http://www.dhammanet.org/ Dhamma net is a repository of Audio and Video Dhamma talks by prominent Buddhist scholars including Venerable Sujato (Bhante Sujato), Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery in Bundanoon, Sydney.The talks and other audio and video material are free for download in the true spirit of Dhamma.Dhammanet is independantly run by volunteer contributions and is not directly affiliated with any community/group including Santi Forest Monastery. en-gb www.dhammanet.org admin@nospam.com (admin) admin@nospam.com (admin) Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:00:58 -0600 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:00:58 -0600 http://backend.userland.com/rss e107 (http://e107.org) 60 http://www.dhammanet.org/e107_images/button.png http://www.dhammanet.org/ 88 31 Dhamma net is a repository of Audio and Video Dhamma talks by prominent Buddhist scholars including Venerable Sujato (Bhante Sujato), Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery in Bundanoon, Sydney.The talks and other audio and video material are free for download in the true spirit of Dhamma.Dhammanet is independantly run by volunteer contributions and is not directly affiliated with any community/group including Santi Forest Monastery. http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.24.1 call for fund raising for Dhammanet media projects". Thanks to your generous donations we have reached the required funds to procure an external Hard Disk Drive and this will soon be used in the production of this year's Mitra Conference DVD and/or associated media work. Stay tuned for more information.
Thank you and may all rejoice in the good merits created by this act of kindness!!!
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Background

The colonial powers, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British had pursued a policy of suppressing the indigenous intellectual leaders who were the Buddhist monks. The Portuguese had destroyed all temples along the coast and the ancient university-like centres of learning (pirivenas), and churches were built on their foundations. The Dutch had made Sunday a holiday and Poya Day a working day. This was continued by the British. It was only after the British granted religious freedom in 1806, the first temples were established in Colombo – Jayasekeraramaya, Kuppiyawatta in 1823, Dipaduttamaramaya, Kotahena in 1832, Mirandaramaya, Mutwal in 1833, Pahala Pansela, Kotahena in 1855 and Thilakeratnaramaya, Borella, also in 1855.


Migettuwatte Gunannda Thera of Dipaduttamaramaya with the intention of showing the numerical strength of Buddhists in Colombo which was then dominated by Catholics organized peraheras with drums. Such processions were attacked in Kochchikade in 1872 and in Madampitiya in 1880. Migettuwatte Thera had planned a seven week ceremony in celebration of a netra puja of a new Buddha image at Dipaduttamaramaya. Every day one or two processions came to the temple from different parts of Colombo. On the last day of the celebrations which fell on March 25, the Easter day in 1883, the Catholics were greatly annoyed by a false rumour that a crucified monkey was being carried in the procession. When the procession approached the Roman Catholic church near Dipaduttamaramaya, the cathedral bell sounded, followed by bells in other churches. Around a thousand men descended on the procession with clubs, swords and stones and a riot ensued. Consequently, a Buddhist by the name of Juan Naide died and forty others were injured. This resulted in a ban of Buddhist processions.

When the Buddhist leaders did not see any solution coming from the government, they formed a Buddhist Defence committee under the leadership of Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera who was the head of Vidyodaya Pirivena. Muhandiram A. P. Dharma Gunawardena was elected as chairman; Don Carolis Hevawitharana was elected vice chairman, H. A. Fernando was its treasurer and Mr. C. P. Gunawardena was elected as secretary. This committee unanimously resolved that Col. H. Olcott residing in Madras at the time be sent to England as its representative. At the request of the Buddhist Defence Committee, Col. Olcotte arrived in Colombo, and undertook to carry out the assignment. He went to England to meet the Secretary of State for Colonies. The document submitted to the Secretary of State contained two major demands: 1. The Vesak Full moon day be declared a full holiday for the government servants of Ceylon; and 2. All rules and regulations be removed in order to enable the holding of processions depicting the religious and cultural significance of Sinhalese Buddhists. The document also mentions: "Although Europeans hate the sound of torn toms the Asiatic people love and appreciate it as good music and without it, they think the ceremonies are lifeless and tasteless". These two demands were granted and accordingly the Vesak holiday was declared with effect from Vesak full moon day that fell on the 28th of April 1885.

Vesak Festival Committee

A Vesak Festival Committee was formed by the Buddhist Defence Committee to organize the Vesak celebrations on a grand scale and the following ten members were appointed: 1. Hikkaduve Sri Sumangala Thera, 2. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, 3. Don Corolis Hewavitharana, 4. A. P .Dharma Gunawardcna, 5. C. P. Gunawardena, 6. William de Abrew, 7. Charles A de Silva, 8. N. S. Fcrnando, 09. Peter de Abrew, and 10. William H. Fernando.

The following activities were included in the Vesak Programme: 1. A procession to be conducted starting from the neighbourhood of Don Carolis Hevawitharana's business premises in Pettah to the Vidyodaya Pirivena on April 27, 1885, organized by Muhandiram A. P. Dharma Gunawardena, 2. In the morning of April 28th 1885, the Buddhist flag was to be hoisted ceremoniously at the Dipaduttamarama temple at Kotahena and 3. In the evening of the same day, a religious oration to be delivered at the Kelaniya temple by Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera on the signifi¬cance of the Vesak holiday.

Who designed the Buddhist Flag



The Vesak festival committee requested the committee members to submit designs for such a flag. Headed by Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, all the committee members put forward various designs. But the one that was designed and submitted by Mr. C. P. Gunawardena, which depicted the emission of the six coloured rays of the Buddha was adopted as the best. The six colors - blue, yellow, red, white, scarlet and the mixture of these six colors represent the colours of the aura that emanated from the body of the Buddha when he attained Enlightenment.


Sometimes the design of the flag is erroneously attributed to Col. Olcott. But, he himself has noted down in his diary that he did not design it. Col. Olcott who was away from the Island when the Buddhist flag was devised returned to Ceylon on January 1886 and was pleased to see the Buddhist flag for the first time at the Dipaduttamaramaya at Kotahena. He suggested that the long streaming shape be modified in order to keep in with the standard of other national flags. In the centenary souvenir of the Colombo Buddhist Theosophical Society, published in 1985, it has been mentioned that Mr. C.P. Gunawardena was the designer of the flag.

Introduced internationally


In 1889 the Buddhist flag was introduced to Japan by Anagarika Dharmapala and Col. Olcott. Anagarika Dharmapala attended the Darjeeling Buddhist Conference of 1892 carrying the Buddhist flag with him. At the inaugural conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists on 25 May 1950, held in Sri Lanka, its founder President Professor G.P. Malalasekera proposed that this flag be adopted as the flag of Buddhists throughout the world. This motion was unanimously passed. Subsequently, the Buddhist flag spread into other Buddhist countries in Asia. In 1963, the Catholic President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem invoked a law prohibiting flags other than that of the nation, to ban the Buddhist flag from being flown on Vesak day. This led to a protest by the Buddhists which was brutally suppressed by the government. This eventually led the way to oust the regime.


[Unfortunately the author of this article could not be verified - Pease contact Dhammanet if you are aware of this information]]]> admin@nospam.com (admin) Sat, 29 May 2010 02:14:38 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.23.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.22.1 For all film-lovers with a strong curiosity or developed interest in Buddhism - here comes the 2010 edition of the Reel to Real Buddhist Film Festival, hosted by Zen Open Circle together with the NSW Buddhist Council, as part of the first ever Buddhist Festival Month, now running in Sydney.
The 7th REEL to REAL Buddhist Film Festival The Footbridge Theatre on Parramatta Rd, Glebe SATURDAY 15TH MAY 2010 buddhistfestivalmonth.org.au Tickets available at the door or book on-line Great value $50 all-day pass available
*Fine films and conversation about film and Buddhism with a focus this year on deep and dazzling Buddhist-inspired documentaries*
*In conversation with filmmaker & Zen Roshi Dr Susan Murphy, Master Chef Kylie Kwong, & Tibetan nun Thubten Chokyi from Liberation Prison Program*
This year has an emphasis on creative shorts with a Buddhist focus, from Australia and all over the world, and on three superb documentaries each accompanied by guest speakers in conversation with Festival director, Zen Roshi, Dr Susan Murphy.

*LATE BREAKING NEWS! *
****See two the first two sessions of brilliant International and Australian shorts for the price of one, if you quote 'TWO-FOR-ONE' at the box office on the day.

****IMPORTANT PROGRAM CHANGE for final session.
SPECIAL EVENT -WOMEN IN BUDDHISM: Due to very strong audience response to Buddhist nun, Tenzin Palmo, highlight guest of this year's Mitra Conference 'Buddhism Unplugged', and the controversy surrounding the recent ordination in Perth of six Theravadan nuns, 'MEDITATE AND DESTROY!' will be replaced by the stunning film, 'CAVE IN THE SNOW', documenting Tenzin Palmo's 12 years meditating in a Tibetan cave and her fight for the rights of women to proceed to full Buddhist ordination.
Ven Sujato, a Forest monk who has spoken and written in defence of the restoration of full ordination for nuns, will join Susan and the audience in conversation after the film to discuss issues of the rights of women in Buddhism.
See below for the rest of the program and great ticket prices!]]> admin@nospam.com (admin) Wed, 05 May 2010 21:03:50 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.22.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.20.1 “It’s Not About Me!”

Short film makers are invited to submit entries 10 minutes or less in length, in any genre, to the Reel to Real Short Film Competition.

Entries must in some way reflect the theme of the 2010 competition, which is 'It's Not About Me!', in a way that, however obliquely, touches on or sets people thinking about some of the big questions raised by the way of the Buddha. 

We welcome drama, documentary, animation, or combinations of all three, and we look forward to creative, provocative and ingenious ways of approaching and exploring the theme.

Closing date for entries is May 3, 2010.  The screening of finalists will be on May 15, 2010, 2-4pm, as part of the Reel to Real Sydney Buddhist Film Festival, held by the Buddhist Festival Month and Zen Open Circle, at the Footbridge Theatre, Sydney University (Parramatta Road, Glebe).

Entries to be sent on DVD (two copies each) to PO Box 593, Crows Nest, NSW 1585

Submission guidelines:
·        Films must be 10 minutes or less in length (including titles and credits)
·        Films should reflect the theme 'It's Not About Me!'
·        Minimum resolution should be at least 640 x 480 pixels
·        Films should be submitted on DVD in PAL TV format

What to submit:
·        Two copies of the DVD (please check your DVD plays in its entirety on a DVD player before submission)
·        A signed copy of the Entry Form (download here)

Where and when to submit:
·        Entries should be postmarked NO LATER than Monday, May 3rd 2010.
·        Entries to be addressed to “Reel to Real Short Film Competition” and sent to PO Box 593, Crows Nest, NSW 1585

Awards:
·        There will be two awards for this competition.
o   Judges’ award
o   Peoples’ award (to be judged on the afternoon of screening by the audience)

 For those films which make the shortlist for screening, we invite the filmmaker to introduce their film.

For further queries,
E-mail: films@buddhistfestivalmonth.org.au              
Web: buddhistfestivalmonth.org.au]]> http://www.dhammanet.org/comment.php?comment.news.20 admin@nospam.com (admin) Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:38:57 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.20.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.19.1 here...]]> admin@nospam.com (admin) Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:41:46 -0700 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.19.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.18.1 here to listen to the audio recording.]]> admin@nospam.com (admin) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:06:21 -0700 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.18.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.17.1 admin@nospam.com (admin) Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:19:11 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.17.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.16.1 here)]]> admin@nospam.com (admin) Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:16:07 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.16.1 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.15.1 admin@nospam.com (admin) Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:36:46 -0600 http://www.dhammanet.org/news.php?item.15.1