Ain’t No Hindus, Buddhists or Jains Going to Heaven?

Aint going to Heaven?

By S. Rohtas (CHAKRA Blogs) This week there was a video of a young child singing in a church performance with the lyrics “Ain’t no Homos gonna make it to Heaven” that have caused quite a stir in many human rights, gay/lesbian rights and other circles. I personally find this video appalling, but not surprising. […]

British Sikhs Recognized by Business Secretary

british-sikhs

At a Sikh exhibition during Vaisakhi celebrations, Dr. Vince Cable addressed and paid tribute to British Sikhs. He spoke during the “Turbanology: Sikh Unwrapped” exhibition which was held for the first time in London. Dr Cable, the Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary recognized Sikhs for their contribution to prosperity in business in Britain. He also […]

Powerful Spiritual & Physical Weapons from Ancient Hindu Texts

Brahma's Arrow

(CHAKRA) There are many examples of symbolism and descriptions of weapons in Hinduism scriptures. Here is a list of the weapons/astras that are mentioned in various hindu texts and epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. A few of these weapons in modern day are just used for religious symbols, but some have evolved and […]

Picture of the Week: Jainism Flag

Jainism Flag

The Jainism flag has five different colours. The red color represents for Siddha, Yellow for Acharya, White for Arihanta, Green for Upadhyaya and Blue for Sadhu. There is a symbol of the dharmic swastik in the central strip. The three dots above the swastika represent the three jewels of Jainism: Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak […]

International students Visit Somaiya Vidyavihar for Launch of Book and Session on Jain philosophy

Somaiya Vidyavihar

By Vinay Maurya and Vikram Kamble (CHAKRA) As Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of one’s own personal wisdom and reliance on self control through vows, Somaiya has taken a step further as a part of their teaching and educating students through Jain philosophy. The book “Various facets of Saman Suttam” will be released on 24th May, 2012 at […]

Picture of the Week: Eternal Knot

Buddhism Symbol - Eternal Knot

The endless knot, also called eternal knot is a Buddhist symbol and one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in Buddhisn. It is an important cultural marker in places significantly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism such as Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva, Kalmykia, and Buryatia.

Seminar Held to Discuss Vietnamese Buddhist Education

Vietnam

Hundreds of teachers and educational experts from across Vietnam gathered together at a seminar held in Hanoi to discuss the models and methods of education that Vietnamese Buddhism currently uses. The seminar focus was, “Education on Vietnamese Buddhism: Orientation and Development. The participants and presenters shared their views on education in general followed by their […]

10-Year Old Sikh Boy Becomes Youngest Gatka Master

Gatka

While most young boys in India enjoy a sport of cricket with their friends, 10-year old Manpreet Singh loves nothing more than a coconut being smashed on his forehead using a baseball bat. The Punjabi boy has become the world’s youngest master of the Indian martial art called Gatka. He is not only brave but […]

Picture of the Week: Jai Ganesh

Jai Ganesh

Jai Ganesh is a deity in Hinduism that is in a human form but with the head of an elephant. This unique symbolism represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors. Therefore, many Hindus worship Ganesha first before beginning any religious, spiritual or worldly activity.