Buddha Boy Raises Hopes

Anyone have direct information on this young man? He's supposed to make a public statement on Nov. 18. Please post a comment and share what you know.

From The Times, November 13, 2008
Thousands flock to see 'Buddha Boy' in Nepalese jungle
Thousands of pilgrims have flocked to a remote jungle in southeast Nepal after a 17-year-old boy whom some believe to be a reincarnation of the Buddha emerged after more than a year in the forest.
Ram Bahadur Bamjan appeared on Monday to preach in a temple in Ratanpur, southeast of Kathmandu. Dubbed “Buddha Boy” by the press, and dismissed as a charlatan by some, the teenager first garnered headlines in 2005 when tens of thousands of devotees travelled to see him as he sat crosslegged amid the roots of a tree for nearly ten months without, it was claimed, food or water.
This week the long-haired Bamjan, attired in a gleaming white cloth, appeared to be in good health when he spoke to his followers about fostering peace and ending discrimination.
He plans to give similar audiences for the next week or so. A police spokesman said: “The whole jungle area where he has appeared has turned into a festival and around 10,000 people came to see him on Monday.”
[…] There has not been any official statement from Buddhism’s authorities on Bamjan. Min Bahadur Shakya, of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods in Kathmandu, said: “Meditating without food does not prove that he is reincarnation of Buddha. There is much study needed to be done.”
Dr K. T. S. Sarao, head of Buddhist studies at the University of Delhi, said: “In this part of the world religion incites very strong feelings.
“Science is unable to explain all of the world . . . if you’re asking for my personal opinion, well I’m a rationalist sceptic.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5138807.ece

Wise Words for Repuplicans

Essential practice!
Whenever you hear that someone else has been successful, rejoice. Always practice rejoicing for others--whether your friend or your enemy. If you cannot practice rejoicing, no matter how long you live, you will not be happy.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche, "Transforming Problems Into Happiness"

Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001. Reprinted from "Daily Wisdom: 365 Buddhist Inspirations," edited by Josh Bartok, with permission of Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm St., Somerville MA 02144 U.S.A, www.wisdompubs.org.

Candle Vigil for Tibet, Pt. 2

WE WILL NOT LET
TIBET BE FORGOTTEN WE WILL SHINE OUR LIGHT AGAIN

Again, we will do it at our homes, with friends and in public.
BUT WE WILL ALSO BRING OUR LIGHT TO THE FRONT OF
EVERY CHINESE EMBASSY IN THE WORLD.
Please visit our website to learn more about it.
Vigils
Please check our full listing every day for public candle lighting near you. http://www.candle4tibet.org/en/august23

Chinese Embassies
Here is the full list of Chinese embassies: (EMBASSIES)
If you want to participate in organizing vigils in front of an embassy, please let us know. emb@candle4tibet.org
Also, do you know of a public lighting which is not on the list? Please let us know about it. We will post it for the benefit of all.
vigils@candle4tibet.org

Union Square, NYC, 8-7-8

Burma Needs Our Help

NASA Satellite Captures Image of
Cyclone Nargis Flooding in Burma

Click on image to increase size

NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the Burma coast on April 15, 2008, before Tropical Cyclone Nargis flooded the region. Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team


NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the Myanmar coast on May 5, 2008, showing the devastation of flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team

[from NASA's report]
Flood water can be difficult to see in photo-like satellite images, particularly when the water is muddy. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite use a combination of visible and infrared light to make floodwaters obvious. Water is blue or nearly black, vegetation is bright green, bare ground is tan, and clouds are white or light blue.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/nargis_floods.html
Events for Cyclone Relief

New York City, Friday, May 9th
UN Demonstration for Cyclone Victims, Time: 3:00-5:00 pm
Location: Ralph Bunche Park, United Nations. 434d and 1st Ave
http://nyburmaroundtable.googlepages.com/

Candle Light Vigil, Time: 7:00pm, Location: Union Square
San Francisco, May 9th, 4pm - 8pm
(4–6pm Protest & Rally; 6-7pm Speakers; 7-8pm Prayers & Vigil)
San Francisco Federal Building/Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Office
450 Golden Gate Avenue (@Larkin), San Francisco, CA
www.badasf.org
Washington DC, May 11th
Protest in front of SPDC attache (2300 California Ave), 6:00pm
Prayer Vigil at Burmese Buddhist Temple at 10:00 am
Toronto, May 10th
Prayer Service for Cyclone Victims
Place: 12 High Meadow Place
Toronto, Ontario, M9L 2Z5
Boston, Saturday, May 10th
Fundraiser 12-4pm
Yoma Restaurant
5 N Beacon St, Allston, MA 02134
http://harvardbam.blogspot.com
Dallas, Saturday, May 10th
Prayer Service and fundraiser
Thanksgiving Square
1627 Pacific Ave (between Akard and Bryan)
http://uscampaignforburma.org/cyclone-nargis-devistates-burma

Presidential Candidates and Tibet

Sovereignty for Tibet was “taken off the table” by His Holiness the Dahlia Lama, to reassure the Chinese government that he is no threat to Chinese sovereignty. While this may seem absurd, given the power of China compared to the exiled Tibetan government, the “middle path” of compromise and reconciliation seemed the only way to protect the Tibetan people, and provide an opportunity to maintain their culture, in any form possible.
As “free” Americans, we have an opportunity to use our liberty, (what’s left of it) to help those who cannot help themselves, as so poignantly stated by 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma (Myanmar). Please use the link below to review what some of the candidates have to say about the Dalai Lama and the future of Tibet.
The 2008 Presidential Campaign season is heating up as we head into six major primaries in January alone. And, Presidential campaigns are aggressively working to connect with voters. These days, every vote counts.
After 20 years of advocacy work in Washington, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) knows that the administration must be responsive on the issue of Tibet. Who we elect as the next President of the United States matters greatly for the future of Tibetans. Many of you helped ICT secure the Congressional Gold Medal for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In short, your vote in this election is extremely important to Tibetans.
Now, please take a few minutes and read the responses to our questionnaire from US Presidential Candidates.
http://www.savetibet.org/campaign2008

Dalai Lama's Award Ceremony Broadcast Live to Tibet

Yes, it's a little weird to be posting something from VOA, but they DID report it!
PRESS RELEASE - Washington, D.C., October 17, 2007 - As Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal today, Voice of America (VOA) broadcast the award ceremony and the Dalai Lama's acceptance speech live to Tibet via radio, television, and the Internet. The same broadcast included videotaped testimonials of the heads of all six sects of Tibetan Buddhism
.…The Dalai Lama also revealed that his successor might be chosen by a group of senior monks or appointed by himself personally, rather than through the traditional method of reincarnation. In July 2007, Chinese authorities issued a regulation that requires all reincarnations - including the Dalai Lama - to be approved by the government.
www.voanews.com/tibetan/ and www.voanews.com/chinese/

http://voanews.com/english/About/2007-10-17-voa65.cfm

Interconnection = Peace

Meditate NYC
October 21, 2007, 1 pm to 6 pm
Synod House of Saint John the Divine Cathedral
Amsterdam Ave and 110th Street
1 to 6 pm

Learn meditation techniques and receive inspiration from our renowned teachers, including: Bhante Kondanna, Reverend T.K. Nakagaki, Roshi Enkyo O’Hara, Lama Palmo, Bhante Piyatissa, Ven. Myoji Sunim, The Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Stuart Carduner, Stan Grier, Loch Kelley, Michele Laporte, New York Insight, Jill Satterfield, Laura Simms, Clark Strand, Sifu Teasely, and OM Yoga
Meditate NYC’s afternoon of meditation will be followed by a week of free Open Houses, October 22 – 29, at over 40 meditation groups and dharma centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
Learn to Meditate – FOR FREE – No Experience Necessary!
Meditate NYC is sponsored by the New York Buddhist Council and co-sponsored by the Interfaith Center of New York and the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine

http://meditatenyc.org/

Burmese Army Major Deserts

Monks flee crackdown as reports of brutality emerge
Ian MacKinnon, South-east Asia correspondent, Thursday October 4, 2007, The Guardian

There is also widespread belief among diplomats that the death toll could be much higher than the 13 acknowledged. From lists of cross-checked names, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), an exiles' media group based in Oslo, believes the number of dead in the violent street clashes stands at 138.

Fearing the violence that was to come, a Burmese army major, Htay Win, deserted from his unit in Rangoon before the killings began. He fled to Thailand in search of asylum, and yesterday explained why.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2182966,00.html

HH Dalai Lama Will Be Here Soon!

Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey

A Night of Celebration
Saturday, October 6th, 2007
7:00 P.M. (Concert will begin at 7:30)
Archdiocese of the Armenian Cathedral (a.k.a. Armenian Church)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY
Admission $25.00

To celebrate the good fortune of being able to see and hear from His Holiness this fall and to celebrate the United States Congress' awarding its highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to His Holiness, the Tibetan Community of New York & New Jersey will host a Night Of Celebration with a concert and dance party.
For more information and updates, please check the following pages (web sites)
Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey
http://www.tibetancommunity.org/
And some dedicated web pages
A Night of Celebration, October 6th Concert and Party http://ssherpa.googlepages.com/tcofnynjconcert
An Audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Javits Center, October 11, 2007 - http://ssherpa.googlepages.com/audiencewithhisholinessthedalailama
His Holiness Accepts Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., October 17, 2007. Buses to Washington chartered by Tibetan Community of NY&NJ http://ssherpa.googlepages.com/hilholinessacceptscongressionalgoldmedal
Screening of Richard Gere is My Hero – October 21, 2007. - http://ssherpa.googlepages.com/richardgereismyhero

I Can't Reincarnate Without Permission!

China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission !

By Matthew Philips, Newsweek

Aug. 20-27, 2007 issue - In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20227400/site/newsweek/