monastic – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

Peter Wyles Passes Away Sat Upright 29.5.2026 2015hrs

UK: My Father Radiating Peace & Love at the Point of Departure! (31.5.2026)

31/05/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

375. Control of the senses, contentment, restraint according to the code of monastic discipline — these form the basis of holy life here for the wise monk.

376. Let him associate with friends who are noble, energetic, and pure in life, let him be cordial and refined in conduct. Thus, full of joy, he will make an end of suffering.

377. Just as the jasmine creeper sheds its withered flowers, even so, O monks, should you totally shed lust and hatred!

378. The monk who is calm in body, calm in speech, calm in thought, well-composed and who has spewn out worldliness — he, truly, is called serene.

379. By oneself one must censure oneself and scrutinize oneself . The self-guarded and mindful monk will always live in happiness.

380. One is one’s own protector, one is one’s own refuge. Therefore, one should control oneself, even as a trader controls a noble steed.

381. Full of joy, full of faith in the Teaching of the Buddha, the monk attains the Peaceful State, the bliss of cessation of conditioned things.

382. That monk who while young devotes himself to the Teaching of the Buddha illumines this world like the moon freed from clouds.

Zen of Galmpton! (24.8.2035)

24/08/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

Here we are. Zen is Ch’an in reverse – which is good as perception is the wrong way around. Turn it the right way around – and Zen becomes Ch’an the right way around. Not always an easy task – like catching a steam train whilst it is obscured by it’s own smoke. What a joy such contradictions are. They exist to test our perception and determination. As such, nothing else matters. We all look up – and we all look down – just like every koan (gong-an) you may have viewed. Still, none of it matters if you cannot lay it all down. None of it matters at all.

The Pure Behaviour of Ch’an Master Ti Guang [体光] (1924-2005)! [22.10.2024]

22/10/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

This is why Master Ti Guang had perfected the realisation of “stillness” (emptiness) and “movement” (function) – and was able to express this through a martial technique free of greed, hatred, and delusion. All year roung, Master Ti Guang wore a tattered, patchwork robe – following the Buddha’s original example of only wearing a robe constructed out of tattered clothing taken from the rotting corpses lying around in the charnel grounds of ancient India. Master Ti Guang never ate any food after noon each day. Master Ti Guang understood (and followed) all the rules and regulations governing the strict discipline of the Meditation hall. As a consequence, Master Ti Guang had stilled and expanded his mind, and manifested endless degrees of insightul wisdom throughout his life!

Meditating & Meandering Through the Beautiful Ruins of Waverley Abbey! (11.5.2024)

12/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

This was a place where a group of Cistercian monastics (following the Rule of St Benedict) – also known as “Trappist” monks – spent years in silent contemplation of the Bible and their inner minds. The lifestyle of such a monk is designed to “still” the mind and empty the interior of all desire. Only when the mind and body of the monk is “empty” might God grant “grace” and make himself known – but he might not. Either way, once the monk is empty of all desire – the love of Jesus Christ can shrine view. The monk possesses no opinion and so the cycle of each da peacefully unfolds.

China: Gansu Buddhist ‘Smile of the Orient’ Said to Equal That of the ‘Mona Lisa’! (5.9.2023)

05/09/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

The early Buddhist groups in China mirrored that of the extant Confucian scholiastic system – often forming around married laymen – with disciples taking the surname of the teacher as their ‘Dharma-Name’ and essentially becoming an extension of his family. Grottoes such as that featured below were places where Buddhists could meet, share and practice their understanding of Indian Buddhist philosophy. An understanding of Buddhist monasticism started to arrive and distinguish itself in China from the existing lay-practice around the 5th century CE – the date I believe this ‘smiling’ monk appears to date from. Whereas Buddhist lay-practitioners did not shave their heads (like Daoists and Confucians) – monastic Buddhists (male and female) were required to shave their heads – indicative of their ‘rejecting’ of the desire-laden conventions that define, guide and justify the external world.

Laos Buddhist-Socialist Republic: First quarter of 2023 Saw Over 800,000 Tourists Visit! (11.5.2023)

11/05/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

There are various activities that are unique to the people of Luang Prabang, such as wearing traditional clothing, unique food and experiencing the lifestyle of the local people. In the past 2 years, there were 883,096 tourists who visited Luang Prabang. In this, 483,765 domestic tourists, 399,331 international tourists – with the average income from tourism amounting to more than 336 million US dollars. Along with this, Luang Prabang province has 97 hotels, many resorts, 400 guest houses, 311 restaurants, 97 travel companies, 19 entertainment stores, 36 massage and spa shops, 553 national tour guides (with at least 126 women performing this role) and 41 provincial tour guides (including 11 women). All of this development has continued to attract tourists to continuously visit Luang Prabang each year!

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