The University Buddhist Association of UCLA is an organization of students, faculty, and community members who come together to learn about and practice Buddhism. We're a non-sectarian Buddhist group that welcomes all Buddhists and non-Buddhist of all faiths and traditions.
If you're interested in learning more about the UCLA Buddhist community, please come to our meetings.
When: Every Tuesday, 5:30 - 7:00pm Where: University Catholic Center 633 Gayley Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024
For those of you still following this blog, I have decided to keep updating it. I probably won't have the time to update it daily, though I really wish I could. I found out about this really neat movement called LoveMine that aims to bring awareness to the injustices happening in Burma. It's a "collaborative movement of people and organizations committed to peace, hope and freedom for the people of Burma". Please visit their site and see what they're all about.
Last year, UCLA held its annual "Mighty Mic" concert with proceeds donated to help the refugees in Burma. Maybe this year, UCLA will once again be one of the rally points for Burmese freedom.
" South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his administration remain under attack for failing to help the poor, protect the environment and for violating human rights.
Since the start of the month 124 intellectuals and university professors have complained that South Korea’s democracy, press freedom and media independence have been weakened. Two days ago Buddhist and Catholic religious leaders have joined the fight.
On Monday thousands of Buddhist monks and hundreds of Catholic priest issued separate statements calling on President Lee to change his style of government. "
Welcome to the global hub for supporting, Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's detained democracy leader, on her 64th birthday.
64 for Suu is a site where anyone from around the world can leave a message of support for Burma's imprisoned democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. We want to gather hundred's of messages by her 64th Birthday, June 19th 2009.
You can view video, text, twitter and image messages from around the world left by politicians, celebrities and the public in support of Aung San Suu Kyi.
"A roller coaster of alternating hope and despair" - Village Voice
"A rich, thought-provoking film" - The New York Times"
The award-winning new documentary film "Burma VJ" will be screening in Los Angeles at Laemmle Sunset 5 on May 29 (exact times not yet announced; call the theater for info. closer to the date: 323-848-3500)
LA88 is encouraging all who are able to attend to show their solidarity with the people of Burma by joining us for the May 29 showing. Please also help to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis in Burma and the heroism of its people by inviting others to attend this important screening. The filmmakers describe the movie in part as follows:
"...Though risking torture and life in jail, courageous young citizens of Burma live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news from their closed country. The Burma VJs stop at nothing to make their reportages from the streets of Rangoon... The film offers a unique insight into high-risk journalism and dissidence in a police state, while at the same time providing a thorough documentation of the historical and dramatic days of September 2007, when the Buddhist monks started marching."
20-May – New York, NY – Film Forum 29-May – Los Angeles, CA – Laemmle Sunset 5 05-Jun – Irvine, CA – Regal Westpark 05-Jun – Portland, OR – Regal Fox Tower 19-Jun – Charlotte, NC – Regal Park Terrace 19-Jun – Boston, MA – Coolidge 24-Jun – Portland, ME – SPACE Gallery 26-Jun – Tallahassee, FL – Regal Miracle 5 26-Jun – Austin, TX – Regal Arbor 19-Jul – Santa Fe, NM – CCA 24-Jul – Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Museum of Art 31-Jul – Washington, DC – Landmark E-Street 07-Aug – Salt Lake City, UT – Tower 28-Aug – Seattle, WA – NW Film Forum
Here's an article about the recent situation in Sri Lanka.I haven't had time to keep up with then news lately so this is all fresh news to me:
While Sri Lanka continues celebrations of its defeat of the rebel Tamil Tigers, the international community is calling for the country, run by the Sinhalese majority, to be sincere in its pledge for national reconciliation. The primary focus is on the treatment of 300,000 Tamils in displacement camps in the north.
I think this is pretty significant. It's a Vesak message by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In the past, he's used religious quotes in his speeches. Here's his Vesak message:
In his message the British PM said "I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Wesak. Britain’s Buddhists will join with others around the world to reflect on the birth and enlightenment of Lord Buddha and I wanted to let you know that my thoughts are with you as you celebrate this Buddha Day".
He further said, "The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path have brought so much peace to so many and we can all learn from Buddhist philosophy and the practice of mindfulness."
"Today we should reflect on the great spiritual contribution that Buddhism has made to the world and congratulate Britain’s Buddhists for their vibrant contribution to our national life. Please do pass on my best wishes to your family and friends".
The Tricycle has posted a notice about a new program called "Adopt a Monk", organized by the Clear View Project. It's goal is to help the Burmese monks and nuns imprisoned from the Saffron Revolution. Here's how it works:
• Contact Clear View Project to choose a monk or nun. • Send regular letters on his/her behalf to the United Nations, Burmese Generals, & US government. • Send funds to buy more food & medicine for that monk. (details follow) • Hold monthly meditations at your center or public vigils in honor of the monk or all imprisoned monastics. • Send loving kindness to the monks & nuns, their families and the Burmese generals.
I guess you just can't please everyone, though I do like how the prime minister of the Tibetan-government-in-exile interpreted the situation:
"Samdhong Rinpoche, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, said South Africa was under pressure from Beijing and its decision to bar the Dalai Lama was a business matter.
'South Africa is a newly emerging country and China is giving it considerable economic resources so it is understandable,' he said Monday in Dharmsala, India. 'Every country has to protect its economic and political interests.' "
"This isn’t to say that the Benalmádena stupa is devoid of political overtones. “The target may be other Buddhist groups,” suggests Martin Baumann, a professor of religion at Lucerne University (Switzerland) who researches the political impact of religious buildings. Many Tibetan Buddhists believe that their tradition is the purest. “In this way,” Dr. Baumann adds, “the Dalai Lama and other lamas are seen as being the carriers of unpolluted spirituality.” Built in strict accordance with traditional prescriptions and rituals, the stupa thus gives Tibetan Buddhism high visibility in the West’s Buddhist landscape.
The stupa also plays into an internal dispute within one of the four principal schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the Karma Kagyu. The Dalai Lama is the most prominent international spokesman for Tibetan Buddhism and for the Tibetan diaspora. This shines the spotlight on the school he heads, the Gelugpa school. Some speculate, however, that upon his death, focus could shift to the Karma Kagyu school and its head, known by the title of “Karmapa,” as the rallying point for Tibetans in exile."
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."
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:
"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."
The six realms of Buddhism are rebirth as a deva, an asura, a human being, an animal, a hungry ghost, or a being in Naraka (hell). Can we make any metaphorical connections from these realms to our life here as a human?
O'Brien writes about how being reborn as an asura may very much be like being a corporate or political leader.
"I believe these days most of us (including, I understand, His Holiness the Dalai Lama) do not believe in the Six Realms as actual locations. Instead, they are more often understood as metaphors for our psychological projections. As such, it seems to me the Six Realms teachings shed light on our ongoing financial crisis."
"A Chinese delegation arrived in Taiwan late on Sunday to help deal with an incident in which two visiting monks from China’s Linggu Temple died at a Hsinchu hotel last week. The delegation was headed by Li Huaining (李淮寧), a Nanjing City Government department chief in charge of ethnic and religious affairs.
Li said after his arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport that his group expected to get first-hand information about the incident.
He was referring to a suspected homicide-suicide case last Wednesday in which Dharma Master Jing Ran (淨然), abbot of Linggu Temple, was believed to have been killed by Dharma Master Chun Ru (純如), supervisor at the same temple, who later committed suicide." Read full article.
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.
"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."
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."
Chief Buddhist Monk Jeon Woom Deok, who is the Chairman of the Gandhara Arts and Culture Association, Korea, met with President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan. They talked about future projects and cooperation between the Pakistan government and the Chief Monk in "promoting goodwill and interfaith harmony".
Gandhara is the name of an ancient kingdom once located in what is now northern Pakistan, Kashmir, and eastern Afghanistan. During the 1st to 5th century, Buddhist Kushan Kings brought the kingdom to its peak.
According to the CIA World Factbook, the Pakistani population is 95% Muslim (75% Sunni, 20% Shia), 5% other (includes Christian and Hindu).
Taiwan's opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), disapproves and criticizes Foreign Minister Francisco Ou for saying that the Dalai Lama has political motivations.
During a speech on Taiwan's foreign policies at Yishou University in Kaosiung County, a student asked Ou about the Dala Lama visiting Taiwan.
Although the Foreign Ministry is not involved with arranging the Dalai Lama's visit, Ou's personally believes that the Dalai Lama acts as a political leader as well as a religious leader, therefore having political motiviations in his oversea visits.
This comment has attracted great dispproval from the DPP.
"DPP lawmaker Lai Ching-teh said that Ou's remark shows that President Ma Ying-jeou's government is looking at the Dalai Lama 'with political eyeglasses.'
'It's a pity that the Ma government refuses to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan for fear of angering China,' the Liberty Times quoted him as saying.
Tsai Huang-lang, another DPP lawmaker, said that Ou is not fit to be foreign minister. 'His remark will make the international community see Taiwan as an appendix of a totalitarian state (China). This is a misfortune for Taiwan,' he said. "
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