Addressing Monks

Since the topic arises frequently, this post is skipping its way to the top… (especially as someone called me ‘Vulnerable’ recently)
Addressing Monks:
a quick guide to speaking to, about and calling monks:
This is a question that arises frequently so it is worth writing up in full. People are afraid of being impolite or doing things the [...]

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Report on A. Jayasaro’s Talk

Report on the talk by Marcus:
Ajahn Jayasaro started his talk last night, to over 200 people in the Baan Aree Library, with the story of a scholar willing to go through any hardship to find the perfect teaching. Eventually he’s directed to a great Master and he bows before him. “Tell me” he asks, “the [...]

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Bhikkhuni Issue:

The last week has seen a spate of controversy coming from Australia, and the ordination of 4 Bhikkhunis. Hoping to stay out of it …. too many people have sent comments to leave the topic unmentioned here.
What Happened
4 practicing lay women from Ajahn Brahm’s temple in Perth took ordination with several Bhikkhunis. According to tradition they [...]

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Female Saints

It is a hot topic right now.  The Bhikkhuni contribution to Buddhism … (Bhikkhuni is a fully ordained nun in Buddhism)
Visiting professor from the University of Leeds will be presenting some of the findings of his current research project on female saints in Thai Buddhism at Chulalongkorn university Nov 21st 2009.  Dr Seeger has been presenting several lectures on [...]

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Nature of Buddha Nature

Wednesday 25th November
Dhamma Talk with
Ven. Chong Go Sunim
(American monk – Korean lineage)
and
Phra Pandit Cittasamvaro
(British Theravada monk)
The Nature of Buddha Nature
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in Bangkok the Korean Soen (Zen) One-Mind  temple is arranging a number of activities (See here for celebration and dhamma talk on Sunday 22nd Nov 09).
On the Wednesday 25th of November Venerable Chong Go [...]

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The Conscious Experiment

The final social gathering and movie at the Tai Pan Hotel of this decade!
The Conscious Experiment
Lunch/movie at the Tai Pan Hotel
Saturday 28th November
Film: The Illusion of Consciousness
Dr Susan Blackmore
Followed by a 15 minute summary of the Buddha’s own ultimate experiment in consciousness according to The Way of the Elders (Theravada)
Finally we’ll leave the floor to [...]

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Cat banned from visiting Buddhist inmate
A Buddhist bank robber has been refused permission for his cat to visit him in jail – even though he says it’s the reincarnation of his mum.
Peter Keonig, 46, is serving five-years for armed robberies in Whirl, Germany, reports the Daily Telegraph.
He went to court to demand the right for [...]

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Skeptic’s Dilemma

Find out for yourself
…is the oft repeated saying from the Buddha.
and don’t just believe me
A look around the world’s great spiritual teachers reveals something interesting – none of them really wanted to be worshipped. All of them had discovered something and wished others to recreate the experience. We might cite the exceptions of Moses and others, who [...]

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Sun 29 – Workshop with A. Wimaok

This month Thai monk Ajahn Wimoak will lead his usual monthly workshop in English/Thai on Sunday 29th Nov. 
Interested foreigners are welcome to attend – the day is kind of ‘Thai style’, which means a little ‘fluid’ in schedule. There will be a dhamma talk in the morning session, and some walking meditation and meditation interviews [...]

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Monk Police

Here is an interesting video about the ‘Monk Police’, a crack FBI style squad of heroic defenders of the faith. At least that is how the documenters present it.
These monks have taken it on themselves to catch ‘fake’ monks who beg for food or money via the robe and bowl. Some of them are drunk, [...]

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Kathmandu Healing Meditation

Announcement for the November Kathmandu Gallery Healing Meditation  (last month was skipped due to renovations at the Gallery)
After the event most of the participants go over to the now famous Mashoor’s Indian Veggie cafe for lunch to chat and eat – great food too.
Healing Meditation
The workshop this November will start off with simple but creative [...]

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Psycho Buddhists

Dr Holly and co. have been thinking long about a psychology and Buddhism meeting of some kind. Getting things underway there will now be a meeting every month (ish) at a cafe somewhere in town. First attempt was Starbucks, but it proved a little noisy.
Next meet will be Tuesday 10th November, 4 pm.
In the Indigo, [...]

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One more one-day Workshop

Sorry – the meditation workshop below is fully booked now. We will do more in the future!
 
Before they leave for an extended stay at Wat Kow Tahm, Mike and Helge will by popular demand, be leading one more one-day meditation workshop at the beautiful Ariyasom Villa Boutique Hotel.
Back in September they led 2 one day workshops [...]

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WBU Forum Nov 09

Program :            WBU SUNDAY FORUM
Topic :                 A Child, a dog & our Buddha nature  
Date & Time :     November 1st , 2552(2009), 12.00-13.30 P.M
Speaker ;             Mr. Richard Rubacher
About the Topic :           A child, a dog & our Buddha nature
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
Child’s Mind: In situations of stress I enter a state of ‘absurd calmness.’ Being [...]

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If everyone was a …..

Vegetarian week in Thailand has drawn to a close.  In recent years even the Thais seem to have come round to the idea that a vegetarian diet is more healthy.
Traditional Diets
Traditionally, rice farmers relied on meat to provide those nutrients that rice (the old variety that was full of nutrition, as opposed to the modern ‘high [...]

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Meditation and Offerings

A great post from Marcus’ blog  from his experience at YBAT. This organisation provide meditation for 10’s of thousands of people every year through their 3 centres. While the general population of ‘Buddhist’ Thailand might not be ardent regular yogis, it is impressive that most Thai’s have been on meditation retreats at some point and [...]

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The Three Refuges

A recent ‘Buddhist Intellectual’ who spoke in Bangkok recently, pointed a lot of criticism at Thailand. While doing so he addressed the question of his qualification to throw blame around. He is not a meditator, and not a follower of Buddhism on anything but a scritural level. He asked ‘am I a Buddhist’, and then [...]

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Vegetarian week

from 18th to 25th October 2009 is vegetarian week in Thailand.
Thai cuisine is not known for vegetarian food, though there are some excellent places. Generally the veggie stuff is is Chinese or Indian. But they are coming round to the idea that meat, particularly red meat, is not really very good for you. Even ten years [...]

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November 22nd Korean Temple Event

Below are details of a special event at the Korean temple – There is an American monk flying in specially, and he will give a dharma talk in the afternoon. Contact Marcus for any extra details (either through the comments box at the end of this post, or through our contact page)
The Bangkok Hanmaum Seonwon [...]

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Lecture series at National Museum

The following is an announcement from the NMV. Please contact them directly for any eservations or queries :

NMV Introductory Lecture Series 2009
Learn more about Thai art, history, religion and culture
The National Museum Volunteers (NMV) is holding its 64th Introductory Lecture Series at the National Museum Bangkok over four consecutive Thursday mornings from 9 to 12 noon [...]

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Inner Wealth of Dharma-Sun 18th

An interesting event for Sunday evening:
The Inner Wealth of Dharma
Discover our potential for limitless inner wealth that is an inexhaustible source of benefit for us, both now and in the future.
Tibetan Monk Gen Kelsang Tonglam will explain how, by sincerely putting Dharma into practice, we can transform all around us into precious treasures.
The evening will [...]

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Can a Buddhist be a Skeptic?

Update: some of us will be meeting for lunch in front of the building at 10:45. We’ll go to the Chulalongkorn university teachers cafe… all welcome to join.
CAN A BUDDHIST BE A SKEPTIC?
With Dr Georges Dreyfus
Friday 6th November 1-3 pm
Chulalongkorn University
Buddhist scholar and former Tibetan monk of 15 years Georges Dreyfus is back in Bangkok [...]

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Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Jayasaro

 

Extra Special Event
Monday 9th November
Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Jayasaro
in English, at Baan Aree Library
  
 We are happy to announce that Tahn Ajahn Jayasaro will be giving a Dhamma Talk in English, for our Little Bangkok Sangha on Monday 9th November 2009.
Ajahn Jayasaro was formerly the co-abbot and then sole abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat International Forest [...]

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Listening to Dhamma

Last night we had a dhamma talk by Sayadaw U Sujana. It might not be what most people expected when coming to listen to dhamma. Dhamma talks in Asian countries, especially Myanmar where the teachings are so well known and studied, tend to focus heavily around the Pali language. In Sri Lanaka it is the [...]

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The Offering Cloth

A look at the protocol of the monks use of the offering cloth – in response to a recent talk in Bangkok by a well known Indologist and Pali scholar, who was criticising Buddhism and Buddhists on several fronts.
If you have been around Thai monks at all you will have seen the curious tradition of [...]

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