- Religion =ááŹááŹáááŹá¸
- Belief = ááśáŻážááášáá
- Worship = áááŻá¸ááźáášá áášá¸ááášáááš
- Freedom of worship = ááźáášááášá áźáŹáááŻá¸ááźáášááźáášáˇ
- Refuge = áááŻáááŻá¸áťááášá¸á áááŻáááŻá¸ááŹ
- Reverence = ážááášáááłáááŻáąááťááášá¸
- Devotion =ááŻááŹá¸á áááŹá¸ááźáášáĄáŹááśáŻáťááłááŻáąááŹáášá¸áťááášá¸
- Lord Buddha = ááŻááśááŻááŹá¸
- Buddhaâs teaching = ááŻááśááśáŻá¸áážáááŤá
- Buddha statue/ image = ááŻááśááášá¸ááŻáąááŹášá ááśáŻáąááŹáš
- Icon = ááášá¸ááŻáąááŹáš
- Iconoclast= ááášá¸ááŻáąááŹášáááŻá¸ááźáášááááášáááşáášáá°
- Agnostic = ááŻááŹá¸ áááŹá¸áááśáŻážááášáá°
- Shrine = áąá ááŽáááŻáááŻá¸á ááášááźáášá¸
- Shrine room = ááŻááŹá¸ááášá¸
- Altar = ááźáášá¸áąááŹášááášááśáŻ
- Nine attributes of Buddha = ááŻááśááŻáášáąááŹášáááŻá¸ááŤá¸
- The four noble truths = áá áĽáŹáááŹá¸áąáá¸ááŤá¸
- The noble eightfold path = ááá˘áášáá˝á ášááŤá¸
- Nirvana = ááááşáŹááš
- Halo = áąááŹáášáťááášáąááŹáš áĄááášá¸
- Recite devotional verses = ááŻááŹá¸ááŤááŹáąááŹášááşáŹá¸ááźáášáááŻáááš
- Say / tell the beads = ááŻááŽá¸á ááášáááš
- Take the meditation = áááŹá¸áááŻáášáááš
- Strike the triangular brass gong = áąážáá¸á áášááŻáááš
- Period of Buddhist lent = ááŤááźáášá¸
- End of Buddhist lent = ááŤá (ááŤááźááš)
- Footprint of Buddha = ááŻááśáąáťááąááŹášáᏠ(á áášáąááŹášááŹ)
- Temple = ááááŹáášáąááŹášá ááŻááŹá¸áąááşáŹáášá¸á ááášááźáášá¸
- Hollow vaulted temple = áá°ááŻááŹá¸
- Fane = ááŻááŹá¸áąá áŹáášá¸ááášá¸
- Archway = ááŻáášáąááŤááš
- Ascend the stairway = áąááŹáášá¸ááášá¸ááášáááš
- Sanctuary = ááŹáááŹáˇááášáąáťáá áąáá¸áá˛áˇááźáášááŹá¸ááášáˇáąáťá
- Precinct of pagoda = ááŻááŹá¸ááááŻááš
- Ground of victory = áąáĄáŹáášáąáťá
- Planetary post = áťáááłáášáááŻááš
- Streamer = ááśááźáášá ááŻáá áŹá¸
- Scented sticks = áĄáąááá¸áááŻááš
- Gilt =áąááááşááŹá¸áťááášá¸
- Glass mosaic = áá˝áášá áŽáąááááş
- Sputa = ááŻááŹá¸ áááŻáááŻá¸
- Pagoda = áąá ááŽ
- Tooth relic pagoda = á áźáášáąááŹášáťááášáąá ááŽ
- Gilded pagoda = áąááááşááŹá¸áąááŹáąá ááŽ
- White- washed pagoda = ááśáŻá¸áťáá´ááŻáášááŹá¸áąááŹáąá ááŽ
- Monastery = ááŻáášá¸áááŽá¸áąááşáŹáášá¸
- Hermitage = ááąááˇáąááşáŹáášá¸
- Nunnery / convent = ááŽááá˝áášáąááşáŹáášá¸
- Religious center= ááŹáááŹáˇáááášááŹ
- Meditation center = áááŹá¸á ááášá¸áááášááŹ
- International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University= áĄáťááášáťááášáááŻáášáᏠáąááááŤáááŻááśááŹáááŹáťááł ááá áááŻááš
- Buddhist Scriptures = áááááášáąááŹášááşáŹá¸
- Sixth Buddhist Synod = ááááá¤áŤáááŹ
Don't always live in a world of make-believe and suffer the misery
"ááášáąááŹáášáąááŹááá˛áá˝áŹ áĄáżáᲠáá˝áášááášáżááŽá¸ á
ááášááášá¸áá˛ááśááąáááŤáá˛á"
How to live a worry-free life (Part-23)
áąááŹáááášá¸áąáḠáąááááŻáášáąáḠ(áĄáááŻáášá¸-áá)
By understanding impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-substantiality that characterise life, the real nature of life can be understood and we can act more purposefully in life. Otherwise, we will always live in a world of make-believe, suffer undue worries, and defer the performance of our spiritual duties to some future date until it is too late. There is a parable to illustrate this point.
áááá˛á ááźáášáťááášáááĄááŹáťáá ášáá˛áˇ ááżáá˛áťááášá¸ááąááŹá áąááşááášááźáášááá˝ááťááášá¸ááąááŹá áĄáá˝á ášááŹáááá˝ááťááášá¸ ááąááŹááᯠááŹá¸ááášáťááášá¸áťááášáˇ áĄá á ášáĄáá˝ááš ááááąááŹáááŹá¸ááᯠáááá˝ááááŻáášáá˛áˇáĄáťáááš áááá˝áŹ áááŻáťááŽá¸ áĄáááá¸áŹáášáá˝ááá˝á ááŻáášáááŻáášáąááŹáášááźáášáááŻáášááŤááášá áĄá˛áááŻáá˝áááŻáášáááš áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááᏠááášáąááŹáášáąááŹááá˛áá˝áŹ áĄáżáᲠáá˝áášááášáąááťááŽá¸ ááźáášááźáášáá˛áᲠá ááŻá¸áááášáá°ááášáááąááź ááśá áŹá¸áááŤááášá áżááŽá¸áąááŹáˇ ááŹááŹáąáá¸áĄááŻáášáąááź ááŻáášáąááŹáášááźáášááááᯠáĄááźááš áąááŹáášááşááźáŹá¸ááášáĄáá áĄááşááášáąáááážááááášáˇááášá ááŽáĄááşáášáá˛á ááášááášáżááŽá¸ áĽáááŹáąáá¸á áᏠááśáŻáąááŹáášááŹáášááášá¸áá ášááŻááš áá˝áááŤááášá
Once a bee settled on a lotus to gather honey. So absorbed was it in this activity that it did not realize that the lotus petals had slowly begun to close. When the bee discovered that it was trapped, it was not unduly worried. Without hesitation, it said, 'I will spend the night here and when the lotus blooms again, I will be free in the morning.' But just as it was thinking these thoughts, an elephant came along, plucked the lotus and ate it, killing the poor bee.
áá ášááŤá ááşáŹá¸áá ášáąááŹáášáᏠááşáŹá¸ááášá áŻáášáá°áááš ážááŹááźáášáˇáá ášááźáášáˇáąáá ááŹá¸áááŻáášááŤááášá ááŽáááŻáá˛á ážááŹááášá¸áá˛á ááźáášáˇááášáąáá¸áąááźáᏠáťááášá¸áťááášá¸ááşáášá¸ áááášááášáááŻááŹááᯠááşáŹá¸á áááááŹá¸áᲠááášááášá áŻáášáá°ááááᯠááŻáášáąááŹáášááŤááášá áąááŹáášáąááşáŹáášááááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸áááŻááŹááᯠáááááŻáášááşááášáá˝áŹááášá¸ ááşáŹá¸áᏠáá°á¸áá°á¸áťááŹá¸áťááŹá¸ áá ááŻá¸áááášááŤáá°á¸á "ááŽááąááŹáˇ ááŤááŽáá˝áŹ áĄááášáááŻáášááášá áááášáááš ážááŹááášá¸áťááášááźáášáˇáá˛áˇáĄá፠á፠ááźáášáąáťááŹáášáááš" áᯠááśáŻááááŻáášá¸áťááášá¸ ááá˝ááᲠáąáááźáášáááŻáášááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ ááşáŹá¸á ááŽáááŻáąááźá¸áąáá áĽášáá˝áŹáᲠááášáá ášáąááŹáášáąááŹáášááŹáťááŽá¸ ážááŹááášá¸ááᯠáá°á¸áá°áᏠá áŹá¸áá ášáááŻáášááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ áááŹá¸á áᏠááşáŹá¸ááášááşáŹ áąáááźá˛ááášááá˝áŹááŤááášá
Just like the bee, we create daydreams about our future and work towards the realization of those dreams. What we do not often realize is that life operates on principles that cannot be entirely determined by us and our efforts to realize our dreams may be terminated. This is a matter of concern especially if we put off the cultivation of our spirituality to a future date rather than striving right now.
áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻáááášá¸ ááşáŹá¸áááŻááŤáᲠáĄááŹááášáá˛áááášááášáťááŽá¸ á ááášáá°á¸ááĽášáĄááášááášáąááź ááášááŽá¸áᏠáĄá˛áᎠáĄááášááášáąááźááᯠáĄáąááŹáášáĄááášáąááŹášážáááášá áááᏠáá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááášááŽá¸áá˛áˇáĄáááŻáášá¸ áĄáťááášáˇáĄá ááťáá ášáááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄáąáťáááśáááŹá¸áąááźáĄáąáááá˝áŹ áááášáá˝áŹá¸áąáááášáááŻááŹááᯠáá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áááášáťááŽá¸ ááąááŹááąááŤáášážáááŤáá°á¸á áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá á ááášáá°á¸áąááźááᯠááąááŹáąááŤáášáąáĄáŹááš ážáááłá¸ááášá¸áááąááź áĄááśáŻá¸ááášááźáŹá¸ááŹááášá¸ áťáá ášáááŻáášááŤááášá ááŤáᏠá ááášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠááźáśááżáááłá¸áááŻá¸ááášáąáĄáŹááš ááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáťááášá¸áĄááŻáášááᯠááşáášááşáášá¸ ážáááłá¸ááášá¸ááááťááłáᲠáĄááŹááášááŹááᎠáąáááąááá ááąááá áąááááąáááŹáá˛á áĄáá°á¸ ááášáááŻáášáá˛áˇ áťááááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá
Uncertainties and obstructions will be experienced as we work towards spiritual liberation. One day, the Buddha happened to notice a large log floating down the Ganges River. He turned to the 500 monks who were with him and compared this log to a human being in search of the final escape from the miseries of life. He said that there could be no guarantee that the log would reach the ocean. It could be caught on the bank; it could be submerged in the water; it could land on an island in the river; it could be taken away by a human being; it could become rotten; or it could sink into a whirlpool.
ááŹááŹáąáá¸áá˛á ááášááášáá˛áˇ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááááᯠáá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áąááŹáášááźáášááŹáá˝áŹ ááşáŽááŻáśááşááŻáśáťáá ášáťááášá¸áąááźá áááşáášáááášááŻáášáťááášá¸áąááź áąááźáážááśáłáááŤáááášáˇááášá áťááášááŻááśáááš áá ášáąáááąááŹáĄá፠ááá¤áŤáťáá ášáĄááźáášá¸ áąááşáŹááŤáąááá˛áˇ áááŹááááŽá¸áááŽá¸ááŹá¸ááŹá¸ áá ášááśáŻá¸áá ášááśáŻá¸ááᯠáąááźááťááášáąááŹášáá°ááŤááášá áááŻáĄá፠áĄáá°ááŤááŹááášáˇ áááášá¸áąááŹáš (á áá) áááš áá˝áášáˇáááŻáášáťááŽá¸ ááááŻááĄáąááźááąá áąááŹáášááśáŻá¸ áááášáąáťááŹáášááááááš áá˝áŹáąááźáąááá˛áˇ áá°áá ášáąááŹáášáá˛á áá ášááśáŻá¸ááᯠááááášá¸áá˝áĽášáťááąááŹášáá°ááŤááášá áťááášááŻááśá áá ášááśáŻá¸áᏠáááŻááľááŹáᲠáąááŹáášáááŻá áĄáŹáááśááşááš ááá˝ááááŻáášáąážááŹáášá¸ áááášááąááŹášáá°ááŤááášá áá ášááśáŻá¸áᏠááášá¸ááŤá¸áąáááá˝áŹ ááášáąááááŻáášááášá áąááá˛áá˝áŹ áťááłáášááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááášá áťáá ášáá˛á áá˝áźáášá¸áá ášáá˝áźáášá¸áąáá áąááŹáášááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááášá áá°áá ášáąááŹáášá ááášáá°ááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááášá áąááźá¸áťááášáˇááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááášá ááŤáá˝áááŻááš áá˛ááášáąááŹáˇáᲠááşáąááŹáášáá ášáťááłáášááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááášá
The Buddha said that a human being who sought to reach final deliverance was just like the log floating to the ocean. His progress towards his goal could be obstructed in many ways: he could be caught up in sensualâ pleasures, be attached to physical and mentalâ processes, become proud and haughty, mingle with people who lead him astray, be born in the realm of sense pleasures, and lose his sense of moral restraint.
áťááášááŻááśá áąááŹáášááśáŻá¸ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááááᯠáá˝áŹáąááźáá°áá ášáĽáŽá¸áᏠáááŻááľááŹáᲠáąáťááŹááźáŹá¸áąááá˛áˇ ááášá¸ááśáŻá¸áá˛ááá°áąážááŹáášá¸ áááášááąááŹášáá°ááŤááášá ááášá¸áááŻáášááŽááźáŹá¸áąááá˛áˇ áá°ááá˛á áááŽá¸áᏠááášá¸áĄááşááłá¸ááşááłá¸áá˛á áąáá˝áŹáášáˇáá˝ááš ááŹá¸ááŽá¸ááśááááŻáášááŤááášá áá°áᏠááŹáááŻáášáĄáŹááśáŻáąááźááᯠá ááášááášá áŹá¸áąááááŻáášááášá áááŻáášáááśáŹáá˛ááááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄááŻáášáąááźá á ááášáá˛ááááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄááŻáášáąááźááᯠááźáášááŹáąááááŻáášááášá ááŹáášááášáťááŽá¸ ááááŹá¸áąááááŻáášááášá áá°áááᯠááášá¸ááźá˛áąááŹáášáąá ááášáˇ áĄáťááŹá¸áá°áąááźáá˛á áąááŹáąáá˝áŹáąááááŻáášááášá áĄáŹááśáŻáĄáąááşáŹášáĄááŤá¸áááŻáášá áŹá¸áá áĄáŹá¸ážááŽá¸áá˛áˇ áááá˝áŹ áąááźá¸ááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áááŻáášáˇááşáášáˇááŽáááᯠáááášá¸áááášá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáááááŹá¸ áąááşáŹáášááśáŻá¸áąááááŻáášááášá
If one really wants to 'reach the ocean', one must keep to the 'middle stream', that is, follow the rules of noble conduct which develop one's morality, concentration, and wisdom. Any noble human being should be able to attain salvation provided he really understands his human nature. Hinduism also highlighted human destiny in this philosophical way:
'From darkness to light
From the unreal to the real
From death to deathlessness.'
áááášáááŻá áá°áá
ášáąááŹáášáᏠáááŻááľááŹáᎠáąááŹáášááşáášááášáááŻáááš áĄáááš áąáá
áŽá¸áąážááŹáášá¸áĄáááŻáášá¸ áĄáááŻáášáĄáᏠáááŻáášáááŤááášá áááŻáááŻááŹá ááŽáá áááŹááá áááŹááᯠáááŻá¸ááášáąá
ááášáˇ áťááášáˇáťááášáá˛áˇ áĄáá°áĄááşáášáˇáąááźáĄáááŻáášá¸ áááŻáášáááŤááášá áá°áąááŹášáąááŹáášá¸áá
ášáąááŹáášáᏠáá°áááŽáááąááŹááᯠáĄáá˝áášááááš ááŹá¸ááášááąááŹáąááŤáášááŹáá˝ ááá˝ááá˛áˇ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááááŻáá áááŻáášáąááŹáášááášáˇááŤááášá
ááááľá´ááŹááŹáááášá¸ "áĄáąáá˝áŹáášáá˝ áĄááášá¸áááŻáá á
ááášáá°á¸ááĽášáááá˝ áĄá
á
ášáĄáá˝áášáááŻá
áąáááśáŻá¸áťááášá¸áá˝ áąááťááášá¸ááášá¸ááŹáááŻá" áᯠáá°á ááááśážáááźáŹááᯠááááááąááááášá¸áá˛á
ááŽááᯠááŽá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááŻá¸áťáááŹá¸ááŤááášá
We live in an ill-balanced world. It is not all roses, nor is it absolutely thorny. The rose is soft, beautiful and fragrant; but the stem is full of thorns. Because of the rose, one tolerates the thorns. However, one will not disparage the rose on account of the thorns. To an optimist, this world is absolutely rosy; to a pessimist, it is absolutely thorny. But to a Realist this world is neither absolutely rosy nor absolutely thorny. It abounds with both beautiful roses and prickly thorns.
áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááᏠááášáťáááášááááá˝ááá˛áˇ ááááŹážááŽá¸áá˛áá˝áŹ áąááááŻáášáąááááŹááŤá ááášá¸ááášá¸áąááŹááášá¸ áááŻáášáááᯠááśáŻá¸ááśáŻá¸ áá°á¸ááášá¸ááŹá¸ááŹááášá¸ áááŻáášááŤáá°á¸á áá˝áášá¸ááŽááášá¸á áá°á¸ááśáˇááášá áá˝áááášá áááśááąááá¸ááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ áááŻá¸ááśá áá°á¸áąááźáá˛á áťááášáˇáąáááŤááášá áá ášáąááŹáášá ááášá¸ááźáášáˇáááŻáá˝á ášááášááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ áá°á¸ááášááᯠááášá¸ááśááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ áĄáťááŹá¸áá ášáąááŹáášá áá°á¸áąááźáąážááŹáášáˇáᲠáá˝áášá¸ááŽááášá¸ááᯠááşááłá¸áá˛áˇáá ášáááášáˇááášá áĄáąááŹáášá¸áťááášááŤááŽáĄááźááš ááŽááááŹážááŽá¸áᏠááśáŻá¸á áá˝áášá¸ááŽááášá¸áąááź áąááąááťááŽá¸ áĄáááŻá¸áťááášááŤááŽáĄááźáášáąááŹáˇ ááśáŻá¸á áá°á¸áąááźáá˛á áťááášáˇáąáááŤááášá áĄáá˝áášáááášáąááŹáˇ ááŽááááŹážááŽá¸áᏠááśáŻá¸á ááášá¸áąááźáá˛á áąáááąááááᯠááśáŻá¸á áá°á¸áąááźáá˛á áťááášáˇáąáááŹááášá¸ áááŻáášááŤáá°á¸á áá˝ááąááá˛áˇ áá˝áášá¸ááŽááášá¸áąááźáąáᏠááźááąááá˛áˇ áá°á¸áąááźá፠áťááášáˇáá˝áášáąáááŹááŤá
An understanding person will not be infatuated by the beauty of the rose, but will view it as it is. Knowing well the nature of the thorns, he will view them as they are and will take the precaution not to be hurt. Like the pendulum that swings perpetually, four desirable and four undesirable conditions prevail in this world. Everyone without exception must face these conditions in the course of a lifetime. These conditions are: gain and loss, fame and ill-fame, praise and blame, happiness and sorrow. 'Don't be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with, the wind.'
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