Ten Information Regarding Buddhism
Find a Thai amulet seller that doesn't sell using hype. Find one that physically resides in Thailand and that can take photos of an amulet you wish to purchase beside today's Bangkok Post or The Nation newspaper to prove to you the amulet really exists. Order an inexpensive amulet or two as a test before spending more than a hundred dollars on a large order. Can they deliver? What is the quality of Thai amulet the seller sells?
The Spring Temple Buddha found in Lushan County, Henan, China is considered as the biggest statue of Buddha in the world. It measures 128 meters (420 feet), including a 20 meter lotus throne. If you will include the 25-meter pedestal where the statue is placed, the Spring Temple Buddha would have a total height of 153 meters (502 feet). With the reshaping of the hill where the statue is currently perched to give way for the construction of two more pedestals, this statue of Buddha is now 208 meters high.
In addition to Tai speaking people, there are Chinese who have blended seamlessly with the Thai. Other cultures include Malays, Mon, Khmer, and even Vietnamese.
Before I left for the Southern Hemisphere, however, I needed a place to practice for awhile, to get back on track, and I knew the perfect place; at Bhante Gunaratana's monastery outside of Washington, DC. The Bhavana Society (bhavana in Pali translates as mental development) is tucked away in the picturesque hills of West Virginia just down the road from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Bhante Gunaratana is the founder of Bhavana, a Sri Lankan monk who has been in robes for almost seventy years, and a world recognized meditation teacher.
The Noble Truth of Suffering: Refers to a short-lived happiness that we experience through life, which is plagued with inevitable factors, such as sickness and old age. Death cannot be avoided and we all eventually experience sorrow, pain and grief.
What we were talking until now could be applied to what is considered traditional Buddhism, that is, the tradition practiced by the early community of followers after the death of the Buddha. Today, the school of Buddhism that tries to imitate this traditional ideal is the theravada. theravada Buddhism is practiced in South East Asia: Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma. It could be considered the conservative branch of Buddhism.
You know the conditionality of things; one of the great problems of Mexico is the drug trafficking. But the consumer in the U.S. and Canada is part of it; it's all inter-related. You are part of that chain.
They believed that the Buddha wasn't present anymore, but he left a sustaining power in these objects. This sustaining power could affect their karma. That is, by worshiping these objects that have the power of the Buddha, they will have a better rebirth in a future life. Remember that Buddhist believe that, to achieve Nirvana, you need to go through a great number of lives. So, it is better for you to have a good rebirth, having a better chance to advance in your path to enlightenment in a future life.
