#rajagriha

[boyjumps]

"Have just a little desire and knowing what's enough.”

- that is, you have to have a little less "desire". It's about having a heart that is grateful that it's enough, a heart that knows it's about enough.

The Buddha was ordained at the age of 29. To be ordained means to leave home and become homeless, in other words, a recluse.

The first place the Buddha went to after his ordination was Rajagriha in Magadha (now Rajgir, Bihar), the capital and bustling metropolis of what was then India's greatest power. One day, the king of Magadha saw the Buddha walking gracefully through the streets, in distance. The king was so moved by his nobility that he immediately met with the Buddha and offered him half of Magadha on the extraordinary condition that he would renounce his ordination, and serve as an officer in Magadha. The Buddha refused unreservedly.

"I did not to be ordained to fulfil my desires. I have left to know that desire is dangerous." These were the words of the Buddha. 

So, what is 'desire'?

The desire to eat well, to wear "beautiful clothes", to live in a comfortable place, to get ahead, to be honoured, to have power... There are many desires. These desires are, in essence, the desire to be happy. 

The trouble with these desires is that there is no limit to them. We want to be happy, and we try to get money to do it. But as soon as they get a bit of money, they want more and more.

In Buddhism, the word for "desire" is "trisna". This Sanskrit word means "thirst". Suppose your ship is wrecked and you are in a lifeboat waiting to be rescued. But you have no drinking water. If you drink seawater, will it quench your thirst? No, it won't. The more you drink, the more thirsty you will become.

The more you satisfy a desire, the more it grows. The first thing to do is to recognise that this is what desire is all about.

Then it becomes clear that we have to give up our "desires".

The counter-argument is that 'some desires are good.' For example, "Isn't it good to have a desire to develop one's talents and hope for the future? It is not right to deny this in general".

But think about it. If you have such desires in the name of hope, the person you are at present becomes a useless being. The spiritual desire to progress and improve, if not the desire to earn more money, is also a 'desire, the thirst'.

In other words, there are no good desires. That is the teaching of Buddha. So we have to give up our desires. But to give up "desire" does not mean to become "desire-less". No human being can ever be completely "ascetic".

Therefore, it’s not trying to say "don't work hard" or "don't try to increase your income". If you are grateful for your current income and relaxed about it, your income may increase one day. You just have to wait for it. On the contrary, to deny the present and say, " This is not good enough!" If you deny the present and chase after greed, you are on the way to destruction. The Buddha taught us not to live in such a foolish way.

The important thing is to give up just a little bit of “desire " (to have little desire) and have a sense of gratitude (to know what is good for you). Just be grateful for the present and enjoy it.

[yoga-onion]

Buddha to his disciples, mini-series (15)

The Hārīti - Penitent demon-goddess

The Hārīti was an evil goddess who killed and devoured infants. At the Rajagriha (Rajgir), the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, she was devouring infants one after another. Seeing this, the Buddha hid one of her 500 children. In her frenzied search for her missing child, the Buddha says, "It's okay if just one of them is missing.” Hārīti protests, "Even if there are 500 children, they are all lovely children of mine", to which the Buddha replies, "Then think of the sorrow of a human being who has lost their only child". Hārīti was penitent and became a guardian goddess of safe childbirth and children.

Sarvastivada 31

Note: Sarvāstivāda was one of the early Buddhist schools, is a Sanskrit term that can be glossed as: "the theory of all that exists". The Sarvāstivāda asserted that all dharmas (the law and order of the universe) exist in the past, present and future.

ブッダから弟子たちへ、ミニシリーズ (15)

鬼子母神 〜 懺悔する鬼

鬼子母神 (ﾊｰﾘｰﾃｨｰ) は幼児を殺して食う邪神であった。マガダ王��城 (ﾗｰｼﾞｬｸﾞﾘﾊ) において、次々と幼児を食い殺していた。それを見た釈迦は、彼女の五百人の子の一人を隠してしまう。いなくなった我が子を捜して狂乱する鬼子母神に、釈迦が「一人ぐらい、いいではないか」と言う。「五百人いてもどの子もみんなかわいい子だ」と抗議する鬼子母神に、「それなら、たった一人の我が子を奪われた人間の悲しみを思うがよい」と教えた。鬼子母神は改悛して安産と子供を守る善神となった。

有部毘奈耶雑事 (ﾑｰﾗｻﾙｳﾞｧｽﾃｨｳﾞｧｰﾀﾞｳﾞｨﾅﾔ) 31

注: 仏教に伝わる律（ｳﾞｨﾅﾔ）典籍の1つ。様々な釈迦の教えの説話を収めた大部の文献。サルヴァースティヴァーダとは初期の仏教学派のひとつで、サンスクリット語で、「存在するすべてのものについての理論」と訳される。サルヴァースティヴァーダは、すべてのダルマ (宇宙の法と秩序) は過去、現在、未来に存在すると主張した。

[sambhavami]

Women in Mahabharata - Bhadra

Bhadra stood at the gate of her royal tent that had been erected at the beach off the shore of Dwarika. As she felt the cold, salty breeze of the ocean on her face, her mind floated back to the rocky terrain of Kekeya. The roar of the powerful waves crashing on the rocks scared her. She was used to the complacent gurgling of the river Parushni flowing along her chambers in the city of Rajagriha. She was used to the wind beating and howling against the cold mountains, but here the wind too sang a different gurgling song. She and her brothers had travelled a long way to come here. It had taken them almost half a year to reach while dodging robbers and enemy kingdoms. They had crossed dark forests and arid deserts. They had laughed and cried on the journey, learned from the people on their way, accepted their heartfelt gifts, and left some behind. One of her attendants had even got married and settled with her lover in the temple city of Kashi.

Bhadra had not understood why her future husband had insisted that she make this journey before their marriage until she had actually walked it. She had learnt to complain about the sweltering heat and dance in the rain. She had learnt the songs of the local people, and delighted in their delicacies. When she had stopped in Mathura, so many people had come to see her from the adjacent village that she had basically resigned to sleeping in the living room itself.

Read more at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51631189

[mahayanapilgrim]

THE HEART SUTRA* (Prajnaparamita)

Immense benefits and merit just by reading and contemplating

"Thus have I heard: Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, together with a great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas. At that time the Blessed One entered the samadhi that expresses the dharma called

"profound illumination," and at the same time noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, saw in this way: he saw the five skandhas to be empty of nature.

Then, through the power of the Buddha, venerable Shariputra said to noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, "How should a son or daughter of noble family train, who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita?"

Addressed in this way, noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, said to venerable Shariputra, "O Shariputra, a son or daughter of noble family who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita should see in this way: seeing the five skandhas to be empty of nature.

Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shariputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics.

There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase.

Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye dhatu up to no mind dhatu, no dhatu of dha ot ignorance consciousnage and de no ino eater of

age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. Therefore, Shariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita.

Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. They transcend falsity and attain complete nirvana. All the buddhas of the three times, by means of prajnaparamita, fully awaken to unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment. Therefore, the great mantra of prajnaparamita, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequaled mantra, the mantra that calms all suffering, should be known as truth, since there is no deception.

The prajnaparamita mantra is said in this way:

OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE

BODHI SVAHA

Thus, Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound prajnaparamita.

Then the Blessed One arose from that samadhi and praised noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, saying, "Good, good, O son of noble family; thus it is, 0 son of noble family, thus it is. One should practice the profound prajnaparamita just as you have taught and all the tathagatas will rejoice." When the Blessed One had said this, venerable Shariputra and noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, that whole assembly and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One."

[blanka240]

Nalanda university history

Nalanda is considered to be among the greatest centers of learning in the ancient world. It was located near the city of Rajagriha (now Rajgir) and about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Pataliputra (now Patna). Operating from 427 until 1197 CE,Nalanda played a vital role in promoting the patronage of arts and academics during the 5th and 6th century CE, a period that has since been described as the "Golden Age of India" by scholars.Nalanda was established during the Gupta Empire era (c. 3rd–6th century CE) and was supported by numerous Indian and Javanese patrons – both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Nalanda may have been attacked and damaged by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji but it also managed to remain operational for decades Over some 750 years, Nalanda's faculty included some of the most revered scholars of Mahayana Buddhism. They taught subjects like the Vedas, grammar, medicine, logic, mathematic, astronomy and alchemy.The university had a renowned library that was a key source for the Sanskrit texts that were transmitted to East Asia by pilgrims like Xuanzang and Yijing. Many texts composed at Nalanda played an important role in the development of Mahayana and Vajrayana. They include the works of Dharmakirti, the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra of Shantideva, and the Mahavairocana Tantra .

The current site of Nalanda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2010, the Government of India passed a resolution to revive the famous university, and a contemporary institute, Nalanda University, was established at Rajgir. It has been listed as an "Institute of National Importance" by the Government

[acalavidyaraja]

The Prajnaparamita literature holds a significant place in Tibetan Buddhism, offering profound insights into the nature of reality and the path to enlightenment. Rooted in the teachings of the Buddha, particularly at Vulture's Peak in Rajagriha, these scriptures delve into the concept of emptiness and the perfection of wisdom (prajna). Let's explore the key aspects of Prajnaparamita literature and its significance within Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

1 The Heart Sutra:

The Heart Sutra, a concise yet profound text, is a pivotal scripture in the Prajnaparamita literature. It elucidates the essence of emptiness and wisdom, encapsulating the teachings on the perfection of wisdom. Despite its brevity, the Heart Sutra contains profound insights into the nature of reality and the path to enlightenment.

2 Three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma:

The teachings of the Buddha are traditionally categorized into three turnings of the wheel of Dharma. The Prajnaparamita literature, including the Heart Sutra, falls under the second turning. These teachings, centered on non-characteristics and emptiness, were mainly expounded at Vulture's Peak. They delve into the nature of phenomena and the ultimate truth beyond conceptual elaborations.

3 Madyamika Philosophy:

Acharya Nagarjuna, the foremost exponent of Madhyamika philosophy, elucidated the teachings of Prajnaparamita by emphasizing the concept of emptiness. Madhyamika literature provides critical commentaries on Prajnaparamita sutras, elucidating the explicit meaning of emptiness and the ultimate nature of phenomena.

4 Gradual Path to Enlightenment:

The Prajnaparamita literature, particularly elucidated by Bodhisattva Maitreya, outlines a gradual path to enlightenment. This path involves different levels of realization and understanding, culminating in the attainment of omniscient knowledge. The Abhisamaya alankara serves as a primary text in studying the Prajnaparamita literature, elucidating the stages of realization and the five paths to enlightenment.

5 clasification of Prajnaparamita Sutras:

Prajnaparamita sutras are classified into Mother and Son literature. The Mother literature comprises primary sutras, such as the one hundred thousand, twenty-five thousand, and eight thousand verse sutras, which comprehensively expound the teachings on emptiness and wisdom. The Son literature includes shorter versions, such as the Heart Sutra and Vajracchedika sutra, which offer condensed insights into the Prajnaparamita teachings.

6 Mother-Son Analogy:

The Mother-Son analogy symbolizes the relationship between wisdom (Mother) and the enlightened beings (Sons) who attain realization through wisdom. The perfection of wisdom serves as the mother, giving rise to the four types of Aryas: Shravaka, Pratyeka Buddha, Bodhisattva, and Buddha. Each type of Arya represents different levels of realization attained through the perfection of wisdom.

7 Significance in Tibetan Buddhism:

Prajnaparamita literature holds profound significance in Tibetan Buddhism, as it forms the philosophical foundation for understanding emptiness and wisdom. Through diligent study and contemplation of these scriptures, practitioners deepen their insight into the nature of reality and progress along the path to enlightenment.

In conclusion, the Prajnaparamita literature, including the revered Heart Sutra, provides invaluable guidance for practitioners on the path to enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism. By delving into the teachings of emptiness and wisdom, practitioners gain profound insights into the nature of reality and advance along the spiritual journey towards liberation.

[themuseumwithoutwalls]

MWW Artwork of the Day (8/20/22) Kushan Empire (Indian, 1st-3rd c. CE) The Gift of Anathapindada (2nd–3rd c. CE) Schist w/ traces of gold foil, 24.4 x 22.5 x 3.8 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York (Samuel Eilenberg Collection)

The identification of the subject of this relief as the Gift of Anathapindada is by no means certain. The presence at the far left of the figure holding a waterpot suggests that a gift is about to be made, as a donor traditionally poured water over the hands of a recipient to seal a gift. However, determining the overall meaning depends on identification of the objects in the bowl being proffered to the Buddha. Sudatta, called Anathapindada (the Incomparable Almsgiver), was the richest merchant of the town of Sravasti (in Kosala). He met the Buddha at Rajagriha and proposed to donate money in order to buy land for a monastery in Sravasti. The amount of the payment exacted from Anathapindada was calculated by covering the grounds of the park to be purchased with gold coins. The identification of the objects in the bowl as coins is speculative, and the precise scene in the life of the Buddha that is represented is therefore unclear.

[bookofjin]

Commentary on the Water Classic: India (cont.)

[We finish the section on Tianzhu = India, and the Heng = Ganges River. The commentary's crisscross of the landscape rather than going strictly downriver reflects the actual path taken by Faxian during his journey. Again there is a heavy focus on sites associated with the life of the Buddha and Buddhism.]

The He River河水 sets out from their north-eastern corner, bending to follow its south-eastern flow to enter into the Bo Sea渤海.

[6]...

Kang Tai's Account of Funan says: Formerly, in the time of Fan Zhan [King of Funan, fl. 243 AD], there was a person from the state of Tanyang嘾楊國, Jiaxiangli, who once came from his home state to Tianzhu天竺. He tossed and turned as a drifting merchant until he arrived in Funan扶南, and discussed with Zhan the lands and customs of Tianzhu天竺. The principles of the Way flowed throughout, gold and treasure piled up in heaps, the mountains and streams were productive and fertile, indulging one's wishes. Left and right were great states, the Generationally Venerated One esteemed them. Zhan asked about it, stating: “Now, what is the distance and time in one could arrive, how many years would a round-trip take?” Li told him: “The distance from Tianzhu天竺 could be more than thirty thousand li. To go and come back could exceed three years. When travelling, four years and just then go back is considered to be the middle of Heaven and Earth.”

The Heng River恒水 again goes east to pass Lanmo pagoda藍莫塔[Rama]. By the pagoda's side there is a pool, within the pool there is a dragon who defends and protects it. King Ashoka wished to destroy the pagoda, and build eighty-four thousand pagodas. He realized that what had been provided by the dragon king was known not to exist in his era, and thereupon ceased. Within here was empty and wasted without people. A crowd of elephants used their to take water and sprinkle the earth. Similarly to Cangwu蒼梧 and Kuaji 會稽, the elephants ploughed and the birds weeded.

The Heng River恒水 again goes east to arrive at Wuhekou五河口 [Lit. “Five River Mouths”], perhaps where five rivers meet – there are no details. Ananda went from the state of Mojie 摩竭國[Magadha] towards Pisheli毗舍利[Vaisali], wishing for parinirvana. The various devas informed King Ajatasatru. The king pursued until he arrived upon the He河. The Licchavis [the rulers of Vaisali] heard that Ananda was coming, and likewise also came to welcome him, all arrived upon the He河. Ananda thought about it. If he went forward, King Ajatasatru would become resentful. If he retreated, the Licchavis then would be angry. Exactly when he was in the middle of the He, there entered him a fire shining samadhi, he burned completely in two, [achieving] parinirvana. The body was in two parts, with a part on each of the banks. The two kings each grasped a half as a relic, and returned home to erect two pagodas.

Crossing the He and going down south for one yojana, you come to the state of Mojieti's摩竭提國 Balianfu Town巴連弗邑[Pataliputtra]. The town is precisely the city where King Ashoka ruled from. The palace halls within the city on all their standing walls and watchtowers had engraved patterns and carved inlays. They piled up rocks to make a mountains, and beneath the mountain they made a rock chamber, three zhang long, two zhang wide, and more than a zhang tall. There was a Brahmana master of the Great Vehicle, named Radha-sami and also named Manjushri, he resided inside of this city. He had a vivid perception and much wisdom, in affairs there was nothing he did not comprehend, and so clear and pure he lived by himself. The king of the state honoured and respected him as his teacher in affairs. Relying on this one man, they expansively circulated the dharma of the Buddha, outsiders were unable to encroach. Altogether among the various states, only this city is great. The population is wealthy and flourishing, and contend to act with humanity and righteousness.

When King Ashoka destroyed the seven pagodas, he built eighty-four thousand pagodas. At the very beginning he built the great pagoda, it is two li or so south of the city. In front of this pagoda are the Buddha's footprints, where they have erected a place of pure activity. The north door is towards the pagoda. South of the pagoda there is a stone pillar. Its greatness is four or five in circumference, and it is more than three zhang tall. On it there is an inscription, the heading states: “King Ashoka used the Jambudvipa to dispense as alms to the four regions. The sangha returned it and used the ransom money for the pagoda. Three hundred paces north of the pagoda, King Ashoka there built Nili City泥犂城. Within the city there is a stone pillar which is also more than three zhang tall. On it there is a lion pillar, and there is an inscription recording the principle and subsidiary causes for building Nili City泥犂城, and the year and the number of days and months.

The Heng River恒水 again goes south-east passing a little solitary rock mountain. On the mountain's head there is a stone chamber, and the stone chamber faces south. The Buddha formerly sat within it, the Heavenly Emperor, Sakra, used the forty-two affairs to question the Buddha. The Buddha one by one with his finger drew them up on the rock. Traces of the drawing formerly were there.

The Heng River恒水 again goes west passing Wangshe New City王舍新城 [New Rajagriha], the one constructed by King Ajatasatru. Setting out from the city and going south four li one enters a valley and arrive inside of five mountains. The circuit made by the five mountains in shape is lake a city's outer walls. This is precisely King Bimbisara's old city. East to west it is five or six li, and south to north seven or eight li. The place were King Ajatasatru first wished to murder the Buddha. Its city is empty and deserted, and again no person passes by.

On entering the valley and holding on to the mountain, going up south-east for fifteen li one comes to Qidujue Mountain耆闍崛山[Gidhra-kuta]. Three li before the peak there is a stone cavern facing south. The Buddha sat in meditation at this place. Forty paces south-east there again is another stone cavern, Ananda sat in meditation at this place. The Mara Pisuna transformed to act as a vulture to frighten Ananda. The Buddha used his divine strength to separate the rock, spread his hand, and rub Ananda's shoulders. His terror then immediately ceased. The bird's footprints and the hand's opening fully exist, for that reason it is called the Vulture Cavern雕鷲窟. Its mountain peak is graceful, straight, and stern, it is the tallest of the five mountains.

Mr. Shi's Records of the Western Regions states: Qidujue Mountain耆闍崛山[Gidhra-kuta] is north-east of Anavatapta [and?] Wangshe City王舍城, looking westward at its mountain. There are a pair of peaks standing up, the distance between them to or three li. In the middle road there are vultures, they commonly reside at its peaks. People of the land call it Qidujue Mountain耆闍崛山, in foreign speech “gidhra” is “vulture”.

Also Zhu Fawei states: The state of Luoyuezhi羅閱祗國 has the Lingjiu Mountain靈鷲山 [“Sacred Vulture Mountain”], in foreign speech they say Qidujue Mountain耆闍崛山. The mountain has blue-green rock. The rock's head resemble a vulture. King Ashoka sent people to cut the rock. They made use of the settled [?] pair of wings and a pair of feet, and cut to arrange its body which is now seen to exist. Looking from far-away, it resembles the shape of a vulture. For that reason they call it Lingjiu Mountain靈鷲山.

The several explanations are not similar, and the distant and near are also different. Now, Faxian personally stayed at its mountain, and recited the Surangama with fragrant flowers to provide and furnish, the reverence of hearing and seeing.

Again west passing thirty li south of Jiana City迦那城[Gaya], you come to the place where the Buddha during six years of exacting practices sat at the tree, and there is a forest. Travelling west for three li you come to the place where when the Buddha entered the water to wash and bath, a heavenly king pressed a tree branch so he managed to pull himself up and get out of the pool.

Again travelling north for two li, you get to the place were the Mijia彌家 girls offered the Buddha milk gruel. Travelling north two li from this place, is the place where the Buddha beneath a big tree and upon a rock, sat turned east and ate the gruel. The tree and rock fully exist. It is six chi long and wide, and about two chi tall. Within their state, cold and heat are equally attuned. Trees sometimes are several thousand years [old], even ten thousand years.

Travelling north twenty li from there, you come to a single rock cave. The bodhisattva entered within it, and turning west sat down cross-legged, thinking in his heart: “If I have perfected the Way, there will be a divine proof.” Upon the rock wall there immediately was seen an image of the Buddha, three chi in length, presently it is still clear and bright. At the time Heaven and Earth greatly moved, and the various Heavenly beings in the hollow talked: “This is not a place where bygone and coming Buddhas perfected the Way. Depart here and go south-west for less than half a yojana, below the patra tree, this is the place where bygone and coming Buddhas perfect the Way.” The various Heavenly beings guided and pulled the bodhisattva to rise up and go. When he was thirty paces from the tree, a Heavenly being conferred kusa grass. The bodhisattva accepted, and again went fifteen paces. Five hundred blue-green sparrows came flying, they circled around the bodhisattva thrice and left westward. The bodhisattva went forward and came beneath the patra tree. He spread out the kusa grass, turned east, and sat down. At the time King Mara dispatched three jade girls who came from the north to test the bodhisattva. King Mara himself came from the south. The bodhisattva pressed firmly on the ground with his feet and fingers. The Mara troops stepped back and scattered, the three girls changed to become old crones who did not apply themselves.

Where Buddha beneath the nyagrodha tree upon the square rock sat turned east, the place where Brahmadeva came to the Buddha, and the place where the Four Heavenly Kings holding up their alms bowls, at all of them were raised up pagodas.

The Affairs of the Outer States says: Pipoli 毗婆梨 [Vaibhali?], the Buddha at this place was beneath a single tree for six years. A woman of grown age used a golden alms bowl filled with milk gruel to send up to the Buddha. The Buddha got the milk gruel, and halted his feet at the Nilianchan He尼連禪河[Nairanjana] to bathe. He bathed fully. At the edge of the He河, he ate the gruel fully, and threw the alms bowl into the water. After going against the current for a hundred paces, the alms bowl sank into the He河. The dragon king of Jialijao迦梨郊 received and took it at the palace to provide furnishings. The previous three Buddhas' alms bowls are also seen. The Buddha near by the He河 sat at the mahabodhi tree. The distance from the mahabodhi tree to the patra tree is two li. He was beneath this tree for seven days, thinking only of perfecting the Way. The Mara troops tested the Buddha.

Mr. Shi's Records of the Western Regions says: The Nilian River尼連水 to the south pour into the Heng River恒水. West of the river is the Buddha's tree. The Buddha at this place [underwent] exacting practices, daily eating gruel for six years. The distance west to the city is five li. East of the tree upon the He河 is precisely the place where the Buddha entered the river to bathe. Eastward upon the bank is the nyagrodha tree beneath where he sat and devoted himself. The residing girl[s] sent up gruel at this place. West of here across across the river, south of the six year tree, is the patra tree he sat beneath, brought down the Mara, and obtained Buddhahood.

Fotutiao says: The inside of the Buddha tree was dried out, at the time of his coming, it changed to bear branches and leaves.

Zhu Fawei says: The distance from the six year tree to the Buddha tree is five li. The texts on it differ.

Faxian from there travelled south-east, and returned to Balianfu Town巴連弗邑[Pataliputtra] following Heng River恒水 went down west. He got to one place of pure activited named Kuangye曠野 [“Empty Wilderness], a place where the Buddha had dwelt. Then he again followed Heng River恒水 and went down west, and came to the state of Jiashi's 迦尸國 [Kasi] Boluonai City波羅柰城 [Varanasi].

Zhu Fawei says: The state of Boluonai波羅柰國 is one thousand, two hundred li south of the state of Jiaweiluowei City迦維羅衛城[Kapilavastu]. In between them is the Heng River恒水 which flows south-east. The place where the Buddha turned the wheel of the dharma is twenty li north of the state. The tree is named Chunfu春浮, the place were was Weimo維摩 [Vimalakirti?].

Faxian says: Ten li north-east of the city is precisely Deer Wilderness Park鹿野苑. Originally a pratyeka-buddha resided here. He often had wild deer staying overnight, and for that reason used it as the name for it. Faxian turned back from there, and dwelt at Balianfu Town巴連弗邑. He again followed the Heng River恒水 and travelled east. On its southern bank is the great state of Zhanbo瞻婆大國 [Champa].

Mr. Shi's Records of the Western Regions says: Next east of Hengqu恒曲 is the state and city of Zhanbo瞻婆國城. To the south is Buqulan Pool卜佉蘭. Heng River恒水 is to the north. The place where the Buddha sent down his explanations and cautions. Heng River again passes the state of Boli波麗國, which is precisely the state of Fowaizu佛外祖國.

Faxian says: Heng River恒水 again goes east to come to the state of Duomolijian多摩梨靬[Tamralipti], which precisely is at the ocean's mouth.

Mr. Shi's Records of the Western Regions says: Daqin大秦 is also named Lijian梨靬.

Kang Tai's Account of Funan says: South-west from Jianadiao Island迦那調洲 you enter a great bay, perhaps seven or eight hundred li [wide], and then come to the mouth of the Zhihuli Great Jiang枝扈黎大江. Crossing the Jiang江 and to pass travelling west, is Jidaqin極大秦.

He also states: Issuing out from the mouth of Gouli利口, and enter within the great bay, entering straight north-west, could be one year or so, you get to Tianzhu's 天竺 Jiang Mouth江口, which is named the Heng River恒水. The Jiang Mouth江口 has a state titled Danzhi擔袟 which belongs to Tianzhu天竺. Dispatched Yellow Gates Zixing [?] to be King of Danzhi擔袟.

Mr. Shi's Records of the Western Regions says: Heng River恒水 flows east to enter the Eastern Sea. Perhaps where two rivers pour into, and where the pair of seas take in, themselves become the Eastern and Western.

[vajranam]

The Life Of Shakyamuni Buddha

A brief look at the background of who the Shakyamuni Buddha was, the major events of his life, and the incredible legacy that he left behind for the world with the creation of Buddhism.

The birth of the Buddha

In 563 or 566 B.C.E., a prince was born to a noble family of the Shakya clan, in a very beautiful park called Lumbini Grove, which lay in the foothills of the Himalayas (in present-day southern Nepal). This beautiful park was not far from the capital city of the Shakya kingdom, Kapilavastu. The prince’s father, King Shuddhodana, named his son Siddhartha. He was a member of the Kshatriya, or royal warrior caste, and his clan lineage, the Gautamas, was ancient and pure. His mother was Mahamaya or Mayadevi, daughter of a powerful Shakya noble, Suprabuddha. Before the conception of Siddhartha, Queen Mahamaya dreamed that a white elephant, extraordinary and utterly beautiful, entered her body. Soon after the birth, soothsayers predicted that the young prince would become either a Chakravartin, a universal monarch, or an “awakened one,” a buddha. So from the very beginning of his birth, he showed signs of perfection.

Life as a prince

Seven days after the birth, Queen Mahamaya died; her sister, Siddhartha’s aunt, Mahaprajapati Gautami, who was also married to King Suddhodana, thereafter raised and brought up Siddhartha like her own child, with great care and love, in the wealthy circumstances of a noble family.

His father naturally wanted his son to be his successor and provided him the very best possible education and pleasurable occupations. He tried to prevent Siddhartha from coming into contact with any religious or spiritual path in order to steer him toward becoming the next king of the Shakyas.

As a young prince, Siddhartha was fully educated and mastered the arts and sciences of his day, including even the art of war and other trainings, displaying a sharp intellect and the strength and power of a great physique. When the young prince reached the age of sixteen, he married Yashodhara and engaged in the pleasures of the world. He continued to relish the comforts of the palaces, gardens, and varieties of wealth of the royal lifestyle.

The renunciation of his kingdom

In his late twenties, Prince Siddhartha encountered the “four signs” during excursions from the palace. They made an extremely strong impression on him. These signs were: an old man, a sick person, a corpse, and a monk or a yogin. Through them he realized that the vanity of youth, as well as one’s health, and even life, may end at any time; furthermore, he realized that the only way out of this suffering world of samsara was through finding and following the right spiritual path.

At twenty-nine, after the birth of his son, Rahula, Siddhartha left the palace and kingdom behind and engaged in an ascetic path. He became a homeless, wandering yogi, seeking the truth for the sake of all sentient beings. He began to practice, mainly under the guidance of two ascetic teachers, Arada Kalama and Rudraka Ramaputra.

The enlightenment of the Buddha

When Siddhartha realized that he was not reaching his goal, liberation, he gave up the ascetic way of life and turned to meditation, deciding to seek enlightenment on his own. After six years of hardship and practicing near Nairanjana River, he began to travel and gradually came to the region of Gaya. Siddhartha went to Bodhgaya, where he sat under what was later to be known as the Bodhi-tree, vowing to exert himself in his meditation until he reached his goal of enlightenment.

Jamgon Kongtrul, Karmapa, and Gyaltsab Rinpoche in front of the famous statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya.

After forty-nine days, at the age of thirty-five, Prince Siddhartha attained complete enlightenment, or buddhahood, overcoming all the obscurations and temptations of Mara. At this point, Siddhartha was a buddha, a fully awakened or enlightened one, and he knew that for him, there would be no further rebirth in samsaric realms.

Teaching and benefiting beings

Seeing that what he had achieved was not possible to communicate directly, he remained silent for seven weeks. Buddha gave his first discourse in Deer Park in Benares, which is known as “the first turning of the wheel of dharma.” In this discourse, he taught the four noble truths, the interdependent nature, and the law of karma, at the request of Indra and Brahma. His earlier five ascetic companions became his first disciples and began to form the bhikshu (monastic) sangha. At Vulture Peak Mountain near Rajagriha, Buddha turned the second wheel of dharma, in which he taught the nature of all phenomena as being shunyata or emptiness and anatma or selflessness. There followed a period of many years of teaching at a variety of places, such as Vaishali. The teachings of this period are known as the third turning of the wheel of dharma, in which Buddha taught a variety of subjects, including the notion that all sentient beings possess tathagata-garbha – the basic heart of buddha.

Through these teachings, Buddha showed the way that leads all beings to the experience of awakening and liberation from samsara. This demonstrates clearly his limitless compassion and loving-kindness towards all beings who are looking for liberation and freedom from the realms of samsaric existences.

King Bimbisara of Magadha became a follower of Buddha and offered a monastery near Rajagriha, the capital of Magadha, which became very important historically for the development of the sangha. Buddha spent a great deal of time mainly in the region of Rajagriha and Vaishali, moving from place to place and living on alms. The number of his followers grew very fast. Buddha’s most important students were Kashyapa, Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, and Ananda. Buddha later founded orders of nuns, or bhikshuni, and had many followers and establishments in these regions.

Since he was born as the prince of the Shakyas, after his enlightenment he was known as “the Shakyamuni” or “the Sage of The Shakyas,” and from his clan name, he was later called Gautama Buddha.

During his life, his cousin, Devadatta, who had always been jealous of what Siddhartha had achieved, sought to become the head of the Buddha’s sangha or community. Devadatta planned to destroy the Buddha. Though he did not succeed, he brought about a schism among the monastic communities in Vaisali that caused great harm to the sangha’s spiritual development.

The death of the Buddha

At the age of eighty, Shakyamuni Buddha empowered his close disciple, Kashyapa, as his regent to continue the sangha’s activities. Lying on his right side and facing west, Buddha entered into parinirvana. (Other accounts and some sutras state that Buddha partook of spoiled food, which caused him to pass away.) His relics are distributed and enshrined in seven stupas and elsewhere. The main pilgrimage site for buddhists is Bodhgaya, India, the site where Shakyamuni attained enlightenment.

[whencyclopedia]

BIMBISARA: 

BIMBISARA (c. 545/544 BCE - c. 493/492 BCE) was a king of the Magadha Kingdom who is credited with establishing imperial dominance in the Indian subcontinent. Son of a minor king called Bhattiya, he belonged to the Haryanka Dynasty, which is said to be the second imperial dynasty of Magadha. However, it is only from Bimbisara’s reign that the historicity of different Indian kings can be verified with any certainty. Before the Haryanka Dynasty, the accounts of various Indian kings are mythical and cannot be verified with any archaeological evidence.

Bimbisara ruled at a time when Gautama Buddha (c. 563 BCE - c. 483 BCE) and Mahavira Vardhamana (c. 599 BCE - c. 527 BCE as per the Jaina tradition), the respective founders of Buddhism and Jainism, both started their teachings. Bimbisara has been given much importance in the early Buddhist and Jaina sources because he probably endorsed both these religions equally. He ruled from a place called Girivraja which was also known as Rajagriha and is identified with modern Rajgir in the state of Bihar today. It is said that the city of Rajagriha was built by Bimbisara himself. The city was covered on all sides by five hills creating a natural fortification, and later on Bimbisara's son, Ajatashatru covered the gaps with stone walls.

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[samma-sambodhi]

— THE DAIMOKU OF THE LOTUS SUTRA — (pt.22) . [The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin] . Now the two thousand years of the Former and Middle Days of the Law have passed, and we have entered the Latter Day of the Law. In such an age, it is a hundred, thousand, ten thousand, million times more difficult for ordinary people to attain Buddhahood or rebirth in the pure land than it was for even the persons of the two vehicles or icchantikas who lived when the Buddha was alive. AND YET PEOPLE NOWADAYS THINK THAT, BY RELYING ON THE MEDITATION SUTRA OR SOME OTHER OF THE SUTRAS PREACHED IN THE MORE THAN FORTY YEARS BEFORE THE LOTUS SUTRA, THEY CAN ESCAPE THE SUFFERINGS OF BIRTH AND DEATH. How futile, HOW UTTERLY FUTILE! . Women, whether they live at the time of the Buddha or in the Former, Middle, or Latter Day of the Law, cannot attain Buddhahood through any teaching but the Lotus Sutra. None of the other sutras expounded by any of the Buddhas anywhere can help them. The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chihche, who heard the Buddha’s teachings at Eagle Peak(43) and later attained an awakening in the place of meditation, has stated unequivocally, “THE OTHER SUTRAS ONLY PREDICT BUDDHAHOOD … FOR MEN, BUT NOT FOR WOMEN; … THIS SUTRA PREDICTS BUDDHAHOOD FOR ALL.” . The THUS COME ONE SHAKYAMUNI, in the presence of Many Treasures Buddha and the Buddhas of the ten directions, PREACHED THE LOTUS SUTRA OVER A PERIOD OF EIGHT YEARS AT THE PLACE CALLED EAGLE PEAK northeast of Rajagriha in the kingdom of Magadha. The Great Teacher [T’ien-t’ai] Chihche was present and heard him preach. “DURING MY FIFTY YEARS OF TEACHING,” said the Buddha, “I HAVE PREACHED VARIOUS SACRED DOCTRINES, ALL IN ORDER TO BRING BENEFIT TO LIVING BEINGS. IN THE SUTRAS OF THE FIRST FORTY-TWO YEARS, I TAUGHT THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR WOMEN TO ATTAIN BUDDHAHOOD. BUT NOW WITH THE LOTUS SUTRA, I DECLARE THAT WOMEN CAN BECOME BUDDHAS.” . #Buddha #Buddhism #Buddhist #Dhamma #wisdom #Knowledge #awakening #Spiritual #Consciousness #namaste #enlightenment #nichiren #nammyohorengekyo #meditator #meditation #mindfulness #loveandlight #lotussutra #lifeforce #greentara #truth #vipassana #positvevibes #goodvibrations #art https://www.instagram.com/p/B864qE-ltdH/?igshid=9cfdjf2etz4

[yoga-onion]

Satisfied with little desire - Letting go of your desires - Part1

―Hiro Sachiya (b. 27 July 1936 - ) is a Japanese religious analyst

In his essay, he advocates, through the Buddha's teaching of "little desire, knowing what’s enough", that there is no need for hope. Be grateful for the present and enjoy it. This Buddhist philosophy could be the starting point of "mindfulness":

The Buddha was ordained at the age of 29. To be ordained means to leave home and become homeless. In other words, a person who has abandoned the world.

The first place the Buddha went to after his ordination was Rajagriha in Magadha (now Rajgir, Bihar), the capital and bustling metropolis of what was then India's greatest power. One day, the king of Magadha saw the Buddha walking gracefully through the streets, in distance. The king was so moved by his nobility that he immediately met with the Buddha and offered him half of Magadha on the extraordinary condition that he would renounce his ordination, and serve as an officer in Magadha. The Buddha refused it outright.

"I did not to be ordained to fulfil my desires. I have left, because I knew that desire is dangerous."These are the words of the Buddha. This means that to be ordained - to renounce the world - is to renounce desire.　

So, what is 'desire'?

The desire to eat well, to wear "beautiful clothes", to live in a comfortable place, to get ahead, to be honoured, to have power... There are many desires. These desires are, in essence, the desire to be happy.

The trouble with these desires is that there is no limit to them. We want to be happy, and we try to get money to do it. But as soon as they get a bit of money, they want more and more. There is no end to human greed. The more they are fulfilled, the more they grow. That is the nature of desire.

Then, even if we want to be happy, we can never be happy.

For example, you want to live in a bigger house just because the one you are living in is too small. As soon as you think this, you will feel miserable and unhappy in your current home. And in order to buy a bigger house, you will have to work hard, gruellingly and irritatingly. Even if you are lucky enough to move into a bigger house, you will probably not be satisfied with it. There are many inconveniences that arise and you want to move to a better place.

This is what the Buddha meant when he said that desire is dangerous.

In Buddhism, the word for "desire" is "trisna". This Sanskrit word means "thirst". Suppose your ship is wrecked and you are in a lifeboat waiting to be rescued. But you have no drinking water. If you drink seawater, will it quench your thirst? No, it won't. The more you drink, the more thirsty you will become.

The more you satisfy a desire, the more it grows. The first thing to do is to recognise that this is what desire is all about. [To be continued]

少欲知足〜「欲望」を捨てる –[その1]

ーひろさちや（1936年7月27日生 - ）は、日本の宗教評論家

氏は、「少欲知足」という釈迦の教えを通して、自己のエッセイの中で「希望なんていりません。今に感謝して楽しむ心を持ちましょう」と提唱する。この仏教哲学はまさに「マインドフルネス」の原点とも言えるだろう：

釈迦は29歳で出家をされました。出家というのは家を出てホームレスになることです。つまり、世間を捨てた人です。

出家した釈迦が最初に行かれた土地は、その当時インド第一の大国の首都で、殷賑を極めた大都会、マガダ国の王舎城（おうしゃじょう：ラージャグリハ、現在のビハール州ラジギール）でした。ある日、マガダ国の王の視界に、ゆったりと街路を歩む釈迦の姿が映ります。

その高貴なる姿に感動した王は、すぐさま釈迦と面談し、マガダ国の半分を譲るという破格の条件で、釈迦に出家をやめて還俗し、マガダ国に士官するように誘導します。釈迦はそれをにべなく断りました。「わたしは欲望をかなえるために出家したのではない。欲望が危険であることを知って出家したのだ。」それが釈迦の言葉です。

つまり、出家ー世間を捨てるーとは欲望を捨てることなのです。

では、「欲望」とは何でしょうか？

おいしい物を食べたい、綺麗な服を」着たい、快適な住居に住みたい、出世をしたい、名誉や権力を得たい…さまざまな欲望があります。これらの欲望は、要するに幸福になりたいといった欲ですね。こうした欲望が困るのは、それに歯止めがないことです。

わたしたちは幸福になりたいと思って、そのためにお金を手に入れようとします。しかし、少しでもお金が手に入ると、ますます欲望がふくらみます。欲望は、それが充足されればされるほど、ますますふくらむものなのです。それが欲望の本質です。

そうすると、わたしたちは幸福になりたいと思っても、絶対に幸福になることはできないのです。

例えば、現在住んでいる家が狭いからといって、もっと広い家に住みたいと思います。そう思ったとたん、現在の住居が惨めに思え、不幸になります。そして広い家を購入するために、あくせく、がつがつ、いらいらしながら働かねばなりません。幸いにも広い住居に移ることができても、たぶんそれで満足できないでしょう。いろいろと不便な点が出てきて、もっといい所に引っ越したくなります。

釈迦が欲望は危険だと言われたのは、このことです。

仏教で「欲望」のことを”トリシュナー”と言います。このサンスクリット語は「渇き」を意味する語です。船が難破してあなたは救命ボートで救助を待っているとします。しかし、飲料水がありません。そこで、海水を飲めばその海水はのどの渇きを潤してくれるでしょうか？反対ですね。海水を飲めば飲むほど、ますます渇きがひどくなります。

欲望は、それを充足すればするほど、ますます膨らむのです。欲望というものはそういうものだと、まずはしっかりと認識してください。[続く]

[sambhavami]

Ehi Murare - Bhadra (Part 7)

Bhadra stood at the gate of her royal tent that had been erected at the beach off the shore of Dwarika. As she felt the cold, salty breeze of the ocean on her face, her mind floated back to the rocky terrain of Kaikeya. The roar of the powerful waves crashing on the rocks scared her. She was used to the complacent gurgling of the river Parushni flowing along her chambers in the city of Rajagriha. She was used to the wind beating and howling against the cold mountains, but here the wind too sang a different song. She and her brothers had travelled a long way to come here. It had taken them almost half a year to reach while dodging robbers and enemy kingdoms. They had crossed dark forests and arid deserts. They had laughed and cried on the journey, learned from the people on their way, accepted their heartful gifts, and left some behind. One of her attendants had even got married and settled with her lover in the temple city of Kashi.

Bhadra had not understood why her future husband had insisted that she make this journey before their marriage until she had actually walked it. She had learnt to complain about the sweltering heat and dance in the rain. She had learnt the songs of the local people, and delighted in their delicacies. When she had stopped in Mathura, so many people had come to see her from the adjacent village that she had basically resigned to sleeping in the living room itself. An old lady called Yashoda had also come to see her, barely visible behind the mountain of gifts she had brought. Bhadra had later learnt that this was the foster mother of her future husband. She had doted on Bhadra for a week straight, showering her with love, before they had to bluntly bring up the issue of missing the auspicious date set for the marriage to continue their journey forward. Even then she had followed her chariot to the end of the city, sobbing and on foot. The same chariot, on which Bhadra could barely fit now because of the mountains of snacks Yashoda had packed her for the journey, with tearful promises exacted to save some for her husband too.

---

She stared at the bridge of rocks that led one to the city of Dwarika, an island in the middle of the ocean. The city was barely visible, partially shrouded in a veil of mist. Occasionally, when the sun shone at a particular angle, the entire city lit up, glaring and gleaming at the rest of the world. City of gold, they called it. Bhadra had seen it happen the evening before, but it had intimidated her more than inspiring. Even though her brothers kept encouraging her, she still felt apprehensive looking at the tall spires looming down on her.

She was here to marry the younger prince of the Yadavas. She had only heard stories of the man from her mother Shrutakirti, an aunt of his. Bhadra had always held that stories never could properly gauge a man’s character. This was the reason why despite having heard the multitude of stories singing his praises, she had remained anxious. What if he was as fickle as these impatient waves? What if she made a mistake and he turned out to be as harsh as this jarring ocean that so harshly created the layers of foam atop the rocks? She stared at her friends who were busy picking out seashells at the beach, unaware of the worries that troubled their princess.

Her eldest brother Santardana was standing at a distance very animatedly conversing with their aunt’s son, Arjuna. He had brought the auspicious gifts from the mist-clad island. She had also heard stories about him being very good friends with her soon-to-be husband. In fact, as far as rumours went, those two were inseparable. Only the previous evening her friends were joking, “It’s a two-for-one deal, princess!” She had seen Arjuna only once before this but had never spoken to him. She smiled politely as her brother waved at her. Arjuna came bouncing up to her, "How are you finding this side of the land princess?" He asked her kindly. She again nodded politely. Arjuna smiled, "Don't worry, everyone is a little scared of the Yadavas, myself included," He grinned, "But, I'll introduce you to Subhadra, my wife, and your husband's sister. She's the brightest person of all time, trust me, she'll have you laughing and joking in no time! She actually wanted to come meet you now only, but you know, she's expecting, so we told her not to. Totally our fault!" He laughed a little shyly. Bhadra laughed, genuinely after a long time. She had a hard time believing this young lad was about to be a father himself! Later, she was even more amused to learn that he was a father already, three times over!

---

That evening at the moment when the sun’s last strong rays hit the city of Dwarika, its doors flew open. Every rooftop of the city gleamed with a blinding golden aura and the beaming notes of a thousand conch shells simultaneously filled the air of the beach. Her brother put his arms around Bhadra as he led her out to the edge of the bridge. Bhadra could make out but a vague outline approaching them.

As the figure advanced towards them she could slowly make out more details. His tall crown was the one that gave him the golden aura against the setting sun. A garland of lotuses and tulasi leaves hung from his neck along with the glistening red kaustubha gem. From his slender waist hung a bright yellow garment. As he drew nearer, she could see the peacock feathers dangling from the sides of his crown, playing with his fish-shaped earrings which framed his bright smile along with the dark-blue locks of curly hair. His bracelets bore markings of a snake and bells jingled in his anklets when he walked.

As soon as he was close enough Santardana fell at his feet and Bhadra followed suit. So, this was Krishna! He gently lifted both brother and sister and embraced Santardana. Then he outstretched his palm. Her brother then gently placed her palm on Krishna’s and poured holy water from Parushni and Ganga over both of their palms thus completing the ritual of kanya-daana. Krishna then, retrieving from Arjuna, a garland not unlike his own, placed it around Bhadra’s neck and took her hand.

Understanding his nudge, Bhadra gingerly took one step onto the swaying rocky bridge. Immediately she felt the rocks sway beneath her feet followed by the tightening of Krishna’s grasp on her hands. “Easy now!” He whispered, “Even I didn’t like these waves at first, but eventually they will grow on you.” Bhadra looked up to a quick nod from him. She smiled. She looked into the eyes of her husband. She truly appreciated that he had taken the time to come out and personally escort her into the city. From the distance, various chants could be heard hailing both him and his new queen.

Turning around she waved goodbye to her brothers and friends. Yes, she would miss the solitude of Kaikeya but the ocean no longer frightened her.

[shivaom99]

Siddhartha Gautama, Dearest Buddha

Gautama, was born around 567 B.C.E., in a small kingdom just below the Himalayan foothills. His father was a chief of the Shakya clan. It is said that twelve years before his birth the brahmins prophesied that he would become either a universal monarch or a great sage. To prevent him from becoming an ascetic, his father kept him within the confines of the palace. Gautama grew up in princely luxury, shielded from the outside world, entertained by dancing girls, instructed by brahmins, and trained in archery, swordsmanship, wrestling, swimming, and running. When he came of age he married Gopa, who gave birth to a son. He had, as we might say today, everything. And yet, it was not enough. Something—something as persistent as his own shadow—drew him into the world beyond the castle walls. There, in the streets of Kapilavastu, he encountered three simple things: a sick man, an old man, and a corpse being carried to the burning grounds. Nothing in his life of ease had prepared him for this experience. When his charioteer told him that all beings are subject to sickness, old age, and death, he could not rest. As he returned to the palace, he passed a wandering ascetic walking peacefully along the road, wearing the robe and carrying the single bowl of a sadhu. He then resolved to leave the palace in search of the answer to the problem of suffering. After bidding his wife and child a silent farewell without waking them, he rode to the edge of the forest. There, he cut his long hair with his sword and exchanged his fine clothes for the simple robes of an ascetic. FINDING LIBERATION

With these actions Siddhartha Gautama joined a whole class of men who had dropped out of Indian society to find liberation. There were a variety of methods and teachers, and Gautama investigated many—atheists, materialists, idealists, and dialecticians. The deep forest and the teeming marketplace were alive with the sounds of thousands of arguments and opinions, unlike in our time.

Gautama finally settled down to work with two teachers. From Arada Kalama, who had three hundred disciples, he learned how to discipline his mind to enter the sphere of nothingness. But even though Arada Kalama asked him to remain and teach as an equal, he recognized that this was not liberation, and left. Next Siddhartha learned how to enter the concentration of mind which is neither consciousness nor unconsciousness from Udraka Ramaputra. But neither was this liberation and Siddhartha left his second teacher. For six years Siddhartha along with five companions practiced austerities and concentration. He drove himself mercilessly, eating only a single grain of rice a day, pitting mind against body. His ribs stuck through his wasted flesh and he seemed more dead than alive.

THE MIDDLE PATH

His five companions left him after he made the decision to take more substantial food and to abandon asceticism. Then, Siddhartha entered a village in search of food. There, a woman named Sujata offered him a dish of milk and a separate vessel of honey. His strength returned, Siddhartha washed himself in the Nairanjana River, and then set off to the Bodhi tree. He spread a mat of kusha grass underneath, crossed his legs and sat. He sat, having listened to all the teachers, studied all the sacred texts and tried all the methods. Now there was nothing to rely on, no one to turn to, nowhere to go. He sat solid and unmoving and determined as a mountain, until finally, after six days, his eye opened on the rising morning star, so it is said, and he realized that what he had been looking for had never been lost, neither to him nor to anyone else. Therefore there was nothing to attain, and no longer any struggle to attain it. “Wonder of wonders,” he is reported to have said, “this very enlightenment is the nature of all beings, and yet they are unhappy for lack of it.” So it was that Siddhartha Gautama woke up at the age of thirty-five, and became the Buddha, the Awakened One, known as Shakyamuni, the sage of the Shakyas. For seven weeks he enjoyed the freedom and tranquillity of liberation. At first he had no inclination to speak about his realization. He felt would be too difficult for most people to understand. But when, according to legend, Brahma, chief of the three thousand worlds, requested that the Awakened One teach, since there were those “whose eyes were only a little clouded over,” the Buddha agreed. THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH

Shakyamuni’s two former teachers, Udraka and Arada Kalama, had both died only a few days earlier, and so he sought the five ascetics who had left him. When they saw him approaching the Deer Park in Benares they decided to ignore him, since he had broken his vows. Yet they found something so radiant about his presence that they rose, prepared a seat, bathed his feet and listened as the Buddha turned the wheel of the dharma, the teachings, for the first time. The First Noble Truth of the Buddha stated that all life, all existence, is characterized by duhkha. The Sanskrit word meaning suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness. Even moments of happiness have a way of turning into pain when we hold onto them, or, once they have passed into memory, they twist the present as the mind makes an inevitable, hopeless attempt to recreate the past. The teaching of the Buddha is based on direct insight into the nature of existence. Ir is a radical critique of wishful thinking and the myriad tactics of escapism—whether through political utopianism, psychological therapeutics, simple hedonism, or (and it is this which primarily distinguishes Buddhism from most of the world’s religions) the theistic salvation of mysticism. SUFFERING IS TRUE

Duhkha is Noble, and it is true. It is a foundation, a stepping stone, to be comprehended fully, not to be escaped from or explained. The experience of duhkha, of the working of one’s mind, leads to the Second Noble Truth, the origin of suffering, traditionally described as craving, thirsting for pleasure, but also and more fundamentally a thirst for continued existence, as well as nonexistence. Examination of the nature of this thirst leads to the heart of the Second Noble Truth, the idea of the “self,” or “I,” with all its desires, hopes, and fears, and it is only when this self is comprehended and seen to be insubstantial that the Third Noble Truth, the cessation of suffering, is realized. THE FIRST SANGHA

The five ascetics who listened to the Buddha ‘s first discourse in the Deer Park became the nucleus of a community, a sangha, of men (women were to enter later) who followed the way the Buddha had described in his Fourth Noble Truth, the Noble Eightfold Path. These bhikshus, or monks, lived simply, owning a bowl, a robe, a needle, a water strainer, and a razor, since they shaved their heads as a sign of having left home. They traveled around northeastern India, practicing meditation alone or in small groups, begging for their meals.

The Buddha’s teaching, however, was not only for the monastic community. Shakyamuni had instructed them to bring it to all: “Go ye, O bhikshus, for the gain of the many, the welfare of the many, in compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, for the welfare of gods and men.” For the next forty-nine years Shakyamuni walked through the villages and towns of India, speaking in the vernacular, using common figures of speech that everyone could understand. He taught a villager to practice mindfulness while drawing water from a well, and when a distraught mother asked him to heal the dead child she carried in her arms, he did not perform a miracle, but instead instructed her to bring him a mustard seed from a house where no one had ever died. She returned from her search without the seed, but with the knowledge that death is universal. DEATH AND IMPERMANENCE

As the Buddha’s fame spread, kings and other wealthy patrons donated parks and gardens for retreats. The Buddha accepted these, but he continued to live as he had ever since his twenty-ninth year: as a wandering sadhu, begging his own meal, spending his days in meditation. Only now there was one difference. Almost every day, after his noon meal, the Buddha taught. None of these discourses, or the questions and answers that followed, were recorded during the Buddha’s lifetime. The Buddha died in the town of Kushinagara, at the age of eighty, having eaten a meal of pork or mushrooms. Some of the assembled monks were despondent, but the Buddha, lying on his side, with his head resting on his right hand, reminded them that everything is impermanent, and advised them to take refuge in themselves and the dharma—the teaching. He asked for questions a last time. There were none. Then he spoke his final words: “Now then, bhikshus, I address you: all compound things are subject to decay; strive diligently.” The first rainy season after the Buddha’s parinirvana, it is said that five hundred elders gathered at a mountain cave near Rajagriha, where they held the First Council. Ananda, who had been the Buddha’s attendant, repeated all the discourses, or sutras, he had heard, and Upali recited the two hundred fifty monastic rules, the Vinaya, while Mahakashyapa recited the Abhidharma, the compendium of Buddhist psychology and metaphysics. These three collections, which were written on palm leaves a few centuries later and known as the Tripitaka (literally “three baskets”), became the basis for all subsequent versions of the Buddhist canon. Adapted from How the Swans Came to the Lake (Shambhala Publications). Rick Fields (1942–1999) was a contributing editor to Tricycle and the author of Chop Wood, Carry Water; The Code of the Warrior; (with Bernie Glassman) Instructions to the Cook; and the well-known history of American Buddhism, How the Swans Came to the Lake.

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Document Revealing Story Of Jesus Found In Buddhist Monastery

A Russian doctor by the name of Nicolas Notovitch was traveling through India, Tibet, and Afghanistan during the 19th century and it was said that he spent time at a monastery in Tibet with the name of the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, which was in Hemis, in Leh in India. He is said to have translated a document that tells the story of Jesus, aka Issa, which means son of God. The story said that he had been born during the first century into a family who was poor in Israel.

The tutors in the monastery called him the son of God from aged 13 to 29. It was said that Notovitch went on to translate 200 of the verses out of the 224 that were in the document.

A Lama explained to Notovitch the scope, along with the level of enlightenment, which Jesus had managed to achieve during his time at the monastery and this was said to be an extreme level. The Lama said that Jesus was a great prophet and had been the first following twenty-two Buddha’s. He went on to say that he was greater than all of the Dalai Lamas as he constituted the spirituality of the Lord.

Three Wise Men Could Have Been Buddhists Looking For Reincarnation Of Lama

The finding and translation of the documents at the monastery do happen to be in line with what has become known as The Lost Years of Jesus. Following the death of a Holy Man or great Buddhist, the wise men were said to have consulted the stars and then taken off on a long journey with the hope of finding the baby who they believed was the reincarnation of the Lama. Once that child reaches an age when he can be taken from his parents he is taken and then educated in the faith of Buddhism. Many experts are in agreement that this was the foundation of the origin of the story about the three wise men who visited the stable in Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. There is the belief that Jesus went to India with the wise men when he was 13 and brought up as a Buddhist.

One of the senior Lama members of the monastery told a news agency that Jesus visited India to study Buddhism and he took inspiration from the wisdom and laws of Buddha. The verses have been documented by many people since, including Nicholas Roerich, who had in 1952 recorded the accounts of the time Jesus spent at the monastery.

Jesus Was Excommunicated And Fled To The Himalayas

It was also said that Jesus had spent some of the time teaching in many holy cities, including Jagannath, Rajagriha and Benares and this led to Brahmins excommunicating him and Jesus then had to flee and went to the Himalayas to continue the study of Buddhism. A German scholar, Holger Kersten, wrote about Jesus early years and said that Jesus had settled in Sindh among the Aryans and he wanted to perfect himself.

The BBC made a documentary entitled “Jesus Was A Buddhist Monk, ” and it looks at the theory that Jesus was not crucified and when he was in his 30s he went back to the place he loved.

The documentary said that Jesus escaped death and went to stay in Afghanistan with Jewish settlers. Local people were said to have confirmed the fact that Jesus had spent many years in the Kashmir Valley and had remained there until he passed away at the age of 80 years. If Jesus did spend 16 years when he was a youth in the region, along with the last 45 years of his life, he would have spent around 61 years in total in India, Tibet, and regions close-by. There are locals who believe that Jesus was in fact laid to rest at the Roza Bal shrine in Srinagar in Kashmir.

BBC Documentary

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