texts in Burmese version). There is no abridged version yet. So most of us do not have a copy at home and we are spared from more embarrassing questions. Many Buddhist Institutions and monasteries usually keep the complete set of the Tipitaka which is either in Pali or Pali version of the local language. It has always been beyond the reach of ordinary lay people. In fact it is not essential to own personal copies as most people can't read any form of Pali and there is real problem to find a suitable space for storage. Most Buddhists in Myanmar (Burma) study the Buddha's Teachings through the Members of the Order, the Bhikkhus. There are numerous publications on Buddhism written by these learned personages in local language. But the English translation is very few and not easily available. ..........In the Life time of the Buddha, before the invention of scriptures, people listened to the Buddha and His Disciples and practised Meditation, leading to attainment of Enlightenment for several thousands of the followers. Twenty five centuries later into electronic age, the material development does not seem to translate into any spiritual breakthrough, as evidenced by scarcity of the news about newly enlightened Ariyas. May be it is in accordance with what the Buddha himself predicted. ..........(For those who are keen to own a complete set of the Tipitaka, it is now available in multi-lingual form, free of charge, on a single disk called the Chattha Sangayana CD-Rom, from the Vipassana Research Publications of America . The Global Vipassana Foundation of Sayagyi S.N. Goenka is offering this Tipitaka CD-Rom as Dhamma Dana. The version 3 is planned in the middle of 1999. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.) |
| 14th December 1998 |
..........Dr. Ian Stevenson, a well-known Professor in Psychiatry, has analysed more than 500 cases of apparent reincarnation world-wide (Article by Robert Matthews, The Sunday Telegraph, 13-12-98). He declared that reincarnation was the strongest explanation for the best cases. |
| ..........Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw, D. Litt,
confirmed in his 1965 Publication ('The Manual of Buddhism') that this was in
accordance with the tenets of Buddhism. Such a person is called a
jatisara puggalo ( jati, existence; sara, remembering
and puggalo, rational being). The following persons are possessed of a
knowledge of their past existences:-- 1. Those who died sudden deaths from accidents in previous lives. 2. Those who lived meritorious lives and prayed for this reincarnation faculty for the future existences. 3. Those who are reborn in the realms of devas, brahmas and apaya (hell). 4. The Buddhas, Arahants and Ariyas (Pubbenivasa-abbhinnana) |
| 10th December 1998 |
..........There was a report from South East Asia about fights between two rival groups of Buddhist monks to gain control of the major Buddhist establishment. You may find this unbelievable. But you have to accept that these monks are just puthujjanas and they may have to face the usual course of justice in cases of criminal injuries in addition to procedures for violation of the Rules of Vinaya. |
| .......... Suddha Pacittiya
Dhamma describes 92 offences requiring confession and
absolution. Some of these faults relate to verbal and physical violence
committed by monks (Pacittiya
Offences). 1. Insulting or abusive speech. 2. Hitting or raising the palm to hit another monk out of anger. 3 Dragging a monk out of a monastery after feeling angry and displeased. |
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