Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

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pannavati2
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Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by pannavati2 »

Dear Friends, This is Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in North Carolina. Bhante was a dear Dhamma brother. I arranged for his visit to the US the past two years and we had made plans for an extended stay in the US in 2020. I cherish my last image of him moving through the line at AVL in august and the call from some airport saying he was almost home! I will not speculate or comment on Bhante's death except to say he was a treasure to seekers and will be sorely missed. I have been in contact with his brother and received permission to archive his videos and audios and format the series into offerings for the general public with the provision that I will not charge for access or raise any donations for myself.

I very much wish to do this but in reading posts, it appears that some of you have already downloaded a lot before one of the sites expired and that now it may not be possible to retrieve the remaining. Also, I am wondering if it is something that needs doing if youtube videos are available. I just think many people would benefit from them through organized free course offerings instead of stumbling upon them here and there.We would make them available through our on-line Kammanna Institute. If this can happen, I would need some initial advice on how what is lost can be retrieved (get the domain back long enough to retrieve all of it?) and navigate any legal issues. Is anyone knowledgeable about such interested in helping me and our staff. I appreciate any input or advice as we endeavor to move forward. You may also contact me privately on this site, I think, if you do not want to publicly. I don't think I am allowed to give a private contact. But, of course, I am easily findable! Thanks. vp
Garrib
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Garrib »

pannavati2 wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 5:14 am Dear Friends, This is Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in North Carolina. Bhante was a dear Dhamma brother. I arranged for his visit to the US the past two years and we had made plans for an extended stay in the US in 2020. I cherish my last image of him moving through the line at AVL in august and the call from some airport saying he was almost home! I will not speculate or comment on Bhante's death except to say he was a treasure to seekers and will be sorely missed. I have been in contact with his brother and received permission to archive his videos and audios and format the series into offerings for the general public with the provision that I will not charge for access or raise any donations for myself.

I very much wish to do this but in reading posts, it appears that some of you have already downloaded a lot before one of the sites expired and that now it may not be possible to retrieve the remaining. Also, I am wondering if it is something that needs doing if youtube videos are available. I just think many people would benefit from them through organized free course offerings instead of stumbling upon them here and there.We would make them available through our on-line Kammanna Institute. If this can happen, I would need some initial advice on how what is lost can be retrieved (get the domain back long enough to retrieve all of it?) and navigate any legal issues. Is anyone knowledgeable about such interested in helping me and our staff. I appreciate any input or advice as we endeavor to move forward. You may also contact me privately on this site, I think, if you do not want to publicly. I don't think I am allowed to give a private contact. But, of course, I am easily findable! Thanks. vp
Hi Venerable Pannavati,

Thank you for this. I attended one of his retreats at Heartwood last winter - and really loved getting to know some of the community members there. Your friendship and connection with him was obvious, and heartwarming. Bhante will definitely be missed. I hope we can preserve his work - which was extensive!

Brad Garrison
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Venerable Pannavati,

Thank you for your homage to Bhikkhu Samahita and your effort to preserve the dhamma. I hope that the missing parts of his website are still preserved on https://archive.is .

I would only add that downloading his videos from youtube may be legally questionable with regards to the precept of not stealing (from youtube in this case). As far as I can tell Youtube turns a blind eye to people downloading videos from their platform, but they're not actively helping either. I try to only download videos in danger of being deleted for archiving purposes. I'm sorry if I'm being neurotic about the precepts.

:anjali:
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

Wayback Machine (archive.org)
Time machine Calendar (between November 24, 2005 and October 4, 2019 --> Ok) [last crawled on Nov 7 --> no longer worked]
soundcloud.com
spreaker.com
podtail.se
iheart.com
podbay.fm
listennotes
player.fm


🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
:heart:

=======
ps: {btw, the last archive on wayback machine for DW was quite a while back, June 9, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190601000 ... wheel.com/}
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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zerotime
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by zerotime »

there is some free software to download youtube videos in a easy way:

https://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/d ... wnload.htm
https://www.freemake.com/downloads/


About the website, it is preserved inside archive.org as other people wrote. The last snapsshot is 4-october
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://wh ... -said.net/

https://web.archive.org/web/20191004070 ... -said.net/


You can download that snapshot from wayback with some online services and tools:

Website Downloader online:
https://websitedownloader.io/wayback-ma ... ownloader/

* some help for this tool here:
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/04/04/websi ... -archives/


more online services to download from archive.org check google or also here
archive.org/details/webarchive_downloader


in case you are using Linux there are some scripts
https://github.com/hartator/wayback-machine-downloader


-

About the domain name, normally the are 30 days to recover the control:

it seems the domain name "what-buddha-said.net" was registered with enom.com according data.:
https://dnslytics.com/whois-lookup/what-buddha-said.net

- Registry Expiry Date: 2019-10-26 T16:06:54Z

Therefore probably you could rescue before 2019-11-26. You should trty access to https://enom.com for that.
the fast way is having the email and password of the Venerable in enom.com, and then you can request a new password using his own email to get the access.

On the contrary, it can be a hard task because they will request you legal documentation or something. Then better contact with enom.com for details and clarifications.


Some years ago I was in Kandy but finally no possibility to visit him.
His videos are translated in other languages and his Dhamma drops are lovely and wonderful.

We miss him. :anjali: :anjali:


Very nice task you do. All the best. :anjali:
gvg
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2020 7:14 am

Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by gvg »

pannavati2 wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 5:14 am Dear Friends, This is Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in North Carolina. Bhante was a dear Dhamma brother. I arranged for his visit to the US the past two years and we had made plans for an extended stay in the US in 2020. I cherish my last image of him moving through the line at AVL in august and the call from some airport saying he was almost home! I will not speculate or comment on Bhante's death except to say he was a treasure to seekers and will be sorely missed. I have been in contact with his brother and received permission to archive his videos and audios and format the series into offerings for the general public with the provision that I will not charge for access or raise any donations for myself.

I very much wish to do this but in reading posts, it appears that some of you have already downloaded a lot before one of the sites expired and that now it may not be possible to retrieve the remaining. Also, I am wondering if it is something that needs doing if youtube videos are available. I just think many people would benefit from them through organized free course offerings instead of stumbling upon them here and there.We would make them available through our on-line Kammanna Institute. If this can happen, I would need some initial advice on how what is lost can be retrieved (get the domain back long enough to retrieve all of it?) and navigate any legal issues. Is anyone knowledgeable about such interested in helping me and our staff. I appreciate any input or advice as we endeavor to move forward. You may also contact me privately on this site, I think, if you do not want to publicly. I don't think I am allowed to give a private contact. But, of course, I am easily findable! Thanks. vp
Dear Ven. Pannavati it looks like I am the last person to find out about the death of Bhante Samahita. I still cannot believe it. I just find out yesterday what happened. I see now that his website is active but my question is if everything was successfully recovered, if the website is complete or something was definitely lost??
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DNS
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by DNS »

gvg wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2020 7:49 am it looks like I am the last person to find out about the death of Bhante Samahita. I still cannot believe it. I just find out yesterday what happened. I see now that his website is active but my question is if everything was successfully recovered, if the website is complete or something was definitely lost??
see: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=35574
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Dananda75
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Dananda75 »

zerotime wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2019 5:49 pm there is some free software to download youtube videos in a easy way:

https://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/d ... wnload.htm
https://www.freemake.com/downloads/


About the website, it is preserved inside archive.org as other people wrote. The last snapsshot is 4-october
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://wh ... -said.net/

https://web.archive.org/web/20191004070 ... -said.net/


You can download that snapshot from wayback with some online services and tools:

Website Downloader online:
https://websitedownloader.io/wayback-ma ... ownloader/

* some help for this tool here:
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/04/04/websi ... -archives/


more online services to download from archive.org check google or also here
archive.org/details/webarchive_downloader


in case you are using Linux there are some scripts
https://github.com/hartator/wayback-machine-downloader


-

About the domain name, normally the are 30 days to recover the control:

it seems the domain name "what-buddha-said.net" was registered with enom.com according data.:
https://dnslytics.com/whois-lookup/what-buddha-said.net

- Registry Expiry Date: 2019-10-26 T16:06:54Z

Therefore probably you could rescue before 2019-11-26. You should trty access to https://enom.com for that.
the fast way is having the email and password of the Venerable in enom.com, and then you can request a new password using his own email to get the access.

On the contrary, it can be a hard task because they will request you legal documentation or something. Then better contact with enom.com for details and clarifications.


Some years ago I was in Kandy but finally no possibility to visit him.
His videos are translated in other languages and his Dhamma drops are lovely and wonderful.

We miss him. :anjali: :anjali:


Very nice task you do. All the best. :anjali:
Thanks :namaste:
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BlackMagic
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by BlackMagic »

Did the Bhikkhus preceptor and benefactor die?

Attachment to and by families etc should be noted or they should be forewarned as the title Bhikkhu is already one denoting that they are "one receiving charity or one whom is homeless."

If Bhikkhu "Samahita" had teachings then those teachings have heirs: His preceptor and benefactor in and on the path to Buddhahood.

There is a wealth of tradition could be said to be "Bon" as mahayanists go, how does that "wealth" benefit one thus gone is a good contemplation; for all of those wanting to start another family or tradition all their own as a patriarch.

Such a thing I can personally say is not something I have ever wanted to do; having been "tempted" to do such a thing. Knowing the four noble truths it is a laughable proposition to even attempt.

Recollect that "devadatta and mara" kept trying to take over in the same manner what was not their own.
What has happened; Is that which has yet to come. What will be ...Already is.
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Samana_Johann
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Samana_Johann »

Good householder touches particualry a matter maybe not reached till here till now before in regard of heir of a Bhikkhus belongings: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

My person reached out one to his son, also to the nun, but not sure whether they got and got the message.

The Venerables would know the Vinaya in regard of a Bhikkhus left possession, yet of course wouldn't claim if others would have grasped on it. (Something very usual that householder, after death, take on heritage, in this days, sometimes even in approve of the gone before, of which bears a lot of troubles actually, known or unknown deeds.)

So the idea of approaching his preceptors, fellows... first, a member of the Sangha in his branch, would be wise.
Neither invited nor member of the community here, but the here given as received: Dhamma-dana
Cause_and_Effect
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

Modus.Ponens wrote: Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:37 pm Venerable Pannavati,

Thank you for your homage to Bhikkhu Samahita and your effort to preserve the dhamma. I hope that the missing parts of his website are still preserved on https://archive.is .

I would only add that downloading his videos from youtube may be legally questionable with regards to the precept of not stealing (from youtube in this case). As far as I can tell Youtube turns a blind eye to people downloading videos from their platform, but they're not actively helping either. I try to only download videos in danger of being deleted for archiving purposes. I'm sorry if I'm being neurotic about the precepts.

:anjali:
I don't believe it is stealing at all.
The dhamma is given as a free gift, and certainly YouTube cannot claim any rights over the videos just for hosting them.
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
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SilaSamadhi8
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by SilaSamadhi8 »

Hi,

Does anyone know what is the status of the hermitage he built near Kandy, Sri Lanka? Is it empty? Occupied by other members of the Sangha? Can one visit there?
Cypress Hermitage

Seeing his videos, I found that is a beautiful place to visit if I go to Sri Lanka one day.


With Metta.
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tharpa
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by tharpa »

I knew the Venerable Samahita on the internet quite well from way back when he first got started. He was one of the early monks to make his presence well known on the internet. I could say both positive and negative things.

The dhamma is available in translations of the Tipitaka. Whether a given monk's interpretation of the dhamma is valuable is partly revealed by how they live their life and how it comes to an end.

I certainly hope I have compassion for those struggling with mental illness. I worked in the mental health field for about ten years. I do not think that speaking the truth to or about someone with mental illness is necessarily uncompassionate. Indeed, I think that warning others not to go down a particular dangerous trail off of the main path can be quite compassionate.

If a monk commits suicide, however, I believe that's an important piece of information in deciding whether his teachings are worth studying, preserving and propagating. Yes, there are instances in the Tipitaka of fatally ill monks attaining nibbana as they lay dying from suicide, but still...

May he attain nibbana, and be well happy and peaceful until then.
May all beings, in or out of the womb, be well, happy and peaceful.
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DNS
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by DNS »

tharpa wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:54 pm I knew the Venerable Samahita on the internet quite well from way back when he first got started. He was one of the early monks to make his presence well known on the internet. I could say both positive and negative things.
I also had some communication with him from time to time, via emails. I heard from his son about the suicide but didn't want to ask the big question (why?) as it was too soon. Now some years have passed, was it mental health / depression? He had some rather cryptic, to say the least, posts at his google group near the end; talking about conspiracy theories, genocide about to happen. I knew he had some severe teeth problems and was trying to treat himself. So, I also wondered if it was from the effects of the medicine he was taking or the bacteria from the dental infections going to the brain or heart?
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Re: Preserving the teachings of Bhikkhu Samahita

Post by tharpa »

DNS wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 12:26 am I also had some communication with him from time to time, via emails. I heard from his son about the suicide but didn't want to ask the big question (why?) as it was too soon. Now some years have passed, was it mental health / depression? He had some rather cryptic, to say the least, posts at his google group near the end; talking about conspiracy theories, genocide about to happen. I knew he had some severe teeth problems and was trying to treat himself. So, I also wondered if it was from the effects of the medicine he was taking or the bacteria from the dental infections going to the brain or heart?
I am friends with a Danish monk in Sri Lanka, who told me that Ven. Samahita had had long-standing emotional ups and downs. (My translation: Bipolar Personality Disorder.) I also spoke with one of his dayakas, who told me that she had spoken with a person who had brought him to the hospital not long before, and that he appeared to be having paranoid ideation.

Personally, I doubt it was from the medicine he gave himself. I had gotten the impression that the dayakas in Sri Lanka were very good about supplying requisites to monks. So I'm surprised that he did not have access to dental visits when needed. I guess that goes beyond what the populace can afford. I heard that he lived in a remote location, so that no doubt had something to do with it.
Last edited by tharpa on Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
May all beings, in or out of the womb, be well, happy and peaceful.
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