Yasa wearies of his wealth and wanders into the Deer Park; meeting the Buddha, he receives a teaching

The Buddha, together with the five noble disciples, spent the rains retreat at the Deer Park
at Isipatana, the place of his first teaching. That was the first rains
retreat. At this stage the Buddha did not yet travel around to teach
others because it was the rainy season, but a young man named Yasa did
come to see him.

Yasa was the son of a rich man in Varanasi.
His parents had built three mansions for him, one for each of the
seasons [hot, rainy and cool], and in each of the mansions there were a
great number of dancing girls to entertain him. One day, at midnight,
Yasa awoke and saw the dancing girls sleeping in various ungainly
postures (here the story is just the same as for the Bodhisatta on the
day he left home for the homeless life) and became wearied of his life.

Yasa ran away from his home in the dead of night, and made for the Deer Park,
muttering to himself as he went,  “Here it is confusing, here it is
oppressive!” He was referring to the confusion and oppression he felt
inside. At
that time a sound came in response from the edge of the forest: “Here
it is not confusing, here there is no obstruction!”. It was the Buddha. At the time of this exchange it was very late, almost dawn in fact. The Buddha said to Yasa, “Come, come here and sit down. I will teach you.”

Yasa
approached the Buddha and bowed to his feet, then sat down to one side.
The Buddha gave him a teaching, at the completion of which Yasa
attained Arahatship, full enlightenment. He asked for admission to the
Buddha’s order as a monk.

Not
long after Yasa had become a monk, a great number of his friends, 54 of
them, having heard of his going forth, went to see the Buddha, listened
to the teaching and were all, like Yasa, fully enlightened. Thus within
the first vassa, or rains retreat, there were altogether 61 Arahats in
the world.

          Taking a Meal (at Yasa’s house )

Once , the Buddha taught dhamma to Yasa. Yasa adopted the ascetic life and later attained Arahantship. After
teaching dhamma to Yasa and his father , the Lord Buddha went to have
food at the house of Yasa�s father. This was the first time the Lord
Buddha ever having food inside a house. Then , he taught Anupubbikatha
to Yasa�s mother and ex-wife who later became the first two female
disciples.     

To Uruvela

After the rains retreat, on the 15^th waxing day of the twelfth lunar month, the Buddha convened a meeting of his 60 disciples (savaka) at the Deer Park
in Isipatana. All of those disciples were Arahats. The Buddha’s
intention in calling the meeting was to send these disciples out to
spread the teaching to other places.

At the meeting, the Buddha addressed the monks (bhikkhus) as follows:

“Monks!
Released am I from all bonds. Released are you from all bonds. Go ye
forth to declare the teaching in other lands for the benefit and
happiness of the many. Go each of you alone. Give the teaching that is
beautiful in the beginning, in the middle and in the highest levels,
which is pure, and which I have declared to you. Monks! There are in
this world people with only few defilements and with sufficient
intelligence to understand the Dhamma. But because they have had no
chance to hear the Dhamma they do not obtain the benefit that they
rightly should obtain. Go forth. I myself will go to declare the
teaching at Uruvela Senanigama.”

Thus
on the morning of the first waning moon of the twelfth lunar month, the
60 disciples split up, each going alone to spread the teaching
according to the Buddha’s instructions. The Buddha himself journeyed to
Uruvela Senanigama, which was where he had gained his own
enlightenment. Reaching there, the Buddha proceeded to the ashram of a
group of famous ascetics there by name of “the three brother ascetics.”

The
oldest brother’s name was Uruvela Kassapa. He had 500 disciples and had
an ashram for performing religious practice, worshipping fire on the
banks of the northern Neranjara River.
The middle brother’s name was Nadi Kassapa. He had a following of 300,
while the youngest brother’s name was Gaya Kassapa, with a following of
200. They had established separate ashrams on sand banks just south of
the oldest brother.

The
Buddha went first to the ashram of the oldest brother. Approaching the
leader, he asked for a place to stay. The ascetic leader told the
Buddha that the only place left was the fire house, but that a
ferocious and dangerous Naga was living there.

Taken
by the stranger?s self-confidence and personality Kashyapa did not dare
refuse, but warned him that the place was haunted by a venomous divine
serpent (naga).
But the Buddha did not allow himself to be frightened off, and spent
the night in the hut. As soon as he went in the hut the serpent entered
and a terrible struggle ensued. Smoke against smoke appeared, fire
against fire, so that the whole structure seemed to go up in flames.
While the brahmin ascetics seem stricken with horror and the novices
rush forward with jugs of water to put out the fire. In the end the
supernatural power of the Buddha overcame the naga’s fury, and he
placed the serpent in his begging bowl. When morning came, Kashyapa and
his followers went to the hut and said: “The young monk must have been
fiercely burned by the serpent?s fire.” But the Buddha came out of the
hut and presented the distressed brahmins with the serpent quietly
coiled inside his alms bowl. Totally overpowered by this miraculous
feat, Kashyapa and his five hundred threw their ritual utensils into
the river and converted to the Buddhist faith. Sometime after their
conversion the Buddha delivered the well-known Fire Sermon, that if
anyone?s senses are ruled by greed, hatred and delusion, all his
perceptions will kindle, because they arouse further desires and
aversions in him: for him the world is on fire. But whoever exerts
control over the six senses is free from lusts and passions, and will
gain freedom from rebirth.

Stopping the torrent to overflow

           Taking cloth from the corpse

When
the Lord Buddha stayed at Uruvela � Kassapa , Punnathasi , a female
servant of a millionaire in Uruvelasenanikom , passed away. Her corpse
was brought to be dropped at a place close to where the Lord Buddha
stayed. He went to see the shroud. He cleaned the shroud to eliminate
the corpse smell and made it as his robe. According to life � story of
the Buddha , Indra came down to help the Lord Buddha from washing ,
drying and serving the robe. All were completed in one night.

                                        Sewing his own clothing

Right
Concentration:  The way to discernment,
knowledge and release: If we class concentration according to how it’s
practiced in general, there are two sorts: right and wrong.

A. Wrong
Concentration: Why is it called wrong? Because it doesn’t give rise to the
liberating insight that leads to the transcendent qualities. For example, after
attaining a certain amount of concentration, we may use it in the wrong way, as
in magic — hypnotizing other people or spirits of the dead so as to have them
in our power, or exerting magnetic attraction so as to seduce or dupe other
people — all of which causes the heart to become deceitful and dishonest. Or
we may use concentration to cast spells and practice sorcery, displaying powers
in hopes of material reward. All of these things are based on nothing more than
momentary (khanika) concentration.

Another
type of Wrong Concentration is that used to develop forms of knowledge falling
outside of the Buddha’s teachings and belonging to yogic doctrines and
practices: for example, staring at an external object — such as the sun or the
moon — or at certain kinds of internal objects. When the mind becomes steady
for a moment, you lose your sense of the body and become fastened on the object
to the point where your mindfulness and alertness lose their moorings. You then
drift along in the wake of the object in whatever direction your thoughts may
take you: up to see heaven or down to see hell, seeing true things and false
mixed together, liking or disliking what you see, losing your bearings, lacking
the mindfulness and alertness that form the present.

Another
instance of Wrong Concentration is when — after you’ve begun practicing to the
point where you’ve attained threshold (upacara) concentration — you
then stare down on the present, focusing, say, on the properties of breath,
fire or earth, forbidding the mind to think; staring down, getting into a
trance until the property becomes more and more refined, the mind becomes more
and more refined; using force to suppress the mind until awareness becomes so
dim that you lose mindfulness and alertness and all sense of the body and mind:
Everything is absolutely snuffed out and still, with no self-awareness. This is
called the plane of non-perception (asaññi-bhava), where you have no
perception of anything at all. Your awareness isn’t well-rounded, your
mindfulness lacks circumspection, and as a result discernment has no chance to
arise. This is called Wrong Concentration, Wrong Release, a mental blank — no
awareness of past, present or future.

Another
instance of Wrong Concentration is when we can give rise to momentary
concentration, threshold concentration, all the way to the four levels of
jhana, but aren’t adept at entering and leaving these levels, so that we focus
in until only the property of consciousness is left, with no sense of the body:
This is called arupa jhana. Bodily processes disappear, leaving only the
four types of mental acts, which form the four levels of arupa jhana
[see The
Craft of the Heart], the first being when we focus on a feeling of
space or emptiness. The mind attains such a relaxed sense of pleasure that we
may take it to be a transcendent state or nibbana, and so we search no
further, becoming idle and lazy, making no further effort because we assume
that we’ve finished our task.

In
short, we simply think, or focus, without having any finesse in what we’re
doing — entering, leaving, or staying in place — and as a result our
concentration becomes wrong.

B. Right
Concentration: This starts with threshold concentration, which acts as the
basis for the four levels of jhana, beginning with the first: vitakka,
thinking of whichever aspect of the body you choose to take as your object,
such as the four physical properties, starting with the in-and-out breath. And
then vicara: adjusting, expanding, letting the breath sensations flow
throughout the body and at the same time evaluating the results you obtain. For
instance, if the body feels uncomfortable or constricted, adjust the breath
until it feels right throughout the body. The mind then sticks to its single
object: This is termed ekaggata. When mindfulness enters into the body,
keeping the breath in mind, and alertness is present in full measure, keeping
track of the causes that produce results congenial to body and mind, then your
sense of the body will benefit. Bathed with mindfulness and alertness, it feels
light, malleable and full — saturated with the power of mindfulness and
alertness. The mind also feels full: This is termed piti. When both body
and mind are full, they grow quiet, like a child who, having eaten his fill,
rests quiet and content. This is the cause of pleasure on the level of the
Dhamma, termed sukha. These factors, taken together, form one stage of
Right Concentration.

As you
continue practicing for a length of time, the sense of fullness and pleasure in
the body becomes greater. Ekaggata — interest and absorption in your
one object — becomes more intense because you have seen the results it
produces. The mind becomes steady and determined, focused with full mindfulness
and alertness, thoroughly aware of both body and mind, and thus you can let go
of your thinking and evaluating, and enter the second level of jhana.

The
second level of jhana has three factors. Ekaggata: Keep the mind with
its one object, the breath, which is now more subtle and refined than before,
leaving simply a feeling of piti, fullness of body and mind. The
sensations of the body don’t clash with one another. The four properties –
earth, water, fire, and wind — are properly balanced. The mind and body don’t
interfere with each other, so both feel full and satisfied. The body feels
pleasant (sukha) — solitary and quiet. The mind, too, feels pleasant
and at ease — solitary and quiet. When you’re mindful, alert, and adept at
doing this — entering, staying in place, and withdrawing — side-benefits will
result. For example, knowledge of certain matters will arise either on its own or
after you’ve posed a question in the mind. Doubts about certain issues will be
put to rest. As the sense of bodily pleasure grows stronger, the sense of
mental pleasure and ease grows stronger as well, and thus you can let go of the
sense of fullness. Awareness at this point becomes refined and so can detect a
subtle level of the breath that feels bright, open, soothing, and spacious.
This enables you to go on to the third level of jhana.

The
third level of jhana has two factors, pleasure and singleness of preoccupation.
The pleasure you’ve been experiencing begins to waver in flashes as it reaches
saturation point and begins to change. You thus become aware of another,
subtler level of sensation, and so the mind shifts to a sense of openness and
emptiness. The breath grows still, with no moving in or out, full in every part
of the body. This allows you to let go of the sense of pleasure. The mind
enters this stage through the power of mindfulness and alertness. Awareness is
tranquil and still, bright in the present, steady and on its own. It lets go of
the breath and is simply observant. The mind is still, with no shifting back
and forth. Both breath and mind are independent. The mind can let down its
burdens and cares. The heart is solitary and one, infused with mindfulness and
alertness. When you reach this stage and stay with it properly, you’re
practicing the fourth level of jhana.

The
fourth level of jhana has two factors. Ekaggata: Your object becomes
absolutely one. Upekkha: You can let go of all thoughts of past and
future; the five Hindrances are completely cut away. The mind is solitary,
clear, and radiant. The six properties — earth, water, fire, wind, space, and
consciousness — become radiant. The heart feels spacious and clear, thoroughly
aware all around through the power of mindfulness and alertness. As mindfulness
becomes tempered and strong, it turns into intuitive knowledge, enabling you to
see the true nature of body and mind, sensations and mental acts, past,
present, and future.

When this
happens, if you aren’t skilled, you can become excited or upset. In other
words, you may develop pubbenivasanussati-ñana, the ability to remember
previous lives. If what you see is good, you may get engrossed, which will
cause your mindfulness and alertness to weaken. If what you see is bad or
displeasing, you may get upset or distressed, so intent on what you remember
that your sense of the present is weakened.

Or you
may develop cutupapata-ñana: The mind focuses on the affairs of other
individuals, and you see them as they die and are reborn on differing levels.
If you get carried away with what you see, your reference to the present will
weaken. If you find this happening, you should take the mind in hand. If
anything pleasing arises, hold back and keep mindfulness firm. Don’t let
yourself fall into kamasukhallikanuyoga, contentment and delight. If
anything bad or displeasing arises, hold back — because it can lead to attakilamathanuyoga,
discontentment and distress. Draw the mind into the present and guard against
all thoughts of approval and disapproval. Keep the mind neutral. This is the
middle way, the mental attitude that forms the Path and gives rise to another
level of awareness in which you realize, for instance, how inconstant it is to
be a living being: When things go well, you’re happy and pleased; when things
go badly, you’re pained and upset. This awareness enables you truly to know the
physical sensations and mental acts you’re experiencing and leads to a sense of
disenchantment, termed nibbida-ñana. You see all fashionings as
inconstant, harmful, stressful, and hard to bear, as lying beyond the control
of the heart.

At this
point, the mind disentangles itself: This is termed viraga-dhamma,
dispassion. It feels no desire or attraction; it doesn’t gulp down or lie
fermenting in sensations or mental acts, past, present, or future. It develops
a special level of intuition that comes from within. What you never before
knew, now you know; what you never before met with, now you see, through the
power of mindfulness and alertness gathering in at a single point and turning
into asavakkhaya-ñana, enabling you to disentangle and free yourself
from mundane states of mind — in proportion to the extent of your practice –
and so attain the transcendent qualities, beginning with stream entry.

All of
this is termed Right Concentration: being skilled at entering, staying in
place, and withdrawing, giving rise to —

Right Intuition: correct, profound and penetrating;

Right View: correct views, in line with the truth;

Right Practice: in which you conduct yourself with full
circumspection in all aspects of the triple training, with virtue,
concentration, and discernment coming together in the heart.

This,
then, is Right Concentration. For the most part, people who have attained true
insight have done so in the four levels of jhana. Although there may be others
who have gone wrong in the practice of jhana, we’ll achieve the proper results
if we study so as to gain an understanding and adjust our practice so as to
bring it into line.

When words of the Exalted, Noble,
Blessed,Awakened One with full awareness was a bridge between Lanka and Tamil
Nadu Even Now it could be so by making Human Chain of both

There was a phase in history, between the
early years of the14th century, when Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka enjoyed very
close ties, thanks to a shared interest in the words of the
Exalted, Noble, Blessed, Awakened One with full awareness.

At that time, the Palk Strait

was not seen as a divider. The words of the Exalted, Noble, Blessed, Awakened
One with full awareness had many adherents in Tamil Nadu, especially in the
influential urban cum trading centers.

As the religion of the elite, the words of the
Exalted, Noble, Blessed, Awakened One with full awareness contributed
tremendously to Tamil Nadu’s art, literature and culture. This was so even when
the Tamil Nadu kings, namely, the Pallavas, Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas. Contrary
to the general impression, Tamil kings patronised Buddhism.

Close ties developed between the Buddhist monasteries, monks
and scholars in Tamil Nadu and those in Sri Lanka, which was already a
Buddhist country. The interactions between Buddhist scholars and institutions
across the Palk Strait helped sustain Buddhism
and develop Buddhist thought and action in both countries.

The fascinating story of the historical links between the
Buddhists of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka was narrated by Dr S Pathmanathan,
Professor of History at the University of Peradeniya, in his Fourth Vesak
Commemoration Lecture delivered under the auspices of the Deputy High
Commission of Sri Lanka at Chennai on May 14.

Buddhism in Tamil Nadu Buddhism began to make an impact on
Tamil Nadu only in 4th century AD, says Prof Pathmanathan. According to him,
Buddhism flourished in Tamil Nadu in two phases: (a) The early years of Pallava
rule (400-650 AD) (b) The Chola period (mid 9th to early 14th century AD).
During the Pallava period, Tamil Nadu boasted of “outstanding”
Buddhist monks who had made “remarkable” contributions to Buddhist
thought and learning, he says.

The commentaries of Buddhadutta (5th century AD) had won him
“wide and enduring” reputation in the history of the Theravada school of Buddhism,
which in subsequent years, became the predominant form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

During this period, the other great Buddhist commentator
from Tamil Nadu was Dharmapala, a resident of Kanchi or Kanchipuram, near
Chennai. Nagapattinam, further south, along the Tamil Nadu coast, was another
major seat of Buddhist learning.

This was where Dharmapala wrote “Paramatta Dipani”
and the “Paramatta Manjusha”, the latter a commentary on
Buddhaghosa’s “Visuddhimagga”. Dinnaga (early 6th century AD) and
Bodhidharma were two other renowned Buddhist scholars associated with Kanchi. An
adherent of the Mahayana school
of Buddhism, Dinnaga
occupies a “special” position as the founder of Buddhist logic.
Bodhidharma was an exponent of the Dhyana school of thought.

Manimekalai The 6th century Tamil Buddhist work
“Manimekalai” by Sattanar, is perhaps the most famous of the work
done in Tamil Nadu. “The Manimekalai is a product of a tradition of
learning cultivated in the leading monastic centers in Tamilakam (another name
for Tamil Nadu).

It is essentially a work expounding the doctrines and
propagating the values of Buddhism,” says Prof Pathmanathan. “The
Manimekalai does not seem to have been written with a view to promoting the
claims of any particular sect of Buddhism to superiority over others.

It is essentially synthetic in character and the emphasis is
uniformly on the fundamentals of Buddhist teaching and practice,” he
notes. Manimekalai was not about individual salvation only. It stressed the
need for giving relief to those who were distressed and in want.
“Kuntalakesi” was another great Tamil work written to propagate
Buddhism.

Under the Cholas (9th to the 13th century AD)
Nagapattinam became a major centre of Buddhism. Pathmanathan says that Rajaraja
Perumpalli and the Rajendra Chola Perumpalli were the principal monastic
establishments during Chola rule in the Coromandel Coast.

These were named after Chola Kings. These
establishments were handsomely funded by merchants and artisans as well as
royalty. Under the Cholas, the Tamil Nadu Buddhists produced exquisite bronzes
for which the Tamil country is well known even now. Among the great religious
works of this period, Pathmanathan mentions “Veeracholiyam” a
treatise on grammar and poetics.

It was written by the monk Puttamittirar (Buddhamitra) of
Ponparri during the reign of Vira Rajendra. Chola rule also saw the revival of
the Theravada school in terms of the growth of study centers. Prof Pathmanathan
notes that this also led to the revival of Pali studies in Tamil Nadu.

The monk Anuruddha from Kaverinagara of Kanchi, was one of
the earliest exponents of Theravada Buddhism in Tamil Nadu. He summarized the
“Abbidhamma” in two works called “Paramattha-Vinicchaya”
and “Namarupa”. Kassapa, from the Chola country, also won acclaim. A
Brahmin, he was a strong advocate of the strict observance of Vinaya rules.

The interaction between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan monks
finds mention in “Manimekalai” which is set in the Tamil towns of
Kaveripumpattinam, Kanchi and Vanchi.

There is mention about the presence of wandering monks from
“Irattinativu” (Island of Gems or Sri Lanka)
in Vanchi, which was the capital of the Chera kings of Deep
South Tamil Nadu and Kerala.The Chinese traveler, Tsuan-Tsang,
wrote that there were around 300 Sri Lankan monks in the monastery at the
southern sector of Kanchipuram.

The “Pattini” cult, which was
mentioned in “Manimekalai” was later to become a major cult in Sri Lanka.
Pattini, the heroine of another Tamil classic “Silapadikaram” was
deified in Tamil Nadu. Later, she went on to become one of the
“Guardians” of Sri
Lanka. Appearance of schisms Sri Lanka
had been, and is, the bastion of Theravada Buddhism. But Mahayana Buddhism
appeared on the scene in Sri
Lanka quite early in the first four
centuries. Prof Pathmanathan attributes this to South Indian influence.

Mahayana Buddhism created schisms in Anuradhapura, then the
seat of Buddhism in Sri
Lanka. The schism led to the emergence of
three “Nikayas” or chapters, namely, Maha Vihara, Abhayagiri Vihara
and Dakkhina Vihara.

The conversion of Mahasena to the Mahayana school was
brought about by Sanghamitta, a monk from Kaveripattinam in Tamil Nadu, who had
been invited by Mahasena’s father, King Gothabhaya (253-266 AD) to teach his
two sons.

The arrival of the disciples of the South Indian monk,
Dhammaruchi, from Pallavarama (probably Andhra Pradesh), made a great deal of
difference to the Abhayagiri Vihara.

It became a seat of Mahayana Buddhism. Abhayagiri Vihara and
the Dakkhina Vihara prospered. According to the Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hsien, the
orders had 5,000 monks.

The arrival in Sri Lanka
of Vajrabodhi, (7th.century AD) a monk from South India,
was a shot-in-the-arm for the Mahayana school in the island. His disciple,
Amoghavajra, who came to Sri Lanka
after visiting China,
is credited with “having fixed the Mahayana doctrine in its final form,”
says Prof Pathmanathan. The Maha Vihara too had a Tamil Nadu connection.

It was associated with the famous Tamil monk-scholar
Buddhadutta (5th century AD). Hailing from Uraiyur in Tamil Nadu, Buddhadutta
was ordained at the Maha Vihara in Anuradhapura.
He later became a great exponent of Theravada Buddhism and the Pali language in
Tamil Nadu.

“A Sri Lankan tradition attributes to Buddhadutta the
authorship of Maduratta Vilasini and the Jinalankara. The former is a
commentary on the Buddhavamsa, which is a compilation of legends dealing with
the lives of Gotama,” says Prof Pathmanathan. Tamil Nadu gave shelter to
fleeing Lankan monks When Magha of Kalinga persecuted Buddhists during his rule
in Sri Lanka in the early 13th century, monks from the island fled to Tamil
Nadu.

The great Pali chronicle of Sri Lankan history, the
“Mahawamsa” mentions this exodus and says that monks found shelter in
the land of the “Pandus” “Cholas” and “other
peoples”. The Sinhala monks were looked after by Chudaganga, a Vanniyar
feudatory of the Pandya king of Madurai.

A Sinhala monk, Bhadanta Ananda, who had sought refuge in
Gunakara Perumpalli, had left for posterity valuable information on Buddhism in
Tamil Nadu. Vijayabahu III facilitates return Later, in the same century, King
Vijayabahu III (1232-1235 AD) brought the Buddhist refugees back, after having
established peace in Sri
Lanka. He had set up a kingdom in South Western Sri Lanka. But, as Prof Pathmanathan notes, ties
with Tamil Nadu continued to be maintained.

King Parakramabahu II (1236-1271 AD) invited leading monks
like Dhammakitti from the Chola country “to render assistance in
re-establishing the community of monks on a formal basis.” The Mahawamsa
lauds Dhammakitti as being “radiant in the glory of moral discipline.”

Prof Pathmanathan quotes fellow Sri Lankan historian,
Amaradasa Liyanagamage, to say that King Parakramabahu II revived Buddhism in Sri Lanka by bringing all the religious texts
from Jambudvipa (India).

“Although Jambudvipa meant the entire Indian
sub-continent and even much more, in this context, in all probability, it meant
the Chola country, where Theravada Buddhism was very much alive during this
period,” Liyanagamage says. Sri Lanka preserves documents By the 5th
century AD, confrontation between the Maha Vihara, Abhayagiri Vihara and
Dakkhina Vihara orders ceased, and they started documentation and preservation
of texts for mutual benefit.

There was a regular exchange of visits between the three
orders and between Sri Lanka
and South India. Monks from South
East Asia also came to study and hold discussions. “It is
significant that in the conservation and transmission of Buddhist literary
heritage the Buddhist establishments of Anuradhapura
held a unique position,” says Prof Pathmanathan.

“The whole range of Early Buddhist
literature that had been transmitted to them from India during the early stages
of their development were preserved, copied and distributed among leading
monasteries where they were deposited and studied with assiduity by generations
of learned monks.

“Early Buddhist literary heritage, which is also an
important component of Indian cultural heritage, was preserved almost in its
entirety in the island, and transmitted from Sri Lankan monasteries to Myanmar,
Thailand and other South East Asian countries.”

“Another notable contribution by the Sri Lankan
monastic orders was the development of a wide range of commentarial
literature,” he notes. Sri Lankan monks pioneer recording history It was
in Sri Lanka
that the recording of history commenced in a systematic way, following an early
Buddhist tradition of chronicling the life and work of the Buddha.

The Sri Lankan Pali chronicles “Mahavamsa” and
“Dipavamsa” have helped historians with valuable material on the life
and times of ancient Sri Lanka
and India.
“A notable feature of this tradition was the development of a scheme of
chronology reckoned from the ‘parinibbana’ (pari nirvana) of the Buddha,”
says Prof. Pathmanathan.

“This tradition was the precursor and the prototype for
historical traditions that were developed in the island,” he says. (Hindustan Times) The sinews and bones of the Buddha’s
body are revealed beneath the barest amount of flesh that still remains.

The realism characteristic of this work, and in particular the
familiarity with the details of human anatomy, is inherited from the Hellenic
worlds in which there was a preoccupation with detailed depictions of physical
reality.

http://www.lakehouse.lk/mihintalava/gaya05.htm

alokatrust@lakehouse.lk

Tamilakum was a region which had the north-east Ventcata
hill or the Tiruppati hill, the southern part of the modern Andhra Pradesh, as
its northern border, Kanniya Kumari or Cape
Comerin as the southern border, the
bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea as its
eastern and western borders respectively.

The ancient Tamilakum encompassed modern Kerala too.
Tamilakum was actually located in the southern part of the Indian peninsula. Present Tamil Nadu State is much smaller than the
Tamilakum.

Now Tamil Nadu is the only land where the language Tamil is
spoken. At present Tamil country is famous as Tamil Nadu. According to
Historians, Buddhism began to make an impact on Tamil Nadu only in the 4th
century AD.

Buddhism flourished in Tamil Nadu in Two phases. (1) The
early years of Pullava rule (400-650 AD) (2) The Chola period (mid 9th to early
14th century AD). Buddhism had then enjoyed a very remarkable popularity in the
Tamil soil.

Buddhism has contributed a great deal to the
enrichment of Tamil culture and has exerted a significant influence, both
directly and indirectly, on the Tamil religious and spiritual consciousness,
present as well as past.

It has expressed itself in exquisite artistic forms and
given an enduring colour and richness to Tamil culture as a whole. It has
exerted a profound influence on the existing religious and social institutions,
language and literature as well as on art and architecture.

The fascinating story of the historical links - Golden
threads between Buddhism in Tamil Nadu and Sri
Lanka was narrated by Dr. Shu Hikosake Director Professor
of Buddhism, Institute of Asian Studies in Madras in his book “Buddhism in Tamil Nadu a
new Perspective.”

Dr. Hikosaka’s study is based on his doctoral
dissertation submitted to the University
of Madras.

The Buddhist monks looked for greener pastures in the
neighbouring countries. They found propitious soil in Ceylon and South East Asian
countries. A comparative study of the development of Buddhism in Tamil Nadu and
the neighbouring countries clearly shows the fact that it witnessed tremendous
growth in the neighbouring countries.

The monks of Tamil Nadu, have contributed a great deal for
the growth of Buddhism abroad. In this sense we may say that the Tamil Buddhist
genius was sublimated in another direction where it has grown with fresh vigour
and vivacity.”

The earliest inscriptions in Tamil Nadu belong to the third
century BC. They are written in Brahmi character of the time, on the walls of
the natural caves in the Tamil districts of Madura, Ramnad and Tirnnelveli.
They are of considerable interest to students of South Indian Buddhism.

It is learnt from these Brahmi inscriptions which
palaeographically belong to 3rd century BC that Buddhism had come into Tamil
Nadu even then. It was to Asoka and his son Mahinda that the introduction of
Buddhism into Tamil Nadu may be attributed.

Epigraphical evidence seems to confirm this statement. In
his Rock-Edict No. 3, Asoka says that his Dharma Vijaya prevailed in the border
kingdoms of the Colas, Pandyans and at Tambapanni. But it was his son Mahinda
who was responsible for the introduction of Buddhism in Tamil Nadu.

In this task, he was helped by Maha Aritta, a nephew of the
Sri Lankan king Devanampiyatissa. Mahinda is said to have erected seven viharas
at Kaveripattinum while he was on his way to Sri Lanka.

Some Indian scholars are of the opinion that Aritta or
Maha-Aritta might have lived in the caves of the village of Arittapatti
in Madura, which is in Tamil Nadu. According to Dr. Hikosaka Buddhism might
have gone to Sri Lanka
from Tamil Nadu, contrary to the general impression.

“Taking all evidence into account, we may fairly conclude
that Mahendra and the Buddhist missionaries who went to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) could have embarked for
the island from the East coast of the Tamil country. So, it is quite probable
that the Tamil country received Buddhism directly through missionaries of
Asoka.

Buddhism might have gone to Ceylon
(Sri Lanka) from Tamil Nadu
by sea-route, a route by which one can reach Ceylon
(Sri Lanka)
easily. Since there existed close cultural affinities between Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
and the Tamil country from time immemorial, the Buddhist activities in India could have easily influenced in some way
or other the Buddhism of Ceylon
(Sri Lanka)”
says Dr. Hikosaka.

It is interesting and appropriate to investigate the
interactions of Buddhist monastic centres between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. The remains
of a Buddhist monastery excavated at Kaveripattinum which could be assigned to
the fourth century, are believed to be the earliest archaeological relics of
Buddhism in Tamil Nadu.

During the Pallava period, Tamil Nadu boasted of
“outstanding Buddhist monks who had made remarkable contributions to Buddhism
thought and learning. A Buddhist writer Buddhadatta or Thera Buddhaatta as he
is called lived during the time of Accyutarikkanta, Kalabra ruler of the
Cola-nadu.

Under the patronage of this ruler, Buddhadatta wrote many
books. In his book Vinayaviniccaya, he says that due to the patronage of this
king he was able to compose this work

In the Abhidhammaratara he gives a glowing account at
Kaveripattinum, Uragapuram, Bhutamangalam and Kanchipuram and the Mahavihara at
Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
While he was at Sri Lanka,
he composed many Buddhist works such as Uttara-viniccaya Ruparupa Vibhaga
Jinalankara etc. Buddhaghosha, contemporary of Buddhadatta composed many
Buddhist commentaries.

Buddhaghosha is a Tamil monk, who made a remarkable
contribution to Buddhism in Sri
Lanka. He stayed and studied Buddhist
precepts at Mahavihara in Anuradhapura.
The Visuddhimagga was the first work of Buddhaghosha which was written while he
was in Ceylon.

According to Mahavamsa, it is a summary of the three Pitakas
together with the commentary. When Buddhaghosha had been staying at Granthakara
Pirivena at Anuradhapura,
he completed his task of rendering Sinhalese commentaries of Tripitakas into
Pali.

After a considerable period of religious service in Sri Lanka,
he returned to Tamil Nadu. After Buddhaghosha, the important Theravada monk
from the Tamil country was Dhammapala. Dhammapala lived in the Mahavihara at Anuradhapura.

He composed paramathadipani which was a commentary on
Buddhaghosha’s work on Khuddaka Nikaya and Paramathamanjusa, which was a
commentary on Buddhaghosha’s Visuddhimagga. A close study of the three Buddhist
monks viz Buddhadatta, Buddhaghosha and Dhammapala shows that Tamil Buddhists
were closely associated with the Sri Lankan Buddhists around the 5th century
AD.

The interaction between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan monks
finds mention in “Manimekalai”. The 6th century Tamil Buddhist work Manimekali
by Sattanar, is perhaps the most famous of the work done in Tamil Nadu. It is a
work expounding the doctrines and propagating the values of Buddhism.

The interaction between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan monks
finds mention in “Manimekalai” which is set in the Tamil towns of
Kaveipumpattinam Kanchi and Vanchi.

There is mention about the presence of wandering monks of Sri Lanka in
Vanchi, which was the capital of the Chera Kings of Tamil Nadu. The Chinese
traveller, Tsuan Tsang, wrote that there were around 300 Sri Lankan monks in
the monastery at the Southern sector of Kanchipuram.

SRI Lanka`s king Devanampiyatissa (246 BCE) believer of
human beings with first, second, third, fourth and no soul and who ruled from
Anuradhapura in the north-central province of Sri Lanka was on a hunting
mission and chasing after a spotted deer. And suddenly, he heard a voice:
Someone calling him by his first name. No one in his kingdom would dare to
utter his name. Shocked, he stopped his chase and turned towards the direction
from where the voice was heard.

There was Mahinda Thera, son of Emperor Asoka
who never believed in souls but all sentient and non-sentient beings were equal.
He urged the king not to kill. With this advice began the spread of Buddhism in
Sri Lanka.
On Saturday, June 30, Sri Lankan Buddhists marked this event with religious
ceremonies throughout the country. But there was not much celebration in the
north and the east. It was not because of the war. But there aren`t many
Buddhists in these areas, especially in the north.

The north is pre-dominantly Tamil believers of
human beings with first, second, third, fourth and no soul . Many people in the
north see Buddhism as the religion of the `Sinhala` Army, which they respect
least but fear most. The Buddhism, which Mahinda Thera preached, spoke of
non-violence and social egalitarianism. The appeal of this reformist religion
was so overwhelming that it spread like wildfire. For centuries, it was the
main religion of Tamils in India`s Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka, since they were
all the Original Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha
Bharath who never believed in soul, but all are equal as per the practice
taught by the Exalted, Blessed, Noble, Awakened Mighty Great Mind with full of
awareness.
           

Statistically seventy percent of the people in
Sri Lanka
are said to profess Buddhism. There is hardly any place in the country where an
ancient or modern Buddhist monument or monastery in not found. There are around
twenty thousand monks attending to the religious needs of people today.
Religious ceremonies and related activities are going on continuously. The
teachings of the Buddha in its most pristine form is found in Dhamma texts.
Even non- Buddhist laymen and politicians liberally quote chapter and verse
from the Buddha’s Words in their public utterances. When one sees and hears all
this, one gets the impression, that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country.

Chanda brings about of alienation between one another in the minds of the people. The existing caste, linguistic, racial, communal or other differences are surreptitiously and sometimes openly used by political parties to promote their own self-interest, instead of promoting compassion and the idea of well-being of all in the minds of people. Therefore, the political parties hold a notorious record for promoting alienation among the people. 
	
Dvesha is illwill, which is the direct result of the aforementioned alienation. Organised gossip, rumour, falsehood and so on supplement various kinds of apparently democratic, political and economic propaganda, carried out by most of the leaders of political parties. While the political elite may have a common understanding of the game they play according to their own rules, the unwary ordinary people fall prey to their machinations and develop longstanding enmities and irreconcilable conflicts. This explains the origin of a lot of the violent confrontations we witness today. 
	
The third characteristic, bhaya, is mutual fear. In post- independent while an unjust, unhealthy and a borrowed party political system was kept going for the benefit of a small class of people, to whatever party they belonged to, mutual suspicion and fear among common people also kept gathering momentum. The “communal” violence are promoted by a handful of politically powerful people who are in a microscopic minority. Yet, they are able to rouse this spirit of mutual fear in most people and they kept them away from any constructive intervention to prevent the escalation of that violence. 
	
Of course there was a negative kind of intervention on the part of some educated people, interventions in the form of scholarly analyses based on a hoard of statistical data and historical facts. This mostly negative intervention because they did not affect in any way the thinking of either the man on the street or our basic political and economic structure that promoted the situation of disharmony and conflict. In other words, philosophising that does not touch the basic roots of mental defilements and social realities resulting from them, in Buddhist terminology, is simply called moha or ignorance. When ignorance becomes organised, and one calls it social science, it is a disaster for communities who have a right to expect more positive interventions from the more educated sectors. We see a situation today of different groups holding onto their own uncompromising positions while the sound of guns and explosions continue to be heard. 
	
The economic goals, structures and processes that are officially promoted also are not, conducive to building peace in a Buddhist way. Promoting consumerism is one extreme which Lord Buddha rejected as Kamasukhallikanuyoga. Since independence the country has been drawing away from the Middle Path. Four hundred and fifty years of western influence and rule, the deliberate promotion of the materialistic way of life and the existence of a small elite group who have achieved that affluent level, have made the general population also aspire to achieve material prosperity as their sole aim in life. But few succeed. Most end up in a situation worse than they were in before. With the introduction of the so-called free economy during the last ten years and with plenty of imported consumer goods floating around, everyone is bent on making quick money to acquire these non-essentials. Malnutrition is on the increase; crime is on the increase; the cost of living is skyrocketing and bribery and corruption have taken unprecedented proportions. 
	
When any kind of social unrest sets in, there are small gangs of undisciplined people who take advantage of the situation. These are mostly teenagers who have had no proper schooling or education in cultural values. But the media has conditioned their minds to desire various material things. They go on a rampage of looting and arson at the slightest opportunity. This is what happened in many places.Some young people looted television sets from shops and only after taking them home to their shanty dwellings did they realise that they had neither electricity nor a place to keep them in. Then they smashed them on the ground. This kind of psychological reaction is a clear example of the frustrations developed in people who see a consumerist society around them, but are denied the opportunities to be a part of it. 
	
So the economic environment is not conducive to the mental peace and contentment of individuals and communities when it is supported by a vicious power- oriented political system. In a Buddhist society, neither political nor economic activities promoted by the state should contradict the teachings of the Buddha. Furthermore, in both these fields of human activity there are teachings that can guide a state dedicated to following the teachings of the Buddha. Primarily a Buddhist has to abstain from killing, stealing, committing adultery, lying and consuming intoxicants. When all five injunctions are formally promoted directly or indirectly by the state it is far from building a Buddhist economy. When speaking of economic development, Lord Buddha not only stressed the importance of increased efficiency in production (Uttana Sampada), but also the importance of the protection of resources and the environment (Arakkha Sampada- 

Energetic and heedful in his tasks,

Wisely administering his wealth,

He lives a balanced life,

Protecting what he has amassed.

Endowed with faith and virtue too,

Generous he is and free from avarice;

He ever works to clear the path

That leads to weal in future life.

Thus to the layman full of faith,

By him, so truly named ‘Enlightened,’

These eight conditions have been told

Which now and after lead to bliss.),

a friendly
social milieu in which economic activities should take place (Kalyana
Mittata- Kalyāṇa-mittatā (Pali; Skt.: -mitratā) is a Buddhist
concept of “spiritual friendship” within Buddhist community
life, applicable to both monastic and householder relationships. One involved in
such a relationship is known as a “good friend,” “virtuous
friend,” “noble friend” or “admirable friend” (kalyāṇa-mitta, -mitra).

Since early Buddhist history, these relationships have involved spiritual
teacher-student dyads as well as communal peer groups. In general, such is a
supportive relationship based on shared Buddhist ethical values and the
pursuit of enlightenment.

In contemporary Western society, this concept has gained increased currency
within the Friends of the Western Buddhist
Order (FWBO) (UK)^[1]
and Jack
Kornfield’s Spirit Rock Meditation Center (USA).^[2]) and a wholesome lifestyle towards which all the economic
activities are directed (Sama Jeevakata).

Getting the Message

by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Buddha is famous for having
refused to take a position on many of the controversial issues of his day, such
as whether the cosmos is finite or infinite, eternal or not. In fact, many
people — both in his time and in ours — have assumed that he didn’t take a firm
position on any issue at all. Based on this assumption, some people have been
exasperated with the Buddha, accusing him of being wishy-washy and indecisive,
while others have been pleased, praising him for being tolerant and
refreshingly free from ideas of right and wrong.

Both reactions, however, are
misinformed. The early texts report that a group of wanderers, in a discussion
with one of the Buddha’s lay disciples, once accused the Buddha of not taking a
position on any issue, and the disciple replied that they were mistaken. There
was one issue on which the Buddha’s position was very clear: what kind of
behavior is skillful, and what kind of behavior is not. When the disciple later
reported the conversation to the Buddha, the Buddha approved of what he had
said. The distinction between skillful and unskillful behavior lies at the
basis of everything the Buddha taught.

In making this distinction, the
Buddha drew some very sharp lines:

“What is unskillful? Taking life
is unskillful, taking what is not given… sexual misconduct… lying…
abusive speech… divisive tale-bearing… idle chatter is unskillful.
Covetousness… ill will… wrong views are unskillful. These things are called
unskillful…

“And what is skillful?
Abstaining from taking life is skillful, abstaining from taking what is not
given… from sexual misconduct… from lying… from abusive speech… from
divisive tale-bearing… abstaining from idle chatter is skillful. Lack of
covetousness… lack of ill will… right views are skillful. These things are
called skillful.”

— MN 9

Killing is never skillful. Stealing, lying,
and everything else in the first list are never skillful. When asked if there
was anything whose killing he approved of, the Buddha answered that there was
only one thing: anger. In no recorded instance did he approve of killing any
living being at all. When one of his monks went to an executioner and told the
man to kill his victims compassionately, with one blow, rather than torturing
them, the Buddha expelled the monk from the Sangha, on the grounds that even
the recommendation to kill compassionately is still a recommendation to kill —
something he would never condone. If a monk was physically attacked, the Buddha
allowed him to strike back in self-defense, but never with the intention to
kill. As he told the monks,

“Even if bandits were to carve you
up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his
heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you
should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner
hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good
will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing
world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive,
immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.’ That’s how you should
train yourselves.”

— MN 21

When formulating lay precepts based
on his distinction between skillful and unskillful, the Buddha never made any
allowances for ifs, ands, or buts. When you promise yourself to abstain from
killing or stealing, the power of the promise lies in its universality. You
won’t break your promise to yourself under any conditions at all. This is
because this sort of unconditional promise is a powerful gift. Take, for
instance, the first precept, against killing:

“There is the case where a
disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking
life. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom
from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger,
freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings,
he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and
freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift —
original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated
from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to
suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives &
brahmans.”

— AN
8.39

 If you make exceptions in your
promise to yourself — trying to justify killing in cases where you feel
endangered or inconvenienced by another being’s existence — your gift of
freedom is limited, and you lose your share in limitless freedom. Thus the gift
of freedom, to be fully effective, has to be unconditional, with no room for
exceptions, no matter how noble they may sound, of any kind.

The dynamic of this kind of gift, of
course, depends on an important principle, the teaching of karma and rebirth:
If you act on unskillful motivations, the act will result in your suffering,
now or in lives to come; if you act on skillful intentions, the act will result
in your pleasure now or in lives to come. If you don’t kill anyone, you are not
creating the circumstances where anyone or anything will cut short your life
span. Your past karma may still leave an opening for your murder or accidental
death — you can’t go back and undo what you’ve already done — but once you make
and follow through with the promise not to kill again, you are creating no new
openings for having your life cut short. As the Dhammapada says,

If there’s no wound on the hand,

that hand can hold poison.

Poison won’t penetrate

where there’s no wound.

There’s no evil

for those who don’t do it.

— Dhp
124

This is why the Buddha listed virtue
as one of a person’s greatest treasures. Kings and thieves can steal your
material belongings and even take your life, but they can’t take your virtue.
If it’s uncompromising, your virtue protects you from any true danger from now
until you reach nirvana.

Even if you’re not ready to accept
the teaching on karma and rebirth, the Buddha still recommended an absolute
standard of virtue. As he told the Kalamas, if you decide to act skillfully at
all times, harming no one, then even if it turned out that there was no life
after death, you’d still come out ahead, for you would have been able to live
and die with a clear conscience — something that no amount of money or
political influence can buy.

So the Buddha’s position on the
precepts was uncompromising and clear. If you want to follow his teachings,
there’s absolutely no room for killing, stealing, or lying, period. However, in
our current climate of terrorism and counter-terrorism — where governments have
claimed that it’s their moral duty to lie, kill, and torture in order to
prevent others from lying, killing, and torturing — a number of Buddhist
teachers have joined in the effort, trying to find evidence that there were
some occasions, at least, where the Buddha would condone killing or offer a
rationale for a just war. Exactly why they would want to do this is up to them
to say, but there’s a need to examine their arguments in order to set the
record straight. The Buddha never taught a theory of just war; no decision to
wage war can legitimately be traced to his teachings; no war veteran has ever
had to agonize over memories of the people he killed because the Buddha said
that war was okay. These facts are among the glories of the Buddhist tradition,
and it’s important for the human race that they not be muddied in an effort to
recast the Buddha in our own less than glorious image.

Because the Pali Canon is such an
unpromising place to look for the justification of killing, most of the
arguments for a Buddhist theory of just war look elsewhere for their evidence,
citing the words and behavior of people they take as surrogates for the Buddha.
These arguments are obviously on shaky ground, and can be easily dismissed even
by people who know nothing of the Canon. For example, it has been argued that
because Asian governments claiming to be Buddhist have engaged in war and
torture, the Buddha’s teachings must condone such behavior. However, we’ve had
enough exposure to people claiming to be Christian whose behavior is very
un-Christian to realize that the same thing can probably happen in the Buddhist
world as well. To take killers and torturers as your guide to the Buddha’s
teaching is hardly a sign of good judgment.

On a somewhat higher note, one writer
has noted that his meditation teacher has told soldiers and policemen that if
their duty is to kill, they must perform their duty, albeit compassionately and
with mindfulness. The writer then goes on to argue that because his teacher is
the direct recipient of an oral tradition dating back to the Buddha, we must take
this as evidence that the Buddha would give similar advice as well. This
statement, of course, tells us more about the writer’s faith in his teacher
than about the Buddha; and when we reflect that the Buddha expelled from the
Sangha a monk who gave advice of this sort to an executioner, it casts serious
doubts on his argument.

There are, however, writers who try
to find evidence in the Pali Canon for a Buddhist theory of just war, not in
what the Buddha said, but in what he didn’t. The arguments go like this: When
talking with kings, the Buddha never told them not to engage in war or capital
punishment. This was his tacit admission that the king had a justifiable duty
to engage in these activities, and the kings would have understood his silence
as such. Because these arguments cite the Pali Canon and claim a historian’s
knowledge of how silence was interpreted in the Buddha’s day, they seem to
carry more authority than the others. But when we actually look at the Pali
record of the Buddha’s conversations with kings, we find that the arguments are
bogus. The Buddha was able to communicate the message to kings that they
shouldn’t kill, but because kings in general were not the most promising
students of the Dhamma, he had to bring them to this message in an indirect
way.

It’s true that in the Pali Canon
silence is sometimes interpreted as acquiescence, but this principle holds only
in response to a request. If someone invited the Buddha to his house for a meal
and the Buddha remained silent, that was a sign of consent. However, there were
many instances in which the Buddha’s silence was a sign, not of acquiescence,
but of tact. A professional soldier once went to the Buddha and said that his
teachers had taught the existence of a heaven awaiting soldiers who die in
battle. What did the Buddha have to say about that? At first the Buddha
declined to answer, but when the soldier showed the sincerity of his question
by pressing him three times for a response, he finally replied:

“When a warrior strives &
exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, &
misdirected by the thought: ‘May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or
annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist’: If others then strike him down
& slay him while he is thus striving & exerting himself in battle, then
with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the
realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: ‘When a
warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down
& slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with
the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas
slain in battle,’ that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a
person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb.”

— SN
42.3

The soldier then broke down and cried
— not because he felt that the Buddha’s words were cruel, but because he
believed their truth and was upset at his earlier teachers for having lied to
him. In this case, the Buddha’s reticence and tact helped to make his teaching
effective. A similar set of events happened when an actor asked the Buddha if
there is a special heaven reserved for actors. The Buddha’s reticence and tact
in informing the actor of a hell for actors who incite their audiences to
greed, anger, and delusion inspired the actor to respond in the same way as the
soldier.

If the pride of soldiers and actors
required special handling, even more care was required in the handling of
kings, for their pride was often coupled with an unrestrained sense of power. A
remarkable feature of the Pali Canon is that even though the Buddha was a
member of the noble warrior caste, the discourses generally show a low regard
for the spiritual standing of kings. In many passages, kings are mentioned in
the same breath with thieves: They confiscate property and show little regard
for the rule of law. The Canon does recognize exceptions — King Bimbisara of
Magadha achieves stream-entry the first time he hears the Dhamma, and he never
engages in war — but for the most part, kings are depicted as spiritually
stunted. King Ajatasattu, on first seeing the Buddha sitting surrounded by
monks, can’t tell which person in the assembly is the Buddha, a sign of his
spiritual blindness; this blindness is later proven by his asking the Buddha’s
advice on how to defeat his innocent neighbors in war. As one of the discourses
suggests, this sort of blindness is an occupational hazard for rulers, in that
the unfair exercise of power can make a person unfit for learning the truth.

“Because of having wrongly
inflicted suffering on another person through beating or imprisonment or
confiscation or placing blame or banishment, [with the thought,] ‘I have power.
I want power,’ when told what is factual, he denies it and doesn’t acknowledge
it. When told what is unfactual, he doesn’t make an ardent effort to untangle
it [to see], ‘This is unfactual. This is baseless.’”

— AN
3.69

Even King Pasenadi of Kosala, the
king most closely associated with the Buddha, comes across as well-meaning but
somewhat dense. An entire discourse, MN 90,
is a satire of how his royal position has thwarted his ability to learn the
Dhamma. He can’t phrase his questions properly, has trouble following a
discussion for more than a few sentences, and is unable to come to any certain
conclusions about the truth. Still, in other discourses he has his occasional
moments of spiritual clarity, and the Buddha uses those moments as
opportunities to teach the Dhamma. The Buddha’s approach here is twofold: to
try to expand the king’s perspective on life at times when the king is willing
to be frank; and to encourage the king when the latter gains insights on his
own.

For example, there’s the famous
discourse (SN
3.25) where Pasenadi comes to visit the Buddha in the middle of the day.
The Buddha asks him what he’s been doing, and the king replies — in a moment of
rare and wonderful frankness — that he’s been involved in the sort of
activities typical of a king intoxicated with his power. The Buddha takes this
moment of frankness as an opportunity to teach the Dhamma. Suppose, he says,
that four mountains were rolling in inexorably from the four directions,
crushing all life in their path. Given that the human birth is so rare and hard
to achieve, what should be done? The king’s reply: What else should be done but
living in line with the Dhamma? The Buddha then draws the lesson: Aging and
death are rolling in inexorably. Given that the human birth is so rare and hard
to achieve, what should be done? The king draws the obvious conclusion that,
again, the only thing to be done is to live in line with the Dhamma. He then
goes on to make the observation that when aging and death are rolling in
inexorably, there is no role for armies, wars, clever advisors, or great wealth
to prevent their rolling in. The only thing to do is to live in line with the
Dhamma.

In another discourse, Pasenadi comes
to the Buddha and reports his own independent observation:

“Those who engage in bodily
misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct leave themselves
unprotected. Even though a squadron of elephant troops might protect them, a
squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of
infantry troops might protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected.
Why is that? Because that’s an external protection, not an internal one.
Therefore they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good
bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct have themselves
protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a squadron of
cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a squadron of infantry troops
might protect them, still they have themselves protected. Why is that? Because
that’s an internal protection, not an external one. Therefore they have
themselves protected.”

— SN
3.5

It’s highly unlikely that Pasenadi would
have come to this conclusion if he hadn’t spent time in conversation with the
Buddha. From that conversation, he would have learned the meaning of good
bodily, verbal, and mental conduct: the ten forms of skillful action. As a
tactful teacher, the Buddha simply concurred with the king’s insight. The
discourses suggest that this strategy encouraged the king to spend time in
reflection of this sort, for in other discourses the king reports many similar
insights for the Buddha to confirm.

We learn that the king did not always
follow through with his insights, but that’s not because the Buddha encouraged
him to view killing as his duty. In fact, there is one striking example where
these insights had at least a partial effect. Ajatasattu once attacked Pasenadi’s
kingdom, and Pasenadi responded by raising an army to fight him off. After an
initial setback, Pasenadi was able to capture Ajatasattu. He could have killed
him in revenge, for that was allowable under the rules of engagement during his
time. But he chose not to, and it’s hard not to see the Buddha’s impact on this
decision. When told of the battle, the Buddha said:

A man may plunder

as long as it serves his ends,

but when others are plundered,

he who has plundered

gets plundered in turn.

A fool thinks,

‘Now’s my chance,’

as long as his evil

has yet to ripen.

But when it ripens,

the fool

falls

into pain.

Killing, you gain

your killer.

Conquering, you gain one

who will conquer you;

insulting, insult;

harassing, harassment.

And so, through the cycle of action,

he who has plundered

gets plundered in turn.

— SN
3.15

Benighted as he was, Pasenadi still
got the message. The question is, why can’t we?

Attempt has to be made by authorities and
Mighty Great Minds all over the world to highlight this historic fact and
make  human chain for the peace, welfare,
happiness and security of all sentient and non-sentient beings.         

BSP picks candidates against Rahul, Sonia

By Venkatesh Kesari

New Delhi

Oct. 27: The BSP has decided to field Mr Akhilesh Shukla, a former
Congressman, against Mr Rahul Gandhi from Amethi while Mr R.S. Kushwah,
an OBC, would be its nominee against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Rae
Bareli constituency in the Lok Sabha elections.

According to well-informed sources in the BSP, the Mayawati-led
party has decided to field Mr Naresh Agarwal in Farukkabad, Mr Shahid
Siddiqui in Bijnore and Dr Akhilesh Das from Lucknow, represented by
former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Dr Das is a former mayor of
Lucknow where the baniya or vaishya vote could be decisive.

UP chief minister Mayawati would be fielding minority candidates in Akbarpur and Hardwar (Uttarakhand).

The sources added the BSP would be fielding 51 candidates from the
brahmin, Muslim and SC communities (17 from each) and the remainder
would be allotted to OBCs, banias and other communities.

The BSP is gearing up for polls at a time when the Congress and the SP have yet to finalise seat-sharing.

Snake smugglers snared in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, Oct 27 (IANS) Seven people were caught
smuggling out a rare species of snakes from Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich
district to Nepal, a forest official said Monday.

‘Acting on a tip-off, we nabbed the smugglers Sunday
midnight in Mihinpurwa village in Bahraich, about 270 km from Lucknow,’
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) R.K. Singh told IANS.

‘Several red boya snakes, a rare species, were seized from the seven
smugglers, who claimed that the skin of each snake fetched nearly
Rs.200,000 in international markets,’ Singh said.

Several species of snakes including the red boya snakes are found in the Kakraha forest of Bahraich.

‘The colour of these snakes is close to crimson and they have two mouths,’ Singh said.

The red boya snakes are around three and a half feet long.

The smugglers, who are being interrogated, have admitted that they
are part of an animal trade racket that operates from Nepal, forest
officials said.

Under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972, it is illegal to injure, catch, or own snakes.

Snakes come under the Schedule I and IV of the WPA and keeping them in captivity is an offence.

Snakes can only be exhibited in a zoo where they have to be kept as per rules framed by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

UP tells Rahul to cooperate, visits causing problem

“There are examples when Rahul Gandhi broke the security cordon”
and also visited places deviating from his scheduled programme, where
ensuring security arrangements was not possible in the absence of prior
information, the Government said in a statement.

As recently as October16, the UP government had written a
letter to the SPG director, highlighting the problems created by the
lack of timely information and requested him to make available the tour
programmes of Rahul Gandhi well in time, the statement said. On
September 11 and 12, when Rahul visited Deoriya, Gorakhpur and
Azamgarh, there was a problem in ensuring security because his
programme was communicated to the state government at a short notice.
Also, the Amethi MP visited places which were not on his schedule and
information regarding these places was made available after he reached
Gorakhpur, the statement added.

Regarding the alleged security lapse during his Kanpur visit,
Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said DGP Vikram Singh had got
the matter investigated and found that the reports were baseless. The
detailed report had been sent to the Centre. The Union Home Secretary
and the Director of Intelligence Bureau had spoken to UP DGP Vikram
Singh regarding the alleged security lapse, he added.

Intel for a computer literate UP

It is night when I get into Tokyo from the airport. I reel at the
sight of giant-sized billboards and bright neon lights that greet me
when I step out of the Shinjuku subway station. “When in Tokyo, take
time to stand on the street and absorb the sights and sounds around
you,” is my husband’s attempt at being helpful when he sees my baffled
expression.

A wave of black-suited men crosses the street, most murmuring on
their cell phones. When motorbikes come to a grinding halt in front of
us at pedestrian crossing, my daughters gape at the riders — teenagers
with coloured punk hairstyles, wearing torn leather jackets and
dangling earrings and hard rock music blaring from their earpieces.

I almost stumble when a kimono-clad woman brushes past me, her
wooden clogs clacking on the pavement. I hadn’t yet been an hour in the
city. We then make our way to the famous Ginza shopping district. The
ever-present neon signs seem to throb with the pulse of the crowds that
throng the thoroughfares and side streets. Young people and those
working jostle one another as they catch an evening meal or drink sake
and sing karaoke.

Garishly-lit Pachinko parlours and the sound of the pachinko
machines add to the cacophony. Everywhere around the Ginza station, the
sounds, sights and smells of a giant party permeate and stay with me
all the way to my hotel.

The next morning, we head out to catch Tokyo by the day. As we walk
through the Shinagawa district, I marvel at neatly laid out gardens
between giant skyscrapers — an unexpected oasis in the midst of a
mostly concrete landscape.

Walkways connect the buildings several stories above ground level
and I find myself enjoying the window-shopping offered by stores at
either end of the walkways.

It is with some reluctance that I allow myself to be torn from the
shops of Tokyo to head out for a short trip to the countryside. The sun
is slowly headed towards the Western horizon as our train pulls into
Kamakura, an old town barely an hour from Tokyo.

We hail a taxi for the short ride to Kamakura’s most famous
landmark. Large hands folded in a meditative pose are the first thing
that I see. I have to lean way back to look up to the serene face of
the giant bronze Buddha of Kamakura, the Daibutsu. I stand transfixed —
everything seems to fade into the background.

Set against the backdrop of the wooded hills in Kamakura, the
Daibutsu with its tranquil expression and mammoth size is the most
popular tourist sight in Japan. At a height of nearly 12 metres, it is
the second largest Buddha in Japan.

Originally housed in a temple, the Daibutsu remained untouched,
though the temple was destroyed in a tsunami in the late 15th Century.
The cherry blossom trees at dusk, the devotion of the monks and slight
twitter of birds transport me into a meditative state.

The statue radiates a serenity that envelopes all. My daughters’
tugging at my arm brings me back to reality. I realise that we are the
only visitors remaining. I reluctantly trail behind the family to our
bus.

Back on the train to Tokyo, the frenetic pace of the previous two days in the city seems but a distant dream.

Two worlds, so close and yet such contrast, I think. Yet, somehow
the bustle of Tokyo seems a perfect foil to the serenity of the
Daibutsu. 

Dalai Lama hints at retirement AP Dharamsala: Hinting that he is planning to retire, the Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, has said he has “given up” on efforts to convince China to allow greater autonomy for Tibet. Pratibha Patil to inaugurate Buddha Vihara in Gulbarga It has been built by Siddhartha Vihara Trust at a cost of Rs. 4 crore The Buddha statue is the largest in south India Bangalore: President Pratibha Patil will inaugurate the Buddha Vihara, built by the Siddhartha Vihara Trust at a cost of around Rs. 4 crore on the outskirts of Gulbarga on January 7. Tibetan Buddhist religious leader the Dalai Lama would inaugurate an all-religion conference on January 19 and launch the consecration ceremonies of the 18-ft-tall bronze statue of Buddha according to Buddhist rituals. The Buddha statue, the largest in south India, has already been installed. A Buddhist monastery, a prayer hall and a meditation centre would be opened at the vihara. State Government withdraws gram sabha land for rail coach factory in Raebareli keeping in view anger of local people

S. Harpal Singh

— PHOTOS: P.V. SIVAKUMAR





SPIRITUAL CROWN: Baba Ranjit Singh of the Buddha Dal
sports a 200-metre-long ‘sava man da damla’ that weighs 40 kg at the
Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib in Nanded for the Gurta Gaddi on
Sunday. (Right) The Holy Granth Sahib recitation in progress at the
shrine.

NANDED (MAHARASHTRA): Centred around the Sikh shrines here, the most
sacred of them being the Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib
Gurdwara, the growth of Nanded city has remained steadfast for the last
300 years as was visualised by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of
Sikhs. He had christened Nanded as ‘Abchalnagar’ or the steadfast city
in October 1708 at the time of elevating the Adi Granth, the holy book
of Sikhs as their perpetual Guru.

A steady flow of devotees and pilgrims from all over the world is
flooding the city, now hosting the tercentenary celebration of this
event and also the one marking the departure of Guru Gobind Singh to
his heavenly abode on November 3, 1708.

Guru Gobind Singh had also raised the status of the gurdwara at
Nanded to that of a Takhat or throne symbolising the seat of authority.
The Sachkhand Hazur Sahib Gurdwara became one of the five Takhats, the
others being the Akal Takhat at Amritsar’s Golden Temple complex,
Takhat Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur, Takhat Damdama Sahib in Talwandi
Sabo and Takhat Patna Sahib. The first three are in Punjab and the
Takhat Patna Sahib, the place of birth of Guru Gobind Singh is in Bihar.

The Hazur Sahib Gurdwara with the golden dome and intricate art
work, was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh between 1830 and 1835. Nanded
also has 10 other gurdwaras that have historical importance for Sikhs.
The Nagina Ghat, Bandh Ghat, Maltekdi, Heera Ghat, Mata Saheb, Shikar
Ghat, Sangat Sahib, Ratangarh, Gobind Bagh and Damdama Sahib (Basmat)
are located in the vicinity of Nanded. The Nanaksar, Langar Sahib and
Bhajangarh Sahib were later additions to the list of pilgrim sites.

Nanded had been a part of the Hyderabad State ruled by the Nizam
until 1948 when Hyderabad was liberated following the famous police
action. It went into Maharashtra in 1956 when the reorganisation of
States on linguistic basis was done.

One of the unique aspects of the Sikh way of life like the 24-hour
‘langar’ or community kitchen is on display here. Among other things,
the system of ‘langar’ envisages doing away with class and status
within the community.

The NRI langar facility, opened on Saturday, serves to enhance the
overall capacity to feed pilgrims during the tercentenary of the
elevation of the Adi Granth. There are some 35 ‘langars’ functional
here with a cumulative capacity to feed about 5 lakh people per day.

The tradition of ‘langar’ was started by the third Sikh Guru,
Amardas, and it has come to be one of the main activities at community
level for the Sikhs. Irrespective of the social status people eat
seated on one plane that symbolises equality among the members of the
community.

The ‘langar’ cannot be run without the active participation of the
sevadars or volunteers who also signify the importance attached to
community service.

The Langar Sahib Gurdwara here is the largest of such facilities
and in Nanded, which can accommodate about three lakh people every day.
There are others that have been set up by people and organisations from
Punjab.

Long turban

It is simply a matter of routine for Baba Ranjit Singh, an ageing
Nihang Singh of the Buddha Dal of Sangrur district in Punjab who ties
his 200-metre-long turban twice every day. The bulky turban, known as
the ‘sava man da damla,’ weighs about 40 kg.

The Baba is in Nanded to participate in the tercentenary
celebrations. He was spotted sauntering towards the Nagina Ghat
Gurdwara on the banks of river Godavari on Sunday, sporting on his head
the traditional but formidable head gear.

Nihang tradition

The Nihang Singhs comprised the army of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th
Guru of Sikhs and were known as Guru di ladli faujan, the beloved
soldiers of the Guru.

They continue with the tradition of wearing the blue uniform of
which the blue or saffron turban forms a part. Some Nihangs wear the
huge sava man da damla following an incident from the life of Guru
Gobind Singh’s sons.

According to Nanded journalist Ravinder Singh Modi, Sahibzada Jujhar
Singh, the second son of Guru Gobind Singh was denied participation in
a battle by his elder brother Sahibzada Ajit Singh on the grounds that
the former was too ‘small’ or young for it. Sahibzada Jujhar Singh
tried to convince his brother that he was eligible to fight alongside
by tying a huge turban that made him look taller than Sahibzada Ajit
Singh. The Nihangs have since then sported the larger head gear as a
tribute to the young Sahibzada.

Baba Ranjit Singh bathes and washes his hair twice daily after which
he ties the long turban after combing the hair. He then attaches the
small versions of the arms that are carried by the Nihangs. There are
nine small and one big khanda, eight small kirpans, half a dozen small
spears and one simran mala or rosary visible on the turban. He also has
five small arms or shastras besides two small combs tucked inside the
turban. “This exercise takes only two hours,” quips Baba Ranjit Singh.

The Dal Khalsa: the Buddha Dal and the Taruna Dal

In 1733, the Mughal government decided, at the insistence of Zakarya
Khan, to stop the persecution of the Sikhs and made an offer of a grant
to them. The title of Nawab was conferred upon their leader, with a jagir consisting of the three parganas of Dipalpur, Kanganval and Jhabal.

After some mutual discussion, the Panj Piare (five revered Sikhs) - Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Hari Singh Dhillon,
Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Buddh Singh decided to make Kapur Singh the
Supreme Leader of the Sikhs. Kapur Singh was thus chosen for the title
and became Nawab Kapur Singh.

Word was sent round to Sikhs passing their days in distant jungles
and deserts that peace had been made with the government and that they
could return to their homes. Nawab Kapur Singh undertook the task of
consolidating the disintegrated fabric of the Sikh Jathas. They were merged into a single central fighting force (The Dal) divided into two sections - The Budha Dal, the army of the veterans, and the Taruna Dal,
the army of the young. Hari Singh Dhillon was elected leader of the
Taruna Dal. The former was entrusted with the task of looking after the
holy places, preaching the word of the Gurus and inducting converts
into the Khalsa Panth by holding baptismal ceremonies. The Taruna Dal
was the more active division and its function was to fight in times of
emergencies and fighting Afghan armies of Ahmed Shah Abdali.

Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Sultan ul Quam Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia were then youngsters who led regiments under Hari Singh Dhillon in the Taruna Dal, reporting to Nawab Kapur Singh at Diwali and Vaisakhi.

Good Read BJP criticised Chitradurga: General Secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Suresh Mane has said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost the moral authority to be in power in Karnataka. He accused that the BJP was responsible for the attacks on churches in the State. Addressing a State-level BSP convention here on Sunday, he charged that the BJP was practising communal politics. Mr. Mane criticised the party for “having failed to protect the interests of the minorities.” — Staff Correspondent The nationwide rally by Bahujan Samaj Party against Indo-US nuclear deal started from the city here on Thursday.   Flagging off rally, BSP South India in-charge Suresh Mane said that the rally intends to generate public awareness on “perils of Indo-US nuclear deal” across the length and breadth of the country. Branding the deal as  a “conspiracy to pledge the sovereignity of the country”, he called upon the citizens to be vigilant against such destructive measures. “Management of nuclear waste is a Herculean task. It requires investment of crores of rupees to set up waste management unit. Further, nuclear power could meet only 6 pc of the total demand and hence, Agreement is an exercise in futility. ”, he reasoned. He claimed that India will not gain anything from the said deal and the party has organised the rally  to sensitise people on the perceived pitfalls of the Indo-US nuclear deal. The rally is scheduled to reach KGF via Narasapur, Malur and Tekal and further proceed to Mulabagal, Srinivasapur, Chintamani, Shidlaghatta, Gudibande, Gowribidanur, Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur and reach Devanahalli in three days. On 20-10-2008 the Jeep rally from KGF will enter Yelahanka and pass through Pulikeshinagar, Sarvagna Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, CV Raman Nagar, KR Puram and Mahdevpura.Will generate public awareness on the perils of Indo-US Nuclear deal, people’s apathy on the ever rising price rise and unemployment problem which is because The country has a poor record on distribution of wealth both by the Congress Party at the Centre and the BJP at the State. Price rise, regularising unauthorised colonies besides unemployment and poor living conditions in slums were going to be the key points to be raised in the Jeep Rally.   Explaining that his party’s priorities were different from those of the Congress and BJP, state party unit chief said, “BJP and Congress have only done lip service. That is what we are going to tell the voters.”   Claiming that all poll calculations will be proved wrong in Karnataka as had been the case in Uttar Pradesh. .  social engineering of BSP would bear fruit since the party had accommodated every community and caste while distributing tickets. Vegetable prices to remain high The high prices of vegetables and fruits in the City are expected to increase even further in the coming days, reaching its peak …  This year, it is particularly obvious because of the high inflation rate. Vegetable prices have virtually hit the roofs in recent weeks. Carrots are selling at Rs 48 per kg, tomatoes ( Rs 30 per kg), cauliflower,Cabbage has risen  to Rs 15 a kg and beans  to Rs 29 a kg.Peas to Rs.150 a kg. Brinjal (small) prices has doubled and coriander has seen a 300 per cent increase. Among fruits pomegranate is the highest at Rs 150 per kg.  The price rise has hurt both sellers and buyers alike. Sellers have seen their margins diminish with the rise in costs and buyers now have to fork out more money to meet their basic requirements. The main reasons for the vegetable price rise is the rising inflationary trends in the economy.  Srinath of Reliance Fresh felt that only when there was a nationwide decrease in inflation levels would the food price levels come down.  The local vendors and Hopcom outlets  are also facing similar problems due to rise in vegetable price. India has 200 million hungry people: report Gargi Parsai High levels of child under-nutrition and poor calorie count NEW DELHI: Punjab, the granary of India, ranks below countries like Honduras and Vietnam in terms of hunger levels while Madhya Pradesh has the most severe level of hunger in the country, followed by Jharkhand and Bihar, says a report prepared by U.S.-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in collaboration with Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide, California. “When Indian States are compared to countries in the 2008 Global Hunger Index, Madhya Pradesh ranks between Ethiopia and Chad. Punjab, is below Gabon, Honduras and Vietnam,” says the Country Report released here on Tuesday by G.K. Chadha, member of Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, on the eve of World Food Day. “India is home to the world’s largest food insecure population, with more than 200 million people who are hungry,” the India State Hunger Index (ISHI) said. The country’s poor performance is driven by its high levels of child under-nutrition and poor calorie count. “Its rates of child malnutrition are higher than most countries in sub-Saharan Africa,” the report said. India, which scored 66th place in the 2008 Global Hunger list of 88 countries, does not have a single State in the ‘low hunger’ or ‘moderate hunger’ categories. Despite years of robust economic growth, India scored worse than nearly 25 sub-Saharan African countries and all of South Asia, except Bangladesh. “Figuring amongst the 88 countries itself is shameful for the country.. Policy-makers have to think about it. High GDP growth is not sufficient. Inclusive growth is necessary. The country has a poor record on distribution of wealth,” Dr. Chadha said. The India State Hunger Index measures hunger on three leading indicators and combines them into one index. The three indicators are: prevalence of child malnutrition, rates of child mortality, and the proportion of people who are calorie deficient. This approach is similar to the 2008 Global Hunger Index, which includes India, and was also released on Tuesday for World Food Day on October 16. The ISHI found that 12 States fell in the ‘alarming’ category, and one State – Madhya Pradesh – fell in the ‘extremely alarming’ category. Four States – Punjab, Kerala, Haryana and Assam – were in the ‘serious’ category. India’s slightly better performance relative to Bangladesh is entirely due to better access to food in India, which in turn is a consequence of India’s higher agricultural productivity. On the other two components of the Global Hunger Index – child underweight and child mortality – India ranks below Bangladesh. In a few States, such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, calorie deficiency contributes almost as much as child underweight. The report identified that strong economic growth does not necessarily translate into lower hunger levels. Even States with high rates of economic growth in recent years, such as Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra, have high levels of hunger, while States with relatively slower economic growth, such as Punjab, achieved a lower hunger level. “Hunger and malnutrition are often rooted in poverty,” said Ashok Gulati, IFPRI director in Asia. “Part of the solution rests with increasing investments in agriculture and poverty reduction programmes.” How to eradicate poverty and unemployment problem in india ? Jambudvipa, that is the Great Prabuddha Bharath is a vast country diversified geographically and humanly.We can eradicate poverty and unemployment by making optimum use of our single most vital asset, i.e. human resource or sheer manpower. It is the duty of the Government to distribute the nations wealth to all sections of the society.Supply healthy seeds to the farmers and distribute at least 10 acres of land to the tillers. Provide loans to all those who want to start bussiness and trade. The Government employees must be montitored to do their job honestly and sincerly. IN FOCUS:BAHUJAN SAMAJ PARTY  Mayawati will become the first woman Original Inhabitant of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath Prime Minister Historic Initiatives By Mayawati The one decision to construct Greater Noida-Balia Expressway by Mayawati Government can change the entire landscape of Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati’s thought about this mammoth project,only exemplifies her hidden developmental streak.Nobody even dared to think about this earlier but Mayawati not only conceptualised this and hopefully, will be able to complete in time also. Had the central government taken such imitative then the state selected would have been either any southern state or north-western state.U.P and Bihar come last in the reckoning, always. This is more significant for the simple reason that a state chief minister has taken initiative of her own and if other chief ministers also follow her, then, the infrastructure woes of the country will be greatly reduced quickly.Nobody knows how much time National Highways Authority of India,NHAI, will take to provide better motorable roads to the citizens of this country. As the U.P and Bihar have non-UPA governments,it would deliberately not speed up construction activities due to internal pressure.The condition of roads in U.P is not bad but it is far worse in Bihar, mainly because of NHAI apathy.NHAI never bothers to repair even existing National Highways. So, constructing newer ones is asking for far too much.It is the state government of Bihar which is managing even NHAI roads.The reasons for NHAI’s discriminatory attitude is known to everyone.Under the pressure of Rashtriya Janta Dal,NRJD, NHAI is skirting its responsibility.RJD,would obviously not want to see the contrasting picture under Nitish Kumar Government.Under its 16 years rule, RJD had ensured that no stretch of road remained motorable, so that Charwaha vidyalayas and bullock-cart transportation could be popularised. NHAI has ensured that the National Highways remain in such condition that deter any one from travelling on that path. The proposed Expressways will pass through many ancient Pilgrimage centers.Travelling between Delhi-Kanpur,Kanpur-Allahabad,Allahabad-Varanasi would become a breeze and millions of reluctant people will finally start visiting the most sacred places on this earth.There will be all round developmental activities and millions of employment opportunities would be generated. Mayawati has tremendous hold over bureaucracy and she is most likely to achieve this ambitious feat ,but politicians are already roaming with open daggers in their hands.They are most likely to stab from behind at the very first opportunity they get. Like RJD of Bihar they would never like to see Mayawati as a chief minister who transformed U.P of her very own will. If U.P. and Bihar have to come out of the rut then the respective state governments have to take bold and path braking initiatives.Bundelkhand has been facing famine for years now but no concrete measures were taken to improve the situation.Similarly,Kosi has been flooding a large part of Bihar but no measures to provide some solace to the victims were ever tried.One or two trains for Bihar announced by railway minister invites widespread derision and criticism but they fail to appreciate how this state has been overlooked for decades. There are many aspects of Mayawati which should be praised for what is due to her and this she deserves completely. Allegation of security lapses in Rahul Gandhi’s programme is baseless No security lapse during Rahul’s visit: U.P. government Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday rejected the charge that there was any lapse on its part in providing security to AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Kanpur. An inquiry was initiated after the Centre raised the issue with the State police , which concluded that there was no security lapse during Mr. Gandhi’s visit on October 24. Mr. Gandhi was provided security as per the set norms, Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters here. “Whatever confusion was there was due to the organisers and the State government has nothing to do with this,” Mr. Singh said adding that Principal Secretary Home Kunwar Fatehbahadur Singh had written a letter to the Centre informing it about the State government’s stand. ‘Letter not received’ He said the government had not received any letter from the Centre raising the issue of the alleged security lapse. “The Union Home Secretary and Director IB had talked to U.P. Director General of Police over phone on the issue and subsequently an inquiry was ordered by him to probe the matter,” Mr. Singh said. — PTI Launch drive for realisation of Commercial Tax Dues Charge of Ban on Rahul Gandhi’s programme totally baseless C.M. orders for providing Rs. two lakh each to the family members of two deceased of Kalanyanpur village in Jaunpur State Government gives nod for prosecuting 12 Senior I.P.S. Officers under Cr.P.C. Section-197 for irregularities in police recruitment scam C.M. directs for completing repairing works of damaged roads by October 31, 2008 C.M. condemns attacks on North Indians by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena C.M. announces increase of Rs. 50 in nutrition allowance for police officers and employees Maya asks Left for 2 Bengal seats By Sanjay Basak New Delhi Oct. 26: BSP supremo Mayawati is trying to drive a hard bargain with her new Left allies, particularly the CPI(M) and CPI), over seats in the coming general elections. These two want to piggyback on her strength in northern India, and the BSP chief has demanded at least two Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. In return, she is ready to give the CPI(M) and CPI one ticket each in Uttar Pradesh. Ms Mayawati had earlier decided that her party would contest all 81 seats in UP on its own. The Left is, however, still pitching for some berths, and sources said she might be willing to leave Ghosi for the CPI and Varanasi for the CPI(M). “The talks are on,” a senior CPI leader said. Names are yet to be finalised, but the sources indicated CPI national secretary Atul Anjan might contest from Ghosi. The CPI(M) will take a decision only after Ms Mayawati gives the green signal. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat’s plans to strengthen the party in the Hindi heartland took a major hit when it failed to win even a single seat in the last UP Assembly elections. This was the first time the CPI(M) had failed to get any seat in the state. The Left parties jumped on to the Mayawati bandwagon in the hope that she could be their ticket to Parliament from UP. But her unilateral decision to contest all 81 seats caught them on the wrong foot, forcing them to have to request her to leave two seats for them. Mr Karat met Ms Mayawati in Lucknow last Wednesday to discuss the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states, where BSP general secretary Satish Mishra was also present. The CPI(M) has decided to support the BSP wherever it does not have any candidate itself in the election-going states. This, the sources said, “signalled a possible Left-BSP alliance during the Lok Sabha elections.” While there has been no response from the BSP side so far, Mr Karat is “working round the clock to give shape” to his proposed new third front, a CPI(M) leader said. He added that the BSP was yet to agree to hold any joi-nt rallies with the CPI(M). IndiBlitz.com You read it here first, right from the newsdesk Caste alone counts for Mayawati as she eyes Delhi (News Analysis) Lucknow, Oct 25 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati appears to be banking entirely on the caste factor to race to the portals of power in New Delhi. Be it Original Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath, upper castes or religious minorities, she is wooing them all for what they are. Having scripted her success story in a highly caste-ridden Uttar Pradesh where she managed to ride to power in May last year by way of ’social engineering’, bringing together the lowest and the highest castes in the Hindu social hierarchy, Mayawati seems to be hoping to play the same card to capture the centre. We need a still broader caste base to achieve our ultimate goal of grabbing power at the centre,& she told three consecutive conventions of different castes, convened by her in Lucknow within a span of 10 days. Mayawati is busy mobilising the broader caste groups as well as religious minorities ahead of the general election next year. It began earlier this month with the BSP much publicised Muslim conference. Shortly thereafter came a convention of OBCs and Scheduled Castes, followed by a separate meet of upper castes - all within a span of 10 days. The meets turned into mutual admiration societies, with Mayawati leaving no stone unturned to woo the respective castes at these conventions and the key invitees singing paens for the chief minister. Making no bones about her intent to mobilise support pointedly on the basis of caste and religion, Mayawati had also gone to the extent of declaring that every caste or religion would get its due in proportion to its contribution to the party. Recalling her mentor Kanshi Ram  much publicised slogan, jiski jitni sankhya bhaari, utni uski bhagedaari (every caste will get representation on the basis of its numerical strength), she has made it a point to tell the crowds at each meet that the scenario has since changed and the party new slogan for different castes is jitni jiski tayyari hogi, utni uski bhagedaari hogi. The message I wish to convey through this slogan is plain and simple - the share of every caste in governance will depend on its preparedness to help the BSP, she said. Mayawati has made it a point to list the number of her elected party representatives from different castes and religions. When it came to the convention of upper castes a week ago, she said: The prominent leaders of every caste must get down to mobilising support for the party among their respective castes. Just as she went about giving full points to her party blue-eyed Brahmin face and the BSP national general secretary, Satish Chandra Mishra, for bringing in a chunk of upper castes into the party fold, she implored a more recent entrant, Akhilesh Das, to follow course and ensure larger support of the Vaishya community. Likewise, she urged Shahid Siddique, a former Samajwadi Party MP, to mobilise Muslim support for the BSP. Mayawati makes no bones about caste being the sole criterion not only in the selection of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections but even in administrative appointments at all levels. Be it the appointment of a commissioner, a district magistrate, a superintendent of police or other key jobs, the chief minister always seems keen to know the caste of the person. There have been umpteen occasions when she has publicly announced the caste of officers handpicked by her for certain key positions in the state. aggregator.in Karnataka: JD(S) to alliance with BSP in LS polls Bangalore, Oct 25: Ruling out any electoral allliance with Congress, former Prime Minister and JD(S) National President H D Deve Gowda on Saturday, Oct 25 said his party will fight the future elections in an understanding with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

JD(S) to have alliance with BSP in Karantaka for LS elections

Bangalore

Mayawati targets SP’s OBC base

 
Flagging off rally, BSP South India in-charge Suresh Mane said that the
rally intends to generate public awareness on “perils of Indo-US
nuclear deal” across the length and breadth of the country. Branding
the deal as  a “conspiracy to pledge the sovereignity of the country”,
he called upon the citizens to be vigilant against such destructive
measures.

He claimed that India will not gain anything from the said deal and the
party has organised the rally  to sensitise people on the perceived
pitfalls of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The rally is
scheduled to reach KGF via Narasapur, Malur and Tekal and further
proceed to Mulabagal, Srinivasapur, Chintamani, Shidlaghatta,
Gudibande, Gowribidanur, Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur and reach
Devanahalli in three days.

On
20-10-2008 the Jeep rally from KGF will enter Yelahanka and pass
through Pulikeshinagar, Sarvagna Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, CV Raman Nagar,
KR Puram and Mahdevpura.Will generate public awareness on the perils of
Indo-US Nuclear deal, people’s apathy on the ever rising price rise and
unemployment problem which is because

Table 1 : Age structure of population: 1997-2002

Table 2 : Trends in  Labour Force Participation Rates(Per Thousand of Population)