Buddhism – Page 6 – The Talkative Man

Om Mani Padme Hum: The Essential Mantra of Tibetan Buddhism

Om mani padme hum, the great mantra of Tibetan Vajrayana

A mantra is a powerful and significant set of syllables, repeated in worshipping incantations. The most famous is ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ (Sanskrit, ‘Om, jewel of the lotus, hum’), an essential mantra of Tibetan Buddhism.

Om Mani Padme Hum: The Essential Mantra of Tibetan Buddhism The great Tibetan mantra, Om mani padme hum, engraved on metal and rock. It is also frequently printed on prayer flags and written on slips of paper and stuffed into the heart of a prayer wheel, so that with each flutter of each one of the flags and every turn of the prayer wheel, the vibrations of the mantra are sent out into the atmosphere. The purpose might be to create a positive force field around oneself and one’s community, and of course, to expand one’s merit.

The great mantra of Tibetan Vajrayana is Om mani padme hum. Inscribed on prayer wheels that are kept continuously turning and on multi-colored prayer flags that flutter benedictions in all directions, this mantra is central to the Tibetan way of life. Although the words mean “Hail the Jewel in the Lotus”, the mantra is believed to have consequence beyond the literal.

The great Tibetan mantra, Om mani padme hum, engraved on metal

At one level, the jewel and the lotus can be seen as the dharma and the Buddha. At the tantric level, the mantra represents the intercourse of the Buddha with his feminine sakti, or Avalokiteshvara with Tara. While mani and padme share a grammatical association, om and hum are syllables that cannot be straightforwardly translated.

At a solely syllabic level, the six syllables of the mantra have been interpreted as corresponding with the six paramita (perfections) of the bodhisattva. These are generosity, patience, meditation, morality, energy and wisdom. One way or another, the mantra has also got absorbed with the idea of accumulating merit in the form of good karma, and part of the spirited turning of prayer wheels and the constant chanting with prayer beads is geared towards the end of notching up as many Om mani padme hums as possible. This reverberation is an important part of the Tibetan laity’s life of dharma. Centuries of being regulated to suit diverse human breathing and speaking patterns has rounded the edges of the mantra, so that it no longer has the clear-cut edges of the original Sanskrit, and has settled more or less in the comfortable groove of being Om Mani Peme Hung.

The great mantra of Tibetan Vajrayana Om mani padme hum inscribed on prayer wheels

Dr. Filchner offers us here a general talk about a remarkable expedition that he carried through, notwithstanding immense difficulties, in Tibet for the purpose of cartographical surveys. He gives us a diary exemplified by fine photographs and interesting little sketches, and in this way offers us a most valuable supplement to Sir Charles Bell’s account. The expedition discussed is between Lanzhou and Ladakh along the north side of the Hedin Mountains or Trans-Himalaya. It is only within fairly recent times that the Trans-Himalaya has been evidently documented as a range, thanks largely to the investigations of Dr. Sven Hedin. It is therefore particularly interesting to have an account of a journey along this northern flank, and we look forward with interest to the publication of the scientific results.

Buddhist Concept of Nirvana

An 18th century painting of a reclining Buddha during the transition from this world to nirvana

Nirvana is the Hindu/Buddhist concept of the state of enlightenment achieved when karma and craving are extinguished.

The concept of nirvana originated with the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE), during the sixth century BCE. Though Buddhism is grounded in Hindu philosophy, it is a heterodox approach to spiritual cultivation that eschews some of the core tenets of Hinduism, and the belief in nirvana epitomizes this philosophical shift.

The Sanskrit word nirvana literally translates as “snuffing out,” and refers to the eradication of the karma (a force generated by a person’s actions) and craving that bind an individual to the cycle of rebirth (samsara). One of the central ideas of Buddhism is anatman, which is a rejection of the Hindu notion that there is a permanent, essential self (the atman, or soul) that is one with ultimate reality. Because there is no self to whom karma can attach, Buddhism explains the transfer of karma using a candle metaphor: just as an old candle (one’s dying body) begins to peter out, its flame (karma) ignites the wick of a second candle (an infant’s body). Thus, karma is able to transfer without having to attach to a self. Nirvana occurs when one has reached enlightenment and eliminated ignorant attachment to false ideals, which snuffs out karma and allows one to exit the cycle of rebirth.

Theravada Buddhism divides nirvana into two stages, the awakening of the arhat (enlightened being) and parinirvana (the exit from samsara upon death), though practitioners in the Mahayana tradition take the bodhisattva vow to not enter nirvana until all sentient beings have been awakened.

Though nirvana signifies a key split from Buddhism’s Hindu origins, the concept has influenced Hinduism and is present in the 700-verse scripture the Bhagavad Gita, in which Krishna uses the concept of brahama nirvana to describe the state of liberation in which karma is eradicated and one has achieved union with Brahman (ultimate reality).

Buddhist Stupa in Kanganahalli, Karnataka

Maha-Chaitya Buddhist Stupa in Sannati Kanaganahalli

Kanganahalli in Gulbarga district is situated on the left bank of the river Bhima and the archaeological site is located about 3 km from the famous Chandralamba temple at Sannati where Ashokan inscriptions have been discovered. Though there were enough indications for the existence of Buddhism and Buddhist art during the early centuries of the Christian era in Karnataka, they had not been discovered yet. Hence archaeologists taking the clue from surface finds began conducting excavations at Sannati and Kanganahalli and the excavations have yielded ample material throwing new light on the Mauryan period and a flourishing Buddhist art in the early period. The excavations are still in progress and once the excavations are completed a new brilliant chapter on Buddhism and Buddhist art in Karnataka becomes clear.

The most important result of the excavation was a mahastupa the diameter of which was around 75 ft. It should have had an impressive height in keeping with the diameter. It also exposed the medhi along with hundreds of sculptured slabs with lotus designs and other decorations. Standing or seated Buddha images of Amaravati style have added a new dimension to the early art of Karnataka. One of the most important and rare sculptural slabs had a portrait of Mauryan king Ashoka. The majestic king is accompanied by his queen and they are attended by two chauri beares. To confirm that it was the portrait of Ashoka, the sculptor has carved a single line label inscription, reading “Rayo Asoko” in Brahmi script of the Satavahana period. Perhaps this is the first inscribed image of Ashoka discovered in India.

Portrait of Mauryan king Ashoka accompanied by his queen at Buddhist Stupa in Kanganahalli

The excavation has yielded literally hundreds of limestone bass-relief sculptures as well as full round sculptures relating to railing and paved circumbulation, and slabs with carvings of Jataka stories. Thus it is a veritable storehouse of Buddhist sculptures of the early period. The excavation also yielded more than one hundred inscriptions of Brahmi script and Prakrit language datable to first century B.C., to second century A.D. Some of these inscriptions refer to Satavahana kings like Sri Satakami, Pulumavi, Yajnasri Satakami etc. The excavation has also yielded a large number of coins of the Satavahana kings. Thus the Kanganahalli excavations have great significance for the early history of Karnataka. All those who are interested in the early history of Karnataka have been waiting for the completion of the excavations at Kanganahalli so that a new chapter on Buddhist art can be added.

Of Nagas and Naginis: Serpent Figures in Hinduism and Buddhism

Vishnu and Ananta-Shesha

Nagas and the feminine Naginis are serpent figures who play a role in the Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. The source of the Nagas may possibly be attributed to the pre-Aryan fertility cults of ancient India.

Nagaraja Mucilinda protects Gautama Buddha as he attains enlightenment In the Hindu mythology, the nagas reside within the earth in an aquatic underworld. They are embodiments of terrestrial waters as well as door-and gate-custodians. In terms of significance, the nagas are creatures of abundant power who defend the underworld and confer fertility and prosperity upon those with which they are individually associated in the worldy realm—a meadow, a shrine, a temple, or even a whole kingdom.

If a naga is suitably worshipped, prosperity can result. If ignored, snubbed, or affronted, the naga can cause debacle and cataclysm.

Nagas in Buddhism

In the Buddhist tradition, when Gautama Buddha attains enlightenment, he is said to have been protected by the hood of hood of Nagaraja Mucilinda, symbolizing the principle that the nagas can place their natural powers in the service of a Buddha.

Krishna conquers Naga Kaliya

Nagas in Hinduism

In the Hindu tradition, Vishnu and his avatar Krishna are both portrayed as vanquishers of serpents, indicating their power over the realm of waters. In the middle of the dissolution of one epoch and the beginning of another epoch, Vishnu sleeps on what is left of the old world, a remainder of the cosmic sacrifice represented by the serpent Ananta-Shesha. Krishna conquers the poisonous Naga Kaliya living in the Yamuna river. And Shiva is portrayed adorned with the “Nagendra Haara,” the garland of a serpent. A naga also covers the linga—the iconic representation of Shiva.

Naga Panchami

The Hindu festival Naga Panchami centers around the traditional worship of snakes or serpents throughout India and also in Nepal.

MYANMAR: The Best Sights, Destinations, and Experiences (ASEAN Travel)

Best Sights of Myanmar

Mandalay, Bagan, Inle, and Yangon—these names all conjure up the wonder that is Myanmar, at least in a traveler’s mind. Now, you have the freedom to venture a little farther as well. With recent reforms easing restrictions in this proud country, it is finally time to see what Myanmar has been hiding away all these years.

Myanmar: At a Glance

Capital: Naypyidaw
Currency: MMK/Kyat (1,000 Myanmar Kyats is about USD 1)
Population: 63.67 Million
Language: Burmese
National Flower: Padauk
GDP (PPP) Per Capita: USD 1,405
Official Tourism Website: http://tourismmyanmar.org/
Wikitravel Travel Guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Myanmar

Experience the Best Attractions of Myanmar

Architecture 101: Former capitals are full of old glory and great architecture, and Yangon is not far behind. Spend the day marveling at the colossal reclining Buddha at Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, the gold-hued Botataung Pagoda and Sule Pagoda, the Burmese Yangon City and the colonial-styled Supreme Court.
Hunt for Bargains: The Bogyoke Aung San Market (sometimes known by its British name, Scott’s Market) is a sprawling old handicrafts bazaar of around 2,000 shops. Spend the day alongside locals, haggling for colorful Shan shoulder bags, and interesting bits of local arts and crafts, jewelry, ancient antiques, and lacquer ware.
It’s All Rice: Rice, in all its forms, is a staple in the distinctive cuisine of Myanmar. Rice noodles served with fish soup, known locally as mohinga, are a favorite breakfast dish, and are usually eaten on special occasions.
Get a Bird’s Eye View: Climb up Mandalay Hill for an all-encompassing view of how flat Mandalay really is. You will see the Irrawaddy twisting across the land from up here, while you help a local monk brush up his English. This hallowed spot is where Buddha once prophesied the founding of a great city.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Surrounded by greenery and marshes, cool morning mists, villages of houses on stilts and floating gardens, the Inle Lake is usually pretty. You can get around the lake on a motorized canoe, or ask around if you want to float about on a traditional flat-bottomed Intha skiff.
Art Lessons: Bagan, in the Mandalay region, brims with graceful ruins of old temples, pagodas, and stupas. Between Old and New Bagan, the village of Myinkaba boasts an age-old lacquer ware tradition; you can spend hours rummaging through excellently crafted cups, plates, and boxes, wondering just how many you can fit into your luggage.
Wander through Ruins: Thayekhittaya or the ‘Fabulous City’ a Pyu capital of long ago, was destroyed almost as long ago by Chinese invaders, and today, it has been nominated for a UNESCO World Heritage listing. Rumble through the ruins among the overgrown bush on an ox cart, and explore the Bawbawgyi Pagoda, one of the oldest in the city, and the Leimyethna Pagoda, with Buddhist relief carvings.
Pagoda Sunsets: Make your way up to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon as the sun begins to set, the golden spires of the temple light up, monks glide past and local residents trickle in to pay their respects as the sky takes on various colors of pink, oranges and blues. Look for a quiet spot, settle down, and enjoy the peace of the evening.
Find Your Spiritual Side: Go forth and find your holy spirit at Mount Popa, an extinct volcano and the abode of 37 nats or local spirits, once so important that the early kings were rumored to consult them on crucial matters. The solitary peak is covered in stupas; the statues at the base are of the spirits.
I am with Stupa: Sagaing lies along the Irrawaddy River, across the only bridge that spans it. It is dotted with white and gold pagodas that shimmer away in the sun, and if you clamber up the tree-hung stairways past ancient monasteries that lead up to various viewpoints, the spectacle of stupas is something else.

Zen Buddhism is Like a Philosophical Iceberg

Great Buddha of Kamakura, Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism is a variety of Buddhism that developed as “Chan” in seventh century in China and permeated east into Japan to become known as “Zen” Buddhism.

Zen Buddhism is rooted in the principles and wisdom of the historical Buddhist philosophy, Zen places less prominence on theory and studying texts than do other varieties of Buddhism. Zen Buddhism places far more emphasis on practicing meditation to gain direct experience of one’s true nature. The distinguishing characteristic of Zen Buddhism is that it gives principal meaning to meditation and to the concept that the world is beautiful, when experienced through the senses that are not eclipsed by desire and want.

Zen Buddhism is like a philosophical iceberg: roughly all of the values are beneath the surface. On the whole, Buddhism is predicated upon the proposition that desires and attachment happen to be the principal grounds of suffering, and that deliverance from suffering comes from one detaching the misapprehension of a substantial self and one losing desires and attachments. This principle are infused and embedded in Zen texts.

The Zen texts also take from the Madhyamika discipline of Buddhist beliefs the anti-realist assertion that there is no objectively correct and authoritative perspective on anything. These assertions are highlighted—not argued for—in the Zen literature by use of koans (puzzles.) Zen Buddhist monks meditate upon koans as a way of disposing of the notion of dependence on reason in their pursuit of enlightenment.

From the time when it arrived in the West in the late nineteenth century, Zen Buddhism has appealed to academics, philosophers, truth-seekers, and practitioners who like its unique paradoxes, its emphasis on philosophy rather than holy practices or dogmatic beliefs.

INDONESIA: The Best Sights, Destinations, and Experiences (ASEAN Travel)

Sights and Sounds of Indonesia

The Indonesian archipelago is a incredible blend of exceptional cultures, adventure experiences, and indigenous wildlife that goes way beyond the much-explored realms of Bali. There is no better way to step off the tourist trail and have a assortment of holiday stories that no one else will than with a trip through these 17,000 islands

Indonesia: At a Glance

Capital: Jakarta
Currency: IDR/Rupiah (12,000 Indonesian Rupiah is about USD 1.05)
Population: 244.47 Million
Language: Indonesian
National Flower: Moon Orchid, Jasminum Sambac, Rafflesia Arnoldii
GDP (PPP) Per Capita: USD 4,977
Official Tourism Website: http://www.indonesia.travel/
Wikitravel Travel Guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Indonesia

Experience the Best Attractions of Indonesia

Get Your Cocoa On: ‘Monggo’ is Javanese for ‘please, go ahead’ and when you taste these scrumptious Indonesian chocolates, you will definitely want to go ahead and eat them by the handful. If Willy Wonka lived outside our heads, we are sure that these scrumptious, dark, locally made treats would be his trademark. Leave room in your bag for them!
Dive into the Deep: Far away and remote, the sparkling clear emerald green waters of the Gill Islands off Lombok are stunning, and diving heaven. Get your scuba gear on—there are hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, lionfish and many funny looking parrotfish to rub fins with swimming amid all the colorful coral.
Truly In-spired: Huge temples in rice fields seem to be South East Asia’s thing, and, just like Angkor War, Borobudur is spectacular in itself. An enigmatic Buddhist temple complex rising out of too-green-to-be-true rice paddies, surrounded by volcanic peaks reaching for the skies, it looks like it arrived at the beginning of time. There are monasteries around at which visitors are welcome; you can even join the monks in the prayer chanting.
Tail Tales: Watch out for forked, snake-like tongues on Komodo Island, notable because its home to the world’s largest lizard, the unique and badass Komodo dragon. The largest island in Komodo National Park, surrounded by pink shores and red coral, it is also where you can trek and walk through rural fishing villages on stilts.
Shop Your Way through Seminyak: Glitzy Seminyak, home to galleries, local Balinese boutiques, restaurants and excellent hotels lining the beaches, is a whole other world. Go window-shopping on Abhimanyu Street, famous for its exclusive boutiques.
Misty Mountaintops: Climb up the smoky volcanic hills of Berastagi, where it is always cool and green. Gunung Sibayak and Gunung Sinabung each take a day to hike, and are very easy to get to.
Art it Up: As you saw in Eat, Pray, Love was very real— Ubud is serene, impossibly green, and full of art and character. Spend your days soaking in the culture, browsing through local artisans’ shops and whiling the afternoons away in a cafe.
Eat Your Heart Out: If you will come back missing something, all bets are on the food. Indonesian cuisine is mouth-watering, colorful and for lack of a better word, delicious. Snack on lightly spiced nasi goreng topped with a fried egg for breakfast, lap up fiery curries and banana-wrapped fish, and enjoy that staple, spicy chili-flavored sambal.
Go Local: Just east of Bali, the islands of Nusa Tenggara are diverse. Discover native animistic rituals and long-running tribal traditions that co-exist alongside Islamic Lombok and Catholic Bores.
Of Coffee and Rhinos: Java has a fair bit going for it. Surrounded by the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean, there are temples, tropical islands, and brilliant surf breaks. Glug down some of that world famous Javan coffee, and go looking for the Javan rhino, one of the rarest mammals in the world.

LAOS: The Best Sights, Destinations, and Experiences (ASEAN Travel)

Laos Travel: Best Sights

Laos was not really thought of as a tourist destination until the 1990s, when people realized it had more to offer than just pachyderms and Buddhist monks. Even as elephants and religion continue to drive the country, there are also dramatic landscapes, ancient architectural ruins and much history to be discovered, making it a wonderful spot for the inquisitive traveler.

Laos: At a Glance

Capital: Vientiane
Currency: LAK/Kip (10,000 Lao Kips is about USD 1.25)
Population: 6.38 Million
Language: l2r5h7 Lao
National Flower: Dok Champa
GDP (PPP) Per Capita: USD 3,011
Official Tourism Website: http://www.tourismlaos.org/
Wikitravel Travel Guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Laos

Experience the Best Attractions of Laos

Take a Walk: A blend of traditional architecture and urban structures, Luang Prabang is made for ambling around in. Make a stop at the Royal Palace Museum before heading on to discover the War Nong, Wat Sene, and Wat Khili temples. Chill for a bit at Dara Market, and later catch the sunset from the boat pier.
Do a Temple Run: Visit one of the oldest temples in Luang Prabang—Wat Visounnarath, which is home to the incredible That Mak Mo stupa. However, the most beautiful temple in Luang Prabang has to be Wat Xieng Thong, whose tiered roofs sweep low almost to touch the ground. The temple is considered a archetypal example of the Luang Prabang style of architecture.
A Different Treat: Jump straight into the native experience and try a serving of fried crickets. These crunchy snacks are available both at street-side stalls and in some cafes and eateries, and are best eaten hot, and with an open mind! Khop Chai Deu in Vientiane is a safe place at which to try crickets and other local delicacies.
Buddha Says: The Pak Ou Caves are a short trip upstream from Luang Prabang. This network of caves at the convergence of the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers is where you will find hundreds of Buddha statues left by devotees over the centuries.
Explore Hidden Caves: The capital of the Khammouane province in south-central Laos, Thakhaek is a small municipality dotted with lots of lovely French architecture. However, its main draw lies in its limestone mountains—the site of hundreds of unexplored caves, including some that are believed to keep undiscovered treasures. How is that for adventure? The most well known among these is the 7.5km-long Kong Lor Cave. Also worth a dekko is the Buddha Cave, which holds, as the name suggests, rows and rows of gorgeous Buddha statues.
Take a Cooking Class: If you have fallen in love with Lao food, take a cooking class so that you can whip up some of your favorite dishes back home. Tamarind offers cooking classes that give you a crash course in Lao cuisine, followed by a visit to the market to pick out fresh ingredients. You can learn to make mok pa, a dish of herbed fish steamed in banana leaves, or laab, a minced-meat and herb salad, among other tasty treats.
Heritage up Top: Overlooking the Mekong River valley, the incredibly well preserved Wat Phu Champasak Temple complex is more than a thousand years old. Lined with jacaranda trees, this Khmer-styled temple was originally dedicated to Shiva, and later converted into a Buddhist temple. As you are walking around soaking in all the history and culture, keep your eyes peeled for the funny crocodile and elephant stones.
Fun in the Water: Drive, trek, or hitchhike your way past forests, villages, and rice fields to the cascading waters of the Kwang Si Waterfalls. Dive in for a bit of a paddle, walk up for pretty views, and then dig into your picnic basket for a well-deserved meal. Remember to stop at the Asiatic Black Bear Rescue Centre that looks after bears rescued from poachers.
Mountain Shrines: Bang in the heart of Luang Prabang’s old town, Mount Phou Si is a small hill of religious significance to the locals. It is sandwiched between the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers, and offers great vistas over the city. Two shrines call Mount Phou Si home, namely War Phou Si, halfway up to the top, and Wat Chom Si, which sits at the peak.
Night Owls: While Luang Prabang has no dearth of charms through the day, its night market is worth exploring, too. With what is possibly the largest collection of Lao handicrafts available for sale in one place, it is a great place at which to buy souvenirs to take home.

The Seven Deadly Sins (Christianity) and the Five Poisons (Buddhism)

The Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven Deadly Sins (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Proverbs 6:16-19 in the Book of Proverbs in The Holy Bible lists “six things the Lord hateth, and the seventh His soul detesteth” (from the American Standard Version):

haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that deviseth wicked purposes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
a false witness that uttereth lies,
he that soweth discord among brethren.

The Seven Deadly Sins (The Common List)

In AD 590, Pope Gregory I amended and consolidated the various lists of seven sins that were in vogue then and created the more common list of Seven Deadly Sins. Even Dante Alighieri, the celebrated Italian poet of the Middle Ages, quoted this list of Seven Deadly Sins in his epic, The Divine Comedy.

lechery / lust (luxuria in Latin)
gluttony (gula in Latin)
avarice / greed (avaritia in Latin)
sloth / discouragement (acedia in Latin)
wrath (ira in Latin)
envy (invidia in Latin)
pride (superbia in Latin)

“Five Poisons” in the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism

The Mahayana tradition of Buddhism inventories five kleshas, mental states that can cloud the mind and result in unwholesome actions:

Ignorance. Also: confusion, bewilderment, delusion, disorder
Attachment. Also: desire, passion, yearning
Aversion. Also: anger, hatred, rage, fury
Pride. Also: arrogance, conceit, overconfidence, condescension
Jealousy. Also: envy, spite, covetousness