A Thai Buddhist monk carries a statue of Buddha as he waits with others to welcome Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharmsala, India, Sept. 7, 2018.

Ashwini Bhatia/AP

Acharawadee Wongsakon, an ascetic Buddhist teacher in snow-white robes, has a pet peeve.

Its the phrase let it go, deployed by people who disrespect Buddha and expect Buddhists to meekly tolerate the insult.

Letting go? That just means letting go of your emotions. It doesnt mean were weak or that we wont stand up for our rights.

Letting go? That just means letting go of your emotions, Acharawadee said. It doesnt mean were weak or that we wont stand up for our rights.

Acharawadee is the driving force behind the Knowing Buddha Organization, a watchdog group based in Thailand. Once a high-flying businesswoman in the jewelry trade, she has since dedicated her life to meditation and claims to have logged 18,000 hours in her lifetime.

Related:Does Thailand have a monkey labor problem?

As the leader of the Knowing Buddha Organization, she oversees volunteers who scour the internet and chase tips, seeking out people who haveused Buddhas image flagrantly.

A prime example: placing statues of Buddhas head on the floor a lowly place or, worse yet, putting Buddha imagery on things that are stepped on, like skateboards or carpets. Buddhas resplendent image, they say, should never come near a persons grubby feet.

Also on the offenders list: bars and hotels using Buddha as a kitschy decoration, especially in ignoble, boozy places such as nightclubs or plastering his face on walls to give off faux spiritual vibes.

Then, there are the Buddha toilet seat covers, sold online. Or the Disney cartoon, Air Buddies, featuring a meditating puppy named Buddha.

Buddha taught goodness, dedicating his life to ending suffering. The same way Jesus did and you treat him this way? Acharawadee said.

If anything touches Mohammed or Jesus, [people know] theyll be in deep trouble. But if they touch Buddhism, the Buddhists hardly have a voice to stop them so, people think they can do anything they want.

If anything touches Mohammed or Jesus, [people know] theyll be in deep trouble, she said. But if they touch Buddhism, the Buddhists hardly have a voice to stop them so, people think they can do anything they want.

Related:Thailand set to legalize LGBTQ unions, a rare step in Asia

There are roughly half a billion Buddhists in the world. Yet, the influence of this religion some would call it a philosophy radiates beyond its base of adherents in Asia. Meditation and mindfulness, en vogue in the West, inadvertently spread a certain Buddhist chic one that is disconnected from mores in the Asian cultures that uphold Buddhism.

These are cultures, Acharawadee says, that recoil at seeing Buddha adjacent to feet or, worse yet, a decorative flower pot made from Buddhas head. Tattoos are also forbidden, she said, because Buddha is a symbol of purity and the human body is dirty especially when humans have sex.

Buddha is just not some superstar.

Buddha is just not some superstar, Acharawadee said.

Just because Buddha is not a deity he was a spiritual leader, alive in modern-day India or Nepal roughly 2,500 years ago does not mean you can use him as a decoration. Show respect. He is the father of our religion.

Related:In Thailand, posting a selfie with a beer is a potential crime

Those who offend the Knowing Buddha Organization are contacted and warned. Many offenders, Acharawadee says, act out of ignorance, not malice.

We ask them to stop, explaining the problem. I must say, about 50% stop what they are doing. The other 50% dont care.

If a transgression takes place outside Thailand, the Knowing Buddha Organization may ask the local Thai Embassy to apply pressure which has sometimes worked.

Among the organizations bigger takedowns was a Paris art exhibit, hosted by the Louis Vuitton Foundation in 2016, which featured a massive Buddha head resting on the ground. Under pressure (which included a letter from Thailands Embassy in France), the head was placed on a pedestal.

But would Buddha himself imparting teachings against pride dwell on transgressions such as this? Or might he, well, let it go?

If someone puts trash in front of your door, Acharawadee said, will you let it go? No, you will remove the trash as best you can, without feeling hatred, always feeling harmony and forgiveness.

Otherwise, she said, using the theory of letting go with everything, we would not have law and order.

Related:Thailand's beauty craze: 'Milking' snails to make facial creams

For those who offend Buddhists inside Thailand, a Buddhist-majority country, the Knowing Buddha Organization advocates a more strict punishment. There are Thai laws against disrespecting religion but they are seldom enforced and Acharawadee has advocated for a strengthening of these codes, even addressing Thailands Senate.

In her view, foreign offenders this could include a tourist with a Buddha tattoo or people posing in bikinis by a Buddha statue just be let off with a warning, possibly a fine if they are recalcitrant.

But if the person is Buddhist, they should go to jail. Maybe for six months. If you go to jail, its not about punishment. Its giving you time and space to really contemplate what you did wrong.

But if the person is Buddhist, they should go to jail, she said. Maybe for six months. If you go to jail, its not about punishment. Its giving you time and space to really contemplate what you did wrong.

Other Buddhist-majority countries enforce anti-blasphemy laws. Sri Lanka deported a British woman over a Buddha tattoo on her arm. In Myanmar, a New Zealander and two citizens were imprisoned over an online flier promoting a bar; the image depicted Buddha wearing headphones.

Such cases have not arisen in Thailand perhaps because the country, deeply reliant on tourism for its economy, cannot risk scaring off travelers. The Knowing Buddha Organization has posted billboards near Bangkoks largest airport, warning incoming tourists that it is wrong to wear Buddhist necklaces or sport Buddha tattoos.

The purpose is just to raise awareness to foreigners, Acharawadee said.

Her advice for anyone already sporting a Buddha tattoo and looking forward to visiting Thailand?

You should erase it, she said. It will be good for you. If they will not, whatever consequence that might come they might have to accept it.

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A Thai organizations crusade against blaspheming Buddha - The World

In an ambitious plan to promote India as a global hub for Buddhist heritage and tourism, the University Grants Commission (UGC) plans to create a database pertaining to Pali and Buddhist studies.

In a notification dated February 23, the UGC has sought information about current courses, research, scholars and experts, alumni along with important events, seminars and conferences organised in this field from all universities, research institutions and centres. The UGC has also asked for details on the number of courses offered, number of students pursuing studies at undergraduate, post-graduate level and above at universities.

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) offers courses in Pali at advanced levels, including research and doctoral studies. Besides, research in Buddhist studies has been offered at Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute for over four decades now.

The two institutions had recently inked an MoU to jointly roll out a PG diploma in Buddhist Heritage and Tourism from the next academic year.

While many Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea and China offer select courses and have plethora of tourism-centered activities, a database with rich information on all available courses and research of this scale also aimed at long term plans, including promoting tourism, is a one-of-its-kind programme.

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To boost Buddhism, UGC plans ambitious database on courses, scholars and research - The Indian Express

According to reports citing local police, the fire at Naejangsa in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, was reported Friday at 6:37 p.m., a few minutes after it is believed to have started. A Buddhist monk reportedly called the fire authorities and was apprehended at the scene, apparently under the influence of alcohol.

Though it was reported that the apprehended monk had set the fire after a disagreement with other monks at the temple, quoting local police, other monks at the temple have denied the claim.

The Ven. Dae-u, another Buddhist monk at the temple, said Sunday that no one admitted to having a disagreement with the suspect.

The suspected monk had tea with a monk from another temple at about 4 p.m. He said he was thankful that everyone at Naejangsa has been nice to him. I could not know why he did such a thing only two hours later, the Ven. Dae-u told press.

The suspected arsonist, 53, who joined the temple about three months ago,reportedly confessed to police that he had set fire to the temples main hall, Daeungjeon, as he was upset after a disagreement with other monks. Police suspect the use of flammable materials.

The entire structure of Daeungjeon, the main wooden hall that houses the statue of Buddha, was lost in the fire, resulting in approximately 1.7 billion won ($1.51 million) in damages, according to fire authorities. The fire did not spread to the nearby mountain, Naejangsan.

Even before the scar from the fire nine years ago healed, another fire broke out at Daeungjeon. There were news reports that a monk at the temple set the hall on fire intentionally, said a statement released Saturday by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

The action of a Buddhist monk intentionally setting Daeungjeon on fire can never be justified. It is an action that goes against the moral principles of Buddhism, the announcement said. We sincerely apologize to the people and to the Buddhist community.

The monk will receive the highest level of disciplinary action allowed under the Jogye Orders rules, the statement said. The Jogye Order also called for a thorough police investigation of the case.

Naejangsa occupies the former site of Yeongeunsa, a temple that was founded in 636 and rebuilt in 1639 after burning down in 1592 during the Imjin War with Japan.

The main hall at the temple burned down again in 1951 during the Korean War and was rebuilt in 1958. But it was again destroyed in 2012 in a fire set off by a short circuit.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)

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Historic Buddhist temple destroyed in suspected arson attack - The Korea Herald

Axios

Alaska will allow anyone in the state over the age of 16 to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Michael Dunleavy (R) announced Tuesday night, adding the measure is "effective immediately."Why it matters: Alaska is the first state to allow people under 18 to get vaccinated and to remove eligibility requirements.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.Details: "The Pfizer vaccine is available to individuals who are 16 and older, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Moderna vaccine are available to individuals who are 18 and older," per a statement from the governor's office.This is in line with FDA recommendations.Of note: Alaska last week made the vaccines available to people over 16 with a condition that puts them at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or essential workers not covered by earlier provisions for the health, seniors and care sectors.For the record: "Regions including Kodiak Island, the Petersburg Borough, and the Kusilvak Census Area are nearing or exceeding 90% vaccination rates among seniors," per the governor's office statement."In the Nome Census Area, over 60% of residents age 16 and over have received at least one shot, and roughly 291,000 doses have been administered statewide."Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

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Local Buddhist temple shares financial impact of the pandemic - Yahoo News

Fire at Naejang Tample in South Jeolla Province on Friday (Yonhap)

Firefighters received the initial report of the fire at the temple in the southwestern city of Jeongeup at around 6:30 p.m.

The blaze burned down the wooden Daewungjeon building, while firefighters were trying to stop it from spreading to other structures, the authorities said. No casualties were reported.

The fire was largely under control at 9:10 p.m., but police said the affected building is highly likely to crumble down.

Police later apprehended a suspected arsonist, a 53-year-old monk, at the scene.

According to the initial interrogation, he set fire using inflammable materials, presumably gasoline, under the influence of alcohol. The monk was found to have had a feud with other members of the temple recently.

"It is presumed that (the monk) might have committed the arson in anger over the internal feud," a police officer noted.

First built in 636 during the reign of King Mu of the Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-668 AD), the temple burned down during Japan's invasion of the Korean Peninsula under the Joseon Dynasty from 1597-1598 and again in 1951 during the Korean War (1950-53).

Another fire caused by a short circuit destroyed Daewungjeon in October 2012, along with all its Buddhist statues and paintings inside, before the building was restored in 2015. (Yonhap)

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Fire engulfs old Buddhist temple in southwestern region - The Korea Herald

29viet01su/Getty Images

Buddhists recommend living in the present moment. How long is this gap between the past and the future?

Andrew Fenn, Venerable Sampasadana (a Buddhist monk) Perth, Western Australia

The whole present moment idea is probably a little inaccurate. There is no sense of the Buddha using it in that form in the earliest texts, except as being mindful. It seems that it may well be a modern inspiration that became pop culture.

A little-known fact about mindfulness is that the ancient Pali word sati (or smrti in sanskrit), from which mindfulness is translated, means memory or recollection. It is about being mindful of what we have been trained in, in order to avoid unnecessary harm, delusion and conflict to oneself and others.

Buddhist practitioners are likewise taught to recollect why we are doing things, to realise there is a clear cause-and-effect going on. This is just a small part of what is called dependent origination in Buddhist lingo, which is the idea that the existence of any given phenomenon is dependent on the existence of other phenomena.

The present moment concept might be a modern idea. There is no sense of the Buddha using it in that form in early texts

Education is very important. We say samma sati, meaning right mindfulness, fully understanding that there is a wrong type of mindfulness. It was always meant to be used in an informed context with other factors, such as right view and right intention, and never on its own where it may easily be harmful.

The practitioner gains a clear realisation that while there is no absolute free will, we do have responsibility for and some agency over our choices, and positive change only starts from the here and now.

The whole living in the moment thing can be a trap since, as any good meditator knows, by the time you have experienced something and it has entered your brain, it has already gone into the past.

Bob McCrossin, Cooroy, Queensland, Australia

In a previous response to this question, Hillary Shaw discussed quantum Buddhists and black hole Buddhists who experience a very small gap between past and future, which is the present moment.

Yet consider the relativistic Buddhist. The laws of relativity state that an object travelling at the speed of light a photon, for example doesnt see time passing at all.

From the time when a photon is created until it hits something, no time at all passes. If created in the big bang, a photon has no past, no present and no future.

From our perspective, however, photons of the cosmic microwave background have existed for the entire age of our universe, more than 13 billion years. How can something that is measurable and therefore exist have experienced no time at all? Since time doesnt exist in photon nirvana, does it actually exist at all?

Jim Bailey Southampton, UK

No one, as far as I know, has shown that time moves in a series of quanta in the way that electromagnetic radiation does, so it follows that there can be no now, and everything is either in the future or in the past.

Time doesnt stand still; it is a continuum. From this, it follows that nothing can be anywhere either, since to be somewhere requires time to stand still while the being is going on.

Everything is moving and time is merely a way of describing the amount of that movement taking place.

Peter Holness, Hertford, UK

This intriguing question delicately balances perception, physics, psychology and perhaps even religion.

A possible answer is that we sail through space-time on a perceptual spike of space-time, which is a pulse with zero or infinitesimal width. The caveat is whether we accept the existence or convenient fiction of time. All we are reasonably sure of is the existence of change.

John Stevens, Bad Mnstereifel, Germany

It isnt just Buddhists who live in the present moment. We all do.

When I am out walking, my eyes will perhaps focus on a patch of sunlight, which I recognise as such after a few milliseconds. The next moment, the squelching of my wellies may trigger a memory that lasts for a second or two. This perception is then, perhaps, replaced by a pang of hunger, which sets me planning a future meal.

All the while, I am in my perceived present, never in the past or the future. My memory of the past is my momentary present, and the future meal is also my momentary present. In that sense, I am only ever in the present.

To answer this question or ask a new one email lastword@newscientist.com.

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How long is 'now', the gap between the past and future? (continued) - New Scientist

Previous president Donald Trump in December had signed into law a bill which called for establishing a US consulate in Tibet and building an international coalition to ensure that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community without China's interference.

PTI, Washington

PUBLISHED ON MAR 10, 2021 08:15 AM IST

It is the policy of the US to take all appropriate measures to hold accountable senior officials of the Chinese government who directly interfere with the identification and installation of the future 15th Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism, successor to the 14th Dalai Lama(AP)

The Chinese government should have no role in the succession process of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the Biden Administration said on Tuesday.

"We believe that the Chinese government should have no role in the succession process of the Dalai Lama," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference.

"Beijing's interference in the succession of the Panchen Lama more than 25 years ago, including by 'disappearing' the Panchen Lama as a child and attempting to replace him with a PRC (People's Republic of China) government-chosen successor, it remains an outrageous abuse of religious freedom," Price said.

Previous president Donald Trump in December had signed into law a bill which called for establishing a US consulate in Tibet and building an international coalition to ensure that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community without China's interference.

It is the policy of the United States to take all appropriate measures to hold accountable senior officials of the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party who directly interfere with the identification and installation of the future 15th Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism, successor to the 14th Dalai Lama, the act said.

Read more:

Chinese govt should have no role in succession process of Dalai Lama: US - Hindustan Times

Five-year-old Thai twins were forced to marry because their Buddhist family believe they were lovers in a past life.

The boy and his sister were married at their home in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on March 4.

Their devoutly religious parents follow Buddhist teachings that claim twins are born together due to a previous connection from a past life.

They believe the pair share karma because they were once lovers whose relationship ended before they married.

RELATED: Man, 41, marries 11-year-old Thai girl

The 31-year-old father and 30-year-old mother insisted that if twins are not married at the earliest opportunity, their lives will be haunted by bad luck from their previous romance.

Friends and family attended the wedding ceremony, which featured a Buddhist monk chanting blessings during the abnormal nuptials.

It was followed by traditional Thai celebrations with music, parades, and dancing.

Relatives even offered up a dowry for the child-couple, in line with the cultures customs.

Their proud father explained, We believe that if your children were born twins who have a different gender, they must be married or else one of them will fall ill later in their lives.

We are only doing this to make sure our children are safe. We do not want them to be sick and there is nothing to lose if we follow this belief.

He described the generational impact of the unorthodox marriage, suggesting the twins have to fulfil their marital destiny so that their future children can grow up healthy.

I feel so lucky to have twins but Im concerned that there is something following them from their previous lives, their mother added. Our belief is that they should be married in order to clear that karma.

Despite the extravagant wedding, the twins marriage is not legally valid and was only orchestrated for ceremonial purposes.

Thailand has the second largest Buddhist population in the world and the religion has remained a significant influence over the countrys culture and society.

Buddhism teaches its followers not to fear death, as those who live well will be rebirthed.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission

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Twins, 5, whose superstitious parents believed pair were lovers in past life force them to marry to avoid bad luck - NEWS.com.au

Five-year-old Thai twins in Thailand have been married to fulfill a superstitious Buddhist belief that they were lovers in a past life. Washirawit Bee Moosika and his sister Rinrada Breem had the wedding ceremony at home in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on March 4.

Their parents, Weerasak, 31, and wife Rewadee, 30, follow Buddhist teachings which claim that all twins are born together because they have karma from a past life in which they were lovers whose relationship ended before they could wed.

They believe that unless twins are married at the earliest chance, their lives will be haunted with bad luck lingering from previous incarnations.

Washirawit Bee Moosika and his sister Rinrada Breem Moosika (right) had their wedding ceremony at home. Their parents Weerasak and wife Rewadee (left) are Buddhist

Weerasak and his wife Rewadee invited friends and relatives to witness their son and daughters marriage.

Proud mum Rewadee said: I feel so lucky to have twins but Im concerned that there is something following them from their previous lives. Our belief is that they should be married in order to clear that karma.

The twins colourful wedding ceremony followed a traditional Thai wedding with parades, dancing, and offering of dowries from close relatives. A Buddhist monk was also present to chant blessings during the toddlers unusual union. Twins married due to belief they were lovers in a past life

After the ceremony, the parents, twins, and their guests had a dancing party while festive music played in the background. Their father, Weerasak, said they had no choice but to marry off their children as Thai superstitious beliefs suggest that one of the twins will become sick unless they get married.

He said: We believe that if your children were born twins who have a different gender, they must be married or else one of them will fall ill later in their lives.

Weerasak added that their twins were lovers in their previous lives so they need to fulfill their marriage wish so that their children grows up healthy. However, the twins marriage was not legally valid and was only done for ceremonial purposes.

The father added: We are only doing this to make sure our children are safe. We do not want them to be sick and there is nothing to lose if we follow this belief.

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Five-year-old Twins Married to Fulfill Superstitious Buddhist Belief - Chiang Rai Times

The University of Chicago Presents and Japan Society co-present an evening of Buddhist ritual chanting, or shomyo, by the critically acclaimed group Shomyo no Kai-Voices of a Thousand Years. Hailing from two of Japan's major Buddhist sects (Shingon and Tendai), two dozen monks will showcase this millennium-old ritual chanting in a performance that transcends sectarian boundaries.

The monks will perform traditional shomyo, one of the earliest forms of vocal music that made its way to Japan in the sixth century, along with a new work titled Moonlight Mantra (Tsuki no Kogon) by young Japanese female composer Yu Kuwabara. This cinematic pre-recorded concert is set against the backdrop of An'yo-in Temple, one of the oldest temples in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, and will begin with commentary on the history of shomyo by Kojun Arai, one of Shomyo no Kai's founders, the director of the production, Hiromi Tamura, and the composer. The performance, streamed with English subtitles, will premiere on Tuesday, March 30 at 7 PM CDT, followed by a live Q&A with the head monks of both Buddhist sects.

On Thursday, April 8, at 7:30 PM CDT, the monks of Shomyo no Kai offer a rare opportunity to practice shomyo in a virtual workshop on how to use Buddhist ritual chant as a form of meditation. The monks will share how their daily practice of this art form, which is believed to have originated in India before entering Japan in the sixth century, informs and enhances their sense of well-being.

Concert tickets are $15, and workshop tickets are $5; both events are free for UChicago students. More information and tickets are available at chicagopresents.uchicago.edu.

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The University of Chicago Presents and Japan Society co-Present SHOMYO: Buddhist Ritual Chant - Broadway World