The Light of Dhamma

Psychology Dictionary

2007-03-21T03:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Dhamma friends

First of all, I would like to present you all a very precious thing the most I like in my life is that the first thing which I have done up to now.

This is my first work to Buddhism. It is gratitude to nearly the half of my age in Buddhism With full veneration to the teachers and friends Cambodia.

I work at this very hard duty in order to help the learners of Abhidhamma to some extents. However, it is no standard of modern dictionary as regard my bit knowledge. During this compilation, I get some confused at the decision whether the definition of word concerned.

Some words are rendered many English equivalents. Sankhara, for instance, is multi-significant meaning as mental formation, function, Kammaic formation. In afraid of costing of meaning, I shall chose only one or two meaning and the chosen one would not lead to misunderstanding.

The main motive mode to set-up this dictionary: 1- I myself look crazy on Abhidamma words and no dictionary relevant to this aim, 2- I, the first one who challenges with this common negligence, am the student so neither the other students are.

I need your comment on this cover design and my good-will will reciprocate reverence to you.

Best wishes for all.

Performance of Householder

2007-03-21T02:59:00.000-07:00

The performance for householder who wish to build new house

Sunidha and Vassakara chief ministers of Magadha were building a fortress in Pataligama village. Higher, middle, and lower deities occupied the appropriate dwelling for them. The Buddha predicted that the village would become Pataliputta City, a great center for trading, but also 3 kinds of danger hanging over the city. The dangers are fire, flood and dissension/ disunity.

The Buddha accepted the invitation to a meal at a ministers’ residence where he delivered a discourse on instructions for the householder to perform rightly on occupying a new house as follows:

“A prudent man who take up his abode in a certain place

Should offer food to monks of self- control.
Share the merits to the deities occupying the site.
Deities will reciprocate honor/reverence to him.
Good fortune will come to him who has the grace of deities.

Buddhism and Cambodian Society

2007-03-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

First of all, I would to introduce the Cambodia site to all of you before describing the situation of Buddhism in the country; as you may know among the Buddhist countries in the world, Cambodia is one of the five Theravada Buddhist countries. Cambodia is located in the southern edge of the huge peninsula which is known as Indochina or mainland in South East Asia. There are about 181,035 Sq kilometers in size and she has border to the west and north with Thailand and Loa, to the east and to the south with Vietnam and China’s sea. She is administratively divided into 24 provinces and cities; out of about 13 millions of the today Cambodia population, 95 percents are Buddhists. Therefore, Cambodia has been a stronghold of Theravada Buddhism; according to the constitution, Buddhism is the state religion of this country. Buddhism has been playing a very important role in the lives of Cambodian people both in the past and present.

All the Cambodian kings dedicated their lives for the sake of promoting and propagating their religion. Under the patronage of the former king, his majesty Norodom Sihanouk Varman (Narottama Siha hanu Varman) who just abdicated last year (2003), once became a monk in order to be free from bringing about all reform in his kingdom, and especially with the vigorous guidance of His holiness Samdech Preah Sa¼gharæja Mahæ Sumedhædhipati ( Chuon Nath), the late supreme of Mahænikæya Buddhist sect, Cambodia has made a rapid progress in organization the education of the religious order and propagating the faith among the laity. Cambodia has as many as 2800 monasteries with 82000 monks and novices.

In 1914, the government opened, in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, a Pali high school where young monks were instructed and gave Diploma after for years training. The instruction was not only confined to the religion subjects but also including subjects useful in the temporal world. This school has now developed into college. In 1933, the authority began to establish elementary Pali school, where the monks are trained. The last few years a new re-opened Buddhist University which known as Preah Sihanouk Raj Buddhist University.

To achieve this program of religious instruction in Phnom Penh a Royal library was opened in 1925 and a Buddhist Institute in 1930, later the government appointed a Tipi¥aka boards consisting of eminent scholars who were asked to prepare for publication Pali Texts and Cambodian transitions. The library output of this instruction in highly credible. There are 110 volumes in bilingual series (Pali- Cambodia). A copy of all the texts of the Pali canon written by hands were sent to the sixth Buddhist council (Chattasa¼gæyana) help in Rangoon, Burma (1954-1956).

Among the ten volumes published in Pali and translation (1938-1954) are the Abhidhamma Sa¼gaha (1938), the Visuddhimagga (1946), Bhikkhupatimokkha (1950), Ma¼gala¥¥hadipanø (1952), and the Abhidhamma pi¥aka and the Sattappakærana Abhidhamma (1953), not fewer than 187 volumes, mostly on religious subjects, have been published in the Cambodian language by the various libraries and institutions. Thus, Cambodia has made tremendous progress in field of populization of Pali studies and the education of the monks. Not only that in order to keep close cooperation between the Buddhist monastic order and the government, the ministry of religious affair was founded.

Senior members of the monastic order take part in newly all state ceremonies and observances. In turn, the government protects the land and revenues of the order, gives financial support to the maintenance of the monasteries, promotes the monastic education and fosters Buddhist teaching in schools and on radio and TV program.

The oath of allegiance ceremony in which loyalty was pledged to the king superseded by a government sponsored Constitution Day in which religious ceremonies had prominent places.

The Hierarchical system of monastic activities is kept under careful supervision and good discipline maintained among the quarter million monks and novice. The administrative structure of the order in Cambodia is closely parallel that of the civil government at all levels, provincial as well as central.

The ministry of religious affair looks like as special secretary general of the monastic order. The ministry oversees the budget of the monastic order and assists the officers of the order with their administrative duties.

The heads of Sa¼ghas in Cambodia are the supreme patriarchies, the Samdech Preah Sa¼gharæja who were appointed by the king consultation with the order. The supreme patriarchies are chosen of the basic of rank and abilities. They are two in number, one is to govern the Mahænikæya sect and another is to control the Dhammayuttikanikæya one, ordinarily they remain in the office until their deaths. The present Sangharaja are Samdech Preah Sumedhædhipati Tep Vong of Mahænikæya and Samdech Preah Sugandhadhipati Bur Kry.

Cambodia literatures and mural arts have heavily upon the Sutta Pi¥aka and Jætaka tales of the Buddha. Aside from music and drama, Buddhism has been the inspiration of the most Cambodian art forms.

Buddhist temples are always the most beautiful and ornate building in the villages. The interior walls of the temple often are covered with mural painting, doors and windows are decorated with intricate designs of foliage of devotes in gold against background of or black lacquer and eaves and gables adorned with wood carving. Mosaic of the porcelain and colored grass often covered the pillars, the altars and sometimes portions of the wall of the Vihæra. The balustrades are frequently made in the form of Naga with the heads serving for newel points. Figure of the Devas and animals are sometimes set above the bases of Cetiya or of temple libraries. Considerable artistry is devoted to the roofs, which highly decorated gables. Within the images of the Buddha of various sizes, some of metal, bronze, gold or silver, others of stone or crystal or of brick covered with mother of pearl designs and various utensils and insignia of rank used in the priesthood are of the same material. Boxes, bowls and utensils are also made of gold or silver.

In the former years, every young man was expected to spend at least a few months in the monastic order to make merit for oneself and others and to study religious subjects (Buddhism). This practice has diminished somewhat because of the competition of economic and educational goals for young man today.

Cambodia, however, accept their religion as heritage of belief, teaching and custom, which in time of rejoicing or death, meet emotional needs and provides answers to the mysteries of life. It supply as doctrine of man, metaphysics, a moral law and an ultimate goal. For daily life, it provides ways for making merit for self and others; devotional exercises austerities, ascetic, enjoyment, and assurance of safety and good fortune by ways of devotion, good conduct, amulets and verbal mantras.

The followers did not formulate the teaching but came to require of the religion such answer and rites as Buddhism could provide. Gift taken to the monasteries are usually carried on silver tray or in silver bowls. It has heavily been devoted to the temple and result may be seen in long sloth banners with hang in temple, in special robes for image, in cloth bags give to the monks for carrying scripture and small objects, and in ornate fans which mark the ecclesiastical rank of the Bhikkhu or monks. The art of the scribe has been exercise in the making ollas sacred palm leaf books with character in Cambodian inscribed with a stylus, then inked, and the whole bound between ornate covers decorated with gold.

During its long residence in Cambodia Buddhism has been become literally rooted in the soul. Excavators constantly find bronze and stone image of the Buddha in the unexpected places, perhaps while digging the foundations or irrigation ditches. Children and adults often wear Buddhist amulets for adornment and protection.

For centuries before Cambodia established its modern educational system, the monasteries gave instruction in reading, writing and simple arithmetic to the novices and small boys in residence. The temple boys were primarily servants who run errands carried parcels for the monks, and help to keep the monasteries premises clean. In return they received food and lodging, moral and religious instruction and a chance to study in a primary school. Some of the boys are relative of the monks, some orphans, some the children of families living far from monastery.

In Phnom Penh, hundreds if not thousand of boys and young men living in monastery dormitories while attending high school and university. They may or may not be depend upon the monastery for food. Cambodia is proud to say that current Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is one of them.

The public schools are conducted in the monasteries, formerly religious instruction in accordance with the tenets of Buddhism was provided for all government schools. In addition, the textbooks including materials on social behavior to meet the present day condition were provided. Lager monasteries with from fifty to five hundred resident monks and novices living depending upon the character and enterprise of the abbot. Large and well run monastery has a Vihæra or temple to worship as the principle building, an Uposatha building of similar design for ecclesiastic rites, one or more Cetiyas or Stupas and numerous of huts for monks and pavilions of Sæla for lay visitors. Temple yard is swept clean and sanded it may be brightened with a few flowers and shrubs cultivated by monks or by some devotees. They are together by ties of custom and reciprocal services. By gradual adjustment through the centuries, Buddhism has become indigenous in Cambodia.

The pattern of relationship between monks and laity is in effect reciprocal and as far as the merit making is concerned, economic cost of supplying the Sa¼gha with food, gift and other necessary is great. The rich and highly ranking devotees are expected to contribute their wealth for upkeep for the monasteries and the monks proportionately more than are the poor, but this seems not be the case. It has been observed that the poor too, tend to spend a larger proportion of their income on making merit than their wealthier neighbor do. Here as they think that they would like to offset the previous evil or bad deed, which cause their poverty in these very lives. The poor also believe that a larger proportion of economic expenditure on merit making that they have spent as a kind of investment, and will lead to bigger accumulation of merit and greater enhancement of well being.

As observance, the most meritorious deed that Cambodia consider, are in descending of importance as following:

1. Becoming a novice (sæma¼era).

2. Becoming a monks (higher ordination or Uposatha).

3. Contributing enough money for the construction of monastery.

4. having a son ordained as the monk.

5. Making excursion to Buddhist shrines throughout the country.

6. Making contribution toward the reparation of the monastery.

7. Offering food daily and on the Sabbath day.

8. Attending the monastery on the Sabbath day and observing the eight precepts (Uposatha Søla)

9. Observing the five precepts all the time.

10. Offering money and cloth to the monks on Kathina ceremony.

11. Attending ceremonies on Visaka full moon day.

12. Offering food and cloths to the monks on Pchum Ben Day (ceremony which Cambodian celebrates for dedicating wholesome deed to those who passed away or Peta).

13. Celebrating and making merit during the Khmer New Year, etc…

Anyhow, Buddhist ceremonies in Cambodia are difficult to classify because they are numerous and yet pass the common characteristics. The Sa¼gha, the third of the triple gems, Buddha, Dhamma, and the order, participates in all formal Buddhist ceremonies including daily and weekly worship service and state, memorial occasional and life cycle rites.

Buddhism today has become dominant great in Cambodia. It influences all walks of lives of the Cambodian; it is hardly to convert them to other faith, for instance, during the colony, French had tried to introduce the Roman Catholic form of the Christianity to the land, Cambodia remained steadfast in their ancient culture (Buddhism).

Cambodia is proud to mention that her people from the grass to the top of the society have enthusiastically supports their belief. They in order to show their strong support and believes to their creed had become monks for sometimes in their lives. Some of the present Cambodian leaders who had been monks are:

- His Majesty King Sihanouk Varman (the former king who abdicate last year).

- His highest Prince Norodom Ranaridh, the president of the National Assembly.

- His highest Prince Norodom Sirivudh, the vice Prime minister and minister of ministry of interior.

- His Excellency, Chea Sim, the president of the senate.

- His Excellency, Dr. Sam Rangsy, the leader of the opposition Sam Rangsy party.

These are few names among them who had been, once time or another, monks in their lives. This clearly proves that Cambodia had made the tremendous progress in the popularization of Buddhism. Therefore, the religion is so important in the people’s life that cannot be separable from each other. It may not be in exaggeration to say that Buddhism has deeply penetrated into Cambodian’s hearts.

Ven. Sin Kong (Indriyasamvara)

Cambodian Monk, B. A (B.Dh)

Reference:

1. History of the Theravada Buddhism in South East Asia, by K.L. Hazra, University

of Culcutta, 1982.

2. Pali literature of South East Asia, by Ven. Dr. H. Saddhatissa, 1990.

3. Encyclopedia of Buddhism. 2005

2007-03-21T02:45:00.000-07:00

The Way To Live In Peace

We, human beings, seek the atmosphere of peace but from day to day lives we generate the fire of anger in our mind, and then cry for peace. It is impossible to peacefully. Whenever negativity arises in the mind, one is bound to become agitated. Negativity in the mind- a mental defilement impurity of the mind cannot coexist with peace and happiness.

Everyone’s need is the peace and tries to find it outside because from the time we born, we opened the eyes and looked the outside world as important thing and happiness. And some others think that money or any other wealth is the source of happiness. It is true that wealth brings us happiness and satisfaction if it is related with lawful and moral code. However, if the wealth associated with immoral, illegal act, our happiness will turn into sorrow, unhappiness, grief and agitation and so on.

From day to day lives we experience the agitation, irritation, torturing, depression, disharmony and suffering etc… And whenever we come into contact with such experience, we do not keep this misery limited in ourselves but we permeate the environment around us to be polluted by our miseries. When such feeling arise in our mind we, ignorance people, do not know how to control it but we react to that by generating a new negativity in our mind- the anger which later develop into aversion, hatred and it spreads outside- in the society, therefore the atmosphere around us or those who come into contact with us also affected by our anger. Anger leads to aversion, hatred, ill will and finally become into the war in society. It is not the proper way to live. Where is the origination of peace?

In fact, it originates from the inside- in the mind of individual. Only that leads outside to be peaceful. How to make peace come into being in our mind at the time of unstable world as today? As we already know nowadays, some people claim that they love peace however they try to burn the fire of anger inside themselves and spray it toward the atmosphere around them. To do so how can one find peace and harmony here and now? Here let us and see the art of living which discovered by great man known as Gotama Buddha, 2500 years ago in the northern part of ancient India- that is vipassanæ.

Vipassanæ is meant to teach us the art of living wisely. It is most practical teaching if we learn it properly and practice it, we will be able to use it effectively in our lives. Then we will know how to live happily and peacefully with equanimity in all circumstances.

The importance of arising peace in our mind is that “know you as the advice of the Buddha has given to in the purpose of living with harmony and peace. We, however, always engage in agitation, torturing, depression and suffering etc. Therefore the lord Buddha taught us to observe whatever sensations arise in our physical or mental structure. On hearing this teaching it sounds very easy to obtain it, but this is the practical aspect. An ordinary person cannot observe what is going in our body and mind. We need the proper training to observe ourselves under the guidance of the qualified teachers because as we know all the defilements are rooted deeply in our mind since we are born from the mother’s womb to this world.

Since we are born in this world we start to open the eyes to look outward so our thoughts are deep to the outside world. We think that the world outside is very important to us for bring peace and happiness or suffering, torturing and depression etc, to us by failing to see inward as the cause of these miseries. Therefore it is not easy to wipe out all the impurities of the mind at once but we have to be patient to cut it off step by step by trying to know ourselves in the way of self- observation.

Still, however, we start to observe what is going on in our body and mind and it is easy to do so, therefore there must be a reaction to that such feeling, pains any part of the body then the agitation arises in our mind at once. After that we start generating another new negative reaction to that by anger, hatred and version. But if such feeling- pains any part of the body, there must be reaction to that when we observe whatever arises in us we know suddenly that “this arises in me or that arises in me”. By noticing like this the defilements which start to arise will disappear, so that we do not allow the new impurity of the mind to arise and uproot the old one, until our minds become purer and purer.

This direct experience of reality of processes of the mind and body in one’s own self, this method of self- observation, is what we call Vipassanæ meditation. Vipassanæ method of meditation is to see thing as they really are, not just as they seem to be. The appearance of truth has to be penetrated; when one reaches to the realization of ultimate truth of the whole mental and physical structure. When we experience this truth then we learn to stop reacting blindly, to stop generating the defilement- impurity of the mind. The old defilements are gradually eradicated. We come out of all miseries, and experience happiness and peace.

Finally our mind will be peaceful, and when we reach this stage, our lives start changing. It is no longer possible for us to anything by speech or action which perturbs the peace happiness of one and of others. Instead the balanced mind not only becomes peaceful in oneself but it also help others to become peaceful because those who reach this stage are full of love which is not associated with attachment known as universal love (compassionate love) Hre it means that when we find peace in ourselves we can also spread it to the atmosphere surround us and those who live nearby will enjoy the taste of peace which bring from inner peace. As we know we all are the member of society therefore if we all have inner peace it means that the society also stays stable, peaceful and harmony.

By: Ven. Sin Kong B.A (B.Dh)

International Thearvada

Buddhist Missionary University

Yangon, Myanmar

The Mirror of Truths

2007-03-21T02:30:00.000-07:00

The mirror of Truths

At Naigama village in the Brick Hall, Venerable Ananda inquires about the next existence of some people who had died. On this occasion, the Buddha taught “the mirror of truths” which enables anyone to know the next existence of the dead people. However the Buddha also suggested not inquiring him anymore about the destiny of dead people, but one should use information preached in the “Mirror of Truth” to decide the future existence of dead ones.

The mirrors of truths are:

1. One who was an Arahant that had cut off all cankers (Asava) is no more to be reborn.

2. A non- returner (Anagami) who has extinguished the five lower fetters – attachment to sensual pleasure, hatred, adherence to rite and rituals, wrong views and doubts- is bound to be reborn in Brahma planes and will attain Arahantship there.

3. A once- retuner ( Sakadagami) who has extinguished the three fetters - adherence to rite and rituals, wrong views and doubts, and weakened the three fetters - attachment to sensual pleasure, hatred and ignorance- will be reborn in the human world only once again.

4. A stream winner ( Sotapanna) who has extinguished the three fetters- adherence to rite and rituals, wrong views and doubts- will never be reborn in unhappy state.

advantages and disadvantages of practice Dhamma

2007-03-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

Fivefold of disadvantages of wrong doer (Dussila)
1. He falls into great poverty through negligence
2. His bad reputation will spread abroad
3. He feels shy and confused in the entering the four assemblies of the noble, religious persons, Brahmins and householders.
4. He dies with worry/ anxiety.
5. He will be reborn in unhappy state after death.

Fivefold of advantages of good doers (Silavanta)
1. He acquires great wealth through carefulness.
2. His good reputation will spread abroad.
3. He enters the four assemblies in confidence and self-possession.
4. He dies without worry/ anxiety.
5. He will be reborn in happy state after death.

Seven factors for prosperity of the Nation

2007-03-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

Seven Factors for Prosperity of Nation

Once when the Buddha was residing on the Vulture’s Peak in Rajagaha Kingdom, the King Ajatasattu of Magadha State sent his chief minister- Vassakara to the Buddha to seek some advices or hints on his alleged attack upon the Vijjian. Instead, the Lord gave some in the form of preaching to his attendant Venerable Ananda. He give the seven factors of the condition of the welfare/ prosperity of the nation.

They are as follow:

frequent and many public meeting
Assembling, dispersing and performance of duties in unity
Not to introduce the new rule, nor break the old one.
To honor /revere/ support the elder
Not to abduct/ seduce women/ girls
To honor/ esteem shrines in towns and villages, and
To provide protections for noble one.