Lumbini – Birthplace of Lord Buddha – Nepal

Nice video with important information:

Einstein on Buddhism

[Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). While best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc² (which has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation"), he received the 1921Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.

Near the beginning of his career, Einstein thought that Newtonian mechanics was no longer enough to reconcile the laws of classical mechanicswith the laws of the electromagnetic field. This led to the development of his special theory of relativity. He realized, however, that the principle of relativity could also be extended to gravitational fields, and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916, he published a paper on the general theory of relativity. He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theoryand the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light which laid the foundation of the photon theory of light. In 1917, Einstein applied the general theory of relativity to model the structure of the universe as a whole.

Great scientist Einstein's writings on religion are also very important and this is one of his small piece on Buddhism.]

“Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity.

“If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.

Global Voice on Peace

On the auspicious occasion of 4th Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day, the Movement created this clip to spread Buddha’s peace message all over the world.   Participants:

Agni Frank Eickermann -Spiritual leader, USA
Venerable Samahita Thero, Sri Lanka
Miss Nepal Australia 2011 – Reecha Dhital
Miss Nepal Australia 2012 – Deepashree Shah
Mister Nepal Australia 2012 – Niraj Sharma
Ram Kumar Shrestha – Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement Global Coordinator
Indu Nishani Nanayakkara, Sri Lanka

लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानका बिस्व संयोजकसंगको बिशेष अन्तर्वार्ता

हाम्रो पूर्बीय दर्शन अनुसार देव ॠण, पितृ ॠण, गुरु ॠण र माटोको ॠण चुक्ता नगरीकन मान्छेको जीवन सफल हुँदैन भन्ने भनाइ र मान्यता छ । अत: यो अभियानको उद्धेस्य प्राप्तीमा लाग्नु भनेको माटोको ॠण चुक्ता गर्ने एउटा महत्वपूर्ण अबसरलाई गुम्न नदिनु पनि हो ।

सबैभन्दा ठूलो समस्या नेपालको भू-राजनितिक अवस्था हो तापनि सास्वत सत्य मृत्‍युलाई संझने हो भने स्वार्थबाट माथि उठन सकिन्छ । स्वार्थबाट माथि उठने बित्तिक्कै भू-राजनित्क समस्या समस्या रहने छैन र यो समस्या पनि समस्याको रुपमा रहने छैन । बिभिन्न स्तरको स्वार्थका कारण बिद्यमान समस्यालाई कसैले नदेखे जस्तो र कसैले नबुझे जस्तो नाटक गरी गोल मटोल काम कुरो गरी समस्या समाधान गर्ने कार्यमा सहभागी हुनबाट पन्छनेहरु पनि छन । कुनै पनि समस्या समाधानको सबैभन्दा  ठूलो समस्या यथार्थता नबुझ्ने नभएर बुझ पचाउनेहरु हुन ।

(नेपाली संचारका तर्फबाट प्रमोद कुमार सोनी र नमस्ते नेपाल न्यूजका तर्फबाट सविन थापाले संयुक्त रुपमा लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानका बिस्व संयोजक रामकुमारश्रेष्ठसंग चौथो लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवसलाई लक्षित गरी लिइएको अन्तरबार्ता ।)

के कस्ता कारणहरुले गर्दा लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियान शुरु गर्न परेको हो?

२००९ को सेप्टेम्बरको शुरुतिर ‘अनलाइन खबर’ पत्रिकामा “भारतद्धारा नक्कली ‘कपिलबस्तु’ निर्माण” समाचार प्रकाशमा आएको थियो जस्मा दुई कुरा अत्यन्तै संबेदनशील थिए – त्यत्ति ठूलो परियोजना करीब ८०% सम्पन्न भैसकेको भन्ने पहिलो र दोश्रो सन २०१२ सम्ममा सो परियोजना  संपन्न गर्ने किसिमले युद्धस्तरमा काम भैरहेको । नेपालको रास्ट्रियतामाथि चुनौति दिने त्यत्ति ठूलो परियोजना करीब ८०% संपन्न भैसक्ता पनि सरकार, संचार र बुद्धिजिबि कतैबाट पनि कुनै पनि किसिम र स्तरबाट आबाज नउठाइेएकोले सर्बसाधारण यस्तो संबेदनशील खबरबाट बेखबर थिए । यस किसिमको सर्बपक्षीय मौनताका कारण मुलभूत रुपमा भारतीय पक्षद्धारा सिर्जित र त्यस्का कारण दिग्भ्रमित पश्चिमी बिद्धानहरुले छरेको भ्रमलाई चिर्नु आवश्यक थियो । यसर्थ, बिस्वभरि छरिएर रहेका नेपालीहरु बीच ‘कपिलवस्तु दिवस बिस्व दिवस’को रुपमा लुम्बिनी र कपिलवस्तुको प्रचार प्रसार गरिनु पर्दछ दिग्भ्रमित विस्व समुदायका बीच यथार्थबोध गराउनका खातिर भन्ने सहमति बन्यो । र गौतम बुद्ध लुम्बिनीमा जन्मेका हुन भन्ने सबभन्दा राम्रो प्रमाण अशोक स्तम्भलाई अन्तरराष्ट्रिय जगत सामू ल्याउने महत्वपूर्ण काम १ डिसेम्बर १८९६ मा जर्मन पुरातत्वबिद Anton Führer ले गरेको दिनलाई ऐतिहासिक महत्व दिनुको समेत बहु-आयामिक महत्व हुने भएकोले इतिहासमा पहिलो पटक डिसेम्बर १, २००९ मा ‘कपिलबस्तु दिवस विस्व दिवस’को रुपमा मनाइयो । र यस्लाई निरन्तरता दिनको लागि संस्थागत गर्न २०१० मा दुई चरणमा गरी २१ सदस्यीय बिस्व कार्य समिति गठन गरियो यस्को सल्लाहकार मण्डलमा तीन ठूला पार्टीका प्रतिनिधि र दुई बिदेशीलाई समेत समाबेश गरी । र गत बर्षदेखि धेरैको सुझाबलाई ध्यानमा राखी अभियानको नाम लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियान बनाइएको हो ।

अभियान शुरु गर्नुका पछाडि अन्य उद्धेस्यहरु पनि छन कि ?

जुन कारणले गर्दा यो अभियान शुरुवात गरिनु पर्ने आवश्यकता महसूस गरियो त्यो मात्रै यस्को उद्धेस्य नभएर शान्ति, राष्ट्रियता, सत्यको प्रतिरक्षा र पर्यटन प्रबर्द्धन यो अभियानका मूलभूत उद्धेस्यहरु हुन । वुद्ध शान्तिका प्रतिक र पर्यायबाची हुन र ब्यक्तिगत खुशी र सुखीदेखि बिस्व शान्तिसम्मका लागि उनका सन्देश र बिधिहरु अत्यन्तै उपयोगी मानिन्छन । अत: उनका ती सन्देश र बिधिहरुलाई बिभिन्न माध्यम मार्फत प्रचार प्रसार गरी सुखमय जीवन र शान्तिपूर्ण वातावरण सिर्जनामा सक्दो योगदान गर्नु यस्को पहिलो उद्धेस्य हो । वुद्धको विस्वब्यापी महत्वका कारण यसबाट लालायित भएर बुद्धको नामबाट नाजायज फायदा लिन बिस्वका जनतालाई दिग्भ्रमित तुल्याइ वुद्धको जन्मस्थल जान चाहनेहरुलाई आफूकहाँ लैजाने अभिप्रायले गरिएको कामले नेपालको राष्ट्रियतामा चुनौती दिने काम भएकोले यसबारे सत्य तथ्य जानकारीहरु सुसूचित गरी राष्ट्रियता रक्षाको लागि प्रयास गर्नु यस अभियानको अर्को उद्धेस्य हुनेछ । त्यसरी नै सत्यका प्रतिक र पर्यायबाची वुद्धको नामका कारण उनकै नामबाट नाजायज फायदा लिनका लागि बिस्वका जनतालाई दिग्भ्रमित तुल्याउने कामलाई निस्तेज गरी सत्यको रक्षा गर्नु पनि यस्को उद्धेस्य हो । वुद्धको जन्मस्थल भएको कारण लुम्बिनी र कपिलबस्तु विस्वकै लागि महत्वपूर्ण पर्यटकीय स्थल जे जस्तो रुपमा हुनु पर्ने हो, त्यो आन्तरिक र वाह्य कारणहरुले गर्दा हुन नसकेको कारण यस क्षेत्रलाई पर्यटकीय स्थलको रुपमा अरु बिकसित गर्ने वाताबरण तयार गर्न प्रयास गर्नु यस्को अर्को उद्धेस्य हुनेछ ।

MISTAKEN BUDDHA BIRTH PLACE IN ‘WISDOM OF THE AGES’ : A COURSE BOOK FOR US UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

[ The author, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who appears for his talks almost everyday on PBS TV[2] shows in United States of America, seems not to have checked Lumbini Ashokan Pillar inscription, [" .. Hida Bhagavam Jateti Lumini Game" [3] discovered by Anton A. Fuhrer on December 1, 1896. Further more, while he was writing the book, he seems not to have been well informed of recent Lumbini archaeological finds also. If he had in anyways, he would have certainly written the “Founder of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions, the Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal at the border of northeast India” instead. ]

By B. K. Rana

Early morning yesterday, one of my friends, K. Kadaria called me over a phone and said “I just read a book named :’Wisdom of the Ages’ written and published in 1998 by Wayne W. Dyer. The author has written that the ”Founder of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions, the Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India, near the border of Nepal.”So, we needed debating with the author. This is in a course book for undergraduate students at  the Bunker Hill Community College, Boston in  Massachusetts,  USA.”

He sent me a brief email message also which I  immediately  forwarded to my email-list and,  as anticipated, prompt response arrived from  a few scholars from different parts of the world. Among those response was  in an email message from a renowned linguist, Professor Madhav Pokharel of Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal,  in which he has written, “both China and Japan have officially endorsed Lumbini of Nepal being the Buddha’s  birth place, however, while doing researches in China for one year and two years in Japan, I heard that in government prescribed books in  both of these countries students are taught the Buddha  was born in India”[1]. Prof. Pokharel says there is a need for finding the truth out and making a correction to it also.

The book in discussion and its author, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer http://www.drwaynedyer.com/, acclaimed  as one of the internationally best selling authors, a motivational speaker and named also as “Modern Master”, has discussed,  in the book “Wisdomof the Ages: 60 Days to Enlightenment”,  a total of 265  different thinkers of the past and present world  from: Pythagoras and Blaise Pascal, Buddha, Lao-tzu, Patanjali  to many others and down the end himself also.  A chapter titled as ‘Knowing’ is dedicated to Buddhist philosophy. The chapter starts from page 5 in which the author writes: ”Founder of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions, the Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India, near the border of Nepal”. This is flatly incorrect information. Our students must be told or taught the  truth and no imparted false knowledge.

The author, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who appears for his talks almost everyday on PBS TV[2] shows in United States of America,seems not to have checked Lumbini Ashokan Pillar inscription, [" .. Hida Bhagavam Jateti Lumini Game" [3]discovered byAnton A. Fuhrer on December 1, 1896. Further more, while he was writing the book, he seems not to have been well informed of recent Lumbini archaeological finds also. If he had in anyways, he would have certainly written the “Founder of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions, the Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal at the border of northeast India” instead.

The book in question was published in 1998 by Harper Collins,in other words some 14 years ago and its first Quill edition came out in 2002 already. After these long years, discussing this way may seem  ‘partisan’ to some of our readers. But the point here is that students deserve right information. We need to feed them facts of human history. But neither we are telling Dr. Wayne W. Dyer deliberately weote “the Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in northeastIndia, near the border of Nepal.”Not every writer can visit Lumbini Garden in Nepal and read the Ashokan inscription before writing a book on the Buddha. It is not practical also to do so.  The author has utilized second hand information available to him.

No Confronting with the authors:

We can’t confront each and every author on the Buddha birth place and Kapilvastu also. A Nepalese scholar, Ram B. Chhetri, currently residing in Virginia, USAalso wrote  in reply yesterday,  “ What about Jesus Christ born in China ? We can’t go on confronting people writing whatever they feel like writing.” The point he makes here is that people have been writing on their own ways and  this is how they write; we can’t tell them do what we like.

Facebook Upshot: Buddhism: Time to Catalyze World Peace

Article in Shri Lanka Guardian on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti: Kindness, compassion and empathy are the synonyms of Buddhism. The eyes of Buddha are the insignia of love. Lumbini is the place where mind and heart take pleasure in for peace. This is the land when eyes are closed, heart opens. And Lumbini symbolized ultimate peace and harmony. This could be the right time to work together to declare Lumbini a World Peace City to catalyze World Peace in the present critical world situation. For more @ http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2012/05/buddhism-time-to-catalyze-world-peace.html

Unlike ·  · Share

• You, Neeraj Pant, Suraj Gorkhali and 442 others like this.
• • 
    Dhruba Pradhan jay budha

    May 1 at 8:29pm · Unlike · 1
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    Ramchandra Bhatta · 172 mutual friends

    our Country is birth place of Buddha. so we should make such infrastructure to attract tourist.

    May 1 at 8:33pm · Unlike · 1
  • 
    Krishna Thagunna · 14 mutual friends

    Of course, lets work together to declare Lumbini a world peace city.

    May 1 at 9:06pm · Unlike · 3
  • 
    Ram Kumar Shrestha Pls go through the link to read my article published in Sri Lanka Guardian as well. Your comment and suggestions highly appreciable

Pilgrimage to Lumbini, Nepal (2011)

Buddha Nature and the Divided Brain

By John Stanley and David Loy

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a world that honors the servant, but has forgotten the gift.
–Albert Einstein

Except in the light of brain hemisphere lateralization, nothing in human psychology makes any sense.
–neuroscientist Tim Crow

An Old Tale

There’s a traditional Buddhist story about a statue of incomparable value, which is lost and then forgotten. For generation after generation, various kinds of human rubbish and debris accumulate to bury it. Nobody ever suspects that anything important lies under the ground. Eventually a clairvoyant person happens by who comments: “If you dig here, and clean up what you find, you will discover something invaluable.” But who would follow such advice?

Our Divided Brain

In his remarkable book, “The Master and his Emissary,” neurological psychologist Iain McGilchristprovides a wealth of scientific evidence to support his contention that two opposed realities are rooted in the bi-hemispheric structure of the human brain.

Although each hemisphere is specialized, neither functions as an “independent brain.” They integrate their activities to produce physical movements, mental processes and behaviors greater than, and different from, their individual contributions. With functional NMR scanners, real-time brain imaging is now routinely used to determine the functional effects of all kinds of strokes and brain injuries, and in that way we can observe how the hemispheres act together as “opponent processors.”

Basically, the right hemisphere is mute, perceives in a holistic Gestalt manner and synthesizes over space. The left hemisphere, the seat of language, analyzes over time. The right hemisphere codes sensory input in terms of images, the left in terms of words and concepts. Specialization of function offers all kinds of advantages, but integrating those functions is a special point of vulnerability. When it comes to the large and complex human mind-brain, harmony can easily be lost.

President Obama, this is the time to act for Peace and respect Peace Messenger

Dear President Obama,

Recently we highlighted these photos and the news when you visited Great Buddha in Japan and Hilari Clinton was placing Lotus flowers on a Buddha statue thinking that these photos and moments could have some meaning and value in World Peace.

The Buddha is revered as a Messenger of Peace. He is also known as the Light of Asia who is actually the Light of the World as his message of peace and non-violence has become more relevant as the world is facing many violence problems today. The world today has become more violent than ever before. Therefore, it was decided to spread the messages of the Buddha all over the world by observing Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day every year. 

Buddhism and the Unconscious

By John Stanley and David Loy

“My life is a story of the self-realization of the unconscious.” –C.G. Jung

Those who see into the Unconscious have their senses cleansed of defilements, are moving toward Buddha-wisdom, are known to be with Reality, in the Middle Path, in the ultimate truth itself. Those who see into the Unconscious are furnished at once with merits as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. They are able to create all kinds of things and embrace all things within themselves. –Shen-hui (as translated by D.T. Suzuki)

At the end of his life, C.G. Jung dictated to his secretary an extraordinary autobiography, “Memories, Dreams, Reflections,” whose first sentence we cite above. Earlier he had observed how human nature resembled the twin sons of Zeus and Leda: “We are that pair of Dioscuri, one of whom is mortal and the other immortal, and who, though always together, can never be made completely one. … We should prefer to be always ‘I’ and nothing else.” Recent neurological studies into those “twin sons” have been exploring Jung’s insight, leading to discoveries that have many important implications, including how we might understand traditional Buddhist teachings today.

Clip with Dalai Lama’s Partial London Speech

Buddha is Culture

By Lary Yang, Buddhist Meditation teacher

By2012 LGBT retreat at Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY

Towards a Multicultural Buddhist Practice

The three “jewels” or the Three Refuges is one of the core elements of Buddhist spiritual practice connected to all Buddhist traditions. In this series, the Refuges of Buddha’s Teachings — the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha — are explored through the lens of culture and cultural experience. These Refuges were offered by the Buddha to create safety and sense of spiritual home so that each practitioner can be invited to relax into the present moment of one’s Life, to be able to explore what this Life is for us, and to cultivate the Life we really wish to live. Even the word “Refuge” has a connotation, a feeling, of a safe haven wherein to go. It is said that when we invoke the Refuges, as happens in the beginning of meditation retreats or practice sessions, there is always someone else in the world taking on the Refuges at exactly the same moment. Across cultures, the intentions to create peacefulness and safety in the world are that prevalent.

And the Buddha is about Culture.

The Buddha’s expression about Freedom and Awakening has always been about culture, about diversity, and about the infinite variations in human experience with all the 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows of this life. This remains a controversial issue within some Buddhist circles, including my home lineage of Buddhist practice. It may be different for other Buddhist traditions, but within communities of Vipassana or Insight Meditation, there is sometimes a predisposition to idealize the aspirations of spiritual practice, and to assume that the highest intention is to transcend the vicissitudes of this life, to somehow obviate the sorrows of this lifetime so that we only experience the pleasant, peaceful or sublime. I have heard dharma teachers bemoan conversations in diversity and culture, and say something like “Why do we dwell on our differences? The point of practice is to see our similarities.”

Buddhism and the Unconscious

By John Stanleyand David Loy

 “My life is a story of the self-realization of the unconscious.” –C.G. Jung

Those who see into the Unconscious have their senses cleansed of defilements, are moving toward Buddha-wisdom, are known to be with Reality, in the Middle Path, in the ultimate truth itself. Those who see into the Unconscious are furnished at once with merits as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. They are able to create all kinds of things and embrace all things within themselves. –Shen-hui (as translated by D.T. Suzuki)

At the end of his life, C.G. Jung dictated to his secretary an extraordinary autobiography, “Memories, Dreams, Reflections,” whose first sentence we cite above. Earlier he had observed how human nature resembled the twin sons of Zeus and Leda: “We are that pair of Dioscuri, one of whom is mortal and the other immortal, and who, though always together, can never be made completely one. … We should prefer to be always ‘I’ and nothing else.” Recent neurological studies into those “twin sons” have been exploring Jung’s insight, leading to discoveries that have many important implications, including how we might understand traditional Buddhist teachings today.

Neuropsychology of the Unconscious

Brain research over the last generation has confirmed the difference between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Our left cerebral hemisphere is the place where language is generated and received. It serves a linguistic consciousness with which we describe and think about the world. On the other side, our silent right brain hemisphere serves an unconscious awareness that cannot be coded in language. Non-verbal contemplative practices — such as being quietly present in the natural world, “open presence” meditation, tai chi chuan or yoga — elicit sustained awareness rooted in the unconscious. We are fully aware of what is happening, within and around us. Yet such experiences cannot be put into (or directed by) words because they are served by modules for sensory awareness in the right hemisphere. Focusing attention in the present suspends the usual executive functions of the conscious mind, so that the resources of the unconscious may unfold.

Buddhism: Time to Catalyze World Peace

| by Ram Kumar Shrestha

Kindness, compassion and empathy are the synonyms of Buddhism. The eyes of Buddha are the insignia of love. Lumbini is the place where mind and heart take pleasure in for peace. This is the land when eyes are closed, heart opens. And Lumbini symbolized ultimate peace and harmony. This could be the right time to work together to declare Lumbini a World Peace City to catalyze World Peace in the present critical world situation.

( May 01, 2012, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka Guardian) While the world is preparing to celebrate 2556th Buddha Purnima (Vesak), it is facing Global warming, political instability, recession, terrorism, disaster etc. as major problems and the ultimate source of these problems is not external – it is us and only us, our current lifestyles, our historical choices, our way of thinking and doing with full of selfishness and our future ambitions. We ourselves, therefore, must be the solution. Now the world is already in very crucial moment and this provides opportunity as well to the world leaders, scientists and humanitarian activists to show their capability and broadness and prove themselves as historic persons. One of the most important questions we are facing today due to the reality we are facing in the name of development is: “Do we really love our generations or not?” This is already clear that just the continuation of existing development trend without drastic changes could destroy the world very soon and we, hence, must have new perspectives to bring everything in the right track. Irrespective of interest everybody has to read, see, watch and listen to unwanted news full of violence, crime, rape, hunger, accident, war, epidemic, disaster etc in everyday life. However, dedicated persons and organizations are still optimistic for a better and peaceful globe. Buddhism is considered not only as one of the world major religions but also as science and not facing any debate. This, therefore, could play important role in World peace in the present world context.

Problems do not arise from those who do not know, but from those who know and pretend not to know. Due to this attitude, the world is in crisis. Until we purge ourselves of these problems nothing will happen on the journey to create a wonderful and safe world for future generations. Most people think seriously about their responsibilities and rights but not about their duty to others. So many use their freedom to violate others and deny them of their freedom. This attitude could be the result of mediocre thinking, selfishness and not respecting others.

Kindness, compassion and empathy are the synonyms of Buddhism. The eyes of Buddha are the insignia of love.

Happiness Means Getting to Know Disappointment? (Pema Chödron)

An Interview with Dr. Minendra Rijal

Dr. Rijal is a member of Nepal’s recently created Greater Lumbini Development National Steering Committee, chaired by ex-Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”. Dr. Rijal, a member of the Nepali Congress political party, is also a current member of the Constituent Assembly, ex-Minister of Culture and Chairman of Apex College. Mikel Durham interviewed Dr. Rijal focussing on Lumbini issue.

DUNHAM: You’ve recently been appointed as a Member of the Greater Lumbini Development National Steering Committee. Now that the committee has been created, what progress can be reported?

RIJAL: So far, we have not been able to spend as much time as is needed to move the Lumbini project forward. Prachanda is terribly busy with the politics of the country. In some respects, I am also quite busy — nothing compared to his busy schedule but –
DUNHAM: How many members are on the committee?
RIJAL: Right now we are a six-member committee. And then there is a provision to add another eleven members later on.

DUNHAM: Prachanda is Chair.

RIJAL: Yes.

DUNHAM: What has the committee actually done so far?

RIJAL: We went to New York and saw the Secretary General (SG) of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, in November. And the reason we went was that we wanted the involvement of the UN in the development of Lumbini.

It all started, however, when, earlier, I was the Minister of Culture. At that time, I established contact with Ban Ki-moon’s office and he extended an invitation. I went there. I presented my argument on Lumbini and he was very keen. He has long been interested in helping Lumbini and in realizing its potential. I knew that his mother was a devoted Buddhist and felt that her son, as Secretary General, should do something for Lumbini.

For his part, Ban Ki-moon also feels that it is his obligation on behalf of the larger Asian Buddhist community– he is the second Asian Secretary General – to do something for Lumbini.

That was one reason, last November, that we thought he could be of great help. And the visibility of his office was going to be very important to help Lumbini realize its potential. 

Buddhism, Cosmology and Evolution

By John Stanley & David Loy 

Even with all these profound scientific theories of the origin of the universe, I am left with serious questions: What existed before the big bang? Where did the big bang come from? What caused it? Why has our planet evolved to support life? What is the relationship between the cosmos and the beings that have evolved within it? Scientists may dismiss these questions as nonsensical, or they may acknowledge their importance but deny that they belong to the domain of scientific inquiry. However, both these approaches will have the consequence of acknowledging definite limits to our scientific knowledge of the origin of our cosmos. I am not subject to the professional or ideological constraints of a radically materialistic worldview. - The Dalai Lama

There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved. - Charles Darwin

For traditional Buddhist cosmology, the life cycle of a universe is cyclical. There is a period of its formation, a period where it endures, a period where it disintegrates and a period of void before a new universe forms from the luminous space that remains. That space, according to theKalachakra Tantra (Wheel of Time) is inseparable from beginningless, universal consciousness.

The constraints of scientific materialism

A very different perspective is offered by mechanistic science. From its European origins in the 17th century to its final triumph in the 19th, it has insisted that matter is non-conscious stuff interacting in dead space. And these premises are not merely intellectual abstractions. They have become beliefs about reality, shared by a globalizing human culture. The structure of our subjective experience is inevitably influenced by the notion that we too are mechanisms located in a non-conscious mechanical universe.

LUMBINI REBORN, NEPAL REBORN, BUDDHA REBORN

[Lumbini-Kapilvastu Day Movement does not endorse the opinions of the author.]

NEPAL: THE NEW RAINBOW NATION?

By Gabriel Lafitte

Among Tibetans and their supporters worldwide, Nepal evokes dread. The news out of Nepal is invariably bad. The 20,000 Tibetan refugees in settlements are prisoners, unable to move freely, unable to obtain certification of their refugee status, unable to find employment or get an education, stigmatized and excluded. They may not publicly vote, protest or even hold religious celebrations of the birthdays of their most revered lamas.

China’s power over Nepal extends to equipping and financing the armed forces to patrol the border with Tibet, to apprehend Tibetans using the only route of escape. China’s ability to get the Nepali army to do its security work is aided by the willingness of Nepali politicians to be seduced by the largesse of China’s aid program, no strings attached, no accountability auditing of where the money went. From the outside, it seems that Nepal, riven by revolution, is agreed on only one thing, right across the spectrum, from Maoists to royalists: no-one likes the Tibetans.

It is not just the elite that is prejudiced. The Tibetans, like the landless urban poor in the Kathmandu slums along the riverbanks, are considered sukumbasi, a term so broad it includes all the excluded, the displaced, landless, unacknowledged refugees, with no means of subsistence, suspected of thievery, gold smuggling and an inclination for criminality. Sukumbasi are feared and sneered at, especially by the upper caste Bahun Hindus who depict them as dangerous outsiders, despoilers, polluters of the rivers, a threat to the nation. The slum dwellers are seen as puppets of the Maoists, a rent-a-mob willing to swarm into the city on command to fill rallies with their shouts. The sukumbasi are said to have toppled the king, and that behind the scenes, they are tools of foreign meddlers or get undeserved help from NGOs.

Lumbini, Birthplace of Lord Buddha

Western Buddhism: The 50 Year Lessons (Part II)

By Lewis Richmond, Buddhist writer and teacher

A few weeks ago I began a series of posts called “Western Buddhism: The 50 Year Lessons.” In that post I mentioned three lessons: enlightenment is not what we thought, meditation is not good for everything and religious corruption is universal. Outside of ethnic enclaves, Buddhism is really quite new in the West. Even the word “Buddhism” itself — a term coined by 19th century European scholars to categorize it as a world religion along with other “isms” — is not quite right. There is no such word “Buddhism” in Buddhism. The Buddha himself used the word marga, which simply means “path.” Buddhism is a wisdom path, a long, difficult, and complex journey. It takes time and effort, and mistakes are part of it.

I would like to continue my exploration of 50 year lessons with two more: Prejudice Against Women Runs Deep, and Conflict is Part of the Path.

Prejudice Against Women Runs Deep.

Buddhism began in Northern India in the 5th century B.C., in a caste-ridden, conquistador society where women were ranked below men in nearly all things. According to scripture, the Buddha did not initially want women in his monastic order, and it was only through the pleading of his disciple Ananda, speaking on behalf of Prajapati — a leading woman disciple and the Buddha’s biological aunt — that the Buddha reluctantly agreed. Since Buddhist scriptures were not committed to writing until several centuries later, we don’t know whether this incident was literally true, but it was certainly culturally normative for that time. That bias against women has remained operative in Buddhist countries to this day. The young Karmapa — reported to me by people who were there — said recently in a public gathering that the prejudice against women in Buddhism was simply wrong and should be changed. After 2,500 years, that’s good to hear. Correcting that “mistake” is probably easier said than done, however.

Beyond the Matrix — A Buddhist Approach

By John Stanley and David Loy

“To be, or not to be: that is the question.”
–Hamlet

“Psychopaths are capable of taking the perspective of somebody else, but only to take better advantage of you. They’re able to play the empathy game, but without the feelings involved. It’s like an empty shell. The core of empathy — being in tune with the feelings of somebody else — seems to be completely lacking. They are like aliens among us.”
–Frans de Waal

The Believing Brain

The human brain often functions as a “believing organ.” Our beliefs develop for many different subjective and psychological reasons, and according to various contexts (family, relationships, culture, media, advertising). There is evidence that many beliefs are largely subconscious in nature. That does not stop us inventing conscious explanations for them. We rationalize, defend and fight for our beliefs — often as if our identity depended upon it. And often it does.

If some new reality challenges our mental map, our understanding of it will usually be limited by our old beliefs. Evidently human ideologies provided some evolutionary advantage in the past. But the enormous evolutionary crisis we are now facing requires rapid creative adaptation to unprecedented realities. The believing organ is being challenged as never before.

Democracy or Corporatocracy?

At the outset of the 21st century, the dominant institution is not government but business corporations, which have learned how to manipulate the democratic process. These legal entities have an insatiable appetite for profit and work to undermine any limitations on their power to pursue it. A prime example was the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to permit unlimited corporate cash donations to political campaigns. Big Carbon companies responded to this new legalization of corruption by financing lavish advertising to capture a majority in the House of Representatives. Defying the unprecedented frequency of extreme weather events occurring worldwide — including a record 12 events imposing aggregate damages of $52 billion on the U.S. itself — their “representatives” blocked any attempts to address the climate crisis. They attacked environmental regulations across the board and cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (which they also threatened to abolish). They organized witch-hunts of eminent climate scientists, reminiscent of the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.

Lumbini Master Plan

The United Nations Development Programme contributed nearly one million dollars for preparation of a Master Plan for the development of Lumbini, including numerous engeering and archaeological studies. The plan, which was completed in 1978, has as its objecive to restore an area of about 7.7 kM2, to be known as the Lumbini Garden, centering on the garden and the Ashoka Pillar, with an additional area of 64.5 km2 to be developed in its support.

                                                                                       

UN Secretary General                                                                                                         Prof Kenzo Tange 
Late U Thant

According to architect Kenzo Tange, “the overall intent is to reinforce the symbolic entity of the Lumbini Garden in its simplicity and clarity’.. Development will provide for visitors to Lumbini – pilgrims and tourists – and will also support such complementary activities as residence of monks, research, international meetings and teachings.

Masterplan Map

Within the plan for the development of Lumbini Garden, there are three main components:

1. New Lumbini Village

2. The Cultural Centre/Monastic Zone

3. The Sacred Garden

The design is oriented north-south,with Lumbini Village and Cultural Centre north, and the focus of the design – the Sacred Garden – to the. south. On either side of the axis towards its southern end are the monastic enclaves. The entire development is tied together by a central link comprised of a walkway and a canal.

The design is oriented north-south,with Lumbini Village and Cultural Centre north, and the focus of the design – the Sacred Garden – to the. south. On either side of the axis towards its southern end are the monastic enclaves. The entire development is tied together by a central link comprised of a walkway and a canal.

This central link establishes the solitude and sanctity of the Sacred Garden,with its pillar and spectacular panorama of the Himalaya, and offers pilgrims time and space to prepare themselves as they approach the Sacred Garden.

The Monastic zone is situated in the forest area north of the Sacred garden, divided by a canal, there are East and West Monastic Enclaves having 42 plots each allotted for new monasteries of Theravada and Mahayana sects of Buddhism. Nearby, across the central link bridge, a research center, a library, an auditorium, and a museum provide facilities for research and study on Buddhism.

लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानको अभिनन्दनले प्रचन्डलाई जिम्मेवारी थपिएको महसूस

काठमाडौं, मङ्सिर १५- एकीकृत माओवादीका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहालले नेपालको शान्ति प्रकृया मौलिक ढङ्गले अगाडि बढेको चर्चा गर्दै २१औं शताब्दीमा संविधान सभाबाटै संविधान बनाउने पहिलो देश नेपाल हुने बताएका छन्। लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानद्वारा आयोजित बिहीबार तेश्रो लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस कार्यक्रममा प्रमुख अतिथिको आसनबाट उनले सबै विचार, राजनीतिक दल, सम्पूर्ण धर्मावलम्बी, बुद्धिजीवीलाई एकताको सन्देशसहित शान्ति र समृद्धिको मार्गमा अगाडि बढ्न आह्‍वान गरे।

बृहत्तर लुम्बिनी क्षेत्र विकास निर्देशक समितिका अध्यक्षसमेत रहनुभएका अध्यक्ष दाहालले लुम्बिनी विकासको गुरुयोजनाको जुन प्रयत्न भएको छ, त्यो आफैंमा नेपाल र नेपालीका निम्ति केही गर्ने उद्धेस्यसंग जोडिएको छ भने।

लुम्बिनी क्षेत्रको बृहत्तर विकासका लागि संयुक्त राष्ट्र सङ्घका महासचिव वानकी मुनलाई भेटेर विश्वव्यापीरुपमा सो अभियानलाई अगाडि लैजान सकारात्मक र उत्साहप्रद ढङ्गले कुराकानी भएको उल्लेख गर्दै अध्यक्ष दाहालले उहाँ छिट्टै नेपाल आउने कार्यक्रम रहेकाले पनि यसको महत्व विश्वव्यापीरुपमा स्थापित भएको बताए। शान्ति प्रकृयालाई तार्किक निष्कर्षमा पुर्‍याउन शान्ति प्रक्रियाकै प्रमुख पक्ष भएको नाताले आफ्नो पार्टी हदैसम्मको त्याग गर्न तयार रहेको उनले बताए।

लुम्बिनी-कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानको तर्फबाट गरिएको अभिन्दनको सन्दर्भमा अध्यक्ष दाहालले सम्मान आफूलाई गरिएको सम्मानभन्दा पनि नेपाली जनताको शान्तिको चाहना, गौतम बुद्धको शान्तिको सन्देश बिस्वभरि छर्ने र आँफैलाई भन्दा एउटा नयाँ भारी बोकाएको सन्देशको रुपमा बुझेको बताउनु भयो । 

बुद्ध जन्मस्थलबारे दिग्भ्रम निस्तेज पार्न स्वाभिमानको नयाँ ईतिहास आरम्भ गरौं

China’s $3 Billion Investment in Buddhist Mecca Sparks a Row

By Jane Poretsis

On the 9th August, China declared that it had just signed a USD 3 billion deal with Nepal to develop Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha, sparking a row of lack of transparency.

The investment will see China leading the project, to transform the small town of Lumbini into a Buddhist Mecca and place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from around the world. A huge building project situated in the Southern region adjoining India. Seeing the construction of a new airport, highway, hotels, convention centre, temples and a Buddhist university; plus, the water, electricity and communication lines it currently lacks.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, in July, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Hong Kong based – Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF), signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in Beijing.

This was met by concern in certain quarters of the Nepalese Government, which felt that it had been left in the dark and not consulted; prompting a dismissal from China on reports in the media of a secret pact with certain Maoist sections of the Government.