Buddhism As Education

The Buddha’s freedom of thoughts and religious tolerance are astonishing to the student of history of religions. Once in Nalanda, a famous householder named Upali was expressly sent by his teacher Mahavira to meet the Buddha and defeat him in argument on certain points in the theory of Karma, because the Buddha’s views on the subject were different from those of Mahavira’s. Quite contrary to expectations, Upali, at the end of the discussion, was convinced that the views of the Buddha were right and those of his master were incorrect. So he requested the Buddha to accept him as one of his disciples, but the Buddha asked him to reconsider it and not to be in a hurry, “for considering carefully is good for well known men like you.” When Upali expressed his desire again, the Buddha requested him to continue respecting and supporting his old religious teachers as he used to. In the third century B.C. the great Buddhist King Asoka of India following this noble example of tolerance and unders...

Some people used to say that “we are free thinkers and do not have a religion”. But if anyone is a free thinker, then certainly he must be a Buddhist because the Buddha encouraged freedom of thoughts. The freedom of thoughts allowed by the Buddha is unheard of elsewhere in the history of religions. This freedom is necessary because according to the Buddha, man’s emancipation depends on his own realization of truth and not on the benevolent grace of a god or any external power as a reward for his obedient good behavior. The Buddha never said to his disciples “pray and believe”. The Buddha used to say “come and see, investigate, do not believe anything blindly.” In Buddhism, blind faith is condemned and is substituted by Saddha – confidence, based on knowledge and understanding. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his moral teacher, he makes neither self surrender nor sacrificing his freedom of thoughts. Without sacrificing his freedom of thoughts, a Buddhist can exercise h...

马佛青普照寺复工工程的公开招标正在进行。 马佛青欢迎有意参与的承包商从即日起，至2008年12月1日，联络马佛青总会秘书处（03-7804 9154/9157）或管理委员会主席—钟汉源（012-3799 232），以索取招标图测及有关文件详情。 The Invitation to Bid for the construction of the YBAM Puzhao Buddhist Vihara is currently underway. YBAM welcomes interested contractors to contact the Secretariat of YBAM (03-7804 9154/9157) or the Chairman of Puzhao Buddhist Vihara Management Committee, Bro Chong Hung Wang （012-3799 232) for further details on the particular tender documents and plans, starting today until 1/12/2008.

Vegetarianism is being initiated by sages in China and India since time immemorial to prohibit the infliction of cruelties upon fellow animate beings - the basal step in regenerating the Great Compassionate Love which is pure quality inherent in the nature of man, to the enlighterned truth that all life forms whether human or non-human are rooted from one common heritage. That is, we share a common life force animates within physical bodies. Although many discrepant issues have been put forward by those who do not understand or those who oppose the importance of a vegetarian diet, yet the foundation if vegetarianism remains unperturb because of its fundamental values. Today, with adequate evidential material which involve men from all walks of life and traditions, vegetarianism is constantly acknowledged all over the world by young and old, as an essential diet to promote not only health consciousness - the most relevant way to human development, but also moralities as the principality...