BBC Documentary on Remembered Previous Lives

http://youtu.be/KDI3M9VB8BU

Some children can remember exact & verifiable details of their prior life they never could
have come to know in this their current child life. These details can be objectively and
independently confirmed. Remarkably & quite biologically enigmatic: Some of them have birth
marks and birth defects at very same locations as the lethal injury causing their often abrupt
and violent past life death. Eg. Born with 5 missing fingers after a prior life accident where
they were cut off... Birthmarks at the exact location where they got gunshot wounds in their
prior life, which could be confirmed from the autopsy report of their deceased individuality.
Furthermore: Some can speak a language they never have learnt in this life (xenoglossy)
corresponding to their past life language & nationality. They can in some cases remember names
of siblings and other family members in their past life family who they never have met in this life...

The pioneer in this research was the late Dr. Ian Stevenson:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson

He founded: The Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, VA.

http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops/home-page

A presentation of him is here: http://youtu.be/-pPBwFFWz_k

An evaluation of his rebirth research is here:

Evidence in Ian Stevenson's Research by Robert Almeder

http://youtu.be/4ytD6D1r9pc

Follow up on this ground-breaking reincarnation research by Dr. Jim Tucker:

http://youtu.be/h6M-nXjh_9I

http://youtu.be/z-1BvpDZwiw

Selected Ian Stevenson Bibliography:

(1974). Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation (second revised and enlarged edition). University of Virginia Press.

(1974). Xenoglossy: A Review and Report of A Case. University of Virginia Press.

(1975). Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Vol. I: Ten Cases in India. University of Virginia Press.

(1978). Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Vol. II: Ten Cases in Sri Lanka. University of Virginia Press.

(1980). Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Vol. III: Twelve Cases in Lebanon and Turkey. University of Virginia Press.

(1983). Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Vol. IV: Twelve Cases in Thailand and Burma. University of Virginia Press.

(1984). Unlearned Language: New Studies in Xenoglossy. University of Virginia Press.

(1997). Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects.
Volume 1: Birthmarks. Volume 2: Birth Defects and Other Anomalies. Praeger Publishers.

(1997). Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect. Praeger Publishers

(2000). Children Who Remember Previous Lives: A Question of Reincarnation (revised edition).

(2003). European Cases of the Reincarnation Type. McFarland & Company.

Summarized in the recent:

Science, the Self, and Survival after Death: Selected Writings of Ian Stevenson

http://www.amazon.com/Science-Self-Survival-after-Death/dp/1442221143

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442221147 by his colleague, Emily Williams Kelly:

Ian Stevenson was a prominent and internationally-known psychiatrist, researcher, prolific author,
and well-regarded figure in the field of psychical research. Science, the Self, and Survival after Death:
Selected Writings of Ian Stevenson is the first book devoted to surveying the entirety of his work and
the extraordinary scope and variety of his research. He studied universal questions that cut to the core
of a person’s identity: What is consciousness? How did we become the unique individuals that we are?
Do we survive in some form after death? Stevenson’s writings on the nature of science and the mind-body
relationship, as well as his empirical research, demonstrate his strongly held belief that the methods of
science can be applied successfully to such humanly vital questions. Featuring a selection of his papers and
excerpts from his books, this collection presents the larger context of Stevenson’s work and illustrates
the issues and questions that guided him throughout his career. Our esteemed colleague, Emily Williams Kelly,
is the editor of this collection of Dr. Stevenson's writing.

Rebirth from a Early Buddhist Perspective:

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rebirth.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Rare_Rebirth.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Samsaric_Dread.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Five_Destinations.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_is_Rebirth.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Destinations.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Kamma_and_Rebirth.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Rebirth_and_Kamma.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Samsaric_Round.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Human_Being_Rebirth.htm

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Past_Cause_Present_Effect.htm

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Remembered Previous Lives

	BhikkhuSamahita has uploaded BBC on Remembered Previous Lives. BBC on Remembered Previous Lives by BhikkhuSamahita Some children can remember exact & verifiable details of their prior life they never could have come to know in this their current child life. These details can be objectively and independently confirmed. Remarkably & quite biologically enigmatic: Some of them have birth marks and birth defects at very same locations as the lethal injury causing their often abrupt and violent past life death. Eg. Born with 5 missing fingers after a prior life accident where they were cut off... Birthmarks at the exact location where they got gunshot wounds in their prior life, which could be confirmed from the autopsy report of their deceased individuality. Furthermore: Some can speak a language they never have learnt in this life (xenoglossy) corresponding to their past life language & nationality. They can in some cases remember names of siblings and other family members in their past life family who they never have met in this life... The pioneer in this research was the late Dr. Ian Stevenson...

Buddhist Studies in India: Buddhist route to world academic map

By Roshan Kumar

Thu 31 Jan, 2013
The Patna University administration, in its effort to draw students from outside Bihar and abroad, is planning to start the proposed Centre for Buddhist Studies and Research from July.
The centre, which would have an intake of 40 students for postgraduation studies, has been approved by the senate and the syndicate of the university and also received Raj Bhavan’s consent.
The course would be taught from the academic session beginning July. The eligibility criteria for the course, which will be on various facets of Buddhist history and literature, will be graduation. The course would cover topics taught in foreign universities and cover aspects like history of Buddhism in India, Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist social thought, Buddhist art and architecture in India and development of Buddhism.
If Patna University manages to launch the course by July, it would be ahead of Nalanda University. According to sources, the Nalanda University administration is planning to start academic activities from the 2014-15 academic session. It also plans to set up residential facilities for faculty members and students to be associated with two schools ‘ historical studies and ecology and environment studies.
Patna University vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh said: “The idea behind launching the centre for Buddhist studies and research is that students having degree in Buddhist studies are much in demand in Japan, China and south-east Asian countries.”
He added: “In the initial phase, we would take the service of philosophy, ancient history and archaeology teachers to run the new course. The centre will have seven teachers and two research assistants. I have also talked to senior officials from International Buddhist Association and Buddhist studies department from Delhi University. They have pledged to help us running the course.”
While International Buddhist Association has assured help in terms of funds and academics, the Delhi University faculty have pledged assistance in terms of academics.
The sources said the new course would help the Patna University to be back on the international map of academics because students from other countries would once again start getting admission to the institution for the course. In the 1970s, many students from African countries used to pursue linguistic courses, particularly Arabic and Persian, at Patna University.
sourse:Budhist art news

How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance?

Durutu Poya day is the full-moon of January. This holy day celebrates
the first visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka. The Buddha visited the very
place, where the present magnificent Mahiyangana Stupa was built to
enshrine the Buddha's hair relics and the collar bone. For Details see:http://www.buddhanet.net/sacred-island/mahiyangana.html and
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/ma/mahiyangana.htm

                                                   Mahiyangana Stupa

On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed, with clean
bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue, and bows first
three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees & head touch the floor.
Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines
in a loud, calm & steady voice:

As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.  
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!

I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:  I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts... 

Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's
own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much
better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to
this world! So is the start towards Nibbāna: the Deathless Element!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and
fulfilled by training of Meditation...

Today indeed is Pooya or uposatha or observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps even the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the
next dawn... If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha,
they may simply forward the lines starting with "I hereby ..." signed with
name, date, town, & country to me or join here.  A public list of this new
quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!

The New Noble Community of Buddha's Disciples: Saddhamma Sangha:       http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm

Can quite advantageously be Joined Here:

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm

May your journey hereby be light, swift, and sweet. Never give up !!

Bhikkhu Samahita: what.buddha.said@gmail.com
 

For Details on The Origin of Uposatha Observance Days:     http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

The Buddhist Poya Uposatha Observance Day Calendar for 2013 is here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/various/Poya.Uposatha.Observance_days.2013.htm

 Durutu Poya Day!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

How is the gradual refinement of the 5 mental abilities?

There are these 5 mental Abilities:
The ability of faith,
The ability of energy,
The ability of awareness,
The ability of concentration,
The ability of understanding!


What are the six aspects of these abilities?They are dominant.
They are initiating.
They make quality.
They are stabilizing.
They are completing.
They are the foundation.

How are the abilities to be understood in the sense of being dominant?When one leaves behind skeptic doubt, the faith ability is found in one as being dominated
by definitive decision. This faith ability dominated by resolute determination to decision,
then facilitates exertion, presence, non-distraction and seeing.

When one leaves behind laziness, the energy ability is found in one as being dominated
by exertion of effort. This energy ability dominated by exerting effort, then facilitates
presence, non-distraction, seeing and decisiveness.

When one leaves behind negligence, the awareness ability is found in one as being dominated
by presence. This awareness ability dominated by presence, firmly founded, then facilitates
non-distraction, seeing, decisiveness and exertion.

When one leaves behind agitation, the concentration ability is found in one as being dominated
by non-distraction. This concentration ability dominated by non-distraction, calm, then facilitates
seeing, decisiveness, exertion and presence.

When one leaves behind ignorance, the understanding ability is found in one as being dominated
by seeing. This understanding ability dominated by seeing, penetrative and clear, then facilitates
decisiveness, exertion, presence and non-distraction.

This is how the abilities are to be found and understood as through dominance!

More on these 5 Mental Abilities:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Faith_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Ability_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Awareness_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Understanding_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
Source: Sariputta in: The Path of Discrimination: Patidasambhidamagga
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=133494

Authoritative Abilities!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Anatta Doctrine is the core of Buddhism!

Individual existence, as well as the whole world, is in absolute reality nothing
but a process of ever changing phenomena, which all are included in the five
groups of existence: Form, Feeling, Perception, Construction & Consciousness!
This process has gone on from time immemorial, before one's birth, & also after
one's death it will continue for an endless period of time, as long, and as far,
as there are causing conditions feeding it! These five groups of phenomena in
no way constitute an ego-entity, enduring personality, same self or inner soul
neither when taken separately nor when combined... Neither can any identity
or substance be found 'outside' of these all-embracing groups of phenomena...
In other words, the five groups of existence are not-self or no-self = anatta,
nor do they belong to a self = anattaniya. In view of the impermanence & the
conditionality of all existence, a belief in any form of self must be evaluated
as an illusion. Why so? Self must stay the 'same' in order to remain a true self.
But nothing here or there ever stays the same! All is transient & impermanent!
Secondly: Self must be in control to be called a self. But no self can control
causality... Things arise & cease - despite whatever self - due to conditions... 
Since nothing stays the 'same' as an identical identity, no thing can ever be self!
Since nothing is in full control even of itself or any other, no thing ever can be self!
Just as what we designate by the name car, has no existence apart from axle,
wheels, motor, chassis, and so forth, or as the word house is only a convenient
designation for various materials such as cement, clay, wood etc. put together
in a specific way so as to close a portion of space. Apart from these materials
there is no separate 'house entity' in existence! In exactly same way is that,
which we call a 'being' or 'individual', or 'person', or by the name 'I' or 'Me'
nothing but an ever changing mixture of physical & mental phenomena, made up
of the above mentioned five groups and has as such no real existence in itself.
This is, in brief, the anatta doctrine of the Buddha: The teaching that fathoms
that all that exists dead or alive is void (suñña) of a permanent self or substance!
It is the fundamental Buddhist doctrine, not found at all in any other religious
or philosophical system. To comprehend it fully, not only in a neat abstract and
intellectual way, but by constant reference to actual experience, is indeed an
indispensable condition for the true understanding of the Buddha-Dhamma and
for the realization of its goal: Nibbāna... Yeah!

Venerable Nyanatiloka Thera: Born 1922 in Germany. Died 1957 on Ceylon.

The Ego Tunnel - Prof. Dr. Thomas Metzinger TED video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFjY1fAcESs

For more on Anatta = No-Self = Fundamental Core Voidness see:http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/I-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Agent_is_Inside.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Just_Passing_Bubbles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Neither_Agent_nor_Actor.htm

Question: If there neither is any 'Self' or any 'Substance' what is 'Reality' then?
Answer: Fundamentally Void and Empty ...

    Selflessness is the hidden & missing core in all being!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Sri Lanka wakes up to organized treasure crime

The Nation
Carol Aloysius
Sunday, 27 January 2013

The authorities overseeing the protection of national cultural heritage are concerned about the wanton manner in which culture is being robbed by rogues in the guise of politicians and the absence of police posts to guard them
An archeological heritage of 3,000 years made by artisans who left their mark in the form of a vast array of priceless monuments, lovingly crafted, is now under threat. Over the years, thousands of artifacts from statues, jewels and personal adornments once worn by the royal ladies of yesteryear, battle scarred swords used by ancient kings, pottery crafted with exquisite designs and many other valuable items have been spirited away from their original sites. Today they adorn the private homes, museums and auction rooms of foreign countries.
The latest discovery of a moonstone found in a private bungalow in rural England, at Exeter, Devon about to come under the hammer at an auction room, has raised a howl of protests from concerned Lankans, prompting the Archaeology Department head Dr Senerath Dissanayake to request the High Commission in UK for a comprehensive report to discern if the stone concerned did in fact originate from Sri Lanka, and if so, request it be returned.
The moonstone is believed to have belonged to the Anuradhapura period. Department sources insist that it could not have been shipped in the recent past. According to them, it had probably been taken away during the Colonial period by a British planter since their archives which maintained records of every single moonstone in the country from 1,880 onwards, had no evidence of a stone being removed after that date.
Meanwhile fears have been expressed by a cross section of the public that more of these valuable national treasures are being surreptitiously spirited away and will continue, unless stricter measures are taken by both the government and the Ministry of National Heritage to protect them from disappearing.
Ghandara Era statues
“Large scale smuggling of our ancient artifacts is an ongoing activity, with many people involved in this lucrative business,” said Royal Asiatic Society President Dr Susantha Goonetilleke. Speaking from personal experiences, he said that he had come across antique sellers who had set up shop only yards away from the British Museum. “I met one of them who had an antique shop a hundred yards from the Museum who claimed to be selling ‘certified antiques’, meaning non smuggled antiques.” He explained that the man had over 26 pieces of Buddha statues of the Ghandara Era which were only slightly damaged. “I myself purchased one for 2,000 pounds and received a certificate assuring its authenticity.”
That was two years ago. About five years ago, on an earlier visit he noticed that this same seller had a Buddha statue, which Goonetilleke’s practiced eye immediately identified as one belonging to the Kandyan period. How do these artifacts get there in the first place, question Dr Goonetilleke.Robbing and desecrating cultural sites is nothing new, he insisted. “Dr Brendon Gooneratne informed me that the crown of King Wimaladharma had been on sale somewhere abroad about 10 years ago. This has been happening over a long period of time, although it’s only now that the Archaeology Department seems to be waking up to the sad truth. Earlier it was the LTTE who destroyed these sites during the war. Today it is local politicians, businessmen and treasure hunters, driven by greed,” he said with regret.
Indifference
The President of the Thimbirigasyaya Religious Association Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera of Bodu Bala Sena concurred. In fact Bodu Bala Sena, a few months ago, had vociferously aired their anger at what he said was “the indifference and apathy of the Archaeology Department to a very urgent problem concerning our national culture.” During the protest Bodu Bala Sena surrounded the Department building with placards against ‘the wanton manner in which the culture was being robbed by rogues in the guise of politicians’. He pointed out that these sites had neither boards to identify them by, or police posts to guard them from thieves.
He added however at present both Police posts and name boards to identify specific archaeological sites or monuments had been introduced. But he reiterated that this is not a foolproof method of protecting these ancient treasures from thieves since many of them were scattered in some of the most far flung areas of the country, mostly in thick jungles. He also alleged that some recent development projects had not taken into account the historical and cultural significance of some of the land into which they had made inroads, and were destroying the artifacts in the process.
Police Posts
Dr Nimal Perera of the Archaeological Department, in charge of excavations denied this charge saying that special Police posts had now been set up throughout the country under the superintendent of Police in each district to guard all sites that had been declared archeologically significant. Denying the charge that there were illegal excavations he said that all excavations are carried out only with the permission of the Director General of Archeology.
“Before we engage in any conservation project, such as renovating an ancient tank like the Samanala Weva or restoring a defaced or damaged Stupa, we first do extensive research on the site, or monument. Our ultimate goal is to protect and conserve our national heritage,” he reiterated. He added that if anyone wanted to build a road or set up a factory in an archaeological site, they have to get an Impact Assessment Survey of the area first, which has to be approved, before construction can commence.
Future excavation projects that the Department would be handling include Neelagiriya located at the Lahugala Forest reserve and the Digavapiya dagoba at Ampara, said to be one of the oldest historical sites in the same period as the Ruwanweli Maha Seya and Abhayagiri Vihara. “We hope to begin our excavations at these two sites at the beginning of next month,” he said. Suggestions
Regarding suggestions as to what can be done to minimize the rape of national cultural heritage by smugglers and treasure hunters, Dr Goonetilleke believes more vigilance is required especially by our High Commissions abroad whenever any Asian artifact goes under the hammer or is advertised on ebay, the preferred mode of persons wishing to sell such items on the internet, in order to identify the sellers.
Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera strongly recommended the amendment of the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act and bringing in stricter punishment. “Can you imagine that during British times, the fine for committing such theft was a mere ten rupees?” he asked. Today, even though greater fines and jail sentences have been introduced after the law was amended, the increased fines are still not sufficient deterrent, he insisted. “The present fine should be doubled depending on the value of the stolen artifact and the jail sentence too should be made twice as longer.”
Important meetings
Despite The Nation’s efforts to contact Archeological Department head Dr Senrath Dissanayake, and the Secretary of National Heritage Dr Nanda Wickramasinghe for their comments, we were told they were unavailable as they were attending important meetings.
SOURSE: BUDDHIST ART NEWS

WHEN IS THE WAY TO THE DEATHLESS ELEMENT OPENED?

When is the Way to the Deathless element Opened?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus and friends, these 8 things, purified, cleansed, immaculate, free from distortion,
elegant and sophisticated, if not arisen do not arise at all except from the appearance of a
Tathāgata, an Arahat, a Perfectly Enlightened One, or outside a Well-Gone-One’s Discipline!
What eight? 

1: Right View  (sammā-ditthi)
2: Right Motivation  (sammā-sankappa)
3: Right Speech  (sammā-vācā)
4: Right Action  (sammā-kammanta)
5: Right Livelihood  (sammā-ājīva)
6: Right Effort  (sammā-vāyāma)
7: Right Awareness  (sammā-sati)
8: Right Concentration  (sammā-samādhi)

These 8 things, purified, cleared, faultless, unaltered and not decayed, advanced and refined,
if not emerged do not appear, except when a Thus-Come-Thus-Gone One, a Worthy One,
a Perfectly Self-Awakened One emerges, except for when the Method of Training of a
Well-Gone One is well established… Just these 8 immaculate Things…

Rare is emergence of this fine path & method!

Further study on this unique & fine Noble 8-fold Way:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Middle_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fulfilled_First_.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Noble_8_fold_Way.htm
http://What-Bssuddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_3-fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Failed_by_Neglect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Noble_8-Fold_Way.htmhttp://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Golden_Middle_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fruits_of_the_Noble_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4th_Noble_Truth_on_The_Way_to_Cease_Suffering.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V:14-5] section 45:14-7 Purified Emergence ... http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html

 Just these 8 steps!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

--

Liberation means Leaving all States!

Any greed, lust, desire, longing, urge, hankering, hoping or wishing for this or
that state must be made to fade away absolutely, enabling mind to be fully
released and thus liberated by the elimination of all greed. All states of the 3
planes (sensual, fine-material and formless existence) is meant all-inclusively,
since it is necessary not to omit anything suitable for complete comprehension.
The Blessed One said: Bhikkhus, without directly knowing, without fully under-
standing all, without causing the fading away of any greed for this all, without
leaving it all behind, the mind is incapable of the full destruction of suffering!
Bhikkhus, it is by directly knowing, by fully understanding all, by causing the
fading away of greed for it, by abandoning it, that the mind becomes capable
of the irreversible complete destruction of all suffering! SN IV 17


On the many forms of Craving (Tanhā):
The 3 kinds of Craving, Elemental Analysis, Craving_is_Pain, Craving_is_Cause,
Origin_of_Suffering, Ceasing_of_Suffering, Craving_is_Catastrophic,
The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering, Cut_Craving!

Leaving All States Behind!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Reincarnation Evidence in Ian Stevenson's Research by Robert Almeder

	BhikkhuSamahita has uploaded Reincarnation Evidence in Ian Stevenson's Research by Robert Almeder. by BhikkhuSamahita Philosophy professor Dr. Robert Almeder of Georgia State University discusses reincarnation and societal reactions, focusing especially on the work of the late Dr. Ian Stevenson whose presentation is here: http://youtu.be/-pPBwFFWz_k Some children can remember exact & verifiable details of their prior life they never could have come to know in this their current child life. These details can be objectively and independently confirmed. Remarkably & quite biologically enigmatic: Some of them have birth marks and birth defects at very same locations as the lethal injury causing their often abrupt and violent past life death. Eg. Born with 5 missing fingers after a prior life accident where they were cut off... Birthmarks at the exact location where they got gunshot wounds in their prior life, which could be confirmed from the autopsy report of their deceased individuality. Furthermore: Some can speak a language they never have learnt in this life (xenoglossy) corresponding to their pa...

Buddhist era Stupa discovered in Swabi, Pakistan

Pakistan Observer
Staff Reporter
January 29, 2013
Peshawar—The Department of Archaeology and Museums, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during excavation has discovered relics of Buddhist era at Aziz Dheri, district Swabi.
The important relic amongst the discoveries is the Stupa of Buddhist era. According to a press release of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, the importance of this Stupa is recognized as holy and respectable in Buddhism. The Stupa is surrounded by statues.

SOURSE:BUDDHIST ART NEWS

Remembering Death is Daily Buddhist Routine!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Just as the mighty Himalayan mountains
Are high, all-expansive, & weighing heavily;
Just so do ageing & death suppress & defeat
All living beings in this world, whether divine,
rich, warrior, priest, trader, slave, or sweeper!
Not sparing anyone whatsoever,
Crushing anybody that is found!
Source: SN 3:25

                    
The Most Precious Altar of our Temple:
Soon this fragile body will fall to the ground,
lifeless, cast aside, without any consciousness,
stiff, cold & useless like a rotten log of wood ...
Dhammapada 41

Momentary
Whosoever knows this body
to be as temporary as a bubble,
as insubstantial as a mirror image,
May  break Mara's honey tipped arrows and
Can thus not be seen by this evil King of Death ...
Dhammapada 46

Big Surprise!
Death carries off the folly man while distracted
by gathering various flowers of sensual pleasure,
even & exactly so as the huge tsunami wave runs
all over and carries away the sleeping village.
Dhammapada 47

In the ultimate sense, beings have only a very short moment to live:
Only as long as one single moment of consciousness lasts!
Just as the cart wheel, in rolling forward as in standing still,
every time rests merely on one point of its rim: just so does any life
of any being last only as long as a single moment of consciousness lasts!
As soon as this moment is gone, that momentary being is also all gone...
One is therefore reborn millions of times in each second!
For as it was said by the ancient elders:
All life and all existence here is blinking & momentary,
All life's engaged involvement, its joy and all its pain,
Depends all only on one single discrete state of mind,
And quickly that moment passes by, for never to return...
Source: Visuddhimagga VIII,1

More on the inevitable fact of Death:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/amata.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Desireless_is_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm

Game Over Ever Again!

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

A good Friend quite wisely asked:

Question:
>I've often seen you translate karuna as "pity,"
but isn't pity actually the near enemy of karuna?

Answer:
Friend your good question exemplifies a common misconception and
non-recognition of a mixed state…Since it depends how you define and
thus understand “Pity” as a mixed state, or in itself as a pure state!

In itself Pure Pity = Karunā  is defined as:
Pity originally means ‘feeling for and of other’s pain’, or "sympathy" and
"empathy". However only IF mixed with egoism it gets more unsympathetic
connotations of feeling of “own” superiority based on conscious or even
unconscious lack of respect of the sufferer's dignity, who is now seen as
“inferior”. However this Evil does not come from pity itself, which is a pure
compassion for the plight of the sufferer, but to the often unseen and
overlooked aspect of mixed-in impurities of the EGO-conceit “I am Better”!
Since for to say or think, even subconsciously, “I am Better” there just
have to be present the mistaken belief in a non-existent Ego = The conceit
that “I am” = asmi-mâna... Needless to say has this arrogant & pride-pumped
“I”-dentification & “self”-deception nothing whatsoever to do with fellow
feelings for another being’s suffering, though it can often subconsciously
be mixed with it and thus polluting this in itself advantageous & good pure pity.

Moreover regarding karuna especially as "Buddhist Pity":
There is no “sorrow” or “sadness” in this state as it is based on understanding
of cause and effect. From the Visuddhimagga:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf

“One whose meditation subject is pity should arouse compassion for any
[evil-doing] person even if he now is happy: “Though this poor wretch is now
happy, cheerful, enjoying his wealth, still for want of even one single good
deed done now in by any of the 3 doors of intentional behaviour he will
come to experience untold future suffering in the states of loss.”

Cut short:
A Noble Person feels empathy and pity for any being in Samsara due to
understanding of the inherent dangers in that Samsaric trap for anyone
without understanding of the 4 Noble Truths, but he does not feel sorrow
or sadness on that account! If he did, then Pity (Karuna or Compassion)
would not be an advantageous (kusala) mental state promoting Happiness,
which is the sole purpose in the first place!

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pity
More on Pity (Karunā = Compassion):
Karuna_is_Pity, Space_Compassion, Safe_Medicine,
Great_Compassion, Compassionate_Pity, What_is_Wrong,
How_to_Cure_Cruelty_and_Revengefulness

Pure is Unpolluted Pity...

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net