World Fellowship of Buddhists promotes ethical treatment of animals

Originally posted by Buddhadharma.

 The Call on humanity to extend compassion and loving-kindness to all living beings in the final declaration at its 26th General Conference.

The World Fellowship of Buddhists, established in 1950 to foster cooperation between Buddhists of different sects all over the world, called on humanity to extend compassion and loving-kindness to all living beings in the final declaration at its 26th General Conference, held in South Korea last month. This action was prompted by Ven. Senaka Weeraratna of the German Dharmaduta Society, who handed in a draft resolution at the conference calling for an animal welfare subcommittee of the WFB Standing Committee for Humanitarian Services.

To read the full text of the draft resolution at lankaweb.com, click here.

Jogye Order publishes bilingual series on Korean Buddhism

http://www.zenmirror.blogspot.com/

13 Photos From Taiwan's First Same-Sex Buddhist Marriage

Originally posted by Buzzfeed.

 Taiwan, WHAT, same sex Buddhist marriages, who would of thought?

Huang Mei-yu (left) and Yu Ya-ting (right) have been together for seven years. On Aug. 11, they married in a Buddhist ceremony in Taiwan, where homosexuality is widely accepted, though same-sex marriage is still not recognized.

Image by SAM YEH / Getty Images

2.

Here, the women hug entertainer Chu Hui-chen, whose 26-year-old lesbian daughter killed herself in May.

Image by PICHI CHUANG / Reuters

3.

The brides wore matching veils at the ceremony. Opinions on gay marriage range within Buddhism, though modern teachers generally don't condemn homosexuality.

Image by PICHI CHUANG / Reuters

4.

They told reporters that they hoped the Buddhist ceremony would move more Taiwanese people to support legalization. About 80 percent of Taiwan's population is Buddhist.

Image by Wally Santana / AP

5.

Buddhist Master Shih Chao-hwei performed the ceremony, giving the women his full support: “I am certain you will lead a life of happiness together, especially after you have overcome so much difficulty and societal discrimination," he said. "You have blessings not only from the Buddha, but also from those whom you may or may not know who are in attendance.”

Image by Wally Santana / AP

6.

The brides exchanged beads — the Buddhist equivalent of "You may now kiss the bride."

Image by SAM YEH / Getty Images

7.

Their wedding comes one year after an enormous demonstration in Taipei, where 80 lesbian couples staged a Barbie-and-Barbie wedding.

Image by Wally Santana / AP

8.

Since 2003, Taipei has also been host to the largest gay pride parade in Asia.

Image by PICHI CHUANG / Reuters

9.

A same-sex marriage legalization bill has been spurring debate in Taiwan for nearly 10 years. Although the bill hasn't been approved, it was the first of its kind in Asia.

Image by Wally Santana / AP

10.

In 2006, Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou, then the mayor of Taipei, said "gay rights are part of human rights." Since becoming president, however, he's done little to get the bill approved.

Image by SAM YEH / Getty Images

11.

Here, the brides stamp their names in front of a Buddhist statue in the prayer hall.

Image by Wally Santana / AP

12.

Their parents did not attend the ceremony. “My parents have known my sexual orientation for many years, but at first, they couldn’t really accept it,” Huang told reporters. “Our parents originally agreed to come to our wedding, but they felt they were not prepared for the media exposure, so they decided not to come."

Image by PICHI CHUANG / Reuters

 

13.

"I remember when I told my parents that we would get married, their first question was, 'Is this legal?'" Huang told reporters. "I could only say to them that it would soon, but I didn't know when would be considered soon. So we hope it will become legal. For us and for our families, it is very important."

Buddhist Contemplative Care Symposium set for November at Garrison Institute

Originally posted by Buddhadharma.

Most effective palliative and end-of-life care possible....

The Shambhala Sun Foundation is pleased to cosponsor the first-ever Buddhist Contemplative Care Symposium, which will run November 8–11 at the Garrison Institute in Garrison, New York. The conference focuses on providing the most effective palliative and end-of-life care possible, drawing together neuroscience researchers, doctors, nurses, and other health care providers, Buddhist teachers, and patient advocates. Keynote speakers include Buddhist teachers Koshin Paley Ellison, Judy Lief, and Robert Chodo Campbell, and doctors Anthony Back, Diane Meier, Radhule Weininger, Michael Kearney, and BJ Miller.

More information, including registration, is available here.

Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center moves US office to Cambridge, MA

Originally posted by Shambhala Sun.

 TBRC is excited to announce that they have started a new internship program in collaboration with the Harvard Divinity School and the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard. 

The Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (TBRC) has moved from the Rubin Museum of Art to a new office space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, right in Harvard Square. The TBRC was originally founded by the late Tibetan scholar E. Gene Smith in Cambridge back in 1999.

According to a recent blog post on the move, TBRC is excited to announce that they have started a new internship program in collaboration with the Harvard Divinity School and the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard. They’ve also set up a kiosk and seminar room on site for visitors and students, to assist them in their research.

In the post at TBRC’s blog, the staff writes, “Our new location is spacious and bright, and we are thankful for the support we have received from patrons, board members, supporters, and friends. We are also appreciative that all of TBRC’s core staff members have made the transition.”

The Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center exists to preserve, organize, and distribute works of Tibetan literature. To find out more about TBRC, visit their website.

We recently asked Jeff Wallman (Executive Director of TBRC) about the move and TBRC’s future. Here is what Wallman had to say:

“We are excited about being in Cambridge. Its a fresh start. Everyone on staff is dedicated to the mission and made some big sacrifices to get here. Its more peaceful in Cambridge and sometimes we miss the excitement of New York.But things are happening here after one month and I am confident it is a good direction for us. The most exciting aspect of being in Cambridge is that we can cultivate the organization on all the levels it exists on. Different people see TBRC in different ways. For some TBRC is a mission, a noble endeavor, a website, a brainchild of Gene Smith, a text delivery system, an archive of Tibetan treasures, for some even a file system and hard disk. Its all of these things but the structure of TBRC is complex and it needs nourishment on each level to grow. We have really talented people working at TBRC and I have felt that their talents should be made available through seminars, training, teaching, etc. Now we have a public space so these connections can grow.

We also have a very interesting, and unique database – very much Gene’s brain child. And I’d like to see that child grow and expose the incredible interconnections Gene explored himself – connections between Tibetan social entities and the rise of monasteries; literary genres, the form and function of texts in all traditions over time; a sense of place, both sacred and geographic; Tibetan personage and the myriad threads of authentic lineage; the potency of Tibetan language, the expression of dharma through history. In Cambridge, we can cultivate these areas by connecting our staff to Harvard professors, students and others in the very interesting community in Cambridge. Its a place where Tibetan, Mongolian, Chinese, Pali, and Sanskrit languages are taught; where serious Tibetology happens; where there is a Tibetan community, interest in the dharma, philanthropy and the love of culture. We can also explore the neurological aspect of TBRC and utilize trends in technology, information science and digital humanities to expose the relationships we are capturing. So its very much a meeting place for exchange so that above all we can preserve and share Tibetan texts. I feel great about our future here.”

Psychiatrist incorporates Buddhist philosophy to heal patients

Originally posted by Buddhist Channel.

 Decades of research and clinical practice using traditional psychoanalysis, neuroscience and Buddhism in the practice of achieving wholeness.

New York, USA -- In the practice and study of Buddhism, non-duality or wholeness is a binding philosophy and critical to achieving enlightenment. All beings are equal in wanting happiness and not wanting pain; therefore one should protect others as one protects the self. This is called “the exchange of self for others,” or mindfullness. Joseph Loizzo, founder and director of The Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, has written a book called Sustainable Happiness in which he shares decades of research and clinical practice using traditional psychoanalysis, neuroscience and Buddhism in the practice of achieving wholeness. “The main problem in our human condition has to do with the fact that our natures were adapted for life in the wild, and that because of civilization, we are living in very unnatural conditions,” says Loizzo, who believes this is the primary source of stress for most people. "The stress instincts are what prepare us to fight or fly or freeze sometimes in dangerous situations. But since civilization began to sort of take over our whole lives, these stress reactions are a less and less useful part of our makeup,” according to an interview with Voice of America.   Controlling involuntary responses in stressful situations result in shortness of breath, sweating, and adrenaline surges alerting the body it is in possible danger. “And because really what is challenging us is not a predator, but is another human being," he says, "whom we need to cooperate with and we need to negotiate with, essentially we become maladapted.” Buddhist practices and philosophy have long been used for conflict resolution. Dr. Loizzo says by incorporating Buddhist techniques into his medical practice using meditation and breathing techniques, one can re-train the brain to control the body responses to reduce the stress which can lead to depression, chronic anxiety, hypertension and heart disease. “The idea is that if you’re mindful, you are able to assess things more clearly, and you are able to catch the misperceptions and over-reactions as they occur and opt out of them and choose the alternative [and] to see what is happening to you. Meditation becomes sort of a teachable simple pragmatic system for strengthening the parts of our mind and our brain that we need to be healthy and happy.” Personal story-telling Australian aborigines have practiced story-telling for centuries. An adolescent experiences a rite of passage in which they create their own story by going on a “walkabout.” In this practice they trace the paths, or "songlines", that their ancestors took, and imitate, in a fashion, their heroic deeds in order to build their own life rooted in tradition. Personal story-telling is also one of the techniques Dr. Loizzo encourages. “That’s the way our minds work. Our minds produce stories and images. And so some of the skills we teach have to do with learning to tell ourselves more constructive stories that empower us and help us to build the life that we really want to live - not the one we are trying to survive, or are afraid of being stuck in forever.” Such methods have been life-changing for many of Loizzo’s patients. Depression was a major problem for me," says one patient. "And through Dr. Loizzo’s support and our interaction I’ve been able to connect myself with other people and develop a network of people who support me in more meaningful relationships, things like that. It’s been a revolution in my life the way I think about myself and think about the world. I feel like I still have a long way to go but I’ve come a long way.” Mindfulness techniques have been effective in other settings. For example, breast cancer patients whose disease has gone into remission often report PTSD-like symptoms long after treatment ends. Western medicine offers little to ease the continued fear and anxiety. For a pilot study, Loizzo taught 60 women in a 20-week course that included meditation instruction and group discussions. Afterwards, most reported feeling less anxious and more hopeful about their lives. "Apart from curing and treating the disease, it’s important that we improve people’s quality of life.” Combining Western psychotherapy with Eastern philosophy is the basis for Dr. Loizzo’s book and the direction of his practice. Like the Australian Aborigines who, by singing the songs they created in walkabout, could navigate vast distances through the deserts of Australia's interior, Loizzo’s patients are learning to navigate or “walkabout” in their own lives through meditation and creating constructive stories to empower them through daily living as well as in crises. Source: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/12500393-psychiatrist-incorporates-buddhist-philosophy-to-heal-patients

Shrine's IPO plan sparks public outcry

Originally posted by Buddhistchannel.

Visitors gather near the Goddess of Mercy statue at Putuo Mountain, known as a holy Buddhist mountain, in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. 

Shanghai, China -- The latest effort to float on the capital market by Putuo Mountain, a Buddhist site, has renewed discussions over whether religious venues should turn into high-profile commercial entities through initial public offerings.

  Visitors gather near the Goddess of Mercy statue at Putuo Mountain, known as a holy Buddhist mountain, in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. Putuo Mountain Tourism Development Co Ltd is gearing up to go public on the domestic capital market. [Photo / China Daily]
Putuo Mountain Tourism Development Co Ltd, a subsidiary company under the Putuo Mountain Scenic Management Committee, is gearing up to go public on the domestic capital market after prudent considerations and a year of preparation, a committee official told China Daily on Monday.
"We are set to raise around 750 million yuan ($118 million) to bolster the site's development," said Zhang Shaolei, who works for the committee, which is affiliated to the Zhoushan municipal government in East China's Zhejiang province.
  But he declined to reveal the timetable or comment on the revenue source or composition of the planned listed company.
Putuo Mountain Tourism Development Co Ltd was unavailable for comment.
The listing of companies linked to world-famous Chinese heritage sites is not new in the country's capital market.
For instance, Emei Shan Tourism Co Ltd, which is primarily engaged in the sales of admission tickets and the operation of tramways and hotels in Emei Mountain, another renowned Buddhist mountain, was listed in Shenzhen in 1997.
A more recent example is Famen Temple, another high-profile temple in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, which put the brakes on its IPO in May after preparing for a Hong Kong listing, according to the China Securities Journal.
The issues seemed to have touched the nerves of the government, which has criticized plans to promote tourism via temples, or temples banding together to go public for fundraising.
Xinhua News Agency quoted Liu Wei, an official with the State Administration for Religious Affairs, as saying last month that such plans violate the legitimate rights of religious circles, damage the image of religion and hurt the feelings of the majority of religious people.
"Looking at the rest of the world, no venues for religious activities have ever been packaged for listing before," he said.
Besides, the authorities are drafting documents to regulate policy boundaries that differentiate philanthropic endeavors from profit-driven activities, said Wang Zuo'an, head of the bureau.
Attempts to list religious sites have apparently crossed the line because it is overly money-minded to misuse public assets for profit-driven activities, said Liu Yuanchun, a researcher on Buddhist culture with Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
According to Article 24 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics, no State-owned sites protected for their historical and cultural value, which are established as museums or cultural relics preservation institutes or used as tourist sites, may be made assets for business operations, Liu said.
"A Buddhist temple is a public asset that belongs to the whole country, not the so-called temple managers or the local government," he said.
Reports about Shaolin Temple, famous for its kung fu monks in Henan province, planning a listing sparked a public outcry when they surfaced three years ago.
The temple has made huge profits in recent years from tourist visits, international stage shows, film productions and online stores.
Most local governments have an inherent desire to make temples more attractive and lucrative, as the tourism industry can help boost employment and become a vital source of income, said Ling Xiao, an IPO specialist at Zhong Yin Law Firm.
For example, Emei Shan Tourism Co received approximately 2.6 million visitors to Emei Mountain last year. Net profits rose 31.6 percent year-on-year to reach 145 million yuan, a majority of which came from admission and cable car fees.
But it is highly "inappropriate" for the companies, which rely solely on natural and religious resources, to seek funding on the stock market, as it contradicts current laws on public listing and religious regulations.
"According to the Regulations on Religious Affairs, the land legally used by a religious body or a site for religious activities is protected by law. Therefore it is impossible for the listed company to claim ownership," he said.

Practices Derived from Buddhist Meditation Show Real Effectiveness for Certain Health Problems

New Delhi, India -- According to a report in the July Journal of Psychiatric Practice, mindfulness practices including Zen mediation have helped to resolve mental and physical health problems.

”An extensive review of therapies that include meditation as a key component - referred to as mindfulness-based practices - shows convincing evidence that such interventions are effective in the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and pain, when used in combination with more conventional therapies,” according to Dr William R. Marchand of the George E.

Mindfulness based therapies or exercises show clear results of health benefits. Mindfulness is described as “the practice of learning to focus attention on moment-by-moment experience with an attitude of curiousity, openness, and acceptance. In other words a part of practicing mindfulness is simply experiencing the present as it is rather than trying to change anything.

 

Dr. Marchand focused on three techniques: Zen meditation, a Buddhist spiritual practice that involves the practice of developing mindfulness by meditation. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) a combination of Buddhist mindfulness with meditation related to yoga as well as stress coping stretegies. The third type of technique he reviewed is Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which combines MBSR with principles of cognitive therapy.

As a result of Dr. Marchand’s study it has been revealed that MBSR is effective in reducing stress and promoting general psychological health in patients with various medical or psychiatric diseases.

These practices in addition help to affect mental and physical health in that they impact brain function in structure, which they believe is the reason for the practices helping decrease stress levels as well.

The use of such mindfulness practices are promising and overtime should be used consistently in clinical settings.

Mitt Romney’s Burma problem

Originally posted by Shambhala Sun. 

 Republicans and Democrats acting like children again and showing our countries.......

While Republicans and Democrats alike have been criticizing U.S. Olympic uniform designer Ralph Lauren’s decision to outsource production to China, Mitt Romney has been noticeably silent on the issue, calling the debate “extraneous” and saying the focus should be on the athletes. Throughout his presidential campaign, Romney has repeatedly promised to “get tough on China,” so his decision not to speak out was initially surprising. But, it turns out, he may have a reason for keeping quiet—the torchbearers’ uniforms for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, for which Romney served as president and CEO of the organizing committee, were made in Burma, which until last year was controlled by a brutal military junta.

One of the 2002 torchbearers, Susan Bonfield, tipped off a Burmese democratic group when she received her uniform in 2001. Trade unions and human rights groups protested and called on the International Olympic Committee to apologize and promise not to support the Burmese regime again.

No Impact Man

http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2012/07/my-speech-at-green-party-national-convention.html

Buddha Space: Forest Walking

Buddha Space: Forest Walking: The dirt track leads off into the trees, wrapping thoughts with foliage. A green canopy renders the sun impotent, a protective sheat...

Authority and Transmission

http://wakeupandlaugh.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/authority-and-transmission/

No More Fukushimas Peace Walk (a walk around Lake Ontario)

Originally posted by Buddhadharma.

Collectively look for more environmentally sound solutions to the world’s energy dilemma

Cameco Nuclear, a plant on the shores of Lake Ontario

For many, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster reminded us that we all need to collectively look for more environmentally sound solutions to the world’s energy dilemma. From now until August 11, 2012, peaceful protesters from many walks of life — with involvement from the Grafton Peace Pagoda in New York, which is affiliated with the Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist order — will be participating in the No More Fukushimas Peace Walk, which will go around Lake Ontario, to promote a “nuclear free future.”

According to those who helped organize the walk, “Lake Ontario is sacred to the First Nation people of US and Canada and yet it is being highly contaminated by 13 nuclear reactors on the Canadian side and 4 reactors on the US side (and the US government wants to build two more). Native people have disproportionately high cancer rates due to higher exposure from nuclear radiation created by nuclear waste dumping and uranium mining on Native lands.

Aung San Suu Kyi to visit United States for first time in decades

 Originally posted by Buddhadharma. 

 Visit the United States for the first time in decades

 The Associated Press reports that Aung San Suu Kyi will visit the United States for the first time in decades this September to collect an award. The Atlantic Council will present her with its Global Citizen Award at a ceremony in New York. There are no other details about Suu Kyi’s trip at this time, though the AP quoted the US State Department as saying that she would be invited to meet with US government officials during her trip as well.

Before her marriage to the late Oxford Tibetologist Michael Arris in the 1970s, Suu Kyi lived in New York for three years and worked for the United Nations. The Leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Suu Kyi spent 15 of the 21 years between 1989 and 2010 under house arrest.

this September to collect an award. The Atlantic Council will present her with its Global Citizen Award at a ceremony in New York. There are no other details about Suu Kyi’s trip at this time, though the AP quoted the US State Department as saying that she would be invited to meet with US government officials during her trip as well.

Before her marriage to the late Oxford Tibetologist Michael Arris in the 1970s, Suu Kyi lived in New York for three years and worked for the United Nations. The Leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Suu Kyi spent 15 of the 21 years between 1989 and 2010 under house arrest.

School for homeless kids to receive $51K donation from Dalai Lama

Originally posted by Buddhadharma

Homelessness, will receive $51k from His Holiness the Dalai Lama today

San Diego’s Monarch School, which offers education to children impacted by homelessness, will receive $51k from His Holiness the Dalai Lama today. The money comes from surplus funds raised during His Holiness’s April 2012 visit to the city, an event that nearly 20,000 people attended.

Erin Spiewak, Chief Executive Officer of the Monarch School, said, “This generous contribution allows Monarch to continue to support our students’ growth and learning with the intention that they will follow in the example of significant leaders such as His Holiness.”

Venerable Lama Tenzin Dhonden, Peace Emissary for His Holiness, will be speaking on behalf of the Dalai Lama during the gift-giving ceremony.