Mettavalokanaya_Magazine_October_2017

“Mettavalokanaya”
Offered to the High Buddhist Monks in
Singapore….
“Mettavalokanaya” offered to Most Ven. Dr. K. Gunarathana Thero
“Mettavalokanaya” offered to Most Ven. Dr.Galle Uditha Thero
Most Popular & leading Buddhist Magazine in Sri
Lanka, “Mettavalokanaya” Monthly Buddhist Magazine was
recently presented to the High Buddhist Monks in Singapore
by the Founder, President & Chief Editor of Mettavalokanaya,
Mr. Buddhika Sanjeewa, at Singapore on August 18 - 23,
2017. Mr. Wijaya Wagaarachchi, the Creative Director of
Mettavalokanaya also participated the occasion.
The first photograph shows, “Mettavalokanaya”
presented to the Most Venerable Dr Karawetayana
Gunarathana Thero - the Incumbent of Sri Lankaramaya
Buddhist Temple in Singapore & Project Manager, Maha
Karuna Buddhist Society of Singapore. The Second photograph
shows, “Mettavalokanaya” presented to the Most Venerable
Dr.Galle Uditha Thero, the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Singapore
& Chief Incumbent of the Buddhist Maha Vihara, in Singapore.
The Magazine distribution in Sri Lanka on every month, all
Chief Prelate of the Chapters in Sri Lanka including Malwathu,
Asgiri, Amarapura & Ramannya. And we also discussed and
write articles of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana & Tantrayana
all chapters of Buddhism.
In every month we distribute selected main Buddhist
Temples, School Libraries, Universities, Selected Sri Lankan
Government offices and private sector’s offices covered all
districts in Sri Lanka. We also distribute worldwide to all of the
overseas Sri Lankan High Commissions & Embassies via PDF
version of our Mettavalokanaya Buddhist Magazine by Email.
We send our Mettavalokanaya Buddhist Magazine by more
than 15,000 Emails bulk to registered expatriates in Sri Lankan
expatriates forum, worldwide.
“Mettavalokanaya” Buddhist Magazine has been
successfully distributed to over 40 countries up to date,
and also to all districts across Sri Lanka. “Mettavalokanaya”
Buddhist Magazine’s slogan is “The Aspiration of Metta
(Loving kindness) to Enlighten the Minds”. Our mission is to
write and publish on pure teachings of Buddha and share
them via different print media and online media platforms
with the whole world.
“Mettavalokanaya” Buddhist Magazine will continue to
aim to be the magazine that will take the higher teachings
of the Enlightened One to those in Sri Lanka and across the
world. The magazine comprises of special articles written by
leading Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka & overseas as well as lay
people.
It is also our sincere aspiration to bring the message
of the sublime Dhamma to the youth of today and to lead
them in the correct path to happiness, where they are today
inundated by such digital and social media contents that
influence them to defile their mind.
More information about the magazine and all published
articles can be accessed on the website - www.mettavalokanaya.
com, as well as on socials media- Mettavalokanaya Facebook
page, Youtube, Google +, Twitter, Blogger, Instagram, Linkedin,
Yumpu, Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and Wikipedia.
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The True Goal of Education
True education is akin to an elementary level of achieving
three different levels of wisdom or knowledge. The wisdom
from listening and reading is the first stage of attaining
knowledge. Analyzing and experience develops into the
second level of wisdom, but the ultimate level of knowledge is
the wisdom that comes from meditation (not contemplation).
This is the knowledge from a mind that has come to a standstill
inside the body, purified by Dhamma. Once we are purified and
at one with Dhamma, knowledge will be revealed in ourselves,
which is the state called enlightenment; it is the state where
our minds are permanently free from defilements. Once we
manage to break through and completely cleanse our minds
from kilesa we can truly go through to the enlightenment stage,
or Ultimate Knowledge. For example, there is a fisherman,
and through the clouded murky water he can see movement
and guesses that there are catfish or some other type of fish
there. But he cannot be sure. However, a fisherman that is
more experienced could take a more ‘educated’ guess as to
which fish are in the water, yet he too could not be totally
sure. The only way to be sure what is in the water is when the
water is clean and crystal clear, and the fisherman can then
see for himself it is this kind of fish or that kind of fish. This is
the same as a mind that is free from kilesa. When the mind is
still clouded by kilesa, our knowledge is lacking as we cannot
see and know the truth or reality.
When faced with the challenge of overcoming the
suffering from living one’s life, it is useful to note as an
example that humans are born ignorant of self-awareness
and knowledge of the world. Instinctively, we eat for pleasure
and to relieve the suffering of hunger; and instinctively, we
do not have an awareness of refueling the elements that
sustain life, and certainly we are not born with knowledge of
the nutritional value of what we eat or any possible harmful
effects. Without education regarding how to refuel our bodies
Training for Living and
Training for Life….
Most Venerable Phrarajbhavanajahn (Luang Por Dattajeevo Bhikkhu)
Vice Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Vice President of the Dhammakaya Foundation,
Most Popular and Respected Dhamma Teacher & Author in Thailand.
we develop bad habits, overeat due to greed, and consume
unhealthy or harmful foods that in due course lead to over- or
unnecessary spending, plus possible ill health and expensive
medical bills as a direct result of our ignorance. Should our
financial status render us unable to fund the consequences
of our bad eating habits, this may also lead to unethical and
immoral ways of funding our uninformed or mismanaged
feeding of the body and its kilesa-driven greed and excesses.
Education to Overcome the Suffering
from Living One’s Life
As long as we have to continue to refuel the elements
from sources outside of our body, we have to struggle to
survive. This is the common suffering everyone in the world
is facing. The moment we are born, we learn automatically
that we have to breathe on our own in order to survive. Later
on we learn to eat, to walk and so on through the process of
growing up. We learn about how to make a living. We spend
lifetimes learning about how to live our life as each stage of
birth, old age, sickness and death comes anew to us in each
successive life.
Nonetheless, the Lord Buddha did leave us the wisdom
in his teachings to help us discover the solutions to overcome
and eliminate our sufferings. One of the most important
lessons to learn is to how we can differentiate between need
and want. In order to live happily, living in moderation is the
key to influence the way we work and the kamma we create
for ourselves. Finding the necessities to replenish the four
elements essential to sustain life properly and knowing how
to use them will enable us to alleviate or overcome suffering
in living our lives without being deluded by desire for that
which is neither necessary nor morally advantageous.
Education to Overcome the
Suffering from Living Together
Humans are social mammals of an elite status. We need
to live together as a community in order to survive. However,
every member in society is driven by
the need to survive. All are bound to
be in conflict somewhere, somehow.
Conflicts can start within the smallest
unit of society — the family — and may
spread like a cancer to invade at an
international level of global proportions.
Overcoming the suffering from
living together requires us to understand
ourselves as human beings without
labelling anyone with race, religion or
creed. Only then can we learn how to share
with our family, community and humanity at
large.
Education to Overcome the Suffering
Cau sed by Kilesa
The Buddha’s Dhamma teaches us
that the way to overcome kilesa is to follow
the Noble Eightfold Path that will lead us to
completely eradicate our defilements and
endless round of suffering death and rebirth.
The goal of a good moral-based and structured
education is to encourage the study and
practice of the Noble Eightfold Path (which will
be clarified later in this book) from the earliest
possible age and on into maturity. The young
mind will have fewer negative influences from
kilesa and therefore will face fewer obstacles
to overcome; and this is why it is beneficial to
introduce the principles for life of the Noble
Eightfold Path as early in life as is feasible and
appropriate for the individual.
Knowledge Transfer from the
Immaculate Teacher, The Lord Buddha
The Lord Buddha’s limitless source of
knowledge and wisdom was achieved without
external teaching, through the power of selfenlightenment
to the reality of all things via the
process of meditation. Enlightenment is the
state of realization and understanding that
leads to the permanent cessation of the cycle
of rebirth by transcending all human desires
and suffering.
The Lord Buddha specified three levels
of understanding of life’s goals: elementary
that would allow the human to live in
peace, medium that would permit access to
heaven, and high that would lead to
the permanent cessation of the
cycle of human reincarnation and
the causes of
This final level,
is the state of
Teachers
must draw
on the wisdom of the
Buddha’s Dhamma
throughout their training
and then in the application of
their teaching commitment.
The Processes of Teaching
The teaching virtues
human suffering.
or enlightenment,
Nirvana.
The Lord
Buddha did
leave us
the wisdom
in his
teachings….
conducive to growth in wisdom were
expounded in the Buddha’s Dhamma for
the benefit of everyone. The Dhamma
mentions these virtues in four steps:
Step one: A good teacher should
think, speak and act in a good way, have
a complete and clear knowledge of the
subject, continue the practice of selflearning,
command respect from pupils
and others in the community, plus
possess the skills and ability to transfer
knowledge to pupils effectively.
Step two: A good teacher must
adhere to the principles required to
understand and absorb the content of
lectures correctly. The teacher assumes
the role of the student, listening
with respect, identifying the topic
and prioritizing the importance and
relevance of the content.
Step three: A good teacher must
thoroughly consider the purpose of the
lecture in order to grasp and understand
fully the relevance of the subject matter.
The teacher must scrutinize the content
with caution to evaluate the worthiness
of the lecture and conclude if the content
will lead to right or wrong knowledge or
guidance. If the teacher is satisfied that
the lecture imparts right knowledge, the
teacher must consider how to integrate
the content of the lecture into the most
appropriate teaching method.
Step four: This is concerned with
transferring to pupils the knowledge
and merit the teacher has acquired.
The teacher must know the usefulness
and benefit that will be gained by pupils
and have patience and consideration for
pupils’ difficulties when faced with new
knowledge and thinking. The teacher
must also be consistent and persistent
to ensure the knowledge is passed
on both correctly and completely.
The teacher must always look to
further develop these skills and
the satisfactory absorption of
knowledge by pupils.
Success and achievement of
and pupils go hand in hand, and
benefits to both teacher and pupil
teacher
t h e
o f following up on the progress are of
great
importance. Both the teacher
and
the pupils will feel confident and
encouraged; this creates happiness
and a bond of mutual respect. Both
will be moved to further develop their
personal attainment and skills while
both will also move closer to their goals
and fulfillment in this lifetime. The
success of the pupil is also the success
of the trainer.
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Like a wise and experienced doctor, the Buddha
recognized the sickness of suffering. He identified its causes
and discovered its cure. Then for the benefit of humankind,
the Buddha put his discovery into a systematic formula which
one can easily follow in order to get rid of one’s suffering. The
formula includes both physical and mental treatment, and is
called the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path is the fourth Noble Truth: the
first, that suffering exists; the second, that suffering has an
origin; and the third, that suffering can cease. By following the
steps of this Noble Eightfold Path one can eliminate the causes
of one’s suffering. The eight steps of this path can be grouped
into three categories: Good Conduct, Mental Development
and Wisdom.
Through Good Conduct, people learn to control their
words and deeds to avoid unwholesome behavior. In this
way they can live in harmony with themselves and society
by avoiding quarrels, stealing, lying, harsh speech and other
unwholesome actions. Unwholesome actions have painful
results. Practicing good conduct lays the foundation for
Mental Development and Wisdom.
Through Mental Development people learn to be selfreliant,
calm and aware of their thoughts and feelings so that
they can avoid trouble and conflict in their lives. In this way
they can purify their minds, to get rid of the thoughts and
feelings that cause their own unhappiness.
Through Wisdom they learn to see things as they really
are, to understand the relationship between cause and effect
Buddha’s Service to Humankind….
Most Venerable Aggamaha Pandita Dr. Walpola Piyananda Thero
Chief Sangha Nayake Thero of America and President of USA & Canada Sanga Council,
Chief Abbot & President of Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara, Los Angeles, California,
USA.
and to see how they have the power to tame their minds so
that they can achieve their goals.
For the best results all the steps of the Noble Eightfold
Path should be followed. It is said that following the Noble
Eightfold Path is like entering a dark forest with a flashlight
that is turned on. One can see better and will be able to avoid
dangers. This light is called Wisdom that clears away the
darkness of ignorance.
A modern, free translation of the precepts (training
rules):
Five Pairs of Global Ethical Principles
“Pānātipātā veramanī sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi.” - I will
act for the welfare and happiness of all beings. I will refrain
from harming any living being.
“Adinnādānā veramanī sikkhāpadam samadiyāmi.” - I
will be generous, open-handed & take delight in sharing. I will
refrain from taking what is not given.
“Kāmesu micchācārā veramanī sikkhāpadam
samadiyāmi.” - I will care for the body, keeping it pure in all
ways. I will refrain from sexual misconduct.
“Musāvādā veramanī sikkhāpadam samadiyāmi” - I will
speak the truth, words mild, pleasant and noble. I will refrain
from lying.
“Surā-meraya-majja pamādatthānā veramanī
sikkhāpadam samadiyāmi” - I will care for the mind, keeping
it pure, alert and unconfused. I will refrain from intoxicating
drinks and drugs. By practicing these principles, one will grow
in wisdom and compassion.
Thus We Heard: Recollections of the Life of Buddha
The timeless teachings of the Buddha have been our
source of inspiration, our guidelines for happy living, our
motivation for practice, and our tools for higher spiritual
attainment for many decades.
The question always arises: Just who was this prince who
renounced the world to seek enlightenment and eventually
became the Buddha?
Many books have attempted to answer this question,
and many have done an admirable job. None, however, have
really satisfied our desire for an eye-witness account of who
he really was.
We decided that the best and only place to look for him
was the Tripitaka, the Three Baskets of 84,000 teachings that
were organized during the First Sangha Council ninety days
after the Buddha passed away, and then first written down
three hundred years after the Buddha’s Parinibbana.
Our first intention for writing this book was to present a
biography of the Buddha from the perspective of the Tripitaka
itself. The ancient Pali-language Canon contains a wealth of
information on this subject, and we decided to mine it for
deeper clues that might enable us to discover exactly who and
what the Buddha was – minus the speculations, fables, and
tales from the early Buddhist commentaries.
Our second intention for writing this book was to share
verbatim as many translations of the Buddha’s primary
messages as we could, realizing that most readers would
never have the chance to read them unless they took it upon
themselves to engage in countless hours of research.
Our third intention for writing this book was to share the
life of the Buddha in a way that would appeal to Westerners
and Easterners alike. To do that, we realized the need for a
contextual story platform that would make the material
both accessible and entertaining: hence the creation of the
fictitious First Sangha Council sub-committee that recollected
the life of the Buddha.
Thus We Heard: Recollections of the Life of Buddha
became an amalgam of three kinds of books: a fully-researched
biography of the Buddha, a collection of his important
Dhamma messages, and a historical novel that “might have
happened,” but we’ll never know for sure.
The nine fully-enlightened arahants on the subcommittee
are real historical disciples of the Buddha that may
have attended the First Sangha Council; we know that at least
three of them actually did: Maha Kassapa, Ananda, and Upali.
In regards to the other six, the records tell us they were alive
at the time of the Buddha’s passing away, which means that
they may have attended.
The characterizations of the arahants in this book are
based upon information gleaned from the Tripitaka, as well as
from insights drawn from our own understanding, plus some
imagination. The conversations they have with one another
are fictitious, of course, as are the events we portray as having
taken place during the course of the Council. The characters
that make “guest appearances” at the subcommittee meetings
are real and historic, and their genuine contributions to the
Sasana are duly recorded in the Tripitaka.
We hope you may be interest “Thus We Heard:
Recollections of the Life of Buddha”, and gain a greater
appreciation for the Fully Enlightened One and his influence
on all of humanity for the past two and a half millennia.
May you be well and happy !
The Buddha
recognized the
sickness of
suffering….
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The 2nd International Buddhist Heritage in Gujarat
Conference held at Mahatma Mandir, Gujarat, Gandhinagar,
Ahmedabad, India on September 17 - 23, 2017. More than
20 countries including USA, UK, Japan, China, Hong Kong,
Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Macau, Sri Lanka,
Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, Mongolia,
Tibet, Laos & Bhutan 100 representatives and Indian Buddhists
were participated on the occasion.
The conference organized by under the leadership
of Most Venerable Bhante Prashil Ratna Gautam, Founder
Trustee, Sanghakaya Foundation, Gujarat, India. Indian
Government with Gujarat Tourism Corporation and World
Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) also joined the co-organized
above grand conference.
"The 2nd
International
Buddhist
Conference" held
in Ahmedabad,
India….
The Indian Prime Minister His Excellency Narendra Modi
and Japanese Prime Minister His Excellency Shinzo Abe also
visit Gujarat in India on these days. This international Buddhist
festival promoted and displayed Gujarat’s imminent place
in the International Buddhist Circuit Vadnagar, Devni Mori,
Vadodara, Rajkot, Junagarh and Ahmedabad.
This promotion held Gujarat as an important destination
for spiritual, art & cultural tourism amongst East Asian
Countries. Creating a harmonious cultural bond between Indic
spiritual diaspora (Hindu, Buddhist, Jains & Sikhs) for world
peace. They aims promote local cultural artists and talents
along with international celebrities.
Relevance of Indic Religions in the Contemporary
World discussed on above conference in front of the foreign
delegates and held the International peace walk in Gujarat,
India.
On this visit, the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) team
met and discussed the Princess of Baroda, Her Excellency
Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad, the Rajmata of Baroda in India at
the Lukshmi Vilas Palace under the leadership of Dr. Pornchai
Pinyapong - President of World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB).
Buddhika Sanjeewa
After the visit in
Ahmedabad - India
Sponsored by Jet Airways
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The kamma you’re creating with every moment….
Most Venerable Yalagamuwe Dhammissara Anunayake Thero
The Anunayake of Udarata Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Chief Incumbent of Sakamuni
International Buddhist Centre in Tokyo, Chief Incumbent of Viharagoda Dimbulana
Pirivena Temple, Director of Dhammananda Viddiyatana Pirivena, Honorable President
of Japan Sri Lanka International cultural & social development foundation (JSICSF) &
Chief Sanganayake Thero in Japan.
The Buddha has you ask that question every day, both to
keep yourself from being complacent and to remind yourself
that the practice is one of doing. Even though we’re sitting
here very still, there’s still a doing going on in the mind.
There’s the intention to focus on the breath, the intention to
maintain that focus, and the intention to keep watch over how
the breath and the mind are behaving. Meditation as a whole
is a doing. Even when you practice non‐reactivity or “being the
knowing,” there’s a still an element of intention. That’s what
the doing is.
That was one of the Buddha’s most important insights:
that even when you’re sitting perfectly still with the intention
not to do anything, there’s still the intention, and the intention
itself is a doing. It’s a sankhara, a fabrication. It’s what we
live with all the time. In fact, all of our experience is based
on fabrication. The fact that you sense your body, feelings,
perceptions, thought‐constructs, consciousness—all of these
aggregates: To be able to experience them in the present
moment you have to fabricate a potential into an actual
aggregate. You fabricate the potential for form into an actual
experience of form, the potential for feeling into an actual
experience of feeling, and so on. This element of fabrication
lies in the background all the time. It’s like the background
noise of the Big Bang, which hums throughout the whole
universe and doesn’t go away. The element of fabrication is
always there, shaping our experience, and it’s so consistently
present that we lose sight of it. We don’t realize what we’re
doing.
What you’re trying to do as you meditate is to strip
things down so you can see the very elemental fabrications
going on in the mind, the kamma you’re creating with every
moment. We’re not making the mind still simply to have a nice
restful place to be, a nice experience of ease to soothe our
stressed‐out nerves. That may be part of it, but it’s not the
whole practice. The other part is to see clearly what’s going
on, to see the potential of human action: What are we doing
all the time? What are the potentials contained in this doing?
Then we apply that understanding of human action to see
how far we can go in stripping away the unnecessary stress
and suffering that come from acting in unskillful ways.
It’s important that we always keep this in mind as we
meditate. Remember: We’re here to understand human
action, in particular our own human actions. Otherwise we sit
here hoping that we don’t have to do anything, that we can
just wait for some Imax experiences to come whap us upside
the head, or some nice glowing sense of oneness to come
welling up inside. And sometimes things like that can come
unexpectedly, but if they come without your understanding
how or why they came, they’re not all that helpful. They’re
restful for a while, or amazing for a while, but then they go
away and you have to deal with your desire to get them back.
And, of course, no amount of desire is going to get them back
if it’s not accompanied by understanding.
You can’t totally drop human action until you understand
the nature of action. This is really important. We like to think
that we can simply stop doing, stop doing, stop doing, and
things will settle down, get calm, and open up to emptiness.
But that’s more like zoning out than meditating. There is an
element of stopping in the meditation, an element of letting
go, but you can’t really master it until you understand what
you‘re trying to stop, what you’re letting go.
As the Buddha said, of all the fabricated phenomena
there are in the world, the highest is the noble eightfold path.
This is the path we’re trying to follow right now. It’s something
put together, and you won’t understand it until you see the
putting‐together as you’re doing it. So always have that in the
back of your mind: that you are doing something here.
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The World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB)….
Miracle serves to the Buddhist World…
Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong
President of World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB)
INTRODUCTION
The World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) is a network
of international Buddhist organizations with worldwide
membership from Buddhist temples, organizations, Buddhist
educational institutions and individual Buddhist leaders. It
was established on 19 January 2016 and officially launched on
23 September 2016 during the First Global Buddhist Leaders
Congregation in Ayutthaya, Thailand.
VISION - Unity of Buddhist World. MISSION - Protection
& Propagation & Preservation Buddhism to next Generation.
THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
01 - To be an international platform for global Buddhist
Organizations, Buddhist Leaders, Buddhist Scholars and Sangha
institutions and communities. 02 - To foster collaboration, unity
and solidarity among all Buddhists, Buddhist Organizations,
and Sangha monks worldwide. 03 - To propagate, protect and
promote Buddhism and the Buddha Dharma globally. 04 - To
guide, develop, train, educate and empower Buddhist Youth,
and new Buddhist converts to be future Buddhist Leaders. 05
- Protection, promotion and preservation of ancient Buddhist
Heritage and archeological sites and monuments globally. 06
- To coordinate, enhance friendship, knowledge sharing and
exploration of Buddhist doctrines, among all the four major
Buddhist traditions around the World namely - Mahayana,
Theravada, Vajirayana and Tantrayana. 07 - To organize and
carry out moral, social and dharma activities in the field of
social, educational and others humanitarian services for
the wellbeing and benefit of humanity. 08 - To do all things
necessary and suitable, or for the attainment, of any and all
of the primary purposes herein enumerated or incidental to
the powers herein named, or which shall at any time appear
conducive or expedient for the protection or benefits of the
organization and its members.
World Alliance of Buddhists for Buddhist Unity
In the past there are many Venerables, Buddhist
Leaders, Buddhist scholars try to create International platform
for Buddhist Unity such as……, 01 - The World Fellowship of
Buddhists (WFB) was established in Srilnka,1950. 02 - The
World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC) established in Srilanka,
1966. 03 - The International Council for the International Day of
Vesak (ICDV) established in Thailand, 2008 (UNDV in Thailand
started from 2004 by MCU). 04 - World Buddhsit Sangha Youth
(WBSY) established in Sri Lanka, 2004. 05 - The World Buddhist
Forum established in China, 2006. 06 - International Buddhist
Confederation ( IBC ) established in India, 2011 and World
Alliance of Buddhists ( WAB ) was established in Thailand in
2016 to be another International platform for World Buddhist
to propagate , protect and preserve the Buddha Dhamma for
our next generation.
MEMBERSHIP
Currently, WAB has a membership from 26 countries
and 46 Buddhist Organizations worldwide. We accept
membership applications from Organizations, Buddhist
Sangha and Leaders actively involves in Buddhist activities and
has met our criteria in the Constitution to achieve our Aims
and Objectives. Interested party or individual may contact and
more information of activities kindly visit WAB official Website
- www.wabhq.org.
WAB ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES - CENTRAL
EXECUTIVES COMMITTEE TERM - 2017 - 2020
Honorary Presidents - Prof. Ven. Panasaro Hui Hai
- Malaysia / Most Ven. Jing Yao - Taiwan / Most Ven.
Pandawontha (Aungzabu) / Mahasadhamajotikadaja -
Myanmar.
Executive Council (EXCO) - President - Dr. Pornchai
Pinyapong - Thailand / Deputy President - Ven. Chen Kong Fa
Shih - Taiwan / Vice Presidents - Ven. Sung Jin - South Korea /
Ven Khemachara - India / Ven. Tapassi Dhamma - Nepal / Ven.
Shih Ming Yu - Taiwan / Dr. Hnin Hnin Aye - Myanmar / Ven.
Kumara Kassapa - Sri Lanka / Mr. Sabuj Barua - Bangladesh /
Mr. Chinmoy Barua - Bangladesh / Mr. Ajitman Tamang - Nepal
/ Dr. Heero Hito - India / Ms. Puncharat Lye - UAE / Ms. An
Di - China.
Secretary General - Dr. Lye Ket Yong - UAE / Joint
Secretary Generals - Prof. Dr. Leong Yuanxin - Malaysia / Ms.
Mithila Chowdury - Bangladesh / Ms. Parinda Perry - USA /
Treasurer - Ms. Lalitpat Janejob - Thailand / Joint Treasurer
- Mr. Sornkrit Ponloonkin - Thailand / General Executive
Members - Ven. Koyu Mazaki - Japan / Ven. Boonthavy Vilaijak
- Laos / Ven. Virote Auckajitto - Thailand Ven. Mugunuwela Mr.
Isuru Dodangoda - Sri Lanka / Ven. Hak Sianghai - Cambodia /
Mr. Andrew William - Australia.
Advisory Board 2017 - 2020 - Ven. Sun Up - South Korea
/ Ven. Sun Bo - South Korea / Ven. Sangay Yonten Tamang -
India / Ven. Dhamanag Bhadant - UK / Ven. Pasura Dantamano
- Thailand / Ven. Sokchan Attapirakhito - Cambodia /
Maha Ubasika Nhek Buntha - Cambodia / Mr. Wannarat
Buranasittiporn - Thailand / Mr. Prabin Racha Sakya - Nepal
/ Dr. Ong See Yew - Malaysia / Mr. Sri Dewa Kumara Semage
- Sri Lanka / Mr. Sangay Moktan - India / Dr. Mk Otani -
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Ratithammakul / Ms. Jongjai Koasombat / Mr. Srijug
Chaovanich / Ms. Sililuk Yukhanthaphornphong.
ACTIVITIES
01 - Global Buddhist Congregation - Thailand - 2016
/ Malaysia - 2017 /Myanmar - 2018. 02 - (WAB) Executive
Council Meetings - South Korea / Sri Lanka / Malaysia. 03 -
Global Buddhist Forum & Sangha Summit in conjunction
with GBC.
04 - Buddhist Leadership Training Programme -
International Ordination Programme / Buddhist Leadership
Training Programme ( UG5 & other Course) 05 - International
Buddhist Youth Exchange Programme. 06 - Dhamma
Activities - Mahasangha Dana / Buddha Relics Distribution /
International Kathina Ceremonies.
07 - Humanitarian - Help for Flooding in Sri Lanka /
Help for Earthquake in Myanmar. 08 - Buddhist Holy Day &
Auspicious Day - Maga Puja Day / Vesak Day / Earth Day - April
22 / World Meditation Day - Aug 06 / World Peace Day Sep 21.
09 - Award Programmes - WBOLA / Women Outstanding in
Buddhism Awards.
10 - WAB HQ activities - Media - Newsletter, Fan page,
Website / Coordinating Center for GBC, Ex Co , RCs activities
/ Daily Dhammachak Chanting / Dhamma activities - Alms
Offering, Sangha Dana, etc.
WAB OFFICIAL LOGO
The Dharma Wheel with the “triangle” in the center
symbolizes “the Triple Gems” and Buddhism, flank by the letter
W = (World) and B = (Buddhist). The three bases of the Lotus
representing precepts (Sila), meditation (Bhavana) & wisdom
(Panna) which forms the foundation of Buddhism. The six (6)
colors (Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, White and Iridescence),
represent the aura emanating from the Buddha’s body when
he attained enlightenment, which is also the colors of the
international Buddhist Flag. The round shape signifies the
readiness of the wheel to propagate the Buddha’s teachings
to any region of the world.
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The Buddha prescribed a path for virtue….
Venerable Bhante Prashil Ratna Gautam Thero
The Secretary General - Sanghakaya Foundation Gujarat, Ahmedabad, India
Throughout the history of Buddhism, the Buddha has
been described as a doctor, treating spiritual ills. The path of
practice he taught has likewise served as therapy for suffering
hearts and minds.
This understanding of the Buddha and his teachings dates
back to the earliest texts, but its meaning for contemporary
practitioners has become more relevant than ever. Buddhist
meditation is often touted as a form of healing, and many
psychotherapists now recommend that their patients try
meditation as part of their treatment. But the Buddha
understood-and experience has shown--that meditation on its
own can't provide a total therapy. It requires outside support.
In many ways, modern meditators have been so
destabilized by the stimuli of mass civilization that they
often lack the resilience, persistence, and self-esteem
needed to achieve concentration and cultivate insight. To
provide grounding in these qualities, and to foster a personal
environment conducive to meditation, the Buddha prescribed
a path made up not only of mindfulness, concentration, and
insight practices, but also of virtue.
These precepts constitute the first step on the path.
There is a tendency to dismiss them as Sunday-school rules
bound to old cultural norms that no longer apply to modern
society, but this misses the role that the Buddha intended for
them: to be part of a therapy for wounded minds. In particular,
they are aimed at curing two ailments that underlie low selfesteem
and block progress on the path--regret and denial.
When our actions don't measure up to certain standards
of behavior, we either regret the actions or engage in one
of two kinds of denial--denying that our actions did, in fact,
happen, or denying that the standards of measurement are
really valid. These responses are like wounds in the mind.
Regret is an open wound, tender to the touch, while denial
is like hardened scar tissue twisted around a tender spot.
When the mind is wounded in these ways, it can't settle down
comfortably in the present, for it finds itself resting on raw,
exposed flesh or calcified knots.
This is where the Five Precepts come in. Healthy selfesteem
comes from living up to a set of standards that is
practical, clear-cut, humane, and worthy of respect. The
precepts provide just such a set of standards. The
standards are simple. They may not always be easy
or convenient, but they are always possible to live by.
Some people translate the precepts into standards that
sound more lofty or noble. To some, taking the second
precept, for example, means not abusing the planet's
resources. But that's an impossibly high standard.
The Buddha understood that if you give people
standards that take a little effort and mindfulness but
are still possible to meet, their self-esteem soars dramatically
as they find themselves actually meeting those standards.
They can then face more demanding tasks with confidence.
The precepts are formulated with no ifs, ands, or buts.
This means that they provide very clear guidance. There's
no room for waffling or less-than-honest rationalizations. An
action either fits in with the precepts or it doesn't.
Anyone who has raised children has found that while
they may complain about hard and fast rules, they actually
feel more secure with them than with rules that are vague
and always open to negotiation. Clear-cut rules don't allow
for unspoken agendas to come sneaking in the back door of
the mind.
The precepts are humane both to the person who
observes them and to the people affected by his or her
actions. If you observe them, you are aligning yourself
with the doctrine of karma, which teaches that the most
important powers shaping your experience of the world are
the intentional thoughts, words, and deeds you choose in the
present moment.
This means that you are not insignificant. With every
choice you make at home, at work, at play you are exercising
your power in the ongoing shaping of the world. At the same
time, this principle allows you to measure yourself in terms
that are entirely under your control: your intentional actions
in the present moment. In other words, they don't force
you to measure yourself in terms of your looks, strength,
brains, financial prowess, or any other criteria that depend
less on your present karma than they do on karma from the
past. Also, they don't play on feelings of guilt or force you to
bemoan your past lapses. Instead, they focus your attention
on the ever-present possibility of living up to your standards
in the here and now.
Treat always for suffering
Hearts and minds….
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Buddhism in Germany….
Most Venerable Dr. Ratmale Punnaratana Nayaka Thero
The Chief High Priest Judiciary of Germany and the Chief Abbot of Sri Lanka Buddhist
Temple in Germany, The Lecturer of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz,
Germany. The Head of Department of Germany of the Buddhist and Pali University of
Sri Lanka, The Director General of Karuna - Samadhi Organization.
Meditation
Practice
is more
interested of
Germans….
The History….
There is more than 300 years virtual history for the
Buddhism in Germany. It has been spreading significantly
throughout the Germany since very recently. At the very first
time of the journey of Buddhism in Germany, it was rather
popular among higher professionals such as doctors, lawyers
etc. by the various type of activities such as translating and
publishing books etc. And furthermore, It’s rather significant
to note down that it was hardly spread by the literature
(Hermann Hesse) and music (Beethoven). Now, Buddhism is
being studied by the majority of the population without of any
conflict.
01 - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was so much
attracted by the Buddhist philosophy. 02 - Friedrich Max
Mueller (1823-1900) published the "Sacred Books of the
Buddhists" in English. 03 - Austrian Karl-Friedrich Neumann
(1865-1915) didThe German translation of the main parts of
the Pali Canon. 04 - Hermann Oldenburg (1854-1920) wrote a
biography of Gautama Buddha in the year 1881. 05 - Hermann
Hesse (1877-1962) wrote ‘Siddhartha’, published in 1922.
They wanted to organize themselves in Buddhist
communities in order to practice Buddhism and to promote
Buddhist teaching. In 1903 Karl Seidenstucker (1876-1936)
founded the first German Buddhist organization in Leipzig.
German Buddhist Scholars and Buddhist Societies….
01 - Anton W.F. Gueth (1878-1957) became the first
German Novice as Nyanatiloka founded Island Hermitage in
Sri Lanka. 02 - Paul Dahlke (1865-1928) established in 1924
the Buddhist house in Berlin-Frohnau, 03 - Georg Grimm
(1868-1945) in Munich in 1921. 04 - Ayya Khema opened
the Bahddha Haus in 1989 and "Metta Vihara" in Munich as
the first Buddhist forest monastery in Germany under her
auspices in 1997.
05 - German Buddhism was in the beginning mainly
dominated by Theravada-Buddhism. 06 - Japanese Zen-
Buddhism became known only after the World War II. All the
big Buddhist branches are now existed: Theravada-Buddhism,
Mahayana-Buddhism and an impressive number of followers
of the Tibetan tradition (Vajrayana). 07 - 1955 founded
German Buddhist Union (DBU).
08 - Although the number of Buddhist followers is still
small, Buddhism is very popular. 09 - But compared with the
centerfold tradition in Vietnam and other Asian countries, 10
- Buddhism is still at the beginning in Germany.
Current Activities….
According to them, there are now more than 65 German
Buddhist societies and over 600 Buddhist groups all over
Germany, which can help interested people to find a group
in their region. And many of Buddhist centers, there are
altogether more than 130,000 Buddhists living in Germany
(with a population of about 80 million), both Asian migrants
and native Germans.
The groups organize meditation classes, Dharma talks,
retreats, study groups, celebrations, teachers training and
other events. Germans as well as Asian monastics in and
from Germany, as individuals, have largely contributed to the
understanding of the original teachings of the Buddha and
its spread, not only in Germany, but also beyond German
borders.
Through all their activities, the Buddhist monastics have
significantly contributed to Buddhism, such as * Translating
Buddhist Texts, * Leading transmigration rituals and other
rites and ceremonies, * Studying and teaching Buddhism
including training new monastics, * Performing and guiding
daily practice and meditation, * Being living examples for
values such as loving kindness, * peacemaking, mindfulness,
and other virtues, * Counseling * Engaging in interfaith
dialogue, * And many other dharma activities.
Meditation….
European society is very complicated with the
industrialization (busy lives, much stressed, always selffocus
and view of physical things). The big fact of popularity
of Buddhism in Germany: Meditation and Buddhism is a
particularly tolerant religion which is open to anyone.
They are seeking happiness and peace and Mediation
is the treatment for their Stressed lives. Buddhist groups,
societies and centers organize meditation classes and retreats.
They are very interested in both Samatha and Vipassana
Meditation.
Meditation practice is more interested than rites and
rituals. And also Yoga and Thai Chi also very interested.
Working Together….
All different schools such as Theravada, Mahayana
and Thantrayana are sitting under the umbrella of German
Buddhist Union and working together. Working since 2005
with Vietnamese Community (Pagode Phat Hue Frankfurt &
Buddhas Weg in Manheim).
Vipassana meditation program & Annual Whole Night
Chanting Ceremony in Mahayana Centers. With this workinggroup
(DBU) we try to spread the network of Buddhist groups
and individuals and we often discuss how to promote Buddhism
in Germany. Not only with the Buddhist communities but also
with the other religious traditions.
Buddisitscher Maha Vihara E.V.
In 2005 founded by me as Buddhist Vihara Hamburg
E.V.and he offers spiritual care and Buddhist teaching for
various meditation groups in the Hamburg area.
I am living more than 20 years in Germany and as
Buddhist & mediation teacher in Germany. In 2014 bought
a new building in Schneverdingen and newly founded
Buddhistischer Maha Vihara E.V.
The mission of our center is to propagate Buddhism
through its practice, and to educate all sentient beings on
how to attain Enlightenment and purification of the mind.
Propagating Buddhism and practice meditation, Chanting
(Recitation), Charitable activities, Cultural programs.
Karuna Samadhi E.V.
Karuna is a non-profit organization, was founded in 2004
by me on the name of my beloved mother, shortly after the
death of my mother. To help school children who has economic
difficulties, build their education and to practice the love and
kindness for the European people
Started with 6 scholarship holders and now more than
500 students and another hundreds of students have built
their success with the help of Karuna. Now the process was
more developed Computer Programs (Yakkala), Pre-Schools
(Hikkaduwa), House developing aids (All around Sri Lanka),
Self-employment aids (All around Sri Lanka)
Education helping programs for Novice and Nuns
(Hingurakgoda and Gampola), And Special social activities
(Children’s home Kadugannawa)
Buddhism in Germany....
Most of several Asian Buddhist traditions practice the
Buddhism with a great companionship with Germans in
Germany. The Buddhism is being practiced by the individuals
as monks and nuns since last few decades. Some universities
are available for Buddhist studies. (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn,
Mainz etc. universities)
Teaching the Buddhism in schools. (by the approvals
in Berlin) But, there we have the lack of qualified teachers.
The facilities for the Buddhist to continue their practices have
been increasing in Germany (ex; cemeteries in Berlin and
Frankfurt), Buddhism for kids.
So, we can be hopeful that the lotus flowers will have
brightened blossoms in the future in Germany.
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The Power of creation or Sankhara….
Most Venerable Dr. Bhiksuni Ming Yu
The President - Chinese Young Buddhist Association in Taiwan & the Honorary Adviser
of the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) and President of the Outstanding Women in
Buddhism Awards
The Buddha
talks about
various ways of
dealing
with
distraction….
The mind has a basic habit, which is to create things. In
fact, when the Buddha describes causality, how experiences
come about, he says that the power of creation or sankhara—
the mental tendency to put things together—actually comes
prior to our sensory experience. It’s because the mind is
active, actively putting things together, that it knows things.
The problem is that most of its actions, most of its
creations, come out of ignorance, so the kind of knowledge
that comes from those creations can be misleading. For this
reason, what you want to do in the process of meditation is
to back up, to get down as close to this process of creation
as you can, to see if there’s a way to do it skillfully that leads
to knowledge, that leads you to a point that breaks through
ignorance. And this means, instead of building up a lot of
things, you let things fall apart so you can get down to exactly
where these basic forces in the mind are putting things
together.
Now it so happens that when we bring the mind to
the breath, we have all these basic forces right here in their
most elemental forms. The breath is the factor that fashions
the body. It’s what they call kaya‐sankhara or the “physical
putting‐together.” The breath is what puts life together in
the body. If it weren’t for the breath here, things would start
falling apart really quickly.
Then there’s verbal fabrication, vaci‐sankhara, the act of
putting things in words. The two basic verbal sankharas are
directed thought and evaluation, and you’ve got those rights
here, too. You direct your thoughts to the breath and then
evaluate the breath: How does the breath feel? Does it feel
good? If it does, stay with it. If it doesn’t feel good, you can
change it. This is about the most basic level of conversation
you can have with yourself: “Does this feel good or not?
Comfortable or not? Yes. No.”
And then you work with that. What are you working
with? You’re working with mental fabrication, citta‐sankhara,
which covers feeling and perception: feelings of pleasure,
pain, of neither pleasure nor pain. And then perceptions are
the labels the mind gives to things: “This is pleasant. This is
painful. This is this and that is that.”
When you’ve got the mind with the breath, you’ve got
all of these things brought together: the feelings that come
with the breath, the perceptions that label the breath: “Now
the breath is coming in. Now the breath is going out. Now the
mind is like this. Now it’s like that.” The directed thought and
the evaluation are there as well, keeping you focused on the
breath and on evaluating the breath.
So these things are all together. If you stray away from
here, you’re usually straying away into distraction, into the
realm of further elaboration, in which you lose this basic
frame of reference and create a whole other one. It’s what
they call “becoming” in the texts, when you create other
worlds in the mind. Once you get into those other worlds, you
lose touch with the process of creation, you lose touch with
how becoming is brought together. So you’ve got to learn how
to take those worlds of distraction—and the processes that
form them—apart.
The Buddha talks about various ways of dealing with
distraction. Once you’ve realized you’ve left your original
frame of reference, you bring yourself back. In other words,
you remind yourself. In some cases, the simple act of reminding
is enough to disperse that other little world you’ve created for
you and come back to this one.
Other times you have to reflect actively on the
drawbacks of that other world, of the thinking that creates it,
especially if its thinking imbued with lust, aversion, delusion,
or harmfulness. You’ve got to remind yourself, “What would
happen if I thought about this for a while?” Well, you’d
create certain habits in the mind, and once those habits are
imbedded in the mind they lead to actions that can create all
kinds of problems. When you see the drawbacks of that kind
of thinking, you say, “I don’t need that. I’ve had enough of that
in my life.” You drop it and come back to the breath.
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As the second contemplation, the Buddha expounded
the contemplation of feelings thus: ''And how, monks, does
he abide contemplating feelings in the feelings?" "Here, when
feeling a pleasant feeling, he knows 07 feel a pleasant feeling.'
When feeling an unpleasant feeling, he knows' I feel an
unpleasant feeling.' When feeling a neutral feeling, he knows 'I
feel a neutral feeling.' When feeling a sensual pleasant feeling,
he knows 'I feel a sensual pleasant feeling.' When feeling a
non - sensual pleasant feeling, he knows 'I feel a non - sensual
pleasant feeling.'
When feeling a sensual unpleasant feeling, he knows
'I feel a sensual unpleasant feeling.' When feeling a nonsensual
unpleasant feeling, he knows 07 feel a non- sensual
unpleasant feeling.' When feeling a sensual neutral feeling,
he knows 07 feel a sensual neutral feeling.' When feeling a
non-sensual neutral feeling, he knows 07 feel a non- sensual
neutral feeling.'"
What is the Feeling?....
The Pali term for "feeling" is vedana, whose root vida
means to experience and to know. In the Abhidhamma,
feeling is classified into five kinds: comfort {sukha), discomfort
{dukkha), happiness {somanassa), unhappiness {domanassa),
and neutral {upekkh}. Among these five, the first two are
related to the body, the second two to the mind, and the last
one to both. Here, ''bodily sensation" means body related
sensation, which is a feeling but not a physical phenomenon.
Dry skin on one's back, for instance, is felt as itchy and
unpleasant. In this case, "dry skin" is body; "itchy" is physical
feeling; "unpleasant" is mental feeling. The physical feeling
arises anywhere in the body and the mental one arises in the
mind.
We make an all-out effort and spend as much money
as we can in order to gain comfort and happiness and avoid
discomfort and unhappiness. Thus, we react to feelings by
various means that are either skillful or unskillful depending
on our mindset {manasi-kara). Feeling is like a T-junction
The correct thinking way of Feelings….
Most Venerable Kakanadure Hemalankara Nayaka Thero
The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Canada, the Founder and Chief Abbot of Ottawa Theravada
Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
The Buddha
Expounded the
contemplation of
feelings….
of wholesome and unwholesome paths, since it decisively
influences and determines our subsequent thoughts and
actions.
So, it is very important to react to feelings in a skillful
way. The wisest reaction to the feeling is, of course, to be
mindful of it. The mindfulness of it will lead to wholesome
thoughts, wholesome actions and wholesome rebirths. It will
also counteract illusion and attachment and lead to maggaphala
enlightenment. According to Dependent Origination,
therefore, feeling is described as the only link by which we
can modify or stop the cycle of rebirths. So, the role feelings
play in our lives is so important that it is ranked as a separate
aggregate and a separate object to be mindful of, even
though, according to Abhidhamma, it is just a single mental
factor among the fifty-two mental states.
Definition and Classifications of Feeling….
Feeling varies in our experience depending on our
physical needs and mental reactions to those needs. For
example, according to physical need, warm temperature and
heavy clothing are felt as pleasant during the cold season,
unpleasant during the hot season, and neutral during the
cool season. Any of our bodily postures feels pleasant in the
beginning and unpleasant after some time, and neutral in
between.
Moreover, according to our mental reactions we can
find something to be pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. A
weight resting on our bodies is naturally felt as unpleasant,
but would be pleasant if it is by someone we care for. Even an
emperor with absolute power, it is said, would be happy to be
kicked by someone if it is his own baby son lying on his lap.
Thus, according to our physical needs and mental reactions,
the feeling, although it is a single mental factor, varies in
experience into three kinds: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral.
Nine Kinds of Feeiing….
However, in this discourse, we can find feeling to be of
nine kinds because, as mentioned in the Pali passage below, it
includes six additional (and more exacting) kinds by modifying
the first three basic feelings with two adjectives "'sensual"
and "non sensual".
The Buddha instructed us to be mindful of them as
follows:
01. ''Here, when feeling a (generally) pleasant feeling, he
knows "I feel a (generally) pleasant feeling."
02. When feeling a (generally) unpleasant feeling, he
knows "I feel a (generally) unpleasant feeling.
03. When feeling a (generally) neutral feeling, he knows
"I feel a (generally) neutral feeling.
04. When feeling a sensual pleasant feeling, he knows "I
feel a sensual pleasant feeling."
05. When feeling a non-sensual pleasant feeling, he
knows "I feel a non-sensual pleasant feeling."
06. When feeling a sensual unpleasant feeling, he knows
"I feel a sensual unpleasant feeling."
07. When feeling a non-sensual unpleasant feeling, he
knows "I feel a non-sensual unpleasant feeling.
08. When feeling a sensual neutral feeling, he knows "I
feel a sensual neutral feeling.
09. When feeling a non-sensual neutral feeling, he
knows "I feel a non-sensual neutral feeling."
Sensual Pleasant Feeling….
So, "sensual pleasant feeling" means the feeling we
experience when we enjoy sensual pleasure. For example, at
a party, by seeing beautiful couples, hearing the sweet music,
breathing in fragrant perfume, sipping a drink and putting our
arms around the waist of someone we love, we are satisfying
our five senses and, as a result, have pleasant and happy
feelings.
These kinds of pleasant and happy feelings apparently
take place when our senses are satisfied by sense-objects.
In this sensual pleasant feeling is divided into six kinds, in
correspondence with the six sense-objects which includes
dhamma-objects.
Furthermore, according to the Abhidhamma this sensual
pleasant feeling is always rooted in two kinds of mental states:
illusion {moha) and attachment {lobha).
We will not find anything pleasant or unpleasant if we
see it as it really is. Beauty is literally skin deep. If we penetrate
into the reality to see what is really there, then we will not
find anyone at the party to be beautiful or ugly. And, music is
just sound. If we pay attention to the music in each present
moment, we will only hear it as sound, without melody or
rhythm.
We will then no longer find it to be pleasing or
unpleasing. In the same way, if we are mindful of the smell,
we will become aware of smell as smell without the illusory
sense of pleasure. Similarly, if we sip a drink mindfully, we will
only experience its taste, but will not find it to be pleasing or
unpleasing.
Nothing in that can be found to be pleasant. However,
because of illusion and attachment, these sense-objects are
felt to be pleasant. In Sakka-pahha Sutta, this kind of sensual
pleasant feeling {amisa-sukha) is described as a feeling
not worth experiencing {asevitabba), because we are just
fooled by illusion and attachment. If we note it as "pleasant,
pleasant..," we can discern its true nature and will see it for
what it really is. This type of discernment means insight that
leads to enlightenment.
Before we go to the second kind of happiness called
"Non-sensual Pleasant Feeling," To explain some more
about the sensual happiness, because it is something we are
desperately pursuing.
We are willing to go through a lot of trouble and difficulty
to obtain luxurious things that, we believe, will make us happy,
even more so in our attempts to find a compatible relationship
with the opposite sex.
If we were maggots, we would be happy living in feces,
too. It is not luxurious materials, but illusion and attachment
that make us think we are happy. So, sensual happiness is just
illusory happiness and not genuine happiness.
Non-sensual Pleasant Feelings….
"Non-sensual Pleasant Feelings" refers to certain kinds
of happiness that are neither related to five sense-objects nor
rooted in illusion and attachment.
According to the Abhidhamma, this non-sensual
pleasant feeling can be classified into kinds in terms of the
progressive refinement of happiness as follows:
The non-sensual pleasant feeling (happiness) is related
to loving kindness and compassion. We can find ourselves
to be happy when we do something with loving kindness
and compassion, such as the act of generosity, act of moral
conduct, volunteer works, learning or teaching dhamma and
so on. When we give someone something he needs, or when
we help someone get out of trouble and we find they become
happy, and then we also become happy. However, this does
not mean our happiness is dependent on another; rather, it
is the loving kindness and compassion in itself that bring us
happiness.
This kind of happiness is rooted in three wholesome
roots: unselfishness {abbha), loving kindness or compassion
{adosa) and understanding {amoha). It takes place when we
do any good deed with loving kindness and compassion.
Another one kind of non-sensual pleasant feeling
(happiness) is finer than the first one. It is related to mental
purification through concentration and mindfulness. We
cannot be happy if our minds are defiled and agitated by
mental defilements. By practicing samatha, such as metta
meditation and recollection of death, etc., we can purify our
minds of mental defilements to some extent, such as lust,
greed, selfishness, anger, hatred, jealousy, conceit, and so on.
With vipassana (i.e., moment to moment mindfulness), our
minds are purified from the defilements. If we are angry, for
instance, we note it as ''angry, angry." Then, the anger may
disappear if concentration and mindfulness are strong.
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Massive Effort - Viriya….
Most Venerable Royal Pundit Meegahakumbure Dhammagavesi Thero
The Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siamese Sect in Australia, Chief
Incumbent of Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara, Lankarama, Schofield, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
If you develop and
practices seven
factors, you can
easily realize the
truth, dhamma
& achieve great
wisdom….
“Atti bhikkhave arambhadhatu nikkhamadhatu
parakkamadhatu Tassa yoniso manasikara bahuleekaro
- Ayamaharo anuppannassa va Viriyasambojjhangassa
uppadaya - Uppannassa va viriyasambojjhangassa Bhanaya
paripuriyati”
Buddha has referred virya or effort is several places. One
of them is in the Noble Eight Fold Path. The six steps there refer
to effort. In the above virya or effort is interpreted as effort
or energy. If one can develop this spiritual quality that will
carry him a long way. We must differentiate this from physical
energy. Physical energy is only considered as a component of
it. What is referred to here as effort is psychological energy
which is a special form of energy.
In Anguttara Nikaya Buddha says “Araddha viriyoyam
bhikkave ayam dhammo nayam dhammo kuseetassa” - this
dhamma is for a person with tenacity and not for one who is
lethargic inactive and lazy.
The Buddha mentions of our independent personally
held energy. It is not an energy given to us by an almighty god
or an agency who controls people and who requires us to pray
and obey his orders, where people are required to sign and do
offerings for personal liberation. Under such circumstances,
people do not have any independence.
The Buddha taught us how people should utilize their
independence and their personal energy “Tumehi kiccam
atappam - Akkhataro tathagatha” - The above verse deserves
to written in gold. Tumehi kiccam atappam - you, yourselves
should have this energy, effort, keenness and application to
eradicate defiling thoughts.
Akkhataro tathagatha - The Buddha is only person
showing direction. The Buddha does not identify the Buddha’s
as saviors who have to be worshiped and revered. He only
shows the path. One has to personally make the effort to have
success.
Even today, when someone is near the Bodhi Tree
another may ask what problems had brought him to the Bodhi
Tree. When a person regularly goes for meditation sessions,
people look in the very weird ways.
We must realize that a person should not have any
specific problem to go to the temple. There have been several
lay persons who have accessed us to confide that they have
been questioned by others whether there are problems or
issues to bring them to the temple. We are aware that quite a
number of lay people think that way.
The second reason is very relevant to “Attano loko
anabhissaro”. It is said that Great Ishwara is an all-powerful
deity. Then the Buddha says, “Attano loko anabhissaro” - there
is so Great Ishwara in the world one does not personally have
a Great Ishwara.
There is no one managing or ruling you. Everything
revolves around the phenomenon of cause and effect. So,
when I listened to that dhamma I understood the meaning
of “Attano loko anabhissaro” - there is no one who has
controlling power. All of us rise and decay based on our own
kammic causes and their effects.
22 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 23

DHARMA VIJAYA
BUDDHIST VIHARA - USA
The Temple of the
Victory of Truth….
Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara, 1847, Crenshaw
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California - 90019, USA was founded
on April 20, 1980. Chief Sangha Nayake Thero of America
and President of USA & Canada Sanga Council, Chief Abbot
& President of Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara, Los Angeles,
California, USA - Most Venerable Aggamaha Pandita Dr.
Walpola Piyananda Thero is the Chief Abbot of the Temple.
The main support for the Vihara came from a group of
Sri Lankan Buddhists. Since its inception, the Vihara has been
maintained by Sri Lankan, as well as other Asian and Western
Buddhists, plus non-Buddhist friends of diverse national and
cultural backgrounds. Local American and Asian communities
continue to support the Vihara. Venerable monks conduct the
day-to-day activities and render guidance for those seeking
the services of the Vihara.
Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara promotes the Theravada
tradition of Buddhism found primarily in Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. The Theravada tradition is the
oldest and most authentic version of the Buddha’s teachings
now surviving. It preserves intact the original doctrines and
practices taught by the Buddha 2600 years ago.
Religious Activities
Monks begin the day at 6 a.m. with services in the
shrine room. First, there are offerings to the Buddha, then
a recitation of a sutta invoking blessings for the world, and
finally a meditation on loving-kindness that extends good will
and harmony to all beings. At 11:30 a.m. an offering of food at
the shrine is made after which lay devotees offer food to the
monks. At 6 p.m., there are devotional services and recitations
of suttas, followed by meditation in which everyone present is
welcome to participate.
Facilities are available at the Vihara for the performance
of all rites and ceremonies observed by Theravada Buddhist
communities. Lay people also have the privilege of inviting
monks to their homes to perform ceremonies.
Instruction in Dhamma
The Vihara conducts public lectures to impart basic
knowledge of the Buddha teachings embodied in the Tripitaka
texts. These texts are widely referred to as the “Pali Canon”
because they are in Pali, an ancient Indian language that was
spoken by the Buddha. Weekly evening classes are held at the
Vihara for study and discussion of fundamental theory and
practice of Theravada Buddhism. These classes are open to
those who seek either an overview or an in-depth knowledge
of Buddhism. Current schedules are available at the Vihara.
The Vihara holds Dhamma Sunday school for children on
Sundays from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. A basic knowledge of Buddhism
for children is taught in English. Parents are welcome to bring
children of any age. Adult classes are available for the parents.
Meditation Instruction
On Tuesdays and Fridays, 7 to 8 p.m., instruction in
meditation is given to beginners as well as those more
experienced. Meditation is followed by a Dhamma talk
based upon the teachings of the Buddha. From time to time,
weekend intensive meditation retreats are organized.
On the first Sunday of each month, a one-day retreat
is held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. People of any tradition or
background are invited to attend.
Traditionally meditation was a tool used for spiritual
development, but today it is also utilized to help people
attain better health, insight and creativity. There are many
different styles of meditation that have developed in specific
cultural environments. The Buddha gave his followers many
different suggestions to help them to cultivate their mind in
order to achieve the ultimate goal of Nibbana. Three such
instructions are: Mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati),
Insight (Vipassana) and Loving Kindness Meditation.
Revival of the Theravadan Bhikkhuni Order
In Southeast Asia the bhikkhuni order had died out in
ancient times, and Ven. Piyananda has been working very hard
to get it re-established. As early as 1979 he tried to arrange
for some Sri Lankan Dasasilmata to train for full ordination.
Finally in 1986 an ordination of a samaneri (novice nun) was
held at Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara.
For the first time after eleven hundred years, 10 Theravada
bhikkhunis were ordained in Saranath, India in 1996 by Sri
Lankan monks who were joined by Korean monks and nuns.
The ordination was organized by the General Secretary of the
Maha Bodhi Society, the late Ven. Mapalagama Wipulasara
Maha Thera and Ven. Walpola Piyananda Maha Thera.
Since then, Dharma Vijaya has held ordinations of both
samaneris (novices) and bhikkhunis here in Los Angeles.
Initiation for Lay People
Dharma Vijaya has a program whereby lay people can
be initiated with titles reflecting their level of commitment to
learning and practicing Buddhism. The first level is Upasika;
the second is Dhammacari; and the third is Bodhicari, which is
the equivalent of a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist minister.
Social Welfare Work Here and Abroad
Dharma Vijaya has been part of the social fabric of
the Los Angeles, helping wherever it can. During the Los
Angeles riots, there was conflict between African Americans,
Koreans and others. The monks were involved trying to bring
the groups together, fostering mutual understanding of the
cultural differences.
The monks also participate with monks of other Buddhist
traditions to help their congregations navigate the differences
in American culture and their own cultural traditions. They also
participate in interfaith dialogues to promote understanding of
Buddhism in the religious community of Southern California.
Scholarships
For over 25 years Dharma Vijaya has found sponsors
who give scholarships to needy medical students in Sri Lanka.
In Sri Lanka, education is free, however some students need
financial help them pay for board, lodging, books and school
supplies, which are not provided by the government. Thus far
a couple of hundred students have graduated with the help
provided by these scholarships. For 15 years there has been
a scholarship program for monks attending the university to
study Pali and Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The fund was established
by Dhammacari Panna with the help of her friends in the
Vietnamese community. So far over 50 monks have been
helped by this program.
Publications
Most Venerable Walpola Piyananda Thero has written
several books all of which have been translated into Sinhalese:
Saffron Days in L.A.; A Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A.; Away From
L.A.; and co-authored with Dr. Stephen Long: Thus We Heard:
Recollections of the Life of the Buddha. He has also written
Love in Buddhism and numerous articles for other publications.
For more details please log on www.dharmavijaya.org.
24 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 25

nm$.ï fõhkaf.dv Ydka; ußhd uOH uyd úoHd,h
w;a;k.,a, Y%S wryka; rdcuyd úydrh" wefußldfõ
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isõ fldarkdhl ufydamdOHdh wdpd¾h
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mdi,a f.dvke`.s,a,la" fn!oaO uOH uyd úoHd,hg remsh,a
—wdpd¾h mkaks,
Y%S wdkkao kdysñ˜
wiuiu wOHdmksl
ioafufyjr''''
Most Venerable Dr. Pannila
Sri Ananda Thera’s
Massive Education Service to the Nation….
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w;a;k.,a, rcuyd úydria: m;srdc msßfjk
26 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 27

Stress Free Living – A Simple Tool….
Anish Baheti
International Empowerment Coach, Consultant, Author & Motivational Speaker /
Founder of Concepts Coach (Australia) and Train My Brain (India)
We all know what stress can do to our lives and how
we react or respond to the stressful circumstances will affect
our health. As human beings we behave differently to the
same situation or circumstances. What might be considered
stressful for one person, another might not feel the same way
at all. It’s good to dissolve stress by understanding whether
you react or respond to such situations. The session might just
alter the way you perceive stressful events and teach you a
simple yet powerful technique to manage stress.
RUN: Running away, if a tiger is chasing you seem
like a wise choice; however, if you are escaping a stressful
situation because you fear failure, then you are reacting to the
underlying stress. The possible cue in your brain could be “Let’s
move on”. When you run away from your stress, it gives you
a false feeling that you have controlled the situation, though
in reality you have simply avoided the stress temporarily. No
matter how far you run, your stress will eventually find you
and it will turn more impactful when you actually face it. The
UP arrow also indicates the FLIGHT reaction to the stress.
CONFRONT: This is one of those situations where your
heart pounds and breathing quickens. The cue in your brain
may be “How dare you?” Your immediate perception about
the situation is a possible threat to your own survival and
hence the desire to combat. In this state thinking turns less
than rational and fear of losing control is inflated. Outcome
from this sort of reaction is always negative and brings a
feeling of burnout. The FRONT arrow signifies the FIGHT
reaction to your stress.
HIDE: The reaction from the brain when there is no
action at all, out of shock. The cue could possibly be “I feel
helpless”. The physiology of the person would be alarmed stiff
or crumpled. The idea is to shield whatever significance is left
over and to stay put. When we are flabbergasted by a situation
and we perceive that there is no ray of hope we tend to hide.
The DOWN arrow shows the FREEZE reaction to your stress.
MINDFUL: Response is also a reaction but with a
mindful pause. How long is the pause, depends clearly on
how stressful the situation on hand is. This is a state where
you are in effect watching your stress rather living the stress.
Instead of reacting to your stress, acknowledge it. The cue in
your brain perhaps could be “I have a choice”. While all the
above three reaction automatically implies lack of choice,
being mindful gives you ample choices. Mindfulness really is a
state of balance and it’s impossible to react in this state. The
BACK arrow suggests taking a STEP BACK could be a great way
to move forward.
By the way, there are 03 steps to blissful living. Those
are Step 01: The first step towards any CHANGE is all
about ‘knowing’ your current situation fully. You have to
have complete awareness of your own self as well as the
surroundings, you are in. In this stage, focus should be to free
your mind from any form of resistance towards the WHAT part
(the new change) from within while staying completely aware.
Step 02: In this step you enjoy your ‘being’ by remaining
in total sync with the ‘isness’ with a full acceptance state of
mind. Your focus should be towards staying non-judgmental
towards the WHY part (the new change) by staying mindful.
Step 03: Lastly, you advance into the state of ‘doing’ with
whole consciousness and non-attachment towards the results
(both positive and negative) of your actions. This step is about
unlearning the past and relearning the HOW part (the new
change).
Happy living !
You have
to have
complete
awareness
of your
own self….
28 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 29

wka whg wjuka lsÍfï
wd§kjh''''
f.!rjd¾y uykqjr wdkkao Ydka; kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia
Ydka;

Use the
mindfulness
as the
scaffolding
to develop
insight….
The unseen danger of self-conceit ….
Sugath Rajapakse
Formerly Senior Commercial Manager at Sri Lankan Airlines and presently Consultant
to Air India GSA in Sri Lanka.
Conceit is defined as “Excessive pride in oneself”. There
are many synonyms as well such as self-love, self-admiration,
self-adulation, egoism, egomania etc. Thus it is abundantly
clear that the I syndrome reigns supreme in the minds of
mundane people. In the Buddha and the arahaths there is no
such conceit or an I syndrome. In the ten fetters, the first one
Sathkaya Ditti the gross form has the I syndrome immensely
and the indulgence in this makes one go on in this inglorious
samsara. Even the non-returners (Anagami) have the subtle
form of conceit (mana). Yet the non-returner will not come
to a womb and will end samsara in the Suddhavasa Brahma
realm.
In extolling the lay people to follow on the path to
purification, the Enlightened One said, “You yourself must
strive; Tathagatas will show the path to Nirvana. Those who
are meditative and in the path, are delivered from the bondage
of Mara”. However sadly though only a tiny fraction of people
are followers of this sublime path. The great majority have
either no understanding or even if they understand, pay scant
respect to the fact that our life expectancy in this realm is very
limited. According to the CIA World Factbook life expectancy
estimates for 2016, the highest was in Monaco, 89.5 years and
lowest in Chad, 50.2 years. For Sri Lanka the life expectancy
in 2016 was 76.8 years. However, according to Sri Lanka
Department of Census in 2016 the life expectancy of females
was 78.6 years and of males 72 years. Of course, there will be
those who live for over 90 to 100 years while others may die
in early ages. But those living for more than 90 to 100 years
are very limited.
Thus it is obvious to any sane person that one must
strive to find that ultimate relief of Nirvana. But then, why do
people not walk that path but are going in other directions?
This other direction is mainly self-admiration or self-adulation.
A drive on the Colombo Kandy road of 112 KM reveals this
abundantly.
From the time one begin the journey in Colombo and all
the way to Kandy, the most visible things on either side of the
road are, Clothing shops, Various restaurants and food outlets,
Fast-food outlets, Perfume, cosmetics and jewelry shops,
Beauty parlors for facials, manicuring, pedicuring, hairstyling,
skin treatment etc, Dressmaking outlets, Bridal experts, Body
shaping places, Hoardings that tell one about beautiful face,
beautiful hair, beautiful body, beautiful nails etc.
But in this drive one can hardly find a place that is focused
on mind development. The simple reason being that people
so engrossed with themselves due to the high self-conceit
are only focused on glorification of this somatic body of 31
fecal matters. The contemplation of these 31 matters comes
under Patikulamanasikara Meditation or contemplation of
repulsiveness. One can easily find it all in the Four Foundations
of Mindfulness Meditation texts.
Yet, devoid of the comprehension of the repulsiveness
of this body, and engrossed in high self-conceit humans today
spend great amount of time and money to glorify this body.
Because of the foolishness of people those vendors who
promote this idea of beautifying the body are making millions.
In social life, be it at a function, wedding or at office or going
for shopping people take great pains to make the somatic body
beautiful with clothing, cosmetics, ornaments, hair styling etc.
In functions and weddings another factor is selfie photography
where people take their own photos and later will scroll down
the number of such images in the smart phone (should be
termed dumb phone) when at leisure. This too enhances the
self-conceit where the person/s will contemplate of self in
the past, how will I be in future and is now and how others
seeing me will adulate me and make good comments about
my physical beauty, clothing and ornaments etc.
On the other hand, there are politicians, cinema people,
media people, those who have received accolades locally as
well as globally and may have been honored with many prizes
and gifts also indulging in the same syndrome. This is one
of the reasons why politicians take great trouble to remain
in power as once they lose the power becomes non-entities
with the followers deserting them for new masters. Thus they
would not give up even if 70 to 80 years old due to the high
self-conceit. Same is true of cinema and media people. The
cinema people may try any means available to make them
look better because the name-form illustration of self in the
past is haunting them. This why many such people shun the
public life and often hide away once they get old.
Electronic media give lots of encouragement here with
the advertisements telling about, food & drinks, the cosmetics
& ornaments and apparel and various other things. These
things create feelings of a real self in the human minds and
that this somatic body is the self. That leads to Sathkaya Ditti
or this collective of the body is real view. That is why in the
four foundations of mindfulness the first is Contemplation of
the body where in the initial phase you develop mindfulness
and use the mindfulness as the scaffolding to develop insight.
The many stages of insight development are Knowing this
body (self), dwell in contemplation, Knowing the body (other)
dwell in contemplation, Knowing this body and the other body
dwell in contemplation, Knowing the arising of things dwell
in contemplation of the body, Knowing the ceasing of things
dwell in contemplation of the body, Knowing the arising &
ceasing of things dwell in contemplation of the body.
“Aththi Kayothiva panassa sathi pachchupattitha
hothi yavadeva gnana mathtthaya pathissathi maththaya,
anissithocha viharathi, nachakinci loke upadiyathi”. Know
that this body is there only for the purpose of developing
mindfulness and insight and dwell neither leaning on any or
grasping this loka of the six sense-agencies. In this part of
insight one begins to comprehend that this somatic body is a
collection of the four Bhuthas of hardness, liquid or cohesion,
heat and wind or oscillation and space. This leads to the
jettisoning of the wrong belief that this is real and is the first of
the ten fetters. Such a person would then no longer have any
doubt that the Enlightened One is the only teacher or guide
to full realization and have no doubt of Dhamma and Sangha.
Such person will no longer adhere to wrongful rites, rituals and
ceremonies and is now a Stream-Enterer or Sothapanna person.
Let us use a simile to understand this paradigm and find
the paradigm shift for ultimate release. A motor car is seen as
one unit, and the owner will adore the vehicle and claim it to
be the owner’s property. But if someone were to break it into
various parts then there is no motor car but bits and pieces
only. Thus the car was only an illustration of name & formperception
in consciousness.
So in reality the self is an illustration of the Name &
Form-perception is one’s consciousness. This illusion leads to
the gross miscomprehension and belief of this somatic body
as one and the self. In the four foundations of mindfulness
meditation, the first is mindfulness of body or Kaya. It
precedes other three of feeling, mind and things. Also in
Patikula Manasikara Meditation it is contemplation of the 31
parts of the body. So is of the 9 stages of the corpse and the
contemplation of elements (Dhathu) that forms this body or
Kaya. Even the breathing is bodily formation (Kaya Sankharo).
In many instances, the five aggregates of formperception,
feeling, perception, formations and consciousness
is termed by people as the Sathkaya Ditti or Sakkaya Ditti.
But even in the first discourse wheel of Dhamma, Buddha
in expounding the Dhamma the truth of suffering said that
in brief the five aggregates of attachment are the suffering
“sankiththena pancha upadanaskanda dukka”. In response to
criticism of some ascetics of other sects who said that Buddha
is trying to annihilate an existing being, Enlightened One told
the Bhikkus that, “I have always told you it is suffering that
arises and it is suffering that ceases”. Arising of suffering is
continuation of this cycle of births & deaths and cessation
of that is Nirvana. Thus it is abundantly clear that the five
aggregates of attachment are not Sathkaya Ditti because if
that is the case then suffering is eliminated and one attains
Nirvana by jettisoning the very first fetter of the ten fetters.
Most people today are in the high risk path that of
self-conceit. This is quite evident particularly with regard to
sartorial and culinary aspects. The ladies are becoming more
prone to expose much on the somatic parts to make them look
better. The attention often received powers conceit in them
to reach dizzying levels and encourages further indulgence in
self-glorification. Also even the older generation are indulging
in these habits and is most visible during the daytime at
beauty parlors. The result is high level of personality ethic or
sakkaya ditti, and that is the greatest danger to humans who
at most may live not more than 75 to 80 years. Even culinary
aspects are powering self-conceit. Often one can hear people
saying, “we went to that restaurant or that hotel and you
should see the spread and the taste of this dish or that dish.
Have you not gone there? The place is frequented by such and
such persons”. Here the attempt is to build higher self-conceit
(Seiya Mana).
A Sri Lanka Sunday paper of 8th October had a news
item where a cabinet minister has spoken of the increasing
population of canines, Grey Langurs and Purple Face Monkeys.
It is stated in Dhamma, “Mano Makkato hothi, Athi Manova
Kukkuro”. Those developing self-conceit are born as Monkeys
while those with high self-conceit are born as canines. Should
we glorify this decaying somatic body for a short period of 30
or 40 years and reap such a harvest?
32 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 33

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uydix> iNdfõ ks;H iudcsl iy ysgmq NdKavd.dßl" Ñ;f.dx fn!oaO uOHia:dkdêm;s
iqmskaj;aks" nqÿ oyfï W.kajkjd" —m[a[jd˜ lshk
ldrKhla iïnkaOj' —m[a[jd˜ - lsh,d lshkafka" fï
iißka w;añf`okak ´k flfkla m%{djka; fjkak ´fk'
{kjka; fjkak ´fk' nqÿrcdKka jykafiaf.a O¾uh
{dkjka; ukqIHhkag foaYkd lrmq tlla' —m[a[djka;x
;iaihdx Oïfuda fkdaÿla m[a[iai˜ - hkqfjka nqÿrcdKka
jykafia jodf< udf.a O¾uh {dkjka; ukqiaihkag foaYkd
lrmq tlla lsh,hs'
fudav w{dk ñksiqka fjkqfjka foaYkd lrk ,oaola fkd
jk nj nqÿrcdKka jykafia meyeÈ,sj u jod

úÿir f,djg
keKir oyu''''
f.!rjd¾y jf;da., Oïñl kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia
b;d,sfha m%Odk wêlrK ix>kdhl" b;d,sfha fn%Ishd fn!oaO úydrfha úydrdêm;s"
ioaO¾u lS¾;s Y%S fidaNs; iq.=K;siai" rdclSh mKaä;" Ydia;%m;s
úoHdj yd ;dËKh u; hefmk w;sYhska u ixlS¾K
jQ iudchl wo wms Ôj;a jkafkuq' ñksidf.a Ñka;kh mq¿,a
lsÍug;a" Tyqf.a f,dal oDIaáh .eUqre lrùug;a úoHd;aul
yd ;dËKsl ±kqu iu;a ù we;s nj Èfkka Èk isÿ flfrk
kùk úoHd;aul m¾fhaIKhkaf.ka meyeÈ,s fjhs' úoHdj yd
;dËKh j¾;udk f,dalfha ;SrKd;aul idOl njg m;a ù
we;s nj ryila fkdfõ'
udkj iudcfha Y=N isoaêh i|yd úoHdfõ úmq, m%fhdack
w;Hka;fhka u WmldÍ ù we;s nj ldg ldg;a ±fkk
fmfkk i;Hhls' udkj ohdfjka fidodmd¿ jQ yoj;a we;s
we;eï wh fuu ±kqu fhdod .ksñka ñksidg;a" mßirhg;a
ydksodhl jQ mrudKql fndaïn jeks we;eï ìysiqKq ksmehqï
bßÈm;a lr we;;a" fmdÿfõ .;a l< úoHdj yd ;dËKh
u.ska udkjhdg fuf;la isÿ lr we;s iy ±kg;a isÿ lrk
fiajdj úia;r l< fkd yels ;rï h'
tfia jqj;a kùk úoHd;aul ksIamdokj, iqj myiqj
ú¢k ñksidg ;u ukqIH;ajh ms

;dreKHh
wre;anr lrjd .ekSu''''
f.!rjd¾y yqka lïrd ldYHm kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia
ldïfndacshdfõ mafkdï fmkaya úmiaikdOQr fn!oaO uOHia:dkjdiS" lvqfj, cd;Hka;r
fn!oaO uOHia:dkfha úOdhl wOHCI
mskaj;a ;reK ÿfõ mqf;a" —wx.=;a;r ksldfh - foaj¥;
j.a.fha kj fjks iQ;%fha˜ ;sfhkjd w;sYhska jeo.;a W;=ï
nK mohla' ta ;uhs''''—;fhda fï NslaLfõ uod fhdínk
ufoda jd wdfrda.H ufoda Ôú; ufoda - fhdín uou;af;da jd
NslaLfõ wiaiq;jd mq:qÊcfkd - ldfhak ÿÉpß;x pr;s jdpdh
ÿÉpß;x pr;s ukid ÿÉpß;x pr;s˜ lsh,d'
orejfka fïflka lshkafka" —uo˜ ;=kla ;sfhkjd' uo
lsh,d lshkafk u;a Ndjhg' Wu;= fjkjdg' úhre jefgkjdg'
ys; úlD;s fjkjg' ta jf.a ñksiaiq u;a fjk lreKq ldrKd
nK fmdf;a wvx.= fj,d ;sfhkjd 27 la' fï foaYkdfõ;a
ta jf.a ;=kla we;=

l=i, wl=i,hka úmdl fok yeá''''
w;sf.!rjd¾y fldgqf.dv Oïudjdi uydkdhl udysñmdKka jykafia
wurmqr uyd ksldfha W;a;Í;r uydkdhl" ñhekaudrfha fn!oaO uOHia:dkh"
fkamd,fha pdreu;S úydrh" .,alsiai Y%S O¾udmd,drdu uydúydrh" l;r.u Wmd,s
O¾udY%uh hk úydrhkays wêm;s" Y%S Oïumd, jxYd,xldr" ioaO¾u lS¾;s Y%S ;%smsgl
úYdro" w.a.uyd mKaä; uydufydamdOHdh
nyqckukdmd
ldf.;a ys;
meyefok úÈyg
m%shYS,S jpk l;d
lrkak lsh,hs
nqoaO foaYkdfõ
i`oyka fjkafka''''
ie±ye;s mskaj;aks" ikrdur ;=ka f,dalhla ioyï wud
isis,iska uy;a lreKdnrj ksjd ikid iqjm;a l

udkisl iqj;djh j¾Kj;a lrhs
Tfí uq`M cSú;hu''''
f.!rjd¾y lrf;dg Oïuisß kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia
fydrK › mQ¾jdrdu úydrjdiS" f;nqjk .%ka:dlr msßfjka mßfjkdêm;s" rdclSh
mKaä; o¾Ykm;s
mqoa.,hd úiska ;ukaf.a is; hï wdldrhlska mqyqKq fkd
lrhs o" ixj¾Okh fkd lrhs o Tyqg Wiia ukqIHh m%;s,dN
,nd.ekSug yelshdjla ke;' fuu wNdú; is; ñksid ÿlg
m;a lrhs' ÿlg m;aj iir ießirhs' is; ji`.hg hdu ksid
fuf,i iir ÿlg Ndckh fõ' tu ÿlska ños iqjm;a cSú;hla
,nd .ekSug l%shdlsÍu jeo.;a fõ'
udkisl p¾hd wl%uj;a jk úg ta i|yd hym;a
WmfoaYkhla yd WmfoaYk l%ufõohla wjYH fõ' tfia
fkdue;s jQ úg iudcSh jYfhka yd mqoa., jYfhka m%n,
n,mEula we;s flf¾' frda.shd uqyqK fok ysxik" mSvk"
kskaod fndfyda h' iudchg o th m%dfhda.sl fõ'
;u orejd ñh.sh nj f;areï .ekSug ;rï udkisl
YlH;djhla fkdue;s jQ lsidf.da;ñh uy u. osj hhs'
fuf,i osjhk wehg iudcfhka ,enqfKa zzukao udkisl
;eke;a;shlaZZ" zzWu;= ;eke;a;shlaZZ hkdos kskaod
iy.; joka muKla fkdj" .,a uq,a wdoS myr lEï j,g
uqyqK fokakg isÿúh' wehg we;s jQ udkisl ÿ¾j,;djh
fya;=fjka oyil= ÿ ysßyerhkag uqyqK oSug isÿúh' mqoa.,
ufkdaNdjhka y÷kd fkd .kakd iudch udkisl frda.Ska
wj;lafiarejg ,lalrhs' yqfola u iudch l%shd;aul jkafka
tjka miqìul h' wehg ksis udkisl f.dvke`.Sula fyj;a
udkisl ixj¾Okhla i|yd lsisfjl= bosßm;a jkafka ke;'
udkisl frda.Ska mqkre;a:dmkh ,nd fyda iïmQ¾K
iqjhla ,nd iudc.; ùfïos tu frda.Ska uqyqK fokakd
jQ .eg¨j jkafka o iudc m%;sl%shdjka h' tfy;a udkj
ohdfjka msreKq l=, f.da;% udkdosfhka úks¾uqla; jQ h:d¾:h
wjfndaOfldg .;a;d jQ nqÿrcdKka jykafia iudch yd
mqoa.,hd flakaøSh ,CIHhlg fhduqlrhs'
lsidf.da;ñh m;aj isáfha m%;sfCIaml udkisl
;;a;ajhl h' urKh fya;= fldg f.k m%shhka wysñùfï
ika;dmh fYdalh fmr w;a fkd ú|s mjq,lska wn ñgla
/f.k tkakg nqÿrcdKka jykafia m%ldY lrkq ,enqfõ
h:djfndaOhg u. i,iuks' tys oS urKfha fõokdj" ÿl"
fYdalh w;a ú|s tl u .eyeKsh weh fkd jk nj o" urKh
i¾j;% ixisoaêhla nj o" tu p¾hd m%;sldrh u.ska weh ukdj
wjfndaO fldg .;a;d h' nqÿrcdKka jykafia wehg iajlSh
iajdëk Yla;sfhka yd wd;au úYajdifhka cSú; ch.%yKhka
Wod lr.ekSu i|yd wjYH lrkakd jQ u`. fmkaùu fyj;a
iM,j;a WmfoaYkhla ,ndÿka fial'
óg wu;rj orejka ieñhd iy foudmshka wysñ jQ
wka; wirK Ndjhg m;a jQ mgdpdrdjkag o cSú; wjfndaOh
,nd ÿkay' ish¨ iem iïm;a yd kEoE ys; ñ;% wdoska wysñ
jQ mgdpdrd uyu`. osj hkafka i¨ ms

International
“Kathina”
Ceremony -
Bangladesh, India
& Sri Lanka….
Kathina & Meritorious Activities organized by Nirvana
Peace Foundation, under the supported by the World Alliance
of Buddhists (WAB), Dhammakaya Foundation & Middle East
Meditation Centre. The World - PEC Book Distribution to
Youths in this Ceremony also held at the moment.
The International “Kathina” Ceremony in B. E. 2561
(2017) held in Bangladesh, India & Sri Lanka under the
supported by World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB).
“Kathina” is a Buddhist festival which comes at the end
of Vassa, the three month rainy season retreat for Theravada
Buddhists in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
and Thailand. The season during which a monastery may hold
Kathina is one month long, beginning after the full moon of
the eleventh month in the lunar calendar (usually October).
INDIA
International Kathina in Tripura, India on October 17 -
19, B. E. 2561 (2017) by “Dhamma Dipa” Foundation Kathina
Chivara Dana Ceremony at Dhamma Dipa Foundation, Ambassa
District of Tripura, India led by Most Venerable Dhammapiya
Thero and Most Venerable Khemachara Thero - WAB Vice
President. It was indeed an auspicious event attended by
about 5000 Indian local & international participants.
The World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) Team was led by
the President Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong, Ven. Ven Khemachara
- Vice President, Dr. Lye Ket Yong - Secretary General, Abie
Napa, Kathy Ratchadarak also participated as the International
Special Guests.
BANGLADESH
International Kathina Chivara Dana Ceremony led by His
Eminence Somdech Banaseree Mahathero, the deputy Sangha
Nayaka in Sudarshan Vihar, Raozan, Chittagong, Bangladesh
on October 25, B. E. 2561 (2017).
SRI LANKA
The World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) the President
Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong offered Kathina Robe (joint Kathina)
to the Chief Prelate of the Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Sector
in Sri Lanka, Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana
Mahanayake Thero at Kandy, Sri Lanka on October 29, B. E.
2561 (2017) and Offerd Kathina Robe and necessities to the
temple. The International Kathina Chivara Ceremony held at
Kalalpitiya Purana Maha Viharaya in Sri Lanka.
44 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 45

The life of ethics and spirituality….
Venerable Dr.Galle Uditha Thero
The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Singapore & Chief Incumbent of the Buddhist Maha Vihara,
in Singapore, The Lecture of Singapore Buddhist & Pali University, The Director of
Wijayananda Buddhist Training Institute, Dharshana Visharada
The Birth is
pain, old age is
pain, sickness
is pain and
death is pain….
According to the “Dhammapada Pali” - Yamaka Vagga
- The Twin Verses, “Subhanupassin viharantan - indriyesu
asanvutan - Bhojanamhi amattannum - kusitan
hinaviriyan - Tan ve pasahati maro - vato rukkhan va dubbalan”
Whoever gives in to sense objects, unrestrained, immoderate
in eating, lazy and idle, Mara will overthrow him as the wind
pulls down a weak tree.
Buddhism is a path for transforming the mind, for going
from ignorance to wisdom, from self-centeredness to altruism
and compassion. The mind is the source of all happiness and
it is also the source of the experience of suffering. Buddhism
offers methods to free the mind from delusion and harmful
mental states such as hatred, obsession, jealousy, and pride.
The Buddhist teachings are very vast and encompass both
philosophical views and spiritual practice aimed at dispelling
an erroneous view of reality and uprooting the very causes of
suffering.
Teachings of Buddha….
The religion of Buddha is famous as Buddhism. The
followers of that religion are known as Buddhists. In his
teachings, Buddha showed a new path. In his religious
mission, he did not give value to the so-called sacred rites
and rituals. Instead, he showed the way for a life of ethics
and spirituality. He preached in simple language and to the
common people. He preached against the extreme means of
worldly life which led to man’s self-indulgence, pleasures and
unending desires. At the same time, he did not prescribe for
the common man extreme hardship of ascetic life by physical
punishment and self-torture. His was the noble ‘Middle Path’
which was possible for every man to follow. Between the two
extremes of pleasures and penance, he showed the path of a
really virtuous life.
The following main doctrines constitute the substance
of his teachings:
The Four Noble Truths or the Arya Satya….
In his enlightenment, Buddha discovered the real causes
of the miseries of human existence. He also discovered the
way to escape from those miseries which followed endlessly
in the wheel of Karma, birth and rebirth. These discoveries
were called the Four Noble Truths.
The first truth was the Truth of Pain or Sorrow. “Birth
is pain, old age is pain, sickness is pain, death is pain.” felt
Buddha. Everything in the world was transient, sorrowful and
full of pain. The existence of this sorrow was in the nature of
life.
The second truth, according to Buddha, was the Truth
of the Cause of Pain or Sorrow. This cause was the Desire. The
desire or the Trishna was the lust and the thirst for all worldly
things. It was the root of all evils leading to pain.
The third truth was the Truth to end the Pain or Sorrow.
This end or cessation of pain was possible by ending desires.
Elimination of desires was to lead to the end of sorrows. Perfect
bliss was to follow the end of the sorrows. It was like the end
of life and death. It was the real freedom or emancipation.
The fourth truth was the Truth to End the Desires. This
was possible by a noble way to attain the real bliss without
desires. Extreme penance was not necessary for this, while
extreme pleasure was unnecessary by all means. Avoiding
both, it was the noble middle path which was the right way
to end the Desires. This path was to lead to the real state of
freedom or emancipation. Buddha described this path as the
Arya Astangika Marga or the Noble Eight-fold, path. This Path
was the real path to end the cycle of Karma and the rebirth.
The Noble Eight-fold Path….
Buddha gave eight principles to follow as his noble
eight-fold path. They were: the Right Vision, Right Aims, Right
Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Efforts, Right
Mindfulness, and Right Meditation.
The Noble Eight-fold Path was thus a code of conduct for
every man. It became the basis of Buddhism as a religion. It
was a religion for social happiness of all. Buddhism has been
rightly described as ‘the most social of religions’.
46 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 47

The new technological findings and productions have
immensely contributed in giving a comfortable lifestyle to the
man. It is an undeniable fact it has driven the man to make
use of more and more resources in the development process.
In addition that, globalization has made the human needs
more complex in nature and making them use more and more
resources, instead of giving them a simple way of life. The
pollution of environment and the deriving out of more and
more natural resources is a common sight.
The international organization are striving very hard to
find out solutions for global warming, air pollution, pollution
of water resources, environment pollution and problems
related to the environment.
The above problems are duly related to south east Asia.
No one can deny the fact that the forest resource are gradually
decreasing due to human activities. The man has fallen prey
to natural disasters such as earth slips, flooding, and lengthy
droughts. The use of dangerous manure and other chemicals
which are not good for the human body, in agriculture has
given rise to man being fluke into unidentified diseases and
such health problems.
The lesson that is emphasized to us by the nature is
peaceful co-existence, between living and non-living beings,
rather than trying to suppress a system or go beyond the
system. The destruction done to the nature by man, who is
said to have been educated/ knowledgeable, is not done to
the environment by animals. It is usually unfortunate that man
has not been able to understand the fact misuse of natural
The Necessities of human beings
and modern technology.…
Venerable Dr. Ittademaliye Indasara Thero,
B.A. (Hons.) / M.A. / Ph.D. Senior Professor in Department of Buddhist Philosophy,
Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Chief Incumbent - Sri Sambuddhaloka Maha
Viharaya, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Buddha
had given
many aspects of
teachings and
ideals….
resource is a crime.
The man has fallen prey to his own activities. If the
misuse of natural continues to happen, the date that the living
beings have to face dire consequences is not very far.
The Buddha's teachings on environment has not
limited to one angle
The whole world has faced environmentally nonadjustable
destructive social problems. Every country in the
world they themselves face these problems as a result of
so called development. Sometime deforest ration is going
on under development projects. As a result of this program
entire environment is ruined and completely traditional
climate existence is changed. Today it can be seen in all most
every country frequently happening earth quake, land sliding,
flooding, wild fire etc. due to human beings’ unquenched
avaricious activities. To solve this problems we ourselves have
to curtail the greediness in some extend.
In many places of Tripitaka, lots of information can be
found, on the friendly attitude shown by the Buddha towards
nature and stories, legends, explanations and examples based
on his teachings and the code of discipline that has been
bestowed on disciples of Buddha (MahāSaṅgha). In analytical
intelligence on environment, the wisdom that Buddha had on
environment can be analyzed in many angles.
The Buddha had given many aspects of teachings and
ideals with regard to the direct connection that the Buddha
had with the environment. The Buddha himself exemplified
to make exertion clergy and lay society in beautifying it,
protection of the environment, the bad effects that man gets
due to the pollution of environment and many other aspects.
The Buddha through his own character had cited
us real life examples about his direct connection with the
environment and as to how one should really live with the
nature. The main events in Buddha's life such as the birth of
Siddhartha, the attainment of enlightenment at the foot of
the Bo tree by the river 'Neraṃjanā the attainment of Nibbāna
at the “Upawaththana Sal Uyana” (Garden) in kusināra was
occurred in outdoor gardens. The Buddha conducted his
first dhamma sermon at the forest named "deer park" in
Isipatana. After the attainment of enlightenment, the Buddha
sat himself in presence of the Bo-tree that gone help him
to attain Nibbāna and reminded the Dhamma that he had
realized. Having understanding the Buddha's great liking to
live with the nature the temples that were donated to him
by lay "Upāsaka" and "Upāsika" like Anāthapiṇḍika, Bimbisāra
and Vishākhā had built either in close proximity to the forest
or within the forests. They are very effective proof to show the
Buddha's friendliness towards nature.
Value of the Flora environment.
The Buddha had immensely contributed towards tree
planting and beautifying the environment by establishing wild
parks. It is taught in Buddhist Philosophy that tree planting is
highly effective wholesome acts (Kusala Kamma) which help
an individual to get all the resources that one needs to lead a
comfortable life in his sansāric life.
It had been clearly explained to gods in "Vanaropa Sutta"
that the establishment of forests and wild parks, building
bridges and the establishment of shady places on roadside
are deeds that gives lots of merits, that helps ones to be born
in a conducive place which is full of resource and other crops.
“Arāmaropā vanaropā - ye janā setu karaka - Papañca
udapānaṃ ca - ye dadanti upassayaṃ - Tesaṃ divāca rattoca –
sadā puññaṃ pavaḍḍati”
There are many advices in "vinaya Piṭaka" to plant trees
that give fruit, flowers and shade not only for lay people but
also for monks.
The Buddha had shown that mental behavior of man
has a direct effect on environment when their thoughts are
purified the living environment becomes a conducive place
for living. The devotees or listens of Buddha, or the Arahats
never do destruction even by a single thought.
“Gāme vā yadivā raññe – nine vā yadivā thale - Yatthā
rahantā viharanti - taṃ bumiṃ rāmaneyyakam” - If an
arahants abodes in a village, forest a plateau or a rock that
place becomes delightful. They releases "Mettā" (Loving
Kindness) to all living and non-living beings. In another uses in
"Arahatta Vagga" It is said Thus.
“Ramanīyāni araññāni – yatta na ramatījano - Vītarāgā
ramissanti – na te kāma gavesino”
The arahats who is devoid of "rāga" is not aimed at the
gratification of senses. They like to be in forests
which are not liked by common people. There is
a lengthy explanation in "Cakkawatti Seehanada
Sutta" in "Diga Nikaya " that the physical life of
man is destructed when the thought processes
and feelings of man are degraded or polluted
by "Loba", "Dosha", "Moha". The life time is
shortened by it. Personality is degraded in the
same time, natural disasters such as droughts,
sprucing of diseases are occurred.
It is necessary to draw a line between
one’ needy and his desires. There is a limit
to his actual needs. But there is no limit to
covetousness. Contentment then is hard to
come by. That being so man lives in servility to
greed and lust (ūno loko atittho taṇhā dāso).
Complete satisfaction in sensual pleasures
eludes him (kāmesu loke nahi atthi titthi) .
Until and unless man realizes the true of his
unquenchable desires, he could never be happy.
Buddhism explains all these things and
goes on to say that contentment in the most
valuable wealth (Santuṭṭhi paramam dhanṃ) .
Metta Sutta discusses about the attitudes one
should cultivate to be a complete personality,
easily sustainable, happy, less activities, simple
life and high moral. Schumacher also speaks of
these ideals as best for the development of a
complete personality.
At Isipatana in Varanasi, the Buddha
succeeded in enlightening sixty disciples.
Buddha decided to send them as
messengers of Truth to teach His
new Dhamma to all without
any distinction. Before
dispatching them Buddha
exhorted them as follows:
“O Bhikkhus, Go
forth for the good of the
many, for the happiness of
the many, out of compassion
for the world, for the good,
benefit, and happiness of
gods and men.”
This admonition is valid
today more than ever in the past.
The Buddhist monks are considered
as for runners of the society. They are
having traditionally come down responsibilities to
be fulfilled towards the stranded
society. Therefore whatever
the ways ethically
deteriorate the
society they have to
come forward and
should be given the
leadership to root out
cause of the problem of
the society.
48 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 49

Four Establishments of Mindfulness….
Most Venerable Bhikkhu Tapassi Dhamma Thero
The Vice President of the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB), Executive Committee
Member of All Nepal Bhikkhu Association, the President of Cultural Peace Walk
committee, the Chief Abbot of Charumati Buddha Vihar & Founder and President of
“Charumathi Buddhist Mission” Kathmandu, Nepal.
The whole teaching
of the Buddha
is based on
mindfulness….
When we practice mindfulness, we are able to generate
both serenity and insight. For both these, mindfulness is a
necessity. There is no insight without serenity. The Buddha
taught that these two work in tandem in his unique technique
of vipassana. In the Satipatthana sutta, we come across this
tandem from the beginning to the end.
Mindfulness is the way to live happily and peacefully.
Being mindful does not means one’s mind is full with something.
If one is mindful one’s mind is clear and one is living in the
present moment. The whole teaching of the Buddha is based
on ‘mindfulness.’ If one develops and cultivates mindfulness
one can attain enlightenment in this very world. The Buddha
taught us the way to develop mindfulness and wisdom so that
we would be able to realize the real nature of existence and
attain the ultimate bliss of Nibbana.
In this regard, the Buddha taught us the Four
Establishments of Mindfulness. According to this teaching,
one has to establish mindfulness on four places:
01 - The Body. 02 - The Feelings. 03 - The Mind. 04 - The
Mental objects.
Mindfulness can be developed as a power of mind and
a power of memory. Though one has developed mindfulness
through a learned memory, using that memory one cannot
attain enlightenment. The best example is Ven. Ananda. He
was the foremost of all monks for mindfulness. But that was
not the mindfulness of the power of mind, but mindfulness
as a power of memory. Such a brilliant monk for memory! His
memory power is incomparable with any other unenlightened
person. But he could not attain enlightenment with that
power. He had to practice mindfulness as a power of mind for
the attainment of enlightenment.
Nevertheless, when we try to practice mindfulness for
days and nights on end it is no easy task, especially for folks
caught up in busy lives, racing to keep up with day-to-day
chores. They may think it is boring, dull or monotonous. They
need something more. By the same token, for those with hotter
tempers, mindfulness may seem impossible, even as they see
the fruits of their anger, hatred or resentment. This is where
the excellent balm of metta or loving friendliness is necessary.
Metta is a cool balm for when we practice vipassana.
Sometimes, when we practice vipassana it may feel dry
and clinical. That is the best time to apply this cool balm—
metta.
Practicing metta at any time gives wonderful solace
and great benefits. The Buddha has pointed out the results
of practicing metta in many discourses. In the Mettanisamsa
sutta he enumerated 11 benefits of practicing metta.
This is to underscore that mindfulness without metta is
insufficient. For the best result in practicing and developing
mind, both metta and mindfulness should go together. This is
why in the Karaniya metta sutta the Buddha emphasized the
need for maintaining mindfulness with metta as a resolution
(etam satim adhittheyya). We suffuse it with all beings above,
below and all around, unobstructed, without hatred or
resentment, whether standing, walking, sitting, laying down
or as long as one is awake. This is what is called “Divinely
Dwelling” (brahma vihara).
So, it is clear that though one has mindfulness it is not
sufficient to be free from enmity. For that one needs loving
friendliness, as well. Loving friendliness is such a powerful
energy to appease all hatred. “Hatred is never appeased by
hatred in this world. Only by non-hatred [loving friendliness]
hatred is appeased”, said the Buddha.
Loving friendliness is the way to living friendliness. In the
discourse of “The Finger-Snap”, the Buddha said that if monks
are practicing metta, at least for the duration of the snapping
of one’s fingers, they deserve to receive the four requisites
(clothing, food, shelter and medicine) provided by the lay
community.
So all people, whether monk or nun, laymen or
laywomen, if they practice mindfulness and apply metta in
their daily life, indubitably their life will be successful, fruitful
right now and in the hereafter. This is why we all have to
practice mindfulness and metta energetically. Mindfulness
can be developed as a power of mind and a power of memory.
50 I Mettavalokanaya I October I 2017 I www.meththawalokanaya.com
www.meththawalokanaya.com I 2017 I October I Mettavalokanaya I 51

Buddhika Sanjeewa, as the Founder, President & Chief Editor of Mettavalokana Buddhist Publications Centre, I printed and published this “Mettavalokanaya” Buddhist Magazine as a
publication of Mettavalokana Buddhist Publications Centre on October 29, 2017 at M. D. Gunasena & Co (Pvt) Ltd, No.20, San Sebastian Hill, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka.
Registered at Department of Post in Sri Lanka - QD/205/News/2017