The journey of Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath for the defending of human rights in Cambodia has not been smooth and easy, but thing has kept his socially engaged Buddhist value moving and alive is from his internal strength and the supportive mindset of everyone. So please, continue to give him support as much as you can.Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath has been in Cambodia after his long journey for the international campaign for the respect of human rights in Cambodia. Buddha and human rights is the same. Nonetheless, Buddha also valued and respected the rights of animal and nature as well.
However, his arriving in Cambodia saddened after he realized that his pet (dog) he has ever fed him food in the Watt Unaloum temple has been lost after he went to feed him food on the 21th of this October.
Pressure from the authority towards Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath has blatantly happened by threatening all his students, friends and supporters to isolate him; but now it has been happening with his dog pet who is considering his last friend living in Watt Unaloum.
The journey of Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath for the defending of human rights in Cambodia has not been smooth and easy, but thing has kept his socially engaged Buddhist value moving and alive is from his internal strength and the supportive mindset of everyone. So please, continue to give him support as much as you can.
Click this link to see the list of donors from previous weeks and we hope you continue to support him. The total amount has been already received by Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath for his human defending work as once Buddha accomplished.
Supported by the highest protection one does not need to have a single fear.
ReplyDeleteKaraniya Metta Sutta: Good Will
This is to be done
by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle,
& not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties,
living lightly,
with peaceful faculties,
masterful, modest,
& no greed for supporters.
Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.
Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong,
without exception,
long, large, middling, short,
subtle, blatant, seen & unseen,
near & far, born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.
Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.
As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child,
her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking,
sitting, or lying down,
as long as one is alert,
one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding here & now.
Not taken with views,
but virtuous & consummate in vision,
having subdued desire for sensual pleasures,
one never again will lie in the womb.
from: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html
And what is the benefit of metta?
Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta: Good Will
"Monks, for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven?
"One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and — if penetrating no higher — is headed for the Brahma worlds.
"These are the eleven benefits that can be expected for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken."
from: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.016.than.html
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with metta
Ven Luon Sovath is a real Khmer monk who has stand up to protect Buddhism , land , forest and Khmer natural resources by putting himself in great danger.
ReplyDeletePlease support him by all means.
Long Live Ven Luon Sovath!
Long Live Buddhism!
Khmer Melbourne, Australia.
Dear friend,
ReplyDeletethat is a great idea and for sure a good choice, but we need to be carful that he can act as freely as he thinks that it's good.
So when ever we support a monk, we need to look that we do not use him for our ideas, for our actor, for our opinion.
If a monk get's for example a present with strings, he would not be allowed to receive it. Why is that so?
Because he would keep a deal and no more free to act wise. He would be just like payed to do what the giver likes. If he would act differently as the giver thought, the giver would be angry at him. That is why a Bhikkhu is not allowed to take such presents.
Also a Bhikkhu does not run for others and never makes things like bringing messages or takes responsibilities for things outside the Sangha.
We also need to beware (even it is broadly usual) that a Bhikkhu is not allowed even to touch money. So if we like to support some layman projects where he gives his good advices we need to be careful that he does not need to get in touch with money or even need to take care of it.
That is the most present problem and the reason why so many Monks in Cambodia are not able to be free and able to focus on practice and teaching.
Regarding merits out of this deed it is very important that we (even if we give it to a special monk) think of an donation for the Sangha (the whole Sangha of the Buddha, without thinking of nationality, schools or any groups). If we do not so, there are unwholesome attachments and we would not gain merits from it.
So Sangha Dana is very safe and much better as to make Dana to a special Monk. It would be higher if one donates an Arahant, but the chance is very small that we are right.
So in short, if we like to help Buddhism and good teachings we need to think on this points:
* freely given without a wish or strings (letting go of the donation)
* Sangha Dana (mental or even with words) is much safer an in 99% a higher Dana as to have the wish to support a single monk. When we make Sangha donation, it would be shared where it is needed and keeps the community together for the health of a good blossom.
* Bhikkhus are not allowed to touch money (even people keeping 10 precepts would not do so), so we need to find a person who takes care of the founding which a monk would support by his wisdom (not by handling with the money)
If we do in that way Ven Luon Sovath will stay free, would not be involved in politic, would not be blameable as a marionette of some people and could act freely without conflicts with anybody.
So please take care of your thoughts (without terms and conditions) and let worldly issues be managed by layman.
In this way we can make Dana and Ven Luon Sovath would be not blameable and also much better able in keeping the Vinaya and therefore a great sample for the whole Sangha regarding the way out of dependency.
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with metta
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteYour words have become a conspiracy that after the authority marginalized him by threatening all students, friends and supporters to isolate him, now it comes to your term "financial isolation".
Your logic of not allowing monks to touch money is inapplicable in the present change. Buddha's Vinaya allow monks to carry or hold money in hand but not mentally attachable to it. Buddha allowed monks to use it wisely especially for the purpose of four necessary needs. More than this, Ven. Luon Sovath has his own Maggathayaka or follower who can take care all those money and monk's necessary belongings.
The works of defending human rights, animal rights and natural rights is the duty of Lord Buddha and all his followers including Bhikkhu monks and laypeople (Sangha). Your words are the same as Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong's who has considered the work of defending those rights belonging to laypeople only. Logically speaking, your words mean totally amputate the tasks of Lord Buddha and degrade the Buddha Dhamma.
Four Brahma Vihara encourages us to help others (human beings, animals and nature). It is the immeasurable quality of people mind ie:
1. Metta = Loving Kindness
2. Karuna = Compassion
3. Mudita = Sympathetic joy
4. Upekkha = Neutral mind or free of four biases:
1. The bias by love
2. The bias by hatred
3. The bias by delusion
4. The bias by scary
Ven. Luon Sovath has mediated more than 10 years and his mind is full of these immeasurable quality of mind or Brahma Vihara.
Dhammaduta
...continue:
ReplyDeleteIn order to make no mistakes we need to understand Dhamma clearly or follow the rules (which have been set up by Bhuddha as he saw that some might not understand by there own. Actually we would follow the Vinaya naturally if we the right amount of insight and understanding how the things really are.)
You sad: "Your words are the same as Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong's who has considered the work of defending those rights belonging to laypeople only."
If he told so, his is right. Defending or fighting is not the way a Bhikkhu do. That does not mean that he is not helping both sides to understand that a wholesome path is also possible but therefor he needs to be neutral and untouchable. For one who likes to take side, the robe is neither a protection nor a help and it would damage look of the Sangha. How ever, I dont believe that Ven. Luon Sovath is not able to find a good way also without taking side.
To strive for peace one does not seek for any victory except the victory of peace.
Regarding the Four Brahma Vihara we also need to understand them clearly.
Metta means good will for all living being. For all! If we are attached to some beings, a group of beings (for example from humans but not for animals, for Cambodians but not for Chinese, for good people but not for bad people) it is not metta. We can call it thana or worldly love as this metta would have attachments, an attachment to "I", "we", "our" in what form ever.
Metta is the wish (tought) that all may find the right way to peace for them self with ease.
To understand metta rightly this essay is a very good explaining:
http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Uncollected/MiscEssays/metta_means_goodwill.pdf
Karuna is the wish (thought) to help others to find peace and happiness. If somebody has no food, no shelter, no clothes, no medicine and we have, we can share it as an act of karuna. Higher than this material help is the understanding of Dhamma. To teach Dhamma is the highest act and leads direct to peace and happiness. As for a Monk he would not have much to share in worldly manners (because he already had stop to take what is not given freely). Teaching people Dhamma is the act of karuna for a Bhikkhu. Its his own and freely given.
To free one self and to understand Dhamma is also an act of compassion. For one who has no wisdom he can not help a little, he would make the things worse and causes troubles sooner or later.
Mudita means joy with real attainments of others. For example (in a worldly manner) if your neighbor is able to make a nice and big house you have thoughts of joy "Great that he could fullfill his wish" without jealousy but simply joy.
From a deeper view, joy mudita is proper if somebody attains insight, understanding and peace or does a good deed or have a peaceful live. If somebody has worldly gains karuna would be more proper than mudita. If he has gains in peace and Dhamma mudita is the proper thought (mind state).
Upekkha (equanimity) is not only one of the four Brahma Viharas but also a factor of enlightenment. Actually mostly missing when or metta, karuna, mudita is not pure jet and still has a tendency to take side. It means to see the things like they are without prejudice, seeing the equality of all phenomena.
If upekkha is very developed we would never cause a conflict, but wisely calm all down and teach the Dhamma if we are able to do so.
to be continue...
...continue:
ReplyDeleteDear friends, its very good to support the message and its a very good sign that Bhikkhus start to explain that nature and animals are in big danger, as many Bhikkhus do not understand the cruel humans are doing today in seeing them more important then other beings.
We need to understand that all material things are taken from nature, all we take more is causing harm. Money is just the way we exchange natural resources and live. Money is nothing but energy, life is energy and if we use much money we use much lives.
We always need to think where money is coming from and by which kinds of acts we gain it and what it will cause when we order this or this with it.
If we like to have independent Bhikkhus who are able to teach straight forward and are free, we need to provide them the four needs (food, shelter, robes, medicine) but keep them away of being part of worldly issues and business of every kind.
So if there would be a foundation for this issues Ven. Luon Sovath used to promote, run by layman, financed by layman, I am sure he could be a great supervisor and assistant in Dhamma explaining and to make the Dhamma understandable in our present "modern" (strange) world, to make people understand that the Dhamma is times less and the problems are still the same.
Please give Bhikkus the freedom and independence they need, to give real Dhamma Teachings and chance this present misunderstanding of Buddhas teachings. Don't let them work for your ideas, as they would not be as pure as one might thing.
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with metta
Maybe this two rules are also good to understand the way of a Bhikkhu:
ReplyDeletenissaggiya 19
"yo pana bhikkhu nānappakārakaṃ rūpiyasaṃvohāraṃ samāpajjeyya, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ."
Not to use money. If a bhikkhu uses gold or money or other monetary means to proceed in the exchange of anything whatsoever, he must abandon all that which was thus obtained and it entails a pācittiya.
Note: This rule corresponds partly to the last part of the ten precepts.
nissaggiya 20
"yo pana bhikkhu nānappakārakaṃ samāpajjeyya, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ."
Not to exchange things. If a bhikkhu proceeds in an exchange, to a purchase or a sale (by means of any materials whatsoever), the object purchased in this way must be abandoned and it entails a pācittiya.
However, he can proceed in this exchange with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs and sāmaṇeras (only if this is done to help one another and not to engage in business).
_()_
with metta
Of course, Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong of Cambodia has been ordained by a Vietnamese monk during their victory over Khmer Rouge regime. Somdech Tep Vong is not good in teaching the Dhamma. He has exchanged and traded with laypeople by reading their fortune or watering magical water to laypeople in expect of returning back some money or material. The Nissaggiya 20 has been fully attesting to his saffron robe.
ReplyDeleteBut regarding holding money for necessary needs is wise for Bhikkhu monks. In the past, laypeople kindly offered transportation to the monks or monks preferred to walk with bare foot. In the present, if monks don't have money in hand to give to the taxi drivers, their bare foot cannot tolerate with many glasses cracking pieces.
Regarding Somdech Tep Vong, he is not welcome by major Cambodian Buddhists as he doesn't rightly practice the Buddhist teaching, every time he has chance to speak or deliver the Dhamma, he couldn't elaborate the discourse clearly, but he can elaborate the goodness of Vietnamese troops during the 7 January 1979 in details and clearly.
Cambodian people have called Somdech Tep Vong, the Supreme Patriarch of 7 January 1979.
As a fact, many critics have come to his ears but he is still working as a missionary of 7 January day very well.
Dhammaduta
Continue...
The problem of Metta is wisely debatable. Metta with attachment and Metta with detachment.
ReplyDeleteWorldly Metta is the attachment Metta (Lokiya Metta). Supra-abundance Metta is the detachment Metta (Lokuttara Metta). Only those whose Dhamma Padipatti attained the Annaakaamimagga (the third stage of dhamma stream attainment), ones should detach worldly Metta.
Ven. Luon Sovath has practiced meditation several years, and he has never proclaimed that he has attained any stage of Dhamma stream (note that there 8 stages of Dhamma stream attainment). He is still be a simple monk who spent much of his time for study and meditation. Now he has become deeply inspired by the suffering of his relatives and other fellow Cambodians who have been treated unjustly. His worldly Metta has been personally accumulated and now this Metta has been gradually sharing with others.
Theravada Buddhism is referred to the elderly teaching which aim to attain Nibbana more than other purposes. But the elderly teaching has never neglected or rejected the sharing Metta of Bhikkhu monks with laypeople and surrounding communities.
Ven. Luon Sovath is different from lay people by his yellow robes, shaving head, mendicancy, celibacy and living a homeless life with simplicity.
His daily activities are:
1. Bappajaa = renouncing the world
2. Bhikkhu = mendicant
3. Samana = peaceful person
4. Caratha = wandering to all directions for the welfare of human beings
5. Metta = sharing the Dhamma and loving kindness with others
6. Avihingsaa = non-violence
7. Khanti = forbearance
8. Soraca = trustworthy
9. Yonisomanasikkhara = pondering conscience
10. Samadhi = meditation
Dhammaduta
Dear friend,
ReplyDeleteI think that you might believe that I like to judge a person. If it is so, that is wrong.
I just told from a Dhamma aspect and we need to judge actions, but not a person.
I am 100% sure that Ven. Luon Sovath person (in robe) and his ideas are with good will, but we need to take care that or good-will (metta) is without attachment to specific people or beings because as soon as we have attachments (greed, like, love) to a specific group of beings we also have the other attachment (dislike, aversion, hate) to the other group and we would therefore not at peace (suffer by our self and lead to more suffering).
There are no bad people or good people, there are people with more or less defilement's and if there are no defilement left (no delusion, not knowing, moha) one is called an Arahant. Till we can act without harming but no Arahant yet, we need to keep the vinaya to gain no additional unwholesome karma. If we are out of defilement we keep them naturally.
So once again, when I tell about the Dhamma and Vinaya and possible ways to make things better, you need to know that I am neither the friend nor enemy of any side. I just like to share what is fact.
Dear friend,
Sangha is Sangha, there is no Khmer Sangha, or Vietnam Sangha. Buddha has left nationality when he left home and his Sangha has nothing to do with nationality and politic.
It might be that also Somdech Tep Vong does not follow the vinaya and this could be also the reason why there are so many Bhikkus who follow his sample, but the teachings of Buddha still exist, the Vinaya still exists and everybody who has eyes and ears can read or listen.
In Buddhism there is actually no authority, with the passing away of Buddha, the vinaya is the authority.
If for example an representative like Somdech Tep Vong would allow Bhikkus things that are not allowed regarding the Vinaya, he might do this out of pity (like other Bhikkus break rules out of pity - pity is compassion without wisdom) but there is no excuse from the side of wisdom or Vinaya for it.
A Bhikkhu is self responsible if he keeps the vinaya earnest or not. If other claim him or he realize his faults there are Vinaya processes to solve the problem and get free from feeling of guilt or blame.
Self responsibility is very important and as long one does not keep the vinaya he will be touch able and that is the reason why we need to support earnest Bhikkus who like to change things in there right way.
to be continue...
...continue:
ReplyDeleteAs what I try to tell is not against the support, the opposite is real. It would be great if there are many people who do support the ideas of him regarding the worldly issues and make foundlings for homeless people or help other humans regarding to the appeal of Ven. Luon Sovath. But it needs to be a foundation which is managed and owned by layman, so that he would not be touchable and involved in this issues of material help.
Regarding Transportation:
If I have metta to all beings and know that by driving a car or bike I would kill many beings, would I do so?
If I have metta to all beings, would I like to cause dust that makes people get sick?
If I have metta to all beings, would I like to burn gasoline producing CO2 CO and take part of the destruction of our nature?
If I have metta to all beings, would I like to buy gasoline that had cost thousands of people fighting for it to sell it?
We can not make wrong doings to make things better and we are not authentic. We can not use worldly things an tell people to reduce their worldly greed. They would say "You do it in the same way. Why is it mad when I like to cut wood to buy a laptop? I need it to support my people."
That is way a Bhikkhu needs to follow Vinaya very correct or he has so much attainments already that he but metta in daily actions naturally. To do give up virtue to help a side is therefore not metta. Its attachment and causes suffering in addition.
That is the reason why a compassionate person walks like all compassionate people in the history. Buddha, Jesus, Ghandi... All of them did not use worldly things to teach people and abstain from join material ways.
There have been vehicles and there have been dirt as well. That is no proper excuse.
So we need to be very smart if we like to support Buddhism and not just our personal ideas.
If we make one step away from virtue (vinaya) we have endless other problems. There is no need to think we are smarter then the Buddha. His Dhamma is timeless.
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with metta
Traveling is not different from walking or drinking water or breathing air through our nose, all those can bring many lives to death but do the monks break the vinaya by such unintentional deeds and microscopic insects?
ReplyDeleteBuddha rejected the teaching Jainism whose doctrine is very extreme...all Jain monks must filter the water 100 times before they swallow through their throat.
Buddha Dhamma is middle path or eightfold path you elaborated last time. In the part of wisdom: right thought and right view must be critically applied them.
Wisely applied, faster traveling for the Dhamma purpose can help the needs and the destitutes.
Engaged Buddhist monks with society is not contradict to the Vinaya as Sangha is part of society. Monks and laymen are original interdependent (Padicca-samupattha).
Dhammaduta;
Go forth, o bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, for the good, for the happiness of gods and men. Let not two go by one way. Preach the doctrine that is beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, and beautiful in its ending. Declare the holy life in its purity, completely both in the spirit and the letter.
ReplyDeleteMahavagga, Vinaya Pitaka.
The alms bowl is all he needs to teach people in the right way who like to make a change and to encourage people to make virtue their fist priority in life.
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with metta
Hanzze
Dear administrator, once more. Please delete all my posts if you use them to manipulate people and censure them like you like to have them.
ReplyDeleteIf something is wrong please declare it and speak public about it. Even if censuring might be usual among politic, it should not happen on a place where people like to make a different.
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with metta
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteMy name's Pheak. I am the administrator of this blog. I have never deleted or censured your posts; what is your ground to accuse me (administrator) like this? I think mistakes are made by your side.
Thanks
Pheak
It happened to many posts of mine, maybe somebody is hacking the page.
ReplyDeleteIf you like I can send you all mail-copies of the post's which are deleted.
Thanks a lot for your care!
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with metta
The last post was deleted again, maybe there are some funny people.
ReplyDeleteYou can send me your email on hanzzee@hotmail.com and I can send you the copies of the posts, so that you know that I don't tell stories.
ReplyDelete_()_
with metta
Also the post after October 24, 2011 9:29 AM is deleted.
ReplyDeleteThe net post starts with "...continue"