EH 56_Sept_2018 by YBAM

16 – 18 November 2018 Putrajaya, Malaysia www.mettaconvention.org Bringing people from around the world for a meeting of minds to promote the universal values and practice of Metta (loving kindness), Metta Convention aims at generating greater awareness of the potentials that lies within our hearts – transforming human consciousness into love and compassion – beginning with ourselves as individuals, family, groups, and communities ~ Bhante Mahinda

Opening Day: 16 November 2018

SPEAKERS

Opening Ceremony @ PUTRAJAYA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE - UNESCO’s International Day for Tolerance - Inter-faith Dialogue - Welcome Dinner “When practiced together with wisdom and insight, Metta will become a powerful healing force which transforms us into a more compassionate and caring community, transmuting all negative energies and entities into light, love, and harmony”

BHANTE MAHINDA Spiritual Director of Aloka Foundation, & Advisor to BMSM

VEN MATTHIEU RICARD “The Happiest Man in the World”

VEN CHONG HUA Abbot of Chong Sheng Monastry, Dali, Yunnan

Day 1: 17 November 2018 METTA CONVENTION @ THE EVERLY HOTEL PUTRAJAYA - Metta | Compassion | Bodhicitta ~ 3 Traditions; Same Altruism - Intra-faith Panel Discussion - Opening of Hearts for Family - Opening of Hearts at Work

Vijaya Samarawickrama

Dr Goh Pik Pin

Benny Liow

Dr Upali Marasinghe

Dr Charika Marasinghe

Lalith De Silva

Dr Victor Wee

Dr Gooi Chien Hoong

Dr Tan Ho Soon

“Masters from the three traditions present the practice of altruism in their respective traditions, with the practice of Metta from the Theravada tradition, Great Compassion from the Mahayana tradition, and Bodhicitta from the Vajrayana tradition”

Day 2: 18 November 2018 METTA CONVENTION @ THE EVERLY HOTEL PUTRAJAYA - Metta on Demand - Opening of Hearts Workshop “A series of sharing and teachings on the application of love and compassion in the modern world – in a snap of ﬁngers”

To register / For more details:

` % !

and other speakers / moderators...

Jointly organised by:

www.mettaconvention.org info@mettaconvention.org Bro Jin Aun +6016 222 1579 Bro Chee Looi +6012 202 5821

YAYASAN ALOKA (596555-W)

REMEMBERING A LEGACY If the Venerable K Sri Dhammananda Maha Nayaka Thera had lived, he would have been 100 years old on March 18 this year. He passed away on August 31, 2006, at the ripe age of eighty eight. Originally from Sri Lanka, he came to Malaysia in 1952 as a missionary monk, and is widely acclaimed to have been one of the greatest luminaries amongst Buddhist scholars of the 20th century. He was a fully ordained monk of the Theravāda tradition, an erudite scholar, and author of a number of important books on Buddhism. I came to know Venerable Dhammananda as far back as 1976 when I invited him to speak to members of our St Xavier’s Institution Buddhist Society in Penang Hill during our student Dharma camp. He was an immediate inspiration to our students, as he was knowledgeable of the Dharma, articulate in presenting them, and most importantly affable and approachable. Memories of this first encounter with him left an indelible impression, and many of us are committed to supporting the growth of the Buddha Sasana till today because of him.

Venerable Dhammananda was a well-reputed exemplary exponent of the Buddha Dharma and was invited by devotees to temples of both the Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions. Likewise, he was frequently invited to speak at colleges and universities throughout Malaysia and Singapore. His openness to all the three Buddhist traditions, and his presentation of the Buddha Dharma in his own unique style and in simple language attracted many devotees, especially the young Buddhists.

One area that I learnt from the late Venerable Dhammananda is about the real purpose of education. From the Buddhist perspective, education is the development of the whole person. Attention must therefore be paid not only to the development of intellect, but also to the education of the heart, the judgment and the creative powers. The purpose is the formation of character, not the development of the brain alone; knowledge is not enough. True education, according to Buddhism, must distinguish between knowledge and understanding, wisdom and instruction. Such values have been imparted to the teachers and students at the Buddhist Sunday School at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields where Venerable Dhammanada had spent well over 50 years of his life.

For those of us who have had the privilege to know Venerable Dhammananda personally, he was more than the scholar or writer. He was a living fount of the Buddha Dharma, one who gave light and understanding, advice and encouragement, consolation and inspiration. Venerable Dhammananda, or Chief Reverend as he will always be remembered by his devotees, demonstrated by personal example that the Buddha’s teachings still have the capacity to transform and elevate those who make them pivotal in their lives. May his legacy lives on for the benefit of all sentient beings! August 31, 2018

CONTENTS 04

LEAD ARTICLE

FACE TO FACE

Walking the path of compassion By Venerable Dr E Indaratana Maha Thera

The Dharma before self By Oh Teik Bin

Is Buddhism true? By Sam Mowe

TEACHINGS

Dharma and depression

Compassion as the source of happiness By HH the 14th Dalai Lama

By Sergio Leon

Don’t take the easy way out By Venerable Chang Zao

ISSUE NO.56

SEPTEMBER 2018

32 34 36 39 42 45

Five advantages of listening to the Dhamma By Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu

Happy marriages from the Buddha's perspective By Raymond Lam

On marriage By Venerable Lama Thubten Yeshe

Overcoming greed By Venerable Master Hsing Yun

The facebook sutta By Bernat Font

Discourse on the five ways of putting an end to anger By Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh

...................................................................... SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE NO. 56 (Published 3 times a year)

FORUM

How should Buddhists relate to unseen beings?

CHAIRMAN

By Venerable Āyasmā Aggacitta, Venerable Ming Wei & Geshe Dadul Namgyal

SUB-EDITOR

NEWS

Documentary about renowned Buddhist monk to hit Vietnam’s screens

Japan’s Buddhist temples to offer rooms to rent after law change

58 62

EASTERN HORIZON PUBLICATION BOARD

Candles and chanting as Cave boys’ ordination begins By The Bangkok Post

By VietnamNet

BOOKS IN BRIEF DHARMA AFTERMATH

A Piṇḍapāta in Subang Jaya by Rasika Quek

EDITOR

: Dr. Ong See Yew

: B. Liow <Bennyliow@gmail.com> : Dr. Ong Puay Liu

MANAGER : Teh Soo Tyng

ART DIRECTOR : Geam Yong Koon

PUBLISHER : YBAM <ybam@ybam.org.my>

PRINTER : Nets Printwork Sdn Bhd Lot 52, Jalan PBS 14/4, Taman Perindustrian Bukit Serdang, 43300 Sri Kembangan, Selangor, MALAYSIA. Tel : 603-89429858 Email : info@netsgroup.com.my

COVER DESIGN : Geam Yong Koon

EASTERN HORIZON is a publication of the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM). A non-profit making project, this journal is non-sectarian in its views and approach. We aim to inspire, stimulate and share.

The opinions expressed in EASTERN HORIZON are those of the authors and in no way represent those of the editor or YBAM. Although every care is taken with advertising matter, no responsibility can be accepted for the organizations, products, services, and other matter advertised. We welcome constructive ideas, invite fresh perspectives and accept comments. Please direct your comments or enquiries to: The Editor EASTERN HORIZON Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia 9, Jalan SS 25/24, Taman Mayang, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MAlAYSIA Tel : (603) 7804 9154 Fax : (603) 7804 9021 Email : admin@easternhorizon.org or Benny Liow <Bennyliow@gmail.com> Website : www.easternhorizon.org KDN PP 8683/01/2013(031165)

EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE

WALKING THE PATH OF COMPASSION By Venerable Dr E Indaratana Maha Thera Venerable E. Indaratana Maha Thera was born on February 10, 1954 in Sri Lanka. When he was 12 years old, he went forth to leave the house-hold life and ordained as a novice monk (sāmaṇera) in 1966. When he was 21 years old, he went for his higher Ordination (upasampadā) on June 5, 1975. Ven. Indaratana Maha Thera studied Buddhism for five years at Gangaramaya College in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He first visited Mahindarama Buddhist Temple in 1977 on the invitation of his teacher, the late Ven. S.V. Sri Pandit P. Pemaratana Nayaka Maha Thera (1915-1995) during the opening of the new Gunaratana Memorial Library at the temple. Since then, Ven. Indaratana visited Mahindarama Temple frequently at the request of his late teacher. When Ven. S.V. Sri Pandit P. Pemaratana Nayaka Maha Thera passed away in 1995,

Ven. Indaratana Maha Thera became the 6th Chief Monk of Mahindarama Buddhist Temple, Penang. He was also ex Principal of the Mahindarama Sunday Pali School. He started the Amata Medical & Diabetic Center in 1996. Currently, Venerable Indaratana is the Chief Incumbent & Spiritual Advisor to the Pertubuhan Mahindarama Buddhist which is the Temple Management Committee. Most of the new developments in the temple were started by Ven. Indaratana Maha Thera after he became the Chief Monk in 1995. As Mahindarama Temple celebrates its centenary in 2018, Benny Liow requested Kung Kok Chye, a long-time dharma practitioner, Buddhist leader, and dharma friend to interview Ven. Indaratana on his many contributions to Buddhism in Malaysia during the years he has been the chief monk of the temple.

Kung Kok Chye: You are born and received your education, including monastic ordination, in Sri Lanka. But at a young age you left Sri Lanka to carry out religious activities in various countries overseas. Can you tell us why you chose to pursue a religious vocation overseas rather than in your native country? Indaratana: Since at a very young age, I love to travel to different countries to learn the many types of languages and cultures. So when the opportunity arose for me to travel to Thailand, Malaysia and Australia during my younger days, I grabbed the opportunity immediately. It was a good experience for me to learn so many different languages and understand the various cultures. The Buddha said: ‘Carata Bhikkhave Caratam Bahujana Vitaya Sukaya’ - it simply means ‘Oh Bhikkhus, go to different places, and spread the lovely teachings’ One of your teachers was the late Ven P Pemaratana Maha Nayaka Thera, whom you succeeded as the chief monk of Mahindarama Temple. Can you tell us what you

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learnt most from him over the years? My teacher taught me to perform meritorious deeds like doing dÄ na to support the laity in the form of social and welfare projects. According to the Buddha, any donation in kind or service that support the Buddha Sasana is considered a meritorious deed which will bring immeasurable and immense blessings to society.

You also have much contact with the late Ven. K Sri Dhammananda Maha Nayaka Thera who was a leading missionary in Malaysia. In what ways has he influenced your missionary activities? The late Ven. K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera used to organize seminars and Dhamma talks on a very regular basis with the objective of clearing the misconceptions Malaysians have about Buddhism. I have learnt from him the relevantÂ Buddhist knowledge and as well as missionary skills. The late Ven. Dhammananda was a rare gem but even though he has passed away, his many books and writings have become a legacy that all Malaysian Buddhists truly treasure.

You are best known for your wonderful social welfare activities at the temple, such as the Amata Clinic, Buddhist Funeral Service, and Old Folks Home. What was the inspiration behind these social projects, and how did you find the financial backing for these projects?

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The social and welfare activities that I have organized were to provide the needed aids to the community at large. Such projects are particularly useful for a large section of society who are not rich, thus these little aids can help them in a long way! The support from temple devotees and the public has inspired me to work harder for the needy. Thus, I have added activities like Counseling for Cancer patients and their relatives through Metta for Life programs, weekly vegetarian food for needy senior citizens (about 400-500 pax) through the Bhojana Kitchen, and more recently I started the Bhojana Herbal Haven that provides weekly healthy fresh raw edible greens and drinks to the needy. The temple management has been a tremendous source of support to me in terms of providing financial support for the fundraising projects, and so are the temple devotees who have been most generous with both their time and money. How did you manage to expand these socially-engaged activities to Sri Lanka and Japan? The only activity that was expanded to Sri Lanka and Japan was the Amata Medical & Diabetic Center. In Japan, they provide mobile services to remote areas in the outskirts of Tokyo. In Sri Lanka we have two centers at Kelaniya Gangaramaya Buddhist temple and at Patipada International Retreat Center, Colombo, that was built in 2012 by our devotees. All the volunteers in our overseas centers are managed by locals.

Buddhist Sunday Schools generally have a problem to attract teenagers to come for classes. Based on your experience, how do we overcome such a problem? Can you share the experience of Mahindarama Sunday Pali School regarding this issue, including any effective or innovative projects that have been tried and tested to attract the youths? This is true. It is very difficult to attract teenagers to attend classes and participate in religious and spiritual activities. In our temple, we introduced new activities like outings, field trips, team-building, singing, play acting, sports etc. As our Sunday School classes are conducted in English, many parents have been encouraged to send their children to the temple so that they can learn both Buddhism and English.

Since becoming the chief monk of Mahindarama Temple in 1995, can you tell us some of the positive changes you have seen in the temple over the years, since this year is the centenary of the temple? After I initiated various types of activities, many volunteers have come forward to support our welfare projects. Support has been very encouraging. Over the years, I have also noticed that the devotees at the temple are not just more educated and knowledgeable about Buddhism, but have also learnt to be very generous, helpful, and compassionate. The importance of doing good to benefit others seems to have become second nature to many of them! I am pleased that many of the devotees at the temple now understand the practice of Dāna (generosity), Sīla (morality) and Bhavana (meditation).

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What is your assessment of Buddhism in this country? What are the key challenges Buddhists in Malaysia face and how can they overcome them? Compared to the time when I first came to Malaysia, I believe most devotees today are more exposed and aware of the various Buddhist traditions such as the Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna. All three Buddhist traditions will continue to grow in Malaysia and it is important for followers of each tradition to understand the similarities and differences in each tradition. There should also be mutual respect among followers of each other’s tradition. While both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions have been in Malaysia for some time now, I find that the Vajrayana tradition is growing very fast in this country. To me, it does not matter which tradition you follow as long as we all realize that our teacher is the

Buddha and we follow a life of discipline and good moral conduct. We are after all Buddhists even if we are from different schools of thought. The key challenge that we are facing today is moral decadence of all sorts. As society progresses materially, the moral compass seems to have been lost resulting in people committing many evil and heinous crimes. We need to be on guard against all the various type of unwholesome actions that are rampant in our society, and the Buddha’s ethical teachings is the best safeguard against the decay in society. You have contributed a lot to Buddhism in this country. What’s on your wish list that you would like to carry out in the near future? Firstly, I would like to see more interactions among followers of the three main Buddhist traditions in Malaysia. We must all unite as one when confronted with problems

facing us. If possible, the Buddhist leaders of all traditions should establish a single organization that truly represent all Malaysian Buddhists in the country. At the moment there is no one who is recognized as the head of the three Buddhist traditions in Malaysia. Secondly, I will continue to propagate the compassionate teachings of the Buddha to as many people as possible! Our motto is to preach and share the Buddha’s teachings to all who wish to learn but we are not out to convert others.

Kung Kok Chye was born in 1950 and joined the Mahindarama Sunday Pali School at the temple in 1967. He studied Buddhism from the Preliminary level to Senior level in 1969. He has served in various capacities in the temple management committee, as Assistant Hon. Secretary to Hon. Secretary and as Chairman since 2004. In 1998, he was appointed a Trustee of the temple. Kung has also served as Chairman of the YBAM Penang State Liaison Committee from 1978-1982, YBAM National Hon. Treasurer from 1974 -1980, and Young Buddhist Foundation Finance Director from 1979 till 2014. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

THE DHARMA BEFORE SELF By Oh Teik Bin

Oh Teik Bin is a retired teacher and has been involved in Buddhist missionary work for more than 30 years at the Lower Perak Buddhist Association in Teluk Intan. His outreach services have included guidance classes for students, community library work, Youth Camps, Buddhist Sunday School, Dharma sharing, and Buddhist wake and funeral chanting services. He has posted many educational materials on Buddhism at more than 10 web-sites, among them Slideshare, YouTube, Scribd, Twitter, Toondoo, Quora, Pinterest, and Instagram. Oh Teik Bin has also published eight Dharma / Life Lessons books for free distribution, the latest being “100 Instagram Posts of LIFE Lessons.” For the commercial market, he has authored eight books pertaining to Humor and Wisdom, Life Lessons, Motivation and Inspiration. Apart from missionary work, Oh Teik Bin has a great passion for creative writing and commercial slogan-writing contests. Over the years he has won various prizes, including a condominium, a Jaguar car, a Proton Wira car, a Kawasaki super bike, holiday trips, and cash vouchers. Benny Liow met up with Oh Teik Bin in Teluk Intan during a Dharma sharing session on July 28, 2018 and requested him to share his story of his missionary work during the past three decades with readers of Eastern Horizon. Benny: You are now an advisor to the Lower Perak Buddhist Association, having nurtured the organization for more than 30 years. Can you share with us how you first became interested in Buddhism? Oh: I come from a typical Chinese family with a Taoist background. The Taoist practices of my family never appealed to me. As my primary and secondary education were at La Salle missionary schools, at St. Anthony’s in Teluk Intan and at St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh, for my Sixth Form, I was taught and learnt much about Christianity. I followed Bible studies, took correspondence courses and attended regular chapel and church services. I did find certain aspects of Christianity good and meaningful, particularly the teachings on love and charity.

It was during my Sixth Form that I began to read widely on philosophy and religion. Questions and doubts started to grow in my mind, such as Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? What happens after death? What is good and what is bad? Why is there so much evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people and good things to bad people? How can one be truly happy and peaceful? and many other questions.

FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON

At 19, I declared myself an agnostic. But I continued my spiritual search until my university days. I read widely on the various world religions, Western and Eastern philosophy, Psychology, the Humanities, and Science. But it was only when I began my career as a teacher in the early 1970s in Kelantan that I came to understand and appreciate Buddhism through books and talks by Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda. That was the turning point. My mind brightened and there was an inner joy because all the questions I had asked for years were soon beautifully answered. I started pursuing the Dharma ardently by reading more books on Buddhism, taking Buddhist Correspondence courses, and attending talks and discussions. However, it was mostly ‘intellectual Dharma’ until our local Buddhist Association in Teluk Intan started in 1987 when my real learning, study, and practice of the Dharma began.

I understand that you quit your job as a teacher in your mid-40s to spend time taking care of your aged parents and dedicating more time for missionary work with the newly established Lower Perak Buddhist Association. What motivated you to make such a noble decision in the prime of your career?

In the early 1990s I found that I was ‘struggling’ for time to cope with family matters, my job as a school teacher, missionary work at the then newly established Lower Perak Buddhist Association, and my own spiritual selfdevelopment. Deep down I realized that what mattered ultimately was one’s karma and spiritual realization. I then quit my job as a teacher to dedicate more time for Dharma practice and missionary work. As I had a deep love for teaching, I continued teaching classes on Buddhism besides doing outreach work at the association. I found this voluntary service meaningful and fulfilling. It was during this period that I met a Vajrayāna Buddhist monk who came to give Dharma talks at the association. After some discussions, he inspired me with six lines of Dharma teaching for reflection. I will never forget what he told me: • Life is uncertain. • Death is certain • The point of death is uncertain • The mode of death is uncertain • What is ENOUGH? • When is ENOUGH really ENOUGH? I was truly motivated to opt out early in my career as a teacher but as I was then only 44 years old, I had to

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consider the financial aspects. I would not receive any pension from the Government till age 50, but I still needed to support myself and my family. But somehow things worked out. I had royalty earnings from some academic school books that I had written earlier, and I won big prizes in some commercial slogan-writing contests. So I retired from teaching in 1993 when I was only 44 years old.

Who and what have been your main influence over the years in your study and practice of the Buddha Dharma? I have learnt and benefited much from many Dharma teachers over the years. They include the following: • Venerable Dr. K Sri Dhammananda (through books and talks) • Ajahn Chah (through books and talks) • Venerable Suvanno (through Hokkien Dharma Talks) • Sayadaw U Pandita (through Vipassanā retreats and books)

• S ayadaw Dr Sunanda (through Vipassanā retreats and books) • Ajahn Sumedho (through books) • Ajahn Brahmavamso (through retreats, Dharma talks and books) • Venerable Aggacitta (through Dharma talks and books) • Venerable Dhammavuddho (through Dharma talks and books) Likewise, the Nikāyas from the Pāli Canon have also been a great source of inspiration and help to me.

You are one of the founders of the Lower Perak Buddhist Association. How did the story of this association start, why did it choose to be a nonsectarian body and what strategies and approaches were decided upon? In the 1980s, some friends and I started the Persatuan Buddhist Hilir Perak (PBHP) or Lower Perak Buddhist Association with the aim to promote Buddhism in the region. Initially, we used some members’ homes for

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our Dharma activities. Then from 1988 till 1993, our Dharma activities and programs were held at rented premises. But in 1994 we moved into our own building. Today, through the support of the local community, we have our own 3-storey building.

We used various strategies and approaches to introduce Buddhism to the community: Non-Sectarian Considering the strong Taoist background of the Chinese community, we felt a non-sectarian Buddhist organization would be more appropriate for Teluk Intan. We focussed on the teachings which are universal in nature instead of catering to any cultural aspects of the various Buddhist traditions. Thus for Dharma education and propagation, we invited speakers from the Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna traditions to share their teachings. We also set up a Library that has Dharma books, videos, and CDs on all three Buddhist traditions.

Bilingual Approach We use both Chinese and English languages in our activities, and Dharma talks in both languages are regularly held at the association. Occasionally, there are Buddhist talks in Hokkien and Cantonese too.

Skilful Means As the devotees at the association are from diverse backgrounds, comprising pre-school children, students, youths, adults, and elders, our activities are varied to cater to their respective needs. Reaching Out and Looking In – ‘Serve To Be Perfect, Be Perfect To Serve’ The Dharma Education and Promotion programs are a balance of outreach and welfare work, and selfcultivation activities.

Do you encounter problems managing a nonsectarian Buddhist organization as the devotees are from different traditions?

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There are no major problems in our association adopting a non-sectarian approach in our activities. Problems that arose usually pertain to inter-personal conflicts among members due to lack of communication or misunderstanding. However, such problems are limited as our association preaches loving kindness as a practice among the devotees. The management committee holds strongly to the belief that despite different Buddhist traditions, the core teachings of the Buddha are similar. Devotees understand there are differences in the devotional practices and rituals among the three traditions, but they have learnt to appreciate such diversities as part and parcel of the richness of Buddhism as it evolved over the centuries. Such harmony in the association is also a result of several key initiatives that have been inculcated among the devotees over the past 30 years such as: • Proper learning and understanding of the core Buddhist teachings

• Inviting members from all traditions to join the management committee • Teaching the value of respect towards all traditions, e.g. combined Buddha pūja from time to time, in youth camps and some big functions • Regular practice of loving kindness through Mettā Bhavana • Organizing bi-lingual fellowship programs such as excursions, Family Day, Welfare projects, Hymn singing, film shows, and recreational activities. The challenge facing many Buddhist organizations is the lack of young leaders to take over from the pioneers who would eventually be retiring. How do you identify or groom younger members with potential as future leaders for the association?

This is the biggest challenge facing our association. Currently, more than half of our management committee is made up of retirees, most of whom are teachers. Indeed, we need to identify and groom younger members with leadership potential to take over from

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the current management team, many of whom are getting old. Unfortunately, Teluk Intan is a small town where job opportunities are limited. Many of our Dharma students leave the town for Kuala Lumpur or other bigger cities to study and later to work. Though they are a loss to Teluk Intan, some of these young Buddhists later become active Buddhist leaders in various Dharma centers in the bigger cities.

(morality) and Bhavana (meditation), one can easily understand the deeper teachings of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and non-self (anattā). In my case, the sustained practice of loving kindness (mettā bhavana) and both concentration meditation and insight meditation have helped me to carry on my Dharma practice and missionary work. I am convinced the gift of the Dharma surpasses all other gifts!

What sustained your commitment in carrying on missionary work for so many decades?

Can you share some stories that are close to your heart whereby you believe the members have really benefited from some of the activities carried out by the association over the years?

Despite the difficulties, we continue to identify and groom younger members to become leaders of the association through various programs such as 1. Dharma camps for students and youths 2. Dharma Classes and academic guidance classes 3. Guidance and Dharma-based programs for students of Buddhist societies in schools 4. Sponsorship of courses on leadership and management and seminars conducted by national Buddhist organizations such as YBAM or MBA.

Over the last 30 years, I have seen many active Buddhist leaders fading out from Dharmaduta work or involvement in Dharma-based activities. The reasons are manifold – ‘burnt-out’, caught in the worldly trap of sensual pursuits, career and family matters, and loss of interest in the Dharma. Some unfortunately have also converted to another religion! I believe the primary reason why Buddhist missionary workers fade out is due to insufficient study, practice, and realization of the sublime Dharma. If one has diligently practiced the Noble Eight-fold Path and understood the meaning of Dāna (generosity), Sīla

Constant contemplation on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, particularly the Contemplation on Dharma, is one of the most important practices for me. One has to strive on mindfully to grow in faith, compassion, and wisdom. I constantly remind myself to contemplate and make the aspiration to be committed to Buddhist missionary work. At the same time I continue to strive on ardently and diligently in my Dharma practice.

Oh yes, over the last 30 years there have been many memorable happenings that made my confidence in the power of the Dharma soar to great heights. Let me narrate a few.

An Asura Case?

Ah Chai (not his real name) was a Sunday School student of mine in the early 1990s. He was a very hot-tempered and aggressive kid showing very difficult character traits, many resembling those of an Asura, a class of belligerent divine beings in Buddhist cosmology. While at school, he created many problems and was once

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transferred out to another school when he was in Form 2 for a serious disciplinary offence. He was a source of immense worry to his parents. As he also attended Sunday School, I remember him as one of the most difficult students who would lie, cheat, steal, fight, and gamble. However, I never gave up on him and continued to guide him with Buddhist values as I had confidence in the power of the Dharma in changing his character. Positive changes started to happen when he was in my Form 4 Guidance class. After his SPM, he continued his education to the tertiary level. Today he is a transformed man, successful in his career, and married with a happy family.

Anxiety and Stress

In the late 1980s, I had a Form 6 student in my community guidance class on Chemistry. He was a top student since primary school right till Form 5. Coming from a typical Chinese Taoist background he had no knowledge of Buddhism at all. When he was in Upper Sixth Form, his anxiety and stress level began to build up. He was expecting to get 5As for his STPM examination to realize his ambition of becoming a doctor.

One night in August, he came to see me with trouble and stress written all over him. I remembered he asked me

this question: “Which is more important - my parents or sitting for STPM?’ “Your parents of course,” I answered. He then said in a confused state, “Bro. Oh, yeah … I don’t want to sit for my STPM. The stress is killing me … is it ok if I give up on my STPM?”

It was really difficult for me to tell him what to do. I could not ‘push’ him into taking STPM because it might break him. On the other hand, I could not just tell him to give up his STPM examination as he might regret later. I decided to counsel him using Dharma. Over a couple of weeks and a great number of hours, I shared with him the sublime Dharma. I asked him to reflect on important life questions: “What is the meaning and purpose of life? How do we develop the right view and attitude and thereby strengthen the mind?” In September he told me, “Bro Oh, I have decided to sit for the STPM and try my best. I understand the Dharma you have shared with me.” “Excellent,” I told him. Today he is a very successful medical specialist.

My Schizophrenic Friend

This world is full of people afflicted with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, neurosis, compulsive obsessive personality disorder and various other psychiatric illnesses. They have an inclination to go to

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religious places like temples, churches, or mosques. Such places probably have an atmosphere of spirituality, peacefulness, calmness and serenity so lacking in the outside world. Over the past 30 years we had our share of visits by mentally-ill patients seeking a sort of solace at our association from their mental pain and anguish. Boh Ho (not his real name) was afflicted with schizophrenia when he was in his early twenties. I befriended him in the early 1990s. At our association, he helped out by cleaning the premises and doing other general manual work. I used to remind him to keep his precepts well and to learn and practice the Dharma sincerely. He was quite regular in joining our Pali chanting sessions and also in our Sutta class. He even participated in our wake services.

I remember a few occasions when Boh Hoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schizophrenic attacks came because he stopped taking his medication. He would have hallucinations, behaved in a disorganized manner, and sank into painful depressive moods. Some Dharma friends and I helped him to get medical treatment and he recovered. Over the years as he continued to study and practice the Dharma, he found it a great help with his mental affliction. Though he passed away peacefully in 2012, he had

realized the benefit of the Dharma.

What kind of programs would attract youngsters to come to a Buddhist center in our current internet age? It is indeed a great challenge to attract the younger generation to come to a Buddhist Center in the age of the internet with its many alluring high-tech gadgets. I think the following programs should attract young people:

a) Buddhist / Dharma / Motivation / Leadership / Musical / English Camps b) The Use of Multimedia c) Group Dynamics d) Academic Guidance Classes e) Music, Choreographing, Action with Dances f) Organized Trips and Excursions g) Games and Sport Activities h) Group Discussions, Brainstorms, Forums and Workshops EH

EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

IS BUDDHISM TRUE? An Interview with Dr Robert Wright by Sam Mowe

Photo by Jed Adan on Unsplash

The Buddha said that the origin of all suffering is craving — we either don’t get what we want or we get what we don’t want. But what is the origin of our craving? In his recent New York Times bestselling book, Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment, Robert Wright argues that the process of natural selection designed the human mind to crave — and therefore suffer — because never-ending dissatisfaction helped our ancestors get their genes into the next generation. Though the Buddha predates Darwin by more than 2,000 years, Wright contends that Buddhism’s diagnosis of the human condition is fundamentally correct and that its prescription — primarily mindfulness meditation — can help us override our hardwired tendency to crave.

Wright is currently the visiting professor of science and religion at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan and the author of four books, including The Moral Animal and The Evolution of God. We spoke with him recently about the relationship between natural selection and suffering, how evolutionary psychology supports the Buddhist idea of not-self, and how meditation can lead to everything from stress reduction to an understanding of Buddhism’s most radical philosophical concepts.

Sam Mowe: Why Buddhism is True is a bold title. Let’s start by clarifying what you mean by both “Buddhism” and “True.” What Buddhist tradition are you writing about? Robert Wright: If you had to really boil down the Buddhist claim that I’m defending, it’s that the reason we suffer—and the reason we make other people suffer—is that we don’t see the world clearly. We have illusions about ourselves, other people, and the world. Buddhism posits that we tend to misperceive fundamental aspects of our existence.

Of course, there are a lot of different Buddhist traditions, but I’ve tried to focus on elements that are found across the great bulk of Buddhist traditions—for example, notself and emptiness. Not-self is the idea that the self, in some sense, doesn’t really exist and emptiness is the idea that things don’t possess the essences that we usually attribute to them. With both of these ideas, I think modern psychology—and, in particular, evolutionary psychology—is on my side in defending at least some version of them. Is that what you mean when you say that Buddhism is true— that certain Buddhist ideas are corroborated by modern

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psychology? And, since it gets special emphasis in the book, it might be helpful if you can explain what evolutionary psychology is. Evolutionary psychology is the study of how the human mind came to be the way it is as a result of natural selection. In writing my book about evolutionary psychology, The Moral Animal, I became convinced of two things: that the mind was not designed to see the world clearly and that we weren’t designed to be happy. Yes, in some cases, the mind does a good job of perceiving the everyday world, but that was not the bottom-line criterion of natural selection. The bottomline criterion in natural selection is to favor traits that do a good job of getting genes into the next generation. And if having illusions about yourself or other people will help get genes into the next generation, then natural selection will favor a tendency toward illusion. This has an obvious connection to Buddhism, since Buddhism holds that we indeed tend to suffer from illusion unless we work to dispel it.

The other takeaway from evolutionary psychology, that we weren’t designed to be happy, also has a clear connection to Buddhism. We were designed to have recurring dissatisfaction with the state of things and to suffer in specific ways because emotions like fear, sadness, and anxiety can help us get our genes into the next generation. For example, being anxious about our social standing seems to have been favored by natural selection because being held in high esteem was correlated, during evolution, with getting genes into the next generation. Finally, I would say that not only does evolutionary psychology corroborate the Buddhist ideas that we suffer and that we tend to not see the world clearly; I think it also supports the Buddhist idea that there’s a

connection between these two things. How so?

Well, for instance, there’s the Buddhist idea that one reason we suffer is that we don’t really see and live in accordance with the reality of impermanence. For example, we don’t recognize that gratification is impermanent. The happiness we get upon attaining some goal—eating some food, having sex, or whatever—tends to evaporate fairly quickly. Evolutionary psychology, I think, gives us a pretty plausible explanation of why this happens: if it didn’t, then animals wouldn’t keep pursuing their goals of eating and having more sex. And, of course, those are things that are part of getting genes into the next generation.

In other words, suffering is conducive to genetic proliferation and so suffering is built into us. From this perspective, it makes sense that we would be engineered to focus more on the gratification that reaching a given goal is going to bring rather than on the fact that the gratification is going to evaporate and leave us restless and unhappy afterwards. This kind of suffering is very subtly and deeply built into us.

Would you say that all dukkha or suffering can be attributed to natural selection? I would say all suffering is the result of natural selection only if you include things that are the result of natural selection in a very indirect way. A certain amount of the suffering we experience was not “intended” by natural selection. (Whenever I personify natural selection by saying it designs things or intends things, I, of course, have to use quotes because it’s not a conscious process.) In the modern environment, we encounter situations that were not part of

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the environment in which humans evolved. So things like public speaking induce anxiety in a lot of people—and even to a clearly counterproductive extent, like when you can’t sleep the night before a presentation—but, of course, there weren’t big public talks in our natural environment. We’re just not designed to deal with that kind of situation at all.

In the public speaking example, there’s a form of suffering that would be natural in huntergather societies—anxiety—but it is evoked in a novel way that was not “intended” by natural selection. So, while it’s connected to natural selection, you wouldn’t say that this suffering is some kind of direct product of natural selection. Can you give an example of dukkha or suffering when it’s functioning as natural selection “intended”?

Yes. Say you’re hiking and you know that there are poisonous snakes around. Every time you hear a rustling in the underbrush you will feel a surge of fear and you become more alert. That fear is suffering, but it’s suffering that’s functioning as “designed.” Of course, there might not even be a snake there so your fear can be the result of an illusion. That’s a case where natural selection favors a false positive, so to speak, on the grounds that you’re better safe than sorry. So I would distinguish between times we suffer when we are operating as “designed,” so to speak, and times we suffer when what we’re experiencing is a natural form of suffering misfiring because of the environment we’re in.

You mentioned that one of the Buddhist ideas you defend in the book is not-self— the claim that, in some sense, the self doesn’t really exist. Can you say more about not-self?

Not-self is both a metaphysical and a moral claim. As for the metaphysical dimension of the claim—or, if you prefer, the psychological dimension—there is a lot of evidence in psychology that our intuitions about the self are just wrong. We tend to think of the self as a kind of conscious CEO, thinking thoughts and making decisions, yet there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that human consciousness is more like an observer of the thoughts and decisions that are unconsciously generated. But we are under the impression that consciousness is the generator. It’s like a passenger of a plane thinking that he or she is flying the plane.

There’s actual experimental evidence showing that people make up stories about why they did certain things and then they believe the stories. So they’re making up stories on an unconscious level. We also tend to think we’re very good people, better than average. It can’t really be the case that most people are better than average morally, and yet study after study shows that most people think they are. We have these kinds of basic misconceptions about ourselves. We believe there’s more in the way of a “CEO self” than there is, and we’re inclined to think that this “self” is an exemplary citizen. How can Buddhist practice help us see through some of our basic misconceptions about ourselves and the world? I think that by quieting the mind sufficiently you actually start liberating yourself from some of the mechanisms of distortion that natural selection built in. When I say that, I’m thinking particularly of feelings. Beginning with just aversion and grasping—the basic dichotomy between avoidance and approach—and building all the way up to the complex emotions, I think all of these things are natural selection’s way of controlling our perceptions and our thoughts. So, for example, feelings of dislike for a rival color

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our moral evaluation of them, leading us to judge them more harshly than we otherwise would. So it stands to reason that if you have a meditative practice that lets you start seeing things without such pervasive influence from feelings and emotions, you would start seeing things more clearly, because you’re escaping the fundamental mechanism of delusion.

While you are only interested in what you describe as the “naturalistic parts” of Buddhism, you engage with Buddhist meditation in a way that goes beyond those who see it mostly as a palliative technique or productivity tool. Meditation for you is a way to pursue enlightenment or, at least, a way to become more enlightened. Yes, that’s right. Although, I also wanted to draw a connection between those two things. In other words, I wanted to convince people that, even if their practice is basically therapeutic—they’re just using meditation for stress reduction or something—they may be on the path to a deeper exploration that can be enlightening. I think, for example, if you change the way you relate to your anxiety in such a way that you’re no longer identifying with it, then I think you could see that as an incremental realization of not-self. In fact, this view is consistent with the spirit of what the Buddha said in his Discourse on Not-Self. He goes through the different parts of the mind and basically says: “Does it really make sense to view this part of the mind as part of yourself? You can’t control it. It leads to affliction. Do yourself a favor and don’t think of it as yourself.” And yet, by the end of the Discourse, he says: “And if you do this with everything you had previously considered yourself, you will have achieved complete liberation.” I think some people may be fortunate enough to have spontaneous awakenings of various

kinds and just suddenly have the experience of not-self; I envy them. But, I think, for most people, it’s going to be more incremental than that. I think there can be a direct connection between the kind of practice that’s sometimes dismissed as merely therapeutic and the kind that’s deeply spiritual and philosophical. How has having a meditation practice changed your own life?

Well, on the one hand, it has helped me deal with anxiety and also with stress. At the end of the day, if I’m feeling stressed out, I’ll sit down and meditate for a while. But, at the same time, I have seen how doing that can lead to something deeper, especially when on retreat.

While on retreat, I’ve occasionally had the experience that the bounds of myself had dissolved. As I described one experience in Why Buddhism is True, I felt that a bird singing outside the meditation hall was no less a part of me than a tingling in my foot. If you look at what paved the way for that experience, I think a big part of it is viewing various things that I normally think of as part of myself with less attachment. The interior of my mind was feeling more diffuse than usual, was feeling less aggregated than usual, precisely because I was not closely identifying with it. And I think that’s one reason there seemed to be more continuity between what I normally think of as the interior of me and what I normally think of as the exterior. This made it harder to say where my “self” ended and the world out there began.

I think this is morally significant, by the way. To the extent that you don’t see a big boundary between you and the world out there, you’re probably going to see less of a moral distinction between your welfare and the welfare of beings out there. And, of course, this is part of Buddhist teaching: there can be a connection between the experiential

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apprehension of not-self and becoming more selfless in the moral sense of the term. You suggest that this is one of Buddhism’s most remarkable claims: that seeing the truth of things will also make you a good person.

Yes, I think this claim is underappreciated. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the truth about reality naturally converges with your happiness and moral truth? When you think about it, that’s the Buddhist claim. As you see things more clearly, you’ll suffer less, and you’ll also be less of a jerk. That’s an incredible claim about the very structure of reality.

In the book, you make both intellectual arguments and experiential arguments to support your case. The intellectual arguments rest primarily on the findings of modern psychology and the experiential arguments come from your personal experience meditating. Can you talk about the relationship between these different kinds of evidence? Well, I didn’t want to rely too much on my own reports of my own experiences. I use them to supplement, and hopefully enrich, the argument I make in the book. But I hope that the basic argument could be appraised by someone who’s never meditated. It doesn’t depend on your having had some particular set of experiences. It is a really interesting feature of Buddhist history that, on the one hand, Buddhist philosophers argue their propositions the way Western philosophers do and, on the other hand, they also believe that the truths can be directly, experientially apprehended. Because to just buy the intellectual arguments is definitely not the same thing as, in a sense, feeling the truth of these things. I mean, of course I can’t personally say that I’ve had the

depth of apprehension of certain ideas that more adept meditators have had, but I’ve had enough brushes with some insights, especially while on retreat, to get a sense for what it’s like. And I think I can safely say that accepting the intellectual arguments is not the same thing as experiencing the truth. My hope is that the arguments in Why Buddhism is True—and in particular the explanations for why natural selection built the mind to be the way it is—will make people more inclined to explore these things meditatively. Perhaps people who have never meditated might be tempted. But I hope also that people who already meditate and get some therapeutic benefit out of it, but haven’t really taken the enlightening aspects of meditation all that seriously, might now be inclined to pursue the practice more intensively. This article was first published on GarrisonInstitute.org

Sam Mowe is the editor of Lineages, a publication of the Garrison Institute. He is a regular contributor to Spirituality & Health. This interview was first published in Lineages, a Garrison Institute publication. For more information about the Garrison Institute, please visit garrisoninstitute.org. EH

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COMPASSION AS THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS By HH the 14th Dalai Lama His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet. At the age of two the child, who was named Lhamo Dhondup at that time was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity. In May 2012, His holiness was awarded the distinguished Templeton Prize. This was awarded for His commitment to interfaith relations and in 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems

The Purpose of Life Is to Strive for Happiness We are here; we exist and we have the right to exist. Even non-sentient beings like flowers have the right to exist. If negative force is exerted against them, then, on a chemical level, flowers repair themselves to survive. But more than that, we human beings including insects, even amoebas, the smallest beings are considered sentient beings. And as sentient beings, we have even more mechanisms to help us survive. Things that can move under their own will or desire, that’s what a

“sentient being” means, according to the discussions that I’ve had with scientists. “Sentient” doesn’t necessarily mean being conscious or being human on a conscious level. Actually it’s difficult to define what “consciousness” or “conscious” means. Usually it means the clearest aspect of the mind, but then, is it that there is no consciousness when we are semiconscious or unconscious? Do insects have it? Maybe it’s better to speak of “cognitive faculty” rather than consciousness. In any case, the main point that we are referring to here by cognitive faculty is the ability to experience

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama answering a question about compassion during a dialogue with students at MITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kresge Auditorium in Boston, MA, USA on October 31, 2014. (Photo by Brian Lima)

feelings: pain, pleasure, or neutral feelings. Actually, pleasure and pain, and happiness and unhappiness, are things that we need to examine in more depth. For example, every sentient being has the right to survive and, for survival, this means having a desire for happiness or comfort: thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why sentient beings strive to survive. Therefore, our survival is based on hope â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hope for something good: happiness. Because of that, I always conclude that the purpose of life is happiness. With hope and a happy feeling, our body feels well. Therefore, hope and happiness are positive factors for our health. Health depends on a happy state of mind.

Anger, on the other hand, is based on a sense of insecurity and brings us fear. When we encounter something good, we feel safe. When something threatens us, we feel insecure and then we become angry. Anger is a part of the mind that defends itself from what harms our survival. But anger itself makes us feel bad and so, ultimately, it is bad for our health. Attachment is an element that is helpful for survival. So, even a plant, without any conscious element, still has some chemical aspect that causes it to protect itself

and helps its growth. Our body, on a physical level, is the same. But, as humans, our body also has a positive element on the emotional level that brings us to have attachment to someone or attachment to our own happiness. Anger, on other hand, with its element of causing harm, pushes us away from things including happiness. On a physical level, the pleasure that happiness brings is good for the body; while anger and the unhappiness it causes is harmful. Therefore, from the perspective of the pursuit of survival, the purpose of life is to have a happy life. This is the basic human level that I am speaking about; I am not speaking about the religious, secondary level. On the religious level, of course there are different explanations of the purpose of life. The secondary aspect is actually quite complicated; therefore, it is better to talk just on the basic human level.

What Is Happiness?

Since our goal and the purpose of life is happiness, what is happiness? Sometimes physical suffering can even bring a deeper sense of satisfaction like with an athlete

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AArchbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama during their discussion on joy at held at His Holiness’s residence in Dharamsala, HP, India in April of 2015. (Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL)

after a grueling workout. So “happiness” means mainly a sense of deep satisfaction. The object of life or our goal, then, is satisfaction.

Happiness, sadness or suffering – for these, there are two levels: a sensorial level and a mental level. The sensorial level is common with tiny mammals, even insects – a fly. In a cold climate, when the sun comes out, a fly shows a happy aspect: it flies around nicely. In a cold room, it slows down: it shows a sign of sadness. But, if there is a sophisticated brain, then there is even a stronger sense of sensorial pleasure. In addition, though, our sophisticated brain is the largest in size and, therefore, we also have intelligence. Consider the case of humans who feel no physical threats. They have a happy, comfortable life, good friends, salary, and name. But, even then, we notice that some millionaires, for example – they feel that they are an important part of society, but often these people as persons are very unhappy persons. On a few occasions I have met very rich, influential people who showed a very troubled sense that, deep inside, they had a feeling of loneliness, stress and worry. So, on the mental level, they have suffering.

We have a marvelous intelligence, so the mental level of our experience is more dominant than is the physical level. Physical pain can be minimized or subdued by it. As a small example, some time ago I developed a serious illness. It was very painful in my intestines. At that time, I was in Bihar, the poorest state of India and I passed through Bodh Gaya and Nalanda. There, I saw many very poor children. They were collecting cow dung. They had no education facilities and I felt very sad. Then, near Patna, the capital of the state, I had a lot of pain and sweating. I noticed one old sick person, one sick man, wearing white cloth, very, very dirty. No one was taking care of that person; it was really very sad. That night in my hotel room, my physical pain was very severe, but my mind was thinking of those children and that old man. That concern greatly reduced my physical pain.

Take for example those who train for the Olympic Games. They do very vigorous training, and no matter how much pain and hardship they experience, on the mental level they have happiness. Therefore, the mental level is more important than physical experience. Therefore, what is really important in life is happiness and satisfaction.

EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

His Holiness the Dalai Lama enjoying a moment of laughter during his conversation with Archbishop Desmond Tutu on joy at his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India in April of 2015. (Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL)

The Causes of Happiness Now, what are the causes of happiness? I think that since this body element goes well with a calm mind, not with a disturbed mind, therefore a calm mind is very important. It doesn’t matter our physical situation, mental calmness is most important. So, how can we bring about a calm mind?

Now, to get rid of all problems, that would be impractical; and to make the mind dull and forget about our problems, that doesn’t work either. We have to look clearly at our problems and deal with them, but at the same time keep a calm mind so that we have a realistic attitude and we are able to treat them well, deal with them well. As for those who take tranquillizers – well, I have no experience. I don’t know if, at the time when people take tranquillizers, their intelligence is sharp or dull; I have to ask. For example, in 1959, when I was in Mussoorie, my mother or maybe it was somebody else was disturbed and had a lot of anxiety: the sleep was disturbed. The doctor explained that there were some drugs that they could take, but this would make

the mind a little dull. I thought at that time that that’s not good. On one side, you have a little calmness of mind, but on the other side, if the effect is dullness, this is no good. I prefer another way. I prefer having the intelligence fully functional and attentive and alert, but not disturbed. Undisturbed mental calmness is best.

For this, compassionate human affection is really important: the more compassionate our mind is, the better our brain functions. If our mind develops fear and anger, then when that happens, our brain functions more poorly. On one occasion I met a scientist who was over eighty years old. He gave me one of his books. I think it was called We Are Prisoners of Anger, something like that. While discussing his experience, he said that when we develop anger toward an object, the object appears very negatively. But ninety per cent of that negativeness is in our mental projection. This was from his own experience. Buddhism says the same. When negative emotion develops, we can’t see reality. When we need to make a decision and the mind is dominated by anger; then chances are, we will make the wrong decision. No one wants to make a wrong decision, but at that moment,

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the part of our intelligence and brain that functions to differentiate right from wrong and make the best decision, that works very poorly. Even great leaders experience it like that.

Therefore, compassion and affection help the brain to function more smoothly. Secondarily, compassion gives us inner strength; it gives us self-confidence and that reduces fear, which, in turn, keeps our mind calm. Therefore, compassion has two functions: it causes our brain to function better and it brings inner strength. These, then, are the causes of happiness. I feel it is like that.

Now other faculties, of course, are also good for happiness. Everybody likes money, for example. If we have money, then we can enjoy good facilities. Usually, we consider these the topmost important things, but I think it’s not like that. Material comfort can come through physical effort, but mental comfort has to come through mental effort. If we go to a shop and offer money to the shopkeeper and say that we want to buy peace of mind, they will say they have nothing to sell. Many shopkeepers will feel that this is something mad and they will laugh at us. Some injection or pill can maybe bring temporary happiness or calmness of mind, but not at the fullest level. We can see with the example of counseling that we need to tackle emotions through discussion and reasoning. Thus, we must use a mental approach. Therefore whenever I give talks, I say that we modern people think too much of external development.

If we pay attention only to that level, that’s not enough. Genuine happiness and satisfaction must come from within.

The basic elements for that are compassion and human affection, and these come from biology. As an infant, our survival depends solely on affection. If affection is there, we feel safe. If it’s not there, we feel anxiety and insecure. If we become separated from our mother, we cry. If we are in our mother’s arms and held tight, warmly, then we feel happy and we’re quiet. As a baby, this is a biological factor. One scientist for instance, my teacher, a biologist who is involved with anti-nuclear violence – he told me that after birth, a mother’s physical touch for several weeks is very important for enlarging the baby’s brain and development. It brings a feeling of safety and comfort and this leads to proper development of physical growth, including the brain. So, the seed of compassion and affection is not something that comes from religion: it comes from biology. We each came from our mother’s womb and each of us survived due to our mother’s care and affection. In the Indian tradition, we consider birth from a lotus in a pure land. That sounds very nice, but perhaps the people there have more affection for lotuses than for people. So being born from a mother’s womb is better. Then we are already equipped with the seed of compassion. So, those are the causes of happiness. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

DHARMA AND DEPRESSION By Sergio Leon

Sergio León Candia was born in Santiago de Chile, South America. He Holds a Bachelor in Education degree and is a P.E teacher and Personal Trainer. Later he studied English in New York, USA, and became a TEFL teacher. In 2011 he came to Thailand and went on different meditation retreats. He holds a Master’s degree in Buddhist Studies from the International Buddhist College in Thailand. He has a Permaculture Designer Certificate and is the founder and director of an ecological project in Chile.

Probably most of us have been there to some degree, at least once. We probably have felt sadness, despair, sorrow or grief for different reasons. We are aware of the existence of these emotions. It is normal for humans to feel them. Sometimes we succeed in overcoming them. The Buddha´s motivation was to look for freedom from them, to end unsatisfactoriness and suffering (dukkha). And yet we keep going, looking for more pleasure and happiness until the conditions aren´t what we expected and we feel those negative emotions again and again, over our whole lifetime. It is part of life some would say. But I understand that the Buddha taught that they are part of an unenlightened life, a life of clinging. They originate in an ignorance that doesn’t let us see things as they really are, and from the clinging to pleasure and aversion to pain that we naturally develop. It is in our DNA to do so. The Buddha taught a way to overcome this, and I think that everything he taught was to be free from these negative emotions that permeate and that sometimes overcome us, sometimes more often that we wish. We try our best to practice the middle way taught by Him. Sometimes we succeed, but sometimes we don’t. Sometimes these negative emotions grow and grow until they become so strong that we are not able to disconnect from them anymore. Although we have our Dharma medicine to cope with it, we still sometimes fail. Or so we think. Can you imagine how it is for people who don’t even have the Dharma to support them? The Buddha advised that we become an island to ourselves, to be our own refuge, with the Dharma as our only refuge. It is our responsibility to train diligently to end unsatisfactoriness. I have faith that this is possible. But sometimes we can’t see the light. Sometimes these emotions of anxiety and despair take control; we become them, we make them our own. We are born in a realm of anger, sadness, and despair and create a hell for ourselves. Often there are many factors that influence this reality. The main one is our mind and its reactions to what surround us and what is within us. Many times that is a burden too heavy to carry around, and we fall. Hard. I was raised in a culture where anyone who suffered from depression, sadness, or despair was label as “weak” and “a failure”. They were pointed to as someone who wasn’t strong enough to cope with life’s difficulties. In a way, that was true. They couldn’t cope. But it is not because they were weak but because for some people, the unsatisfactoriness and suffering was too

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much, whatever the source of that might have been, a broken family, a failed marriage, consistent bullying at school, failing to meet social expectations, etc.

However, no matter what the reasons were, people would criticize them. Even I did so when I was younger, thinking that it was their fault for not being strong enough, or that they were just lazy and didn’t want to take control of their own lives. That is, until I suffered from depression myself.

It was only then when you realize that you don’t know what causes the despair; the anxiety is too strong to handle. You feel worse by thinking that other people actually suffer real pain while you are ungrateful for all the blessings in your life. But you still cannot handle it, you blame yourself for being weak, and become even harder on yourself because of this, and it all become a vortex of negative emotions with an unimaginable way out. Our thoughts become our enemies. They create the conditions with the result being more and more unsatisfactoriness and suffering. The Buddha was well aware of this. He rediscovered a way to end all the suffering we create with our minds. His dharma points us to the way to learn to deal with our inner processes and to grow above them, as a lotus flower from the muddy pond grows above the muck and mire to thrive “happily”. He also pointed to a way of life devoted to happiness that is wholesome and not dependent on pleasuring our senses. However, usually some people need help. And that’s ok. There is no need to feel ashamed. Don’t think you are not worthy, or that you have lost the battle, or that you are a failure because, even with the dharma, you can’t handle it. Please don’t do so. Don’t be hard on yourself, go easy on yourself. These attitudes are hardwired in our brains and it’s very hard to unwire them. We condition our minds to treat ourselves badly, then we get really good at it!

This condition is real. Depression is a real thing and it’s hurting so many people out there, or maybe even right where you are reading this article. There are many different types of depressions and diagnosis, and some of them might go undercover in our day to day business, or we simply avoid looking at it by constantly distracting us.

The anxiety and despair that come with depressive states don’t allow us to think clearly and can even make our bodies too sick to be able to sustain the fight against depression. The biochemistry in our brain can change for the better with meditation and Dharma practice, and so in the same way it can change for the worse if we keep feeding it with negative or unwholesome thoughts. Meditation practice is very useful, the right concentration recorded in the early texts in the form of the first four jhānas, or altered states of consciousness, include pleasure and happiness, in the form of piti and sukha. Those sensations could be related to the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, showing us that we can train our minds to produce them and bring us wholesome well-being.

So our task is to diligently work our way out of this, practicing the Dharma and ending unsatisfactoriness and suffering for our own benefit and the benefit of others. We are very fortunate to live in an era where we still have the teachings of the Buddha available to us, and there is a growing knowledge of other factors that influence our brain's functions, such as the food or the entertainment we choose. We also have psychotherapy in so many different forms that fit a wide range of personal preferences or conditions. So use them. Look for help without shame. There is nothing wrong or reprehensible in feeling terrible and wanting to get better. On the contrary, acknowledging that you want help to improve is worthy of praise. That is the first step. The Dharma advises us to have admirable friendship, spiritual friends or companions, people around us to help us grow and improve, to get better. We have this Dharma. How lucky! Nowadays the Dharma has permeated, or at least influenced, psychotherapies around the world. You can find mindfulness based stress reduction therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy among many others that, not surprisingly, have insights that are found in the teachings of the Buddha. The enlightened one is the supreme physician, yes, but if you need some support to get out of the well of depression, reach out your hands and ask for it. There might be something wrong in your brain that can be treated; there might be the case that you are unaware of the episodes in your childhood that

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still influence the way you react or behave in the world, and yes, through Dharma practice you will be able to see those things, but its ok if it is too difficult at this moment because you feel you are alone in the world or that there is nothing important or worthy of doing. There are people that have trained themselves to use psychological tools that can help you. Use all there is available to get better. Don’t neglect your meditation practice and Dharma practice, don’t let the struggle defeat you. Don’t let social prejudice determine who you are or what you want. Remember the famous summary of the Dharma: Dhammapada Verse 183 English: To not do evil, to cultivate the wholesome, To purify one’s mind, this is the teaching of all Awakened Ones.

Pāli: Sabba pāpassa akaraṇaṁ, kusalassa upasampadā Sacitta pariyodapanaṁ, etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.

So do good. Make the Right Effort to increase the wholesome and decrease the unwholesome. To have a crisis can be so tough that it can lead you to some very serious consequences, or at worse to suicide. Remember the Dharma and reflect that even famous, successful people that supposedly have everything everyone wants have committed suicide. We see it quite often. Many successful people now go around the world telling their stories to encourage people to help themselves and to recognize when the subject matter is going out of their control. Listen to the people that care for you and check if there is truth in their worries and ask for advice. There is nothing wrong, you are not a failure. The Buddha taught wholesome action to devote your life to true happiness, not only to a hormone that feels pleasant or a sensual pleasure that gives very short intense pleasant sensations, but to devote your life to a deep profound peace that is beyond that. When we practice the Dharma correctly, joy will rise, as it is recorded in the discourses of the Buddha: “Suppose, mendicants, there was a man whose span of life was to be a hundred years. They said to him: “Look

friend, at early sunrise they will torture you with a hundred spears, again at midday and again at sunset. Now friend, being tortured like that day by day with three hundred spears, you will live on to be a hundred years of age and at the end of your hundred years you shall comprehend the Four Noble Truths as yet not comprehended.”

Well, mendicants, a clansman who had any sense might well undertake the torture. Why? Because, mendicants, unimaginable is the beginning of this wandering on. The earliest point of blows from spears, swords and axes is not seen. Even if this were to happen to you, mendicants, I would not declare the full comprehension of the Four Noble Truths to be won with sorrow and woe, but with joy and gladness”. (sahāva, sukhena, sahāva somanassa) There is the wrong idea that the Buddha taught that “life is suffering”. But in the first discourse, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, he summarizes the First Noble Truth as, the five aggregates of clinging, life with clinging or clinging experience is unsatisfactory and suffering (dukkha):

“Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.” jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṃ, appiyehi sampayogodukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ—saṃkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

Not paying attention to the discourses of the enlightened one, we might misunderstand his message. We cannot leave out the word attachment or upādāna here. If life is unsatisfactory and suffering, then it would seem the logical way out of suffering would be to end life, but it is not. Let’s not blame the tools here. The problem resides in our own minds . We cling to pleasure and try to avoid pain, and we create expectations that are

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not met, and therefore suffer. This becomes a thought pattern that can shape your reality and make you sick. Your brain will stop functioning correctly and eventually your body will do so as well. In the worst case, a very hard life event, an emotional or existential crisis can bring you to the edge of suicide if we don’t take the proper measures to deal with them. We should remember to be an island unto ourselves, where we empower ourselves to take the steps necessary to overcome suffering and understand the conditions that make it possible. With the Dharma as our refuge, we practice the Middle Way diligently to set the most beneficial conditions for our development, practicing the jhānas to rewire our brains, and surrounding ourselves with admirable friendship that supports our practice. Depression and mental illness are a very serious matter. We should treat them as such by taking all measures possible and using the tools available to help us find peace. The Buddha showed us the way, now, we have to walk it. EH 1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

Digha Nikaya 26 "Jhana Sutta: Mental Absorption" (AN 9.36), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight. org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html . Samyuta NIkaya 56 4. In a rosewood forest, 35. A Hundred Spears. Translated for SuttaCentral by Sujato Bhikkhu. https://suttacentral.net/ sn56.35/en/sujato Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000). https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi It is of course not my intention here to minimize extremely hard life conditions. I understand I can`t comprehend all the suffering some people take.

DON’T TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT By Venerable Chang Zao

Ordained as a Buddhist nun in the Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition, Venerable Chang Zao is currently the Director of Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia. She graduated from the National University of Malaysia, KL Campus and later pursued her studies at Dharma Drum Sangha University, Taiwan, in 2007. She ordained and learned Chan meditation under Master Sheng Yen, the key figure in the revival of modern Chinese Chan Buddhism. After she graduated from Dharma Drum Sangha University, she was appointed as a lecturer and advisor for various faculties at Public Education Center of Dharma Drum Mountain Taiwan. During her time at the center, she supervised the development of dharma syllabus and course planning. She is also advisor for Dharma Drum Mountain Singapore and Dharma Drum Mountain Thailand. Currently, she conducts meditation classes, retreats, religious services, dharma classes and various inter-varsity Buddhist camps in Malaysia. At the beginning of this year, I stopped being a lurker on Facebook and was motivated to make a post on the first morning of the year.

“Before becoming a Buddhist, my wishes and prayers have always been about myself – I’ve always prayed to acquire something or to achieve something. I have always hoped for external circumstances to come together to fulfil my wishes. Only then would I conclude that the year has been fruitful.

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After becoming a Buddhist, I started to understand that life is not about achieving certain results; rather, it is about maintaining a peaceful and joyful mind during both good times and bad.” Time flies by in the blink of an eye and year’s end arrives without us noticing.

Our New Year’s resolutions were so positive and expansive, yet were we able to edge closer to tranquility and stillness by the year’s end? At the end of the year, Malaysians are generally busy trying to vacation abroad. How many people would seriously reflect on the past year and think about whether they have closed in on their New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps we shouldn’t speak of closing in – more likely than not, we have forgotten what our New Year’s resolutions were. “A new year is going to arrive, so why not save ourselves the headache and just make new resolutions!” After making the resolution, we forget about it. This repeats because we think that we will always have another chance to keep restarting.

Life cannot be repeated like that. Therefore, although the New Year’s resolution is important, our reflections at the end of the year are more important because it acts as a guiding basis for the coming year’s resolutions. This way, the resolutions will be well-grounded and our actions, synchronized.

Normally, people wish for peace, health, happiness, success, perfection, and wish-fulfillment, forever. In other words, people want favorable conditions one after another. However, is it really a good thing to only experience favorable conditions?

At the very least, people don’t dislike it, and won’t resist it. The adverse situations or difficulties encountered can vary widely. It is already commendable to not avoid

them, but it is probably unlikely to have them welcomed with open arms. A clear example would be the post of the volunteer moderator or the volunteer host of an event at the center. This post is always vacant, because it is generally acknowledged to be the most difficult job. Everyone would pick the easy jobs - jobs that work behind the scenes, jobs that don’t require thinking or resourcefulness, jobs that won’t have interactions with the public, jobs that won’t put one on the spot, etc. In other words, we choose to pick out a favorable and secure environment for ourselves. Favorable conditions can bring us ease of mind, but our life can stagnate because of this. There was once when I lacked confidence in the face of an ordeal. But I also did not want other people to feel uneasy either, so I prayed with all my heart for everything to go safely, healthily, happily, smoothly, and perfectly. After completing my practice that night, I transferred the merits as usual to wish for the ordeal to disappear, and for everything to go superbly and smoothly.

As I thought about this, I suddenly came to a realization. Perhaps what the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas are hearing from us is not the, “Let everything be peaceful, healthy, happy, smooth, and perfect.” Instead, they could be hearing the hidden meaning behind our words, “I don’t want to grow, I don’t want to improve, I don’t want to upgrade, I don’t want to mature, I don’t want to make breakthroughs, I don’t want to overcome myself, etc. So whatever happens, don’t let me encounter adversity.” This thought woke me up! Every step we take towards growth and learning is a result of adversities and difficulties. If we only wish for good times and want to skip over the bad, doesn’t it mean that we have refused the opportunity to grow?

As it is, I made these prayers every day – no wonder I kept stumbling over bumps and just can’t seem to break free from the bonds of vexation. It was because I did not have the courage to face adversity that I ended up going back and forth, staying within my comfort zone.

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I have always been habituated to do what I like and to take the easy way out.

I have become more open-minded ever since renouncing the home life. From the depths of my heart, I had learned that every trial is an opportunity for growth. I had just left the home life though, so I was still trying to work on changing myself. Because of this, there were still a few times when I wished for frequent smooth sailings, for everything to go perfectly, and for everything to be under control. Because of this expectation, I was actually unwilling to go through the necessary trials and tribulations for growth. Therefore, oftentimes I was forced to grit my teeth and bear it all, and at other times, I would go through the process of, “avoidance -> deflection -> bargaining -> resignation.”

I remember the first time when I was assigned to the duty of the precentor. There was fear and disconcertedness stemming from my unfamiliarity of the chantings and the melodies. Before leaving the home life, I had never attended a Dharma Service before, so the sheer number of note changes present in even just one word was staggering and awesome to me, even more so the fact that the assembly was able to keep up with it. I felt that I was incapable of accomplishing the same thing, so my habitual tendency of avoidance surged forth. I begged my classmates to substitute for me as the precentor, but nobody agreed to do so. The only thing that I could do was to make up for my shortcomings with effort. Before the service, I rehearsed hundreds of times, yet once the service started and I opened the tune, I even shocked myself with the sound I was producing! My voice was hoarse and shaky. Going through these types of defeating experiences helped me to hone unwavering willpower and perseverance. Two to three years later, I finally mastered the basics of tune openings. Currently, my familiarity with the chantings resulted from the breakthroughs that I made when faced with challenges. Time after time, I matured and became more certain of the fact that adversity is a necessary ingredient for development.

Another driving force behind my motivation was my encounter with a phrase from the work, Directly Pointing in the Treasure King Samadhi of being Mindful of the Buddhas, before I left the home life: Don’t take the easy way out. I vowed to make this my method of practice.

Perhaps it was due to these vows that I was met with a fair amount of predicaments and difficulties this year. Some bystanders could not look on any longer and told me, “Forget it! Don’t toil yourself so hard!” Or, they would feel sorry and say, “Do you want to slow down and take a break from this?”

Therefore, don’t take the easy way out, because we are not to do things simply due to the fact that they are easy to do. Just like Master Sheng-Yen, who didn’t go about undertaking certain specific endeavors just because those ones were easy to do and within his grasp. He only sought to benefit beings, and there would be no hesitation in taking the necessary steps to get this accomplished. As difficult as the tasks are, and as confusing as they are, we still make the vows to walk forward. If we only perceive things to be predicaments or difficulties, then we would most probably end up with only distress and toil. But if we perceive things to be catalysts for development, we would think, “Great! I have another chance to grow!” Gratitude would not even be enough for this opportunity!

We can only bring about growth when we welcome adversity. It is within difficulty that we find the nutrients for growth; avoiding difficulties is the same as forgoing the nutrients. It is difficult to be born as a human, so whether we are to grow, to improve, and to develop, or to stagnate, to stay, or to halt ourselves, the onus is on us to choose, and we should be willing to accept the consequences of our decisions.

At the end of the year, we adjust our compass of life, and allow next year to be a spiritually bountiful one. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

FIVE ADVANTAGES OF LISTENING TO THE DHAMMA By Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu

Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu was born in 1972. He was ordained a Buddhist monk in 1999 at the age of 27 by Sayadaw U Revata at Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in education (Teaching English as a Second Language) from the University of Malaya. It was during his studies there that he became enthusiastic about the Buddha’s teachings and decided that he wanted to live this life as a monk. Since then, with his training in education, he has been sharing the Dhamma in various ways and in several languages (mainly English, Mandarin and Hokkien) with Buddhists of various traditions and non-Buddhists too. Inspired by Sayadaw U Tejaniya (www.sayadawutejaniya.org), his main meditation teacher, he is interested in cultivating wisdom that removes the causes of suffering. He is also influenced by Āyasmā Aggacitta to be open to Dhamma teachings beyond orthodoxy and tradition, so long as they work towards the ending of suffering. Having found his way, he is happy to help others do so too. Currently, he resides in Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (www.sasanarakkha.org), Taiping, Perak.

Many of you have listened to many Dhamma talks. I suppose you see the benefits of doing this, otherwise you wouldn’t be listening to them. It is also mentioned in the Mangala Sutta (Khp 5) that timely listening to the Dhamma is one of the highest blessings. When we find something good, especially something that benefits us spiritually, it is good to share or introduce it to others. Doing so would also be to our own benefit.

Today I would like to highlight the five advantages of listening to the Dhamma based on the Dhammassavana Sutta (AN 5.202). Learn new things......

On each occasion that a person listens to the Dhamma, he is likely to be exposed to new information and knowledge. This is especially so for a new student of Buddhism. But even for those who may have heard the subject before, listening to it again can bring about a new perceptive and perhaps even deeper understanding.

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The Buddha’s teachings are unfortunately not taught in schools here in Malaysia, unlike Islamic Studies, which is a compulsory subject for all Muslims attending schools. At most, non-Muslims are only given a general subject called Moral Education, which, from what I’ve heard, is not of much benefit to anyone. So, it is necessary to deliberately expose young people to the Dhamma in a skilful manner. For adults, there are various kinds of courses on how to get the most out of life: many of them very much oriented to the material side, while some are genuinely more spiritual in nature. Usually, you have to pay big money to attend those type of courses. We, however, do it for free! Clarify what we have learnt...........

The more you know, the more you know how much you don’t know. Listeners who are fairly knowledgeable in the Dhamma often need to clarify their understanding of it. A good example is the first precept: to abstain from killing. Is accidental killing of an insect killing? Is smoking considered as breaking the fifth precept? Rather than being passive, it is good to ask questions during Dhamma talks and to forward your queries on what is unclear to you. This gives you a great opportunity to increase the depth of your knowledge in the Dhamma and enhance your wisdom. Abolish doubt...........

At times, we are doubtful about certain aspects of our understanding or practice. For example, can Buddhists pray to deities or should they do as Christian converts often do: throw out their images? Should Buddhists make food offerings to their departed relatives?

If you listen to enough Dhamma, you are sure to come across topics that address such issues and you can then dispel any doubt or misgiving that you may have on such topics. Straighten our views...........

There are a number of false views that occur among people. One such view, for example, is that there is no rebirth, i.e., when this body dies, that is the end. Such a person can be rather confused when he dies. In fact, he can be very afraid as he approaches his death. Another wrong view is that there is no law of karma. This is potentially dangerous as one having such a view would be more likely to act as he likes, believing that the evil that he does will not return to him so long as he can circumvent the worldly law. For many of you, however, having learnt much, you probably have much less wrong views. Yet we should keep straightening them, discarding our wrong views as we learn. I too am still doing that. For example, you know that giving is good and brings good results, but do you know that it does not bring about rebirth in a happy existence? Only virtue does that. So with that knowledge, people seeking a good birth would be motivated to go beyond mere giving. Listening to the Dhamma can help you to straighten your views so that you have a better understanding of life. With that, we can then live in better harmony within the laws of life and live a happier life. Gladden the mind............

While living in this world we cannot be free from suffering. Yet, when you keenly listen to the Dhamma, you may experience occasions when what is said strikes you deeply and you go, “Ah…” During such an occasion, happiness and joy arises in the mind and suddenly suffering diminishes, at least momentarily. Wisdom arises and peace prevails. Just imagine what it would be like if such states of mind never leave us. In a nutshell, listening to the Dhamma is immensely beneficial and will definitely lead a person to happier living and even to the ultimate liberation. Sadhu........Sadhu.........Sadhu........... EH

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HAPPY MARRIAGES FROM THE BUDDHA’S PERSPECTIVE By Raymond Lam

Raymond Lam is Senior Writer at Buddhist Door Global (www. buddhistdoor.net ) in Hong Kong. He holds a M.A. in Religions (Buddhist Studies) from School of Oriental and African Studies, M.A in Christianity and Inter-religious Studies from Heythrop College, both from the University of London, and a B.A. in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the University of Queensland, Australia.

Last year in Hong Kong, several venerables and other monks gathered together to marry the daughter of a Buddhist and her new husband. A joyous milestone indeed, but Buddhist love remains, at its core, very realistic. According to the traditional account of marriage, union is not really holy (in fact, it is nothing more than a mutual promise of commitment, much like secular marriage). Buddhism also allows for all kinds of marriages depending on the culture – this is an undeniable historical phenomenon. In our globalized, largely secular age, monogamy is the acceptable contract of love, and that is how the Buddha rolls with his ten points of guidance for husbands and wives (five for each).

Of course, let us not ignore the elephant in the room: marriages are not guarantors of happiness. In fact, I’ll go even further: people underestimate how free and meaningful the single life can be. Buddhists should know this better than most - our role models - monastics - somewhat tend to be single. So let’s not pay lip service to their commitment to the Dharma while denying ourselves the possibility that the single life is often a highly productive (and sometimes preferable) one. Then perhaps we can appreciate marriage in a more realistic and effective way - it is a way of life that needs work, not a one way street to bliss in the fairytale’s sunset.

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Interestingly, the Buddha (who knew what it was like to be in love, marry, and have a child), had his own opinion about an ideal marriage. It can be achieved if a husband loves and respects his wife in the following ways: • • • •

•

Being courteous to her; Appreciating her (this point seems obvious, but can be forgotten); Being faithful to her; Sharing authority with her in family matters (this seems to be a progressive foresight for the Buddha’s historical context); Giving her presents (from the Buddha’s foresight or his personal experience? If only we knew).

Both parties share responsibilities, and the Buddha spoke of the ideal wife as someone who:

• Managed the household well (I think some feminists would like to have a word with the Buddha about this);

• Was hospitable to his friends and relatives; • Was faithful to him (it is interesting to note that faithfulness is the third piece of advice for both husband and wife, and aligns identically with the Third Precept of refraining from sexual misconduct); • Took care of the family’s wealth; • Was industrious (hoo boy. Another thing the Buddha might be taken to task for due to its possibly sexist subtext). From a modern perspective, it is perhaps no longer enough for each party to fulfill just five steps. I do not see why the husband should not manage the household well, and it would seem obvious that a courtesy is important to both. Perhaps the ideal is that both partners adopt all ten. When a Buddhist marries, they are not supposed to feel like something was missing before they took their vows. People should feel whole and complete in themselves, be they

single or married (contrary to the Hollywood tripe that is piddled around so gratuitously via the vehicle of American media). That is the whole point of practicing the Buddhist path. But as it is, there are many important aspects to marriage. Aside from the emotional, creative, and sexual possibilities it can offer, those in a marriage are privileged with the opportunity to pool their strengths and talents together, building with each other a future that would be better than one if they were apart. For a couple, happiness shared is happiness doubled, but suffering shared is suffering halved. And that might be why the Thus Come treasured marriage as a unit that brings stability, satisfaction, and sunshine. EH Source: Buddhistdoor Global, 201001-01

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ON MARRIAGE By Venerable Lama Thubten Yeshe

The following article and Q&A sessions about marriage and

relationships were collated by Dr Nicholas Ribush from talks in

various locations from 1975 to 1981. An excerpt was published in Mandala magazine, August 2004. These days, one of the main reasons

wrong motivation. Whether you’re

for sexual pleasure. In earlier times,

in your relationship, that you don’t

that a man and a woman become

friends is sexual. They get together marriage had a divine quality—a

couple came together out of respect, with the aim of creating a kind

of totality. That gave meaning to Lama Yeshe during the Yucca Valley course, 1977. Photo by Carol RoyceWilder.

getting married, and marriages

made with such purpose became good ones.

Many of today’s marriages become disastrous because they lack

purpose; there’s no worthwhile

goal for coming together. A couple should not come together out of

grasping at each other; there should be more meaning to it than that.

But our craving desire and lack of wisdom work together to create

an extreme situation that finishes up causing conflict: the woman

agitates her man; the man agitates

his woman—in either case, it ends in “goodbye.”

These days, I travel the entire world and many young people come to

see me to discuss their relationship problems, but they all boil down to

people’s coming together out of the

a man or a woman, it’s important

that there’s not too much grasping agitate your partner. Extreme

grasping at sexual pleasure is a problem; sexual pleasure is an irritant. You can see.

However, many couples aren’t together for the sex. Their

relationship is deeper than that, so their attitude is different. They are very comfortable, free, somehow,

with no tremendous expectations

of each other. Therefore, they have

a good relationship. I’m sure you’ve seen examples of such couples,

where there’s not much grasping. In my limited experience of the

Western world, many Christians, who believe in God, have very respectful marriages. They

believe in something deeper than themselves and are not living for

sense pleasure alone. I would say

that such couples have been blessed by God or Jesus.

Of course, many people these days

believe that Coca-Cola is better than God. “What’s the point of religion?”

TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON

they ask; “Coca-Cola is more

rebirth in samsara, by abandoning

try to help and share with each

I’m joking!

own clinging that binds us to it;

others.

refreshing than God or the Bible.”

This is their problem. What to do? The next day: Thousands of people the world over

get married every day out of craving for sexual pleasure. Others get

married principally for reputation:

“He’s world famous; he’s great.” Still others marry for wealth or power.

Those are all wrong motivations for marriage. The purpose of marriage should be to avoid extremes and

gain balance in your life. However, it often turns out the complete opposite.

These days, perhaps as many

people get divorced as get married. Don’t think divorce is easy.

Psychologically, divorce can be

hell. It’s not a simple as “OK, bye-

bye,” and it’s over. It’s not like that. First there’s a huge build-up of

psychological pressure and when it

releases it’s like falling into hell. So,

desire. Craving is what makes the

wheel of life go round and it’s our nobody else makes us cycle from one suffering life to another.

The twentieth century example of this is those ladies and

gentlemen who get married,

experience problems, grasp at

another person, then at another, and another…maybe they cycle through four or five marriages

in a single lifetime. Some people have hundreds of lovers in their

life. Why can’t they stop? Why do they keep on grasping? There’s

nobody driving them to do this;

they drive themselves. They hang

on continuously; non-stop. Desire is fickle in nature. Freud tried to explain sex as the basis of most human problems. Buddhism disagrees. The main human

problem lies much deeper than that. At a course on mind and mental

sentient beings are suffering like

factors, Istituto Lama Tsongkhapa,

We criticize modern society for

Question: Some people take

society—it’s our mental attitude

without becoming a monk or nun.

this.

Italy, 1978

such ills, but it’s not society’s

teachings and then decide to live

fault. There’s nothing wrong with

that’s mistaken. We create all kinds

of fantasies, grasp at sense pleasure and everything finishes in disaster. Buddhism explains that we circle from one life to another because

of craving desire and that we can put an end to cyclic existence, to

other. I think that’s beautiful; such

couples are also a good example to Many of my married students

were experiencing unbelievable

suffering and conflict when I met them. All I could do was to try to help them be happy and have as good a relationship as possible.

But, sometimes the circumstances are against it. Basically, both

people are unhappy; they have

much conflict and many problems within their marriage. I think this

is common. It’s not just confined to

my students. Many Western people

experience this. I think the grasping, sexual relationship is one of the

greatest problems Western people face, whether they are religious practitioners or not.

However, some people understand each other and try to live with

loving kindness, but that’s really

up to the individual. Some people can lead a beautiful married life;

others can’t. It really depends on the individual’s needs at the time.

From an interview with a Catholic

theologian, Kopan Monastery, Nepal,

on the world and practice Dharma

1977

responsibilities with spiritual

problems with their marriage. Do

Is it easy to integrate worldly practice?

Lama: That, too, depends on the individual. For some people it’s beautiful experience. They get

married, the marriage is good, they

Question: Lama, many people have

you have anything to say about this? Lama: Do I have anything to

say? Yes! They don’t understand each other. They lack good

communication. That creates

many problems. Many people,

EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

especially young ones, marry for

At a public talk in Los Angeles, 1975

very superficial reasons: “I like him;

Question: Lama, what do you think

given to how they’re going to spend

Lama: Marriage is good; because

let’s get married; I like her, let’s get

married.” There’s not much thought their life together or much analysis of each other’s personality. People are too influenced by external

appearance; true beauty lies within. People’s faces and behavior are

constantly changing; you can’t rely on them.

Because we lack the knowledge

wisdom to understand each other’s inner, human qualities, we easily

disrespect our partner. When things don’t work out as planned, when our partner no longer appears

attractive, our marriage fails. That’s because it was built one hundred percent on ego; it was totally an

ego-based relationship. No wonder it didn’t work.

A marriage built on mutual understanding, good

communication and sincere efforts to help each other has a much

better chance of lasting. Mental

communication is much better than physical. That is very important. Superficial relationships, those

based on mainly external factors, never last.

Let’s say a couple buys a new piece of furniture. The husband says,

“Put it here,” the wife says, “No, put it there,” and a huge fight ensues.

Here, there, what difference does it make? It’s foolish and narrow-

minded, but that’s how things go.

about marriage?

of marriage, you and I exist on Earth. Without marriage most

of us wouldn’t exist. I have some

Christian friends I like and respect

very much. Many Christian couples have a good relationship because they keep love of God in their

heart. I’ve also heard they have the

attitude that sex is for reproduction,

not for pleasure. I think that’s a very good idea.

Question: What about contraception?

Lama: I’m not going to talk about the Buddhist point of view; I’m going to talk about this monk’s

point of view. I have to be careful. However, my observation of the

Western world is that contraception is a very good thing because many

young people are not ready to have children and when they do, instead of growing, they go crazy. I have

students like this. They are young,

super-intelligent and well educated,

but as soon as they have babies they become unbelievably miserable. I’ve seen intelligent, worldly-wise girls suddenly become terrible, with no

capability, no happiness, and no love for their man; they hate everything. It’s incredible. If those girls hadn’t had babies, over time, they could

have become incredibly spiritually developed.

Parenthood brings with it many

societal obligations; having a

baby is a big responsibility. So, for those who cannot control

their desire for sexual pleasure, contraception is essential. Also,

if you can prevent an unwanted pregnancy from occurring, you

eliminate the possibility of having to consider killing the fetus by

abortion. Buddhism explains that for a sentient being to come from

the intermediate state into a human rebirth the mother’s womb should be healthy and unobstructed. In

other words, the conditions should be perfect. If you interrupt the

conditions through contraception, it’s OK. It’s certainly better

than madness. This is my own

observation; I hope it doesn’t upset anybody.

Question: Well, Lama, what about abortion?

Lama: For Buddhists, abortion is

difficult. It’s a question of morality, or ethics. But still, it’s a relative

question. Let’s say that you don’t have an abortion and that the

next twenty years of your life are

miserable. And even more misery comes from that. Yet you think

nothing of killing fish and small

animals. Relatively, which is worse? Good and bad are relative; good

karma and bad karma are relative.

I’m not making any statement here; it’s just something for you to think about. EH

At a course on death and rebirth, London, 1981

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OVERCOMING GREED By Venerable Master Hsing Yun

Venerable Master Hsing Yun is a Chinese Buddhist monk, author, philanthropist, and founder of the Fo Guang Shan monastic order, which has branches throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Ordained at the age of twelve in Jiangsu Province, China, Hsing Yun has spent over seventy years as a Buddhist monk promoting what he calls “Humanistic Buddhism”—Buddhism that meets the needs of people and is integrated into all aspects of daily life.

Greed causes sadness; Greed causes fear. If there is no greed, How can there be sadness and fear? — Dharmapada

Greed is a basic disease of all sentient beings. In our realm, the desire realm (kāmadhātu), the force and effects of greed can be felt especially strongly. Greed is based on ignorance and cannot function without it. The fundamental ignorance that enables greed to function is the belief in a self that exists separately and independently from other sentient beings. This belief leads to nothing but trouble and it can only lead to trouble. Once we believe we are separate, we begin to have desires, attachments and the false certainty that we can obtain advantages for ourselves without including the well-being of others.

Greed springs from ignorance, and as it rears its ugly head, it causes more ignorance; the passions of greed and its myriad attachments always obscure higher awareness and they always weaken the moral sense. Greed has many names and many masks. Sometimes we call greed “wanting,” sometimes we call it “love,” sometimes we call it “needing.” Greed is one of the six basic defilements mentioned in Buddhist sutras. The six defilements (kleśa) are: greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt and false views. The Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra or Discourse on the Stages of Yogic Practice mentions the ten troubles (anusaya). The ten anusaya comprise a more detailed analysis of the forces that cause suffering among sentient beings. The ten anusaya are: greed, anger, pride, ignorance, doubt, identification with the body, nihilism or eternalism, disbelief in the laws of karma, selfrighteousness, and excessive asceticism. In Chinese, the ten

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anusaya are called the “persistent sleep inducers” because any one of them can arise at any time and because their effects on us are to cloud our thinking and make us as if sleepy in the light of truth. The ten anusaya are seeds in the ālaya consciousness which we have planted ourselves sometime in the past. Greed is also listed in the Agamas as one of the nine bonds that bind us to mortality (bandhana). The nine bonds of mortality are: love, hate, pride, ignorance, wrong views, greed, doubt, envy, meanness or selfishness.

The Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra says that greed arises from the five skandha. A human being is made of five skandha, or “aggregates.” These skandha are: form, feeling, perception, mental formation, and consciousness. The Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra says that ten conditions lead to greed. These conditions are: grasping; sight; not having; having; evil behavior; wanting to have children; friends and relatives; the necessities of life; desire for eternal life; the desire not to have eternal life. Most of these conditions are normal aspects of our world. The Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra is not saying that these aspects should be avoided or despised; it is saying that these aspects or conditions can lead to greed if we become excessive in our attachments to them. Of course evil behavior need not be a normal aspect of life in this world. We can begin analyzing the roots of greed by working backwards through the five skandha. First we become conscious of what greed is and how it affects us, then we begin to understand our mental formations which precede consciousness, then we begin to understand how our perceptions are conditioned by our expectations, then we begin to understand how our feelings predispose us to act as we do, and then lastly, we will begin to see form without desire. The ‎Abhidharmakośa says that there are four basic kinds of sexual greed:

1. Sexual greed inspired by physical coloring. This includes hair and skin color, make-up, clothing and so forth.

2. Sexual greed inspired by physical shape. This includes height, weight, beauty, appearance and so forth. 3. Sexual greed inspired by touch. 4. Sexual greed inspired by behavior and mannerisms. This includes all behavior, tone of voice, gesture and so forth. The more we pay close attention to the origins and sources of greed, the sooner we will be able to suffuse these areas with a higher awareness that ultimately will grant us complete freedom from all attachment.

Problems Caused by Greed

Greed increases our attachments to this world, muddles our senses and prevents us from perceiving the awesome fullness of the bodhi mind. When we first begin trying to give up greedy attachments, it may seem that we are losing more than we are gaining. As our wisdom grows, however, we will see that in truth we have given up nothing at all and only gained everything.

This world is made of half pleasure and half pain. No matter what we do, we will experience some pain. If we allow ourselves to become attached to pleasure and become greedy for it, then that too will turn to pain someday. Greed has subtle ways of turning pleasure into sadness and drenching happiness with anxiety and fear. It is far better to allow life to flow where it must and not try to hang onto every little thing we think we must have. In addition to the problems it causes in the present, greed plants seeds in the ālaya consciousness that strengthen all of our attachments to Saṃsāra. Look back over your life; you will be sure to see that your greed rarely has led you in the right direction. Now, consider your future; the greed you cannot control today will create the conditions of your future lives.

How to Cure Ourselves of Greed Greed must be controlled. However, if it is not controlled wisely, our very attempts to control it may lead to a subtler kind of greed. Buddhism is called the “Middle Way” because Buddhism teaches us to travel a path

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that lies midway between asceticism and worldliness. Through meditation, thoughtful introspection and contemplation, all of us are capable of finding the wisdom necessary to overcome greed.

In the Theravāda tradition, people generally are advised to contemplate the fundamental impurities of desired objects in order to see through their attachments to them. In the Mahāyāna tradition, people more often are taught to contemplate the fundamental emptiness and impermanence of desired objects in order to see through their attachments to them. Both of these methods are very valuable.

The Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna explains that we should always seek to take the high road in everything we do. Tathāgata, a name for Buddha, means “Thus Come One.” “Thusness” is reality as it is seen by a Buddha. The Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna says: What should we tell sentient beings to help them get beyond the constant coming and going of mental processes so that they can gain access to full awareness of true thusness? We should tell them that all form and all phenomena have no intrinsic reality. And how is it that they have no intrinsic reality? Analyze form; gradually you will see that it is made of nothing more than fine dust. Then analyze this fine dust; you will see that it too is the same as all other forms: it is nothing more than images or reflections produced by the mental tendency to create distinctions. In reality, it does not exist. Apply this analysis to the other skandhas; gradually your thinking will take you to the smallest unit of time, a ksana. From the point of view of a ksana it can be seen that no form or phenomena is a single, complete entity.

Even the uncaused states (asamskrta dharmas: i.e. space, passionlessness, effortless cessation) are like this. Therefore, simply disentangling yourself from the realm of phenomena will not bring you full awareness of true thusness.

All dharmas, all laws and all phenomena throughout the entire universe are the same. They are all like this. One should understand this point completely for this is how phenomena delude people. No matter where you turn the truth is always the same. And no matter where you turn sentient beings allow themselves to be deluded in the same ways. Only the mind can be moved or disturbed: the truth never moves. If you understand how the mind moves and how thoughts come and go, then you will gain access to full awareness of true thusness.

A Life without Greed Greed is without essence. All attachment is illusion. — Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra

In the end, a life without greed is achieved simply by realizing that greed has no fundamental reality; there is no one to be greedy and there is nothing to be greedy about. Once we fully understand this truth, we will be beyond all greed. The wisdom of the bodhi mind easily transcends any and all attachments to this Saha world.

One who follows these teachings becomes as brilliant as the sun and moon and he can overcome all darkness. — Lotus Sutra EH

EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

THE FACEBOOK SUTTA (SN 57.1) By Bernat Font

Bernat Font encountered the dharma as a teenager. He is particularly interested in early Buddhism and how it can give birth to fresh perspectives to 21st-century lives. His meditation practice is very influenced by the teachings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya. He recently graduated from the Community Dharma Leadership program, mentored by Stephen Batchelor, and completed a Master’s degree in Buddhist Studies by the University of South Wales. He balances the dharma with his career as a jazz pianist. He leads a sitting group in his hometown Barcelona and he blogs at www.budismosecular.org

Thus have I imagined. At one time, the Fortunate One was staying in Silicon Valley. There, he addressed the monks (bhikkhus) thus: “Bhikkhus.” “Venerable sir,” they replied. “These things should not be cultivated with regards to Facebook by one gone forth. Which things? Thoughts of greed, thoughts of aversion, ignorance of filter bubbles. One who has entered the eightfold path does not engage in individuality-view posting, nor crave for likes, nor has the conceit ‘I share’. “Bhikkhus, when an uninstructed person senses a post with his device, which is an advertisement, a TED Talk, an impressive headline, thoughts of greed arise in him. Why? Here, bhikkhus, an uninstructed person gives inappropriate attention to the sign of instant, magical solutions. Thus, when an uninstructed person senses a post with their device, which is an advertisement, a TED Talk, an impressive headline, thoughts of greed arise in him. “Bhikkhus, when an uninstructed person senses a post with her device, which is a rant, an alarmist article, an impressive headline, thoughts of aversion arise in her. Why? Here, bhikkhus, an uninstructed person gives inappropriate attention to the sign of fatalism. Thus, when an uninstructed person senses a post with their device, which is a rant, a catastrophist article, an impressive headline, thoughts of aversion arise in her. “Whenever an uninstructed person goes online, Māra stands besides him. “Bhikkhus, when a noble disciple senses a post with his device, which is an advertisement, a TED Talk, an impressive headline, he reflects thus: this is harmful, it leads to craving, to renewed frustration and seeking, it obstructs wise action, it takes away freedom. Here, bhikkhus, seeing much danger, a noble disciple gives appropriate attention to the sign

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of unsatisfactoriness. He is filled with thoughts of contentment and applies himself to the training, diligent, clearly comprehending and mindful. “Bhikkhus, when a noble disciple senses a post with her device, which is a rant, an alarmist article, an impressive headline, she reflects thus: this is harmful, it leads to anger, bitterness and despair, it obstructs wise action, it leads away from peace, right speech and freedom. Here, bhikkhus, seeing little benefit, a noble disciple gives appropriate attention to the sign of unsatisfactoriness. She is filled with thoughts of friendliness and applies herself to the training, diligent, clearly comprehending and mindful. “When going online, a noble disciple is careful to abide in the appropriate pasture. The life of the device holder is dusty, full of filters and notifications, but life gone forth is wide open.” This is what the Fortunate One said, and the bhikkhus delighted in the Fortunate One’s words, and shared them on social media. Commentary from the author Literary divertimentos aside, I think social media is such a part of our saeculum and of the world (loka) of those of my generation, that it should be given proper attention from spiritual traditions, philosophies and practices. Several studies have found that, in the way it interacts with our brain, it has the same addictive potential as alcohol, drugs and gambling. Recently, Jay Michaelson wrote in Tricycle that social media should be included in the fifth precept and, at least, be approached with the same moderation that one treats other judgementobscuring, mindfulness-reducing substances or activities. I recognize the impulse to check my phone in empty moments. It’s strong. Because this is the online world, we are led to think that it is less real or doesn’t have consequences as real, but it conditions us just like anything else. By not including it in those areas where spiritual growth occurs, we are hindered. If the dharma is about reducing our reactivity, we must consider whether the way we use social media contributes to or undermines such a project. I’d say that the ‘aim’ of Facebook is quite at odds with the aspirations of the dharma. I open my Facebook newsfeed and most of what I see are videos either of that one secret that will magically solve my relationships, my health, my learning a new language, or of the last outrageous incident in the world of politics, corporations, environment, etc. And frankly, they don’t help me solve my life nor

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enjoin me to change the world. They mainly entertain me. Social media encourage a numb-observer approach to whatever happens, quite unlike the detached observer of meditation: one does react with desire or aversion, one doesn’t discern what’s beneficial and what is not and then translate it into wise actions or greater empathy. To be fair, sharing things through Facebook has the potential for these skillful responses, but it generates far more of unskillful ones that simply agitate us. Not only does it encourage the first two fires, it also embodies the third. In his reflections on the roots of social dukkha, David Loy suggests that the mass media is an institutionalized form of delusion. On the internet, this manifests as filter bubbles and echo chambers. Facebook, Google, Netflix, Youtube, Amazon, etc. gather data of one’s searches and one’s preferences and use them to determine what is shown to you: I do not see reality, everything that’s out there, I only see what these filters let me, and I can’t access their criteria or know what they have excluded from my sight. One ends up only meeting those things, which already conform to one’s ideas and preferences, which doesn’t really help in the task of gaining freedom. Social media also teach us to filter our experience. People do not share whatever meaningful thing that happens to them: they share what makes their life look amazing and special. Does this not get us used to denying whole areas of our human existence? How do we square this with the first great task of fully knowing and embracing dukkha? EH

Are you searching for a spiritually challenging work? Do you enjoy meeting fellow Dharma practitioners, Buddhist leaders, and Dharma masters? Would you like to introduce the latest Buddhist book you read recently? How about researching into the latest web-sites on Buddhist activities around the world? And of course, what about telling us how you first came in contact with the dharma and what the dharma means to you today. Well, if you find all of these interesting, we can make it spiritually challenging for you too!

In every issue of EASTERN HORIZON, we publish special chat sessions with leading Buddhist personalities, essays on all aspects of Buddhism, book reviews, and news and activities that are of interest to the Buddhist community. We need someone to help us in all these projects. If you are keen to be part of this exciting magazine, please e-mail to the editor at Bennyliow@gmail.com, and we will put you in touch with what’s challenging for the next issue!

Let us share the dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings!

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DISCOURSE ON THE FIVE WAYS OF PUTTING AN END TO ANGER (Madhyama Agama No. 25 [1]) By Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is the founder and chairman of Buddhist Global Relief. He has been a Theravāda monk since 1972. A translator of the Pāli Nikāyas, he lives and teaches at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York. Excerpts from his translations of the Pāli Canon are available at wisdompubs.org under ‘Teachings of the Buddha’ in the Wisdom Academics collection. This article was originally published in Inquiring Mind, Vol. 31, #2, Spring 2015.

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered throughout the world for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace.

His key teaching is that, through mindfulness, we can learn to live happily in the present moment—the only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world. Thich Nhat Hanh has published over 100 titles on meditation, mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism, as well as poems, children’s stories, and commentaries on ancient Buddhist texts. He has sold over three million books in America alone, some of the best-known include Being Peace, Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness, The Art of Power, True Love and Anger. Thich Nhat Hanh has been a pioneer in bringing Buddhism to the West, founding six monasteries and dozens of practice centers in America and Europe, as well as over 1,000 local mindfulness practice communities, known as ‘sanghas’.

He has built a thriving community of over 600 monks and nuns worldwide, who, together with his tens

of thousands of lay students, apply his teachings on mindfulness, peace-making and community-building in schools, workplaces, businesses – and even prisons – throughout the world. I heard these words of the Buddha one time when he was staying in the Anathapindika Monastery in the Jeta Grove near the town of Shravasti. One day the Venerable Shariputra said to the monks, “Friends, today I want to share with you five ways of putting an end to anger. Please listen carefully and put into practice what I teach.” The bhikshus agreed and listened carefully.

The Venerable Shariputra then said, “What are these five ways of putting an end to anger?

“This is the first way. My friends, if there is someone whose bodily actions are not kind but whose words are kind, if you feel anger toward that person but you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

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Buddha taught countless students during his 80-year life. His teachings are captured in thousands of sutras (suttas).

“My friends, say there is a bhikshu practicing asceticism who wears a patchwork robe. One day he is going past a garbage pile filled with excrement, urine, mucus, and many other filthy things, and he sees in the pile one piece of cloth still intact. Using his left hand, he picks up the piece of cloth, and he takes the other end and stretches it out with his right hand. He observes that this piece of cloth is not torn and has not been stained by excrement, urine, sputum, or other kinds of filth. So he folds it and puts it away to take home, wash, and sew into his patchwork robe. My friends, if we are wise, when someone’s bodily actions are not kind but his words are kind, we should not pay attention to his unkind bodily actions, but only be attentive to his kind words. This will help us put an end to our anger. “My friends, this is the second method. If you become angry with someone whose words are not kind but whose bodily actions are kind, if you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, say that not far from the village there is a deep lake, and the surface of that lake is covered with algae and grass. There is someone who comes near that lake who is very thirsty, suffering greatly from the heat. He takes off his clothes, jumps into the water, and using his hands to clear away the algae and grass, enjoys bathing and drinking the cool water of the lake. It is the same, my friends, with someone whose words are not kind but whose bodily actions are kind. Do not pay attention to that person’s words. Only be attentive to his bodily actions in order to be able to put an end to your anger. Someone who is wise should practice in this way. “Here is the third method, my friends. If there is someone whose bodily actions and words are not kind, but who still has a little kindness in his heart, if you feel anger toward that person and are wise, you will know how to meditate to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, say there is someone going to a crossroads. She is weak, thirsty, poor, hot, deprived, and filled with

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sorrow. When she arrives at the crossroads, she sees a buffalo’s footprint with a little stagnant rainwater in it. She thinks to herself, ‘There is very little water in this buffalo’s footprint. If I use my hand or a leaf to scoop it up, I will stir it up and it will become muddy and undrinkable. Therefore, I will have to kneel down with my arms and knees on the earth, put my lips right to the water, and drink it directly.’ Straightaway, she does just that. My friends, when you see someone whose bodily actions and words are not kind, but where there is still a little kindness in her heart, do not pay attention to her actions and words, but to the little kindness that is in her heart so that you may put an end to your anger. Someone who is wise should practice in that way.

“This is the fourth method, my friends. If there is someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind, and in whose heart there is nothing that can be called kindness, if you are angry with that person and you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, suppose there is someone on a long journey who falls sick. He is alone, completely exhausted, and not near any village. He falls into despair, knowing that he will die before completing his journey. If at that point, someone comes along and sees this man’s situation, she immediately takes the man’s hand and leads him to the next village, where she takes care of him, treats his illness, and makes sure he has everything he needs by way of clothes, medicine, and food. Because of this compassion and loving kindness, the man’s life is saved.

Just so, my friends, when you see someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind, and in whose heart there is nothing that can be called kindness, give rise to this thought: ‘Someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind and in whose heart is nothing that can be called kindness, is someone who is undergoing great suffering. Unless he meets a good spiritual friend, there will be no chance for him to transform and go to realms of happiness.’ Thinking like this, you will be able

to open your heart with love and compassion toward that person. You will be able to put an end to your anger and help that person. Someone who is wise should practice like this.

“My friends, this is the fifth method. If there is someone whose bodily actions are kind, whose words are kind, and whose mind is also kind, if you are angry with that person and you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger. “My friends, suppose that not far from the village there is a very beautiful lake. The water in the lake is clear and sweet, the bed of the lake is even, the banks of the lake are lush with green grass, and all around the lake, beautiful fresh trees give shade. Someone who is thirsty, suffering from heat, whose body is covered in sweat, comes to the lake, takes off his clothes, leaves them on the shore, jumps down into the water, and finds great comfort and enjoyment in drinking and bathing in the pure water. His heat, thirst, and suffering disappear immediately.

In the same way, my friends, when you see someone whose bodily actions are kind, whose words are kind, and whose mind is also kind, give your attention to all his kindness of body, speech, and mind, and do not allow anger or jealousy to overwhelm you. If you do not know how to live happily with someone who is as fresh as that, you cannot be called someone who has wisdom. “My dear friends, I have shared with you the five ways of putting an end to anger.” When the bhikshus heard the Venerable Shariputra’s words, they were happy to receive them and put them into practice. Madhyama Agama 25 (Corresponds with Aghata Vinaya Sutta [Discourse on Water as an Example], Anguttara Nikaya 5.162) EH

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HOW SHOULD BUDDHISTS RELATE TO UNSEEN BEINGS? In the traditional Buddhist view, the world is defined not only by what we can perceive with our physical senses or think about rationally. It is equally made up of what cannot be seen, yet available through intuition, dreams, visions, divination, and the like. Theravāda scriptures mention 31 planes of existence where living beings are found, while Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna mention six realms. In all these different realms, only the animal world is known to humans on a physical level; the rest are actually unseen living beings. We ask our teachers from the three Buddhist traditions – Venerable Aggacitta, Venerable Min Wei, and Venerable Geshe Dadul Namgyal - to explain about these unseen beings and how as Buddhists should we relate to them in our everyday lives.

Was the Buddha explicit in explaining the existence of non-human beings such as ghosts, spirits, hellbeings, and heavenly beings in the scriptures? Aggacitta: Details of suffering spirits are rarely mentioned in the early1 Pāli canonical literature, except once when Āyasmā Mahāmoggallāna perceived 21 beings tormented in various ways as he was descending Vulture Peak with Āyasmā Lakkhaṇa.2 His observation was confirmed by the Buddha.

However, there are elaborate descriptions of suffering spirits in later canonical literature, particularly in Petavatthu (Stories of Ghosts)3 of Khuddaka Nikāya, reckoned by some modern scholars to have been composed around 300 BCE at the earliest,4 i.e. some 250 years after the Buddha’s demise. These descriptions are all in verses arranged as conversations between such beings and, purportedly, the Buddha or his disciples.

1 “The Early Buddhist material in the Pali canon mainly consists of the first four Pali Nikāyas, the Patimokkha and other Vinaya material as well as some parts of the Khuddaka Nikāya (mainly Sutta Nipata, Itivuttaka, Dhammapada, Therigatha, Theragatha, and the Udana).[12] [13][14]” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_Texts

Elaborate descriptions of torment in various hells can be found in Devadūta Sutta (MN 130). Life-spans in various hells are mentioned in Kokālika Sutta (SN 6.10, AN 10.89, KN 5.36 / Sn 3.10).

As for heavenly beings, there are lots found in early canonical literature. In Mahāsamaya Sutta (DN 20), the Buddha gives a long list of powerful heavenly beings with brief descriptions of some of them. In Āṭānāṭiya Sutta (DN 32), the deva king Vessavana urges the Buddha to encourage his followers, for their own protection, to memorise and regularly recite verses describing the glory of the Four Great Kings and their kingdoms and their subservience to the Buddha. Saṁyutta Nikāya includes several chapters about celestial beings.5 The time difference between the human realm and those of various celestial realms and their respective life-spans can be found in several suttas in Aṅguttara Nikāya;6 so too the life-spans of various Brahma realms.7 Spread sporadically among the first four Nikāyas are also found incidental references to celestial realms and beings. There are elaborate versified descriptions of happy deities in Vimānavatthu (Stories of Heavenly Mansions), a late text of Khuddaka Nikāya. Some modern scholars opine that it was added about 150 years after the Buddha’s demise.8

2 See Lakkhaṇasaṁyutta (SN 19.1-21). 3 The usage of peta to mean ghost / woeful spirit in this text betrays a later development because in the early suttas, particularly in the first four Nikāyas, peta is consistently used to denote the deceased or departed one whose destiny is undetermined. 4 Langer, Rita (2007), Buddhist Rituals of Death and Rebirth: Contemporary Sri Lankan Practice and Its Origins, Abingdon: Routledge. 5 E.g. 1. Devatā-, 2. Devaputta-, 4. Māra-, 6. Brahma-, 10. Yakkha-, 11. Sakka-, 29. Nāga-, 30. Supaṇṇa-, 31. Gandhabba-, 32. Valāhakasaṁyutta. 6 Uposatha Sutta (AN 3.71), Vitthatūposatha Sutta (AN 8.42), Visākhā Sutta (AN 8.43), Bojjha Sutta (AN 8.45). 7 Paṭhamanānākaraṇa Sutta (AN 4.123), Paṭhamamettā Sutta (AN 4.125), Āneñja Sutta (AN 3.117). 8 Bimala Churn Law (1933), “Chronology of the Pali Canon” in A

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Min Wei: In the concept of Buddhism, all living beings are trapped in the circle of birth, death and rebirth into one of the “six realms” of existence. They will be reborn according to the deeds committed in their previous lives. However, according to the Lotus Sūtra, there is a list of ten realms of existence which consists of four higher realms and six lower realms. The six lower realms are those of heavenly beings, asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings which are derived from the standard Indian concept. To these were added Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.

Geshe Dadul: The reference to “six realms” in the Mahāyāna/Vajrayāna is a matter of translation choice. It’s not that there exists six separate dhātus; rather six (broad) categories of sentient beings within Saṃsāra. The fundamental vehicle also accepts this. In English, we can speak of animals and humans as having their own realms of existence. However, that does not mean they belong to separate dhātus (world spheres), of which there are only three in Buddhism (kāma, rūpa, and arūpa), and for which we unanimously use the term ‘realm’ in English translations. There are six general categories of sentient beings. Each one of these types can have numerous sub-types. Many of these beings are usually unseen through our human biological mechanisms, which are themselves very limited in scope and potential. However, that does not make them invisible or unobservable per se, even by the standards of some ordinary beings under certain circumstances, or by others with extra sensitivity, and surely not by their own peers. The sūtras spoken by Buddha are explicit in discussing these non-human beings from different realms of existence, the karmic causes leading to such rebirths, and the particularities of their experiences, etc. Often, the colophons of almost all the sūtras recount the presence, not just of humans but also, of numerous types of saṃsāric beings such as devas, nāgas, asuras, gandharvas, etc. at different teachings of the Buddha, and expressing their appreciation of the Buddha and rejoicing at the rare opportunity of hearing the profound teachings. History of Pali Literature, Varanasi: Indica Books.

Do they have power over humans, both in a positive sense such as helping to heal the sick or in the negative sense such as causing harm to human beings? Aggacitta: There is no mention in the suttas of nonhuman beings helping to heal the sick, but there are several cases in Saṁyutta Nikāya and a few in Majjhima Nikāya where they appear to criticize, admonish or assist certain monks. Āṭānāṭiya Sutta (DN 32) warns of unsympathetic demons (yakkhā) who may cause harm to Buddhists and there are a few recorded cases of them actually doing so elsewhere. And of course, there are numerous instances where Māra (sometimes together with his followers), from the highest heavenly plane in the sensual realm is reported to have challenged the Buddha and his monks and nuns. Nonetheless the life experiences of some people (excluding psychiatric cases) seem to attest to the veracity of both benevolent and malevolent influences of non-humans on humans.

Min Wei: A genuine Buddhist is one who molds his life according to moral causation laws discovered by the Buddha. He should not concern himself with the worshipping of gods and spirits. However, this kind of worshipping is of some interest and fascination to the multitude and has naturally attracted some Buddhists. With regard to the protection from evil spirits, goodness is a shield against evil. Goodness is a wall which evil fails to penetrate unless a person welcomes it through an open door. Even though a person leads a truly virtuous and holy life and has a good field of moral and noble qualities that person can still lower his shield of protection by believing in the power of evil that would do harm to him. Geshe Dadul: They don’t necessarily have negative or positive power over humans as such. They are just temporarily different from us, differently conditioned -- physically, mentally, and spiritually, nonetheless still under the influence of dissonant mental states, their root ignorance, and karmic forces induced by them, though at a different level of subtlety and depth. Thus, they have different sensitivity, capacity, needs,

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aspirations, etc. compared with us humans just as with animals, both those living around us and those in the deep oceans. However, we can be affected by them either positively, negatively, or neutrally, depending on our interaction with them. It’s not a question of having power over us, but of influence.

Many Buddhists believe that if their homes are haunted, they should invite monks to come for blessings so that the evil spirits will stop disturbing them. Is this a recommended practice? If not, what should Buddhists do when faced with such a situation? Aggacitta: This is certainly one option, but not necessarily the best or only one. Monks are not meant to be exorcists, but they can try to do some chanting9 with mettā, share merits, and convince the evil spirits to fare on to better circumstances. Sometimes, it may not even be necessary to involve the monks. The lay Buddhists can do all that by themselves and their efforts could also be efficacious. However, if that doesn’t work, then the service of professional exorcists can be resorted to.

Min Wei: Since there is no such notion of an absolute evil in Buddhism and all classes of beings, including beings of the lower realms such as demons, animals, and ghosts, may improve their karmic lot by attaining a higher birth in the human or divine realms, demons are not demons forever. They are troublesome but not catastrophic. Like the Buddha in his triumph over the ultimate demon Māra, he has pacified his own inner demons of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Thus, what Buddhists should do is to transfer merits and to radiate loving-kindness to them. Buddhists do not harm them. On the other hand, if a man is religious, virtuous and pure in mind, and if he/she is also intelligent, possessing strong will-power and comprehensive ability, then such a person could be deemed as much stronger than spirits. The evil spirits would keep away from him, at the same time the good spirits would protect him. Geshe Dadul: It does not necessarily have to be monks or nuns, although they would be preferable if they were in good ethical standing with qualities of strong concentration and wisdom. Even lay practitioners, who

9 Particularly Karaṇīyametta Sutta (KN 1.9 / 5.8) and Ratana Sutta (KN 1.6 / 5.13).

are strong in their respective ethics together with strong concentration and wisdom practices, could have similar beneficial effect. It’s not the presence of the ordained members that makes the difference per se; rather it’s from the positive energy accrued through pure conduct and virtuous actions that overwhelms the harmful spirits and calm them. The positive energy generated through whatever rituals or rites they perform at that moment, aimed at the spirits, may also be at work. In the absence of monks and nuns or the help of others, it would be good if we, ourselves, could generate genuine love and compassion towards the harmful spirits. This would be beneficial to both the parties. When we share merits, is it only with those beings who are less fortunate such as hell beings and hungry ghosts, or do we also share merits with the heavenly beings who are considered much more powerful than humans?

Aggacitta: Surprisingly, the “sharing of merits” is not a common practice in the early Pāli canonical literature; in fact it is quite rare and occurs only in three contexts. The first is about the dedication of one’s offering to devas, as can be seen in the following three instances.

In Nandamātā Sutta (AN 7.53) King Vessavana of the Four Great Kings, requests Nanda’s mother to offer breakfast to a large group of travelling monks led by Āyasmā Sāriputta and Āyasmā Moggallāna and dedicate the offering (dakkhiṇaṁ ādiseyyāsi) to him. In Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 2) and Pāṭaligāmiya Sutta (KN 3.76 / Ud 8.6) the Buddha encourages a wise person to invite virtuous and restrained renunciates to his home, feast them and dedicate the offering to the devas there (yā tattha devata āsuṁ | tāsaṁ dakkhiṇamādise). The second occurs in Cūḷasaccaka Sutta (MN 35) where Saccaka prompts people to bring suitable food to him so that he can make an offering to the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha the next day. At the end of the event, he attempts to dedicate the merit of the act of offering to the donors, but the Buddha negates it, saying that they will receive the merit of donating to Saccaka and Saccaka, of donating to the Buddha. The third context occurs only once, in Cāpātherīgāthā

TEACHINGS FORUM | EASTERN HORIZON

(KN 9.68), where Cāpā requests her husband to dedicate to her his ‘offering’ of homage to the Buddha.

In Putta Sutta (AN 5.39), the Buddha says that there are five reasons why parents wish for a child. One reason is that the child will continually give offerings (dakkhiṇaṁ anuppadassati) to the departed relatives. The phrasing is identical in meaning to that describing the duty of a child towards his parents in Siṅgāla Sutta (DN 31). This shows that the offering is given directly to the departed, perhaps just like how the Chinese do when they honor their departed ones; rather than to monks first and then dedicating it to the departed afterwards. If the latter case were true, it would be phrased “will dedicate the offerings” (dakkhiṇaṁ ādissati) instead of “will continually give offerings” (dakkhiṇaṁ anuppadassati). Similarly in Tirokuṭṭa Sutta (KN 1.7, KN 7.5), the flow of the first 10 (out of 12) stanzas indicates that the offering is given directly to the departed and this is explicitly phrased as such in the 10th stanza: To the departed ones an offering should be given | while recollecting [the good] done [by them] in the past. Oddly though, only in the last 2 stanzas is the Saṅgha suddenly mentioned as the recipient of the offering, thus implying instead that the offering is given to the Saṅgha but dedicated to the departed. This seems to suggest a later change of ideology and emphasis, which becomes very obvious in Petavatthu where the offerings are explicitly made to virtuous monks and dedicated to suffering spirits.

Jāṇussoṇi Sutta (AN 10.177) is often cited as canonical evidence for the sharing of merits. However, its context shows that the dāna is given directly to departed relatives and the sharing of merits or dedication of the offering is neither explicitly mentioned nor implied. There is no mention in the Pāli Canon of sharing merits with / dedicating offerings to hell beings. Despite the absence of solid evidence in the early Pāli suttas of the practice of sharing merits / dedication of offerings given to the Saṅgha, there are some anecdotal testimonies that attest to its efficacy.10

10 E.g. see accounts related by Phra Rājsuddhiñāṇamongkol (Luang Poh Jarun of Wat Ambhavan, Singburi, Thailand) in The Law of Kamma: Dhamma Practice Series, https://tinyurl.com/y8wsrcjl.

Min Wei: Surely, we should share merits with the heavenly beings as well. In Buddhist tradition, the heavenly realm is populated by godly beings who enjoy great power, wealth and long life. They live in splendor and happiness. Furthermore, their privilege and exalted status often blind them from the suffering of others, so in spite of their long lives, they have neither wisdom nor compassion. Their lives are long but not eternal. Mahāyāna Buddhism shows that it cares about the rest of humanity as a whole, not just as individuals. Some say that because their pleasure is the greatest, so too is their misery. Geshe Dadul: We share merits in both directions, not just with those of less fortune, or lower rebirths. We could share our merits with a deceased relative of ours who may now be reborn as a celestial being in either the desire, form, or formless realm. Those born as gods are not necessarily more powerful than us by the mere virtue of being born there, nor are they more privileged in continuing with dharma practice by virtue of that. They are as steeped in saṃsāric afflictions as us and can find use for our shared merit. By virtue of their positive, yet contaminated, karma, they are in a relatively more privileged condition either physically and/or materially, or, in the case of formless gods, for lack of any materiality/physicality. It is similar to a deceased relative of ours now reborn back in the world in a wealthy family, nonetheless still exposed to the ills of untamed mind and its curses. She could still find use for our merits if dedicated to her. Could you explain how we share merits, and how our merits as humans can benefit these unseen beings? Aggacitta: The idea of others benefiting from the sharing of another’s merits seems to be at variance with the Law of Kamma which is based on the principle that one reaps what one sows. Even in the few cases of dedication mentioned in the early suttas where the offerings are explicitly given to renunciates, no specific benefits are assigned to the recipient of the dedication. On the contrary, the benefit seems to accrue to the one who dedicates the offering, as can be inferred from this stanza: Wherever he may dwell, the prudent one; Having there feasted virtuous, restrained lofty practitioners;

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To the devas there he dedicates the offering. Honored, they honor him; cherished, they cherish him; Thence they have sympathy for him, as a mother her own child. One who has the sympathy of the devas, always sees the auspicious.11

However, in Petavatthu, specific benefits are assigned to the recipients of the dedication. The commentaries justify this apparent kammic anomaly by explaining that when the recipient of the dedication rejoices in it, then that is the wholesome kamma that can bring about instantaneous specific benefits. So it seems that if the recipient (a) is not aware of the dedication, or (b) does not rejoice in it, then he will not get any benefits. This explanation holds for the offering of material objects. On the other hand, some contemporary anecdotal testimonies seem to suggest that benefits can still be gained through the dedication of the merits of meditation without the recipient fulfilling the above two conditions, even in the case of the living and hell beings.12 I would think that in the latter case, it is due

to the power of the developed meditative mind that is able to bring about the desired benefits, NOT to the act of sharing / transferring / dedicating merits per se. This is somewhat like what the Vinaya Commentary calls “the psychic power of resolution” (adhiṭṭhāniddhi), i.e. making a determined aspiration after emerging from deep meditation. Min Wei: Practices of merit transfer are common in all major Buddhist traditions, and are typically performed to help deceased family members, deities, or all beings. Transferring merit to another person, usually deceased relatives, is simply done by a mental wish. Transfer of merit is also an essential aspect in Mahāyāna Buddhist understandings of the Bodhisattva path, who uses his merits to help all living beings.

11 Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 2) & Pāṭaligāmiya Sutta (KN 3.76 / Ud 8.6). 12 E.g. see accounts related by Phra Rājsuddhiñāṇamongkol (Luang Poh Jarun of Wat Ambhavan, Singburi, Thailand) in The Law of Kamma: Dhamma Practice Series. https://tinyurl.com/y8wsrcjl & Suchitra Onkom (2000), The Story of Old Man Tiow, Bangkok: Horatanachai Printing Limited Partnership.

According to the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra , only two to threetenths of the merits from chanting sūtras can be transferred to the deceased, with the rest going to the person who is chanting the sūtra.

Therefore, the best way to accumulate merit is while we are still living and strong rather than waiting for others to chant sūtras for us upon our death.

Geshe Dadul: The great Indian master Atīśa said that our merits, when dedicated to those who have died would touch them, so long as we can still recall their names. However, not everyone can share merits with everyone. We share our merits, through dedication and prayers, only with those to whom we are related either biologically, economically, or spiritually. It is therefore important to establish relations with others through any of the above three modes, to be able to dedicate and benefit others or be benefitted by others’ dedication of their merits. In the Tibetan culture, we make sure that any amount of money in the name of the deceased or some belonging of the deceased is offered with a request for prayer to a high lama or a congregation of ordained members. This explains why even the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past, though equally compassionate to everyone without exception, are able to tame some and not others; or why sometimes a disciple of the Buddha succeeds in taming someone while the Buddha himself didn’t; or why the adepts of the present day are effective to some and not others. It takes a karmic connection through either of the above three modes for someone’s dedication and prayer to benefit others. In the absence of such a connection, our efforts of dedication and making prayers only result in accruing our own merit, though not benefitting the other. Has modern science been able to provide evidence on the existence of such unseen beings?

Aggacitta: There are psychical research organizations in various countries which try to do so, but there are also hard-core sceptics who try to debunk every possible attempt.

Min Wei: As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence regarding the existence of such unseen beings. In the past, everything was hearsay.

TEACHINGS FORUM | EASTERN HORIZON

Geshe Dadul: Generally, pure science is in a position of disproving any unfounded claim and not so much in proving anything definite. That said, even in this capacity, it has its own limitations in terms of its dependence on observability and measurability, and that too via the means of physical instruments and devices. Besides, it insists on repeatability and falsifiability, which are, no doubt, very valuable in establishing the verity of its findings. However, all the above can constitute constraints on its scope and approach and, thus, on the thoroughness of its comprehension. On top of that, we all know of the intricate complexity of variables and variabilities. In short, let me say this: modern science has not provided any direct evidence for them as of now, nor has it disproven them. However, the scientific fact of multiple dimensions of experience and exposures allude to this possibility. Remember, Acharya Dharmakirti says in his Pramāñavartika that “not seeing something does not render it non-existent.” Is it possible for Buddhists to remain good Dharma practitioners if they choose not to believe in such unseen beings?

Aggacitta: Of course they can try, until they have personal encounters with unseen beings that are impactful, traumatic or compelling—then they may be driven to believe even if intellectually they remain sceptical. Abbreviations

Min Wei: Buddhism does not deny the existence of good and evil spirits. One cannot deny the existence of such spirits just because one is unable to see them with his or her naked eyes. These spirits are also subjected to birth and death. They are not going to stay permanently in the spirit form. They too exist in the same world where we live. As in Tibet, Buddhist miracle workers like Padmasambhava forcefully tamed the demons and turned them into dharma protectors and fierce guardians of the new faith of Buddhism. In fact, we might say that in the understanding of Buddhism, there really is no such thing as ‘demons.’

Geshe Dadul: Definitely! Being a good dharma practitioner is not necessarily affected by whether or not one believes in these beings. Exercise restraint over one’s dissonant mental states, both emotional and cognitive, and, if possible, additionally train in the cultivation of positive mental states in our regular interaction with fellow sentient beings. This constitutes a good dharma practice, irrespective, and, in the meantime, try to bring up this practice at par with the level of one’s sensibility, sensitivity, and openness in terms of what is factual and what is potentially possible. Written by Geshe Dadul Namgyal, and edited by Martha Leslie Baker.

Pāli Text

English Title

Referencing

Aṅguttara Nikāya

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha

Book no. : Sutta no.

Dīgha Nikāya

The Long Discourses of the Buddha

Sutta no.

Khuddaka Nikāya

The Miscellaneous Discourses of the Buddha

Book no. : Sutta no.

Majjhima Nikāya

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha

Sutta no.

Saṁyutta Nikāya

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

Saṁyutta no. : Sutta no.

Sutta Nipāta

An Ancient Collection of the Buddha’s Discourses

Chapter no. : Sutta no.

Udāna

Inspired / Exalted Utterances

Chapter no. : Sutta no.

Venerable Āyasmā Aggacitta is the founder of the Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in Taiping, Perak, a Pāli scholar and a meditation teacher.

Geshe Dadul Namgyal is a Geshe Lharampa and senior resident teacher at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Ven. Ming Wei is a teacher of e-learning at the International Buddhist College (IBC) and an independent translator of Buddhism. EH

NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON

CANDLES AND CHANTING AS CAVE BOYS’ ORDINATION BEGINS The Bangkok Post, 24 Jul 2018

Bangkok, Thailand -- Eleven boys from the “Wild Boars” soccer team - rescued from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district in a drama that gripped global audiences - took their first steps on Tuesday to be ordained as Buddhist novices in a ceremony steeped in

The occasion was broadcast live on Facebook by local authorities and starts a process whereby the boys will live for nine days in a Buddhist temple - a promise made by their families in thanks for their safe return and in memory of one rescuer who died. The rescue involved divers and volunteers from all over the world and ended on July 10 when the last of the group was brought to safety from inside Chiang Rai’s Tham Luang Cave in Northern Thailand. The boys and their 25-year-old coach Ekapol Chanthawong had gone to explore the caves on June 23, where they became trapped. They survived for nine days on water dripping from rocks before they were discovered on a muddy mound by divers. “The eleven boys will be ordained as novices, whereas Coach Ek will be ordained as a monk,” Rachapol Ngamgrabuan, an official at Chiang Rai’s provincial press office, told viewers on Facebook.

Buddhism is the country’s main religion and is followed by more than 90% of the population. One of the boys, fourteen-year-old Adul Sam-on is Christian and will not be ordained. He reportedly will pray for the family of

Soccer coach Ekkapol Chanthawong, front, and members of the soccer team who were rescued from a flooded cave last week attend a Buddhist ceremony as they prepare to be ordained as Buddhist monks and novices in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, on Tuesday. (AP photo)

the late Saman Kunan, the ex-Navy Seal diver who died during the rescue operations. The 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, were discharged from a hospital last week and have been spending time at home. They spoke of their ordeal last week at a news conference organised by the government.

Wearing simple white clothes, the boys pressed their palms together in prayer during the morning ceremony as a saffron-robed monk gave thanks for their safe rescue. The boys and their coach lit yellow candle sticks at the Wat Phra That Doi Wao, a scenic temple in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, where the boys are from.

Trays of sweets, fruits and sugary drinks were placed in front of Buddha statues wrapped in shiny gold cloth. The boys will live as monks for nine days starting on Wednesday, Chiang Rai officials said in a statement on Sunday.

Along with their coach, they will have their hair shaved on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the main ordination ceremony on Wednesday. Traditionally, many Thai men are ordained as Buddhist monks once they came of age - a practice thought to bring blessings and honour to their families. EH Source: Buddhist Channel www.buddhistchannel.tv

EASTERN HORIZON | NEWS

DOCUMENTARY ABOUT RENOWNED BUDDHIST MONK TO HIT VIETNAM’S SCREENS VietnamNet, Feb 26, 2018

Hanoi, Vietnam -- The documentary film on Vietnam’s famous Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh will be screened in Vietnam beginning March 1st this year. The film titled “Walk with me” is a cinematic journey into the world of a monastic community that practices the art of mindfulness with 91-year-old Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

The film was shot by two British directors Marc J. Francis and Max Pugh for three years mainly in Plum Village, a Buddhist meditation centre in Dordogne, southern France. The place is the rural monastic community that Nhat Hanh set up in 1982. The directors also followed Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh to other places, including Europe and North America to make the documentary. Famous English actor Bennedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the film’s narration.

Born in the central city of Hue in 1926, Thich Nhat Hanh is among the pioneering Buddhist leaders in the popularisation of the religion in the West. The Zen Master was nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the Nobel Prize in 1967. He has published more than 100 books, including more than 40 volumes in English.

He is active in the peace movement, promoting nonviolent solutions to conflict and he also refrains from

animal product consumption as a means of nonviolence towards nonhuman animals.

In the 1960s, he launched a movement of Buddhists in Southern Vietnam aiming to call for an end to the Vietnam War. He has lived in France since 1966 when he left Vietnam. Last year, he returned to visit Vietnam for a week. EH

Source: Buddhist Channel www. buddhistchannel.tv

NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON

Tokyo, Japan -- The words “spiritual” and “spartan” are not often used to describe properties listed on Airbnb. They are, however, more likely to crop up following the launch of a service devoted to providing accommodation in temples across Japan. Terahaku aims to become the Airbnb of temples when it starts operating this summer, with the goal of offering visitors the opportunity to sleep overnight in Buddhist establishments.

JAPAN’S BUDDHIST TEMPLES TO OFFER ROOMS TO RENT AFTER LAW CHANGE By Danielle Demetriou , The Telegrraph, 28 May 2018

Until now, a small number of Japanese temples have offered accommodation known as shukubo, typically including a place to sleep and vegetarian Buddhist cuisine, mostly targeting pilgrims or adventurous tourists.

However, Japan’s 77,000 nationwide temples have been restricted by laws from marketing themselves as commercial accommodation, a situation that will change with new legislation relating to residential lodging from June 15. Terahaku, the brainchild of an Osaka-based tourism company called Waqoo Co, will enable users to book stays in temples at the click of a button, via computers or smartphones. The company has formed partnerships with Airbnb and Booking.com so users can research listings and make reservations in English, with nightly rates expected to range from around 10,00020,000 yen (£70-£140). Around 100 temples will feature on the site when it launches in July - including Mii-dera, a famous Buddhist complex dating back to the seventh century, not far from

Kyoto – with plans to boost this to 1,000 in three years.

In addition to offering accommodation, many temples will offer a unique cultural insight into Buddhist life, with some offering guests the chance to try zazen meditation, sutra writing or attend early morning prayers as well as sample Buddhist cuisine. “Terahaku aims to help tourists understand traditional Japanese culture and history,” a Waqoo spokesperson told the Telegraph. Terahaku is one of a raft of accommodation innovations that have emerged in Japan in recent years, in response to the nation’s widely reported shortage of beds in the run up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A record number of tourists are holidaying in Japan, with nearly 28.7 million visiting in 2017 and the government apparently on track to hit its target of 40 million visitors by 2020. The government is reportedly keen for visitors to tap into alternative forms of accommodation, according to Reuters – including love hotels – in a bid to limit room shortages. The accommodation website Booking.com has reportedly seen love hotel bookings rise 48 per cent in the past year and expects the trend to continue as the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics approach. EH Source: Buddhist Channel www. buddhistchannel.tv

EASTERN HORIZON | BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF Wisdom Publications. 199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144, USA www.wisdompubs.org

The Foundation of Buddhist Practice. Tenzin Gyatso and Thubten Chodron. 2018. pp 366. US$29.95. Hardcover This volume describes the important teachings that help us establish our practice as Buddhists. Written by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron, an American Buddhist nun, this volume features key Buddhist ideas such as the four seals and the two truths, dependent arising and emptiness, spiritual mentors and their roles, meditation, the essence of a meaningful life, rebirth, and the workings of karma. The Buddha wanted his students to investigate, to see for themselves whether what he said were true. As a student of the Buddha, the Dalai Lama promotes the same spirit of investigation, and as the rich tradition of the Buddha makes its way into new lands and cultures, His Holiness has recognized that new approaches are needed to allow seekers in the West to experience the relevance of the liberating message in their own lives. Such an approach cannot assume listeners are free from doubt and already have faith in Buddhism’s basic tenets. Thus, he realized that traditional presentations of the Buddhist path which assume the audience already has faith in the Buddha and believes in rebirth and karma is no longer valid. So this book represents a different approach taken by His Holiness (together with Venerable Thubten Chodron) targeting at mainly the Western students. However, even though this book is targeted at Western Buddhist students, it is nevertheless still relevant and useful for those who are not Westerners. It is an important foundation for the systematic illumination of the path to all who wish to practice the Buddhist path. EH

Samatha, Jhāna, Vipassanā. Practice at the Pa-Auk Monastery: A Meditator’s Experience. Hyunsoo Jeon. 2018. pp 235. US$18.95 This step-by-step meditator’s guide walks the reader through practices that can hold the key to unlocking new levels of concentration and insight. A student of the famed Pa-Auk Monastery and a practicing psychiatrist, Jeon Hyunsoo, MD, PhD, uses these two paths to guide the reader to a new understanding of themselves and the world around them. Drawing both from Jeon’s own experience with PaAuk Sayadaw and from the words of the Buddha, this is an authentic and practical guide to samatha, materiality, mentality, dependent origination, and vipassanā. The entire book comprises six chapters. It starts with an introduction to Pa Auk meditation which today has become just as popular as the older, more established Mahasi tradition. A whole chapter is then devoted to samatha meditation with follow-up chapters on meditation on body, meditation on mind and meditation on dependent origination. The final chapter in the book ends with explanations on Vipassanā meditation. A fairly exhaustive glossary of the key terms used in this meditation manual is provided for at the end of the book. EH

BOOKS IN BRIEF | EASTERN HORIZON

BOOKS IN BRIEF

The Four Noble Truths. A Guide to Everyday Life. Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 2018. pp 293. US$17.95 The Buddha’s profound teachings on the four noble truths are illuminated by a Tibetan master simply and directly, so that readers gain an immediate and personal understanding of the causes and conditions that give rise to suffering as well as the spiritual life as the path to liberation. The Four Noble Truths begins with an excellent elucidation of the nature of the mind and its role in creating the happiness we all seek. Lama Zopa Rinpoche then turns to an in-depth analysis of the four truths. The first truth is that we are suffering because we are in cyclic existence, or Saṃsāra, the beginningless cycle of death and rebirth characterized by three types of suffering: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and pervasive compounding suffering. These are not inflicted on us without cause, nor do they come from others. The second truth tells us that there is a cause for all this suffering—the delusions and karma that arise from the ignorance that fails to see the way in which things exist. Because there is a cause and because we can develop the wisdom realizing emptiness, the antidote to ignorance, we are able to actualize the third truth, the cessation of suffering. How we do that is explained in the fourth truth, the path to the cessation of suffering. EH

Early Buddhist Teaching. The Middle Position in Theory and Practice. Y. Karunadasa. 2018. pp 227. US$29.95 Hard Cover Dr Karunadasa provides a lucid and comprehensive summary of the Buddha’s psychology of liberation as taught in the Pāli tradition. Comprising a total of 12 chapters, the book introduces to the readers to several key concepts of early Buddhism such as: •

•

insight into the beginning of Buddhism and the significance of its core beliefs—dependent arising, non-self and the putative Overself, moral life, the diagnosis of the human condition, the critique of theoretical views, and the nature of Nibbāna; a lucid understanding of the Buddha’s challenge to the concept of the subject as a self-entity and the reality of both the subject and object, perceiver and perceived, as a dynamic process; a grasp of early Buddhist teachings as representing a middle position (equally aloof from spiritual eternalism and materialist annihilation) and a middle path (equally aloof from self-mortification and sensual indulgence) that leads to happiness; and the experience of the Buddha’s teachings on attaining liberation or Nibbāna as the final goal as comprehensible, sensible, and something we can make part of our own practice. The unanswered questions or metaphysical matters that the Buddha refused to answer. EH

EASTERN HORIZON | BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF Shambhala Publications, Inc. (including Snow Lion, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc) 4720 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80301-2670, USA www.shambhala.com

Rebirth in Early Buddhism and Current Research. Bhikkhu Anālayo. 2018. pp 279. US$29.95 Hard cover.

Zen in the Age of Anxiety. Wisdom for navigating our modern lives. Tim Burkett. 2018. pp 170. US$16.95

German Buddhist monk and university professor Bhikkhu Analayo had not given much attention to the topic of rebirth until some friends asked him to explore the treatment of the issue in early Buddhist texts. This succinct volume presents his findings, approaching the topic from four directions. The first chapter examines the doctrine of rebirth as it is presented in the earliest Buddhist sources and the way it relates to core doctrinal principles. The second chapter reviews debates about rebirth throughout Buddhist history and up to modern times, noting the role of confirmation bias in evaluation of evidence. Chapter 3 reviews the merits of current research on rebirth, including near-death experience, past-life regression, and children who recall previous lives. The chapter concludes with an examination of xenoglossy, the ability to speak languages one has not learned previously, and chapter 4 examines the particular case of Dhammaruwan, a Sri Lankan boy who chants Pāli texts that he does not appear to have learned in his present life. Rebirth in Early Buddhism and Current Research brings together the many strands of the debate on rebirth in one place, making it both comprehensive and compact. It is not a polemic but an interrogation of the evidence, and it leaves readers to come to their own conclusions. EH

Tim Burkett, a student of Shunryu Suzuki, a former CEO, and a psychotherapist by training, writes that wrestling with fear doesn’t have to be a negative experience. In this book, he offers an approach to life that unlocks a new way of thinking and being in the world, one that leads directly through the center of the anxieties we seek to avoid. Written in the style of an owner’s manual, a guide to being human, Burkett focuses on areas of pain and anxiety as they tend to manifest for modern people: feelings of unworthiness, and issues surrounding sex, money, failure, and even death. Providing wisdom from Zen (channeled through his many experiences as a psychotherapist) and using language and metaphors from popular culture, he takes anxiety and teaches us to turn those fears into the building blocks of a fulfilling life. There are also Zen stories, poetry, and relevant research findings about living a good life, as well as how to meditate to transform our various human difficulties into clear seeing, equanimity and ease. This is therefore a book about the substance and beauty of Zen practice. EH

BOOKS IN BRIEF | EASTERN HORIZON

BOOKS IN BRIEF

OTHERS

Sadness, Love, Openness. The Buddhist Path of Joy. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. 2018. pp 108. US$15.95

Theravāda Buddhist Encounters with Modernity. Juliane Schober. Routledge: UK, 2018. pp 168. Hard cover.

In Sadness, Love, Openness, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, a world renowned Buddhist teacher and meditation master, shares his profound understanding of the Buddhist view of life – its suffering and the path to liberation from that suffering. His style is always accessible, playful, and genuine, and thus this concise guide is able to show how we can incorporate our own daily experiences into our spiritual path and awaken to how things truly are. By embracing sadness, love, and openness in our lives, we develop an altruistic attitude to help all beings who suffer and to reduce our own greed and aggression. This easy-toread manual teaches us how to honestly explore and deal with our own hang-ups and neuroses. Through knowing our own true nature as aware and compassionate, we can progress, step-by-step, on the Buddhist path and use Rinpoche’s pithy wisdom along the way as a touchstone.

Although recent scholarship has shown that the term ‘Theravāda’ in the familiar modern sense is a nineteenthand twentieth-century construct, it is now used to refer to the more than 150 million people around the world who practice that form of Buddhism. Buddhist practices such as meditation, amulets, and merit making rituals have always been inseparable from the social formations that give rise to them, their authorizing discourses and the hegemonic relations they create.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s fresh and engaged approach to timeless Buddhist wisdom enables us to deeply connect with authentic teachings in a modern context. This work is a delight and inspiration to read, outlining the major teachings and practices of Buddhism in a succinct way. EH

This book is composed of chapters written by established scholars in Buddhist studies who represent diverse disciplinary approaches from art history, religious studies, history and ethnography. It explores the historical forces, both external to and within the tradition of Theravāda Buddhism and discusses how modern forms of Buddhist practice have emerged in South and Southeast Asia, in case studies from Nepal to Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia and Southwest China. Specific studies contextualize general trends and draw on practices, institutions, and communities that have been identified with this civilizational tradition throughout its extensive history and across a highly diverse cultural geography. This book foreground diverse responses among Theravādins to the encroaching challenges of modern life ways, communications, and political organizations, and will be of interest to scholars of Asian Religion, Buddhism and South and Southeast Asian Studies. EH

A Piṇḍapāta in Subang Jaya by Rasika Quek

Dharma Aftermath

The late Chief Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda left us almost 12 years ago but the memory of him and his influence is still strong even till today. Recently, the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association (SJBA) organized their Third Samaneri Novitiate Program from the June 12-24, 2018. To mark the late Chief Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda’s birth centennial and to honor his contribution to the development of Theravāda Buddhism in Malaysia, the SJBA also organized a Pindapata in conjunction, for the sāmaṇerīs on the last day of the novitiate. Samaneris being novice Buddhist nuns in training also had their heads shaven like their male counterparts. Piṇḍapāta is the practice of collecting alms-food observed by Buddhist monks and nuns as they go round outside the temple grounds in the morning. The Piṇḍapāta began at about 8.00 am following the designated route which used the pedestrian bridge next to the SJBA temple to cross the Persiaran Kewajipan main road to go over to the other side. Devotees already started streaming in for the event just after 7.00 am or so and began parking their vehicles along the slip road off Persiaran Kewajipan.

Altogether about 110 sāmaṇerīs treaded bare-footed mindfully with their alms-bowl in a single line when the Piṇḍapāta commenced. We could see them using the pedestrian bridge to cross the busy road from afar. The number of volunteers accompanying them to help carry the items being offered to the sāmaṇerīs was probably equal in number. We were told that this time around the number of sāmaṇerīs participating in the novitiate was about doubled compared to the previous one organized.

The devotees stood in line, some kneeling, to put the various items into the alms-bowl carried by the sāmaṇerīs. They waited patiently along the road shoulder of the slip road which is a straight route before the line turned left to the morning market area and shops in Jalan SS 14 for a short distance. Besides carrying items offered to the sāmaṇerīs, the volunteers also helped in safe-guarding their safety by taking care of traffic. At the market, the sāmaṇerīs u-turned and back-tracked to the Persiaran Kewajipan slip road and made their way back to the temple, again crossing the pedestrian bridge. My guess is that the entire route would have taken about 5km or so. Although there were many curious onlookers at the market area, not many offered alms as they were not familiar with the sight of so many shaven head nuns in their saffron robes and alms bowls. Nevertheless, the nuns had completed their dignified task and who knows in future the onlookers may become devotees themselves offering alms once they know what Piṇḍapāta was all about.

Devotees could offer any type of cooked food such as plain rice, vegetable dishes, cakes, ripened fruits, biscuits, etc. but they had to be suitably wrapped or placed in a clean container. Uncooked food or uncut fruits could be handed over to the volunteers who would then hand them over to the temple kitchen to be prepared and offered to the Saṅgha during meal time. As the Saṅgha does not accept uncooked meat, raw eggs, fish or money, such items could however be offered at the temple’s kitchen/office. Unlike Malaysia, it is a daily practice in Buddhist countries such as Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka for monks and nuns to go on Piṇḍapāta where they walk through a village from one household to another, allowing devotees to offer alms food. Piṇḍapāta is not common in Malaysia as it is the usual practice for the monks and nuns to be served with food within the temple itself, without doing the alms rounds. Hence, the last day of the novitiate which was June 24 was a memorable one not only for the sāmaṇerīs but also for the devotees to accumulate merits. Since the time of the Buddha, especially in Buddhist countries, Buddhist monks and nuns have been supported through the Piṇḍapāta of lay devotees. The Saṅgha need not worry about food, robes, medicines and even shelter as lay devotees would provide for these. Freed from such worry, the Saṅgha could have the time to practice the Dhamma.

The debt owed to the late Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda is beyond measure for the cause of Theravāda Buddhism in Malaysia. The SJBA has done a commendable effort in organizing such a Piṇḍapāta to commemorate his birth centennial and to honor his contribution to the Dhamma. In a similar vein, the Brickfields Maha Vihara will also commemorate the late Chief Venerable’s birth centennial during the coming August 31 and September 1 by requesting Ven. Uttama, an accomplished Nepalese monk-artist to paint the late Chief Venerable’s portrait and to hold a Buddhist art exhibition. Ven. Uttama was recently invited by the Buddhist Gem Fellowship to hold a Buddhist art exhibition during the Wesak period which was very successful. The Bandar Utama Buddhist Society also organized an event to commemorate the late Chief Venerable’s birth centennial on August 11 and 12 recently. We rejoice with all devotees and the Saṅgha who have kept the memory and legacy of the late Chief Venerable alive. The gratitude we have for him in receiving the priceless Dhamma and compassion he had imparted to us all is immense. May All Beings Be Well And Happy! Sādhu, sādhu, sādhu! EH

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24TH YBAM BIENNIAL NATIONAL CONVENTION Hotel Equatorial Melaka 21/6/2018 - 23/6/2018

Group photo.

Officiated by YB Tey Kok Kiew, Malacca State Housing, Local Government and Environment Committee chairman.

Delegates actively participated throughout the three-day convention, voicing out their views and suggestions.

Terengganu Buddhist Association presented a captivating dance performance, showcasing dance moves from numerous cultures.

During the election, delegates took turn to cast their ballots.

The newly elected 25th National Council marked the end of the convention by waving the Buddhist flags while singing the Song of YBAM and Song of the Expedition.

Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia www.ybam.org.my

Y B A M

Unites more than 270 Buddhist organisations representing both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions throughout Malaysia Provides guidance to students to establish Buddhist societies in schools, colleges and universities Conducts regular training courses on Buddhist teachings, missionary techniques and leadership building Arranges lectures on Buddhism by both local and visiting foreign Buddhist scholars and teachers Assists in conducting the annual Malaysian Buddhist Examination

Organises various welfare, cultural and education activities for the benefit of the Buddhist community at local, state and national levels Publishes Eastern Horizon, Buddhist Digest, Berita YBAM and other Buddhist books and pamphlets in English, Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia Makes representation to the authorities on matters related to the Buddhist Community

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