Referring to a Burmese website that originally posted the story, Dr. Paul Fuller has shared about a recent trip that Sitagu Sayadaw has taken to Iran in order to engage in a Muslim-Buddhist dialog at the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization. This quotation is included in the story: Sitagu Sayadawgyi has arrived at Teheran, Iran at the invitation of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization of Iran government for the purpose of exchanging views between Buddhism and Islam last night.
Today, Dec 29, the meeting between Buddhist leaders and Islamic Leaders met at the head quarter of Islamic Culture center and Sitagu Sayadawgyi delivered a keynote speech on regarding multilateral dialogue between Buddhism and Islam. After morning secession, Sitagu Sayadawgyi was interviewed by several Iranian Television Networks.
Following this, a video was posted of a speech that Sayadaw U Nyanissara gave, "unconditionally" condemning any Buddhist violence towards Muslims. While those interested in Burma and the Dhamma may be interested to hear this story, it is unlikely to be covered by any mainstream news organization, whose past biases and misperceptions have already been discussed in this blog.
Last month, the New York Times' Myanmar reporter Thomas Fuller used the derogatory word "fatalist" to describe contemporary Burmese Buddhist attitudes. As a previous post showed, this is a highly offensive word, and using it in the way that Mr. Fuller did portrays a borderline racist attitude towards the Burmese Buddhist faith. What is more, it is entirely erroneous to suggest that fatalism plays any role in the Buddha's teachings. The Czech monk U Sarana has responded to this question of "Free Will versus Fatalism in Theravada Buddhism," and his exceptional study of this issue can be seen and downloaded here. Writing with clarity and referencing the Buddha's own words, U Sarana shows that there is no room for fatalism anywhere in the faith. While open-minded readers may find the paper insightful, one holds little hope for writers like Mr. Fuller who are entrenched in their own uninformed biases and unquestioned assumptions. After all, the "fatalist" and "nihilist" terms have been bandied about for centuries by Western colonialists, Christians, and writers, and despite long treatises (such as this present one by U Sarana), these derogatory terms continue to find their way into the mouths and papers of those who attempt to describe the religion without proper understanding.
A previous post shared the interview that Ledi Sayadaw biographer Erik Braun gave on Buddhist Geeks. In the oddly-named podcast Secular Buddhist, Ted Meissner interviews Dr. Braun. Mr. Meissner is the Executive Director of the Secular Buddhist Association. The entire interview can be heard here. Additionally, William B. Noseworthy of the University of Wisconsin at Madison has written a review of Dr. Braun's new book, The Birth of Insight.
Czech monk U Sarana has shared the following story as to why he wished to become a monk in Burma:
"I found that Theravada is rather more original than the other ‘sects’, so I just needed to find out where I have to go to live as a Theravada monk. I simply took an Encyclopedia and searched the term Buddhisms whereby I saw the list of Buddhist countries, and first was Sri Lanka. Later on I met other Czech Buddhists who old me about Czech Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka, so adding [to] the unrest in the Golden Land I was sure that Sri Lanka was the place where I wanted to spend the rest of my life (I was 18). When I was 20 I went to Sri Lanka and there I even searched information of ways how to get Sri Lankan citizenship. After a year I moved to a village monastery where [there] was a Burmese monk (he also attended the university). But he was so different from other monks I’ve ever met before. He’d never get angry with me even when I was bad to him. He’d never think of revenge or wish me anything wrong. He cared about my satisfaction and whatever (even slightest) difficulty I had, he really did his best to help. Whenever visitors had to come, we stopped all other work and prepare some delicious food just before the visitors arrived, so that they can eat just when they come. [And he] had around 25 years (vassa) of monkhood! A great Sayadaw when in Burma… I was truly realizing his position and his behaviour. The way [these Burmese monks] carried out their duties, their knowledge of Dhamma and Vinaya, their attitude towards other beings, their patience and self-sacrifice, their humbleness and effort to emphasize in different situations of other people, endless effort to help those who suffer—I had never seen a human like that! In my sight their behavior and attitude to life’n’problems were simply superb. And seeing them so, I decided not only to get my full ordination in Burma, but also to spend my life right there. Now, having spent some six moths in Burma, I can just jump so happy with my decision. Burmese people are truly wonderful. I can’t imagine better environment, people, culture, and historical basis for ardent monastic practice than in Burma. Here, I’m absolutely satisfied."
The following letter has been written to the Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand. More may be found here. "A Statement to Support Establishing the Bhikkhuni Sangha in Siam (Thailand)
By International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB)
The International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) follows the Buddha’s teaching closely and sincerely. From earliest times the Buddha’s Sasana or teachings have depended on the Fourfold Sangha of Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Upasaka, and Upasika. To maintain true Buddhism we must maintain the Fourfold Sangha.
When the Bhikkhu Sangha disappeared in Sri Lanka, the King of Ayudhya sent Venerable Upali and group of Siamese Bhikkhus to rebuild the sangha there. When the Chinese Buddhists wanted to create a Bhikkhuni order in their country, they approached the Sri Lankan Bhikkhuni Sangha for help. In our Buddhist heritage the Sasana is universal, beyond any nation state and beyond the narrow views of nikayas, orders or sects
The Bhikkhuni Sangha disappeared from Sri Lanka before other cultures in South East Asia had embraced so-called Theravada Buddhism. The Theravada “school” itself emerged from Sri Lanka’s Mahavihara. Like Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet, Mahavihara was linked closely to India’s Nalanda university. Nalanda was open to all Buddhists, including those from China, Java, and Sumatra. Likewise, Mahavihara opened its doors to the whole Bhikkhu Sangha from South East Asia.
In recent times, when Sri Lankan Buddhists sought to maintain the Fourfold Sangha, they supported the ordination of a Bhikkhuni Sangha. As they had done more than 260 years ago when their Bhikkhu Sangha had disappeared, Sri Lankan Buddhists invited Bhikkhunis from China to help them. With thorough research and scholarship in vinaya they determined a proper process for ordination.
As mentioned earlier, Bhikkhuni ordination had originally been transmitted to China with the assistance of Sri Lanka’s Bhikkhuni Sangha. While we don't know the exact number of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis in China, Taiwan’s Bhikkhuni Sangha is six times more populous than their Bhikkhu Sangha. Bhikkhunis contribute significantly to the Taiwan’s social and spiritual welfare and that of all sentient beings. Unlike other Buddhist orders in Asia, there have been no financial or sexual scandals among the Taiwan’s Bhikkhunis.
The Bhikkhuni Sangha in Siam (Thailand) has been established cautiously with the help of the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuni Sangha from Sri Lanka and members of the Thai Bhikkhu Sangha. This Bhikhuni lineage is growing in Siam, Vietnam, and Indonesia. It needs to be supported and encouraged by all good people, not only Buddhists.
Some members of the Supreme Council of the Thai Sangha have questioned the validity of the Bhikkhuni Sangha in Siam. We sincerely ask them to reflect on the shortcomings of their own Thai Bhikkhu Sangha, including sexual and financial misconduct. Is their opposition to Bhikkhuni ordination based on the Dhamma and the Brahmaviharas, or are they acting out of jealousy and ignorance?
The Sangha Council has resorted to an obscure 1928 order, dating to the time of absolute monarchy, to jail sramanera. We hope that Thai lawmakers will not be foolish as the Council of the Elders. Siam is on the path to democracy. We hope those who are involved with reforming the country bear in mind that we need liberty and equality in religion and gender. We must respect human rights."
Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) located in Malaysia has produced this beautiful video showing how young men may take robes and follow the Noble Path of being a bhikkhu. Many Malaysian meditators frequently go to Burma to learn about the sacred Dhamma teachings there.
