Ten Looking At Buddhism
Yes, I'm interested in reading more of Batchelor. Thanks. But I must say that to be a Buddhist you must believe something. For example, we follow the precepts. Why? There is a sensible reason we decide to follow them but, as we go on with our practice, there is also an element of belief.
Also pay attention to what you hear and smell. There may be bird song, road noise or the chatter of people or animals. Consciously tune in to these different sounds. Notice the sound of different birds, different vehicles. Listen for subtler sounds as you tune in to the soundscape that constantly surrounds us. You'll find yourself hearing things that have merely passed you by before. There are also plenty of smells around you what can you identify as you focus on this sense?
The kingdom of Sukhothai eventually expanded and made alliances with other Thai kingdoms. Their adopted theravada Buddhism as their state religion. The son of the king Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao succeeded the throne after him. Later on, his brother Pho Khun Ramkhamhaeng took over the throne. During his regime, Sukhothai enjoyed a golden time and prospered to its maximum.
New Zealand was stunning, once I got there; the twenty-six hour flight seemed endless. About eighteen hours out, we hit a cloudbank that continued all the way to Auckland, and only later was I to discover that it was more or less a stationary phenomenon over the rain soaked islands. Miraculously, the sun came out the day I arrived and remained for my entire 400-kilometer train trip from Auckland to the rainforests of Wellington, which was nothing short of a spectacular series of picture postcards. Every bend in the tracks, from mountains, to ocean, to pastoral pastures of grazing sheep, was breathtaking.
Even if one does not turn to meditation for self-realization, the practice holds innumerable benefits. Meditation can reduce stress and therefore fortify the immune system. It also improves mental concentration and memory. In addition, one may notice an increased capacity to stay calm, peaceful, relaxed for oneself and others, even under trying circumstances. With practice, one attains a balance of mind to face the ups and downs of life with ever-increasing skillfullness. We all want to be happy and to reduce suffering. Over time, one discovers that meditation makes this possible.
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.
The problem is, faking Thai amulet authenticity is an easy and profitable feat. Very few experts can tell every fake amulet, so other criteria must be taken into account to assess a fraudulent claim of authenticity. Thee following are soft criteria that you can use as tips to help you decide whether the seller is authentic or not. These have more to do with getting to know the seller than any sort of truth analysis of the amulets he or she is selling.
BN: The amazing thing for me in Burma was the people's devotion to Theravadan Buddhism; the monks are very serious about studying the Pali Canon. They monks are very orthodox; they study Pali grammar according to the ancient method. Though it's a poor country, the people are very nice. And they live under very difficult conditions. I think Buddhism has helped a lot, but on the other hand, I wonder if the people are too patient, if they put up with too much. I ask myself whether the people should tolerate so much.
