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Buddha Dhamma Sangha

Buddha Dhamma Sangha
Ven. Ajahn Sumedho

When people ask 'What do you have to do to become a Buddhist?' we say that we take refuge in Buddha Dhamma Sangha and to take refuge we recite a Pali formula:

Buddham saranam gacchami (I go to the Buddha for refuge)
Dhammam saranam gacchami (I go to the Dhamma for refuge)
Sangham saranam gacchami (I go to the Sangha for refuge)

As we practise more and more and begin to realise the profundity of the Buddhist Teachings it becomes a real joy to take these refuges and even just their recitation inspires the mind. After sixteen years as a monk I still like to chant 'Buddham saranam gacchami', in fact I like it more than I did fifteen years ago because then it didn't really mean anything to me, I just chanted it because I had to, because it was part of the tradition. Merely taking refuge in the Buddha verbally doesn't mean you take refuge in anything, a parrot could be trained to say 'Buddham saranam gacchami', and it would probably be as meaningful to a parrot as it is to many Buddhists. These words are for reflection, looking at them and actually investigating what they mean: what 'refuge' means, what 'Buddha' means. When we say 'I take refuge in the Buddha' what do we mean by that? How can we use that so that it is not just a repetition of nonsense syllables but something that really helps to remind us, gives us direction and increases our devotion, our dedication to the path of the Buddha.

We can use the word Buddha to refer to Gotama, the founder of what is now known as Buddhism, the historical sage who attained Parinibbana[*] in India 2500 years ago, the teacher of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, teachings from which we today still benefit. But when we take refuge in the Buddha it doesn't mean that we take refuge in some historical prophet but in that which is wise in the universe, in our minds, that which is not separate from us but is more real than anything we can conceive with the mind or experience through the senses. Without any Buddha-wisdom in the universe life for any length of time would be totally impossible, it is the Buddha-wisdom that protects. We call it Buddha-wisdom, other people can call it other things if they want, these are just words.We happen to use the words of our tradition. We're not going to argue about Pali words, Sanskrit words, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, English or any other, we're just using the term Buddha-wisdom as a conventional symbol to help remind us to be wise, to be alert, to be awake.

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Music in the Dharma

Music in the Dharma

Dharma in the Music / Recorded Live at IMC

Music in the Dharma / Dharma in the Music / Live at IMC

with Rev. Heng Sure, Betsy Rose and Alan Senauke - June 10, 2005 - Free Download

Part 1 - MP3/11MB/32Min ||| Part 2 - MP3/8.3MB/24Min

Part 3 - MP3/10.2MB/29Min ||| ||| Part 4 - MP3/7.5MB/21Min

The joys and teachings of dharma flow through every human activity. The creation of sound and

rhythm in the midst of space and silence has always helped people wake up to life. Music flourished

in specific ways in every culture around the world, and it has the ability to cut through our perceived

differences. Insight Meditation Center brings together three Western practitioners of Buddhism and of

music. Their folk-rooted acoustic music combines tradition and innovation much as our practice here

in California does the same. But the bottom line is that we can share and enjoy this music together.

Rev. Heng Sure is creatively engaged in bringing a 1300-year-old sacred musical tradition from

China to the West. He was ordained as a monk in the Mahayana lineage of Master Hsuan Hua in

1976. He is a pilgrim, an author and has a Ph.D. in Buddhism from the Graduate Theological Union

in Berkeley. He speaks Mandarin, French and Japanese and serves as pastor to a Chinese/

Vietnamese Buddhist community.

Betsy Rose is an accomplished singer and songwriter of folk and progressive music. She was

introduced to the dharma by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1987. She has performed widely throughout the

world at festivals, ecological conferences and spiritual gatherings. Dharma teachers such as Thich

Nhat Hanh, Matthew Fox and Joanna Macy include her music in their work. She is a long-time leader

of the Family Program at Spirit Rock.

Hozan Alan Senauke has been a student and performer of American traditional music for 40 years.

He is a Soto Zen priest in the tradition of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, ordained by Sojun Mel Weitsman.

He is head of practice at Berkeley Zen Center, where he lives with his wife and their two children.

Alan was Executive Director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and serves as their Senior Advisor

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"I know you don't smoke weed. I know this. But I'm gonna get you
HIGH today!..."

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Buddhist monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism in the history of religion. It is also one of the most fundamental institutions of Buddhism. Monks and nuns are considered to be responsible for the preservation and dissemination of the Buddha's teaching and the guidance of Buddhist lay people.

Monastic life[edit]

Buddhism has no central authority, and therefore many different varieties of practice and philosophy have developed over its history, including among monastic communities, sometimes leading to schisms in the sangha. The information presented here, unless otherwise noted, characterises only certain Buddhist monks who follow the most strict regulations of the 'Southern Schools' tradition. The oldest existing set of texts concerning a Buddhist form of life are those of the Pāli Canon. Although no copy of these texts comes from the time of the Buddha, because of its relative age the Pāli Canon is used by some monastic communities to define their conduct and identity. In some schools of Buddhism, notably those lineages in South East Asia (Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc.) that compose Theravada, the Buddhist monastic community is theoretically divided into two assemblies, the male bhikkhu (Pali, Skt. bhikshu) assembly, and the female bhikkhuni (Skt. bhikshuni) assembly. According to some stories, although his followers initially consisted only of men, the Buddha recognized women as followers after his stepmother, Mahaprajapati, asked for and received permission to live as an ordained practitioner. Also the Buddha's disciple Ananda strongly insisted on including female order. Female monastic communities in the bhikkhuni lineage were never established in the Vajrayana communities of Tibet and Nepal; Theravada communities formerly existed, but died out between the 11th and 14th century. Ordination in the bhikkhuni lineage continues to exist among East Asian communities, and attempts have been made at a revival in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Such divisions are more rarely made in the Northern schools, or in the West.

Monks and nuns are expected to fulfill a variety of roles in the Buddhist community. First and foremost, they are expected to preserve the doctrine and discipline now known as Buddhism. They are also expected to provide a living example for the laity, and to serve as a "field of merit" for lay followers, providing laymen and women with the opportunity to earn merit by giving gifts and support to the monks. In return for the support of the laity, monks and nuns are expected to live an austere life focused on the study of Buddhist doctrine, the practice of meditation, and the observance of good moral character. The relative degree of emphasis on meditation or study has often been debated in the Buddhist community. Many continued to keep a relationship with their original families

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hikkhu or Bhikkhuni first ordains as a Samanera (novice) for a year or more. There are some conditions which must be met in order to be allowed into Buddhist monaticism, such as age between 7 to 70 and haven't broken sīla in some manners when undertaking them.^[4]^[5] Male novices often ordain at a very young age, but generally no younger than 8. Women usually choose to ordain as adults, since there is no expectation that they do so in childhood. Samaneras live according to the Ten Precepts, but are not responsible for living by the full set of monastic rules, vinaya. Higher ordination, conferring the status of a full Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni, is usually given only to those 20 or older. Women monastics follow a similar progression, but are required to live as Samaneras for a longer period of time, typically five years. In Thailand, monks are considered well supported by the community, and in return the monks offer guidance in life and in the Dharma. They can give the Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni vows back and return to non-monastic living. According to the vinaya, the sangha should not accept a former Bhikkhuni to retake these vows, and for Bhikkhu up to taking three or seven times in a life.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] Breaking some important vinaya in manners according to the Vinaya Pitaka would not be accepted for monasticism again for a lifetime.^[11] In Burma, Taiwan and Hong Kong, sometimes there are short term monastic ordination available to lay buddhists to take some vows may be for a week or a month.^[12]^[13] In Thailand such arrangements are currently available for male only.^[14]

The disciplinary regulations for monks and nuns are intended to create a life that is simple and focused, rather than one of deprivation or severe asceticism. Celibacy is of primary importance in monastic discipline, seen as being the preeminent factor in separating the life of a monastic from that of a householder.[2] Depending on the tradition and the strictness of observation, monastics may eat only one meal a day, provided either by direct donations of food from lay supporters, or from a monastery kitchen that is stocked (and possibly staffed) by lay supporters.

Unlike Christian monastics, some schools of Buddhist monastics are not required to live a life of obedience to a superior. However, it is expected that monastics will offer respect to senior members of the Sangha (in Thai tradition, seniority is based on the number of rains retreats, vassas, that one has been ordained). The Buddha did not appoint a successor, nor did he specify rules mandating obedience in the monastic code. Individual groups of monastics are expected to make decisions collectively through regular gatherings of the community, at which decisions regarding violations of monastic rules and the dispositions of communal property are to be made. Individual relationships of teacher/student, senior/junior, and preceptor/trainee may be observed among groups of monastics, but there are no formal positions, nor is there any authority to give orders or commands invested in senior monks. An abbess or abbot, typically a senior monastic still young enough to be active, is usually responsible for the day-to-day administration of the monastery, and may appoint others to assist with the work. In some traditions, the abbess/abbot is chosen by a vote of the monastics in a monastery. In other traditions (Thailand, for example), the abbot is chosen by the lay community.

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Nice Post Akash !

[Z.L] CrAzY !

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Buddhits People 图片点击可在新窗口打开查看

[Z.L] CrAzY !

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enjoying me