Tantric Theravada?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
chownah
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by chownah »

At a local temple they have three new buddha statues (one for each of the three seasons ...the Thai name (phra kaew sam rhedoo)for them translated into English is "Three seasons green buddhas") and they are going to have a big ceremony to "open the eyes" of these statues.....it seems that many of the local people (Buddhists) believe that with this ceremony something gets activated in the statues.......it seems that many of the local people have beliefs that are usually called "idolatry" or "idol worship".......is this tantric theravada.......are buddhists idol worshipers?
From what I've been told (but might not be accurate):
The ceremony evidentally includes the cooking of a large pot of sweetened rice (I think) which at first is stirred only by virgins who are instructed to think only pure thoughts while stirring....after some time the virgins are not required for stirring and other people (wearing white clothes) will continue.....the virgins (who are mostly still children) sleep while the monk chants pretty much all night until early in the morning when the virgins are awakened when they are required to portion out the first portions of the rice into plastic bags (probably traditionally banana leaf was used) and after the virgins get this process started then the people wearing white clothes finish up.......the percentage of virgins is probably too low now for them to prepare all of the sweetened rice for the community....in the old days all of the work done in preparing the rice was done by virgins.
From what I've been told (again might not be accurate):
If you pray to the statue before the eyes are opened nothing good can come of it but if you pray to the statue after its eyes are opened then it can bring good things to you.

Seems like this is idol worship to me.....I guess......does tantric theravada include idol worship?

chownah
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gavesako
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by gavesako »

Thanks for the anthropological report. Here is a whole book devoted to this subject which will certainly fall into this category:

Becoming the Buddha: the ritual of image consecration in Thailand
By Donald K. Swearer

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1Cgv ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:buddha1:
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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Kim OHara
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by Kim OHara »

chownah wrote:At a local temple they have three new buddha statues (one for each of the three seasons ...the Thai name (phra kaew sam rhedoo)for them translated into English is "Three seasons green buddhas") and they are going to have a big ceremony to "open the eyes" of these statues.....it seems that many of the local people (Buddhists) believe that with this ceremony something gets activated in the statues.......
For what it's worth, I have vague memories of reading about a similar 'opening of the eyes' ceremony in Sri Lanka. Not especially the rice and the virgins, but the belief that the statue had no power or was not 'real' until the eyes were ritually opened.
A quick internet search didn't find it for me but maybe I'll remember more details ...

:namaste:
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rowboat
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by rowboat »

It's very common in Asia, for any object that is to be to be venerated, that the eyes are always painted last.
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
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gavesako
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by gavesako »

Anything to do with Buddha pouring or casting ceremonies involves a lot of "tantric" magic. Below you can see Reusi Kesa-kaew, a well-known rishi with long hair who gets invited to some forest monasteries as well and has a bodhisattva reputation, presiding over such a ceremony together with a monk:

http://board.palungjit.com/f2/almine-%E ... 634-8.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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yamaka
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by yamaka »

Dear all,

Base on the northern Buddhist texts, there were so called "Naga Samadhi" meditation state claims to enter such of deep concentration(The practitioner's body will have changed to a Naga form, and then hide into a deep cave to keep its longevity before the occurrence of Metteya Buddha, the future Buddha)

How about Theravada text have such of meditation state or technique?

:anjali:
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pilgrim
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by pilgrim »

I've seen pictures of an image in Thai temples of a 'being" which is fat and holds on to its belly with both hands. Its not the Chinese laughing Buddha. Can anyone identify it?
plwk
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by plwk »

Maha Kaccayana / Maha Katyayana or the Thais call him Phra Sangkachai...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai#Phra ... Sangkachai" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One tale relates that he was so handsome that once even a man wanted him for a wife. To avoid a similar situation, Phra Sangkadchai decided to transform himself into a fat monk. Another tale says he was so attractive that angels and men often compared him with the Buddha. He considered this inappropriate, so disguised himself in an unpleasantly fat body.
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pilgrim
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by pilgrim »

plwk wrote:Maha Kaccayana / Maha Katyayana or the Thais call him Phra Sangkachai...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai#Phra ... Sangkachai" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One tale relates that he was so handsome that once even a man wanted him for a wife. To avoid a similar situation, Phra Sangkadchai decided to transform himself into a fat monk. Another tale says he was so attractive that angels and men often compared him with the Buddha. He considered this inappropriate, so disguised himself in an unpleasantly fat body.
Ok...thanks. Nothing tantric about him I guess. I thought he looked like the Tibetan Dzambala.
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gavesako
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by gavesako »

Here is a collection of Pali paritta chants in the Thai Dhammayut style:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MindQuakeTV?feature=watch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They are accompanied by tantric yantra drawings which are supposed to have a magical protective effect and are also used for tattoos.

:anjali:

The number of Buddhas in this chant has proliferated out of proportion it seems:


Sambuddhe: The Buddhas

Sambuddhe aṭṭhavīsañca
Dvādasañca sahassake
Pañca-sata-sahassāni
Namāmi sirasā ahaṃ.
I pay homage with my head to the 512,028 Buddhas.

Tesaṃ dhammañca saṅghañca
Ādarena namāmi'haṃ.
Namakārānubhāvena
Hantvā sabbe upaddave
Anekā antarāyāpi
Vinassantu asesato.
I pay devoted homage to their Dhamma & Sangha.
Through the power of this homage,
having demolished all misfortunes,
May countless dangers be destroyed without trace.

Sambuddhe pañca-paññāsañca
Catuvīsati sahassake
Dasa-sata-sahassāni
Namāmi sirasā ahaṃ.
I pay homage with my head to the 1,024,055 Buddhas.

Tesaṃ dhammañca saṅghañca
Ādarena namāmi'haṃ.
Namakārānubhāvena
Hantvā sabbe upaddave
Anekā antarāyāpi
Vinassantu asesato.
I pay devoted homage to their Dhamma & Sangha.
Through the power of this homage,
having demolished all misfortunes,
May countless dangers be destroyed without trace.

Sambuddhe navuttarasate
Aṭṭhacattāḷīsa sahassake
Vīsati-sata-sahassāni
Namāmi sirasā ahaṃ.
I pay homage with my head to the 2,048,109 Buddhas.

Tesaṃ dhammañca saṅghañca
Ādarena namāmi'haṃ.
Namakārānubhāvena
Hantvā sabbe upaddave
Anekā antarāyāpi
Vinassantu, asesato.
I pay devoted homage to their Dhamma & Sangha.
Through the power of this homage,
having demolished all misfortunes,
May countless dangers be destroyed without trace.

http://youtu.be/_b_glhDoGoY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


And in this chant the sacred syllable OM (AUM -- Arahato... Uttamadhammassa... Mahasanghassa...) also appears:


The Homage Octet

Homage to the Great Seer, the Worthy One, Rightly Self-awakened. Homage to the highest Dhamma, well-taught by him here. And homage to the Great Sangha, pure in virtue & view. Homage to the Triple Gem beginning auspiciously with AUM. And homage to those three objects that have left base things behind. By the potency of this homage, may misfortunes disappear. By the potency of this homage, may there always be well-being. By the power of this homage, may success in this ceremony be mine.

Namo arahato sammā-
Sambuddhassa mahesino
Homage to the Great Seer, the Worthy One, Rightly Self-awakened.

Namo uttama-dhammassa
Svākkhātasseva tenidha
Homage to the highest Dhamma, well-taught by him here.

Namo mahā-saṅghassāpi
Visuddha-sīla-diṭṭhino
And homage to the Great Sangha, pure in virtue & view.

Namo omātyāraddhassa
Ratanattayassa sādhukaṃ
Homage to the Triple Gem beginning auspiciously with AUM.

Namo omakātītassa
Tassa vatthuttayassapi
And homage to those three objects that have left base things behind.

Namo-kārappabhāvena
Vigacchantu upaddavā
By the potency of this homage, may misfortunes disappear.

Namo-kārānubhāvena
Suvatthi hotu sabbadā
By the potency of this homage, may there always be well-being.

Namo-kārassa tejena
Vidhimhi homi, tejavā.
By the power of this homage, may success in this ceremony be mine.

http://youtu.be/TREmjkuQlYg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


And this is the ultimate protection one could ever wish for:

The Great Universe of Blessings

Siri-dhiti-mati-tejo-jayasiddhi-mahiddhi-
mahāguṇāparimita-puññādhikārassa
sabbantarāya-nivāraṇa-samatthassa
bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa
dvattiṃsa-mahāpurisa-lakkhaṇ'ānubhāvena

Through the power of the 32 marks of the Great Man belonging to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One, who through his accumulation of merit is endowed with glory, steadfastness of intent, majesty, victorious power, great might, countless great virtues, who settles all dangers & obstacles,

asītyānubyañjan'ānubhāvena
through the power of his 80 minor characteristics,

aṭṭh'uttara-sata-maṅgal'ānubhāvena
through the power of his 108 blessings,

chabbaṇṇa-raṃsiy'ānubhāvena ketumāl'ānubhāvena
through the power of his sixfold radiance,
through the power of the aura surrounding his head,

dasa-pāramit'ānubhāvena
dasa-upapāramit'ānubhāvena
dasa-paramattha-pāramit'ānubhāvena
through the power of his ten perfections, ten higher perfections,
& ten ultimate perfections,

sīla-samādhi-paññ'ānubhāvena
through the power of his virtue, concentration, & discernment,

buddh'ānubhāvena dhamm'ānubhāvena saṅgh'ānubhāvena
through the power of the Buddha, Dhamma, & Saṅgha,

tej'ānubhāvena iddh'ānubhāvena bal'ānubhāvena
through the power of his majesty, might, & strength,

ñeyya-dhamm'ānubhāvena
through the power of the Dhammas that can be known,

caturāsīti-sahassa-dhammakkhandh'ānubhāvena
through the power of the 84,000 divisions of the Dhamma,

nava-lokuttara-dhamm'ānubhāvena
through the power of the nine transcendent Dhammas,

aṭṭhaṅgika-magg'ānubhāvena
through the power of the eightfold path,

aṭṭha-samāpattiy'ānubhāvena
through the power of his eight meditative attainments,

chaḷabhiññ'ānubhāvena catu-sacca-ñāṇ'ānubhāvena
through the power of his six cognitive skills,
through the power of his knowledge of the four noble truths,

dasa-bala-ñāṇ'ānubhāvena
through the power of his knowledge of the ten strengths,

sabbaññuta-ñāṇ'ānubhāvena
through the power of his omniscience,

mettā-karuṇā-muditā-upekkh'ānubhāvena
through the power of his good will, compassion, appreciation, & equanimity,

sabba-paritt'ānubhāvena
through the power of all protective chants,

ratanattaya-saraṇ'ānubhāvena
through the power of refuge in the Triple Gem:

tuyhaṃ sabba-roga-sok'upaddava-dukkha-domanass-upāyāsā vinassantu
May all your diseases, griefs, misfortunes, pains, distresses, & despairs be destroyed,

sabba-antarāyāpi vinassantu
sabba-saṅkappā tuyhaṃ samijjhantu
may all obstructions be destroyed, may all your resolves succeed,

dīghayutā tuyhaṃ hotu sata-vassa-jīvena
samaṅgiko hotu sabbadā.
may you live long, always attaining 100 years.

Ākāsa-pabbata-vana-bhūmi-gaṅgā-mahāsamuddā
ārakkhakā devatā sadā tumhe,
anurakkhantu.
May the protective devas of the sky, the mountains, the forests, the land, the River Ganges, & the great ocean always protect you.


Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṃ
Rakkhantu sabba-devatā
May there be every blessing. May all heavenly beings protect you.

Sabba-buddhānubhāvena
Sadā sotthī bhavantu te.
Through the power of all the Buddhas, may you always be well.

Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṃ
Rakkhantu sabba-devatā
May there be every blessing. May all heavenly beings protect you.

Sabba-dhammānubhāvena
Sadā sotthī bhavantu te.
Through the power of all the Dhammas, may you always be well.

Bhavatu sabba-maṅgalaṃ
Rakkhantu sabba-devatā
May there be every blessing. May all heavenly beings protect you.

Sabba-saṅghānubhāvena
Sadā sotthī bhavantu te.
Through the power of all the Saṅghas, may you always be well.

http://youtu.be/LRz-BWz-PpI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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mirco
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by mirco »

gavesako wrote:BANA BHANTE of Bangladesh is regarded as an Arahant by Buddhists of Bangladesh ...
Thank you, Venerable Sir.

There are some videos of him on uTube.

Maybe someone knows of transcriptions+translations of any of his teachings?


Regards, :-)
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rowboat
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by rowboat »

mirco wrote:
gavesako wrote:BANA BHANTE of Bangladesh is regarded as an Arahant by Buddhists of Bangladesh ...
Thank you, Venerable Sir.

There are some videos of him on uTube.

Maybe someone knows of transcriptions+translations of any of his teachings?


Regards, :-)
First, thank you Bhante Gavesako for your contributions on this thread.

mirco, here is some contact information for Bana Bhante. These people should be able to help you if there are any translations of Venerable Bana Bhante:

email: [email protected]
Office: Room No. 2/1, Gate Building, Rajbana Vihara, Rangamati- 4500, Bangladesh.
Location: Rajbana Vihara Complex, 4500 Rangamati, Bangladesh
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
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DarwidHalim
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by DarwidHalim »

The title of this thread attract my attention.

May I know bhante, what make you put the title as 'Tantric Theravada'

When I look into te article, I am looking for a component, which can be considered as tantra part.

I cannot find it.

I found this'
...A new sphere brighter and clearer than the last will appear at the centre which is called the sphere of self-discipline. In the same way, the sphere of concentration, the sphere of wisdom, the sphere of liberation, the sphere of knowledge and vision of liberation can be attained in sequence. If one stops one's mind at the point at the centre of the sphere, it will enlarge until it is so large that its edges disappear over the horizon allowing one to see the subtle human body inside - an inner body that looks the same as the physical body, but more radiant. On attaining the subtle human body, the realization will arise in the mind that...

This is not tantra, this is simply a meditation technique with light.

Tantra meditation plays with our inner energy. The breathing is modified in such as way and this body is viewed in such a way to open our chakra. We make use of this chakra benefit to directly experience emptiness.

I don't see any energy component inside your article and to me that is not tantra at all.

What make you put the title as Tantric Theravada?
I am not here nor there.
I am not right nor wrong.
I do not exist neither non-exist.
I am not I nor non-I.
I am not in samsara nor nirvana.
To All Buddhas, I bow down for the teaching of emptiness. Thank You!
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gavesako
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by gavesako »

As I mentioned in the first post, the term "tantra" is hard to define and various scholars disagree about exactly which elements it encompasses. It certainly has to do with techniques of visualisation, energy flows in the body, and mantra recitation.

The term yogāvacara, and less commonly yogin/yogī, stands for 'meditator' in Visuddhimagga and Pali commentaries.

The term yogāvacarabhikkhu, 'meditator-bhikkhu' is only found two times in the Pali commentaries and a dozen or so times in the sub-commentaries, whereas yogāvacara is relatively common and is already found in the Paṭisambhidāmagga and Peṭakopadesa.

The Patisambhidamagga commentary defines yogāvacaro, but it is hard to translate literally because of double senses.
Yogāvacaroti samathayoge, vipassanāyoge vā avacaratīti yogāvacaro. Avacaratīti pavisitvā caratī ti. : ''One who is engaged in meditation-exercise: he is engaged in the meditation-exercise of insight and the meditation-exercise of serenity, [therefore he is called] one who is occupied with meditation-exercise. Engaged in: having entered upon, he exercises.''

In modern times the term yogāvacara has come to be associated with what is called 'Khmer esoteric/tantric Buddhism,' etc, denoting the mixture of Buddhist meditation and chanting with tantra, yantras and mantras, white magic, invocations, etc. as commonly practiced in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

Perhaps the rise of the Srivijaya or one of the Khmer dynasties in which both Theravada, Vajrayana and the Buddhism of various Mahayana schools were all practiced, promoted and even syncretized in various ways was the origin. The same syncretization also happened in India (Tantra, Yoga) and Tibet (with the Bon tradition) and it was carried on in South East Asia. There was the official textual & doctrinal Buddhism, but on the other hand there were, and are, all sorts of other unofficial, non-doctrinal 'esoteric' practices going on besides or underneath, which were sometimes textualised and sometimes not.

In the mid 18th century this mixture of Buddhist meditation, ritual and esoteric practices was introduced into the Kandyan Kingdom by Thai monks from the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It was taught to monks of the Asgiriya Nikāya, who saw themselves as the inheritors of the forest dwelling, vanavasin, tradition, and founded several meditation hermitages around Kandy to practice meditation as taught by the Thais. The practices were written down in a manual called Cattālisa Kammaṭṭhāna or Vidarsana Potha, Amatakaravaṇṇana, Yogijanakanta-vimuttimagga, etc, of which several versions exist (Or different manuals were composed. This is not clear, as not much research has been done on the manuals as they are mostly in a mixture of Pali and Sinhala.). One of the versions was translated as 'The Manual of the Mystic: The Yogavachara's Manual' and was published by the PTS. See http://ebook.lib.hku.hk/CADAL/B31448586/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The yogāvacara practice by the Asgiriya monks did not last long and nothing remains of this meditation tradition except the manuscripts with the manuals and the hermitages, which are now village temples.

This 'esoteric' tradition was also carried to England by the Thai man who founded the Samatha Group in Cambridge. Apparently they do an unusual meditation practice in which the 32 physical characteristics of the Buddha are visualized in their own bodies together with Pali paritta chanting. See http://www.samatha.org/texts/samatha-bu ... tion-texts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The introduction of practices such as the visualizations of the marks (laksana + anuvyanjana) of the Buddha(s) - practices that we can relate to the Buddhanussati/Buddhanusmrti traditions that begun probably not long after the parinibbana of the Buddha as a means of establishing an emotional/religious/empowering connection with the deceased master - are most likely among the first signs of the incipient "Mahayana" in Indian Buddhism. They started among followers of "traditional Buddhism" and had nothing particularly "esoteric" about them, originally. They had a devotional aspect and a meditative side to them. Early Mahayana sutras such as the Pratyutpannabuddhasamukhavastitasamadhi-sutra (studied by Paul Harrison) and even the Astasahasrikaprajnaparamita discuss the significance of the laksanas as Dharmamukhas. There provided 'Dharmic' rather than "energetic" empowerment, so to speak. These practices were most likely mass practices, I'd say, i.e., the opposite of esoteric or secret, and far more accessible than other types of meditation or doctrinal study.
After the passing of the Buddha, only two of the Three Jewels were really present to followers: Dhamma and Sangha, and visualisation of the Buddha was probably simply a way of making the first, and perhaps, chief jewel present to the devotee.

:buddha1:
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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gavesako
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Re: Tantric Theravada?

Post by gavesako »

Here is a Facebook page for Bana Bhante in Bangladesh with many photos (note that "b" and "v" are often interchangeable in Pali):

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bono-Vante/191946346982" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Location
Rajbana Vihara, Rangamati, Bangladesh
Birthday
8 January 1920
Biography
His Holiness Ven. Sadhanananda Mahathero(Bana Bhante)

About Ven. Bana Bhante:

Ven. Bana Bhante(the forest monk) is the well-known, famously worshipped, clairvoyant, omnipotent, omniscient Bhikkshu in Bangladesh who has attained the highest magga 'Arahanta'. For over forty years, transcending religious barriers, creed, and other societal divisions, he has been providing directions to people from all walks of life much like Lord Gautama Buddha, about their moral and spiritual developments. As such, Ven. Banabhante has never been beholden to any particualr sects or segments of population nor to any particular individuals for their devotion to him as arduous devotees. Belonging to no one , he truly belongs to ALL of those who come to embrace his edifying ideals to enrich their lives by nurturing and cultivating 'kusala kamma'.

As an Arahanta, His Holiness Ven. Banabhante maintains strict discipline in upholding dictates of Lord Buddha for the 'Sangha' entailed in 'Binoypitok' and he steadfastly avoids any claims of ownership on anything --money, expensive gifts, material property, and 'special devotees' . Individuals by their own merits and contents of inner qualities can endear themselves to Ven. Banabhantee and as such one's nearness to the venerable Bhikkshu cannot be deemed as his personal preferences. Indeed, as a clairvoyant Arahanta, he can instantly view latent merits or 'lack of' among his devotees. For he has risen to the summit heights of immesuarable achievements surpassing normative, ontological boundaries. His fundamental philosophy and teachings emanate from Buddha's teachings as he reminds everyone in quotidian living the importance and needs for observance of Lord Buddha's principles of 'sila'(good conduct), 'samadhi'(right meditation), and 'prajna'(attainment of wisdom).

As life cannot be divorced from diurnal existence, it becomes all the more urgent that we pay attention to our conducts and Ven. Bana Bhante passionately propounds that flourishing of inner virtues lie inextricably intertwined with our mental inclinations. Our actions with putrid predilections will inevitably bring about unwholesome outcomes embodying 'dukkha' meaning sufferings. His teachings are pointed remarks on endless sufferings mired in our cycles of rebirths and stark reminders that our actions yield unavoidable consequences based on its own merits.There is no magic wand by which one's mischievous deeds could simply be, despite infinite wishes, washed away or wiped off by some miraculous quackery. Thus, grounded in scientific reality of inter-connectedness between causes and effects, and in reasonable discernment Ven. Bana Bhante envisions a community of present and future progenies who would adhesively adhere to edifying conducts devoid of 'Ahimsa', hidden jealousy, envy, acrimonious feelings and other conducts borne out of filthy perversities--in thoughts, words, and in all kinds of daily activities. As we yearn to live in peace and harmony, our actions must coincide with our inner state of mind. Negative, unwholesome thoughts with mental defilements will inevitably breed unwanted, undesirable outcome. One needs to investigate into the nature of reality by delving deep into the reality of mind and matter within self, not in the form penance, but in sincere attempts to extricate mind from inward defilements. Careful observations of reality by interrogating the nature of relaity leads to observation of truth. It is to know the self through process of self-examination.That investigation requires vigilence, self-discipline and incisive self-analyses into the contents of our thoughts. This art of living is deeply embedded in Vipassana Meditation

Born in Rangamati, on the auspicious day of 8th January, 1920, Rathindranath bore signs of an occult and astounding greatness. His gaze since childhood was set on a far distant future as though he remained deeply absorbed in compassionate contemplation at humanity's intense sufferings and finding ways to alleviate their pains and incalculable misery. His observations on the world around us gave him the determinations to set out in search of 'Saimyak gyan' or right views. Merely a novice in the Buddhist Sangha, the 'Rathindra Sraman' made a query to his then teacher Sri Dipankar Mahathero who were staying at Chittagong Buddhist temple. His teacher was startled by his disciples' rather audacious inquiry-'how to attain right wisdom' or 'Prajna'. The young 'samana' was discontent at heart as he failed to quench his bubbled up thirst to grasp the infinite, immesuarable, and ineffable. An enormous inward transformation brought about a stupendous, supramental consciousness as 'Rathindranath Sraman' embarked on his unkown journey at nearby Longhadhu Forest adjacent to his childhood residence at Dhanpata forsaking mortal dangers, agonies of sensory deprivations of foods and shelter. He was fearless like Siddharta Sri Goutama whose 'mahaviniskraman' certainly gave him the exemplary impetus to be worth emulating. And, Rathindranath after 12 years of austere practice of Bippassana emerged as the 'Forest Monk', the venerable 'Bana Bhante'. The uniqueness of 'Bana Bhante's' emergence did not simply come from introspective dissection or from intellectual analyses of contents of his vast consciousness. It had gone through a gigantic inward transformation saturated in his unnerving determination like Tennyson's Ulysses--'to strive, to seek, and to find, but never to yield'.

It is difficult to fathom the depth , scope , intensity of this 'great sage' , but one can speculate Sri Aurobindo's eternal words reverberating in the contours of Bana Bhante's enormous psyche--'man is Nature's great item of transition in which she grows Conscious of her aim. In him she looks from the animal with open eyes towards the divine ideal'. It was , indeed, this imperceptible , yet intensely palpable at heart which propelled to remind within him rather incessently the Nietschzean ideal--'If the night and the day are such that you greet them with joy, if life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, and more immortal; that is your success''. To Ven. Bana Bhante, life is like Nietschze' s vision which means 'for us constantly to transform into light and flame all that we are and we meet with'. He drew the lesson from Buddha-'Atma Dipa Biharena Atma Sarana Aynya Sarana' meaning 'Know thyself' and entuned his mind, heart and entire being into Shakespearean addage--'To thine own self be true , Then it must follow as night the day'. His significance, therefore, can be discerned not only to those who are initiated but to the values he remotely suggests by this extraordinary manifestation of the superhuman in the process of his 'becoming' into the 'Bana Bhante'. His titanic influence has spread an immense awareness and has compelled a vast sea of humanity in his surrounding region to retreat from habitual walks and to aspire to redefine their lives by 'practices of Bipassana'. Like T. S. Eliot, Ven. Banabhante portrays the stark futility of human existence in his unceasing advocacy for ' continence', 'metta' and 'peaceful co-existence' in a world where blood shook his heart at 'The awful daring of a moment's surrender, which an age of prudence can never retract, by this , and this only, we have existed which is not to be found in our obituaries, or in memories draped by the beneficient spider' (Wasteland, T.S. Eliot). In such a world with full of 'endless duhkkha' Eliot's condign depiction finds a striking resonance in Ven. Banabhante's tireless espousal at needs for inward transformations. As the mortal existence in his view--"Here one can neither stand nor lie nor sit, there is not even silence in the mountains, but dry sterile thunder without rain, there is not even solitude in the mountains"(Wasteland, T.S.Eliot). It must be pointed out that he is not a messanger of gloom and despondency in our present existence but his emphasis is on needs for upliftment so as to eschew fatal consequences of 'Akusala Kamma'--unwholesome actions . He often questions 'how life can be lost in living' so that we engage in our efforts at seeking significance of life in our mortal existence

Discourses of Ven. Bana Bhante:

This body is borne out of 'Abidya' meaning ignorance and 'Tanha'meaning desire. The conjunction of 'Abidya' and 'Tanha' , instantaneously, results in birth of 'Panchaskandha'. So, the utmost efforts must be there to manintain an awareness about the nature of 'Abidya'. It means to be aware of all activities pervading our daily existence. Ven. Bana Bhante lays tremendous emphasis on the 'Satipatthana Vipassana' and is scornful of weak resolves of small motivations. He reminds that a ceaseless stream of efforts and awareness are essential requirements for practice of Vipassana Meditation . It is to cultivate choiceless awareness in the continuous movements of 'seeing', 'hearing', 'thinking' , imagining' etc. A beginner should endeavour to contemplate on 'arising' and 'vanishing' which eventually will give rise to 'insight of illness'.

This human existence in an individual may not take rebirth in human form once again, Ven. Banabhante sternly warns quite often as the next round of re-birth could take place in the unhappy life of lower existence. Everyone ought, therefore, strive to reach the first stage of 'Sottapatti magga' as a minimum achievement in this life. Ven. Bana Bhante's teachings and discourses focus essentially on Lord Buddha's 'Pratitya Samutpada Niti'--the laws of causations. He notes that efforts in mental discipline all too often is accompanied with unwanted tedious labor without delight , but the realization of nature of 'dukkha' and 'impermnance' will bring forth compassionate 'panna' to heal those wounds long-suppressed in the heart.

It is a frivolous exercise of preposterously empty-headed mind to be indulging into confabulation of 'Nature of Nibbana' with adornments of verbal ornamentation, wheareas a mind remains quagmired, inescapbly, in petty calculations of earning a little name and fame of being a 'writer' or 'thinker' in so doing and harboring surruptitiously hidden jealousy, envy and other mental defilements. It is pragmatic rather not to dwell on this imagined state of "Nibbana' but to work with steely determination in attaining 'magga' by delving deep into the practices of mindfulness with an inexorable pace. It is imperative that a mind extricate fully from 'kama'-'lustful thoughts' long before one ponders on the 'state of Nibbana'. From a sloka in Dhammapada, one can discern the fatal consequences of lustful thoughts forewarned by Lord Buddha--'Kamatu jayate shoka, Kamatu jayate bhayang, Kamatu bippimuttassu natthi shoka kutu bhayang'. The ideation and identification of sense of ''me', or 'I' is borne out of misperceived assumptions inbred within us in the form of 'ignorance'. This ignorance is of 'Lokuttara Gyan', which cannot be erased by accumulation of institutional knowledge or by resorting to pedagogy of an instructional curriculum by any self-acclaimed, clever saints espousing various adjectives of religiousity, at times, far-fatched, about the unseen, unfelt qualities of 'Nibbana'. Leaving cacophonies of such self-professed attributes of 'emptiness' from caterwauls of Sadhus aside, Ven. Banabhante once described ' Nibbana' as cessation of all 'dukkhas'. His attainment of "Nibbana' is epitomized in his very self-absorbed, succinct depiction of a sublime state which needed no cliched, tautological , and tortured wordings like crochet cross-gained of a mundane wordsmith. There lurks a hidden danger in such labybrinthine web of ornamentations as it represents an insidious image of vain glory in the guise of substantive discourse. It is also important to decipher the actual meanings of 'Etipiso Bhagava, Arahang, Samma Sambuddho, Bijja-charana samppnna, Sugata, Lokabido, Anuttara, Puriso Dhamma Sarathi, Satta, Deba, Manussacha, Buddho bhagabati'. The critical emphasis, Ven BanaBhante mentions is on the word 'Etipiso' meaning 'This is the'. It refres to 'absolute', uneqivocal, irreconcilable, recondite and 'Adaitavm'. The uniqueness of the Lord Buddha's teachings sets him apart and Ven. Bana Bhante's emanenace as embodiment of Buddha's teachings mark a pronounced departure from teachings of other 'luminaries' amongst our contemporary epoch-makers or trend-setters. After all, all that glitters is not gold and one can think of only Krishnamurti who has ascended to that identical stage of spritual pre-eminence. It will, therefore, be misleading to bring into the discourses of Ven. Banabhante a quixotic and arbitrary relevance of 'others who are temperamentally and philosophically, unrelated to his 'Panna' or 'Wisdom', just beacuse one has read about them 'a little' and can bridge a connection by some melange of words according to one's inclinations to profess to be a reservoir, albeit mini, of infinite knowledge. It must be emphasized here that Lord Buddha counseled humanity to 'expand compassion to all living beings just as a mother distributes her boundless love for her only offspring'. ........'Mata Yata Niyang Puttang, Ayusa Eka Putta Manurakhye, Ebampi Sabba Bhutesu, Manasang Bhavaye aparimang'. As the true disciple of Buddha , Ven. BanaBhante stressed solely on 'peaceful co-existence, on metta, even when he was faced with 'sagacious or practical choices' on numerous occassions as was witnessed by this author. His instructions were on farewell to arms adhering to Buddha's principles of 'peaceful co-existence'. The significance of Ven. Banabhante's emanace, seems to me, lies in averting a cataclysmic maelstorm surrounding his native region where as an apostle of peace he made us aware of 'higher values' in our spiritual journey and in so doing, he resonated teachings of Lord Gautam Buddha. It is in the principles of 'Ahimsa' 'metta' and peaceful co-existence, we can attain some measure of sanity in our daily living.


Ven. Bana Bhante resides at Raj Bana Bihar, Rangamati, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Contents collated and and authored by: Ranjan Kumar Barua, U.S.A, 2008.authored by: Ranjan Kumar Barua, U.S.A, 2008.eschewing all kinds of hostile activities and practising equinimity, ceaselessly, even in the face of extreme provocation and to adjust a living upholding principles of 'peaceful co-existence'. The significance of Ven. Banabhante's emanace, seems to me, lies in averting a cataclysmic maelstorm surrounding his native region where as an apostle of peace he made us aware of 'higher values' in our spiritual journey and in so doing, he resonated teachings of Lord Gautam Buddha. It is in the principles of 'Ahimsa' 'metta' and peaceful co-existence, we can attain some measure of sanity in our daily living.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

Access to Insight - Theravada texts
Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
Dhammatalks.org - Sutta translations
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