Search found 130 matches

by householder
Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:53 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Myanmar: the state mocks its own religion
Replies: 82
Views: 17550

Re: Myanmar: the state mocks its own religion

It's widely covered in the English-language press there and presumably in Myanmar-language news and social media too; it was certainly a hot topic locally when the initial incident took place from what I understand.
by householder
Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:49 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Myanmar: the state mocks its own religion
Replies: 82
Views: 17550

Re: Myanmar: the state mocks its own religion

Don't forget that elections are coming up which the NLD look set to do well in, and actions like this play on whipped-up Buddhist nationalist sentiment and present USDP as 'defenders of the faith'. Among other issues are interminable peace talks while military action occurs in several areas of the c...
by householder
Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:01 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons
Replies: 11
Views: 2827

Re: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons

No unfortunately that is a conclusion also reached from living in the country... further, the people in these villages have limited if any access to mainstream media.
by householder
Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:42 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons
Replies: 11
Views: 2827

Re: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons

Yes, but because of Western media pandering and economic interests in not upsetting the Myanmar government too much (want to get their hands on lots of natural resources and cheap labour) it is downplayed as 'sectarian violence'.
by householder
Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:06 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons
Replies: 11
Views: 2827

Re: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons

Hi chownah, Regrettably, Buddhism along with ethnicity is inextricably caught up in the ongoing problems in Myanmar and is a central and defining issue, from the 969 movement to promote Buddhist nationalism - now officially banned by the country's senior Sangha - and monks preaching discrimination a...
by householder
Wed Oct 02, 2013 1:46 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons
Replies: 11
Views: 2827

Re: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons

It's just a different understanding of Buddhism? That's all right then. Let the pogroms continue and we'll say no more about it. As someone purporting to follow the same religion I'm just drawing attention to some of the atrocities being committed in the world in its name. Something to reflect on an...
by householder
Tue Oct 01, 2013 5:10 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons
Replies: 11
Views: 2827

Rakhine Buddhists back in the news for the wrong reasons

News link here. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/10/myanmar-rioters-attack-muslims-burn-homes-2013101105542511855.html?fb_action_ids=10153334354405298&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582 Ostensibly, it was started by a disp...
by householder
Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:42 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Burma’s Muslims driven into the hands of human traffickers
Replies: 10
Views: 3186

Re: Burma’s Muslims driven into the hands of human trafficke

Edited: My opinion matters not a jot.
by householder
Wed Jul 10, 2013 4:08 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Nine blasts in Bodhgaya this morning: terrorist attack?
Replies: 81
Views: 21335

Re: Nine blasts in Bodhgaya this morning: terror attack?

I must belong to the 5% then because I have yet to see any evidence of '...violent treatment of Muslims at the hands of people claiming to be Buddhists.' Arakanese and Bangladeshis fighting over land certainly, and that is very regretable. How do you explain the violence and deaths in Meikthila, Ba...
by householder
Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:08 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Nine blasts in Bodhgaya this morning: terrorist attack?
Replies: 81
Views: 21335

Re: Nine blasts in Bodhgaya this morning: terror attack?

Next few days/weeks will be interesting here on the ground in Myanmar...
by householder
Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:59 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Coffee and tea as food
Replies: 5
Views: 2091

Re: Coffee and tea as food

A branch meditation center in the same lineage allowed coffee throughout the day as long as there was no milk.
by householder
Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:43 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Coffee and tea as food
Replies: 5
Views: 2091

Re: Coffee and tea as food

Yes I was advised to wake up with something herbal (but it'll be before noon so technically ok, but, as you say, want to go with the flow) so will be stocking up on green tea bags. I got the e-mail just after I brewed what is now my last coffee for a month! :D
by householder
Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:54 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Coffee and tea as food
Replies: 5
Views: 2091

Coffee and tea as food

Hi, Was advised in relation to a query in advance of the intensive retreat tomorrow that coffee is considered a food because it is made from a bean, even though that bean is not edible. Even black tea is considered a food. By that logic just about anything which is made from something solid is consi...
by householder
Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:39 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: Good monasteries to ordain for meditation?
Replies: 14
Views: 6092

Re: Good monasteries to ordain for meditation?

Lately I've been thinking a lot of going to SE Asia and meditating a bunch, maybe even becoming a monk. This afternoon I was in a high end shoe store in a busy shopping mall, and as I was trying on my first good pair of dress/business shoes, a Buddhist monk came and sat next to me. I didn't think a...
by householder
Sat Jun 29, 2013 1:36 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: More troubling news
Replies: 80
Views: 21536

Re: More troubling news

Attended a 'press launch' two nights ago of the proposed amended marriage law - where a Muslim must convert to Buddhism if he wishes to marry a Buddhist woman, and she must have the consent of both her parents and the local authorities. Over 1,000 monks were in attendance. It was held in an enormous...