The left palm is turned inward (towards the body), the right outward, and the circles formed by the thumbs and index fingers of each hand touch one another. “Dhammachkara” means “dhamma wheel,” and this mudra recalls the Buddha’s First Sermon to the five disciples of the Buddha at Deer Park. …
The right hand points upward, the left hand downwards; both palms are turned outward. The thumb and index finger of each hand forms a circle. The right hand is at shoulder level, the left at the level of the hips. In a variant of this teaching gesture, the left …
In this mudra, the back of the right hand rests on the palm of the other hand in such a way that the tips of the thumbs lightly touch one another. The hands rest on the lap. The right hand, resting on the top,symbolizes the state of enlightenment; the other …
Images of the Buddha are made to remind us that once in history, a Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, existed in history about 2,500 years ago. He was not a legendary figure or a myth. Buddhists worship the Buddha directly even without having images. Images of the Buddha are sometimes used for …
The swastika symbol associated with the Nazis party is a common mistaken notion of many of us. We are all too familiar with the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany during World War II. Many of us reading the history or story of Second World War in Europe would remember the …
One day, a father from a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm. Upon their return, they reflected on what they had learned from the trip. …
In the early morning of 26th August 2011, Monday, I was going through my emails when one terse message stopped me in my strides – “The Bodhi Tree in Mangala Vihara is gone. Brought down by last night’s thunderstorm”. What? Gone??? That Big, Gigantic Bodhi Tree at MV??? Just couldn’t …
The story of the swan incident sets me wondering on the virtue of saving lives. In the episode Prince Siddhartha retrieved a wounded swan shot down by an arrow of Devadatta. Both claimed ownership to the swan and the dispute was brought before a council of wise men. The wise …
Situated about 80 km North of Singapore is the Samadhi Meditation Center in Pontian, Johore. It’s about 1 and half hours drive from the Woodland Check Point. The Center is nestled in a forested surrounding and is quiet and rustic, close to nature and far from the hustle and bustle of city life – …
Beautiful Pictures of the Sangha …
