𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 & 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

Dongguk University looks to Buddhism, Hallyu and AI to shape global identity Founded as a Buddhist school in 1906, Dongguk is Korea’s only comprehensive Buddhist university. Dongguk University President Yun Jae-woong sees Buddhism, Korean culture and artificial intelligence as the foundations of a distinctive international education — one that gives students a reason to choose Dongguk beyond studying in Korea. “Among the different forms of Hallyu, Dongguk’s Hallyu can include things like meditation, temple food and temple stays — things other universities or organizations cannot do,” he said. The university has already been trying to internationalize those assets through projects including the Seoul International Meditation Expo, its Buddhist cultural archives and multilingual Buddhist-content platforms. https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10913851

Make Your Mind Like a Rock When touched by pleasure or by displeasure, the wise do not exhibit elation or dejection. Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the wind; so too in blame and praise, the wise do not waver. Just as a deep lake is clear and undisturbed; so too, having heard the teachings, the wise become tranquil. - Buddha, Dhammapada (Paṇḍita vagga)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVKEx7ysN94 Guided Meditation by Ven. Ajahn Achalo: Journey Through the Heavenly Realms Devanussati (recollection of heavenly beings) is one of the ten recollections taught by the Buddha. It involves reflecting on the deities who were reborn in higher realms due to their cultivation of faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, and recognizing that the practitioner possesses these same qualities. Journey through the heavenly realms in this Theravāda guided meditation—from Mae Torani and the Four Great Kings to Sakka, Suyāma, Ariya Metteyya and the luminous Brahmā realms. Recollect the devas’ goodness, radiance and merit, allowing their example to inspire faith, generosity, virtue and inner peace. The practice serves to inspire joy and stabilize the mind, acting as a bridge to spiritual accountability. By contemplating that these beings are beneficent forces and models of positive karma, practitioners can overcome fear and doubt, particularly when meditating in isolated places.

Where to find peace? Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it. — Ajahn Chah

Start Your Meditation Practice A free, self-paced meditation program with Korean Zen Master, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Session 1 introduces the practice in full—posture, breath, and what to do when the mind wanders—with a Q&A-style teaching from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim followed by a guided sitting. Begin with Session 1, then continue at your own pace, whenever it works for you. Questions About Your Practice? Sleepiness, wandering thoughts, discomfort, doubt about whether you're doing it right—find questions from other practitioners and Ven. Pomnyun Sunim's answers. https://www.jungtosociety.org/meditation

“Homeless” Kodo Sawaki: From Brothel Worker to Buddhist Monk By the 20th century, Zen Buddhism in Japan had become highly stagnant revolving primarily around the repetition of rote, lifeless rituals. The majority of Buddhist monks were not teaching Buddhism and very few were engaged in meditation. The man who re-introduced Buddhist teachings and Buddhist meditation practice to Japan was born on 16 June 1880. His name was Kodo Sawaki. By the time he was eight years of age, he was orphaned as his mother died when he was five and his father three years later. An uncle brought him into his home but, tragically, the uncle also died. Sawaki was given a place to live by a man who was a professional gambler and his wife, a former prostitute who supervised brothels. They made him work guarding gambling dens and cleaning up the brothels. Aware that his childhood was less than ideal, unhappy by what he was experiencing and feeling there had to be more to life, he began to secretly spend time at a nearby Zen temple. There, the abbott took an interest in the young boy advising him to consider studying and practicing Zen. Following up on that advice, Sawaki was 16 when he ran away from home to join a monastery becoming ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1899. Sawaki taught people to “just sit” describing Zen as “wonderfully useless” and discouraged any notions of seeking after special experiences or gaining deeper states of consciousness. He often used the phrase “nothing special” to describe the practice of meditation. Aware that his approach brought him critics, he said: “My sermons are criticized by certain audiences. They say that my sermons are hollow, not holy. I agree with them because I myself am not holy. The Buddha’s teaching guides people to the place where there is nothing special. . . People often misunderstand faith as kind of ecstasy of intoxication. . . True faith is sobering up from such intoxication.” https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/homeless-kodo-sawaki-from-brothel-worker-to-buddhist-monk/

Pubbanha Sutta the Discourse on A Good Morning for protection against bad omens, and gaining happiness.

May those beings who suffer, be free from suffering. May those beings who are in fear be free from fear. May those beings who are in grief be free from grief. To this extent, may all deities rejoice in the accomplishment of merits which we have thus fulfilled. All Buddhas, all Pacceka Buddhas and all Arahants possessed great physical strength and intellectual strength. By the glorious power of them, I fortify protection around me at all the time. May all blessings be upon you. May all deities protect you. By the gracious power of all Buddhas, may you all ever be well and happy.

Don't worry.

🌸 Atanatiya Sutta - for protection against evil spirits, and gaining health and happiness 🌸 Homage to the Vipassi Buddha, possessed of the eye of wisdom and glory. Homage to Sikhi Buddha, the great compassionate towards all beings. Homage to Vessabhu Buddha, who has washed away all the defilements and who possesses good ascetic practices. Homage to Kakusandha Buddha, who defeated the army of Mara (evil one). Homage to Konagamana Buddha, who had eradicated all evil and lived the noble life. Homage to Kassapa Buddha, who was freed from all defilements. Homage to this son of Sakyas (Gotama Buddha), from whose body issued rays of light and who was glorious. Those seven Buddhas and the other hundreds of crores of Buddha- all these Buddhas are equal only to the Former Ones, all these Buddhas have great power. All these Buddhas are the gracious refuges for the world of gods and men. I respectfully bow my head at the feet of these Supreme Ones. May the Buddhas who are peacemakers protect you always so that you are happy. Being protected by them, may you be free from all dangers. May you be free from all diseases, may you be free from worry and anxiety. May you overcome all enemies and may you be peaceful. - Atanatiya Sutta

Japanese Buddhist Monk Undertakes 12-Year Solitary Mountain Retreat A Buddhist monk in Japan began a 12-year period of solitary retreat earlier this month as he undertakes the responsibility of caring for the tomb of Saicho (767–822 CE), founder of the Tendai Buddhist tradition in Japan. Thirty-one-year-old Sogaku Taguchi—the chief monk of Nanzambo Temple, began his retreat on 11 September, becoming a jishin (or “true watcher”)—devoted to Saicho. 1️⃣ He will remain isolated from the outside world until 11 September 2038. 2️⃣ He will perform his duties within the Jodo-in hall where Saicho’s remains are enshrined. 3️⃣ He will adhere to a strictly regimented daily routine that continues through the harsh winter months. 4️⃣ He will rise before dawn daily to prepare meals that are offered before the tomb of Saicho. 5️⃣ He will also spend hours each day reciting sutras and performing 3,000 prostrations while chanting, as well as cleaning and maintaining the Jodo-in hall. Read More

What Life in Hell Looks Like? Here, a certain person engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct..after the breaking up of the body at death, they are reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell. Then the hell wardens seize that person by both arms and present them to King Yama, saying: ‘This person, your majesty, did not respect his mother, did not respect his father, did not respect ascetics, did not respect the Brahmans, and did not respect the elders in his family. May your majesty impose due punishment on him.’ When King Yama has cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the third divine messenger, he falls silent. Then the wardens of hell torture him with the fivefold transfixing. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand and another red-hot iron stake through the other hand. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot and another red-hot iron stake through the other foot. They drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he experiences painful, agonizing, and piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma has not been exhausted. Then the wardens of hell lay him down and hack him apart with machetes. Then the wardens of hell seize him, suspend him upside down, and hack him apart with axes. Then the wardens of hell harness him to a chariot and drive him back and forth across a blazing, fully ignited, and glowing ground. Then the wardens of hell force him to ascend and descend a massive mountain of burning, fully ignited, and blazing embers. Then the wardens of hell seize him, suspend him upside down, and plunge him into a boiling copper cauldron, blazing, fully ignited, and glowing. There, as foam bubbles up, he is boiled and suffers, rising up once, sinking down once, and moving sideways once. There he experiences painful, agonizing, and piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma has not been exhausted. Then the wardens of hell cast him into the great hell. - AN 3.36 Devadūta Sutta

Our Journey in Samsara Has Been Very Long "In just one aeon, the accumulation of a single person’s bones would form a heap as large as a mountain, thus it was said by the great seer. When one sees the noble truths with right wisdom— suffering, the arising of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Having wandered on for seven times at most, that person makes an end of suffering, through the wearing away of all the fetters." - Buddha, Aṭṭhipuñja Sutta

Why does a Buddha Arise in the World? If these three things were not found in the world, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One would not arise in the world, nor would the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata shine in the world. What are the three? Birth, old age, and death. But because these three things are found in the world, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One arises in the world, and the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata shines in the world. Without giving up three things, one is incapable of giving up birth, old age, and death. What three? Not giving up passion (rāga), not giving up aversion (dosa), and not giving up delusion (moha). - AN 10.76 Tayodhamma sutta

Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi, cittaṁ yassa na kampati; Asokaṁ virajaṁ khemaṁ, etaṁ maṅgalamuttamaṁ. When touched by the vicissitudes of life, whose mind does not waver, sorrow-free, unblemished, and secure— This is the highest blessing. -Buddha, Maṅgala Sutta

Hotu sabbaṁ sumaṅgalaṁ Rakkhantu sabba-devatā Sabba-buddhānubhāvena Sotthī hontu nirantaraṁ May there be every good blessing. May all the devas protect you. Through the power of all the Buddhas, may you forever be well.

The Sage The sage wandering alone, diligent, unshaken by blame and praise; like a lion, unstartled by sounds, like the wind, uncaught in a net, like a lotus, unsullied by water, a leader of others, by others unled— he, too, is one the wise know as a sage. One who remains firm like a pillar at a ford, when others speak praise and blame; that one, free from passion, with well composed faculties— he, too, is one the wise know as a sage. Who is self-restrained and does no evil, whether young or middle-aged, the sage is restrained; unprovokable, he provokes no one— he, too, is one the wise know as a sage. - Buddha (Snp 1.12 Muni sutta - Sage)

Not Clinging to Any Feeling (SN 36.3 Pahāna sutta) When experiencing pleasure, if one does not discern feeling, the underlying tendency to desire is present for one who does not see the escape. When experiencing pain, if one does not discern feeling, the underlying tendency to aversion is present for one who does not see the escape. The peaceful neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, taught by the one of vast wisdom; if one seeks delight even in that, one is still not freed from suffering. But when a bhikkhu exerts continuous effort, and does not neglect clear awareness; then that wise one completely comprehends all feelings. Having completely comprehended feelings, taintless in this very life, with the breakup of the body, firmly established in the Dhamma, a master of knowledge cannot be designated.”

2600 Years old Staircase to Tavatimsa Heaven - History of Sankisa Sankasya (also Sankissa, Sankassa) is one of the ‘Eight Great Places’ (Ashtamahasthan, in the Pali canons) of the Buddhist pilgrimage. According to Buddhist literature, it was here that the Buddha performed the ‘miracle of descending from the heavens accompanied by Indra and Brahma’. Samuel Beal in his translated account of Fa Hian – Travels of Fah-Hian and Sung-Yun, Buddhist pilgrims, from China to India mentions that:

"As per legend, Bodhisattva Maitreya was born here in Sankassa as a millionaire named Siriwardhana at the period of the Buddha Gautama, and on this exact day, the day the Buddha descended from heaven Tavatimsa, Siriwardhana arrived to this area and was admitted to the Buddha’s dispensation here. "

Hiuen Thsang saw a 70-foot high staircase at the spot where the Buddha had descended from heaven. On the top of the stairs was a temple with a stone image of the Buddha that according to Fa Hian was 16 cubit (16 ft) tall. Close to the stairs was a 70 ft high Ashokan pillar, he wrote. Both Hwen Thsang and Fa Hien saw three ladders in the decaying shrine, which had been made of bricks and stone by the ancients to mark the Buddha’s descent, but the ladders were practically submerged in the ground. (James B Pratt, The Pilgrimage of Buddhism, 1928) Sankisa was rediscovered by Alexander Cunningham in 1842.

“In March 1876, I went there (to Sankisa) for the express purpose of searching for the remains of the great Asoka pillar, of which only the elephant capital now exists above ground,” - Cunningham (ASI, Vol XI).