Growth, purity, birth – some of the terms that one correctly hears when learning about the dharmic symbolic importance of the lotus. Flowers are widely used through all religious rituals and practices be it for wedding ceremonies, spiritual decor or many forms of blessings. The lotus stands out among these due to its symbolic significance […]
Why Ancient Indian Dharmic Philosophy Will Shape Business in the 21st Century
Events of recent years have left many people in the West equating “business-as-usual” with bad karma. The Wall Street crash of ‘08, the bursting of the housing bubble, and the deaths of over 100 employees in a fire Bangladeshi factory (used by Walmart among others) in 2013, are just a few events that have made […]
Picture of the Week: Two Golden Fish
The auspicious symbol of The 2 Golden Fish in Buddhism symbolizes happiness, fertility, abundance and all living things in a state of fearlessness. Some suggest that the idea behind this is that fish swim freely through the ocean with no fear of drowning. The origins of it can be traced back to a symbol of the Yamuna […]
Castes in Buddhism – Is Caste Only a Hindu Problem (Part 4)
By OP Sudrania “Hans Wolfgang Schumann has statistically proven that almost all of Buddha’s disciples were high caste people and that the brahmanas comprised the majority of the sangha.” Edmund Weber I have split this monogram in three sections for ease of readers mostly to avoid monotony of a long continuous read in one stretch. […]
Picture of the Week: Wisdom Eyes of Buddha
The wisdom eyes of Buddha symbol looks in the 4 directions to show the all-seeing of a Buddha. The Buddha eyes are mostly common in the country of Nepal. The question mark like symbol is the Nepali character for 1, which symbolizes unity of all the things. Above this is a third eye, symbolizing the all-seeing wisdom of the Buddha.
Ain’t No Hindus, Buddhists or Jains 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. […]
Picture of the Week: 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.
Celebrating Buddhism Culture in Andhra Pradesh, India
Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda are two world famous Buddhist centers and both are located within the borders of Andhra Pradesh, which is known for its deep roots in the rich Buddhist culture. These are only two sites of 150, which have been identified and located in the state. Out of all the states in India, Andhra […]
Picture of the Week: Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or “Yellow Hat” branch of Tibetan Buddhism. Tenzin Gyatso, shortened from Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, born Lhamo Dondrub, 6 July, 1935 is the 14th and current Dalai Lama.
Picture of the Week: Big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha)
Big Buddha is also known as the Tian Tan Buddha located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. Big Buddha rests above the 268 flights of stairs and the lotus seat.