In 2009, Rev. Hiroshi Abiko became rinban of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, where he served until retiring to Sebastopol in 2012. (Courtesy Wheel of Dharma)

By JON KAWAMOTO, Wheel of Dharma Editor

BCA Minister Emeritus Rev. Hiroshi Abiko, the son of a Japanese Buddhist minister who himself served as a BCA kaikyoshi minister for 42 years, was fondly remembered for the example he set that embodied the Buddha-Dharma through his energy, positive outlook, leadership and mentorship.

Rev. Abiko, who was 81, passed away on Oct. 6 in San Francisco at his home with his family present. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer two years before and received treatment at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.

At the Oct. 27 memorial service at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco, BCA Minister Emeritus Rev. Masao Kodani, the longtime minister at Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, delivered a brief and touching eulogy via Zoom.

Rev. Hiroshi Jokai Abiko was born and raised in a Buddhist family infused by the experience called Buddhism, Rev. Kodani said. Buddhism is not about faith in a Western sense of religion. Ironically, this is especially true of our Jodo Shinshu form of Buddhism. It is to experience, to wake up to reality. Not our normal self-created reality, but to that which simply is, or more correctly, that which simply is-ing.

Rev. Kodani first met Rev. Abiko in Kyoto during the 1960s and said Rev. Abiko connected his Buddhist experiences without being ego-self conscious about it, and definitely did not wear it on his sleeve.

He was truly adventurous, not from trying to prove something, but because he was really curious about things, and wide open to them. And his experiences made him naturally want to share them. He knew what normal was, but also knew somehow what natural was. I dont know how else to explain this about him.

Rev. Hiroshi Abiko was born at the Japanese Hospital in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles on March 13, 1941, the second son of Rev. Yoshitaka Giko Abiko and Mrs. Hiroko (Shibata) Abiko. Rev. Abikos elder brother is Koki Abiko.

With the outbreak of World War II in December 1941, Rev. Yoshitaka Abiko, who was one of several ministers assigned to the Los Angeles Betsuin, was arrested by the FBI and sent to a U.S. Justice Department detention camp in Santa Fe, N.M., along with other Buddhist ministers and leaders of Japanese American communities.

Hiroko Abiko and her two sons were initially detained at the Santa Anita Park race track in Arcadia, before being sent to the Jerome, Ark., concentration camp. After approximately a year, they were transferred to the Tule Lake camp, where they were reunited with Rev. Yoshitaka Abiko.

After the war ended, the Abiko family was transferred to Japan. They returned to the Abiko family temple, Shokoji, in Shiga Prefecture.

Rev. Hiroshi Abikos interest in taiko began during his elementary school days in Japan, when he watched his cousins playing the temple taiko and making rhythmic sounds in the Hondo and in the courtyard in preparation for Bon Odori.

The family moved to Hiroshima, where Rev. Yoshitaka Abiko served as the first school principal of a Hiroshima music school, and then moved to Sapporo Betsuin.

In 1954, the family returned to California, where Rev. Yoshitaka Abiko became a BCA minister at the Buddhist Temple of Alameda. He was later assigned as rinban of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento and last served as minister of Enmanji Buddhist Temple in Sebastopol.

Rev. Hiroshi Abiko attended Porter Junior High and Alameda High School, where he became the schools hornet mascot. His college years at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, were cut short when his father became seriously ill while serving the Sacramento Betsuin, and his mother needed help in caring for his father.

He transferred to California State University, Sacramento, where he graduated with a degree in philosophy and a minor in art. Soon after his college graduation, he left for Kyoto to enter the masters program at Ryukoku University to further his studies in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. He received his masters degree, and received tokudo, kyoshi, and kaikyoshi from the Nishi Hongwanji. He also received certification in completing his training in the art of flower arrangement.

Before returning to California to visit his parents and to await assignment by the BCA, Rev. Abiko traveled around the world, visiting Buddhist and historical sites throughout China, Southeast Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, as well as Europe.

Rev. Abiko served at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, Buddhist Church of San Francisco, and Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple (Nishi Hongwanji). He also served as chairman of the BCA Ministers Association.

His first temple assignment was the San Jose Betsuin in 1971. He married Misaye Kamigaki of Brentwood in 1974, having met her at a San Jose Betsuin choir concert. Rev. Abiko was a tenor in the San Jose Betsuin Choir led by Yumiko Hojo. He also became a member of the Palo Alto and San Francisco temple choirs in subsequent years.

Rev. Abiko was one of the three original founders of San Jose Taiko, whose premiere performance occurred in 1973.

In Mahayana Buddhism, the taiko is the symbolic voice of the Buddha or the Dharma, Rev. Abiko said. It is the far-reaching and eternally majestic sound, which calls all living beings to the Truth and the reality of the Dharma. The natural joy of being shown the Truth of what one is, no matter how uncomfortable the case may be, is the joy of awareness of being embraced in the Truth, or in Amida Buddha.

In 1983, Rev. Abiko was assigned to the Buddhist temple in Palo Alto, where his son, Ryo, was born. During his 18-year tenure in Palo Alto, he also became the first Buddhist chaplain for the Palo Alto Veterans Administration. He always looked forward to meeting veterans, hearing their stories and counseling them.

In 2001, Rev. Abiko was assigned to Buddhist Church of San Francisco (BCSF). During his tenure, he was able to help set up the BCSFs Ministers Assistant Program (MAP).

In 2009, he became rinban of the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. He retired in 2013 to Sebastopol.

Rev. Abikos impact on BCA ministers was profound, and cited by both Rev. Harry Bridge of the Buddhist Church of Oakland and BCA Bishop Rev. Marvin Harada.

Rev. Abiko was a very significant figure in my life he gave the first Dharma talk I ever heard, Rev. Bridge said in a Facebook post after attending Rev. Abikos memorial service.

Rev. Bridge recalled visiting a friend in the Bay Area in 1990 and, at the urging of his friends mother, attending a memorial service for his friends grandfather. Rev. Abiko was the officiating minister for the service.

I wouldnt go up to do incense offering I had no idea what was going on! But something about the Dharma talk captured me. It was the proverbial lightbulb going off above my head. To this day, I have no memory of what he (Rev. Abiko) talked about, Rev. Bridge said. But later, Rev. Bridge told his friends mother that the Dharma talk was interesting.

So she gave me some books and journals, all over my head at the time. But, a few years later, I dug them out, discovered the existence of the Institute of Buddhist Studies, and the rest is history, Rev. Bridge said. So thank you, Abiko Sensei your impact on me was immeasurable, and Im sure that can be said for many others besides me.

Rev. Harada said: Over the many years that I have known Abiko Sensei, I never heard him complain about his workload or even show that he was tired or on the verge of being burned out.

He was always upbeat, positive, and energetic, even when he was serving at busy places like the Los Angeles Betsuin. Whenever I saw him, he always had an enthusiastic greeting, Hey Marv, how you doing? Or something of that nature. His energy was quite infectious, and even if I myself felt a bit tired or worn out from a busy work schedule, after seeing Abiko Sensei, I would feel energized or uplifted.

In his retirement, Rev. Abiko pursued projects with his hands at the Sebastopol country home. He built vegetable boxes for his wife and made them as gopher-proof as possible. He loved to garden, rake autumn leaves, clean gutters, and repair fences and gates.

His favorite thing to do was to drive his riding mower through the field to cut weeds and flatten down gopher mounds, according to his family. He also enjoyed golf games with his minister and Sangha friends, and he tried practicing his putting skills using gopher holes as targets, but with little success. He pruned the apple, plum and persimmon trees and hoped for a better harvest the following year, and even tried making apple pies.

As a retired minister, Rev. Abiko was grateful to be given the opportunity to help at the Enmanji Buddhist Temple by sharing Dharma talks, conducting services and providing guidance as needed.

Rev. Abikos survivors include: his wife, Misaye (Kamigaki) Abiko; daughter, Kaori Abiko, and her husband, Chris Le; son, Ryo Abiko; and older brother, Koki Abiko, and his family. He is predeceased by his parents and sister Nariye, who died at 17 months in 1946 in Japan.

He was proud of his children and grateful for their love and support together with his wifes loving care. He was elated to be a part of the wedding ceremony for Kaori and Chris in July.

Hiroshi Jokai His names mean, Broad and expansive like the purity of the ocean. Way to go, Hiroshi, and thanks for everything, Rev. Kodani said in his eulogy. May the Nembutsu say all of us, too. NamoAmidaButsu.

Rev. Abikos family said: Hiroshi now remains in the comfort of the other shore, giving care to earthly beings who have not yet reached the other shore.

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The Abiko family, led by Misaye Abiko, and BCA Minister Emeritus Rev. Masao Kodani, Rev. Harry Bridge and Bishop Rev. Marvin Harada contributed to this article

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Rev. Abiko Fondly Recalled for His Buddhist Example - The Rafu Shimpo

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Participants gathered at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on 1214 December to take part in the third and final workshop in a series of discussions of religion in the public sphere. The workshops, hosted by the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, featured trialogues or dialogues between three people, with faith leaders, scholars, and journalists taking part.

The workshops were hosted and coordinated by Prof. Mahan Mirza, who leads the Ansari Institute and is a professor of Islam and science at the University of Notre Dame, and Prof. Alexander Hsu, assistant teaching professor for the Ansari Institute. The series began with a virtual panel in June 2021, with the inaugural workshop following in December 2021. The second workshop was held in August 2022, and the third was held this month.

The purpose of the series was to bring these three, at times distant, professions together, and for the participants to share their experiences and perspectives in order to foster mutual understanding and better communication with the public about religion.

Each of the three workshops focused on a theme. The inaugural workshop was themed Hindsight is 2020 and focused on religion in the news in 2020. After delays due to COVID-19, the hosts and organizers decided to create an early virtual panel to begin the conversation.

The in-person workshop that followed drew together 16 participants to discuss elements of their work in greater depth over a course of three days. Each day focused on a major event in 2020: religious responses to the coronavirus, Black Lives Matter awareness and protests, and the 2020 US elections.

The second workshop was held on the theme of Never Forget, looking back at the 11 September attacks in the US and revelations of clerical sexual abuse, and the ensuing religious conversation and coverage. This time 17 participants gathered from around the world representing Catholicism, Protestant groups, Islam, and more.

The third workshop was on the theme of Religious Futures. This time, 18 attendees gathered at Notre Dame, plus one joining by Zoom, to tackle the heavy topic of the future of religion. This gathering featured two scholars of Buddhism: Dr. Ann Gleig, associate professor of religious studies at the University of Central Florida, and Dr. Natalie M. Avalos, assistant professor in the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Colorado, Boulder, as well as Buddhist Globals Dr. Justin Whitaker representing Buddhist journalism.

Avalos, also a scholar of indigenous and Native American religious traditions, was paired with Shannon Rivers, a faith leader with the Akimel Ootham (River People) Nation in Arizona and Tyler M. Tully, a doctoral candidate in theology at the University of Oxford.

Also at the workshop were representatives of Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Protestant Christianity.

Joining Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Gleig was Nikhil Mandalaparthy, deputy executive director of Hindus for Human Rights, forming a session dedicated to the two largest Dharmic religions.

Dr. Gleig spoke about her work as a scholar of American Buddhism and, in particular, her most recent work on sexual abuse in American Buddhist communities. Mandalaparthy spoke about his work to counter growing Hindu nationalism, particularly in the US, by presenting an alternative, progressive voice for Hindus.

Dr. Whitakers talk discussed his 2019 feature article: Buddhist Journalism in an Age of Global Distrust,* which itself refers to coverage Buddhistdoor Globals Raymond Lam of a similar gathering, this one focusing exclusively on Asian Buddhism: Asian Buddhist Media Conclave Seeks Dharma-inspired Paradigms for Buddhist and Secular Journalism.**

Workshop attendees demonstrated an acute awareness of many of the benefits of insightful journalism, scholarship, and faith leadership. Most discussions, however, focused on the collective difficulties and shortcomings of these professions. As several participants noted, these opportunities to step out of our daily work in order to be self-reflective are rare and precious.

Sarah Ventre, an audio journalist who has been nominated for a Peabody Award for her podcast on a fundamentalist Mormon community, introduced the concept of the crossfade, drawing from the work of Prof. Josh Kun, which showed how aspects of one piece of music can flow into another piece of music in a temporary, liminal space to create something new and extraordinary. Through her talk and our conversations afterward, it became clear that the workshop brought our spiritual or religious aspirations into a crossfade with our ordinary professional lives in an incredibly impactful way.

Rather than trying to predict or forecast religious futures, as might have been sought of us, we instead came away invigorated in our roles as co-creators of those futures.

Summaries and video from the first two workshops are available at the Ansari Institutes webpage. A summary of the third workshop and video from the closing public conversation are forthcoming. Also planned is a further gathering featuring participants from all three workshops, which will take place some time in the summer of 2023.

* Buddhist Journalism in an Age of Global Distrust (BDG)

** Asian Buddhist Media Conclave Seeks Dharma-inspired Paradigms for Buddhist and Secular Journalism (BDG)

Faith in the Story (Ansari Institute)

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The University of Notre Dame Wraps Up Faith in the Story ... - Buddhistdoor Global

My daughter and I walked out of the theater at Barnsdall Art Park feeling as light as a balloon bouquet. For the past one-and-a-half hours, we had listened to a lecture titled Relationships that was taught by Buddhist monk Gen Kelsang Rigpa. We had just experienced a mood transfusion.

Barnsdall Art Park sits atop Olive Hill near the intersection of Hollywood and Vermont, with breathtaking views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign. The sidewalk that leads to the theater passes through a small, very peaceful pine forest.

There were about 80 people there, reflecting our Angeleno diversity but skewed toward middle age. Everyone was casually dressed and chatted quietly as they waited for the program to begin. When the host introduced the teacher, he asked that we not applaud when he came out, but simply stand up.

Its hard to describe what a difference that makes. The monk came out dressed in Buddhist garb, bowed slightly in greeting, signaled us to sit down, and told us we would begin with a short meditation.

Imagine a room full of adults with their phones off, sitting with their backs straight, heads slightly forward, and their eyes closed for 15 minutes. He told us to meditate about someone or some group of people with whom we would like to improve our relationship.

Gen Kelsang Rigpa is a resident teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center LA. Far from being inscrutable or ponderous, he is very plainspoken and relatable. He radiated warmth, and his humor was infectious. Best of all, I could understand what he was talking about. Love and attachment were the two main themes.

Most people have a vague idea of the Buddhist concept of attachment. The monk gave an example of attachment by having us consider why we choose certain people to be our friends. They like us, think we are great, and make us feel good about ourselves. Its basically about us. The same goes for our pets; they jump up and down when they see us. As long as we feed them, they are our best friends. Again, attachment.

Most of us were nodding in agreement. On an intuitive level, we already knew it. Then our smiling monk changed to love. What is love? He described it as seeing another human being and understanding that he wants the same thing we want to be happy, live life freely, avoid suffering. To focus on the other person is to show love.

He asked us to think about the person we had pondered during our initial meditation, the one with whom we wanted to improve our relationship. Maybe they dont think we are so great.

I thought of a boss I had had many years ago who did me wrong. We worked for a nonprofit organization, and when the national office initiated a nationwide re-organization, my boss was able to get rid of me. She planned to prevent me from filing a claim for unemployment insurance. I called in sick. She sent a messenger to my house saying I didnt work there anymore. I sued her. And then I wrote about it in this newspaper. There was bad blood.

That memory has been moldering for more than a decade. Perhaps it is because I always knew that she and I were devoted to the mission of our organization and wanted to see it succeed. The re-organization was imposed on us by the big bosses in New York and caused us to behave badly.

Although I cant say I felt a blossoming love for her at that moment, what I took away is that it is possible to imagine that my boss wanted what was best for the organization and the people who were at the heart of it. We did some good work together, and I have more happy memories than angry ones.

When Gen Kelsang Rigpa ended the class, there was a feeling of calm in the room. When he stood up to leave the stage, we all rose as one in silence. We steeled ourselves to go back to our noisy lives a little calmer, a little wiser.

Kathleen Vallee Stein is a Monrovia writer.

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A Buddhist moment here at the holidays - The Whittier Daily News

Bereaved families attend the 49th-day memorial service held at Jogye Temple in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Friday. (Yonhap)

Heavy-hearted tears fell down the faces of some 150 bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy Friday morning as a 49th-day memorial service was given for the souls of the deceased at Jogye Temple in Jongno-gu, central Seoul.

Under Buddhist belief, the deceased's spirit leaves the human world after lingering 49 days after death.

At the main Daeungjeon Hall within the compound of Jogye Temple, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, South Koreas largest Buddhism sect, expressed condolences to those who lost their friends and families in the tragedy.

The ritual was held in the form of Chundo, a traditional after-death ceremony praying for the dead spirits to find peace and rest in the afterlife, and guiding the souls to be reborn in a better place or direct them to goodness. A total of 65 portraits of the deceased and 77 tables of honors were displayed at the ceremony.

Ven. Jinwoo, the president of the Jogye Order, and Ven. Jihyun, head monk of Jogyesa Temple, were also present during the event, along with 100 other monks and Buddhists.

The members of the Korean Council of Religious Leaders, including the Jogye Order, the Christian Council of Korea and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Korea, also planned to hold a memorial ceremony for the victims Friday afternoon.

At 6 p.m., a civic memorial service will be held by the bereaved family council and the Itaewon Disaster Citizens Countermeasures Meeting on the street in front of Itaewon Station Line No. 6. The organizer of the event warned of possible congestion, asking those willing to participate to use Exit No. 3 of Noksapyeong Station Line No. 6.

Main opposition Democratic Party of Koreas leader Lee Jae-myung and Lee Jeong-mi, leader of the minor opposition Justice Party, will visit the civic memorial service to express their condolences.

Democratic Party leader Lee urged President Yoon Suk-yeol to personally visit the memorial altar and make an official apology in front of the portraits of the deceased and tables of honors.

Instead the presidential office sent Yoon's senior secretary on social affairs to the memorial service saying that their heart of consolation remains unwavering.

Finding out the truth and taking appropriate measures is the way to be there for victims and the bereaved families," the office said at a daily afternoon briefing.

Seouls Itaewon neighborhood became the location of a deadly disaster on the eve of Oct. 30, as people crammed into a narrow, sloping alley, which led to a crowd crushing effect killing 158 people.

On Wednesday, police reported a high school survivor of the tragedy had been found dead in an apparent suicide.

By Park Jun-hee (junheee@heraldcorp.com)

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Bereaved families bid farewell to Itaewon victims on 49th day after deaths - The Korea Herald

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 21 (ANI): Sitapur Police on Tuesday filed an FIR against 2 persons in a case of alleged forced religious conversion in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the police, 2 Indians and four Brazil nationals organised a programme in Shahbajpur Village and allegedly lured people to change their religion.

Additional SP (South) said the police have sought arrangements to send Brazilians back to their country.

Further investigation is also underway in the case.

In October this year, Uttar Pradesh Police had lodged an FIR against nine people for alleged forced conversions to Christianity in Meerut.

The complaint was registered under sections of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

In another earlier instance, Rajasthan minister Pratap Khachariyawas had said the government was probing the alleged assault on a Dalit family in a village of Baran district of the state after reports emerged that some people from the community had converted to Buddhism following the incident.

If any poor, backward or Dalit faces any kind of crime, it is our responsibility is to raise our voice against that. We are getting the matter investigated, Khachariyawas had said earlier, after reports that 250 people of the Dalit community in Baran had allegedly converted to Buddhism. (ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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Uttar Pradesh : 2 booked for forced religious conversion in Sitapur - ThePrint

BY ANJAN ROY

China appears to have made a planned and heavy intrusion in the areas close to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh last week, which were repulsed bythe Indian army forthwith. The Chinese have repeatedly forayed into the area to make gains in Arunachal Pradesh near Tawang.This is critical for China because Tawang is the seat of one of the most revered monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism. As a result, Tawangmonastery plays a critical role in Tibetan internal politics. Therefore, Chinas efforts are to get control of the area and the Tawang monastery tocontrol more effectively Tibets internal politics.One has to remember that the Tibetan religious head, Dalai Lama, had come to Tawang and sought his first refuge in the monastery. Ever since,Dalai Lama is a continuing pain in Chinas neck.Now that Dalai Lama is getting old and a new spiritual head will have to be sworn in after the present Dalai Lama, China is seeking to ensure thatits nominee becomes the new Dalai Lama. Getting control of the Tawang monastery before that could give some legitimacy for Chinas selection ofthe next spiritual head for Tibetan Buddhists.

These issues apart, China has been nibbling at the line of actual control the so-called LAC off and on and has already claimed somevictories. China has thus sliced away from Indias part of the border over the years through these small incursions.It is only now that that the Indian aide has reacted vigorously to the Chinese tactics. The Galwan valley incident, in which 20 Indian soldiers haddied and some unknown numbers of the Chinese, was the biggest incident recently.But, last weeks Chinese attempt to capture some high grounds in the areas, only 25 kilometres from Tawang, is the most ambitious anddetermined attempt.. This time, when the winter had set in, the sudden sweep was meant to take possession of grounds to set up an observationpost, according to some reports.In Galwan valley as well, China was seeking to acquire lands on Indian side to set up observation posts. Chinese have already setup somevillages in the areas adjoining the border, which can quickly be turned into supply bases for the Chinese army. In Yangtze area near Tawang, theChinese were working with the same objective in mind. With the observation posts the Chinese could better monitor the Indian positions as well asmovements. They are interested in tracking Indian preparations in the border areas.The Chinese have so far downplayed the incident apart from a brief mention in the Chinese foreign ministry briefing. This they did only after thestatement of the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, in parliament subsequent to the incident.The Chinese foreign ministry is seeking to pass this off as incursions by the Indian army personnel across the LAC. This is understandable sincethe Chinese are seeking now to modify their image. Chinese threats to south east Asian countries and the entire South China Sea has sent alarmbells across the region.Its earlier practice of world warriors, who were the hostile diplomats belching fire over alleged insults to China, had given a very unwelcomepicture of the country. After election of Xi Jinping at the 2oth party Congress in November, it appears China is taking some care to project a morefavourable picture of the country.The release of the details of last weeks incidents by India, has been to vindicate governments claims of wrong handling of all border incursions.India seems to be taking the Chinese threats seriously and expects these to continue in future as well.It appears the political circles deliberately highlighted the episode as the Indian army had acted swiftly and gained the upper hand over theChinese. The Indian opposition parties had all along criticised the government for its lukewarm responses to Chinese incursions.This time the political set up had some advantages in showing off the robust responses to the incursions. The Indian army was better prepared forthe sudden eruption of violence.Along with this incidence, some videos have gone viral in the social media, depicting some face-offs between Indian soldiers and the Chinese.The videos depict the two sides fighting with lathis and rods in the hills, surrounded by green forests around.The videos show Indian soldiers beating the Chinese who then retreat followed by the Indian army personnel. Thereafter, the Indian roar invictory and some structures are demolished.The videos have now gone viral in the international media and showing the apparent victory of the Indian side. The videos had made firstappearance in Indian social media.For whatever reasons and results, border clashes with China are expected to continue. The silver lining is that these have remained confined tolocal levels. Eruption of these on a larger scale could make things rather difficult to control, as has been seen in the disastrous Russian campaign inUkraine.

(IPA Service)

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China Is Interested In The Buddhist Monastery In Tawang For Its ... - The Northlines

Thai temples held prayers and senior leaders including the prime minister visited a hospital on Friday to wish a quick recovery for the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who collapsed earlier in the week with a heart condition.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha, 44, lost consciousness early on Wednesday in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima and was flown by helicopter to Chulalongkorn hospital in Bangkok after her condition stabilized to a certain level, the palace said in a statement on Thursday.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

There was no further official update of her condition on Friday.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and many senior officials, politicians and religious leaders visited Chulalongkorn hospital on Friday to lay orange flowers, the colour associated with the princess, and sign a book of well wishes.

Thailands Buddhist Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Phra Ariyavangsagatayana has requested all Thai temples at home and abroad to conduct special daily chanting sessions for the princess, an official announcement from the National Office of Buddhism said.

The princess is one of three children of King Vajiralongkorn who has a formal title, making her eligible for the throne under a 1924 Palace Law of Succession and the countrys constitution.

The king has yet to formally designate an heir since becoming king in 2016, and there has been no official discussion on the prospect of the princess taking the throne.

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Miracle three-year-old child survived Thailand massacre asleep under blanket

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Prayers in Thailand for kings hospitalized daughter - Al Arabiya English

Ten years after the events of Avatar, James Cameron takes us back to Pandora with Avatar: The Way of Water and follows Jake Sully and Neytiris family, along with the Omaticaya clan. Their eldest is Neteyam. Then there is Loak. Their youngest is Tuk. Their adopted daughter, Kira, is born of Dr. Grace Augustines Avatar. In addition to that, theyve adopted a human named Spider, who was abandoned in Hells Gate after the evacuation of the Sky People. Their peaceful life is interrupted by said Sky People who are back there to not just re-colonize the exoplanetary moon but also to destroy its water bodies. And with the return of Quaritch and his entire platoon as Recombinants (Avatars that are loaded with the characters memories and skills) who are out for revenge because of their previous defeat, the Sullys are forced to run to the Metkayina clan and seek refuge.

Major Spoilers Ahead

In Avatar, Quaritch tasked Jake Sully with knowing everything that he could about the Navi and reporting back to him so that he could take his army and decimate their Home Tree, thereby allowing the RDA (Resources Development Administration) to get all the unobtanium they wanted. Jake Sully obviously betrayed him, as he sided with the Omaticaya because he respected their lifestyle and fell in love with Neytiri. During the final moments of that film, Quaritch nearly killed Jake Sully by destroying the link unit (the device that allows a human to link up with their Avatar) he was in. But Neytiri shot Quaritch up with arrows and killed him, saving Jake Sully. Now, while Jake entered his Avatar permanently during the events of the first film, Selfridge sent the genetic coding of Quaritch and his crew to Earth so that their Avatar could be ready for deployment in the off chance that they died. Since they did die, Quaritch wants to use his mission to pacify the hostile parties who are attacking RDA trains and helicopters to exact revenge against the couple.

When Sullys kids sneak up on Quaritch and his team, he captures them to bait the Sullys. Jake, Neteyam, and Neytiri manage to rescue Loak, Tuk, and Kiri. However, Spider falls back, and Quaritch uses his familial ties with him (yes, Spider is apparently Quaritchs son) to coerce Spider into helping him track the Sullys. He learns the ways of the Navi to become more like Jake and Neytiri and beat them at their own game. By doing so, Cameron and his team of writers expertly contrast Quaritchs arc in this film with Jakes arc in the first film. You see, both of them are jarheads, and they want to learn more about the Navi. But while Jakes educational process allows him to empathize with life on Pandora, Quaritch doesnt. He just sees it as a means to an end. And that proves that putting a person in an Avatar and teaching him about indigenous culture isnt necessarily going to make them a rebel. That quality has to be in their blood and psyche, which can then be amplified with some guidance. If you are blinded by your bigotry, youll be nothing more than a wolf in sheeps clothing.

See More: Avatar: The Way Of Water Characters, Explained: What Ideologies Do The Sullys, Quaritch & Metkayina Have?

The Metkayina are an ocean-based Navi tribe who live on the shores of Awaatulu in huts that are interconnected with webbed passages. They have a chief leader, Tonowari, and a Tsahk, Ronal, who look over the clan. Their hue of blue is lighter than that of the Omaticayans. They have a Spirit Tree, much like the Tree of Souls or the Tree of Voices. Their hands are broader, and their tails are like fins to help them swim swiftly in the water. The Omaticayans use horses and the Metkayinans use a creature called the ilu for short-distance travel. The Omaticayans have the ikran, and the Mekayinans have the Tsurak, which have the ability to fly for short periods of time and then swim at high velocities in the water. Theres a wing-shaped fish in the waters that can latch onto a swimmers back and allow them to breathe for longer periods of time. And then there are the whale-like creatures called the Tulkuns, which migrate in herds and serve as soul siblings to the Metkayinans. However, since these Tulkuns are being hunted by the Sky People, they arent coming to Awaatulu, which the Metkayinans probably see as a bad omen. Since Jake Sully and his family, with the exception of Neytiri, are technically hybrids and not really Navi, they are treated harshly. That said, Jake reacts to it in a humble fashion and tries his best to win Tonowari and Ronals trust.

Coming back to the Tulkun, the reason they are being hunted by the Sky People is that they have a special gland in the base of their skull that secretes a serum that stops aging in humans. So, you can only imagine how valuable it is. And the serum is called Amrita. Now, that term may seem random. However, if you have knowledge of South Asian mythology, youll know that its a reference to the drink of the gods, which apparently gave them immortality. When they were cursed by the sage Durvasa, the gods took the help of their rivals, the asuras, and churned the ocean to attain a pitcher of this amrita. The asuras tried to take it, but the Hindu god Vishnu attained the form of the siren called Mohini to prevent that from happening. Mohini was given the task of distributing the amrita, and she used that opportunity to behead the demon Rahu, give all the nectar to the gods (to help them reclaim their immortality), and then battle the asuras. In Sikhism, amrita is the liquid thats drunk by Sikhs to become a part of the Khalsa. Theravada Buddhism defines amrita as the nectar that frees one from natural processes like birth, death, grief, etc. Chinese Buddhism sees any blessed water or food as amrita. And in Vajrayana Buddhism, amrita is an important part of all religious rituals. That means two things: James Cameron and his team have done mythological research, and out of all those definitions, I think those that describe amrita as the anti-aging juice are the ones that are relevant to The Way of Water.

So why is all this stuff that Ive just said about Quaritch, Jake, the Metkayinans, and the Tulkun important to the ending of the film? Well, because it shows how important it is to have perspective. Quaritch treats the Avatar body and sees the ways of the Navi as a means to get to Jake and kill him. Jake respects his Navi status and is doing everything in his power to protect his family, even if it means giving up the position of chief and following the orders of another. The Metkayinans see the Tulkun as one of their own and the Sullys as outsiders, despite the similarities they share. The Sky People treat the Tulkun as a commodity and treat them as disrespectfully as they treat the Navi or Pandora itself. And then theres Kiri and Loak, who rebel against every preconceived notion and find new aspects of the Tulkun and the Metkayinan habitat that probably no one knew about. The reason behind it is pretty obvious. Loak feels like an outcast among his own because he fails to live up to Jakes expectations, who wants him to be more like his eldest, Neteyam. Kiris mystical connection with Eywa makes her look air-headed, distant, and weak. However, they dont let everyones perception of them define who they are. They choose their own path.

Loak befriends a Tulkun called Payakan, who has been wrongfully outcast for killing other Tulkuns. Payakan uses the gland that the Sky People use to get the amrita to link up with Loak and show him the real culprits (yes, its the humans who killed the other Tulkuns, not Payakan). That proves to be a game changer because when Quaritch kidnaps Sullys kids as well as Tsireya (Ronal and Tonowaris daughter) and puts them in a Manta Ray-like ship, Payakan arrives to turn the tides in the Navis favor. But it isnt enough to truly get rid of Quaritch and his crew. So, Jake, Neytiri, and Neteyam actively attack the ship. Neteyam is the one who manages to get Loak, Tsireya, and Spider out of there but gets shot in the process. His death spurs Loak into action, and he saves his father after his deadly battle with Quaritch. As for Kiri, when she gets separated from Neytiri and Tuk, who get trapped in an inescapable section of the ship, she taps into her connection with Eywa, which she evidently had all this time. That allows her to create an escape route with the help of the luminescent fishes and take her mother and her sister to safety. The editing of this scene sends the message that a parents sole purpose shouldnt be to protect because that sounds exhausting. Instead, they should learn to relinquish control and let their children protect and guide them through their darkest hours. FYI, Spider does something similar by saving an injured and drowning Quaritch because he cares about their familial bond, and hes wary of the fact that, when push comes to shove, Neytiri wont treat him as one of her children. However, he reunites with the Sullys, where hes welcomed by Kiri and Jake.

Neteyam is buried as per the Metkayina culture, where his body is consumed by a field of seagrass. Jake Sully goes to Tonowari to let him know that he and his family will be leaving Awaatulu the following day because he knows that Quaritch will come after him and destroy everything around him. The oceanic Navi tribes whose homes got torched didnt give up Jakes location because Tonowari told them not to. And Jake definitely doesnt want anything like that to happen again. But Tonowari says that hes part of the Metkayina now and that he and his family are more than welcome to stay there. This decision can be motivated by Tonowaris prolonged neutrality, which has allowed the Sky People to encroach on the seas, and his latest realization that being non-confrontational wont keep them safe. Tonowari knows that Jake Sully and Neytiri have faced and defeated the Sky People before. So, if they want to defeat the latest wave of human colonizers, the Metkayina will need their guidance. Also, the family has just lost their son. You cant just tell them to go on the run after that. And, yes, Jake and Neytiri accept Tonowaris offer. They use the Spirit Tree to meet Neteyam one last time and decide to make their stand against the Sky People from there.

Unlike Avatar, The Way of Water concludes with a personal battle between Quaritch and Jake Sully. In Avatar, what we saw was the final stage of years of colonization. In The Way of Water, we see the earliest stages of the latest insurrection. So, it makes sense that James Cameron and his team have focused on establishing a central rivalry and giving us an idea of what itll take to actually defeat the enemy. Apart from that, the sequels will probably unravel the mystery surrounding Kiris father, who has to be very powerful, spiritually speaking. As far as I know, Dr. Augustine never exhibited powers where shed manipulate the environment of Pandora. Therefore, Kiris powers must have come from her father. Itll be interesting to see how Neytiri, Spider, and Quaritchs dynamic is going to unfold. Jake has accepted Spider as a son. However, Neytiri was and will be on the fence about it, especially after trying to kill him. And thats bound to have some kind of impact on Spiders psyche. Quaritchs newfound sense of humanity is also going to play a major role, and maybe hes going to try to bring Spider over to his side, which will make the rivalry between the heroes and the villains all the more complicated. But, hey, who wants to see simple stuff? James Cameron is free to bring on all the complexity he and his team can muster.

See More: Avatar 3 Expectations & Theories: Who Was The Seed Bearer? Will We See Frankenstein Uses Of Amrita?

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'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Ending, Explained: How Did Kiri And Lo ... - DMT

A viral image of Dalai Lama worshipping a Shiva linga with other monks around him is doing the rounds on social media. Social Media users have shared the photo claiming that Dalai Lama is renouncing his fake Buddhism while worshipping Lord Shiva.

A Facebook user posted the viral picture with a caption: (English translation: Real Buddhist Devadidev performing Jalabhishek to Mahadev and here swearing not to believe in fake Buddhist God)

You can check the post here.

NewsMobile fact-checked the viral picture, and found it to be misleading.

If Dalai Lama the highest spiritual leader of Tibet would have made any such claims, it would have made headlines all over the news. But our search to find out accuracy of the viral claim yielded no results.

However, running a Reverse Image Search of the viral image, we found a Pinterest picture, titled: Buddhist Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama paying tributes at Gupt Ganga Shiv Temple on Tuesday. Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. The description as well as the title of the image indicate that it was taken during Dalai Lamas visit to Gupt Ganga Shiv Temple in J&K.

Conducting a Google Keyword Search to know more about his visit, we traced a YouTube video, dated July 19, 2012, on a channel Degeyang. The video, titled: The Dalai Lama Visits Shiv Temple Rainawari, shows Dalai Lama praying to Lord Shiva and offering milk to the Shiva linga.

Also, a news article in NDTV Online, titled: Dalai Lama visits religious sites in Srinagar, prays for peace, dated July 17, 2012, clarifies his motive behind the temple visit. The article informs that Dalai Lama not only visited a Hindu temple, but various religious sites of different faiths in Srinagar to pray for peace in the state and in the world. Some of the religious places that he visited were the Hazratbal shrine, the Gupt Ganga Shiv temple, and Gurudwara Chatti Padshahi.

We went through the entire article, but could not find any news of him renouncing Buddhism. Another article, titled: Dalai Lama Visits Religious Places, on the official website of Dalai Lama, dated July 18, 2012, corroborates the facts in the NDTV report.

We could not find a single credible source of information that would back the claim that Dalai Lama renounced his fake Buddhism while praying to Lord Shiva.

Therefore, we can conclusively say that the viral claims of Dalai Lama renouncing his fake Buddhism is misleading.

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Fact Check: Did Dalai Lama Swear to Renounce Buddhism While Praying to Lord Shiva? Heres the Truth - Newsmobile

Many might wonder why I decided to convert, especially at the young age of 20, and some might even try to draw a connection with the programme attended by former Delhi minister and AAP leader, Rajendra Pal Gautam, earlier this month. But my decision to convert is mine alone and is based on my engagement with Babasaheb Ambedkar. In a speech delivered in 1935, Ambedkar highlighted the importance of conversion and said, Untouchability is not a short or temporary feature; it is a permanent one. To put it straight, it can be said that the struggle between the Hindus and the Untouchables is a permanent phenomenon.

Growing up, I was fond of reading and my parents were supportive of this. They wanted me to have what they were deprived of a decent education, especially in English medium. I was very young when my mother told me about the Buddha. I was fascinated to hear of someone who had so much wealth and power, only to give it all up.

My introduction to Ambedkar and his work came much later, as my school textbooks had very little about him, usually only describing him as the architect of the Indian Constitution and leader of the Dalits overlooking his contribution to labour rights and womens rights. While studying about the RBI, I did some extra reading and found out that Ambedkar had been instrumental in its formation, leading me to wonder how little I had been taught about his work. Eventually, I came across Ambedkars work on Buddhism and made the connection.

When I heard about Yashica Dutts book,Coming Out As a Dalit and attended a discussion where she spoke of her experiences, I realised that I had been forced to hide my caste throughout my years in school for fear of being ostracised or treated as inferior to the behaviour of my peers and teachers underwent a perceptible change when they spoke of those belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

During the pandemic, I started talking about caste-related issues to caste such as atrocities and unequal access to wealth. But to my dismay, people who I thought I was on great terms with gradually reduced their interactions with me. I decided to take refuge in books again, including Ambedkar and contemporary writers on caste. I began considering conversion when I realised that, as Ambedkar had said, no matter how much I study, the phenomenon of caste wont go away and that some people might be seen as superior to me solely due to the accident of birth, though any form of gradation or hierarchy is inherently problematic.

Any individual acquainted with Ambedkar and his life and work is aware of his attempts at reforming the caste system until his speech on May 31, 1936, in which he said that the path to salvation for the depressed classes lies in conversion. On October 14, 20 years later, along with his followers, Babasaheb finally converted from Hinduism to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur.

I decided to follow in his footsteps on the same date and at the same place. When I spoke to my parents about everything I had on my mind, they were supportive of my decision. However, it was not easy to follow Ambedkars path. I kept postponing my decision owing to the stress of applying to colleges and the constant fear of Covid-19.

Moreover, travelling to Nagpur by train and arriving there on Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas, and then leaving for home the day after sounded hectic. It ended up being a comfortable journey owing to the support of my friends and Dipankar Kamble, an Ambedkarite and a mentor, who encouraged me to not postpone my decision on account of the difficulties of travelling to Nagpur.

Late afternoon on October 14, I took the 22 vows that Ambedkar had taken 66 years ago. Prior to my conversion, as I was walking towards Deekshabhoomi, I looked at the stalls on both sides of the roads, filled with books and posters about Ambedkar and Buddha. There were blue and panchsheel flags all around, with people raising slogans of Jai Bhim. After reciting the 22 vows, I got myself a few books, two portraits one each of Ambedkar and the Buddha and some figures of Buddha for some of my friends back home. As Ambedkar said, the decision to emancipate oneself from the hierarchy of caste is an informed one. One of the things which attracted me is a passage from Ambedkars essay, Buddha and the Future of His Religion. The Buddha claimed no such infallibility for what he taught, he wrote. The followers of Buddha had the liberty to abandon any of his teachings if it was found that at a given time and in given circumstances they do not apply.

The writer is a student of sociology in Delhi

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A student writes: Why I converted to Buddhism - The Indian Express