Dharmavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS) Developing Buddhist Dhamma in Indonesia

[Eko Care]

Dharmavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS) Developing Buddhist Dhamma in Indonesia.

Jakarta (Buddhist Public Relations) -- Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance Supriyadi attended the 11th Abhiddhamma Dharmavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS) Day, Sunday (16/10).

In his remarks, Supriyadi appreciated DBS for focusing on developing Buddha Dhamma in Indonesia.

"Thank you, Bhante Asin Kheminda for making a very positive contribution to the development of Buddhism in Indonesia," he said.

According to the Director General, the journey of learning Abhidhamma in Indonesia is quite long, he (Asin Kheminda) is committed to providing learning to the people so they can learn Abhidhamma in a structured and systematic way.

.............
Because of that, said Supriyadi, I am quoting a word that I hold to myself, namely that learning Dhamma is not up for debate but to get happiness that is what has always been my personal guideline not to get tired and not to stop learning.

YM Bhante Asin Kheminda in his dhamma message conveyed the importance of the Abhiddhamma for Buddhists.

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

Bhante Asin Kheminda further explained that the benefits of learning Abhidhamma are enormous, not only for ourselves but also as speakers of Dhamma who understand Abhidhamma, so what you are going to convey will also be of great benefit to the listeners.

These five must be owned by buddhists (cultivated), besides the scriptures, and the Commentary:

1. VISUDDHIMAGGO (IN FIRST ORDER),
2. The Great Chronicle of Buddhas,
3. Parittā book,
4. Abhidhammatta-saṅgaho (if someone doesn't understand Abhidhammo EVEN THE EASIEST LESSONS, HE'S BETTER KEEP SILENT or just study "Puggala-paňňatti [this is the easiest Abhihammo book]"),
5. Encyclopedia of Tipiṭaka (by Malala Sekera).

Ashin Khemindo (founder of DBS in Indonesia, originator of Abhidhammo day in Indonesia),
"In Abhidhammo, worldly words are omitted, like 'water' it is just a WORLD AGREEMENT, which ABSOLUTELY IS H2O (because 'water' is 'hydrogen and oxygen')."

"Abhidhamma Made Easy" by Venerable Khemindo has and will continue to help many people.

I have read the below about Ashin Kheminda.

Ashin Kheminda's hallmark is being able to present the Dhamma in an interactive, humorous, and emotionally engaging manner. The stories and points presented are also light and easy to understand because they are told in simple and straightforward language.

I guess it may be the reason for his book to be famous.

[rajitha7]

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

So it would not be appropriate to refer to monks as "Bhante".

I could be wrong. Just check in any case.

[Sam Vara]

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

So it would not be appropriate to refer to monks as "Bhante".

I could be wrong. Just check in any case.

I thought it is appropriate, because it is merely an honorific title for a monk. Here's a check with Wikipedia:

Bhante (Pali; Burmese: ဘန္တေ, pronounced [bàɰ̃tè]; Sanskrit: bhavantaḥ[1]), sometimes also called Bhadanta, is a respectful title used to address Buddhist monks and superiors in the Theravada tradition.

The term religiously means "Venerable Sir."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhante

[rajitha7]

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

I could be wrong. Just check in any case.

I thought it is appropriate, because it is merely an honorific title for a monk. Here's a check with Wikipedia:

Bhante (Pali; Burmese: ဘန္တေ, pronounced [bàɰ̃tè]; Sanskrit: bhavantaḥ[1]), sometimes also called Bhadanta, is a respectful title used to address Buddhist monks and superiors in the Theravada tradition.

The term religiously means "Venerable Sir."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhante

All my encounters with the term, it was always used to refer to the Buddha - not to anyone else!

It would be strange if someone used the same to refer to someone who is not a Buddha.

But then again, I could be wrong. There may have been instances where it was used for others.

[Sam Vara]

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

I could be wrong. Just check in any case.

I thought it is appropriate, because it is merely an honorific title for a monk. Here's a check with Wikipedia:

Bhante (Pali; Burmese: ဘန္တေ, pronounced [bàɰ̃tè]; Sanskrit: bhavantaḥ[1]), sometimes also called Bhadanta, is a respectful title used to address Buddhist monks and superiors in the Theravada tradition.

The term religiously means "Venerable Sir."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhante

All my encounters with the term, it was always used to refer to the Buddha - not to anyone else!

It would be strange if someone used the same to refer to someone who is not a Buddha.

But then again, I could be wrong. There may have been instances where it was used for others.

I suppose I also got used to hearing the term applied to monks by lay people, as well as seeing it in the suttas applied to the Buddha.

Some terms are used for the Buddha and others: arahant, for example.

[rajitha7]

Some terms are used for the Buddha and others: arahant, for example.

There are 3 kinds of Buddhas.

1 - Sammasam Buddha
2 - Arahant Buddha
3 - Pacheka Buddha

All 3 have "Buddha" in their title. Sammasam Buddha is Arahant and a lot more.

Its not the norm to refer with a term commonly used for a Thahtagatha on a non-Thahtagatha.

The Thahtagatha is an incredibly special person. No one would dare to be equated to someone like that even by title.

[Eko Care]

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

So it would not be appropriate to refer to monks as "Bhante".

Oh dear, it would be nice if you be familiar with the text and the culture before starting criticism. There is no difference between the unnecessary point raised above and the points raised by most of modern sutta interpreters. If one of such false criticism is introduced then there can be seen many further false proofs introducing to prove the point raised.

I thought it is appropriate, because it is merely an honorific title for a monk. Here's a check with Wikipedia:

The term "Bhante" is introduced/recommended by the Blessed One (not by someone else) for addressing elder monks.

Mahaparinibbana Sutta
Yatha kho panananda, etarahi bhikkhu annamannam avusovadena samudacaranti, na kho mamaccayena evam samudacaritabbam. Theratarena, ananda, bhikkhuna navakataro bhikkhu namena va gottena va avusovadena va samudacaritabbo. Navakatarena bhikkhuna therataro bhikkhu 'bhante'ti va 'ayasma'ti va samudacaritabbo.

At present, Ānanda, the monks address each other with the word ‘friend’, but after my passing away they are not to address one another thus. The elder monk, Ānanda, should address the younger monk by his name or by his clan name or by the word ‘friend’. But the younger monk should address the elder monk as reverend Sir or venerable Sir.

[rajitha7]

As I said before, I could be wrong.

So it appears to be used to indicate seriority than built-into the title.

So for example

Bhante Dhammalok Mahasthavir

Should be

Dhammalok Mahasthavir

A junior refers to him as "Bhante" and others just Dhammalok.

[Sam Vara]

Some terms are used for the Buddha and others: arahant, for example.

There are 3 kinds of Buddhas.

1 - Sammasam Buddha
2 - Arahant Buddha
3 - Pacheka Buddha

All 3 have "Buddha" in their title. Sammasam Buddha is Arahant and a lot more.

Its not the norm to refer with a term commonly used for a Thahtagatha on a non-Thahtagatha.

The Thahtagatha is an incredibly special person. No one would dare to be equated to someone like that even by title.

Yes. What I meant, though, was the fact that the Tathagata - Gotama Buddha - is referred to as an "arahant", as well as lots of other people who became arahants in his dispensation.

[Gwi II]

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

So it would not be appropriate to refer to monks as "Bhante".

I could be wrong. Just check in any case.

Bhante: teacher
usually spoken by students to ascetics (spiritual teachers)

On the eve of parinibbāno, The Buddho gave "brahmadaṇḍa"
to Channo thero and from next onward, JUNIOR bhikkhus were
forbidden to call "āvuso (brother)" to senior bhikkhus, they had
to call (1) BHANTE (teacher) or (2) āyasmā (venerable).
[DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna-suttaṃ].

* Fun fact: DN 16 is the longest Suttaṃ

[Gwi II]

I think the term "Bhante" was used to refer to the Buddha by his followers.

So it would not be appropriate to refer to monks as "Bhante".

Oh dear, it would be nice if you be familiar with the text and the culture before starting criticism. There is no difference between the unnecessary point raised above and the points raised by most of modern sutta interpreters. If one of such false criticism is introduced then there can be seen many further false proofs introducing to prove the point raised.

I thought it is appropriate, because it is merely an honorific title for a monk. Here's a check with Wikipedia:

The term "Bhante" is introduced/recommended by the Blessed One (not by someone else) for addressing elder monks.

Mahaparinibbana Sutta
Yatha kho panananda, etarahi bhikkhu annamannam avusovadena samudacaranti, na kho mamaccayena evam samudacaritabbam. Theratarena, ananda, bhikkhuna navakataro bhikkhu namena va gottena va avusovadena va samudacaritabbo. Navakatarena bhikkhuna therataro bhikkhu 'bhante'ti va 'ayasma'ti va samudacaritabbo.

At present, Ānanda, the monks address each other with the word ‘friend’, but after my passing away they are not to address one another thus. The elder monk, Ānanda, should address the younger monk by his name or by his clan name or by the word ‘friend’. But the younger monk should address the elder monk as reverend Sir or venerable Sir.

[Mumfie]

Its not the norm to refer with a term commonly used for a Thahtagatha on a non-Thahtagatha.

The Thahtagatha is an incredibly special person. No one would dare to be equated to someone like that even by title.

To refer to any arahant as a tathāgata isn't a common practice, but we do meet with it in the suttas.

Evaṃ vimuttacittaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṃ saindā devā sabrahmakā sapajāpatikā anvesaṃ nādhigacchanti: ‘idaṃ nissitaṃ tathāgatassa viññāṇan’ti. Taṃ kissa hetu? Diṭṭhevāhaṃ, bhikkhave, dhamme tathāgataṃ ananuvijjoti vadāmi.
(MN22)

Bodhi:

"Bhikkhus, when the gods with Indra, with Brahmā and with Pajāpati seek a bhikkhu who is thus liberated in mind, they do not find anything of which they could say: ‘The consciousness of one thus gone is supported by this.’ Why is that? One thus gone, I say, is untraceable here and now."

Horner:

"Monks, when a monk's mind is freed thus, the devas—those with Inda, those with Brahmā, those with Pajāpati, do not succeed in their search if they think: ‘This is the discriminative consciousness attached to a Tathāgata.’ What is the reason for this? I, monks, say here and now that a Tathāgata is untraceable."

[rajitha7]

Tathāgata is untraceable.

So after a Parinibbana its not appropriate to refer to Tathāgata as "dead". The only appropriate term is "untraceable".

Why is that?

[Gwi II]

Dharmavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS) Developing Buddhist Dhamma in Indonesia.

Jakarta (Buddhist Public Relations) -- Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance Supriyadi attended the 11th Abhiddhamma Dharmavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS) Day, Sunday (16/10).

In his remarks, Supriyadi appreciated DBS for focusing on developing Buddha Dhamma in Indonesia.

"Thank you, Bhante Asin Kheminda for making a very positive contribution to the development of Buddhism in Indonesia," he said.

According to the Director General, the journey of learning Abhidhamma in Indonesia is quite long, he (Asin Kheminda) is committed to providing learning to the people so they can learn Abhidhamma in a structured and systematic way.

.............
Because of that, said Supriyadi, I am quoting a word that I hold to myself, namely that learning Dhamma is not up for debate but to get happiness that is what has always been my personal guideline not to get tired and not to stop learning.

YM Bhante Asin Kheminda in his dhamma message conveyed the importance of the Abhiddhamma for Buddhists.

"There is a valid enough reason that the Abhidhamma must be popularized in all corners of Indonesia, even if it is possible for all Dhamma preachers, all Dhamma teachers should also master Abhidhamma," said Bhante.

Bhante Asin Kheminda further explained that the benefits of learning Abhidhamma are enormous, not only for ourselves but also as speakers of Dhamma who understand Abhidhamma, so what you are going to convey will also be of great benefit to the listeners.

These five must be owned by buddhists (cultivated), besides the scriptures, and the Commentary:

1. VISUDDHIMAGGO (IN FIRST ORDER),
2. The Great Chronicle of Buddhas,
3. Parittā book,
4. Abhidhammatta-saṅgaho (if someone doesn't understand Abhidhammo EVEN THE EASIEST LESSONS, HE'S BETTER KEEP SILENT or just study "Puggala-paňňatti [this is the easiest Abhihammo book]"),
5. Encyclopedia of Tipiṭaka (by Malala Sekera).

Ashin Khemindo (founder of DBS in Indonesia, originator of Abhidhammo day in Indonesia),
"In Abhidhammo, worldly words are omitted, like 'water' it is just a WORLD AGREEMENT, which ABSOLUTELY IS H2O (because 'water' is 'hydrogen and oxygen')."

"Abhidhamma Made Easy" by Venerable Khemindo has and will continue to help many people.

I have read the below about Ashin Kheminda.

Ashin Kheminda's hallmark is being able to present the Dhamma in an interactive, humorous, and emotionally engaging manner. The stories and points presented are also light and easy to understand because they are told in simple and straightforward language.

I guess it may be the reason for his book to be famous.

Venerable Khemindo did his bachelor degree at ITBMU (The
International Theravāda Buddhist Missionary University) of
Yangon and got a gold medal as the best graduate.

He translated Pāḷi canon, the Commentaries, from Pāḷi to
Indonesian, writing a books, taught, preach, Q&A, and he
translating the Abhidhammatta-saṅgaho (previously there
were only volumes 1 and 2, no one was able to translate it
[maybe too difficult]) to Indonesian language, etc.

[Eko Care]

Venerable Khemindo did his bachelor degree at ITBMU (The International Theravāda Buddhist Missionary University) of Yangon and got a gold medal as the best graduate.

He translated Pāḷi canon, the Commentaries, from Pāḷi to Indonesian, writing a books, taught, preach, Q&A, and he translating the Abhidhammatta-saṅgaho (previously there were only volumes 1 and 2, no one was able to translate it [maybe too difficult]) to Indonesian language, etc.

It seems pioneer student monks of ITBMU have closely same physique. The head teacher at IIT (Ven. Maggavihari) has also graduated at ITBMU and set up a closely same kind of missionary institute in Sri Lanka recently.

https://www.facebook.com/International. ... .Theravada
https://www.youtube.com/c/iitinternatio ... vadaglobal