Several times over the years, weve seen 3D technologies applied to help preserve Chinas cultural heritage, from dragons and Buddhist statues to caves and columns. Now, Artec 3D has used its software and two of its handheld 3D scanners to create an extremely detailed 3D model of an architectural landmark at a sacred Buddhist site, documenting the process in a case study.

The front view of the 3D model of the archway

Mount Wutai, also called the Five Terrace Mountain, is one of Chinas Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism. Home to over 40 temples, the Chinese National Tourism Administration named it a top-tier tourist attraction, UNESCO has acknowledged it as a World Heritage site, and millions of people have visited it every year since the 1st century CE to pay homage. Of all Mount Wutais amazing sites, Longquan Temple stands out due to what the case study refers to as a unique architectural style, largely thanks to famous Chinese artist and stonemason Hu Mingzhu. He proved himself in his mid-20s by designing a sanctuary at Longquan Temple, impressing visitors and fellow artisans with his beautiful stonework, and the next year, he won the bid to build an archway in front of the temple.

Playing with pearls, two dragons will be soaring high in the sky, Hu Mingzhou described the scene that would top his masterpiece.

The artist shaped his initial design for the archway out of yellow wax, and then made a prototype that combined stone carving with traditional Chinese woodwork patterns. It took 50 craftsmen six years but the ornate archway was finally finished in 1930. The pillars all feature artistic dragons, and the arch is on top of a 108-step staircase, this being a sacred Buddhist number. The centerpiece depicts scenes from the life of Buddha.

Ornate carving above the main gate of the archway

Its three gates are formed by four square-shaped piers supported by four columns on the front and four on the back, Artec states in its case study. The vaults of the gates are remarkable for their meticulously carved blossoming peonies, ripe persimmons, traditional Chinese writing brushes, paper fans, treasured books, etc. As well, more than 20 stone-carved lions in different postures are to be found in the middle of the archway.

Thats a lot of detail to scan in a pretty tight space to preserve a cultural work of art, but 3D scanning technology was up to the task. The two main requirements were that each element had to be rendered with absolute accuracy, with no gaps in the 3D model, and that the master has to be able to break down into separate structural parts, so the entirely of the archway can be closely examined.

A figure of a lion poised for attack

This is exactly the kind of project that handheld 3D scanning is meant for, as you can move it around the object to capture every last surface from any angle. Artec 3Ds Gold Partner Beijing Onrol Technology Co., Ltd. was contracted for the archway scanning, and chose to use both the Artec Eva and the Artec Space Spider for the project, as each has different qualities that made them ideal for the job. For instance, the Eva has a higher scanning speed and larger field of view, so it was used to complete the overall scan, while the Space Spider can achieve a higher 3D resolution of up to 0.1 mm, and a higher 3D point accuracy, up to 0.05 mm, and so digitized the archways complex details.

Close-up views of the front part of the 3D model

The team used a secure set of ladders to get to the higher areas of the archway, such as the eves, because the space was too confined for typical scaffolding equipment to be used. Additionally, sunlight seemed like it would be an issue, as it seems brighter, and reflects with a higher intensity, when scanning smooth surfaces at an altitude of 3,000 meters. Some of the scanning planned for cloudless days did have to be completed after sunset, but Artecs Studio software can analyze minor distortions in the scanners rays of structured light once they reach the surface of the object and bounce back. This made it possible to precisely reconstruct the scanned shapes.

Capturing parts of the archway with Artec Eva 3D scanners at night.

It took the team two weeks to collect all 500 GB of raw data, equivalent to 100,000 smartphone images. Because the scans from the Eva and the Space Spider are compatible, they were fused together in the Studio Software, and, when the customer saw the final 3D model a month later, they were purportedly impressed with the high quality.

Thanks to the 3D scanning technology, the entire archway, including the uppermost parts not often seen, has been preserved in a detailed 3D model, and can now be viewed in high resolution by artists, architects, sinology (Chinese studies) experts, and even students.

The first ever 3D model of the Longquan Temple archway in geometry-only model.

(Images provided by Artec 3D unless otherwise noted)

Excerpt from:
Buddhist Temple Archway Preserved in High Detail with Artec 3D Scanning - 3DPrint.com

THE FIFTH OF JULY A Buddhist Analysis of Whats Wrong, and What Might be Right.

James Ishmael Ford

The life of a nation. Is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous. Frederick Douglass

To be totally honest, Ive had a lot of trouble focusing on todays reflection. There are all sorts of memes on social media about the shape of this year. One shows two images. The first is labeled, My plans. It shows a kid standing in a playground. The second, labeled, 2020 shows a murder hornet. Another has a dialogue. The first speaker is labeled time traveler who asks, What year is this? The second is labeled Me, who responds, 2020. Time traveler says, Oh, dear! I cannot count how many memes I saw that simply show the date 2020 at the top or the bottom of a picture of a large dumpster consumed in fire.

And then there is politics. How we deal with each other in this time of Covid19, in this time of political crisis, in this time where we are about as close to polarized as can be without actually shooting each other.

And then the 4th of July rolls around.

Personally, I find it easy to despair.

And that poem from William Butler Yates whispers in my ear. Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand; A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

So, yes, I find it easy to romance despair. Fortunately, thats not the end all of it all. There is that rough beast, and that slouching towards Bethlehem. For ill? Maybe. The image is of an anti-Christ. But ends always are dreamed as desperate things. And so. Maybe, that rough beast is simply what comes next. So. For good? Possibly. I dream the hard and imagine what can be. And. And.

Again, the 4th of July. And with that, to who we are, for ill and for good. Who we are now in this tumble of hurt and longing. And, with that, what we might yet be.

Once human beings began to gather in groups larger than a family, our story has been a story of how small groups of people control others for their own benefit. Exceptions here and there. Not many. And none particularly long lasting.

And then on the Eastern shore of the North American continent, a vision was proclaimed. Kings and aristocracies were being challenged in favor of the people writ large. Of course, it was only partially successful. In our republic for example, we were from the get-go an oligarchy with democratic inclinations. Those small groups of people. And I hope we all understand the shadows of that small group, of the founding sins of conquest and chattel slavery and the relentless subjugation of women.

But at the same time, this dream republic also established the idea of basic human rights, where laws rather than people were at the heart of it all. And heres a truth that is sometimes forgotten in various quests for some pure place. Reality for us as human beings is within a world of tensions. Always. And the founding republic was a mixed bag. No doubt.

These days we are getting our noses rubbed in the reality of the deferred promises, and lots of bills are coming due. Leading the way is the affront of the way things are for African Americans, and right up with that for native Americans. From there a cascade demonstrating our historic sins, women and womens rights, LGBTQ folk, immigrants. Immigrants, a flood of immigrants. And, well, everyone who can be considered an other. People always want some other to blame for the ills that always rise in human events. Here, we can notice all our minorities stacked up in line over the generations.

Immigrants. Even with that harsh truth they continue to come. Those tired, those poor, those huddled masses. The homeless. The tempest tossed. They come. A dream has been proclaimed. And while betrayed over and over, still, it lives. And to this day people come.

And so, for us, the lucky ones, the ones who are here now, and who have inherited something; what do we do? The call from the streets, the call from our hearts is first, to notice. And, well, from there, I hope, to action. The 4th has passed. We are now at the 5th of July. What now?

Here today I want to offer some insights from Buddhism. Or, more specifically from my Buddhism, my Zen Buddhism. It is placed firmly in our time and place. The Zen Buddhism that I practice manifests within the modern, leaning into post-modern, and probably beginning to shape up in whatever follows post-modern it exists in the world observed through reason and is equally heir to the Western Enlightenment as to the Eastern one.

The Buddhism I follow is very much rooted in the original insight of Gautama Siddhartha. Its informed by that ancient realization that our sense of a separate self, useful, no doubt, even necessary, is in the last analysis a convenience, not an objective reality. As an organizing principle for a human being, its really, really important. But it is as passing as the morning dew, and when we pretend otherwise the human ego becomes monstrous. Instead Buddhism locates the individual, that is you and me, within a much larger play of causality. We are all of us part of that great play of relationships.

Now, as humans our vision is always clouded, we are only a part, always only a part. But there is truer seeing. And seeing how we belong to each other and the world can be the compass and the north star. This ancient wisdom says we are connected more deeply than our lungs and breathing.

We humans intuit this profound play of connections. And this sense rises in us as a sense of fairness, of balance, of harmony. The catch is that we also have an inbuilt sense for survival, that sense of a separate self includes a powerful sense of self-protection, and it manifests as often as not as an inclination to cheat. So, there we are. One image that can work if you dont hold it too tightly is half angel, half demon. Another way is how we, each of us, and in our collective are a bundle of potentiality.

Something is always waiting to birth. That rough beast, perhaps?

And. We are conscious. Im sure all animals are. But we humans can communicate from that consciousness with each other at a level beyond calls and warnings. We can tell stories, we can relate dreams, and we can imagine. And, I believe to the soles of my feet that with this consciousness, the kind we humans share, comes responsibility. We are responsible for ourselves. We are responsible for each other. Both. The image I find hard to ignore is that we are in fact all of us family. And, we are responsible for the family. In varying ways, in varying degree. But. All of us. And each of us.

And then there is this country.

What our contemporary political philosophies lack, in my view, is a realistic anthropology, and, with that, a moral perspective that gives us a genuinely healthful direction. This may prove to be of critical importance as we go forward, a corrective to Adam Smith and Karl Marx. One abandons all in favor of the individual. The other abandons all in favor of the group.

What Buddhism hints at is a path that clings to neither view. It is a way of possibility. I find this path demands both reflection and engagement. I cannot do in alone. Nor, can anyone else. We are all in this mess together. But, I must do. And so here, in this place. My America is about the dream of possibility for everyone, and where when one fails, they are not left behind. Not a melting pot, but a mosaic. In my America our differences are celebrated, and our similarities are cherished. Not exactly out of many one, but something close.

One and many.

Here I am myself. I am a part of a family. I am part of Long Beach and Orange County. I am a Californian. I am an American. I am a human being, and a part of the collective that is life on this little planet in a distant corner of a galaxy spinning through the great night. Each part precious and fragile and temporary. With that theres Mr Yeats song. After the observation about the good equivocating whilst the bad, well, theyve got their certainties. And a lot of power comes with that. But. And. Also. This.

The darkness drops again but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Yeats sang out of a somewhat different story than this naturalistic Buddhism that is my song. But, maybe in fact its not all that different. Truth be told the great intuition doesnt beong to any religion. I think maybe its a bit clearer within Zen. But that we are one and many and our freedom is found when we cling to neither, but live responsibly, is as natural as natural can be.

So any story about a baby has truth to it. Its all about the possible. And the story of a baby, of the most ordinary of all things, becoming through attention and love, something quite special. Or, through neglect or abuse, well And the question remains. What rough beast slouches toward Bethlehem at this hour?

What will birth this year? You know the one that is commonly likened to a dumpster fire. Rough beast can go in several directions. But the one I hope we find is how it can be a noticing of what Thich Nhat Hanh calls Interbeing, our wild dream of the boundless, of the one and the many, the one of respect and responsibility.

And from that, from embracing those others, the ones who have been neglected and despised, and yet, as the song goes, the ones who get the job done. Embracing all of them. Welcoming them in. Acting in confidence that we are all of us a family. And we need each other. And we need each other.

This is what I find. Distracted or not. There is a call. And this is my response. This is my resolution on this 5th of July.

I commit to continue to cultivate my own heart and mind. And, at the very same time I cannot ignore my sisters and brothers, indeed, this whole blessed, broken planet. So, it is one thing. My calling out of this insight into who and what we all are, is to engage as best I can. To speak the truth as accurately as I can, while constantly striving to be more accurate, ever clearer.

It may be a rough beast that births. No doubt it will be. All births are such, the great invitation into the mystery of relationship. It turns out to have a certain ungainly charm. And, maybe it even contains our saving.

Whats that old line? Think globally, act locally. Never a truer thing.

In each action. With every word. Presence, and striving to see the family, and to act like everyone and everything is a relative.As best I can. As hard as it can be. As easy as it can be.I hope you will make a similar promise. A lot appears to be hanging on it on these days following the 4th.

My patriot dream.

Originally posted here:
THE FIFTH OF JULY: A Buddhist Analysis of What's Wrong, and What Might be Right. - Patheos

Photo: Courtesy ofYogetsu Akasaka

This article originally appeared on VICE ASIA.

Yogetsu Akasaka is a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk who creates music for meditations. But not the kind most people are familiar with. In videos uploaded on YouTube, he stands in the middle of a white background, grabs a mic, and beatboxes to a loop machine.

The 37-year-old went viral in May, after posting his Heart Sutra Live Looping Remix, a video thats relaxing like ASMR, and engrossing like a DJ set. With the loop machine, he layers sounds and chants all coming from one instrument his voice. The video now has over 100,000 views, with comments from people around the world.

Image: Yogetsu Akasaka YouTube channel

Image: Yogetsu Akasaka YouTube channel

Image: Yogetsu Akasaka YouTube channel

Akasaka realises the irony of seeing a monk, robe and all, beatboxing, but told VICE that he didnt do it for the shock factor.

Its not that I wanted to gain attention for my uniqueness, I just wanted to continue my passion for music, he said. In the same way someone plays the guitar or the drums, I myself am just a normal performer.

Akasaka was beatboxing even before becoming a monk.

My friend had given me a CD of a Japanese beatboxer named Afra and said that he was performing using his mouth. I was absolutely shocked that people could do such things, and so I was interested in trying it. And then I realised, I was pretty good at it, he said.

This happened 15 years ago, when Akasaka was in his early 20s. He became a monk in 2015 because he wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps.

Usually in Japan, people become monks because their family lives in a temple. But for my father, he was just a normal person who decided to become a monk, he said. I was inspired, and decided I wanted to succeed in my fathers current role as an abbot in a temple in the Iwate Prefecture.

Before that, beatboxing was his life, busking in Japan, Australia, and the United States. He was also a theatre actor.

I always had a love for music and wanted to continue my passion even after becoming a monk. Which is why I had decided to take on beatboxing again.

He figured out a way to merge his old life with his new one: to chant in my music. Not only to rediscover his passion but also to shatter misconceptions about Buddhism. Apart from posting videos, he also livestreams performances daily on YouTube.

I think in Japan, people often associate Buddhism with funerals, and the sutra has a little bit of a negative and sad image, Akasaka said.

To him, Buddhism is actually a religion about living peacefully and without pain and sutra, or canonical scriptures, can help heal peoples hearts.

I have had fans tell me that they were able to sleep well and relax due to my beatboxing videos, which is absolutely amazing, he said.

I am honoured to be able to combine my passion with my religious beliefs, and that this has impacted people around the world."

Find Miran on Instagram__.

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VICE - This Beatboxing Buddhist Monk Is Out to Change Perceptions of Spiritual Music - VICE

Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon on Guru Purnima: A look at some of his teachings and quotes

Guru Purnima, a day meant for paying an ode to teachers and mentors in India, is observed on the Purnima Tithi (full Moon night) in the month of Ashadha as per the Purnimant calendar. This year, Guru Purnima, which also marks the birth anniversary of sage Veda Vyasa, will be celebrated on July 5. Interestingly, Guru Purnima is also a significant day for followers of Buddhism. Read on to know why the festival is of great relevance to the Buddhists.

Gautama Buddha is believed to have given his first sermon at Sarnath after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. It is said that Lord Buddha travelled from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath five weeks after getting enlightened.

Buddha's five ascetic disciples, known asPanchavargika, had moved to ipatana (Rishipatana) in Sarnath even when Gautama Buddha was in Uruvilva (Bodh Gaya). After attaining enlightenment, Buddha marched towards Sarnath to give his first sermon to thePanchavargika. And since he delivered his first sermon,Dharmachakrapravartana Sutta, on the day of Ashadha Purnima, it is significant for the Buddhists.

Dharmachakrapravartana Suttaalso referred to as the wheel ofDharmaconsists of the following:

Four Noble truths- Dukkha (sufferings), Tanha (desire), Nirodha (renouncement) and Magga (the path to enlightenment)

Ariya Ahagika Magga- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right samadhi.

On Guru Purnima day, Buddhists perform the Uposatha, a spiritual ritual that results in the cleansing of the impure mind. They also pay ode to their Gurus on this auspicious day.

Lord Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion, was formerly known as Siddhartha Gautama. He was born to King Suddhodana of the aristocratic Shakya clan and his Queen Mayadevi in Lumbini on the Purnima Tithi (full Moon night) in the month of Vaishakh. Incidentally, it is also on the same day, many years later, that Siddhartha attained enlightenment while meditating under a Peepal (Banyan) tree to become Buddha.

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Interestingly, despite being born into a royal family with all the comforts and luxuries, Siddhartha chose to abandon mundane life. He stepped out of his palace in search of truth, and after performing penance for years, he attained knowledge that transcended the material world.

Here's wishing one and all a very happy Guru Purnima.

Go here to read the rest:
Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon on Guru Purnima: A look at some of his teachings and quotes - Times Now

Prayer flags and stupas in the eastern Himalayas. (Shutterstock)

pp 183, Rs 500; Palimpsest Publishers

The recent border standoff between India and China along what is the Indo-Tibetan border has captured international news headlines. In this standoff, China enjoys several advantages in terms of military strength, infrastructure, road and an expanding rail network which will link Nepal with Tibet, although India is fast catching up. China also has the advantage of sitting atop the worlds highest and largest plateau, the source of Asias six major rivers which China plans to dam and divert, regardless of downstream concerns. But these advantages are offset by Indias staying power and its ancient and deep-rooted cultural and spiritual bonds with the Buddhist Himalayan belt, which irreversibly identifies with India. The only exception to this is Nepal, which is willingly falling on the lap of the Chinese motherland.

In a visit to Northeast India in 2012, the Dalai Lama once referred to the Buddhist Himalayan belt as Indias frontline, totally oriented towards Indias open, plural society and the freedoms that go with it.

A part of the belt, Indias northeast, is explored by Nirmalya Banerjee in his leisurely and rich travelogue, The Buddha and the Borders. He has covered for himself and for India the whole of the eastern Himalayas, Kalimpong, Sikkim, the kingdom of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. In all of them, Banerjee found a common cultural thread, the lama dances performed by monks whose lives revolve around the monasteries dotting the entire stretch of the eastern Himalayas from Bhutan, Sikkim, Kalimpong up to Tawang.

One place Banerjee explores in fascinating detail is Kalimpong, which the writer considers a jewel in the Himalayan crown. Kalimpong once served as an entree-port for Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan. Those were the days when the mule train operating between Tibet and the Indian hill station ferried wool from Tibet on its onward journey to Calcutta and shipped to Britain and America.

Banerjee writes, Prior to the 1962 border war between India and China, Kalimpong was a major urban centre close to the meeting point of India, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim Because of its locational advantage, Kalimpong had emerged as a convergence centre of trade and commerce, governance and regional politics, a playground of international intrigues evocative of Kiplings Great Game. What was once a silk route to Tibet is now a blind alley running into a Chinese wall.

Since the fall of Tibet in 1950 to 1959 when Tibetans rose up against Chinese rule, Kalimpong because of its close proximity to Tibet served as a listening post to interested parties eager to know what communist China was up to on the Roof of the World. Indias first Prime Minsiter Pandit Jawarhalal Nehru in his non-aligned exasperation called Kalimpong a nest of spies.

A view of Kalimpong today. ( Shutterstock )

In his exploration of the cultures and sentiments of the people of the Northeastern Himalayas, Banerjee makes it abundantly clear that in the new Great Game played out between Asias two dominant powers, the Buddhist Himalayan Belt stands resolutely with India. The regions cultural cohesion and the spiritual depth and links with India are something China can only envy. It seems for the author, a dedicated and equally fascinated explorer of the eastern Himalayas, the Buddha guards the border for India. In fact, Banerjee is one of a few scholars to make a convincing case for the link between the immense stability of the Himalayan Belt and Buddhism. He credits the quiet region of eastern Himalayas hallowed by the benign presence of Buddhism in the footsteps of lamas down the centuries.

Looming large behind Banerjees narrative of the eastern Himalayas is the question of Tibet. Independent Tibet shared the longest unguarded border in the world with India. Freely crossing the border down the centuries were pilgrims, traders, scholars and students from both sides. They were not hassled by checkpoints, border patrol or any visa requirements. It was one of the most open borders in the world between two countries with a shared culture and based on trust and mutual respect.

In considering the situation in Tibet and this side of the Himalayas, a reader of The Buddha and the Border is left with a question. Why is Tibet racked by constant turmoil and the Buddhist Himalayan Belt not? Perhaps the answer lies in the nature of governance in Tibet and the Buddhist Himalayan Belt. In Tibet Beijings rule is enforced by brute force and down south by the rule of law.

Thubten Samphel is an independent researcher and a former director of the Tibet Policy Institute.

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Review: The Buddha and the Borders by Nirmalaya Banerjee - Hindustan Times

The mystical Dragon Balls created one of the biggest anime franchises around - but how many actual Balls were there? And why does the number matter?

Since Akira Toriyamas Dragon Ballmade its debut in themanga anthology magazine Weekly Shnen Jump in 1984, thesprawling tale of Son Goku, and his quest to collect the seven -- yes, seven --Dragon Balls in order to summon a wish-fulfilling dragonhas continued in sequel manga,Dragon Ball Z, and nowDragon Ball Super. And while many new Dragon Balls and dragons have appeared, they always seem to come in sets of seven. And for good reason.

Toriyama initially conceived Dragon Ball as a contemporary spin on the classic 16th Century Chinese novel Journey To The West attributed to Wu Cheng'en, based on the 7th Century travels of Buddhist monk Xuanxing. The story famously centers on the mythical Monkey King, Sun Wukong, whose name in Japanese is translated to Son Goku, the same as the Saiyan protagonist of Dragon Ball. Many other references of Chinese and Japanese literature and folklore appear in the long-running manga, and it is here we might find the origins of the number seven.

Related: Shonen Jump Manga Explained: Cost, Titles, And More Questions Answered

In a 1987 interview with the magazine Weekly Shnen Jump itself in service of a special promotional issue entitled Dragon Ball: Bouken Special, Toriyama revealed that the number '7' was chosen due to the inspiration of the 19th Century Japanese fantasy epic, or gesaku (meaning light entertainment or satire) Nans Satomi Hakkenden, or The Chronicles of the Eight Dog [Samurai] of the Satomi Clan by Kyokutei (or Takizawa) Bakin. This fanciful, and also incredibly violent story involves eight prayer beads which magically disperse throughout the province in order to mark the future eight heroes who will save the Satomi clan. According to Toriyama, he liked the image, and changed it to seven so as not to be the exact same.

These origins become slightly more disturbing upon perusing the literary incident: the suicide of the mother of the eight dog men. Bakin liked incorporating traditional Shinto myth into his historical settings, and the result is often somewhat grotesque by modern standards. The lord of the Satomi clan, Yoshizane Satomi, is under siege from a neighboring clan, and so jokingly offers his dog the hand of his daughter, Princess Fuse, in marriage if he can bring him the head of his enemy. The dog then does this and reveals himself to be a god, Yatsufusa, claims his bride and whisks Princess Fuse away. Presented as a pinnacle of morality, the princess reads to him from the sutras, and the two never consummate their marriage. However, she later finds herself pregnant, and commits suicide in ritual seppuku-style to prove her honor and chastity.

Upon her act, eight mystical crystal balls of energy emerge from her womb, and disperse across the province. Later, 8 boys are born, each with a prayer bead inscribed with a kanji or word, alluding to a Buddhist principle. The 8 brothers then band together in an incredibly violent tale of war, betrayal and murder, ultimately winning out and bringing peace to the land. Maybe these brutal origins involving death and suicide is why Toriyama mostly uses them to wish people back to life in his brighter, more cheery tale. Interestingly, though the characters in the story are not literal dog-men, there is at the very least a similarity in the subject matter of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to this as well.

That isnt to say that the number 7 might not also have significance to Toriyama. The number 7 is very important in Buddhism (a major religion in Japan) often associated with the ascent to nirvana such as the Seven Factors of Awakening which bring about enlightenment (awareness, inquisitiveness, vigor, ecstasy, tranquility, focus and temperance). Gokus quest to defeat ever greater threats to mankind and life in the universe through becoming the greatest warrior of all time might in some ways be seen as akin to seeking enlightenment.

The Dragon Balls themselves have been used for less enlightening purposes. The first goal Toriyama had his protagonists set out to find them for was deuteragonist Bulma searching for a perfect boyfriend, which was later changed by other members of the party to a pair of girls underwear during the actual wishing. (Dont worry, it was to stop the end of the world). Throughout the many sagas of Dragon Ball, one thing Toriyama has always carried is a jocular tone in his stories, perhaps a spark of the irreverence of the traditional myths and stories he draws from.

Next:Dragon Ball Creator Doesn't Understand Why It's So Popular

Source: Weekly Shnen Jump via Kanzenshuu.com

Aquaman's Revenge on Swamp Thing is Seriously Disturbing

Andrew Firestone is a writer of sentences, paragraphs, chapters and words, cultural enthusiast and a hard news junkie from Allston, Massachusetts. An editor, audio engineer and evangelist of all things awesome, he's saddled with an all-consuming awe/fear of Alan Moore, so please be kind. Formerly a writer for the public interest in local government, Andy is a graduate of Lesley University and holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature. He enjoys loud music and soft music and sometimes in-between.

See the original post:
How Many Dragon Balls Are There in The Original Manga? - Screen Rant

Damian Wilson

is a UK journalist, ex-Fleet Street editor, financial industry consultant and political communications special advisor in the UK and EU.

is a UK journalist, ex-Fleet Street editor, financial industry consultant and political communications special advisor in the UK and EU.

Boeings communications chief is the latest to lose his job after historical shaming over an article he wrote 33 years ago. Why cant the woke brigade accept that people can evolve and change their views over time?

Despite the urgent need to attend to the catastrophic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic pinballing around the aviation industry, its a sad sign of the times to see Boeings communications chief leave his job over a magazine article he wrote more than 30 years ago.

In the piece he penned for the magazine of the US Naval Institute, Niel Golightly wasnt flying the flag for neo-Nazis, nor was he extolling the virtues of pedophilia.

It was a clumsy article about women in the armed forces that has done it for Golightly, making him the latest victim of the self-righteous narcissists who patrol the world of gender politics with a take-no-prisoners attitude.

They dont care that it was more than three decades ago. They dont take into account that Golightly was then a 29-year-old serviceman in the world of macho military pilots during the Cold War, and that his article simply reflected a then widely-held belief.

To the self-appointed custodians of woke, he is an unreconstructed misogynist who must be shut down. And if that means being sacked from a top job at one of the worlds biggest aircraft manufacturers in the middle of its own horrendous crisis, then so be it.

Because you, sir, are a sexist pig.

Before anyone starts howling with outrage about Golightlys views and women haters in the US military, remember that women were only allowed to take up close combat ground roles in the British armed forces in 2016. Just four years ago. And it was only two years ago that all roles in the UK military were opened to women.

The woke dont care about such nuances. They are only satisfied when their prey is brought down and the messier, as far as theyre concerned, the better. This is typical psychopathic thinking characterized by a lack of empathy and remorse.

Its frightening and its not rare.

Life has become increasingly unforgiving. The woke brigade insist that you are still the same person now as you were in your developing years, which is simply illogical.

Look at former gang members who turn their lives around and spend time touring schools, dissuading others from following in their initial footsteps. What about Oskar Schindler, or Nelson Mandela? No one who knew their younger incarnations would have believed the men that they became. Should we just blacklist them because of who they once were, instead?

The infantile belief in a world split down the middle into good and bad accepts no shade whatsoever. There is no understanding of the evolution of character.

The problem pages in that bible of wokeness, the Guardian, are fertile ground for victim hunters. One chap was wondering whether he should try to ruin a homophobic school bully who made his own life as a gay student unbearable. His tormentor is now married to a man himself and apparently well-liked by those who know him.

Oh, and the bullying took place 50 years ago.

So what does our friend want to do? Meet up, shake hands, say all is forgiven?

No. He wants to pull the rug of lifelong happiness out from under the feet of the bully and expose his past to friends and family.

I want them to know the truth. Should I tell them on Facebook? I feel angry and tormented, is the bleating little lambs thinking.

Theres no thought that perhaps the bully has changed. For one, hes gay himself. So clearly there has been a quantum shift in values and fairly major personal rethink.

The question is not, How do I forgive? Its How can I exact a toll to make the most damaging impact?

So, no forgiveness then. Not even a passing thought of it, even after 50 years. Nope, he wants revengeon Facebook, that safe space for psychopathic narcissist cowards.

Look at me. Look at what Im doing now. Do you like me? Please like me. Heres a photo of me with all my friends. See how many friends I have. Will you be my friend?

Oh, lord, it goes on and on.

Look at all those comedians we love to laugh at, pathetically scrabbling to apologize to whoever they think they must apologize to, for making jokes that are no longer allowed to be funny.

Broadcasters are scrubbing shows from their listings, dropping repeats and box sets for fear of having a joke slip through that doesnt pass muster with the woke brigade.

The broadcasters have, unwittingly through on-demand viewing, given those woke warriors the ability to forensically check someones back catalogue, seeing if the mild-mannered well-adjusted funny guy persona they present to the world is genuine or hiding a history of hideous transphobic, racist and sexist jokes.

And nothing satisfies the Machiavellian malevolents of the woke brigade more than a Gotcha! Matt Lucas and David Walliams? Gotcha! Ant and Dec? Gotcha! Never mind that the offenders made the comedy series, stand-up comment or liked the Facebook page 10 years ago. In the world of woke, you are never allowed to evolve.

Its simply daft and illogical to believe that we can undo the beliefs and teachings that underpinned our own personal development because they dont fit what is supposed to be the contemporary narrative.

Sound familiar? Thats because it is.

It is the same approach taken by all those dimwit cultural editors out there, pulling down statues, renaming streets, guilt-tripping sports fans and cursing out chefs for recipe appropriation, and the historical revisionists who are so emotionally lightweight they cannot bear to face the sometimes cruel and inhuman actions of our forebears, even though they are as much a part of our history as all the good and heroic deeds.

The perspective follows that history should not be forgiven. So we have the full-time army of the woke looking for causes to fight on behalf of the victims they have identified.

Their Prince and Princess Woke Harry and Meghan now tell us, from the comfort of their new Los Angeles digs, that the Commonwealth has a lot to answer for.

It does. Giving this pair of snowflakes a voice is by far its most heinous crime of recent times.

No matter that the Commonwealth nowadays is a loose collective of diverse nations nothing like it was back in the day when the world map was predominantly Empire pink.

The people of the Commonwealth nations have evolved in a huge way, and their attitudes and outlook have changed immeasurably, as have those around the rest of the globe.

And no matter what the woke brigade and the pearl-clutchers of this world might say, there is absolutely no need to apologize for that.

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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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In the unforgiving world of woke, theres no room for personal development. One misstep decades ago and youre tarred for life - RT

Are You a Leader? Don't Underestimate the Importance of Developing This One Skill.

When you think of leadership skills, you may think of confidence, expertise, or experience. You may not necessarily think of emotional intelligence. And yet, emotional intelligence (EQ) accounts for nearly 90 percentof what sets high performers apart from their peers with similar technical skills and knowledge. Additionally, according to a CareerBuilder survey, 71 percentof employers value EQ over IQ because employees (and decision-makers) with high emotional intelligence are more likely to stay calm under pressure, resolve conflict, and treat co-workers with empathy.

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Here, you'll get an introduction to emotional intelligence before delving into more specific subjects. You'll learn how to manage conflict more effectively, deconstruct different personality types to manage them better, develop emotional resilience to manage stress better, and much more. Of course, there are also courses focused on self-expression and self-awareness, helping you to become the most effective leader you can be and build more productive, more collaborative relationships.

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Are You a Leader? Don't Underestimate the Importance of Developing This One Skill. - The Advocate

Written by Rosemary Bennett 21, PLU Marketing and Communications.

On July 9 PLUs Campus Ministry and Center for Graduate and Continuing Education will be hosting a virtual edition of The Peoples Gathering, a dialogue-based event series focusing in-depth on the topic of race. The Peoples Gathering is an annual professional/personal development experience and supportive learning space for participants to discuss race and racial disparities that are systemically present in work, school, and everyday life. This summers emergency convening was organized in response to the increased public indignation regarding police brutality towards Black people.

Millions of people worldwide watched in horror on television and social media as a law enforcement officer, with callousness, murdered a black man, said Melannie Denise Cunningham , PLU director of multicultural outreach and engagement, and producer for the event. That is something that you cannot unsee.

As a result, millions of folks are waking up to what Black people in America have known for centuriesracism is real. Yet, many of these same folks are without the tools, skills, or cultural literacy to work through these difficult conversations towards solution finding efforts.

Cunningham believes going virtual is very fitting for this event and events like it. The biggest opportunity for going viral is now we are not limited by physical space. People from all over the world can join us for this edition of The Peoples Gathering.

Speakers and conversation facilitators will include educators, nonprofit leaders, and consultants from the Tacoma are as well as across the country.

Local leaders and educators will include Lua Pritchard, executive director of the Asian Pacific Culture Center; Danica Sterud Miller, American Indian Studies professor at UW Tacoma; and Troy Storfjell, a PLU Nordic Studies professor who specializes in Smi and Indigenous studies.

Facilitators from around the country will include Shakti Butler, founder and CEO of World Trust; Skip Rowland, principal at Banner Cross, Inc; and Michael Benitez, vice president for diversity and inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

PLU Campus Ministry PLU Campus Ministry is a community that welcomes, celebrates and engages the diverse spiritual and faith traditions of PLU students, staff and faculty members.

Go face-2-face with zoom Weds chapel or Monday Word on video at Moments in the Spirit page, for previous spring chapel recordings, visit theChapel page.

Cunningham has brought together a wide variety of support for the event. Raising the money for sponsorship is always the most challenging. Yet, for this case, it has been relatively easy because of the urgency and need for what we are doing.

The local businesses and nonprofit organizations sponsoring the event include The Bamford Foundation, WSECU, Korsmo Construction, PEMCO Insurance, International Longshore and Warehouse Workers Union-Local 23, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, Multicare, Advance Consulting, Peace Works United.

For more information and to register please visit plu.edu/continuing-ed.

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Virtual convening of The People's Gathering to facilitate timely conversations about race - The Suburban Times

July Fourth marks our nations independence celebration and reminds us of our founding principles. Its a celebration of fireworks and fun, but this year we find ourselves fraught with misgivings brought on by economic uncertainty, contagious disease and social unrest. We celebrate and honor our country; still we know were off track as a state and nation.

Imperfect and in need of transformation, public education is often criticized for not doing enough to help all students reach their full potential. Yet, schools may be the single driving force that can lead us to a better future.

Public schools are the cradle of public life, bringing together all races, cultures and economic classes across childrens formative years. Public education is the only government entity where the presence of every child is compulsory for 12 consecutive years. With this kind of platform, schools are uniquely positioned to build civil society back better.

The first recorded school appeared in 1635 in Boston. Though the concept of public education does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the U. S. Constitution, schools sprang up informally across the 13 original states with the goal of creating a literate citizenry to participate in the new republic.

The role of schools expanded with the growth of the nation. Modern goals include a broad curriculum, personal development and career preparation as well as fostering citizenship.

So far, no cut in state funding for schools has been announced and, while we dont know exactly the additional costs, Kansas schools plan to reopen this fall with new provisions for the health and safety of students and educators.

Its the third challenge life in a post-George Floyd world that may be the most momentous test for schools and one that brings us back to public educations original and most important goal: the development of citizenship.

How can schools ensure respect for all students, create a culture of responsible citizenship and advance anti-racism? One way is to return to the emphasis on civics education that has declined in recent years.

Standardized testing increased significantly over the past decade and many claim this emphasis as a major reason for the decline in citizenship instruction. Supporting teachers with more time and resources for embedding citizenship practices across the curriculum in social studies courses in the early grades followed by Kansas history, United States history and government would be a step in the right direction.

Students benefit from learning the characteristics of a responsible citizen then applying those to everyday life. It is important to understand fundamentals like the three branches of government; however, students also need to learn how to work toward equity in society and civility in personal and political interactions.

Many options are available for teaching civics across the curriculum for elementary through high school age groups. Founded by retired U. S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConner, "iCivics" is one program thats been used effectively in multiple Kansas schools including Topeka. Moreover, iCivics ties its activities to specific state standards and its activities are free online.

Schools alone cannot change the states trajectory, and no one knows what the future will bring. But given the opportunity, Kansas teachers can prepare the next generation for civic responsibility, which historically is the original goal of public education and the most critical component of democracy that we face currently.

Sharon Iorio is professor and dean emeritas of the Wichita State University College of Education. Reach her at Sharon.iorio@gmail.com.

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Sharon Hartin Iorio: Schools and what it means to be a citizen - Leavenworth Times