PEACE BEGINS WITH IN
ME
Walking For Peace
Buddhist monks would walk in silence
from their monasteries to a problem area. Passing through places where
conflicts had taken place, their silence and internal serenity would permeate
and purify the area.
During the Vietnam war, Tich Nat Han
used to silently walk with his monks through his battle torn countryside, referring
to this practice as Dhamma Yatra - pilgrimage of Dhamma; Dhamma meaning the way
of things, or the Truth.
For the past six consecutive years,
the idea of Dhamma Yatra has taken on a fresh and vibrant expression as over
200 people from more than 20 countries worldwide come together each summer for
two weeks, to walk through Southern France in silence, camping in a new place
each evening, meditating on the beauty of nature and being together as Sangha -
a spiritual community making an outer and an inner spiritual journey together.
Buddha is known for having said that
there is “nowhere to go, nothing to do, no one to be.”
During our two weeks of good time
walking through nature, we merry pilgrims are reminded of Buddha’s wisdom,
watching the words in bold blue letters - “No where to go, two weeks to
get there!” - on our luggage truck.
On the first morning of the yatra
after breakfast and packing, we all gather in a large circle. Silently
standing, we feel the earth pulsing under our feet, the sky spreading a blue
canopy over our heads, and like a long winding silent snake, we start walking
single file through green meadows fields and woods.
Silently soaking in nature, we walk
step after step, connecting to the immediacy of life. Buzzing thoughts in the
head meet the beautiful dignity and aliveness of trees, earth, sky, water, and
gradually quiet down.
The day of walking is punctuated by
periods of still silent meditation, group discussions exploring various Dhamma
related themes, and Dhamma talks given by one of the teachers.
As a contrast to the stillness and
silence that permeate the day, mealtimes and breaks are filled with
socializing, laughter and often music. We are not walking through war zones or
battle torn areas, but each and every one of us is learning peace and
acceptance within him or her self, as daily we confront the elements in their
raw immediacy, and connect to the here and now of life as it meets us at every
moment.
The French Dhamma Yatra which is
primarily spacious and sweet - basically a bunch of people looking into life
and having fun on the way - gave birth to what is known in Israel as “The
Walk,” an initiative of meditation practitioners who could not bear to
keep looking passively upon violence and hatred, without doing anything about
it.
The Walk, organized by the association,
consists of Arabs and Jews walking silently together in single file through
Arab and Jewish cities and villages in
Right Action ![[go up]](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/icon/scrollup.gif)
MN 117 defines wrong action as killing living beings, taking what is not given, and engaging in sexual misconduct.
Killing
Intentionally bringing about the death of a human being, even if it
is still a fetus — whether by killing the person, arranging for an
assassin to kill the person, inciting the person to die, or describing
the advantages of death — is a pārājika offense. (Pr 3)
Pouring water that one knows to contain living beings — or having it
poured — on grass or clay is a pācittiya offense. Pouring anything that
would kill the beings into such water — or having it poured — is also a
pācittiya offense. (Pc 20)
Deliberately killing an animal — or having it killed — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 61)
Using water, or getting others to use it, knowing that it contains
living beings that will die from that use, is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 62)
Taking what is not given
The theft of anything worth 1/24 ounce troy of gold or more is a pārājika offense. (Pr 2)
Having given another bhikkhu a robe on a condition and then — angry
and displeased — snatching it back or having it snatched back is a
nissaggiya pācittiya offense. (NP 25)
Making use of cloth or a bowl stored under shared ownership — unless
the shared ownership has been rescinded or one is taking the item on
trust — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 59)
Sexual misconduct
Voluntary sexual intercourse — genital, anal, or oral — with a human
being, non-human being, or common animal is a pārājika offense. (Pr 1)
Intentionally causing oneself to emit semen, or getting someone else
to cause one to emit semen — except during a dream — is a saºghādisesa
offense. (Sg 1)
Lustful bodily contact with a woman whom one perceives to be a woman is a saºghādisesa offense. (Sg 2)
Making a lustful remark to a woman about her genitals, anus or about performing sexual intercourse is a saºghādisesa offense. (Sg 3)
Telling a woman that having sexual intercourse with a bhikkhu would be beneficial is a saºghādisesa offense. (Sg 4)
Getting an unrelated bhikkhunī to wash, dye, or beat a robe that has
been used at least once is a nissaggiya pācittiya offense. (NP 4)
Getting an unrelated bhikkhunī to wash, dye, or card wool that has
not been made into cloth or yarn is a nissaggiya pācittiya offense. (NP 17)
Lying down at the same time in the same lodging with a woman is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 6)
Teaching more than six sentences of Dhamma to a woman, except in
response to a question, is a pācittiya offense unless a knowledgeable
man is present. (Pc 7)
Exhorting a bhikkhunī about the eight vows of respect — except when
one has been authorized to do so by the Community or asked a question
by a bhikkhunī — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 21)
Exhorting a bhikkhunī on any topic at all after sunset — except when she requests it — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 22)
Going to the bhikkhunīs’ quarters and exhorting a bhikkhunī about
the eight vows of respect — except when she is ill or has requested the
instruction — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 23)
Giving robe-cloth to an unrelated bhikkhunī without receiving anything in exchange is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 25)
Sewing a robe — or having it sewn — for an unrelated bhikkhunī is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 26)
Traveling by arrangement with a bhikkhunī from one village to
another — except when the road is risky or there are other dangers — is
a pācittiya offense. (Pc 27)
Traveling by arrangement with a bhikkhunī upriver or downriver in
the same boat — except when crossing a river — is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 28)
When aiming at privacy, sitting or lying down alone with a bhikkhunī
in an unsecluded but private place is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 30)
When aiming at privacy, sitting or lying down with a woman or women
in a private, secluded place with no other man present is a pācittiya
offense. (Pc 44)
When aiming at privacy, sitting or lying down alone with a woman in an unsecluded but private place is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 45)
Traveling by arrangement with a woman from one village to another is a pācittiya offense. (Pc 67)
Buddha statue on display in New Delhi for 3 weeks
NEW DELHI, India — One of nation’s pricelesshistorical artifacts a Buddha statue believed to be belonging to
Vaishali district of Bihar has made its wayback to the country but for a mere three weeks.One of the oldest statues of Buddha, kept for centuries at the Zenko-ji
temple in Japan, has been brought to the Capital and will be kept for
visitors display at the National Museum for three weeks from Tuesday
for the Zenkoji Shonin Exhibition. The exhibition will also include
other priceless relics from Japan including smaller statues, Japanese
dolls, kimonos, historic paintings.
According to historians, the Buddha statue was brought to Nogaoya city
in Japan from India in 552 AD. As per the Zenko-ji Engi (the origin of
Zenko-ji temple), the principal image, the Ikko Amida Triad, is said to
be the oldest Buddha statue to have been brought to Japan in the year
552 AD during the introduction of Buddhism. Therefore, this Buddha is
said to represent the introduction of Buddhism in Japan.
Since then, it has been kept in the Zenko-ji temple visited by
thousands of tourists daily. It is believed to have healing powers and
bring luck wherever it goes. This statue of Amida Buddha, also known as
Amitabh in Buddhist mythology, will be flown back to Japan on December
1 and is unlikely to be ever brought to India again.
The Zenko-ji Shonin Exhibition will be the first exhibition in India of
treasures from a Japanese temple. “Holding this exhibition represents
the symbolic return of the statue of the Amitabha Buddha in the
Zenko-ji temple for the first time since its arrival in Japan in the
sixth century to the birth place of Shakyamuni and Buddhism 2500 years
ago,'’ said an official. Officials claimed the caretakers of the statue
at the Japanese temple believed “its powers would be recharged in India
(the pure land) before it is brought back to Japan in a few weeks'’.
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Mayawati: Original Inhabitant of Jambudvipa that is The Great Prabuddha Bharath ’queen’, now Brahmin messiah |
Press Information Bureau (Chief Minister’s Information Campus) Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.
C.M. sets up 3-member committee headed by Satish Chandra Mishra to solve problems of advocates
C.M. orders quick redress of advocates ’ grievances by considering their problems sympathetically Lucknow : 09 November, 2008 The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has directed to set up a 3-member committee headed by the former President of the Bar Council, M.P. and Chairman of the U.P. State Advisory Council Mr. Satish Chandra Mishra to look into the problems of the advocates. The Chairman of the Committee would convene a meeting with the delegation of the advocates and take into account their all problems to give them a serious thought. The Chief Minister has asked the Chairman to consider all the valid demands of the advocates sympathetically. She has also asked him to ensure quick solution to their problems. It may be recalled that the U.P. Bar Council had been raising the problems of the advocates for past so many years. The Bar Council had written a letter to the Government to apprise it of the problems of the advocates. The Chief Minister, taking the letter seriously, decided to set up a committee to solve the problems of the advocates. ******* PN09-Nov2008(LM)(RKS)-Advocates
U.P. C.M. sanctions financial aid for family members of deceased/injured persons of Meerut Blast Lucknow :
08 November, 2008
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has directed the officers to provide financial aid to the family members of the deceased and injured persons of the Meerut blast. It may be recalled that a blast occurred in Meerut today killing several persons and injuring some others. The C.M. has sanctioned economic aid of Rs. One lakh for the family members of every adult deceased, while Rs. 50,000 has been sanctioned for the family members of every minor deceased. Economic assistance of Rs. 30,000 each for every injured person has also been sanctioned. Besides, she has also directed the district administration to provide proper medical attention to the injured persons. The Chief Minister has conveyed her heartfelt condolences and deep sympathies to the family members of the deceased and prayed for peace to the departed souls. She has wished speedy recovery for those suffering injuries in the blast. It may be recalled that this blast occurred when some persons tried to extract brass from grenade/scrap, which was collected from garbage under the Lisari Gate police station area of Meerut today. Five persons died in the blast and as many got injured. ******* PN08-Nov2008(LM)(RKS)-Meerut-Blast
BSP on the march in ongoing state assembly elections
New
Delhi:Itching come out of the confines of Uttar Pradesh, it stunned
political observers by winning the majority single-handed — Mayawati’s
Bahujan Samaj Party is throwing all its might in ongoing state assembly
elections in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
“Our slogan of Sarvajan samaj is attracting support from all
sections of the society and we will spring a surprise this time,” says
BSP’s National General Secretary, Satish Chandra Mishra.
BSP to undercut Congress in northern states
Mayawati’s assiduous campaign to consolidate the Original Inhabitants of jambudevipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath and
woo other castes in these states will succeed.
Original Inhabitants of jambudevipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath constitute more than 15 per cent of the population in Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi and 11.6 per cent in Chhattisgarh.
The BSP has increased its vote share in all the assembly elections
held in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand after its UP sweep. In
Himachal Pradesh, it ensured
Congress defeat in over a dozen constituencies. In Delhi, the BSP now
has 17 municipal councillors.
BSP all set to make a mark in Rajasthan
“Yoo pee hamari hai, ab Chattisgarh ki bari hai (After UP now it’s
the turn of Chattisgarh) ” says Chattisgar BSP President Dauram
Ratnakar.
To help the state unit do better, Mayawati has made BSP veteran Seva
Ram as in-charge of the state and two ministers of the UP Government —
Lalji Verma and Anant Kumar Mishra — are camping in Raipur for the last
one month.
The BSP has enjoyed traditional support from the Satanami community
of Chattisgarh, wielding significant influence in Bilaspur and Raipur
districts and had won two assembly seats in 2003. One of the winners
was later disqualified by the High Court following an election petition.
“In the past five years we have extended over network . The party’s
tally in Chattisgarh will be in double digits this time and we may play
the role of the kingmaker,” says Seva Ram. The party is contesting all
the 90 seats in the state assembly.
The BSP will make a public demonstration of its strength at Mayawati’s Raipur rally on November 16.
The party’s National General Secretary sees similar prospects in
Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, where the party is contesting all the seats
on its own.
During Kanshi Ram’s hey days, the BSP had acquired pockets of
influence in Chambal valley and Baghelkhand regions of Madhya Pradesh
along its border with UP and had even won a Lok Sabha seat by defeating
Congress heavyweight Arjun Singh.
The make sure that the party does better this time, Mayawati has
deputed half a dozen ministers in her government to work in Madhya
Pradesh and Delhi.
The CPI(M)’s appeal to its supporters to vote for the BSP where
there is no party candidate has acted as a morale booster for the
party’s attempts to spread out of Uttar Pradesh.
Figures of previous elections suggest that the BSP has emerged as a
threat to both the Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). But
since both the Congress and the BSP share a common support base, the
BSP will be a bigger threat to the Congress,” says Sudha Pai, a
political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
Observers feel that even if the BSP does not become a deciding
factor in the formation of governments in these election-bound states,
the party will play the spoiler for the Congress - thus indirectly
determining the electoral outcome in perhaps many constituencies.
BSP a force
Nov. 8: After tasting success in Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj
Party is desperately trying to emerge as the first force in the
Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, a state which has largely seen a bipolar
contest between the BJP and the Congress till now.
The BSP had made its mark by winning two seats in the maiden polls
held after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. The party’s
keenness in improving its tally in the forthcoming polls can be gauged
from the fact that it was the first to announce its list of candidates
for the polls. The party is likely to cut into the votes of both the
BJP and the Congress.
The BSP will be fielding candidates in all the 90 Assembly seats.
Though Ms Mayawati will try her social engineering in this particular
state, the majority of the candidates could be OBCs, sources said.
However, in an effort to replicate its formula of social
engineering, successfully implemented in UP, the party has given
adequate representation to all castes and communities. “We are trying
to ensure that neither the Congress nor the BJP is able to make it to
power,” stated BSP president Dauram Ratnakar.
“Our strategy is to give proper recognition to sarva samaj — all
communities —- including the upper castes and other backward classes
(OBCs),” he said.
Chhattisgarh’s population comprises about 12 per cent Scheduled
Castes, believed to be the support base of the party. However, the
party has recognised the influential OBC community by fielding 11
candidates belonging to the prominent Sahu community of the state,
while two brahmins and three members of the vaish community have also
been included. Two Muslims are also part of the BSP list.
Apart from these communities, other groups influential in pockets of
the state like Kurmi, Yadav, Nishad and Kalar have also been given
representation.
The state BSP president claimed that it was not long before the party would emerge as a third force in the state.
In the 2003 polls, the BSP polled more than four per cent votes and
during these polls the party is trying to increase the vote share
considerably.
As part of its electioneering strategy, the BSP has been organising
all-community sammelans across the state in order to explain its
concept of social engineering.
While Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati is expected to make a
pre-poll visit to the state to garner votes for her party, several
senior BSP leaders from Uttar Pradesh, including finance minister Lalji
Verma and minister of state for health Anant Kumar Mishra, have already
started to campaign for the party.
For the BSP, Chhattisgarh has additional importance as party founder
Kanshiram had contested his maiden Lok Sabha election in 1984 from the
Janjgir constituency in the state.
The state BSP chief added that the party was treating these Assembly
polls as a preliminary fight for the Lok Sabha polls that are scheduled
to be held next year.
Cong, BJP let down people, says Mayawati
Raipur,
Nov 9 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP)supremo Mayawati Sunday hit out at the Congress-led Government at
the Centre and Chhattisgarh’s Bharatiya Janata Party government for
`ignoring the basic needs of common people’.
‘Poor and middle class are the worst sufferer of
Congress government’s unchecked inflation while BJP in Chhattisgarh
failed to improve people’s life quality mainly of scheduled caste (SC)
and scheduled tribe (ST),” Mayawati told a public meeting in the
state’s industrial city, Bhilai, 30 km from here.
She sought an opportunity from the people to let the BSP form a
government in the state, claiming that only her party was committed to
the poor and marginalized people.
The BSP is contesting all the 90 seats in the state.
Chhattisgarh has 32 percent ST and 12 percent SC population among the state’s total 20.08 million people.
The state goes to the polls Nov 14 for 39 seats and Nov 20 for the rest 51 seats.