2017 DHARMA WALK

"STRIVE ON WITH EVERY STEP"

“LET’S MOVE, BIDOR ”
Bidor, Perak
09.07.2017

Participants having a good time. Rhythmic dance in motion.

Players in deep concentration during the Board game. Parents and children listening attentively to a storyteller.

Group Photo of all participants. Teamwork through various activities.

PUTTING AN END TO
SUFFERING
Nalanda Institute, a leading Buddhist organization in Malaysia, recently organized a conference
on July 1 called Wacana 2017 with the theme “The Buddha Word – Discovering the Essential”.
This is very relevant because many Buddhists today are confused by the myriad forms of
Buddhist traditions and this resulted in many not knowing the Buddha’s fundamental teachings
and the purpose of these teachings. In fact, many people do not know where to start studying
the Buddha’s teachings.

In the Foreword to Bhikkhu Bodhi’s book, “In the Buddha’s Words” (Wisdom, 2005), His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama says that the Pāḷi Canon “is one of the earliest of these written
records and the only complete early version that has survived intact. Within the Pāḷi Canon, the
texts known as the Nikāyas have the special value of being a single cohesive collection of the
Buddha’s teachings in his own words. They are valuable for reinvigorating and clarifying the
understanding of many fundamental Buddhist doctrines. It provides the basis for all subsequent
Buddhist literature…” Thus, it is vital that we should all study the scriptures in the Pāḷi Canon as
our initial stage in understanding the Buddha’s teachings, irrespective of whichever Buddhist
tradition we may follow.

The Pāḷi Canon contains teachings which are consistent with subsequent doctrines in both
the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions. These teachings include the Four Noble Truths, Three
Marks of Existence, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and the Four Sublime States of Loving
Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity.

However, the Buddha was no mere philosopher. He had a clear purpose why he taught his
teachings for 45 years to the people in India. The purpose of the Buddha was ambitious: he
wanted to demonstrate that all living beings experience suffering in one form or the other, but
that there is a cure for it which he has found. The Buddha’s diagnosis of the human predicament
is fundamentally correct, and its prescription is deeply valid and urgently important. It is
reasonable to claim that Buddhism, with its focus on suffering, addresses critical aspects of the
human predicament. It is also reasonable to suggest that the prescription that it offers may be
applicable and useful to resolve that predicament.

The prescription is called the Noble Eight-fold Path. It is a prescription that ends our suffering.
Buddhism is not all about suffering – it is all about how we put an end to our suffering. So if we
put it in a positive angle, it becomes a means for us to find true happiness. Now, who doesn’t
want real happiness?
CONTENTS ISSUE NO.53
SEPTEMBER 2017

04 14 22 29

04 LEAD ARTICLE 25 What Is Zen?

7 Ways Meditation Can Change By Prof. Masunaga Reiho
your Brain
By Dr Alice G Walton 29 Are You Spiritual But Not
Religious?
07 FEATURE By Melvin McLeod
Buddhism And Business: The
Path To Enlightened Success 34 Permaculture: A Buddhist
By Chokdee Rutisari Approach To The
Environmental Crisis
09 FACE TO FACE By Sergio León Candia
Bringing the Dharma to Youths
By Venerable Chang Zao 39 Dealing With Difficult People
BySteve Pavlina
14 The Future For Buddhism
In Malaysia 42 Mindfulness Minus Mettā Is
By Vijaya Samarawickrama Boring
By Venerable Bhikkhu T. Seelananda
18 For The Good Of The Many:
Some Reflections By Venerable 44 Buddhist Advice For Ruling A
Wei Wu On His 25 Years Of Kingdom
ByVenerable Thubten Nyima
Monkhood
By Zhang Jian Xin
48 FORUM
22 TEACHINGS Making Sense Of Sense Desires
Similes Of The Raft And The In Lay Practice
By Venerable Āyasmā
Snake-Catcher
Aggacitta, Venerable Ming
By Venerable Dr H.
Wei & Geshe Dadul Namgyal
Gunaratana Maha Thera
34 44

......................................................................
SEPTEMBER 2017 ISSUE NO. 53 (Published 3 times a year)

54 NEWS EASTERN HORIZON PUBLICATION BOARD

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58 BOOKS IN BRIEF

EASTERN HORIZON is a publication of the Young Buddhist

63 DHARMA AFTERMATH Association of Malaysia (YBAM). A non-profit making
Sights that can’t be hidden project, this journal is non-sectarian in its views and
approach. We aim to inspire, stimulate and share.
by Rasika Quek
The opinions expressed in EASTERN HORIZON are
those of the authors and in no way represent those of
the editor or YBAM. Although every care is taken with
advertising matter, no responsibility can be accepted for
the organizations, products, services, and other matter
advertised.

We welcome constructive ideas, invite fresh perspectives

and accept comments. Please direct your comments or
enquiries to:

The Editor
EASTERN HORIZON
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4 EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE
7 WAYS
MEDITATION CAN
ACTUALLY CHANGE
THE BRAIN
By Dr Alice G. Walton
Alice G. Walton is a health and
science writer in New York City,
with a doctorate in Biopsychology
and Behavioral Neuroscience. She
writes for Forbes, the University
of Chicago, and YogaGlo, and
has written for The Atlantic
and the American Psychological
Association in the past. Her first
love is the brain and behavior,
but she covers a wide range
of health and mental health
topics in her work. Contact her
at alicegwalton@gmail.com.
The meditation-and-the-brain
research has been rolling in
steadily for a number of years
now, with new studies coming out
just about every week to illustrate
some new benefit of meditation.
Or, rather, some ancient benefit
that is just now being confirmed
with fMRI or EEG. The practice
appears to have an amazing variety
of neurological benefits – from
changes in grey matter volume
to reduced activity in the “me”
centers of the brain to enhanced
connectivity between brain regions.
Below are some of the most exciting
studies to come out in the last few
years and show that meditation
really does produce measurable
changes in our most important
organ. Skeptics, of course, may ask
what good are a few brain changes
if the psychological effects aren’t
simultaneously being illustrated?
Luckily, there’s good evidence for
those as well, with studies reporting
that meditation helps relieve
our subjective levels of anxiety
and depression, and improve
attention, concentration, and overall
psychological well-being.
Meditation Helps Preserve
the Aging Brain
A study in 2015 from UCLA found
that long-term meditators had
better-preserved brains than
non-meditators as they aged.
Participants who’d been meditating
for an average of 20 years had more
grey matter volume throughout the
brain — although older meditators
still had some volume loss
compared to younger meditators,
it wasn’t as pronounced as the
non-meditators. “We expected
rather small and distinct effects
located in some of the regions that
had previously been associated
with meditating,” said study author
Florian Kurth. “Instead, what we
actually observed was a widespread
effect of meditation that
encompassed regions throughout
the entire brain.”
Meditation Reduces Activity
in the Brain’s “Me Center”
One of the most interesting
studies in the last few years,
carried out at Yale University,
found that mindfulness meditation
decreases activity in the default
mode network (DMN), the brain
network responsible for mind-
wandering and self-referential
thoughts – a.k.a., “monkey mind.”
The DMN is “on” or active when
we’re not thinking about anything
in particular, when our minds are

just wandering from thought to
thought. Since mind-wandering is
typically associated with being less
happy, ruminating, and worrying
about the past and future, it’s the
goal for many people to dial it
down. Several studies have shown
that meditation, though its quieting
effect on the DMN, appears to do
just this. And even when the mind
does start to wander, because of
the new connections that form,
meditators are better at snapping
back out of it.
Its Effects Rival
Antidepressants for
Depression, Anxiety
A review study in 2014 at Johns
Hopkins looked at the relationship
between mindfulness meditation
and its ability to reduce symptoms
of depression, anxiety, and pain.
Researcher Madhav Goyal and his
team found that the effect size of
meditation was moderate, at 0.3. If
this sounds low, keep in mind that
the effect size for antidepressants
is also 0.3, which makes the
effect of meditation sound pretty
good. Meditation is, after all an
active form of brain training. “A
lot of people have this idea that
meditation means sitting down
and doing nothing,” says Goyal.
“But that’s not true. Meditation is
an active training of the mind to
increase awareness, and different
meditation programs approach this
in different ways.” Meditation isn’t
a magic bullet for depression, as no
treatment is, but it’s one of the tools
that may help manage symptoms.
Meditation May Lead to
Volume Changes in Key
Areas of the Brain
In 2011, Sara Lazar and her team
at Harvard found that mindfulness
meditation can actually change
the structure of the brain: Eight
weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction (MBSR) was found
to increase cortical thickness in
the hippocampus, which governs
learning and memory, and in
certain areas of the brain that play
roles in emotion regulation and
self-referential processing. There
were also decreases in brain cell
volume in the amygdala, which is
responsible for fear, anxiety, and
stress – and these changes matched
the participants’ self-reports of
their stress levels, indicating that
meditation not only changes the
brain, but it changes our subjective
perception and feelings as well. In
fact, a follow-up  study by Lazar’s
team found that after meditation
training, changes in brain areas
linked to mood and arousal were
also linked to improvements in how
participants said they felt — i.e.,
their psychological well-being. So
for anyone who says that activated
blobs in the brain don’t necessarily
mean anything, our subjective
experience – improved mood and
well-being – does indeed seem to be
shifted through meditation as well.
LEAD ARTICLE | EASTERN HORIZON 5
Just a Few Days of Training
Improves Concentration
and Attention 
Having problems concentrating
isn’t just a kid thing – it affects
millions of grown-ups as well,
with an ADD diagnosis or not.
Interestingly but not surprisingly,
one of the central benefits of
meditation is that it improves
attention and concentration:
One recent study found that just
a couple of weeks of meditation
training helped people’s focus
and memory during the verbal
reasoning section of the GRE. In
fact, the increase in score was
equivalent to 16 percentile points,
which is nothing to sneeze at. Since
the strong focus of attention (on an
object, idea, or activity) is one of
the central aims of meditation, it’s
not so surprising that meditation
should help people’s cognitive skills
on the job, too – but it’s nice to have
science confirm it. And everyone
can use a little extra assistance on
standardized tests.
Meditation Reduces Anxiety
— and Social Anxiety
A lot of people start meditating
for its benefits in stress reduction,
and there’s lots of good evidence
to support this rationale. There’s
a whole newer sub-genre of
meditation, mentioned earlier,
called Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction (MBSR), developed by
Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University
of Massachusetts’ Center for
6 EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE
Mindfulness (now available all
over the country), that aims to
reduce a person’s stress level,
physically and mentally. Studies
have shown its benefits in reducing
anxiety, even years after the initial
8-week course. Research has also
shown that mindfulness meditation,
in contrast to attending to the
breath only, can reduce anxiety –
and that these changes seem to
be mediated through the brain
regions associated with those
self-referential (“me-centered”)
thoughts. Mindfulness meditation
has also been shown to help people
with social anxiety disorder: a
Stanford University team found that
MBSR brought about changes in
brain regions involved in attention,
as well as relief from symptoms of
social anxiety.
 
Meditation Can Help with
Addiction
A growing number of studies has  additional stress and trauma
shown that, given its effects on the
self-control regions of the brain,
meditation can be very effective in
helping people recover from various
types of addiction. One study,
for example, pitted mindfulness
training against the American
Lung Association’s freedom from
smoking (FFS) program, and
found that people who learned
mindfulness were many times
more likely to have quit smoking
by the end of the training, and at
17 weeks follow-up, than those in
the conventional treatment. This
may be because meditation helps
people “decouple” the state of
craving from the act of smoking,
so the one doesn’t always have to
lead to the other, but rather you
fully experience and ride out the
“wave” of craving, until it passes.
Other research has found that
mindfulness training, mindfulness-
based cognitive therapy (MBCT),
and mindfulness-based relapse
prevention (MBRP) can be helpful
in treating other forms of addiction.
 
Short Meditation Breaks
Can Help Kids in School
For developing brains, meditation
has as much as or perhaps even
more promise than it has for
adults. There’s been increasing
interest from educators and
researches in bringing meditation
and yoga to school kids, who are
dealing with the usual stressors
inside school, and oftentimes
outside school. Some schools have
starting implementing meditation
into their daily schedules, and
with good effect: One district in
San Francisco started a twice
daily meditation program in some
of its high-risk schools – and
saw suspensions decrease, and
GPAs and attendance increase.  Walton for giving us permission to
Studies have confirmed the
cognitive and emotional benefits
of meditation for schoolchildren,
but more work will probably need
to be done before it gains more
widespread acceptance.
Worth a Try?
Meditation is not a panacea,
but there’s certainly a lot of
evidence that it may do some
good for those who practice it
regularly. Everyone from Anderson
Cooper and congressman Tim
Ryan to companies like Google
and Apple and and Target are
integrating meditation into their
schedules. And its benefits seem
to be felt after a relatively
short amount of practice. Some
researchers have cautioned that
meditation can lead to ill effects
under certain circumstances
(known as the “dark night”
phenomenon), but for most people
– especially if you have a good
teacher – meditation is beneficial,
rather than harmful. It’s certainly
worth a shot: If you have a few
minutes in the morning or evening
(or both), rather than turning on
your phone or going online, see
what happens if you try quieting
down your mind, or at least paying
attention to your thoughts and
letting them go without reacting to
them. If the research is right, just
a few minutes of meditation may
make a big difference.
Eastern Horizon thanks Dr Alice
reprint this article.
Source: Forbes magazine, Feb 9,
2015, https://www.forbes.com/
sites/alicegwalton/  EH

BUDDHISM AND
BUSINESS: THE PATH TO
ENLIGHTENED SUCCESS
By Chokdee Rutirasiri
As the founder of Story+Structure,
CEO Chokdee Rutirasiri has
been designing human-centered
solutions for the private and
public sectors since 1995. He’s
led projects resulting in new
user experiences for the web and
mobile, workflow automation,
user interfaces, and information
architecture. Prior to founding
Story+Structure, Chokdee worked
in Higher Education designing
solutions for the University
of Massachusetts Boston,
Massachusetts College of Art
+ Design, and Worcester State
University. Chokdee graduated
with a Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration (BSBA)
from Boston University, USA
FEATURES | EASTERN HORIZON 7
For most corporate executives, there is a constant, underlying
concern that you’re never another organization’s top priority,
whether that company is a vendor or a business partner. Do they
really have my best intentions at heart? Will they really work hard
and do the right things to make my company successful? How do I
know that they will work in the moment to achieve promise for my
company now as well as in the future?
All of these questions are easily answered if the person you are
working with happens to follow the simple Buddhist teachings of the
Eightfold Path. And on the flip side, following those teachings helps
your business to succeed.
At the heart of Buddhist traditions and teachings lies the Eightfold
Path. It has eight elements: Right View, Right Intention, Right Action,
Right Speech, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and
Right Concentration. I consider it to be a nonlinear guide to areas of
exploration and practice that can lead to a greater understanding of
the world around you. By nonlinear, I mean that you don’t have to
master one of the elements before taking on another. For instance,
Right Mindfulness and Right Intention go into all parts of the path;
they intertwine and intersect to create a clearer picture of reality
and how to flourish within it.
As both a Buddhist and a CEO, I have been guided by these teachings
not only in my spiritual life, but in my professional life as well. I
have applied three of the eight tenets to my dealings with customers
and employees and the management of my human-centered
design firm: Right Intention, Right Action and Right Mindfulness. I
believe they can help any executive face the challenges and choices
encountered in the corporate world. Understood and used correctly,
they provide valuable tools to help us navigate the path to business
enlightenment.
8 EASTERN HORIZON | FEATURES

Right Intention
When I first explain to people what my company does, they always ask, what exactly is
“human-centered design”? I answer that we listen to people’s business problems and
then try to come up with solutions that they can easily and intuitively implement, but
also, we incorporate the Right Intention teaching in our core company values, and it is
reflected in the solutions we develop.

For example, if I look inside myself and see that greed is a factor in a solution we are
developing, I eliminate it immediately. Greed only leads to suffering, and suffering
is something that Buddhists vehemently reject. I always focus on ensuring that my
intentions in business are pure and centered on helping my clients achieve only the best
for their business, because in the end that is the best for both of us.

Right Action
After intentions come actions. You must evaluate how your actions help or harm. The
more wholesome your intentions are, the more sincere your actions will be. I always aim
my work at being skillful, helpful, and best directed to improving the client’s return on
investment. A client’s suffering is my suffering, so I make sure to prevent it as much as
possible. To practice improving your actions, you need to develop an awareness of ethics
and then use good judgment to ensure that your actions will not bring harm or suffering
to your client (and your business).

Right Mindfulness
Mindfulness is easily summarized as paying attention. That sounds easy enough, but in
today’s fast-paced, meetings-scheduled-months-in-advance world, staying present in the
moment is very hard. In business, you need to focus on what’s happening now, not what
will happen in the future. Granted, you need to invest thought in foreseeable problems,
upcoming major presentations, and the like, but that should not prevent you from taking
time to really go over what you can accomplish today. Now. Tomorrow will come, but you
will never get yesterday back. Make sure you use every moment to its fullest and invest
your time wisely.

Focusing on these three tenets of the Eightfold Path will lead one’s company to absolute
enlightenment – where enlightenment equals incredible ROI, great client relations,
and more. I’m not advocating converting to Buddhism, but I do suggest you convert to
practicing Buddhism in business, as it will lead to greater rewards both spiritual and
financial. EH

Venerable Chang Zao graduated from
the National University of Malaysia, KL
Campus and later pursued her Buddhist
studies at Dharma Drum Sangha
University, Taiwan, in 2007. She was
ordained as a Buddhist nun in the Chinese
Mahāyāna tradition and learned Chan
meditation under Master Sheng Yen, a key
figure in the revival of modern Chinese
Chan Buddhism. Upon graduation from
Dharma Drum Sangha University, she was
appointed as a lecturer and advisor for a
number of faculties at Public Education
Center of Dharma Drum Mountain Taiwan.
She had supervised the development of
dharma syllabus and course planning.
She was also advisor for Dharma Drum
Mountain Singapore and Dharma Drum
Mountain Thailand. Currently, she
conducts meditation classes, retreats,
religious services, dharma classes and
inter-varsity Buddhist camps in Malaysia.
She is currently Director of Dharma Drum
Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia. She
consented to being interviewed by Benny
Liow of Eastern Horizon on how she came
to Buddhism and her main activities to
propagate the Buddha Dharma to young
people.
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 9
BRINGING
THE DHARMA
TO YOUTHS
By Venerable Chang Zao
Benny: Can you tell us when and how you became interested
in the Buddha Dharma?
Chang Zao: I started learning Buddhism in university. I did my
undergraduate studies in the National University of Malaysia, KL
Campus. It was a small campus with few students. There were not
many activities in which Chinese students can participate and not
many societies to join. As there was a Buddhist society, I decided
to join my friends to become a member. However, most of the time
I was having fun instead of seriously learning about Buddhism. I
would doze off or day dream during Buddhist lectures. At times,
I thought the Buddhadharma was quite good and meaningful,
and so I started to have some interest in it. But because the
Buddhadharma has not been assimilated into my life, it was mere
curiosity at that time. I still did not realize that the Buddhadharma
could solve our problems and transform our lives.
After I graduated and started working, I had many doubts about
life but I didn’t think the Buddhadharma had the answers. I
participated in personal development programs to discover
myself and to search for spiritual meaning and growth. I
embarked on a career which provided me opportunities for
tremendous growth but I soon realized that life’s predicaments
10 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
and vexations do not cease. I often wondered, “Is there
a method to fundamentally stop these problems and
vexations at their roots, instead of having to solve each
one every time it appears?” Then I recalled the words
often mentioned by a senior at the Buddhist Society in
university that “Buddhadharma is the only way to solve
problems we encounter in life.” I was taken in by the
saying but did not know how Buddhadharma could help
us. As a result, I started to seek answers to my questions
by seriously studying the Buddhadharma. Eventually
I understood and experienced how Buddhadharma
can transform lives. This is when I realized that while
problems remain in the external world, our internal
world can be calm and peaceful. This is what is meant
by the saying “The environment remains the same,
but our mind is no longer the same.” Since then, I have
devoted myself to studying the Buddhadharma not just
to advance my knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings
but to apply them in my daily life as part of my spiritual
practice.
What inspired you to become a nun, especially in
the Dharma Drum lineage?
Due to my earlier spiritual experiences, I started to
contemplate on the meaning of life. As human life is very
precious, I decided to focus only on what really matters.
I realized that it involves two aspects: cultivating my
own personal spiritual growth and working towards
benefitting others. Following from this decision, I made a
commitment to join the monastic order.
I knew about Dharma Drum Mountain after learning
Buddhadharma for six years. My first experience
was a 5-day Chan retreat which came as a great
shock to me! Throughout my six years of learning the
Buddhadharma, I had nurtured ideas about spreading
the Buddhadharma, what to do as an individual, and
the direction an organization should take. But I did
not expect that such methodology was already well
practiced in a Buddhist organization. My ideal resonated
with the vision and mission of DDM. I felt I have finally
found my way home.
The ideal of Dharma Drum Mountain is to benefit not
only Buddhists, but the overall society with engaging
and pragmatic applications of the Buddhadharma.
Venerable Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum
Mountain, taught the Buddhadharma in a practical and
concise way, which also led us to understand life’s deep
insights. Without any hesitation, I decided to become
ordained in Dharma Drum Mountain so as to follow the
footstep of this great master who has such broad insight
and great breadth of mind full of vow and compassion.
You have been trained to develop the syllabus for
Buddhist education. What are the core elements of a
good Buddhist syllabus?
Since the time of the Buddha until now, Lord Buddha
and his numerous virtuous and learned venerable nuns
and monks all share a common objective, which is to
lead the people to learn, practice, and experience the
Buddhadharma so that they can eliminate suffering and
find true happiness. We are indeed blessed to be born
at a time where we can still benefit from the teachings
the venerable nuns and monks have passed down to us
more than 2000 years ago. However, what nobody can
do for us is to apply such gems in our lives as we have to
do it ourselves.

Therefore, in the education of disciples, our core
purpose is to teach the application of Buddhadharma
and the method for practice. It is not the Buddha’s
intention for his teachings to remain as a theory purely
for intellectual discussions because it will not destroy
vexations or bring us happiness. It is only through
practice that the gems in the Buddhist scriptures (Tri-
pitaka) will be transmitted to us.
How do you bring the message of the Buddha to
university students?
In this era of advanced information technology,
university students do not lack the means to obtain
information, including what the Buddha has taught.
What they lack is the skill to cultivate a peaceful mind
and body, and the right understanding of the real
meaning or purpose of life.
Therefore, when organizing activities for university
students, we try to share the Buddhadharma in a way
that responds appropriately to what they need in life.
With a combination of study and practice, especially
Chan meditation, the students will realize that they can
master their unruly minds to maintain inner peace and
joy amidst the constantly changing surroundings.
They must have the right motivation to learn about the
Buddhadharma through systematic lectures so that they
can build a strong foundation. But the purpose is not
just to memorize Buddhist terminologies and teachings.
All the studies must be accompanied by practice in daily
life. Then the Buddhadharma will be able to help human
beings resolve their vexations and find happiness.
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 11
What about primary school students, especially
those in their early teens?
For primary school students, we design suitable games
to help them build positive habits and nurture caring
thoughts for others. Positive habits refer to the cause
and effect concept of encouraging good deeds and
abstaining from bad deeds. These are the precepts in
Buddhadharma that act as a protection net for others as
well as ourselves from being harmed. To always care for
others is to practice the spirit of the Bodhisattva path.
Through this practice, we help sow the seeds of loving
kindness in them.
Activities are usually designed based on Master Sheng
Yen’s “Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance Campaign” and
“The Six Ethics of Mind” to convey the idea and methods
of “Protecting the spiritual environment”.
The Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance campaign is as
follows:
Four Fields for Cultivating Peace: A Proposition for
Uplifting the Character of Humanity
Cultivating a peaceful mind lies in reducing desires
• Cultivating a peaceful body lies in hard work and
thrift
• Cultivating a peaceful family lies in love and respect
• Cultivating peaceful activity lies in being honest and
upright
12 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
Four Guidelines for Dealing with Desires: A
Proposition for Living a Carefree Life
Our needs are few
• Our wants are many
• Pursue only what you can and should acquire
• Never pursue what you can’t and shouldn’t acquire
Four Steps for Handling a Problem: A Proposition
for Resolving the Difficulties of Life
• Face it: face the difficulty squarely
• Accept it: accept the reality of the difficulty
• Deal with it: deal with the difficulty with wisdom
and compassion
• Let it go: afterwards, let go of it
Four Practices for Helping Oneself and Others: A
Proposition for Getting Along with Others
• Feeling grateful for the chance to develop
• Feeling thankful for the opportunity to hone your
practice
• Reforming yourself through the Dharma
• Influencing others through virtuous action
Four Ways to Cultivate Blessings: A Proposition for
Increasing Blessings
• Recognizing blessings is the greatest happiness
• Cherishing blessings is the best way of saving
• Nurturing blessings, and you’ll always be blessed
• Sowing the seeds of blessings that blessings may be
shared by all
The Six Ethics of the Mind include Family Ethics,
Living Ethics, School Ethics, Environmental Ethics,
Workplace Ethics and Ethics between Ethnic Groups
with “Protecting the Spiritual Environment” as its core
principle.
What is the most effective way to introduce
meditation to primary school children?
Dharma Drum Mountain has developed a set of easy-
to-learn exercises that can be practiced easily by young
children and at any time. It is called the Eight- Form
Moving Meditation technique which can be performed
whether walking, standing, sitting, or reclining. This
method incorporates the essence of Chan meditation
into a series of simple physical exercises. In addition
to physical exercises, practice of the Eight Forms helps
one to relax the body and mind so that we develop a
healthy body and a balanced mind. This is a very good
way for beginners to experience meditation and it
helps the body and mind to relax. This method can be
considered an introductory practice for primary school
children which allows them to be familiar with the basic
principles of meditation. After this, we will guide them
to sitting meditation.
The internet is a source of information as well
as misinformation on Buddhism for many young
people. Are there guidelines on how Buddhists
should filter true dharma from false dharma on the
internet?
There is no denying that the internet is an important
source of information in the world today. As it contains
information that is both true and false, wholesome
and unwholesome, it is important for us to be mindful
about its nature, and also to realize that it is addictive

whereby one can be easily engulfed by it. In actual fact
the internet is a virtual world. Our right focus should
be our real world – our lives which pass us by every
second. When young people understand this, they will
not be misled by information on the internet and be a
slave to it.
As human life is very precious, it is important young
people learn how to live it meaningfully. When they
understand this principle, they will depend less on
virtual information found on the internet but focus
more on their real lives. They can observe the daily
functions of body and mind which is always changing.
In this way, they experience the core principles of the
Buddhadharma. But if there are useful information on
the internet that can help them reduce their vexations
and liberate their minds, then it is worth following.
Many young Buddhists are not familiar with
Buddhist monks and nuns and feel uncomfortable
in their presence. What is the best way to develop
a beneficial and effective monastic-lay relationship
amongst young people?
This is mainly due to a lack of understanding of the
lives and roles of monastics by young Buddhists. They
think that monastics are different from ordinary people
and thus do not know how to relate to them. But
with proper explanations, they will understand that
monastics are also human beings who have dedicated
their lives to achieve liberation by practicing the
Buddhadharma. In learning from the monastics, young
Buddhists can also strive for liberation and devote their
lives to practice the methods taught by the Buddha to
realize true happiness.
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 13
As a monastic, we strive to detach ourselves from
others by living a simple and basic life style. But yet as
we strive for liberation, we also connect with others by
sharing with them our aim in life. Such relationship is
spiritually very close even though it may appear distant.
With proper explanation of our purpose in life, youths
will understand the spiritual affinity with the monastics
and begin to take an positive interest in us. Over time,
we can teach them how to achieve liberation from the
vexations in their lives.
From your experience how do you create fun in
Buddhism for young people so that they are keen
to come back for more Buddhadharma in the long
term?
Firstly, we should explain to them what is orthodox
Buddhism. It is not superstitions, blind belief, or mere
worshipping. It is the wisdom of life that leads us to
fundamental happiness. Whilst we do not want to preach,
personally I do not think we should be too playful so as
to avoid debasing Buddhist teachings. Activities can be
designed to be playful and fun, but the content should
be imbued with Buddhadharma. Designed properly,
everyone should be able to learn some practical wisdom
of life after attending our activities.
To sustain lasting motivation for learning and practicing
Buddhadharma, activities should contain the following
characteristics: interesting and engaging, relevant to
their deeper feelings, leading to a wider horizon of good
thoughts, ability to shed light on life’s predicament, and
able to calm and bring joy to the body and mind.
@Translated by Wong Pui Wah EH
14 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
Vijaya Samarawickrama is a prominent
Buddhist leader and lecturer on
Buddhism. He gives more than 100 talks
in Universities, schools and Buddhist
centers each year over the last five
decades, both locally and overseas.
Besides being the Patron of the Sasana
Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society, Kuala
Lumpur, he is also the chairman of the
Nalanda Education Team (N.E.T). He
has represented Malaysia in numerous
Buddhist conventions and conferences,
both locally and abroad.
Besides having assisted the late Ven K
Sri Dhammananda in writing his books,
Vijaya has also authored more than
a dozen booklets of which more than
150,000 copies have been distributed
world- wide. Some have been translated
into Indonesian, Sinhala and Mandarin. He
is the Secretary to the Board of Trustees of
the K Sri Dhammananda Charitable Trust
Fund.
He is currently a lecturer in Drama and
Theatre, Public Speaking, and World
Religions at Taylor’s University American
Degree Program. He has on record one of
the longest serving educators in Malaysia,
having served the teaching profession for
60 years since 1957.
Benny Liow of Eastern Horizon interviewed
Uncle Vijaya as he is popularly known and
excerpts of the interview is as follows.
THE FUTURE
FOR BUDDHISM
IN MALAYSIA
By Vijaya Samarawickrama
Benny: You are an icon among the English-speaking
Theravada Buddhist community in Malaysia but not many
people knew how long you have been a Dharma missioner.
Could you share with us how you first became interested in
Buddhism and what inspired you to continue untiringly your
mission to spread the Dharma till today?
Vijaya: To begin with I hardly see myself as an icon of any kind.
All I can say is that a few benign opportunities came my way and
I was able to use them to share my passion for the dharma with
fellow Buddhists. I feel that if I had been born elsewhere than
in Malaysia or in a different time I might not have had the same
good fortune to share the dharma. For this opportunity I am
grateful. I think that my first chance to share the Buddhadharma
came in 1958 when I was an 18 year old teacher trainee in
Kirkby, Liverpool. I was invited by a Christian prayer group
to share my (very limited!) knowledge with them. The only
reference I had was a Penguin edition of a book by Christmas
Humphreys but I managed to talk for an hour on the Four Noble
Truths. I did not stay long enough to discover if anyone had been
converted.

How did you become interested in Buddhism?
Well, being Sinhalese I come from a family that had
been Buddhist for generations and my foster parents
(an aunt and uncle) passed on their undiluted fervor to
me. But my greatest opportunity came when I started
to teach in Klang (in 1968) and began to frequent the
Buddhist Mahavihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
During these visits I renewed my association with our
late Chief, Venerable K Sri Dhammananda. I had known
him since 1952 but had not really got close to him. But
since 1968 he would ask me to write letters for him
and also edit his articles. Then he would make me give
little talks in his presence and little by little I gained
the confidence to speak on my own but for a long time
I would get all my talks vetted by him to ensure that I
did not misrepresent the teaching of the Blessed One.
He was a hard taskmaster. I remember many occasions
when he would raise his voice in mock anger and
say, “Huh? Where you heard that? What nonsense!”
He would even interrupt when I was addressing an
audience! It really taught me humility. This mentorship
lasted until Chief passed away in 2006.
What has inspired you to have continued until today?
Well, I must confess that there is an element of ego
here. Given the fact that I have been a teacher for 60
years and that my academic training is in Drama and
Theater, I have always enjoyed engaging with audiences
and their feedback has encouraged me to constantly
do research to remain relevant. And of course fellow
Buddhists have been so kind and considerate that I feel
motivated to do my best for them in return.
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 15
Who were your main Dharma teachers in the early
days, and now, and what’s unique about them?
I think I can honestly say that I only had one Dharma
teacher and that was the late Chief Reverend. I not
only learned at his feet (literally, he would lie on his
couch and I would sit on the floor), but I learned an
enormous amount while editing his numerous books.
You see, when you edit a book you do not just skim
the pages, you read very critically, and when you are
in doubt you go back to the writer for clarification. For
example I read his Dhammapada 16 times when it was
being prepared! And I helped to edit What Buddhists
Believe over eight different revisions. You learn a lot
this way. Besides Chief I also learned by listening to
well- known Dhamma speakers like Ven H. Gunaratana,
Ven Dr Punnaji, and Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi. I also learned
a lot by reading the great writers, chief among whom
I will mention Ven Sangharakshita whose book A
Survey of Buddhism I have read more than twenty
times (no exaggeration!). I do not always agree with his
acidic criticism of the Hinayāna, but his encyclopaedic
knowledge of Buddhism and his clarity of thought
cannot be rivalled. I always discover something new
when I go back to him.
What were some of the significant changes, both
positive and negative, you have seen over the
decades among the Buddhists in Malaysia?
Positively I have seen a greater sense of cohesiveness
(or at least, an admission that such cohesiveness is
necessary) among the different groups of people who
accept the teachings of the Buddha in their myriad
16 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
forms. Also I see (arguably) the emergence of a distinct
form of Buddhist practice which is uniquely Malaysian.
The members of the Malaysian Buddhist community are
very comfortable when they interact with each other, no
matter what the occasion. I do not think we can see this
free and comfortable coming together of the different
yanās elsewhere (except maybe Singapore ) not only
for ceremonial purposes but to offer material help as
well, as for example during fundraising and charity
drives. I do not think we can see members of the saṅgha
meeting and sitting together with no sense of separation
anywhere else. Buddhist activities are increasing and we
see more Buddhist youths coming forward. We even see
more highly academically qualified Malaysian men and
women entering the saṅgha so that they understand the
Malaysian perspective and work towards serving the
Malaysian public.
Negatively, I feel that Malaysian Buddhists seem to be
unconcerned or unwilling to make a stand about the
various socio-political and demographic challenges
which are looming in front of us: the misrepresentation
of Buddhism, the onslaught of proselytization, the
hostile attitude of bureaucrats, and the general decline
of interest in spiritual matters. If we do not wake up
to these challenges and do something about it quick,
it may be too late and future generations may blame
us for having neglected our responsibility. We should
understand that ‘noble silence’ does not mean ‘look the
other way’.
Is your negative assessment of Buddhism in
Malaysia reflected in the fact that the population of
Buddhists have been declining over the years?
If we are concerned about statistics and of Buddhism as
an institution, about taking a stand at real or perceived
injustices which can be overcome only when we are a
force to be reckoned with, then certainly this is a wake-
up call. Philosophically however we can say that we
may be opting for a smaller number but better quality
of Buddhists who know that they are practicing the
Dharma and why they doing so. After all, numbers is
not what we are necessarily about. At the end of the
day we should find solace in the truth that the Dharma
knows how to look after itself.
Yet Buddhist groups have mushroomed over the
years in most cities, and Sunday Dharma Schools
in the Klang Valley are not able to take in all the
students who wish to enrol. Isn’t this a positive sign?
There could be two reasons for this. First, young
parents are becoming aware of the need to ground
their children in the dharma because they value the
teachings. This is good. On the other hand this could be
the reaction to the belligerent tactics used by members
of other religions to seek converts, with parents seeing
a Buddhist education as a protection against this trend.
Again it could be a sign of the times when minority
groups feel the necessity to associate their ethnicity
with religion. Thus enrolling in a Buddhist school will
ensure that their children recognize and remain loyal
to their cultural roots. In short higher enrolments can
be viewed positively (for the right reason) or negatively
(for the wrong reason).

The Saṅgha is the third Gem for Buddhists. If we
look at the Theravāda tradition, we do not see a
unified Theravāda Saṅgha in Malaysia. What’s your
reflection on this matter and are you concerned
about it?
In all honesty, I have to say that I am truly concerned.
We are at that point of our history when for the first
time we have a sizeable number of home grown saṅgha
members who are Malaysians and this has happened
during a time when Malaysian Buddhists are facing
tremendous challenges, including the fact that our
numbers are decreasing. While lay people are doing
what they can I firmly believe that given the historical
and psychological importance of the saṅgha we need
their active leadership to promote the social and
communal aspects of Buddhism. Only in this way can
we promote the spiritual aspects among our followers.
If the saṅgha is not engaged, there is only so much the
laity can do. Our late chief once warned that if we spend
too much time meditating in the forests then, when
we open our eyes we will find that all our followers
have been stolen by the proselytizers! Look at what
happened in South Korea and India.
What do you wish to see the Theravāda Saṅgha do
more to promote Buddha Dharma in Malaysia?
Maybe they should organize themselves under one
leader and meet regularly to devise ways and means
to make Buddhism meaningful to the devotees. They
can bring our small community together by agreeing
to and promoting a common pūjā, and to advice lay
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 17
members on how to engage the Government in matters
pertaining to Theravāda Buddhism. By making their
presence known as a unified group they can emerge as
a magnet to draw devotees together. Being Malaysian
the saṅgha can provide a voice in the nation which
cannot be ignored. They can use the Indonesian model
which is not only workable, but effective.
You are conferred an “Achariya” title by Nalanda
Institute. Can you share with us what’s this title
is about and how does one get to receive such a
recognition?
Acharya simply means teacher and is nothing like Yang
Berhormat or His Holiness! It is a form of address
to express respect to those who serve Nalanda in an
educational capacity. You can become one too. Perhaps
it is more exotic than ‘Uncle Vijaya’ which is my more
common designation.
Please share with us three of your top wish list for
the Buddhist community in Malaysia in facing the
challenges of the future.
1. We must share common forms of Theravāda
Buddhist practices across the nation.
2. Our saṅgha must be more actively engaged in our
secular endeavors because that is how we can
promote Buddhism on a popular level. Of course,
they are doing a marvellous job on the spiritual level.
3. Our youths must be inspired to become practicing
Buddhists. EH
18 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

FOR THE GOOD OF THE MANY:

SOME REFLECTIONS
BY VENERABLE WEI
WU ON HIS 25 YEARS
OF MONKHOOD
By Zhang Jian Xin

Venerable Wei Wu, then known as Neoh Kah Thong, was ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Chinese Mahayana
tradition in 1992. Prior to his ordination he had studied at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, where he
graduated with a B.E. (Hons) in Electrical Engineering in 1973. He then worked with Hewlett Packard as a Quality
Manager before starting his own consultancy in 1987 to serve various multi-national companies including Hewlett
Packard, Procter and Gamble, Philips, Fiat, and Astec in Asia, Europe and America. Despite a successful career as an
entrepreneur, Venerable Wei Wu decided to renounce and dedicate his life for Buddhism. Beginning with Than Hsiang
Temple in Penang, Venerable Wei Wu established the Than Hsiang Foundation, Wan Ching Yuen Centres, Mitra Welfare
Centres, Kindergartens, Metta Free Clinic, and branches of Than Hsiang in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and
Perak. He has also established the Than Hsiang Klintiendharm Foundation in Thailand and the International Buddhist
College. All these achievements exhibit Ven. Wei Wu’s perseverance and wholeheartedness in promoting Buddhism
gradually and steadily. To commemorate his 25 years of monkhood, Ms Zhang Jian Xin of Kwong Wah Daily (光华日
报) interviewed him on 2 May 2017 which was published in the local Chinese newspaper on May 21, 2017. Eastern
Horizon thanks Venerable Wei Wu for allowing us to reprint this article in English.

Kwong Wah: May Shifu share some thoughts on your monastic life afterwards. Therefore, a good age-group for
25 years’ renunciation?  renunciation is between 25 to 30 years old.

Wei Wu: Looking back, I regret donning the robe a little
late. Although I have tried to do as much as I could
during these 25 years, age has become a limiting factor;
I was more energetic in my younger days. If I had
renounced earlier, I might have been able to contribute
more to Buddhism.
Shifu mentioned that you went to New Zealand for
further studies when you were young. It was only
there and then that you began to really understand
Buddhism and learn to become a vegetarian.
May Shifu share with us how did you reach out to
Dharma in a Western country?

Then, what is the most suitable age-group for
renunciation according to Shifu’s Opinion?
It is not appropriate to renounce either too young or
too old. One should think of renouncing only after one is
more matured by going through the ups and downs in
life. Contrarily, if one is quite old and used to a certain
life style already, one will face difficulty in adjusting to
During my stay at Canterbury University in New
Zealand, there were three Malaysian students who
subsequently donned the robe one after another. The
first one is Ven. Mahinda from Malacca. The second
one is Ven. Dhammajoti from Kuala Lumpur and I am
the last. Before renunciation, Ven. Dhammajoti had
met an English teacher. He invited me to join their
religious activities such as courses, meditation, and
 FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 19

chanting. This English teacher had come into contact

Receiving PhD degree honoris causa from Mahamakut Buddhist
University, Bangkok, 2013
with different traditions of Buddhism like Theravada,
Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism when he was in India.
Therefore, he was more flexible and open in thinking.
He was able to develop a method to propagate the
Dharma in the West. He became one of my early
teachers in Buddhism. My fundamental understanding
of the Dharma was built up during that period.
Later, local Buddhists in New Zealand influenced
me to practice vegetarian diet. To date I have been a
vegetarian for more than 40 years.

May Shifu share with us the inspiration gained in

New Zealand, known as the ‘Pureland of This World’? 

During my first year in New Zealand, I noticed some

local apple farmers placing baskets of apples at their
doors with empty bottles on the side. Nobody looked
after the baskets of apples. A buyer would simply put
money into the empty bottle and take away the basket
of apples by himself. This method of trading was built on
trust between men; it was really incredible for me then.
9th Convocation of IBC, 2016

What motivated Shifu’s decision to renounce at the

peak of your career?

When I started Than Hsiang Temple (with the help of

Students of Than Hsiang Kindergarten
other members), I realized that it was not appropriate
for a layman to run the Temple. I had been teaching
people around me to ‘FOCUS’ in doing our work.
Therefore, between career and Buddhism, I chose the
latter. As a consultant before leaving Hewlett Packard
and other clients, I found a suitable candidate who
would continue to serve them. Only after proper
arrangement, I sent in my resignations, bid farewell to
the worldly lifestyle, and joined the monastic life.

What is the motive of Shifu’s renunciation?

To repay the ‘four types of gratitude’, namely gratitude

to parents, all sentient beings, the nation, and the Triple
Gem or the Buddha.

Shifu has renounced for 25 years, what is your most

remarkable event?
Volunteer work at Than Hsiang
20 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
The most remarkable event is to have set up the
International Buddhist College (IBC) in Thailand with
limited resources. After 4 years of hardship, the first
batch of BA and MA students graduated on 20/8/2008.
This was a truly special milestone (for IBC)!
How did the name Than Hsiang Temple come about?
In 1990, we bought one acre of land from the Penang
Development Corporation to build a Buddhist
center. We need to give the center a temple name.
Coincidentally, Gelek Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama, was in
Penang, so we sought his advice to name the temple. As
he had been living in the United States and didn’t know
much Chinese language, he suggested an appealing
name, “Temple of Fragrance of Sandalwood”, which
when translated means “Than Hsiang Temple” in
Chinese.
What is the mission of Than Hsiang Temple?
We base our mission on four convictions to promote
Buddhist education, welfare, and cultivation activities.
They are “for the young to learn, the strong and healthy
to serve, the aged and sick to be cared for, and, the
departed to find spiritual destination”.
Can Shifu share with us your stages of life during
these 25years?
The first stage is “Foundation Laying”. When I was a
manager cum consultant of multinational companies,
I had many staff to help me carry out my work.
When I established a Buddhist organization, I had
only volunteers. I faced a great change in terms of
management style and the process was incredibly
tough. The second stage is “Firm Establishment
in Penang and Expansion in Malaysia”. We formed
branches in Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, and Kedah.
The third stage is “Firm Establishment in Malaysia
and Expansion in ASEAN”. We successfully set up the
International Buddhist College in Thailand in 2005.
The fourth stage is “Firm Establishment in ASEAN and
Expansion in Asia”. We have planned to set up Than
Hsiang kindergarten, Wan Ching Yuen Old Folks Home
Centre and International Buddhist College in different
cities in various Asian countries. These units (either
directly run by Than Hsiang or in collaboration with
local Buddhist organizations) will undergo
transformation (to localize) and be run by local people.
Before you became a monk, you studied electrical
engineering in university, and later managed your
own management consultancy. How do experiences
in these fields help to influence your work after
your renunciation?
Buddhist organizations are generally not well managed.
The Total Quality Management which I am familiar
with is able to propagate Buddhism under more
organized and systematic conditions. Contrarily,
Dharma is needed in corporate management to create
a more ‘human focus’ working environment. My
booklet, “Total Quality Management and Dharma”, has
mentioned that the mutual coordination between Total
Quality Management and the Dharma will definitely
be able to create a more effective and conducive work
performance.
Recently, money games have become a hot topic.
What is Shifu’s opinion on this matter?
Money game is simply a fraud. It makes use of the
greed of ‘investors’ seeking for high returns and cheats
them of their hard earned money. Under the capitalist
system, company listing in share market is a good
concept. However in some listed companies under the
manipulation of some unscrupulous businessmen, it
has been turned into a legal fraud. These people could
join hands with some politicians. They first spread
false news about an expected hike in the share value
of their company. Many ordinary ignorant people will
be misled into buying the said shares. Initially the big
shareholders will create the false impression that the
company’s profit is increasing steadily. Having ‘hooked
the small fishes’, they will dump their shares to trigger
a plunge in the share price, thus gaining huge profits at
the expense of heavy losses from small shareholders.
People nowadays would like to get rich quick. From
the Buddhist point of view, is there any short cut to
get rich?

Money games manage to exploit the human weakness
of greed. Everybody wants to get rich quick. However,
Buddhism believes in ‘cause’ and ‘effect’. Working hard
to earn money is the ‘cause’. Obtaining the money you
have worked for is the ‘effect’. So, how can one reap
good results without putting in effort?
How does faith influence a person?
Religious faith is extremely important to mankind,
especially when one has to make an important decision,
or when one’s life is ending. It can become a kind of
spiritual support, helping one to lessen anxiety and fear,
and face death calmly.
Please talk about the Buddhist concept of marriage.
Buddhism does not require everybody to become
a monk or nun. Renunciation needs appropriate
conditions. In Than Hsiang Temple, we are concerned
with family values, and emphasize on the Buddhist
way of family life. We want every family to achieve two
objectives: parents shall lead their children along the
good path, while children shall practice filial piety to
their elders.
Generally, what are the problems faced by those
who seek counseling service from Than Hsiang
Mitra Welfare Centre?
Most of them face relationship problems, especially
young couples. Therefore, before their marriage, we
encourage couples to come and join the pre-marriage
workshops organized by the Mitra Welfare Centre.
Couples are also advised to receive the blessings of the
Triple Gem during the marriage ceremony as this will
help to strengthen their marriage in future.
What do you think is lacking in our society?
The lack of good education is the root problem of
our society. At home, parents have not instilled the
right ethical values to their children. In the classroom,
studies emphasize on knowledge but neglect moral
education. Therefore the younger generation will
grow up to be smart people without the right values
in life. They may use their knowledge to create social
problems, causing disharmony in society.
FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 21
Why are some people unhappy?
Buddhism talks about ‘cause’ and ‘effect’. If you do not
plant the seed of happiness, how can you reap the fruit
of happiness?
Can we change our fate?
Buddhism does not advocate belief in fate and does not
support the idea that our destiny is pre-determined.
Buddhism believes in the theory of ‘Cause and Effect
in Three Periods of Time’. So whatever you do now will
influence your destiny in your present and future lives.
Therefore, you control your own destiny.
What is Shifu’s thinking on the meaning of life?
Firstly, one learns to lead a moral life, i.e. avoid evil and
do good. With a good moral foundation, we proceed to
work on the mind. It is only through cultivating insight
(wisdom) that an ordinary person can transcend greed,
hatred, and delusion. Then he can become a sage and
escape from the six realms of Samsara.
Concerning some practices that turn ‘freeing lives’
into ‘killing lives’, what is Shifu’s opinion?
The practice of ‘freeing lives’ is supported by Buddhism
but wisdom is required when implementing it. In fact,
the best way to ‘save life’ starts with the practice of
vegetarianism. Not taking life is equal to saving lives.
After establishing Than Hsiang Wan Ching Yuen
Welfare Centre (Old Folks Home) for many years,
what does Shifu think needs to be done for the
elderly in society?
From the way elderly people are treated in a
community, society or country, we will know its ‘level
of civilization’. The elders should be considered the
treasures of the family. The younger generation should
practice filial piety to the elders, satisfying their needs
both materially and spiritually. It is important to let our
elders have religious faiths. That will enable them to
face the issue of life and death with greater calm and
ease.
22 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

SIMILES OF THE
In the process of promoting
Buddhism, which area of

RAFT AND THE

implementation is most
important according to Shifu?

SNAKE-CATCHER
Over the past many years, Than
Hsiang Temple has organized
numerous welfare activities, but all
these can only serve as short term By Venerable Dr H. Gunaratana Maha Thera
cures. Education is the only way to
get to the root of the problem. If a
What is the use of a raft? It is used
religion only invests its resources
for crossing over a vast expanse of
on buildings and physical
water which is difficult otherwise
hardware, but neglects the basic
to cross over. The close scrutiny of
core of education, it will die out in
the application of this simile used
the course of time.
by the Buddha in Snake-simile
(Alagaddupama) Sutta in Majjhima
What is the biggest challenge in
Nikāya elucidates how skillfully he
promoting Buddhist education?
chose it to illustrate precisely what
people, who don’t fully comprehend
It is a very tough task to engage
the meaning of religions, have been
in educational work. A very long
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana doing throughout the history of
period of time is needed to shape
is the founding abbot of the religion. In this simile the Buddha
the character of a person before we
Bhavana Society. Born in pointed out that if a man who, after
can see the expected results.
rural Sri Lanka, he has been crossing over the vast expanse of

What is Shifu’s plan in
promoting Buddhism and
welfare services in the near
future?
We will continue to improve
and proliferate the present Wan
Ching Yuen Centre, Mitra Welfare
Centre, International Buddhist
College, Kindergarten, and Metta
Free Clinic. We will also expand
these institutions to other Asian
countries, by encouraging sister
organizations to set up similar
institutions in their respective
regions to promote welfare
a monk since age 12 and took
full ordination at age 20 in
1947. He came to the United
States in 1968. “Bhante G”
(as he is fondly called by
his students) has written a
number of books, including
the now-classic meditation
manual Mindfulness In
Plain English and its
companion Eight Mindful
Steps to Happiness. Bhante
G regularly leads retreats
on vipassana, mindfulness,
metta (Loving-friendliness),
water by a raft, were to determine
to carry the raft over his shoulders,
thinking by doing so he would show
his gratitude to the raft for helping
him to save his life, he would be
foolish.
The simile of snake-catcher used by
the Buddha in the aforementioned
Sutta is also equally indispensable
in illustrating the danger of the
wrong grasp of a religion. If a
man who does not know how to
catch a poisonous snake were to
hold the snake either by his body
or by his tail he may get bitten

services extensively. EH concentration, and other by the snake and consequently

topics both at the Bhavana suffer severe injury or death. The
Society and elsewhere. message in these two similes once
realized fully would facilitate better

understanding of the tension stems
from the increase of violence and
crime in the name of religion in
modern society.
The wrong grasp of religion can
lead man to justify his greed, hatred
and foolishness. His distorted views,
distorted perception and distorted
consciousness force him to grasp a
religion wrongly and undermine its
very foundation, causing more pain
and suffering—as does the wrong
grasp of the snake.
A wrong grasp of religion can
always be a passageway to defeat
the very purpose of religion and
encourage people to commit
atrocities in the name of one’s faith.
People sometimes not only cling to
religions but naively obey any man
or woman who, being a persuasive
speaker, may promote and justify
violence and unethical practices in
the name of religion. By supporting
such a person with their time, skill
or wealth, they only increase his or
her greed and hatred and ignorance.
Blinded by religious beliefs they
may even try over-zealously to
protect their religions not only by
inculcating hatred and fear in many
of their gullible followers’ minds,
but also by advocating even murder
in the name of their beliefs.
If a man simply clings to the raft
after using it to cross over the
ocean, instead of leaving it on the
shore for someone else to use it, he
will not do the wise thing either.
He rather makes the raft a heavy
burden on his shoulder. The raft is
made out of reeds, sticks, branches
and foliage. They are bound by a
rope or bark of a tree. Similarly this
body is made up of form, feeling,
perception, mental formation and
consciousness which are bound
together by ignorance and desire to
make body-mind complexity. Just
as this man clings to the raft made
up of reeds, sticks, branches and
foliage we may cling to the body
and mind made up of form, feeling,
perception, mental formations and
consciousness bound by craving
and ignorance. The man clinging to
the raft which helped him to cross
over the vast expanse of water may
continue to carry the burden of the
very same raft. Similarly by clinging
to our mind-body complexity and
our religious beliefs we continue
to carry their burden. He remains
bound to his raft and we to the
mind-body. He is on the shore and
we are in Saṃsāra. This body and
mind, together with the feelings,
perception and mental formations,
exist not for clinging but only for
gaining knowledge and insight
necessary for attaining liberation
from Saṃsāra. “Monks,” said the
Buddha, “you should let go even
(good) teaching, how much more
false ones”. Good teaching benefits
us only if we use it, just like the
raft. No teaching, however good it
is, can help us if we simply cling to
it. Clinging even to good teaching
can cause pain and suffering. Just
imagine how much more painful
it could be when we cling to bad
things! The man who uses a raft
to cross over the body of water
has to be wise. Similarly one who
uses this body-mind complexity to
cross over the ocean of Saṃsāra has
to be wise. Therefore he will not
cling to this body-mind complexity
at all. If he does he cannot attain
enlightenment.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 23
Clinging to beliefs without practice
can also easily make people
religious fanatics who seek refuge
in violence to resolve problems, for
they are totally ignorant of what
their religion teaches them. People
who are unaware of the message of
their religion may live in constant
fear of criticism of their religion
and wish to protect it by destroying
people who have different beliefs.
The fear of criticism arises in the
mind ill-directed by the ambivalent
belief system which cannot vouch
for security and actuality. The
Buddha said: “Your ill-directed
mind can do you more harm than
all your enemies in the world
together can do”. Similarly, he said:
“A well-directed mind can do you
more good than all your parents,
friends and relatives together can
do for you”. The real conqueror
is not the one who conquers
thousands upon thousands of
people in a battle field but one who
conquers himself.
Although Buddha never even
implied causing harm to anybody,
there are some even among the
Buddhists who believe that they
should protect their country, killing
as many as they think necessary
in order to protect Buddhism,
the religion of peace, harmony,
compassion and loving-kindness.
Killing or even the thought of
killing any living being, let alone
human beings, is diametrically
opposed to the teaching of the most
compassionate and loving Buddha,
who said: “He is called virtuous and
wise who, wishing success, does
not commit crimes for the sake of
oneself, for the sake of one’s own
24 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
children, for the sake of others,
for the sake of wealth, or even for
the sake of the country” Buddha’s
teaching stands above all notions
of countries, cultures, languages,
ethnic affiliations and everything
else, for he taught only the truth
which is permanent, eternal and
bound by nothing in the world.
When you embark the raft you
should check it very carefully to
verify whether it is secure and
properly put together, lest you may
drown by using a defective raft.
Similarly you should very carefully
learn and critically examine
any religion before accepting or
rejecting it. Patient listening to
someone criticizing the Buddha,
Dhamma or the community of
Sangha, is highly recommended in
the teaching of the Buddha.
“If for that others revile, abuse,
scold and insult the Perfect One
(Buddha), on that account, O
monks, the Perfect One will not
feel annoyance, nor dejection,
nor displeasure in His heart. And
if for that others respect, revere,
honor and venerate the Perfect
One, on that account the Perfect
One will not feel delight, nor joy,
nor elation in His heart. If for that
other respect, revere, honor and
venerate the Perfect One, He will
think: ‘It is towards this (mind-body
aggregate) which was formerly fully
comprehended, that they perform
such acts.
Therefore, O monks, if you, too,
are reviled, abused, scolded and
insulted by others, you should
on that account not entertain
annoyance, nor dejection, nor
displeasure in your hearts. And if
others respect, revere, honor and
venerate you, on that account you
should not entertain delight nor joy
nor elation in your hearts. If others
respect, revere, honor and venerate
you, you should think: ‘It is towards
this (mind-body aggregate) which
was formerly comprehended, that
they perform such acts’”.
Analytical investigation and critical
knowledge of Dhamma are essential
factors of enlightenment in
Buddhism. For if you know for sure
that what you practice is true you
should not be alarmed by criticism.
You rather should be glad to
welcome critical investigation of it
so you can look at what you practice
from different perspective. If you
know gold as gold, for instance,
you would without any hesitation
let any well trained goldsmith test
it by cutting, burning, rubbing and
hammering it, for you are certain
that he will not determine your gold
to be copper. Only if you give him a
gilded piece of lead saying that it is
gold you would have reason to fear
of his test.
The Buddha advised us not to be
alarmed by criticism, but listen
to criticism very carefully and
mindfully without getting upset
about what we hear and measure
it by the text. After thorough
investigation, we certainly find no
fault in the Buddha, Dhamma or
Saṅgha. However, we will find out
that the criticism has come from
anger, prejudice, frustration, fear,
neuroses, paranoia, etc. Then, of
course, instead of getting angry
with the person who has all these
problems, we should try to help
him with loving-kindness. He
deserves our loving-kindness and
compassion rather than our hate.
No hate is ever going to solve any
problem in the world and it never
did, for hate is never appeased by
hatred in this world, but by love
alone.
In the teaching of the Buddha, one
finds no room for resolving any
problem through violent means.
A Buddhist who is full of greed,
hatred and delusion and unmindful
of the Buddha’s real message,
exercising his total freedom
of choice and responsibility
guaranteed in Buddhism, may kill
someone, but he can never quote
any Buddhist text to justify and
support his killing.
We are supposed to use the Buddha
Dhamma without clinging to it, but
only to cross this cycle of birth and
death— Saṃsāra. He advised us to
use his teaching like a raft which is
used only to cross a body of water
not to cling to it. It is the passionate
clinging to what we believe, rather
than understanding how we should
use it to guide our daily life in the
right direction, that arouses our
deeply rooted hatred which may
force us to solve our problems
through violent means. It is the
passionate clinging to things that
creates all kinds of problems. EH

Professor Masunaga Reiho
was Professor of Buddhist
Philosophy and History of
Zen Buddhism at Komazawa
University, and had also
served as its Vice President.
The university emphasized the
studies of Buddhism and was
especially focused on the Soto-
Zen School. One of Professor
Reiho’s important academic
research-fields was Chinese
Zen-texts. He was also one of
the head priests of Eiheiji. His
two main teachers were the
Zen teacher Ekiho Minamoto
who was the head priest of
Kongoin temple, and the Zen
teacher Giho Okada who was
the president of Komazawa
University and the head of
Unshoji temple.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 25
WHAT IS ZEN?
By Prof. Masunaga Reiho (1901-1980)
The Meaning of Zen
Zen and its culture are unique to the East, and until recently the West knew
little about them. Some Americans and Europeans who have learned of Zen
have become deeply interested in it. The interest stems possibly from Zen’s
ability to communicate new life awareness. Western culture is oriented
primarily toward Being; Eastern culture, toward non-Being. Being can be
studied by objective logic. Non-Being must be existentially understood; it
is the principle of absolute negation that enables one to loosen bonds and
turn toward limitlessness.
This culture of non-Being developed in the Far East with the points of
emphasis differing from country to country. In India it was pre dominantly
intellectual and philosophical; in China, practical and down to earth; and in
Japan, aesthetic and emotional. Zen linked up with these various cultural
characteristics as it spread. What then is Zen?
To define Zen is difficult. To define is to limit to make a neat conceptual
package that abstracts from the whole and gives only part of the picture.
This would not capture Zen, for it is rooted in our deepest life flow and
deals with the facts of unfettered experience.
The non-conceptual nature of Zen is apparent in the catch phrases that
became popular in Sung China. Zen trainees took their cues from such
expressions as:
1. No dependence on words and letters;
2. A special transmission outside the classified teachings;
3. Direct pointing to the mind of man; and
4. Seeing the mind is becoming the Buddha.
Zen is not bound by the words and letters of the sūtras and śāstras.
It passes from mind to mind outside the classified and systematized
doctrines. Systematizing the Buddhist scriptures was a characteristic of
Chinese Buddhism. But Zen basically eluded systematization. It does not
lean on the classified teachings. It concentrates on penetrating to the
inherent nature of man, and this is called becoming the Buddha.
Of course, Zen does not dispense with words and letters altogether. It is
merely not be enslaved by them. In fact, very few religions have produced
26 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
as many fresh literary works as Zen. Much of the
material, naturally enough, deals with awakening
from the word-bound state. This experience does not
lend itself to long discourses, so Zen expressions are
usually epigrammatic and poetic. One of Ummon’s most
famous sayings was: Every day is a good day. Hoen
said: When one scoops up water, the moon is reflected
in the hands. When one handles flowers, the scent
soaks into the robe.
From the outset Zen emphasized human dignity. This
is the dignity deriving not from the ego but from the
“natural face” we all have. We gain vital freedom by
becoming aware of this “natural face” and living in
terms of it. Technically, this makes Zen a religion of
immanence, but to stop here leaves only a concept “a
pictured mochi (rice-cake).”
The important thing is the actual experiencing of Zen.
Such an experience would contribute significantly
toward allaying the anxieties of modern man,
beset as he is with the deadening impact of mass
communications and the mechanical life.
Because modern man needs some sort of conceptual
guideline to start out with, an effort to put Zen in
sharper focus may serve a purpose. In olden times
some Zen masters responded to questions with: Zen
is Zen. While terse and to the point, this definition
hardly offers any help to modern seekers of Zen
understanding. Therefore, I venture to define Zen
tentatively as follows: Zen is a practice that helps man
to penetrate to his true self through cross-legged sitting
(zazen) and to vitalize this self in daily life.
This definition, of course, does not cover all of Zen. But
it does include the important elements. The three basic
points in the definition are:
1. The practice of zazen,
2. Penetrating to the true self, and
3. Vitalizing the true self in daily life.
Zazen
Zazen arose in ancient India. To escape the oppressive
heat, Indian thinkers went into forests and hills. There
they meditated under huge trees. If they stood, they
tired; if they lay down, they fell asleep. So they adopted
a method of cross-legged sitting with back straight.
The word Zen derives from dhyāna, meaning, “to think.”
Human beings are a thinking animal. They are like
a reed in their weakness, but they are the “thinking
reed” of Pascal. The word dhyāna appears in the pre-
Buddhist Upanishads. This was the form of zazen used
by the Buddha, although his philosophic standpoint
differed.
In China, dhyāna was rendered as shii-shu (thinking
practice) in the Old Translation (pre-Hsuan-tsang) and
as Joryo (tranquil thinking) in the New Translation
(Hsuan-tsang and after). Joryo means calming the mind
and thinking of ultimate truth. Sitting cross-legged, the
Buddhist trainee considered the true meaning of the
world and of human existence.
In zazen the important point is to harmonize body,
breathing, and mind. The half or full paryanka posture
is used. Exhaling and inhaling settle to a calm rhythm.
Breathing plays a vital role; in India it is called prana,
or life. To harmonize the mind is to dissolve the t
perplexities and delusions that disturb our minds.
There is an orthodox and a simplified form of zazen.
In the orthodox method the right foot rests on the
left thigh, and the left foot on the right thigh. The left
hand is placed in the right hand with palm upward.
The thumbs touch and the right hand in turn rests
on the left foot. The trainee sits upright on a thick
cushion, leaning neither forward nor backward or
from side to side. This method is described by Dōgen
in Fukanzazengi and by Keizan in Zazenyojinki.
In the simplified form the right foot only is put on
the left thigh. The Test is the same as in the orthodox
method. But even the simplified form may present
some difficulties for the average Westerner. Young
Japanese have trouble with it, too.
Upon completion of zazen the hands are placed over
the chest with the right hand clasping the left fist A
slow walk follows in half step with one breath for each
step. This procedure-called Kinhin (canka in Pāli) -

helps to keep the mind calm and relieve the stiffness in
the legs.
In zazen nothing is sought, not even enlightenment
Bodhidharma called it the non-seeking practice. But
the results are substantial. Repeatedly practiced
zazen seems to invigorate the involuntary nervous
system. It strengthens the solar plexus. Some Japanese
psychologists have credited zazen with
1. facilitating recovery from some illnesses,
2. strengthening spiritual resources and lessening
neuroticism,
3. changing mental attitudes to eliminate bad habits,
4. restraining destructive impulses,
5. developing greater insight into situations, and
6. fostering freedom from anxiety.
Results of recent scientific experiments indicate that
zazen also reduces the modulation of brain waves.
Zazen, in short, prepares the body and mind for the
next stage of vital activity.
Zen in Daily life
Faith without practice lacks strength. As evidenced by
such catch phrases as no dependence on words and
letters and a special transmission outside the classified
teachings, Zen stresses practice. The two basic forms
of Zen practice are zazen and daily activity. Sōtō Zen
especially puts strong emphasis on thorough practice in
daily life, Zen practice centers on:
1. Living every moment to the fullest.
Engo said: In living we express full function in
dying we express full function. The absolute
present comes alive. When we function fully, we
are vitally free. John Dewey also saw this and
attributed immeasurable value to the complete
experience in art and living.
Dewey’ views on the use of posture reflexes as a
mechanism for change may be appropriate here.
In his Introduction to Dr. F.M. Alexander’s The Use
of The Self, Dewey stated that a man’s posture,
especially the way he holds his head, enables
him to take possession of his own potentialities and
move from conditioned enslavement into a means
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 27
of vital freedom. It is interesting that Aldous
Huxley, one of the best-known Western admirers of
Zen, once studied with Dr Alexander.
2. Transcending dualism and using it freely.
Vimalakīrti talked about the non-dualistic and this is
where Zen resides. So long as we cling to dualism,
we face conflict and anxiety. The perfect way, Sosan
said, is not difficult. Just drop discrimination. Clear
and bright is the world when we neither hate nor
love.
Dualistic tension between hate and love, right and
wrong, good and evil makes the human being prey
to rigid dogma. He cannot move freely.
3. Respecting the physical
Buddhism essentially denies any dualism between
body and mind. Yet most Buddhist teachings tend
to stress mind and consciousness. Dōgen, however,
held that such emphasis abstracted the human
being. To gain the Way, he said, make use of your
body. A faith rejecting the body becomes sterile and
meaningless.
4. Enlarging awareness.
The nuclear and space age that we live in
encourages the vigorous progress of science.
But man has increasingly become obsessed
with science and machines and lost touch with
his essential humanity. Zen works to check this
estrangement and restore intensity of awareness. If
we know ourselves at all times, truth is where we
stand, Rinzai said. Each morning Zuigan called: The
Self! The Self! Yes, yes, he answered. He also
said: Don’t ever let others condition you.
5. Releasing natural altruistic action.
Dōgen called such action benevolence and
considered it a universal law benefiting oneself
and others. Prof Pitirim A. Sorokin uses the
term creative altruism and sees it as a key to
reconstructing man. This is reflected in the title
of an important work edited by him: Forms and
Techniques of Altruistic and Spiritual Growth. Non
egoism and creativity go together. Creative altruism
and the Bodhisattva vow are one. And this current
28 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
flows through Zen as it does through the rest of
Mahāyāna Buddhism.
6. Increasing serenity and effectiveness in daily
life - Zazen in a quiet room carries over into
daily life.
Rinzai said: If hungry, eat; if tired, sleep. Daily
life offers no perplexities. It is relieving your self
when needed, putting on clothes, and eating food.
And when tired, it is stretching out to sleep. In an
increasingly mechanized world the brain often
works overtime in unproductive grooves. Day-to-
day pressures bring neurosis, anxiety, and various
complexes. The joy of living the moment fades, and
despair closes in. To many sensitive individuals
today, life has gone stale. They may find in Zen a
clue to a fresher approach to life. To follow up the
clue will require the courage to overthrow the
tyranny of learned responses. Zen serenity and real
living stem from recognizing things for what they
are.
The standpoint of a fully functioning Zen man was
expressed by Fuke:
• Let him come from the bright side, And I will
dispose of him on that side;
• Let him come from the dark side, And I will dispose
of him on that side;
• Let him come from every possible direction, And I
will dispose of him like a whirlwind;
• Let him come from the sky, And I will dispose of
him like a flail.
The Zen master thus lives serenely and sensitively in
vital freedom no matter what comes.
We meet strength with weakness, softness, with
severity. Dōgen clearly saw the need for harnessing this
vitality to social action. In GenjoKoan he said: To study
Buddhism is to study the self. To study the self is to
forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by
all things. To be enlightened by all things is to be free
from attachment to the body and mind of one’s self and
others. It means wiping out even attachment to Satori.
Wiping out attachment to Satori, we must enter into
actual society.
Here is the essence not only of Zen but also of all
religions that aim at clarifying the self. It is the process
of living by dying-of shedding egoistic delusion and
finding our “natural face.” This is Satori-the awakening-
but we should not stop there. Others must be helped
toward Satori: toward an enlightenment that stems
not from self-power but from openness to all things.
Unbound even by enlightenment, we must participate
actively in the ongoing world and work in vital freedom.
Source: Zen for Daily Living by Prof. Masunaga Reiho,
Shunjusha Pablishing Co., 1964. EH

ARE YOU SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS?
10 REASONS WHY BUDDHISM
WILL ENRICH YOUR PATH
By Melvin McLeod
Melvin McLeod is the editor-
in-chief of the Shambhala
Sun and Buddhadharma: The
Practitioner’s Quarterly. He
is also the author of Mindful
Politics: A Buddhist Guide to
Making the World a Better
Place.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 29
The number one reason is: “No God.” Number ten is:
“It Works.” Melvin McLeod on what Buddhism can
offer your spiritual path.
It wasn’t so long ago that most Americans took their religion for granted.
You were born into a religion, you lived in it, and you died in it.
Except for a few daring freethinkers, that’s the way it was as recently as
the 1950s, and that’s still the way it is in most of the world today. It’s the
way we’ve related to religion for thousands of years. Until now. Today, a
significant and growing number of Americans do not identify themselves as
members of any religion.
According to a Pew Research Report, 20 percent of Americans — one-fifth
of the adult population — describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated.
That’s up from 15 percent just five years ago, and the percentage goes
higher the younger you are — up to 72 percent for Generation Y.
There are many different reasons why people become disenchanted with
organized religion — the litany is long and depressing — but most continue
to yearn for something more than a life of materialism, for something
that gives deeper meaning and happiness, for something they describe as
“spiritual.”
About a third of the religiously unaffiliated describe themselves as atheists.
But the rest — some thirty million Americans — maintain some type of
spiritual belief and practice, even though they no longer feel at home in
a church, synagogue, or mosque. These are the famous “spiritual but not
religious,” philosophically the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S.
Generally, they’re educated, liberal, and open-minded, with a deep sense
of connection to the Earth and a belief that there’s more to life than what
appears on the surface.
Buddhism is about realization and experience,
not institutions or divine authority. This makes it
especially suited to those who consider themselves
spiritual but not religious.
30 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Perhaps this describes you. Perhaps, as a reader This is not an attempt to convert
of Lion’s Roar, you’re one of the many people who has
anyone to Buddhism. There is no
discovered that Buddhism has a lot to offer your life
and spiritual practice, without some of the downsides
need for that. But those who think
of institutionalized religion. of themselves as spiritual but not
religious can find a lot in Buddhism
To put it another way: Is Buddhism the religion for to help them on their personal path,
people who don’t like religion?
however they define it.
Buddhism is unique among the world’s major world
religions. (Some people debate whether Buddhism is in
The difference is that meditation is the very essence
fact a religion, but for now let’s assume it is.) Buddhism
of Buddhism, not just the practice of a rarified elite
is the one world religion that has no God. It is the
of mystics. It’s fair to say that Buddhism is the most
nontheistic religion.
contemplative of the world’s major religions, which is a
reflection of its basic nontheism.
That changes everything. Yes, like other religions
Buddhism describes a nonmaterial, spiritual reality
Buddhism is about realization and experience, not
(perhaps the realer reality) and addresses what
institutions or divine authority. This makes it especially
happens after we die. But at the same time, it is down-
suited to those who consider themselves spiritual but
to-earth and practical: it is about us, our minds, and our
not religious. Here are ten reasons why:
suffering. It’s about being fully and deeply human, and
it has something to offer everyone: Buddhists of course;
1. There is no Buddhist God.
but also the spiritual but not religious, members of
Different schools of Buddhism have different views
other religions, and even those who don’t think they’re
about who the Buddha was. Some say he was an
spiritual at all. Because who doesn’t know the value of
ordinary human being who discovered the path to
being present and aware?
awakening; others say he was already enlightened but
First, a couple of cautions. Like other religions,
followed the path to show us how it’s done. But one
Buddhism is practiced at different levels of subtlety,
thing is certain: he was not a God, deity, or divine being.
and sometimes it can be just as theistic as any other
His faculties were purely human, any of us can follow
religion. Buddhism is practiced by people, so there’s
his path, and our enlightenment will be exactly the
good and bad. We come to Buddhism as we are, so
same as his. Ultimately, we are no different from him,
there’s definitely going to be ego involved. That’s no
and vice versa.
problem — it’s the working basis of the path. The key is
where we go from there.
Admittedly, there are lots of Buddhist images that look
like gods and deities, all kinds of colorful and exotic
Also, much of what I’m saying about Buddhism also
beings. The Buddhist cosmos is a vast one, containing
applies to the contemplative traditions of other
infinite beings of different minds, bodies, faculties,
religions. In fact, contemplatives of different faiths often
and realms. Some are more subtle and awakened, and
have more in common with each other than they do
others are grosser and more confused. Yet these are
with practitioners of their own religion. It comes down
just the endless variations on the reality we experience
to how much we personify or solidify the absolute —
right now. It may be infinitely vast and profoundly
whether it’s a supreme being who passes judgment on
deep, it may be mysterious beyond concept, it may be
us or an open expanse of love and awareness. In their
far different than we think it is, but whatever reality is,
experience of God, Thomas Merton, Rumi, and Martin
this is it. There is nothing and nobody fundamentally
Buber had more in common with the Buddha (and each
different from or outside of it.
other) than with most practitioners of their own faith.

2. It’s about your basic goodness.
Buddhism is not about salvation or original sin. It’s
not about becoming somebody different or going
somewhere else. Because both you and your world are
basically good. With all its ups and downs, this world of
ours works. It warms us; it feeds us; it offers us color,
sound, and touch. We don’t have to struggle against our
world. It is neither for us nor against us. It is a simple,
vivid world of direct experience we can investigate, care
for, enjoy, make love to.
We are basically good as well, confused as we may
be. In Buddhism, our true nature has many names,
such as buddhanature, ordinary mind, sugatagarbha,
Vajradhara, or just plain buddha —  fundamental
awakeness. The thing is, we can’t solidify, identify, or
conceptualize it in any way. Then it’s just the same old
game we’re stuck in now. We do not own this basic
goodness. It is not inside of us, it is not outside of
us, it is beyond the reach of conventional mind. It is
empty of all form, yet everything we experience is its
manifestation. It is nothing and the source of everything
— how do you wrap your mind around that? All you
can do is look directly, relax, and let go.
3. The problem is suffering. The answer is waking up.
Buddhism exists to address one problem: suffering. The
Buddha called the truth of suffering “noble,” because
recognizing our suffering is the starting place and
inspiration of the spiritual path.
His second noble truth was the cause of suffering. In
the West, Buddhists call this “ego.” It’s a small word
that encompasses pretty much everything that’s wrong
with the world. Because according to the Buddha, all
suffering, large and small, starts with our false belief in
a solid, separate, and continuous “I,” whose survival we
devote our lives to.
It feels like we’re hopelessly caught in this bad dream
of “me and them” we’ve created, but we can wake up
from it. This is the third noble truth, the cessation of
suffering. We do this by recognizing our ignorance, the
falseness of our belief in this “I.” Finally, the Buddha
told us that there is a concrete way we can get there,
which basically consists of discipline, effort, meditation,
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 31
and wisdom. This is the fourth noble truth, the truth of
the path.
4. The way to do that is by working with your mind.
So, according to the Buddha, the problem is suffering,
the cause is ignorance, the remedy is waking up, and
the path is living mindfully, meditating, and cultivating
our wisdom. There’s really only one place all that
happens: in our minds. The mind is the source of
both our suffering and our joy. Meditation — taming
the mind — is what gets us from one to the other.
Meditation is Buddhism’s basic remedy for the human
condition, and its special genius.
The Buddhist path of meditation begins with practices
to calm our wild mind. Once the mind is focused
enough to look undistractedly into reality, we develop
insight into the nature of our experience, which is
marked by impermanence, suffering, nonego, and
emptiness. We naturally develop compassion for
ourselves and all beings who suffer, and our insight
allows us to help them skillfully. Finally, we experience
ourselves and our world for what they have been since
beginningless time, are right now, and always will be
— nothing but enlightenment itself, great perfection in
every way.
5. No one can do it for you. But you can do it.
In Buddhism, there is no savior. There’s no one who’s
going to do it for us, no place we can hide out for safety.
We have to face reality squarely, and we have to do it
alone. Even when Buddhists take refuge in the Buddha,
what they’re really taking refuge in is the truth that
there’s no refuge. Not seeking protection is the only real
protection.
So that’s the bad news — we have to do it alone. The
good news is, we can do it. As human beings, we have
the resources we need: intelligence, strength, loving
hearts, and proven, effective methods. Because of
that, we can rouse our confidence and renounce our
depression and resentment.
But while no one can do that for us, help and guidance
is available. There are teachers — women and men who
are further along the path — who offer us instruction
32 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
and inspiration. They prove to us it can be done. Our
fellow practitioners support our path, while never
allowing us to use them as crutches. The Buddhist
teachings offer us wisdom that goes back 2,600 years
to the Buddha himself. We can go right to the source,
because the lineage that started with Gautama Buddha
is unbroken to this day.
6. There is a spiritual, nonmaterial reality.
Some people describe Buddhism as the rational,
“scientific” religion, helping us lead better and more
caring lives without contradicting our modern
worldview. It is certainly true that many Buddhist
practices work very nicely in the modern world, don’t
require any exotic beliefs, and bring demonstrable
benefit to people’s lives. But that’s only part of the
story.
Buddhism definitely asserts there is a reality that is not
material. Other religions say that too; the difference is
that in Buddhism this spiritual reality is not God. It is
mind.
This is something you can investigate for yourself:
Is my mind made of matter or is it something else?
Does my mind have characteristics, like thoughts,
feelings, and identity, or is it the space within which
these things arise?
Does my mind change constantly or is it continuous? Is
it one thing or many?
Where is the boundary of my mind? Is it large or small?
Is it inside me looking at the material world outside?
Or are my perceptions and my experience of them both
mind? (And if so, perhaps it’s the material world we
should be questioning the reality of.)
7. But you don’t have to take anything on faith.
There is no received wisdom in Buddhism, nothing
we must accept purely on the basis of somebody
else’s spiritual authority. The Dalai Lama has said
that Buddhism must give up any belief that modern
science disproves. The Buddha himself famously said,
“Be a lamp unto yourselves,” and told his students
they must test everything he said against their own
experience. But it is easy to misinterpret this advice.
Our modern egos are keen to take advantage of it.
While we shouldn’t accept what others say at face
value, this doesn’t mean we should just accept what
we tell ourselves. We have to test the teachings of
Buddhism against our direct life experience, not against
our opinions.
And while modern science can prove or disprove old
beliefs about astronomy or human physiology, it cannot
measure or test the nonmaterial. Buddhism values the
rational mind and seeks not to contradict it in its own
sphere. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.
Finally, it is the rare person who can navigate the
spiritual path alone. While retaining our self-respect
and judgment, we must be willing to accept the
guidance, even leadership, of those who are further
along the path. In a society that exalts the individual
and questions the hierarchy of the teacher-student
relationship, it is a challenge to find a middle way
between too much self and not enough.
8. Buddhism offers a wealth of skillful means for
different people’s needs.
Buddhism is not a one-path-fits-all religion. It’s highly
pragmatic, because it’s about whatever helps reduce
suffering.
Beings are infinite. So are their problems and states
of mind. Buddhism offers a wealth of skillful means to
meet their different needs. If people are not ready for
the final truth, but a partial truth will help, that’s no
problem — as long as it actually helps. The problem is
that things that feel helpful — like going along with our
usual tricks — can sometimes make things worse. So
the Buddhist teachings are gentle, but they can also be
tough. We need to face the ways we cause ourselves and
others suffering.
Buddhist meditators have been studying the mind for
thousands of years. In that time, they’ve tested and
proven many techniques to tame the mind, lessen our
suffering, and discover who we are and what is real
(and not). There are meditations to calm and focus

the mind, contemplations to open the heart, and ways
to bring ease and grace to the body. It’s fair to say, as
many people have, that Buddhism is the world’s most
developed science of mind.
Today, people who want to explore Buddhism have
many resources at their disposal. For the first time in
history, all the schools and traditions of Buddhism are
gathered in one place. There are fine books, excellent
teachers (many of them now American), practice
centers, communities, and indeed, magazines.
These are all available for you to explore according to
your own needs and path. You can practice meditation
at home or go to a local center and practice with others.
You can read a book, attend classes, or hear a lecture
by a Buddhist teacher. Whatever works for you — no
pressure.
9. It’s open, progressive, and not institutional.
While Buddhism in its Asian homelands can be
conservative, convert Buddhists in the West are
generally liberal, both socially and politically. Whether
this is an accident of history or a natural reflection of
the Buddhist teachings, Buddhist communities embrace
diversity and work against sexism and racism.
Identities of all sorts, including gender, nationality,
ethnicity, and even religion, are not seen as fixed and
ultimately true. Yet they are not denied; differences
are acknowledged, celebrated, and enjoyed. Of course,
Buddhists are still people and still part of a society, so
it’s a work in progress. But they’re trying.
Many Americans have turned away from organized
religion because it feels like just another bureaucracy,
rigid and self-serving. Buddhism has been described
as disorganized religion. There’s no Buddhist pope.
(No, the Dalai Lama is not the head of world Buddhism.
He’s not even the head of all Tibetan Buddhism, just of
one sect.) There is no overarching church, just a loose
collection of different schools and communities. As
you’ll quickly discover if you go to your local Buddhist
center, things may run smoothly (or not), but the
atmosphere is likely to be open and relaxed. It probably
won’t feel institutional.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 33
10. And it works.
We can’t see or measure subjective experience, so we
can’t judge directly the effect Buddhism is having on
someone else’s mind and heart. But we can see how
they act and treat other people. We can hear what they
say about what they’re experiencing inside.
What we find is that Buddhism works. For millennia,
Buddhism has been making people more aware, caring,
and skillful. All you have to do is meet someone who’s
been practicing meditation a lot to know that. In our
own time, hundreds of thousands of Americans are
reporting that even a modest Buddhist practice has
made their life better — they’re calmer, happier, and
not as carried away when strong emotions arise.
They’re kinder to themselves and others.
But it’s really important not to burden ourselves
with unrealistic expectations. Change comes very
slowly. You’ll also see that when you meet a Buddhist
meditator, even one who’s been at it for a long time.
Don’t expect perfection. We’re working with patterns of
ignorance, greed, and anger that have developed over a
lifetime — if not much longer. Change comes slowly for
most of us. But it does come. If you stick with it, that’s
guaranteed. Buddhism works.
This is not an attempt to convert anyone to Buddhism.
There is no need for that. But those who think of
themselves as spiritual but not religious can find a lot in
Buddhism to help them on their personal path, however
they define it.
When I first encountered Buddhism, what struck me
was its absolute integrity. I saw that it was not trying
to manipulate me by telling me what I wanted to hear.
It always tells the truth. Sometimes that truth is gentle,
softening our hearts and bringing tears to our eyes.
Sometimes it is tough, forcing us to face our problems
and cutting through our comfortable illusions. But
always it is skillful. Always it offers us what we need.
We are free to take what we wish.
Source: Lion’s Roar, July 6, 2017
EH
34 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
PERMACULTURE: A
BUDDHIST APPROACH
TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CRISIS
By Sergio León Candia
Sergio León Candia was born
Santiago de Chile, South America.
He Holds a Bachelor in education
and is a P.E teacher. Later he
studied English in New York, USA,
and became a TEFL teacher. He
also obtained a sound technician
degree. After travelling around
the world he came to Thailand
and went on different meditation
retreats. Later on he enrolled
for an e-learning MA degree at
International Buddhist College,
and came to finish his studies
at IBC campus in southern
Thailand in 2017. Sergio got
a Permaculture Designer
Certificate and he is a founder
and director of an ecological
project in Chile.
Life in Our world as we know it
might be in danger. Regardless
of the discussion about the real
causes and consequences of climate
change and global warming, we can
experience with our own senses
the delicate state of our ecological
balance. This ecological crisis has
many side effects that sometimes
are not evident on a first look. It is
not just the environment that is in
danger, but all the life it sustains,
including our own human culture.
How can Dhamma practice
contribute towards a solution for
the current state of affairs? Is there
any specific reason why there
should be any special concern from
Dhamma practitioners towards this
issue? There are, in my opinion,
more than few things to consider.
A Dhamma practitioner is training
to purify his words, deeds and
thoughts from greed, hatred
and delusion. The practitioner
is given a training method to do
this, and there are many aspects
of this method that, I would say,
include being part of the solution
for our society problems. In the
practice of the Dhamma, one
should develop mindfulness and
awareness. We should be aware
of the consequences our actions
have, as we are heirs of our actions
(“Upajjhatthana Sutta: Subjects for
Contemplation,” 2013). Kamma-
vipaka, (intentional action and
its results) are a core part of the
teachings of the Buddha, so we
should apply this reflection to
everything we do, mentally, verbally
or bodily, as advised to Ven. Rahula
in the mango grove (“Ambalatthika-
rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to
Rahula at Mango Stone,” 2013). The
Buddha in his teachings gave us the
Noble eightfold path as the training
method to eradicate suffering. I
think this applies to both physical
and mental suffering. In this path
we find that we must also develop
awareness of how we deal with the
world.
We should develop wholesome
ways to communicate, to act and to
ear our living. So we should make
an effort to apply these teachings to
our every everyday life.
Compassion is another core
teaching of the Buddha. It was
his compassion towards all beings

that motivated him to teach and
it´s compassion that still is the
main fuel for the community of
disciples to keep contributing to
the world in a positive way. So
mindfully considering, we should
thing about the next generations
and which kind of world we are
leaving to them. We should expand
our compassion towards our
children and grandchildren and the
whole world. We were advised by
the Buddha to permeate the whole
world with compassion and loving-
kindness (“Brahmavihara Sutta:
The Sublime Attitudes,” 2013).
So besides common sense, there
are many doctrinal aspects that
support the idea that a Dhamma
practitioner should be very
conscious and active in terms of
ecology.
In order to get the four requisites
to practice (Thanissaro, 1994)
we should be very mindful of our
decisions, and very careful when
choosing what we need, therefore
having a clear understanding
of the differences between our
needs and wants. The World
Health Organization (WHO, 2004)
recognizes that mental health is
crucial in our development, and
also considers the importance of
a healthy environment to support
our mental and physical health. It is
recorded that the Buddha also gave
advice to his disciples on how to
build a good society so they had the
supporting conditions to practice
the Dhamma (“Sigalovada Sutta:
The Buddha’s Advice to Sigalaka,”
2013). So how do we make this
practice real in our everyday lives?
Mindful Decisions and Wise
Reflection
After developing an understanding
of the difference between our
needs and wants we should be
very careful in not to indulge in
over consumerism. What we need
is mandatory to stay alive, food to
nurture our bodies, shelter and
clothing to protect it, medicine to
heal it and a society to develop in.
our wants are not always crucial
for our lives, and many times are
even detrimental to our growth
as humans, especially when we
cling on to them tenaciously. We
should not just to try to please our
senses without thinking about the
consequences of our decisions. It is
recorded that the Buddha advised
us to wisely reflect if our actions
(mental, bodily and verbal) were
for our own benefit or prejudice, for
others benefit or prejudice and that
if our actions were for the benefit
of both we should develop those
activities. When we go shopping,
we should consider many things. Do
we really need what we are buying?
What would happen if I don´t buy
it? Where does it come from? How
was it made? Which brands we
are supporting? There have been
cases of brands being accused of
forcing kids to work under very
harsh conditions. It is important
to know what we are being part of,
and find out if we are part of any
social injustice or contributing to
damaging our planet. We should
consider if the brands we support
are eco-friendly all the way from
their means of production to the
packaging they use. In terms of the
packaging, we know that plastic is
a big problem everywhere and has
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 35
been banned in many cities. With
the internet, it is very easy to do a
little research to find which brands
fulfill these conditions.
We should also pay attention to
how they relate to their workers.
Fair trade is a concept that was
developed to promote brands that
try to take care of their workers
by improving their working
conditions and financial treaties
with producers and manufacturers.
Regarding ecological issues, we
should try to support as much as
we can bio-degradable products
and eco-friendly brands, we
should try hard to reduce our
consumption that is based solely on
entertainment and reuse as much
as we can.
Right livelihood
In the noble eightfold path we
find the fifth factor being “right
livelihood” (Nyanamoli, 1972, p.
239), so we know that it is a crucial
practice to find a way to live that
does not support unwholesome
ways that inflict suffering in
ourselves or others. It is my
intention here to go deeper in just
one aspect of the problems reviews
above, and that is ecology.
The means to support our lifestyle
are getting scarcer. Water, oil,
food and the whole chain of the
thing we consume are in danger
of collapsing. Soil degradation,
pollution, and deforestation are
main problems for the future of our
planet. There are many little things
we can do to contribute in the
solution or at least not being part of
the problem. The Buddha advised
36 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
that we should employ wholesome
means to sustain our lives. In my
research I found that there are
many techniques that promote
wholesome lifestyles. Permaculture
is one of them. Permaculture is
defined by the creator of the term,
Bill Molison as:
“The conscious design and
maintenance of agriculturally
productive ecosystems which
have the diversity, stability, and
resilience of natural ecosystems.
It is the harmonious integration of
landscape and people providing
their food, energy, shelter, and other
material and non-material needs in
a sustainable way.” (Mollison, 2002,
p. ix)
This in my opinion is a practical
tool for facing the environmental
crisis in a wholesome way, and it
has a close relation to the Dhamma.
Permaculture bases its practices in
an ethical system:
Care of the earth
Care of the people
Fair share (return of the surplus to
the earth and people)
“The ethics earth care, people
care and fair share form the
foundation for permaculture
design and are also found in most
traditional societies. Ethics are
culturally evolved mechanisms
that regulate self-interest, giving
us a better understanding of good
and bad outcomes. The greater
the power of humans, the more
critical ethics become for long-term
cultural and biological survival.
Permaculture ethics are distilled
from research into community
ethics, learning from cultures
that have existed in relative
balance with their environment
for much longer than more recent
civilizations. This does not mean
that we should ignore the great
teachings of modern times, but
in the transition to a sustainable
future, we need to consider values
and concepts outside the current
social norm.” (Available from
https://permacultureprinciples.
com/ethics/)
Ethics is a corner stone of the
Dhamma and it´s a shared concern
for Permaculture. By basing our
cultural development in ethics we
can try to sustain the growth of
our communities in a wholesome
way. Permaculture proposes a way
to do this. The Buddhist practice
of ethics is highly developed and
could definitely contribute to the
establishment of an ethical society.
So how do we apply this to our
modern lives?
We have already seen that we can
make huge contribution by being
mindful of our decisions when
buying the things we need for
our survival. Not supporting un-
fair brands, polluting companies
and so forth. How we manage
the waste we produce is another
important contribution we can
make. Encouraging recycling,
making compost (fertilizer made
from organic waste) and reducing
our consumption are very practical
ways to engage on the care of the
people and the earth. The famous
slogan “Three R´s” is indeed very
useful. Reduce, reuse and recycle is
something we can do every day.
The permaculture ethics are all
interrelated, by taking care of the
earth, we take care of the people,
and we need to share the surplus
to take care of other people.
Permaculture communities focus
on developing these principles
to provide healthy organic food,
sustainable shelter that avoids
impact on our environment,
ethical working conditions to
provide clothing, and a very
healthy environment to take care
of people´s health. As Dhamma
practitioners I think we should also
develop this interest. If we want all
being to be happy, we should help
to develop a wholesome society in
a healthy planet that can support
their practice. Many Dhamma
practitioners share this view as we
can find in the emergence of the
concept engaged Buddhism:
Engaged Buddhism refers to
Buddhists who are seeking
ways to apply the insights
from meditation practice
and Dharma teachings to situations
of social, political, environmental,
nd economic suffering and injustice.
Finding its roots in Vietnam through
the Zen Buddhist teacher Thích Nhất
Hạnh, Engaged Buddhism has grown
in popularity in the West. (Queen,
Chris; King, Sallie, 1996, p.2) 
So we can apply this concept to out
topic. We can engage to do good
and try to help others to at least
have the basic requisites to be able
to practice.
Modern life applications
After we have understood the
importance and the urgency of

taking care of the planet, we reflect
on our own actions and how they
contribute to the solution. This will
already change the way we sustain
ourselves in the globalized world.
Besides the actions mentioned
above, I think that Dhamma
communities can have great impact
in working to save our planet.
Educational activities are crucial.
We should encourage the new
generations to develop a different
attitude towards our planet. They
need to change the old patterns of
behavior and make it something
incorporated to their way of living.
Dhamma centers can promote
healthy community living and
develop more concrete ecological
activities. Furthermore, I think
it’s very important for Dhamma
centers to become a living example
of sustainable living. Through
permaculture, we can design and
put into practice the ethics both
system share, and start making our
Dhamma practice real. Being the
example of mindful, simple living,
we can make a huge difference
in our world. Producing our own
healthy food, being responsible of
our waste and creating a greener
and healthier environment where
we can practice calmly for the
benefit of the many.
Permaculture provides a design
system which embraces every aspect
of our living and tries to become
part of the interactions naturally
occurring in nature for a better
usage of energy and work force.
Design
Permaculture design stresses the
idea that everything is interrelated,
and that there are patters in nature
that we can reproduce to become
another link in the chain of nature´s
interactions. By carefully observing
these patters, we can re insert
energy into the system and use that
for the creation of self-sustainable
settlements. In permaculture design
there are a few major areas:
Agriculture
Food production that is healthy
and free from dangerous chemical
pesticides and fertilizers is a must.
Agriculture proposes the use of
both perennial and seasonal food
production in both vegetable
gardens and food forests. The
beneficial interaction between
species and the enrichment of the
soil is a main characteristic of this
part of the design. It considers raw
food production, storage grains,
dehydrated products, processed
foods and medicinal herbs. It does
also promote a more compassionate
treatment and co-working with
animals. These are considered
part of the energy chain, and a
crucial element for helping in
the establishment of healthy
ecosystems.
Building
Natural bio-construction is
promoted, but permaculture
does not deny technological
advancements and can easily work
with them. Building design focuses
on optimizing its construction for
saving energy dedicated to either
heating or cooling the buildings. It
also promotes the use of renewable
energy, like solar energy, bio diesel,
bio gas, etc.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 37
Earthworks and water harvesting.
Water is life. Permaculture
emphasizes water harvesting in
the modes of rain water and by
working the ground with swales,
dams, ponds and contour lines.
All this should save a lot of energy
and would help the improvement
of the land and secure water for
consumption.
Community life
The idea behind permaculture
design is also to promote
community living where all
actors of the community play a
crucial role in the securing its
healthy, sustainable development.
By promoting local products
consumption we also promote
local business and help families to
develop. All this should improve
relationships and promote working
towards conflict resolution in a
healthy manner. Dhamma practice
can contribute greatly in this
aspect, promoting respect towards
our fellow humans and our house,
the Planet.
Taking responsibility for our actions
and survival is an ethical decision
we must make, and for the future of
our planet and next generations, we
have to make it now.
Conclusion
Our planet environmental crisis is
eminent, and a Buddhist approach
to it can contribute greatly.
As Dhamma practitioners we
should develop awareness of the
condition our society is and take
responsibility of the result of our
actions. It is important that we
make the practice real in our daily
38 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
lives as we try to become a living
example of the Buddha’s teachings
in every aspect of our lives.
In order to support our practice
we need a healthy society and we
cannot do that if our planet is sick
and it gets harder and harder to
supply our bare necessities.
I think it is very important that
Dhamma practitioners and
centers spread awareness of the
environment’s condition and do
their part in becoming part of the
solution. I think the Buddha would
have encouraged to do that as well.
Permaculture provides similar
views on a simple, healthy life,
community living and ethical
development as the Dhamma,
and it is a very practical tool to
help saving the planet of a deeper
ecological catastrophe. This doesn’t
mean that we need to go back living
like in the Stone Age, but that we
can carefully recognize our needs
and wants, and design our culture
thinking about the benefit of the
many. Permaculture can work side
by side with economics, developing
wholesome income sources.
Practitioners of the Buddha´s
teachings and Dhamma centers can
be a great example of a greener
future, developing compassion
towards ourselves, others and our
mother earth.
References Queen, C. S. (2011). Engaged
Buddhism: Buddhist liberation
Bhikkhu, Nyanamoli. (2015). The movements in Asia. Albany: State
life of the Buddha: according to University of New York Press.
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Buddhist Publication Society. World Health Organization.
(2004). Promoting mental health:
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro (2013, Nov) concepts, emerging evidence,
Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: practice: report of the World Health
Instructions to Rahula at Mango Organization, Department of Mental
Stone. Retrieved from http://www. Health and Substance Abuse in
accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/ collaboration with the Victorian
mn.061.than.html Health Promotion Foundation and
the University of Melbourne [PDF
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro (2013, Nov) file]. Geneva: Author. Retrieved
Brahmavihara Sutta: The Sublime from http://www.who.int/mental_
Attitudes (Retrieved from http:// health/evidence/en/promoting_
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/ mhh.pdf
an/an10/an10.208.than.html  EH
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro (2013, Nov)
Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to
Sigala. Retrieved from http://www.
accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/
dn.31.0.nara.html 
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro (2013, Nov)
Upajjhatthana sutta: subjects for
contemplation. Retrieved from
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.
html
Mollison, B. (1988). Permaculture: a
designers’ manual. Tyalgum: Tagari
Publ.
Permaculture Ethics - Earth Care
• People Care • Fair Share. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 09, 2017, from
https://permacultureprinciples.
com/ethics/
 TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 39

DEALING WITH
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
BySteve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina is widely recognized as one of the most successful personal

development bloggers in the world, with his work attracting more than 100
million visits to StevePavlina.com. He has written more than 1300 articles
and recorded many audio programs on a broad range of self-help topics,
including productivity, relationships, and spirituality. Steve has been quoted as
an expert by the New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, The
Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Daily News, and many other
publications. Steve’s articles, podcasts, and videos are uncopyrighted, so his work
has been re-published and translated extensively. He is credited as the author or
co-author of more than 150 books, with more being published each year. Steve
lives in Las Vegas and travels often.

How do you deal with difficult, irrational,
or abusive people, especially those in
positions of authority who have some
degree of control over your life?
I’ve never met a totally rational human
being. Our ability to store and process
information is far too imperfect for that.
But our emotions are a shortcut. The
book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel
Goleman describes people diagnosed
with alexithemia, the condition whereby
people either don’t feel emotions or
are completely out of touch with their
emotions. You’d think such people would
be hyper-rational, but they aren’t. They
can’t even function in society. They have
no emotional context for deciding what’s
important to them, so earning a dime is
just as important as earning a million
dollars. They’ll spend hours on tasks
others would consider trivialities, like
deciding what time to schedule a dentist
appointment. Our emotions are a logical
shortcut — we “feel” the difference
between the relevant and the irrelevant.
On to dealing with difficult or irrational
people…
I certainly haven’t been sheltered from
such people, even though I’ve only been
an “employee” for a total of six months
of my life when I was in college. They’re
everywhere! I’ve still had to deal with
irrational/abusive people in business
deals, landlords, etc. But such people
rarely get to me because of how I deal
with them on two levels:
1) There was a story about the Buddha
where a verbally abusive man came to
see him and starting hurling insults. But
the Buddha just sat there calmly. Finally
the man asked the Buddha why he failed
to respond to the insults and abuse. The
Buddha replied, “If someone offers you
a gift, and you decline to accept it, to
40 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
whom does the gift belong?” If someone is irrational,
abusive, etc., you can mentally decline to accept “the
gift.” Let that person keep their anger and insanity,
and don’t let it affect you. This takes practice, but there
are many mental imagery techniques that can help. I
usually visualize the anger as a red energy that bounces
off me or passes through me and simply returns to the
source. This is a message to my subconscious mind to
acknowledge that the anger belongs completely to the
other person. So this part tackles the other person’s
effect on my emotional state. And it works very well. I
never lose my cool unless I’m doing it on purpose for
some specific reason. Sometimes it’s better to respond
to an angry person with some shouting of your own
and then slowly bring them back down. I also mentally
acknowledge that it’s probably a lack of love and
happiness in their life that causes them to behave as
they do.
2) Now that you’ve gotten your emotions handled, you
still have to deal with the practicalities of this person
and their effect on your life. Sometimes it’s enough
to just manage your emotions, but other times that
isn’t enough — you need to take action to address the
situation. In this case I use my logic and intelligence
to decide what to do, depending on the specifics of the
situation. It’s like playing a game of chess — if I do this,
then how will this person react? Even with irrational
and hurtful people, their behavior is often predictable
to some degree if you know a little about them. Human
behavior is purposeful, but it can be hard to figure out
the other person’s intentions. Use what you do know to
anticipate their responses to various possible actions
you might take. Your information may be imperfect, but
do the best you can. Think of it as an exercise in risk
management. Here are some possible actions:
Remove the person from your life. This is a bit extreme,
but sometimes it’s the best option. If your landlord is
really bad, consider moving. If your boss or coworkers
are terrible, leave. Many years ago I once told a friend I
could no longer continue to have him in my life because
he was deeply into software piracy, and I just didn’t
want that kind of influence in my life.
Confront the person about his/her behavior
directly. Raise your standards for what you’re willing
to accept in your life, and enforce them. This strategy
is my personal favorite, but some people aren’t
comfortable with it. The advantage of this approach is
that you stop playing games, and you find out exactly
where you stand with the other person. This is what I’d
use if I had a difficult boss or coworker — I’d just lay
everything out on the table with that person, explain
why certain things were no longer tolerable for me,
and detail what I wanted to see happen. Now the other
person may decline your “demands,” but then at least
you know where you stand and can decide based on
that. Paint a line, and if the other person crosses it, you
now know the abuse is willful.
Use behavioral conditioning on the other person. I
know of a team that did this with their verbally abusive
boss. They conditioned their boss to be encouraging
and supportive. Going to their boss and confronting
him just didn’t work, so they got together and worked
out a behavioral conditioning strategy. They stopped
rewarding his negative behavior and began rewarding
his positive behavior. Whenever he was abusive, he
would either be ignored, or his employee(s) would say,
“Are you intending to manipulate me through verbal
abuse?” They would constantly point out to their boss
when he was being abusive. But whenever he was the
least bit encouraging, like if he said, “good work” or
“thank you,” they’d thank him for his kindness and
encouragement. Within a few weeks, this boss had
completely turned around. I wrote a previous entry on
behavioral conditioning techniques, so there are other
ways to gently change another person. But this assumes
you have enough leverage on the person.
Get leverage, and use that leverage to force action. This
can be risky, but sometimes it’s the best option. You
might need to see if you can get another person fired
if they really are hurting productivity. In software
companies it isn’t uncommon for a team to petition
management to fire a weak member that’s holding
them back. I use this a lot myself when dealing
with difficult people in business in cases of willful
misconduct. You contact everyone who does business
with that person to let them know what’s happening.
And if it’s a big enough deal, throw in local govt reps
 TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 41

and members of the press too. You might think of this
as the whistleblower strategy.
Let it go. Sometimes this is the best option if someone
injures you in some way. Just let it go and move on.
There’s a deeper issue here too… Are the reasons you’re
allowing this difficult person to remain in your life
valid? For example, if you make money a higher priority
than quality of life, then how can you complain when
you get the former but sacrifice the latter?
I think people often have a hard time making quality of
life a high enough priority — we’re taught to just suck
it up and tolerate it if we have a difficult boss (and then
die of a heart attack or stroke). The one time I was an
employee, I didn’t particularly like my boss; he behaved
like a jerk and didn’t seem too bright either. But I also
figured that if I was a lifelong employee, I might have
other bosses like this too, and it wouldn’t always be
convenient to quit. So I decided not to be an employee.
Then when I worked with retail game publishers, I
encountered dishonesty and incompetence, and this
was so common that I felt it would be hard to run that
kind of business and not have to deal with such people,
so I decided not to work with those people either. When
I switched to doing game development independently,
I loved the people and really enjoyed it, so I stuck with
that for years. I chose not to base my career around
working with difficult people. And now that I’m getting
into speaking, I’m having a great time at that too, and
I get along great with the people, so I’m happy on this
path too.
It seems that different kinds of careers attract different
kinds of people, and some industries seem to attract
more jerks than others. You don’t have to work in a
slaughterhouse (which reportedly has the highest
turnover rate for any kind of job), but you don’t have to
work in a tech sweathouse either. You might think that
dealing with a difficult boss is a “have to,” but it isn’t.
You can’t control everything, but in most cases you have
enough control over your life to avoid having to deal
with such people. Just because everyone else around
you tolerates an abusive boss doesn’t mean you have to.
EH

Are you searching for a spiritually challenging work?

Do you enjoy meeting fellow Dharma practitioners, Buddhist leaders, and Dharma
masters? Would you like to introduce the latest Buddhist book you read recently?
How about researching into the latest web-sites on Buddhist activities around the
world? And of course, what about telling us how you first came in contact with
the dharma and what the dharma means to you today. Well, if you find all of these
interesting, we can make it spiritually challenging for you too!

In every issue of EASTERN HORIZON, we publish special chat sessions with leading
Buddhist personalities, essays on all aspects of Buddhism, book reviews, and news
and activities that are of interest to the Buddhist community. We need someone
to help us in all these projects. If you are keen to be part of this exciting magazine,
please e-mail to the editor at Bennyliow@gmail.com, and we will put you in touch
with what’s challenging for the next issue!

Let us share the dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings!
42 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

MINDFULNESS
MINUS METTĀ IS
BORING
By Venerable Bhikkhu T. Seelananda

Ven. Seelananda was born and bred in Sri Lanka as a Theravada monk. Having
received the invitation extended from American Sri Lankan Buddhist Association
of New York he came to US for the dissemination of the Dhamma in 2002.
Bhante Seelananda, along with his friends, established a meditation Center
named “Samatha Vipassana Meditation Centre” in Edmonton Canada. Ven.
Seelananda served as Vice President and Vice Abbot of Bhavana Society from
January 2011 to May 22, 2016. Since Bhante Uparatana’s appointment to these
two positions, Bhante Seelananda is now a senior Dhamma Teacher, leading
retreats at Bhavana and internationally.

Mindfulness is the way to live happily Mindfulness can be developed as

and peacefully. Being mindful does not
means one’s mind is full with something.
If one is mindful one’s mind is clear and
one is living in the present moment. The
whole teaching of the Buddha is based
on ‘mindfulness.’ If one develops and
cultivates mindfulness one can attain
enlightenment in this very world. The
Buddha taught us the way to develop
mindfulness and wisdom so that we
would be able to realize the real nature
of existence and attain the ultimate bliss
of Nibbāna.  could not attain enlightenment with that
In this regard, the Buddha taught us the
Four Establishments of Mindfulness.
According to this teaching, one has to
establish mindfulness on four places:
1. The Body
2. The Feelings
3. The Mind and
4. The Mental objects.
a power of mind and a power of
memory. Though one has developed
mindfulness through a learned memory,
using that memory one cannot attain
enlightenment. The best example is
Ven. Ananda.  He was the foremost of all
monks for mindfulness. But that was not
the mindfulness of the power of mind,
but mindfulness as a power of memory.
Such a brilliant monk for memory! His
memory power is incomparable with
any other unenlightened person. But he
power. He had to practice mindfulness
as a power of mind for the attainment of
enlightenment. 
When we practice mindfulness, we
are able to generate both serenity and
insight. For both these, mindfulness is
a necessity. There is no insight without
serenity. The Buddha taught that these
two work in tandem in his unique

technique of vipassanā. In the Satipaṭṭhāna
Sutta, we come across this tandem from the
beginning to the end.
Nevertheless, when we try to practice
mindfulness for days and nights on end it is
no easy task, especially for folks caught up
in busy lives, racing to keep up with day-to-
day chores. They may think it is boring, dull
or monotonous. They need something more.
By the same token, for those with hotter
tempers, mindfulness may seem impossible,
even as they see the fruits of their anger,
hatred or resentment. This is where the
excellent balm of mettā or loving friendliness
is necessary. Metta is a cool balm for when we
practice vipassanā.
Sometimes, when we practice vipassanā it
may feel dry and clinical. That is the best time
to apply this cool balm—mettā.
Practicing mettā at any time gives wonderful
solace and great benefits. The Buddha has
pointed out the results of practicing mettā
in many discourses. In the Mettānisamsa
sutta he enumerated 11 benefits of practicing
mettā.  Loving friendliness is the way to living
Our point in this article is to underscore that
mindfulness without mettā is insufficient. For
the best result in practicing and developing
mind, both mettā and mindfulness should
go together.  This is why in the Karaṇīya
mettā sutta the Buddha emphasized the need
for maintaining mindfulness with mettā as
a resolution. We suffuse it with all beings
above, below and all around, unobstructed,
without hatred or resentment, whether
standing, walking, sitting, laying down or as
long as one is awake. This is what is called
“Divinely Dwelling” (brahmā vihāra). 
An apt example for the union of mindfulness
and loving friendliness is given in the
Maṇibhadda Sutta of the Connected
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 43
Discourses of the Buddha.  According to
this sutta, the demon Maṇibhadda comes to
the Buddha and says, “It is always good for
the mindful one. The mindful one thrives
in happiness. It is better each day for the
mindful one. And he is freed from enmity.”
The Buddha then said:
“It is always good for the mindful one,
The mindful one thrives in happiness.
It is better each day for the mindful one,
But he is not freed from enmity.
One whose mind all day and night
Takes delight in harmlessness,
Who has ‘loving friendliness’ for all beings —
For him there is enmity with none.”
So, according to this statement, it is clear
that though one has mindfulness it is not
sufficient to be free from enmity. For that
one needs loving friendliness, as well. Loving
friendliness is such a powerful energy to
appease all hatred. “Hatred is never appeased
by hatred in this world. Only by non-hatred
[loving friendliness] hatred is appeased”, said
the Buddha.
friendliness. In the discourse of “The Finger-
Snap”, the Buddha said that if monks are
practicing mettā, at least for the duration of
the snapping of one’s fingers, they deserve
to receive the four requisites (clothing, food,
shelter and medicine) provided by the lay
community. So all people, whether monk or
nun, laymen or laywomen, if they practice
mindfulness and apply mettā in their daily
life, indubitably their life will be successful,
fruitful right now and in the hereafter. This is
why we all have to practice mindfulness and
mettā energetically.
Mindfulness can be developed as a power of
mind and a power of memory. EH
44 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

BUDDHIST ADVICE FOR RULING A KINGDOM

NĀGĀRJUNA’S SAGE GUIDANCE ON

HOW TO GOVERN IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE DHARMA
ByVenerable Thubten Nyima

Ven. Thubten Nyima was born in Colombia and has lived in the United States
for over 35 years. She has a B.S. degree in Business Administration/Marketing
from California State University, Sacramento and a Masters degree in Health
Administration from the University of Southern California. Her career spans
both private and public sectors, including 14 years of management-level
experience with Sacramento County’s Child Protective Services. She has a young
adult daughter who lives in California.

She became interested in Buddhism in 2001 after meeting monks from the
Ganden Shartse Monastery. In 2009 she took refuge with Ven. Thubten Chodron
and became a regular participant in the Exploring Monastic Life retreat. Ven.
Nyima moved to the Abbey from California, in April of 2016, and took Anagarika
precepts shortly thereafter. She received sramanerika and shiksamana
ordination in March 2017. Ven. Nyima contributes to the Abbey’s administrative
functions by thanking donors, helping with community planning meetings and
facilitating SAFE courses. She also works on the vegetable garden and enjoys
working in the forest when needed. She is also a keen student of Venerable
Chodron’s Thursday night, live-streamed teachings on Precious Garland of
Advice for a King by Indian master Nāgārjuna.

Studying Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland has sparked my interest in looking at his work
through the lens of current events. This blends well with some recent discussion
online and at Sravasti Abbey regarding socially engaged Buddhism. The question
is: Should—or to what extent should—Buddhist monastics and practitioners in
general actively advocate for governmental policies based on equality, justice, peace,
compassion, and care for the environment?

This question was answered many centuries ago by Nāgārjuna, a Buddhist monk
and philosopher who lived between 150 and 250 AD. In his text Precious Garland
of Advice for a King, Nāgārjuna not only instructs the king on profound Buddhist
philosophical points but also advises him on how to rule the kingdom in accordance
with the Dharma. In other words, Nāgārjuna advocates for governmental policies
based on Dharma principles. He tells the king:

125: …devote yourself to the Dharma of generosity,
ethical conduct, and fortitude.
126: King, if you undertake deeds that begin with the
Dharma, have the Dharma in the middle and Dharma
at the end, you will not be harmed in this world or the
next.
In order to understand Nāgārjuna’s approach to
advocacy I wanted to look not just at what he did,
but also how he did it. I wanted to understand his
motivation, to discern how he spoke to the king—in
what tone, what words he used, and in what context.
I also wanted to understand the actual content of his
advice—what he focused on.
To explain his motivation, Nāgārjuna tells the king:
301: If the king acts in a way that contradicts the
Dharma or does something that does not make sense,
most of his subjects still praise him. Hence, it is hard for
him to know what is appropriate and what is not.
Who would dare disagree with a powerful king? People
would be afraid of doing that and consequently the king
would not benefit from honest feedback. Nāgārjuna
then poses a very pertinent question:
302: If it is even difficult to say something beneficial but
unpleasant to others, how can I, a monk, hope to do so
to you, the king of a large realm?
This question is a preamble for outlining his motivation
in offering advice to the king, which Nāgārjuna presents
as follows:
303: But because of my affection for you, and also due
to my compassion for beings, I myself will tell you what
is quite helpful but not very pleasant.
It is clear that Nāgārjuna cares for the king and wants
him to govern his realm well. But he does not stop
there; Nāgārjuna tells the king to look beyond his own
narrow interests and broaden his scope of care and
concern to include the whole world.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 45
306 Realizing that what I tell you is helpful in this
context and others, implement it for your own sake
and also for the sake of the world.
Similarly, when we engage in advocacy, we should
follow Nāgārjuna’s example and do it with the
motivation of benefitting everyone involved, including
policy-makers and those who think differently from us.
Being keenly aware of our interdependence, we should
likewise broaden our scope of care and concern to
include the whole world.
Nāgārjuna’s words to the king were spoken in a friendly
tone, conveying respect and caring for the king’s well-
being as well as a deep understanding of the king’s role
and responsibilities. Nāgārjuna didn’t shy away from
difficult topics. Again, this is an example for us in that
our advocacy efforts should be free from animosity and
divisiveness and instead focus on building common
ground and understanding among different groups of
people.
Nāgārjuna’s advice is clear, concise, direct, and touches
upon the king’s most important spheres of influence.
Regarding policy-making, he says:
128: Dharma is the highest policy; Dharma pleases
the world; and if the world is pleased, you will not be
deceived here or hereafter.
129: But a policy that proceeds without the Dharma
will not please the world.
And if the world is not pleased, you will not be happy
here or hereafter.
In terms of social policy Nāgārjuna advises the king
to invest in education and pay educators well; to take
care of vulnerable populations such as the elderly,
the very young and the ill; to pay doctors and other
care providers with money from the king’s estates to
ensure access to medical care for all his subjects. He
suggests the king focus on enhancing the kingdom’s
infrastructure and asks him to show compassion for
the homeless, the poor, the ill, and all those facing
hardships.
46 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
239: For the sake of increasing wisdom, provide for the
livelihood of the schoolmasters in all the educational
institutions of the land and formally grant estates to
them.
240: With [the proceeds from] your fields establish
wages for doctors and barbers [dentists], for the sake
of the elderly, the young, and the ill so as to relieve the
suffering of sentient beings.
241: You of good wisdom, establish rest houses
and build parks and causeways, pools, pavilions, and
cisterns; provide for bedding, grasses, and wood.
243: Out of your compassion, always care for the ill, the
homeless, those afflicted by suffering, the downtrodden
and unfortunate.
Respectfully apply yourself to aiding them.
Nāgārjuna’s advice on economic policy focuses on
reducing the burden of unnecessary taxes, tolls, and
debt so the population can enjoy economic relief. He
also encourages the king to help farmers facing hard
times.
252: Provide seeds and food to farmers who have fallen
on hard times.
Eliminate excessive taxes
and reduce the portion [of
products taxed].
253: Protect [citizens] from debt; eliminate [new]
tolls and reduce [excessive] tolls.
Eliminate the suffering of those who wait at your door
[with their petitions unanswered].
In regards to the criminal justice system, he asks
the king to be compassionate with prisoners and
to provide them with food, drink, medical care and
clothing. Nāgārjuna advocates for ongoing release of
prisoners, particularly the ill, and discourages the use
of unreasonably long prison sentences.
331: King, out of compassion you should always make
your mind focused upon benefitting all beings, even
those that have committed the most serious misdeeds.
332: You should particularly have compassion
for those that have committed the serious negativity
of murder; these ones who have ruined themselves are
indeed worthy of a great persons’ compassion.
333: Either every day or every five days, Release the
weakest prisoners.
And see that it is not the case that the remaining ones

are never released, as is appropriate.
334: From thinking that some should never be released
you develop [behaviors and attitudes] that contradict
your precepts. From contradicting your precepts,
you continually accumulate more negativity.
335: And until they are released, those prisoners should
be made content by providing them with barbers,
baths, food, drink, clothing, and medical care.
By way of foreign policy, Nāgārjuna advises the king
to care for refugees and offer assistance to countries
hit by famine and disease. He describes a vast scope
of international involvement for the king that is
antithetical to waging wars.
251: Always care extensively for [places] in the world
that are oppressed or where crops have failed;
that have suffered harm or where there is plague,
or that have been conquered [in war].
Nāgārjuna asks the king to extend his kindness and care
to travelers who are tired, thirsty and hungry, to place
not only water cisterns by the roads but also medicine,
supplies, food, and other useful items. One could argue
there is a contemporary parallel here in terms of
showing kindness to immigrants who are very much
like travelers coming from far away places hungry,
thirsty, and tired.
245: At the sites of cisterns place shoes, parasols, and
water filters, tweezers for removing thorns, needles,
thread, and fans.
246: At the cisterns also place the three kinds of fruit,
the three kinds of salt, honey, eye-medicine, and
antidotes to poison.

Also write formulas for medicinal treatments and
spells.
247: At the cisterns also place ointments for the body,
feet and head, cradles [for babies], ladles, and ewers,
brass pots, axes, and so on.
248: In cool, shady spots make small cisterns filled with
potable water and provided with sesame, rice, grain,
foods, and molasses.
There is also advice concerning care for animals,
insects, and non-human beings in general. Here
Nāgārjuna asks the king to be generous with other
beings, take responsibility for their well-being and act
accordingly.
249: At the openings of anthills have trustworthy
persons constantly place food and water, molasses and
and piles of grain.
250: Both before and after each meal always offer in
a pleasant manner food to hungry ghosts, dogs, ants,
birds, and so on.
Nāgārjuna encourages the king to appoint ministers
who value ethical conduct and uphold high standards
of conduct; to appoint military advisors who use
resources wisely and are kind and vigilant; and to
appoint officials who are skillful, knowledgeable and
experienced.
323: Appoint as ministers policy experts who are
pious, polite, and pure, devoted, courageous, of good
family, ethically outstanding, and grateful.
324: Appoint military advisors that are generous,
unattached, heroic, and polite, who properly use
[resources], are steadfast, always vigilant, and pious.
325: Appoint as officials elders that behave in accord
with Dharma and are pure, who are skillful and know
what to do, who are erudite, organized, impartial, and
polite.
TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 47
Nāgārjuna also advises the king to be unselfish, honest,
and generous. He tells the king that truth, generosity,
tranquility and wisdom are four excellent qualities a
king should have.
130: A useless [political] theory is one that intends to
deceive others. It is harsh and a path to bad rebirths—
how could the unwise make such a theory useful?
131: Since that [deception] will just deceive oneself for
many thousands of rebirths, how could one intent on
deceiving others be a true statesman at all?
To conclude, Nāgārjuna provides an example of how
to approach advocacy from a Buddhist point of view
by having a proper motivation, avoiding animosity and
divisiveness and advocating for issues related to the
well-being of vulnerable populations be them domestic
or foreign. Verses
133 and 342 summarize Nāgārjuna’s advice well.
133: Be generous, speak gently, be beneficent;
act with the same intention [as you expect from others];
through these [ways of acting], bring together the
world, and also sustain the Dharma.
342: From reigning properly in this way, your kingdom
will not be chaotic.
It will not proceed improperly nor contradict the
Dharma.
It will be in harmony with the Dharma.
For more about Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland, see
Venerable Chodron’s series of teachings on the text. EH
FORUM
48 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
MAKING SENSE OF SENSE
DESIRES IN LAY PRACTICE
In the Buddha’s first sermon, Dhammacakkapavatthana
Sutta, he taught the “middle way” between extremes
of harsh asceticism and headlong indulgence in
sense pleasures. This is the expression the Buddha
originally used to distinguish his path from that of
his Indian teachers. Having identified craving (Pāli:
Taṇhā; Skt:Tṛṣṇā) as the cause of suffering (dukkha),
he explains that there are three objects of craving: the
craving for existence; the craving for non-existence and
the craving for sense pleasures (kama). Sense pleasures
is identified as the first of the five hindrances that
impedes one’s path to enlightenment. As many of the
Buddha’s teachings on sense pleasures were addressed
to monastics, the question lay Buddhists have asked is
how relevant are they for householders. As such, we ask
our panellists from three Buddhist traditions to respond
to the questions below:
 Desire is ubiquitous in human life. Living without
wants, wishes, motivations, and aspirations is
inconceivable. Some desires are quite healthy,
useful, and appropriate; some are not. Is the Buddha
saying all sense desires are bad or some are good?
Aggacitta: In the Pāḷi canon the terms kusala (skilful/
wholesome) and akusala (unskilful/unwholesome) are
probably closest to the concept of good and bad. In the
ultimate sense, thought, speech or action motivated by
greed (lobha), hate or delusion is considered akusala;
and by non-greed, non-hate or non-delusion, kusala.
Lobha actually covers a range of mental states including
liking, attachment, desire, lust and craving. So, desire
for anything is akusala, “bad” according to the standards
of the Middle Way to liberation. However, the desire to
prevent unskilful states from arising and abandoning
them when they arise, and to arouse skilful states and
maintain and fully develop them is called Right Effort in
the Noble Eightfold Path (N8P).
The Buddha’s first sermon was given to the five
ascetics who attended to him before he abandoned
severe austerities and developed his own practice
for liberation, viewed by the five ascetics as a form of
sensual indulgence. For this reason, the Buddha started
the sermon by saying, “These two extremes, monks, are
not to be engaged in by a renunciant…”. He continued
to expound the Middle Way, detailed as the N8P. Thus,
we should understand that the term “Middle Way” was
used with special reference to renunciants who held the
extreme view that severe asceticism was the only way to
liberation, and that it specifically refers to the N8P.
Ming Wei: There is no doubt that the Buddha said desire
is the cause of suffering; nevertheless someone may
query the purpose of existence without any desire. In
fact, the Buddha explained that some desires are good
whereas others are bad. It depends on our intention and
understanding of that particular desire. For example,
the desire to learn and practice Dharma diligently is
praised by the Buddha. On the contrary, the pursuit
of worldly material wealth without contentment and
right view will eventually cause suffering to one self
as it will be wrongly guided by greed. The reason
the Buddha taught us not to have any attachment or
desire is because nothing lasts forever – its nature is
impermanence. It would be great if one could treat
desire by adopting the middle way as taught by the
Buddha.
Namgyal: The problem here is with our choice of words
in English to represent what Buddha must have meant
by raga, Tṛṣṇā, and upadana, roughly translatable as
attachment, craving, and grasping, all suggest (1) a
sense of over-estimation of the promise of the object
in question as well as (2) a risk of potential loss of
control over one’s conscience when engaging the object.
Merely being motivated toward something is not the
meaning here, nor is it a question of what one may
have as an object. Rather, it is in how one unwisely falls
into the trap of engaging with them with the reification
and subsequent hostage-taking of one’s sensibilities.
Therefore, sense desires are not good or bad. In fact,

it is not the sense object’s fault, rather our unchecked
tendency of over investment in them, rooted in our
exaggerated reading of their promise (see the role of
ignorance here) which is the problem.
Modern psychology encourages people to live
fully, joyfully, and enhance the quality of life such
as relaxed nature walks in the forest, stopping to
smell the roses, and savoring a good meal with
family? Does lingering over such acceptable and
natural pleasures of ordinary life only perpetuate
attachment to sense desires and suffering?
Aggacitta: Yes and no. Yes because verses 212 – 216
in the Dhammapada clearly state that sorrow and
fear arise from love, affection, delight, sensual desire
and craving. Sorrow and fear belong to the first of
the three types of suffering: painful, transformative
and conditional. The second refers to pleasurable
experiences that one attaches to; for they are
“transformed” into suffering when they are no longer
there but one still hankers after them. The third refers
to the ultimate suffering perceived when wisdom sees
the incessant, impersonal, uncontrollable arising and
passing away of conditioned phenomena (saṅkhārā). In
other words, lingering over the “innocent” pleasures of
ordinary life constitutes liking, attachment, or delight
that perpetuates the threefold suffering.
“No” because if one is able to stay with the five sense
experiences without attachment and rejection, one can
attain composure and be free from the first two types
of suffering. For example, when one is engrossed in
a hobby such as painting, hiking, mountain climbing,
one is totally contented and at peace, free from mental
suffering.
Ming Wei: The Buddha taught us that in life there is
suffering, but He did not deny that our lives can also be
filled with happiness. We can capture the many wonders
which surround us such as the blue sky, natural forest,
beautiful sunset, and so on. Therefore, there is nothing
wrong to appreciate the beauty of nature around us, to
protect our mother earth, or even to have a good time
with our family. The Buddhist teachings always guide us
to cultivate compassion and wisdom to avoid suffering
and to bring happiness to all sentient beings. It directs
us to have a better life and teaches us to look at things
TEACHINGS
FORUM | EASTERN HORIZON 49
as it is without attachment and wrong views through
understanding the true nature of things.
Namgyal: Buddha’s teachings also encourage and point
people toward living a life that is full, joyful, and high
quality. However, based on its worldview, in Buddhism
those values may be defined slightly differently and
nuanced from that of the modern psychologists.
However, none of those values should conflict with
taking time in enjoying all of the above and many
more outdoor activities. Instead, one would do better
in both the present and future, if one watches out
for one’s tendency of being obsessed with them over
time, so much so that one may either overdo them
at the expense of several sensibilities, or succumb to
severe withdrawal in their absence. To avoid that, the
techniques of developing awareness into their realistic
nature of impermanence, their limits of how much
they can provide, and their lack of intrinsic capability
are helpful in keeping one from buying into their false
appearances and promises, and help us deal with them
realistically. Therefore, whether or not lingering over
those natural pleasures of ordinary lives perpetuate
attachment and craving is depended on how mindful
and vigilant one stays. Without those alert systems in
place, people would ordinarily develop attachment to
just about anything they may like.
For instance, if I desire to listen to a song, is the
problem the desire, or the 'emotions and feelings'
that the song itself brings up?
Aggacitta: The problem is the desire; emotions and
feelings are the results of present causes (desire to
listen, the ears listening to the song) and past conditions
(previous pleasant or unpleasant experiences related to
the song).
Ming Wei: According to researchers, listening to music
or songs is a key to good health and it is also a form
of relaxation. I don’t see any problem in listening to
songs or music if it is done without attachment, but in a
moderate way. The fact is if we are attached to such an
object, we will eventually experience pain and suffering.
The Buddha even reminded us that we should not be
attached to the Dharma. The Dharma is simply a tool
for our spiritual transformation and helps us to develop
wisdom where we see things in their real essence.
FORUM
50 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
In this regard, it is clear that the problem is neither
the song nor feeling itself, but our mind if it lacks
mindfulness.
Namgyal: It is neither. Neither is the ‘desire’ to listen
to the song, nor is the ‘emotions’ and ‘feelings’ that
come up with the song a problem. It is when that desire
of listening to the song, left unattended to pick up
dirt down the road, becomes fuelled with unrealistic
expectations and begin to take over our conscience that
it becomes a problem. So is the case with the emotions
and feelings that the song brings up. Just having the
emotions and feelings is not the problem, rather
unconsciously and unwisely cementing them over time
and acting them out without proper screening is the
problem.
Is there such a thing as “positive desires”? As sense
desires are mental energies, can we transform our
desires for self-pleasures towards positive desires
to help us on our path of practice?
Aggacitta: Certainly the energy can be transformed by
changing its mode to qualify as Right Effort, de-fined as:
he arouses desire, strives, puts forth energy, exerts the
mind, endeavors to prevent akusala states from arising
…Thus, Right Effort is a form of “positive desire”, or
paradoxically, “the desire to end desire”.
Ming Wei: It’s important to realize that a desire for
something is not always bad. If you eat a piece of cake
at a cafe and find it delicious, you don’t need to throw
it away! You can enjoy the food without attachment
and mindfully eat what is enough for you. According
to Buddhism, our desires are not necessarily evil, as
there are positive desires such as the desire to attain
Liberation and Enlightenment. This positive desire
can stimulate and help us to move forward on our
path of cultivation and practice. Therefore, it would be
beneficial if we practice the “Middle Way” as taught by
the Buddha in order to make a better judgement and a
wiser decision when our daily activities are taking place.
Namgyal: It’s not ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ desire, rather
‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ desire. In Tibetan Buddhism,
we understand that the Buddha, after attaining full
enlightenment, turned the specific wheels of dharma
according to the inclinations and capacities of the
disciples. This included the system free of ‘sensual
desire’ to those inclined toward the individual vehicle;
the system of grounds and perfections to those
inclined toward the expansive vehicle; and the system
employing ‘sensual desire’ into the path to those
inclined toward the profound vehicle and capable of
harnessing its potential while not succumbing to its
damage. The above possibility is accounted for even in
the original teachings of the Buddha. That is what the
proponents of the Vajrayāna vehicle claim. However,
that path is clearly not for everyone. One has to have
that confidence of neutralizing the damage of ‘sensual
desire’ while at the same time retaining its potential
for use into the path. Likewise, we speak of paths
capable of incorporating other afflictive emotions
such as ‘anger’ and even ‘ignorance’ into the path for
those who can. However, in all the above cases, it is
not that the actual afflictions themselves become the
path; rather they facilitate the path and bring an extra
source of energy into play. Ultimately, these same paths
contribute to eliminating the afflictions along with
their subtle instincts. Thus, the popular analogy used to
express this system is ‘just as worms born of wood also
destroy the wood’, these paths born of afflictions are
ultimately employed in uprooting the same afflictions
more effectively and thoroughly.
The opposite of being attached to sense desires is
to develop renunciation. As a lay Buddhist how is
one’s understanding and practice of renunciation
different from that of a monastic?
Aggacitta: A Pāḷi term for householder is kāmabhogī
meaning “one who enjoys sensual pleasures”. The
Buddha taught the Middle Way of liberation from
saṃsāra to renunciants and the way of faring well in
saṃsāra to householders. Verse 75 of the Dhammapada
clearly states that the quest for worldly gain is one path
but that to nibbāna is quite another.
As far as I have read in the suttas, all non-monks
(including devas) who attained at least the first stage
of awakening did so while listening to a discourse given
by the Buddha. Those who couldn’t but wished to do so
would think: As I understand the Dhamma taught by the
Blessed One, it is not easy while living the household
life to practice the lofty practice (brahmacariya) that
is utterly complete, utterly pure like a polished conch

shell. What if I shave my hair and beard, wear dyed
clothes and go forth from home to homelessness? From
such passages, it seems obvious that serious practice for
liberation entails actual renunciation from household
affairs.
We should bear in mind that circumstances then and
now were quite different: (1) The household life was
labor-intensive and time-consuming without today’s
modern conveniences (2) there were no retreat centers
for householders even if they can afford the time (3)
the Buddha was still alive and tailored his discourses to
suit his audience, so it was common for householders to
attain awakening simply by listening to his discourse.
In comparison: (1) Householders today have much more
free time due to modern lifestyles and conveniences,
and this can be used for studying Buddhist scriptures
and for personal practice at home; (2) today there exists
many guided intensive retreats in the many retreat
centers available (3) but the Buddha is no longer here
to give customized teachings, so it is not easy to attain
awakening. This may seem discouraging, but there may
still be some hope.
Monastics are bound by many thousands of training
rules to facilitate the practice of renunciation.
Householders are recommended to follow only the five
precepts, or more comprehensively, the ten courses of
good conduct. My advice to my yogis is: As long as you
don’t break your precepts, cause financial difficulties
to yourself and family, or harm yourself and others
physically or otherwise, go ahead and follow your
pet attachments. But do so with mindfulness and
clear awareness (sati-sampajañña). Understand the
gratification of sensual pleasure (satisfaction when you
get what you desire), its drawbacks (how long the sense
of satisfaction lasts and how much trouble you had to go
through for those fleeting moments of happiness) and
the escape from it (the discipline or control of the initial
desire). This practice is based on what the bodhisatta
did as an unenlightened householder, so narrated in
Māgaṇḍiya Sutta MN 75.
Ming Wei: The term renunciation is often used to
describe the act of a monk or nun going forth into a
homeless life with the aim to be liberated from greed
and lust. However, renunciation can apply to lay people
as well. Traditionally, monks and nuns live simply,
TEACHINGS
FORUM | EASTERN HORIZON 51
without excessive personal possessions. Lay people are
not expected to give up our homes and families as the
Buddhist monastics do. Instead, lay Buddhists practice
to realize the transitory nature of possessions and
not to be attached to them. In the Mahāyāna tradition,
renunciation becomes a bodhisattva practice for
cultivating bodhicitta (altruistic thoughts) in order to
help all sentient beings. In a sense, renunciation does
not mean we should get out of society or to escape from
people, but to prepare ourselves for the highest state of
attainment.
Namgyal: The word, ‘Renunciation’ may be misleading
in this context. ‘Moving to Freedom’ may be a more
appropriate term. This is because freeing oneself from
the dictates of dissonant mental states, attachment
being prominent among them, is the common
purpose behind the whole practice of Buddhism at
all levels. Taking to monastic lifestyle may be looked
at as facilitating to some types of people in achieving
this freedom, particularly in creating a conducive
environment for nurturing such a culture, and building
on that to further advancement down the line. However,
there may be some for whom that lifestyle is not
suitable or even necessary. That is the reason why
there are provisions for lay practices and lay vows,
both at the beginners’ level, in the Prātimokṣa-yāna, as
well as the highly advanced ones in the Pāramitāyāna
and Vajrayāna vehicles. Nihsarana, the Sanskrit
term for determination to be free from the bondage
of afflictions, and pravrajitaḥ, the Sanskrit term for
leaving earthly pleasures behind to lead a mendicant’s
life are not to be conflated. Often, people translate the
former as ‘renunciation’ and the latter as ‘renunciate or
renunciant’, thus the confusion.
The fifth precept for lay Buddhists is to abstain
from alcoholic drinks. If one takes just a drink when
offered during a social event and politely declines
further drinks, is that considered as the “middle
path” approach in managing our sense pleasures in
line with Buddhist practice?
Aggacitta: I reiterate that the “Middle Way” is a
contextual reference to the N8P. Since abstention
from intoxicants is not explicitly part of the N8P, this
question is irrelevant. However some scholars argue
that it should be implicitly included (1) as a prerequisite
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52 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
for the N8P or (2) in the third limb of Right Action:
abstention from misconduct in sensuality (kāmesu-
micchācārā veramaṇī). If so, then according to the
commentary to the Minor Readings (Khuddaka Pāṭha)
of the 5th Nikāya, this precept is considered broken
when four factors are fulfilled: (1) presence of an
intoxicant (2) desire to drink (3) effort to do so (4)
drinking it. So, taking even a sip from the first drink is
already veering off the Middle Way.
However, the five precepts and the ten courses of good
conduct are not commandments, but recommendations
with very explicit consequences. As Buddhists, we must
be responsible for our actions. Look at your mind to
understand why you need to take the first drink. What’s
the payoff in terms of social or business advantage
compared to the kammic potential created by that act?
Is it worth it? Be prepared to face the consequences
though.
Ming Wei: The Buddha encouraged his followers to
refrain from consuming any kind of intoxicants, such
as alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. These substances
are said to be inconsistent with Buddhist beliefs as
they distort the mind. If we undertake to refrain from
taking alcoholic drinks, it means we should avoid taking
alcoholic drinks entirely if possible. Nevertheless, due
to some social contacts, sometimes we need to take a
little out of courtesy. However, it shouldn’t be the reason
to drink much since it brings negative consequences.
In fact, according to the Mahāyāna tradition, trading or
selling alcohol goes against the fifth Bodhisattva precept
and is considered a major offence. Drinking alcohol is
still an offence, but a minor one. Therefore, the basic
Buddhist teachings on alcohol consumption are quite
clear.
Namgyal: Here, the main point is how confident one is in
maintaining that restraint after taking the first couple of
sips. Often, people succumb to the lure of the taste and
the appeal of its effects, and soon finds oneself unable
to stop the urge for more. In fact, these days many high
masters, when they bestow this precept in the West,
do take into account the disciples’ social cultures and
allow the liberty for them to take a few sips but not to
the point of being drunk. Ultimately, it boils down to
the individual person in terms of how capable they are
in making that call. There are incidents in the sūtras
where Buddha prefers taking a preventative measure in
this regard by going as far as to say that those who take
alcohol even the amount of a grass-tip could not call him
as their Teacher. At the same time, there are provisions
of using alcohol for ingredients in advanced Vajrayāna
rituals and rites. This clearly reflects the basic Buddhist
principle of a practice measuring up to the capacity of
the practitioner so long as it stands up to the task of
undermining and eventually uprooting the dissonant
mental dispositions within us.
Meditating on disgusting objects, like a decaying
corpse produces a repulsion towards attractive
objects, and thus reduces our attachment to lust and
greed. Is this a practice applicable for lay people in
daily life?
Aggacitta: I don’t think so, unless one aspires “to be in
the world but not of the world” or to be a renunciant in
lay clothes. ;-))
Ming Wei: Meditating on disgusting objects of the
body is primarily to turn the mind away from sexual
attachment and disgust towards the body. Meditation on
corpses may also help monks learn to understand and
overcome disgust and fear, and it is an effective antidote
for lust and sensual desire. Such training reminds
monks to come to grips with their own mortality and
provides a visceral experience of impermanence and
non-self. Therefore, for lay people who would like to
thread the path of enlightenment, they are encouraged
to practice it. However, for lay people who have family
members and are extremely attached to their physical
bodies, they could practice it when they are separated
from their loved one or when they encounter sickness.
This will reduce their attachment to their bodies.
Namgyal: Attachment to lust and greed, attachment
to just about anything, unless one quickly catches and
addresses it, may bring more severe suffering in the
end. Particularly, from a Buddhist perspective, it keeps
one entangled in saṃsāra, an unenlightened existence
under the sway of destructive mental states. It may
bring a fleeting moment of pleasure, but it keeps us
locked in that cycle of perpetual suffering. If one does
not mind suffering, both in the short and long term, then
why care about doing dharma practice? If one wishes
to be free from suffering and, if possible, achieve lasting

freedom from afflictions, then addressing attachment
is not an option. Rather one must try different methods
and practices, if not by meditating on disgusting objects,
for the time being. When, at some point of awakening,
the urge becomes serious and urgent, then may be
one can consider trying that, too. Nāgārjuna says in
his Letter to a Friend, “Gaze not upon another’s wife. /
If you still see her, regard her as mother, daughter, or
sister, / According to her age. / If lust arises, thoroughly
contemplate impurity.” (verse 21) One may still want to
be loving, caring, and responsible in ones obligations
and relationships, but that does not necessarily
mean having to be clinging, and possessive, etc. and
adding suffering to the pain and hardships of life. I am
reminded of the common saying that “pain may be
inevitable, but suffering is optional.”
As a summary for lay Buddhists having to manage
a family and earning a living, what are the key
pointers for them to live a happy life that is in
accordance with the teachings of “Middle Way”
taught by the Buddha?
Aggacitta: Since the Middle Way refers to the N8P,
householders can only try their best to fulfil the
path factors within the constraints of worldly
responsibilities. Endeavor to be impeccable in your
precepts. Try to maintain continual mindfulness and
clear awareness of your feelings, perceptions and
thoughts to understand the gratification, drawbacks and
escape in respect of sensual pleasures. Whenever you
encounter suffering, try to incline your mind to verify
the veracity of the first and second Noble Truths by
asking: Why am I suffering? What’s the cause? Finally, if
you can continually and experientially understand that
whatever happens in your mind and body is a product of
multiple causes and conditions, your life will have less
suffering and more peace, contentment and happiness.
Ming Wei: Economic management is considered an
important strategy for ensuring a good standard of
living for all beings in the present world. However, the
Buddha did not think in terms of economic growth, but
may have thought in terms of management of income
and expenditure as an art of happy living. According
to Buddhist principles, one should not overspend
what he or she has earned and be able to balance
one’s income and expenditure. The disciplined or
TEACHINGS
FORUM | EASTERN HORIZON 53
moderate consumption known as “contentment” in
Buddhist economics is a good practice to avoid heedless
consumption. At the very heart of Buddhism is the
wisdom of moderation. Besides that, we should lead
our lives by applying Right Livelihood as taught by the
Buddha to lead a happy life.
Namgyal: Train to recognize dissonant mental states
such as anger, attachment, greed, self-obsession, etc. to
be harmful to both self and others, and make efforts in
doing everything in the form of dharma practice that
contributes to mitigating the grip of afflicted emotions
and distorted outlooks on one’s thoughts and actions. In
short, practice ‘middle way’ both in terms of behaviors
by avoiding the extremes of ‘harsh asceticism’ on the
one hand and ‘headlong indulgence’ on the other, or
that of philosophical outlook by avoiding the extreme of
‘absolutism’ on the one hand and ‘nihilism,’ on the other.
Geshe Namgyal’s article is edited by Martha Leslie
Baker.
Venerable Āyasmā Aggacitta is
the founder of the Sāsanārakkha
Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in
Taiping, Perak, a Pāli scholar and a
meditation teacher.
Ven. Ming Wei is a teacher of e-learning at the
International Buddhist College (IBC) and an
independent translator of Buddhism.
Geshe Dadul Namgyal is a Geshe
Lharampa and senior resident
teacher at Drepung Loseling
Monastery in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Geshe Dadul Namgyal will like to
thank Martha Leslie Baker for editing his contribution to
this article in Eastern Horizon. EH
54 EASTERN HORIZON | NEWS
WHY I SWAPPED
INVESTMENT BANKING FOR
BUDDHISM IN BHUTAN
By Interview by Caroline Eden, The Guardian, Apr 14, 2017
Emma Slade
‘In Bhutan, humans are not dominant, but a small part of
the whole’ says Emma Slade on the Himalayan kingdom
she regards as her spiritual paradise
Timphu, Bhutan -- Bhutan is
one of the few places in the world
where you can experience unbroken
Buddhist culture. Spirituality is
embedded in daily life here. I
came because I wanted to meet
monks and serious retreatants,
and witness first hand what it
might mean to dedicate your life to
spiritual practice as a Buddhist.
Although this is the Himalayas,
you don’t come to here to climb
mountains. Mountains are sacred in
Bhutan, as are rivers and the earth.
The relationship between nature,
animals and people is unique.
The population is small (around
750,000) but the power of the
mountains and nature is enormous.  Down south there are small tasty
This puts humans in their place: we
are not dominant, but a small part
of the whole. Respect for nature
here is not just lip-service, you
see it in action every day. If you
want to build a house, you have
to ask permission of the earth,
and the government ensures that
the country maintains 60% forest
coverage. You’ll see prayer flags on
mountains and on bridges, from
where the wind carries the prayers
across the country.
You don’t have to tip your head back
to look at the sky; you can stare
straight at it. For me, the finest
view in Bhutan is from 3,100 metre
Dochu-la. From this mountain pass
I can admire the view, look directly
at the sky, and see the stairs to my
lama’s temple. I especially like the
way the stability and serenity of
the mountains contrasts with the
clouds moving high above.
Make a point of meeting monks if
you go to Bhutan. Visitors tend to
emphasise the wow factor of the
buildings, and miss the human
element. Real Buddhist culture, and
what it means in daily life, is in the
people.
Nobody really comes to Bhutan for
the food but there are surprises.
bananas, and oranges at lower
altitudes. Rule number one is to
watch out for the chillies. They look
photogenic while drying on slatted
roofs, but they are intensely fiery.
They’re generously sprinkled into a
dish called ema datsi, which is red
rice with chillies and melted cheese.
There are lots of types of tea –
sweet tea, butter tea and milk tea.
As an ordained nun, I don’t drink
alcohol, but locals drink a strong
home brew called ara made from
maize and potatoes. In the capital,
 NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 55

BUDDHISM BONANZA:
Thimpu, try Central Cafe: its
fresh beetroot juice is excellent.

In Thimphu, stay at Tashi CELEBRATIONS

ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Yoedling (doubles from £30),
right by the Memorial Chorten.

AS RELIGION
From its windows you can
watch worshippers walking
clockwise around the stupa. For
fresh bagels and croissants, it’s
a half-hour walk to Big Bakery, MAINTAINS ITS
run by Draktsho, a training
institute for young people with POPULARITY
special needs. By Samantha Turnbull, Justin Huntsdale and Anthony Scully, ABC North
Coast, 7 Jul 2017
Don’t miss the ancient capital,
Punakha. Its stunning dzong
(fortified monastery) sits at the
convergence of two rivers, the
male Pho Chhu and the female
Mo Chhu.Eastern Bhutan is far
less visited than the west, with
amazing trekking around the
semi-nomadic villages of Merak. Reverend Maio You is the
In Paro, west of Thimphu, director of the Nan Tien
Temple in Wollongong. (ABC
there’s a very small three-tiered Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
circular temple called Dungtse
Lhakhang. It’s the only one of
Sydney, Australia -- The 2016 0.9 per cent to 2.6 per cent.
its kind and wonderfully quiet.
census shows Australians are However, some Buddhists believe
There’s no electricity, so take a
less religious than ever before, their percentage could be higher
torch.
but one religion is maintaining because increasing numbers of
its popularity, with diverse Australians practise Buddhism
Most visitors come in autumn or
celebrations planned across the without officially identifying with
spring, when the views are best
country this weekend. the label.
and the weather is dry, but come
off peak for a quieter, more
The number of Australians who Pairoj Brahma, a former Buddhist
reflective experience. Winter is
in the census reported having no monk from Thailand, lives on a farm
not depressing and grey; it’s all
religion increased from 13 per cent near Mullumbimby in northern
about fresh, clean, sharp air and
in 1991 to 30 per cent in 2016, while New South Wales, where he teaches
beautiful blue skies. If you don’t
the number of Christians dropped meditation to people who practise
like Christmas, consider Bhutan:
from 74 per cent to 52 per cent. Buddhism but do not necessarily
there’s really no trace of it.
call themselves religious.
Between 1991 and 2016, Hinduism
Source: Buddhist Channel
increased from 0.3 per cent to 1.9 “Buddhism is growing rapidly in
(www.buddhistchannel.tv)
per cent, Buddhism from 0.8 per Australia because the core Buddhist
EH
cent to 2.4 per cent, and Islam from teaching is somehow suitable to
56 EASTERN HORIZON | NEWS
logical thinking and intellectual
minds,” he said.
“It’s about cause and effect, not
things coming from the air. It’s
about seeing interconnectedness
and how things are related to each
other.”
Pairoj said Buddhism was not a
one-size-fits-all religion, as could
be demonstrated by the range of
celebrations planned for the next
few days.
Many Theravada Buddhist
communities across Australia,
particularly those with connections
to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos,
will mark Buddha’s first sermon
this weekend in celebrations under
different names, including Asalha
Puja or Dharma Day.
Pairoj said he generally chose not to
participate in Buddhist ceremonies.
“If the ceremony has a certain
meaning to create a context and
purpose and we know the logic
behind it, that’s OK.”
Dharma Day brings Thais together
Buddhist monk Phramaha
Weraphong Ritchumnong will
host Dharma Day celebrations on
Sunday in the rural community of
Richmond Hill, near Lismore in
northern New South Wales.
He said the Thai Buddhist
community would come together
to eat, chant and meditate, while
marking the Buddha’s first sermon
which related to the origins and
aftermath of suffering.
“It’s an important day because it
was the foundation of the core
concept of the Buddha’s teaching,
cause and effect,” he said.
Phramaha said Buddhism had given
him direction after his parents died
when he was nine years old, but he
believed westerners were attracted
to the idea of peacefulness.
“Becoming a monk and having no
attachment has been good luck for
me because I had nothing,” he said.
“When I studied deeper inside
Buddhism I discovered it is very
peaceful inside, and when you don’t
hurt yourself you won’t hurt people
around you.”
Refugees celebrate Dalai Lama
birthday
In the Hunter Valley city of
Newcastle, the small but growing
Tibetan Buddhist community is
celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 82nd
birthday this weekend.
Former monk Yeshi Sangpo, his
wife Pema Tso, and their 17-year-
old daughter Yangkyi Sangpo are
Tibetan refugees who fled their
homeland after Yeshi escaped from
a detention centre, where he was
detained by Chinese Police.
Yangkyi said this weekend’s
celebrations helped to maintain
Tibetans’ connection to their
religion and culture.
“It’s something that we’re really
proud of,” she said.
Yeshi and Pema work in aged care,
while Yangki hopes to become a
cardiologist.
“You be nice to people and be
compassionate to people and that’s
what we strive to do every single
day,” Yangki said.
“Being a Buddhist, something
that we strive to do is to help any
person. No matter who they are we
tend to help them.”
Celebrating the compassionate one
In the Illawarra region of New
South Wales, Buddhists will hold
a ceremony on Sunday to mark
the enlightenment of Guanyin
Bodhisattva.
Reverend Maio You, director of the
Nan Tien Temple at Wollongong,
said Guanyin Bodhisattva was an
icon said to be “the compassionate
one”.
“Guanyin is the enlightened being
who hears the sounds or the cries
of the people,” she said.
“Without Guanyn, Buddhists will
not have their cries heard and their
sufferings liberated.
“It’s a significant day for Buddhists.”
The Nan Tien Temple is home to
a shrine to Guanyin Bodhisattva,
where the ceremony will be held on
Sunday.
Source: Buddhist Channel (www.
buddhistchannel.tv) EH
 NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 57

A BUDDHIST LEADER ON
CHINA’S SPIRITUAL NEEDS
By Ian Johnson and Adam Wu June, The New York Times, June 24, 2017

I don’t want to promote Buddhism! I don’t feel any restrictions. There

I only promote Chinese culture to are always thousands, sometimes
cleanse humanity. tens of thousands of people listening
to me speak. They never stop them.
What are the spiritual needs of I also have many undertakings, and
ordinary Chinese people nowadays? they never say no to me. The People’s
How can Fo Guang Shan satisfy their Publishing House even publishes
spiritual needs? my books. I think they know that
I acknowledge Chinese culture,
I offer people what they want. I especially Buddhism in Chinese
think, in the secular world, they want culture.
money and love. But they also need
The Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder
of Fo Guang Shan, last October in Yixing. “We
peace, safety and happiness. In this Chinese believe in karma, which
respect the leadership, ethics and rule of law,” regard I offer them encouragement, contributes to stabilizing society,
he said. Credit Ian Johnson truth and transcendence. By rebuilding moral ethics and building
influencing them, I make them people’s confidence. We are here
relieved both physically and mentally, to strengthen it to inspire our
YIXING, China -- During a visit last
unrestrained and stable. compatriots.
fall to the Temple of Great Awakening,
the sprawling complex built by the
Does the mainland leadership What do lay Buddhists in the
Buddhist organization Fo Guang
support your work? mainland need the most?
Shan in Yixing, we were greeted by
an unexpected host: the Venerable
I support the leadership. They Lay Buddhists most need Buddhist
Master Hsing Yun, the group’s
care for us as well. It is mutual. We doctrine and a relieved mind.
founder and one of modern China’s
Buddhists uphold whomever is in Society is rife with superstition
most prominent religious figures.
charge. Buddhists don’t get involved and cults. Fewer people believe in
in politics. But we respect the real Buddhism. Real Buddhism is
Master Hsing Yun established Fo
leadership, ethics and rule of law. about mercy, wisdom and dissolving
Guang Shan, or Buddha’s Light
After the Cultural Revolution, confrontation.
Mountain, in Taiwan. But he was
Buddhism in China was severely
visiting mainland China to attend a
damaged. The new generation of Is Taiwan part of China?
ceremony and had stopped by the
Buddhists lacks talent, education
temple to inspect the construction of a
and role models. I encourage fellow President Xi said Taiwan and the
new hall. At 89, he is mostly blind and
Buddhists to strive for kindness. mainland belong to the same family.
suffers from diabetes, but he spoke
I think the entire human race should
with us for more than an hour, adeptly
Are you satisfied with Fo Guang love, respect and tolerate each other.
responding to questions that the
Shan’s development in the mainland? The government here gives us land
authorities might find objectionable,
without asking for money. They send
including any suggestion that Fo
The mainland is gradually making people to water the plants for us. I
Guang Shan is proselytizing in
progress. There are some restrictions hope the government can treat people
mainland China. Here is an edited
on religion. But I have also felt their fairly like this.
excerpt from our conversation:
kindness. They help us to restore
What are the goals of Fo Guang Shan
temples in the mainland. Source: Buddhist Channel (www.
in promoting Buddhism in mainland
buddhistchannel.tv) EH
China?
When I give speeches in the mainland,
58 EASTERN HORIZON | BOOK REVIEWS
BOOKS IN BRIEF
Wisdom Publications.
199 Elm Street, Somerville,
MA 02144, USA
www.wisdompubs.org
How to Enjoy Death: Preparing to
meet Life’s Final Challenge without
Fear by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2016.
pp 439. US$39.95
This is a practical book which all
mortal beings will find useful. In
Part I, Lama Zopa explains how to
prepare for death, how to go through
the death process itself, and - in the
case of helping a loved one – what
to do after death. Part II contains the
various prayers, mantras, meditations,
and other practical materials needed
to heed the advice. A set of full-color
images of the deities associated with
some of the practices is included
in the book as well. Ably edited by
Venerable Robina Courtin, this book
is invaluable on how to help loved
ones have a beneficial death. As Lama
Zopa said, “Helping our loved ones at
the time of death is the best service
we can offer them, our greatest gift.
Why? Because death is the most
important time of life: it’s at death
that the next rebirth is determined.”
EH
Practical Ethics and Profound Emptiness:
A Commentary on Nagarjuna’s Precious
Garland by Khensur Jampa Tegchok,
2017. pp 421. US$22.95
In Practical Ethics and Profound
Emptiness, Khensur Jampa Tegchok
walks us carefully through a classic of
Indian Buddhist philosophy, explaining
the implications of its philosophical
arguments and grounding its advice
in a recognizable day-to-day world. In
Precious Garland, the source text for
this commentary, Nagarjuna advises
his patron king on how best to take
advantage of human life to secure a
happy rebirth in the next life while
making progress toward the goal of
enlightenment. Known primarily for his
incisive presentation of emptiness, here
Nagarjuna shows his wise understanding
of how to navigate the intricacies of
worldly life to balance everyday needs
with spiritual practice. Loaded with equal
measures of penetrating explanations
of the highest reality and inspiring
encouragement towards the bodhisattva
practices, Practical Ethics and Profound
Emptiness makes the case for living a
thoughtful, morally upright life in the
world to achieve immediate and ultimate
spiritual goals. This volume is translated
by Venerable Steve Carlier and edited by
Venerable Thubten Chodron. EH

Loving Kindness in Plain English:
The Practice of Metta by Bhante
Gunaratana, 2017. pp 142. US$16.95
This is a straightforward and simple
introduction to the concept of metta,
which Bhante Gunaratana has chosen
to translate as Loving Friendliness.
Many others would have used the
more familiar term Loving Kindness
for the Pali word metta. With his
signature clarity and warmth, Bhante
Gunaratana shares with us how
we can cultivate metta to live a
life of joyful harmony with others.
Through personal anecdotes, step-
by-step meditations, conversational
renderings of the Buddha’s words
in the suttas, and transformative
insights into how we live in and relate
to the world, we learn that peace
here and now is possible—within
ourselves and in all our relationships.
The author speaks directly to how we
can cultivate loving-kindness to find
emotional clarity, overcome anger,
and become more peaceful—both
on and off the meditation cushion.
Bhante Gunaratana is the author of
many best-selling books including
Mindfulness in Plain English and Eight
Mindfulness Steps to Happiness. EH
Ornament of Precious Liberation by
Gampopa, 2017. pp 356. US$29.95
Hardcover.
Ornament of Precious Liberation
is the most recent translation of
Gampopa’s famous text by Ken
Holmes, which has been known
for over 50 years as The Jewel
Ornament of Liberation, thanks to
the translation by Herbert Guenther.
The text presents Gampopa’s
explanation of the essential elements
involved in a gradual ascent of the
Bodhisattva path, from the beginner
level up to the final awakening
of supreme Buddhahood. In this
work, regarded as a manual of the
“stages of the doctrine” or ten-rim,
Gampopa carefully picks out the
most salient points on each topic,
and more importantly, provides
students with an overall Dharma
framework of topics into which
subsequent studies can easily be
slotted. Gampopa Sönam Rinchen
(1079-1153) was a founding master
of the Kagyü tradition, having studied
under Milarepa, but is also known
for establishing a strong base in the
sutra tradition of the Kadampas. It is
Gampopa who weaved together the
mahāmudra and Kadam teachings.
EH
BOOK REVIEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 59
BOOKS IN BRIEF
The Buddha’s Teachings on Social
and Communal Harmony: An
Anthology of Discourses from the Pāli
Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi, 2016. pp
216. US$17.95
In this volume acclaimed scholar-
monk Bhikkhu Bodhi has collected
and translated the Buddha’s teachings
on conflict resolution, interpersonal
and social problem-solving, and the
forging of harmonious relationships.
The selections, all drawn from the
Pāli Canon, the earliest record of the
Buddha’s discourses, are organized
into ten thematic chapters. The
chapters deal with such topics as the
quelling of anger, good friendship,
intentional communities, the
settlement of disputes, and the
establishing of an equitable society.
Each chapter begins with a concise
and informative introduction by the
translator that guides us toward a
deeper understanding of the texts
that follow. This is essential reading
for anyone seeking to bring peace
into their communities and into the
wider world. As such it answers the
question: “What advice would the
Buddha give us in today’s world of
conflict and strife”. His Holiness the
Dalai Lama provides the Foreword to
this excellent book. EH
60 EASTERN HORIZON | BOOK REVIEWS
BOOKS IN BRIEF
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
4720 Walnut Street, Boulder,
CO 80301-2670, USA
www.shambhala.com
The Revolutionary Life of Freda Bedi:
British Feminist, Indian Nationalist,
Buddhist Nun by Vicki Mackenzie,
2017. pp 186. US$16.95
She was the first Western woman to
become a Tibetan Buddhist nun--but
that pioneering ordination was really
just one in a life full of revolutionary
acts. Freda Bedi (1911-1977) broke
the rules of gender, race, and religion-
-in many cases before it was thought
that the rules were ready to be
challenged. She was at various times
a force in the struggle for Indian
independence, spiritual seeker,
scholar, professor, journalist, author,
social worker, wife, and mother of
four children. She counted among
her friends, colleagues, and teachers
Mohandas Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru,
Indira Gandhi, the Dalai Lama,
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and
many others. She was a woman of
spiritual focus and compassion who
was also not without contradictions.
Vicki Mackenzie, a well-known British
journalist, and best-selling writer,
gives a nuanced view of Bedi and of
the forces that shaped and motivated
this complex and compelling figure.
EH
The Buddha before Buddhism:
Wisdom from the Early Teachings. A
Translation of the Aṭṭhakavagga with
commentary by Gil Fronsdal, 2016. pp
180. US$18.95
The Aṭṭhakavagga, or “Book of
Eights,” is believed by scholars to
be among the earliest of written
Buddhist texts, and in it we find the
Buddha’s teaching pared down to
its most uncomplicated essence.
The texts point to a direct and
simple approach for attaining peace
without requiring an adherence to
any specific ideology. The goal put
forth is described both in terms of
the states of mind to be attained and
the mental states to be abandoned.
Gil Fronsdal’s translation and
commentary reveals the text’s central
concern to be the joy that comes
from recognizing and letting go of
attachment to the illusory views that
create suffering. Its simple medicine
that works for us today as well as it
did for the Buddha’s first listeners. In
this small volume, Gil provides a brief
explanation of each of the 16 poems
that he has translated. EH
The Art of Awakening. A User’s Guide
to Tibetan Buddhist Art and Practice
by Konchog Lhadrepa & Charlotte
Davis, 2017. pp 463. US$29 .95
This text is based on Konchog
Lhadrepa’s book in Tibetan called
The Path to Liberation which is
a manual for Vajrayāna Buddhist
artists, especially tangka painters.
Considered one of the great
practitioners and master artists of our
time, Konchog Lhadrepa presents a
guide to the Tibetan Buddhist path,
from preliminary practices through
enlightenment, from the artist's
perspective. With profound wisdom,
he shows how visual representations
of the sacred in paintings, sculptures,
mandalas, and stupas can be
an essential support to practice
throughout the path. This text clearly
points out the relevance of both
the sacred art and practice, along
with an overview of the history and
iconography of Buddhist art. Through
the Tsering Art School that Konchog-
la started, many artisans have been
trained to paint, and one of them is
Charlotte Davis who graduated after
six years of training in 2003. EH

Milarepa. Lessons from the Life
& Songs of Tibet’s Great Yogi by
Chögyam Trungpa, 2017. pp 286.
US$19 .95
The great Tibetan yogi Milarepa
(1040–1123) is known as an
exceptionally accomplished
meditation practitioner and teacher.
However, he started off as the worst
kind of malevolent sorcerer before
becoming the devoted and ascetic
Buddhist practitioner as he is best
known today in Buddhist history,
all in a single lifetime. The story of
Milarepa is a tale of such extreme
and powerful transformation that it
might be thought not to have much
direct application to our own less
dramatic lives but Chögyam Trungpa
(1939-1987) shows otherwise. This
collection of his teachings on the
life and songs of the great Tibetan
Buddhist poet-saint reveals how
Milarepa’s difficulties can be a source
of guidance and inspiration for
anyone. His struggles, his awakening,
and the teachings from his
remarkable songs provide precious
wisdom for all us practitioners and
show what devoted and diligent
practice can achieve. EH
Enlightened Vagabond. The Life
and teachings of Patrul Rinpoche by
Matthieu Ricard, 2017. pp 282. US$24
.95
Patrul Rinpoche was one of the
most influential Tibetan masters of
the 19th century, renowned for his
simple way of life, his dedication
to spiritual practice, and his non-
sectarian approach to all four
schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In
this volume, French Buddhist monk
Matthieu Ricard collected stories
he had gathered and translated for
over thirty years, based on the oral
accounts of great contemporary
teachers and written sources. Patrul’s
life story is found in two short
traditional biographies (namthar)
written by his disciples. These stories
reveal the nature of a highly realized
being as he transmits the Dharma in
everything he does, teaching both
simple nomads and great lamas in
ways that are often unconventional
and even humorous, but always
with uncompromising authenticity.
Matthieu Ricard has also provided a
series of short biographies of masters
and disciples of Patrul Rinpoche as
well as several important earlier
figures who influenced his life. EH
BOOK REVIEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 61
BOOKS IN BRIEF
The Pocket Dalai Lama by Mary Craig,
2017. pp 94. US$12.95
One of the most influential Buddhist
leaders of our time, His Holiness
the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is a
Nobel Peace Laureate and the exiled
spiritual head of the Tibetan people.
A tireless teacher and writer, he
is the author of dozens of widely
acclaimed works, including The Book
of Joy, The Art of Happiness and
The Heart of Meditation—and this
compact collection brings together a
selection of inspiring short teachings
from many of his popular books.
Addressing a broad range of subjects,
such as nonviolence, impermanence,
religion, politics, and human rights,
these wise words show the power of
goodness even in the most uncertain
of times. EH
62 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

BOOKS IN BRIEF
 Sights that can’t be hidden
BOOKS IN BRIEF
by Rasika Quek

Dharma Aftermath
Imagine being unwell for months but yet feeling gung-ho in taking up the challenge of a more than
20-hour flight to attend an international congress. I am talking about visiting the world’s third most
expensive city, Vancouver, with a layover at Taoyuan Airport in Taipei.

Yes, 20 hours – quite a back-breaking journey, literally. The last time I made such a trip was more
than 3 years ago to Sao Paolo which took slightly more than 24 hours. Vancouver is a beautiful and
naturally scenic city where the sea meets the mountains with its famous Stanley Park, Bay shore
cruise, Whistler Mountain gondolas and ski resort, Granville market, Capilano Bridge, Killer Whale
Cruises, etc.

In short, it is a city many millionaires would die for in order to live there. A home can cost $10 million
with some houses having as many as 3 Lamborghinis parked in. It is not surprising that many people
from Hong Kong emigrated there in the 1990s before it became the SAR. Later, the mainland Chinese
swamped the place as immigrants. There is also a large community of Sikhs, Indians, Pakistanis
and Koreans too. My impression of Vancouver is that it looked more Asian than Caucasian. That
impression may be due to the adage that “birds of a feather flock together”. By the way, a one-room
apartment costs $2,000/month in rental. Cars are left-hand drive, driving on the right side of the
road. There are special middle lanes for bicycles, which I found thoughtful and unusual. Apparently,
Canadians are more of the athletic type.

We had a 2-day home stay before moving to the Green Brier Hotel which was nearby the Westin Plaza
Bay shore hotel where the Congress was being held. Our guide took us for a quick tour of the seedier
side of Chinatown where hard drugs are available for free, courtesy of the local government. We saw
people waiting in line for food at a soup kitchen. Yes, there were homeless people as well, sleeping in
the cold pavements with little possessions and pieces of cardboard.

At the Congress, we listened to the city’s plan to go Green by 2030, building and transportation-wise.
There are already a lot of electric cars and buses in the city. Now they are talking about triple glazing
for windows for buildings. Somehow, I could not forget what I saw in the seedier side of the city.
There is an obvious dissonance with what was displayed at the Audain Museum of Art in Whistler. It
reminded me of the unsavoury sights the Bodhisattva saw in spite of his father, the King’s attempt to
hide the decrepit, the sick, the aged and the dead from the sight of the future Buddha.

Alas, suffering, impermanence and non-selfness is alive and well even in this beautiful green heavenly
city. I did not regret not taking that cruise to see the Killer Whales which would have been a 5 hours
round trip. Otherwise, I would have to suffer the cold and long journey. It is my fervent wish to realize
Nibbāna as soon as possible and not to prolong the journey.

May All Beings Be Well And Happy And Realize The Peaceful State of Nibbāna soon! EH
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"I LOVE GREEN GRASS LAND"
PARENTAL OUTDOOR WORKSHOP
Taman Botanikal Melaka, Ayer Keroh
04.06.2017

A total of 146 participants attended the Parental Outdoor Workshop. Each parent
has good fun with their children in various activities

Group photo Parents and children enjoying themselves.

Lots of good food prepared and served by the committee. Bonding time for parents and children

The children sitting still listening to a fascinating story. Participants enjoying the singing and dancingtogether.
 Y
Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia

Unites more than 270 Buddhist organisations

B
representing both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions throughout Malaysia

Provides guidance to students to establish Buddhist societies

in schools, colleges and universities

A
Conducts regular training courses on Buddhist teachings,
missionary techniques and leadership building

Arranges lectures on Buddhism by both local

and visiting foreign Buddhist scholars and teachers
www.ybam.org.my

M
Assists in conducting the annual Malaysian Buddhist Examination

Organises various welfare, cultural and education activities

for the benefit of the Buddhist community at local, state and national levels

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