11-year-old becomes high-ranking lama

I wonder when Buddhists found out that reincarnation became globalized...

An 11-year-old schoolboy from Boston, Massachusetts has been made the head of a Buddhist sect in India after he was recognized as the reincarnation of a high-ranking lama who died more than 750 years ago.

Jigme Wangchuk has been anointed as the Rinpoche, the second reincarnation of Gyalwa Lorepa of the Drukpa sub-sect after going into a trance and describing a Buddhist monastery in detail.

Read full article.

Image from Daily Contributor

Buddhist horror film: Mantra

The Worst Horse posts a new Buddhist horror film called Mantra.

I've been getting into horror films lately with my fellow apartment-mates and never have I thought about a Buddhist-themed horror film. I guess anything can be scary as long as you target the right emotions.

Read full article.

Dharma Drum for Young People Summer Retreat

I was sent an email about a summer retreat opportunity from Venerable Chan Yu of Dharma Drum for Young People. Here is his attached message:

"Dear Friends,

 

I am writing to announce an opportunity for college students and young professionals to attend the Chan Summer Retreats for Young People. The retreats are sponsored by Dharma Drum for Young People (DDYP), an affiliate ofUS-based *Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association*  (DDMBA).  DDYP offers the retreats as an opportunity to introduce undergraduate and graduate students, and young professionals to the benefits of meditation and the practices of mindfulness living.  Membership or affiliation with DDYP is not required.

 

The Summer Meditation Retreat for Self-Discovery (for beginners and non-beginners) will be held August 12-15 and the Chan Meditation Summer Retreat (for past participants) will be held August 15-18.  The retreats will take place at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York, located in the Hudson Valley near the Shawangunk Mountains. Meals accommodations, meditation, mindfulness and Dharma instruction are all included. Interested individuals are welcome to participate. The retreat fee is $40 for college and graduate students, and $120 for young professionals.

 

More information and the retreat application can be found at: www.ddyp.org and for the retreat center, visit www.dharmadrumretreat.org. "

Christian Disneyland

Florida...famous for Universal Studios, Disneyworld, and ... the Holy Land Experience?
Watch this video clip from Newsweek and see if you're up for a visit to this Christian theme park.



I was curious as to whether or not there are Buddhist theme parks. It turns out there's a Buddhist theme park in Saigon, Vietnam called Suoi Tien Park that features the torments of Buddhist Hell. Quite interesting. Here are some pictures of the park, which in my opinion looks pretty intricate and detailed.

Anyone else know of any religious theme parks?

What is your concept of eternity?

Ah, my favorite type of articles. The News & Observer features "Voices of Faith", in which Rev. R.L. Baynham, pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church, and Lama Chuck Stanford of the Rime Buddhist Center & Monastery provide insight from their respective faiths. In this article, they discuss "What is your concept of eternity?"

Rev. R.L. Baynham: Eternity is an attribute of God, and he alone fathoms its depths. We are challenged to live within the divine purpose of God's will as ascribed in the Bible. When we live in harmony with our purpose, we experience life as it is supposed to be. We understand the purpose is to live a full, meaningful life.

Lama Chuck Stanford: Unlike the monotheistic faiths, Buddhism has no concept of eternity after death. In fact, from the Buddhist perspective, death is viewed as a very temporary state between a nearly infinite number of rebirths.

Read full article.

Buddhist lessons from "He's Just Not That Into You"

I've got to watch this movie. Seven buddhist lessons in all, reviewed by The Buddhist Channel. First one:

"1. Some express aversion to those they have attachment to – because they are intimidated by their own attachment, such that they try to reverse it, to reject their attachment. What they really have is aversion to themselves, not the other. Why not try to cultivate equanimity beyond the extremes of attachment and aversion instead?"

For the rest, read full article.

Photo from The Buddhist Channel.

UCLA Buddhist Scholar Gregory Schopen

From our very own UCLA:

"As one of the world's leading authorities on Buddhism, Gregory Schopen has shattered many myths, notably the notion that Buddhist monks in ancient India renounced money and property.

Schopen finds the widespread Western fascination with Buddhism "highly artificial and a little bit silly because it takes place completely in the abstract." The average Westerner is not interested in the "totality of what Buddhism is – a way of interacting and being human – but with a certain set of free-floating ideas that have been connected with Buddhism," he explained, adding: "I have a problem with that."

One of his favorite images of Buddhism as it's practiced in America is from a photograph of devotees in a Thai Buddhist temple in Los Angeles: "All the local Thai people are doing worship to the Buddha image in the front; in the back is a whole row of white guys meditating," said Schopen. "These are completely different approaches to the same phenomenon – the picture is worth a thousand words."

Read full article.

Results of Thai Temple ZAB Hearing

Update on the results of the ZAB hearing for Wat Mongkolratanaram.

"On February 12, 2009 the Zoning Adjustment Board voted in favor of the Thai temple 8 yes to 1 no. Though the board has given the temple its approval for the project, it is NOT the final approval. The final approval will come after the conditions recommended from the city to the ZAB have clarified. The major points of contention that temple had was in part due to the vagueness of the language. The language is being revised under the direction of the ZAB with recommendations, modifications, and removal of some conditions. At the next hearing, the board will vote to give the project final approval based upon the revisions to the conditions.

The first part of this journey is almost at an end.

The complainants will have the right to appeal, however, that appeal process cannot begin until after the ZAB gives its final approval. Once that approval is final, the complainants will have 2 weeks from the time everything is processed. That normally takes 2 to 3 days after the vote. If the complainants appeal, the case will be heard in front of the Berkeley City Council.

From the entire team, we want to thank each and every one of you for your heart felt support. It was your belief in our cause and our team that gave us the energy to work hard over the course of the past 10 months.

Please continue to visit this site for future updates on the status of the final approval."

Visit their website.

Save the Thai Temple - Berkeley Hearing

The Berkeley ZAB hearing is this Thursday, February 12, 2009 and this is the last time to vote and save the temple. Hear the cause to save Wat Mongkolratanaram from those supporting the temple (as well as a brief segment from those opposing) in city hearings:



Also, please visit savethethaitemple.com.

Thanks to arunlikhati from DharmaFolk who has posted on this issue.

Obama's new faith-based initiative

"Obama said the office would work with nonprofit organizations "both secular and faith-based" and would help them determine how to make a bigger impact in their cities, learn their obligations under the law and cut through government red tape.

Groups that were critical of the Bush faith-based office — including the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and People For the American Way — issued statements Thursday expressing disappointment in the Obama version. All said that by failing to repeal Bush policies, the White House will allow participating religious groups to continue discrimination in hiring.

Obama's advisers want to be certain tax dollars sent to the faith-based social service groups are used for secular purposes, such as feeding the hungry or housing the homeless, and not for religious evangelism. The administration doesn't want to be perceived as managing the groups yet seeks transparency and accountability."

Read full article.

Huffington Post: The Groundhog Day Buddhism Sutra

UBA has actually watched The Groundhog Day during a movie night event so I thought this article from the Huffington Post was more than relevant to our readers and members. I actually haven't watched this movie so I cannot offer much insight. But this article explores the possible interpretation of the movie using the Four Noble Truths.

"I was interviewing Ramis for a Buddhist magazine called the Shambhala Sun because, it turns out, many Buddhists read the Buddha's truths (or dharma) between the lines of the script. Ramis gets a kick out of the fact that many religious groups claim the film is for and about their particular sect. I suspect Ramis and the Buddha would agree: 'The more, the merrier."

Ramis himself is not a Buddhist, does not meditate but is well read on the principles and consciously practices the simple tenets that weatherman Phil Connors comes to embody (picture a bald Bill Murray in saffron robes). Ramis, I learned from hanging out with him and interviewing many around him, is somewhere between a mensch (a really good guy) and a boddhisatva (a really good guy whose mission is to help other people become really good guys)."

Read the full article.

A Conversation on Science, Ethics, and Religion

Thanks to Ven. Kusala from UrbanDharma for sending information about this event.


Esteemed American Buddhist scholar and activist Robert Thurman will be appearing at the Skirball in mid-February, speaking on the topic of science, ethics, and religion with renowned inventor and engineer Danny Hillis. Presented in celebration of Charles Darwin's 200th birthday, the conversation between Dr. Thurman and Dr. Hillis should make for a compelling evening. Details are below.

A CONVERSATION ON SCIENCE, ETHICS, AND RELIGION

Robert Thurman and Danny Hillis

Thursday, February 12, 8:00 p.m.

$15 General; $12 Skirball Members; $10 Full-Time Students

Advance tickets: Available on site at the Skirball, online at www.skirball.org, or by phone at (877) SCC-4TIX or (877) 722-4849

Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049

Preeminent figures in the fields of religion and technology, Dr. Robert Thurman and Dr. Danny Hillis engage in a thought-provoking conversation on scientific progress and its impact on society. Robert Thurman has cultivated a worldwide awareness of Tibet through his academic and popular writing, translation of important Buddhist texts, and commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the China-Tibet conflict. Danny Hillis is a respected figure in the technology community. He is an inventor, scientist, author, and engineer. He holds more than eighty U.S. patents and is the designer of the 10,000-year mechanical clock. Presented by the Skirball in celebration of the bicentennial of Charles Darwin.

Today is Religious Freedom Day

In 1786, America passed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson. Now, every year on the same date, January 16, the President proclaims the day as Religious Freedom Day.

Quoted from Presidential Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2009:

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16, 2009, as Religious Freedom Day. I call on all Americans to reflect on the great blessing of religious liberty, endeavor to preserve this freedom for future generations, and commemorate this day with appropriate events and activities."

Related article: "America is a Land of Religious Diversity; Interfaith Cooperation The Norm"

Buddhist Economics

Here's a short article about applying Buddhism to the current economy.

"I would distill it even further in Buddhist thought. We're in the soup economically because of a lack of mindfulness. We at the micro level and those at the macro level didn't pay close attention to economic decisions."

Read full article.

Religious Diversity in the 111th Congress

I am happy to be able to start posting again. I recently sent my computer to be fixed and now that I just picked it up, I feel reconnected with the world. This bit of news is quite interesting, another addition to all the other diversity issues in 2009 politics.

"Two years ago, Keith Ellison became Congress’ first Muslim member; shortly after Rep. Pete Stark outed himself as Congress’ first openly atheist elected official. The 110th Congress also saw the arrival of two Buddhist politicians, another first. Those Buddhists, as well as Ellison and another Muslim, are back for the 111th Congress, which began today and the Pew Forum says looks a lot more like the people it represents:

Although a majority of the members of the new, 111th Congress, which will be sworn in on Jan. 6, are Protestants, Congress - like the nation as a whole - is much more religiously diverse than it was 50 years ago."

Read full article.

Photo from The Jewish Journal.

Faith Q&A

Lama Chuck Stanford from Rime Buddhist Center & Monastery and the Rev. R.L. Baynham, pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church, offer answers from their respective faiths.

Q: Do you think it's possible to have a society that doesn't believe in God and yet is law-abiding and peaceful?

For their answers, please go to the full article.

Buddhist's New Year

Here's a Buddhist's New Year Guide from Shambhala Sun Space:

"Still not sure how you’ll celebrate the arrival of 2009? Well, for meditators, there are seemingly as many possibilities as their are methods and schools. Here are just a few. Just click on their links for more info."

Read full article

Photo from Shambhala Sun Space

Don't celebrate Christmas?

For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas...

Read full article.

Proselytizing during Interfaith events

Here's an interesting article about proselytizing (I still have trouble pronouncing that word) during interfaith events. I've always been fascinated by interfaith events, because it's wonderful how groups of people unified under a faith can come together with other groups of people unified under a different faith and discuss similar topics through their own perspectives.

While diversity, in any issue (race, religion, cultures, etc.), is often hailed as a positive state in society, I think many people forget that diversity is only good when paired with tolerance. With religion, interfaith events allow all religious groups a moment of diversity as well as time to practice tolerance.

Here's a little bit of what Matthew Weiner and Matthew Dunbar from "Navigating the Waters of Interfaith Activity" have to say about interfaith events, specifically Buddhism:

"Proselytization is not always blatant or conscious, and rules that ban it or even shared assumptions that frown on it do not prevent its more subtle forms. Buddhists are fond of saying that meditation is not a religious practice. But it leads to Nirvana - Buddhist salvation. Is having a Buddhist lead a meditation at an interfaith retreat proselytizing? What did the Buddha mean when he called for disciples to 'spread the teachings'? Buddhism, often seen as a more historically tolerant faith, is nevertheless one of the world's most successful missionizing faiths. But it also illustrates how ambiguous the category of 'evangelizing' can be."

Read full article.

Responses to "The Bible and Homosexuality"

Newsweek's recent cover story, "Our Mutual Joy", featured an article written by religion editor Lisa Miller about what the Bible really says about gay marriage. Since then, Newsweek has been receiving many comments and emails from all sides of the debate. Kurt Soller shares some of the feedback with us:

"The Atlanta Journal Constitution's political blog linked to the Politico piece and pointed out the comments made by Ralph Reed, the former executive director of the Christian Coalition. 'I see it as an attempt to caricature and reduce to a cartoon the social conservative belief in the efficacy of a traditional marriage, and try to reduce it to some formulaic, scriptural literalism,' he said. 'There's more of a practical, sociological foundation for why we seek to affirm marriage as an institution than I think is generally understood by those who want to legalize same-sex marriage.' "


Here's Newsweek's recent cover story, "Our Mutual Joy".