The Position of Women in Buddhism

Nov 4, 2013 | Views: 1,007

From TheBuddhism.Net

by Dr. (Mrs.) L.S. Dewaraja

Today, when the role of Women in Society is an issue of worldwide interest it is opportune that we should pause to look at it from a Buddhist perspective.

In the recent past, a number of books have been written on the changing status of women in Hindu and Islamic societies, but with regard to women in Buddhism, ever since the distinguished Pali scholar, Miss I.B. Horner, wrote her book on Women under Primitive Buddhism, as far back as 1930, very little interest has been taken in the subject.

It seems, therefore, justified to raise again the question whether the position of women in Buddhist societies was better than that in non-Buddhist societies of Asia. We will look briefly into the position in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma and Tibet, at a time before the impact of the West was ever felt.

Hugh Boyd who came as an envoy to the Kandyan Court in 1782 writes,[1]

 The Cingalese women exhibit a striking contrast to those of all other Oriental Nations in some of the most prominent and distinctive features of their character. Instead of that lazy apathy, insipid modesty and sour austerity, which have characterized the sex throughout the Asiatick world, in every period of its history, in this island they possess that active sensibility, winning bashfulness and amicable ease, for which the women of modern Europe are peculiarly famed. The Cingalese women are not merely the slaves and mistresses, but in many respects the companions and friends of their husbands; for though the men be authorized by law to hold their daughters in tyrannical subjection, yet their sociable and placable dispositions, soften the rigor of their domestic policy. And polygamy being unknown and divorce permitted among the Cingalese, the men have none of that constitutional jealousy, which has given birth to the voluptuous and unmanly despotism that is practiced over the weaker sex in the most enlightened nations, and sanctioned by the various religions of Asia. The Cingalese neither keep their women in confinement nor impose on them any humiliating restraints.

The above quotation is just one selected from a series of comments which European observers have made on the women of Sri Lanka. Many of these European visitors to our shores came during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. There were among them, envoys, missionaries, administrators, soldiers, physicians and ship-wrecked mariners. They had first-hand knowledge of the women in Europe and many of them came through India having observed the women in Hindu and Islamic societies

Hence their evidence is all the more valuable. The recurring comments made by these widely traveled visitors on the women of Sri Lanka have evoked our curiosity to conduct this inquiry. The discussion that follows will deal with condition that prevailed up to the middle of the nineteenth century. Prior to this our sources are so meager that we cannot detect any major social changes. After this, due to the impact of Western imperialism, commercial enterprise and Christian missionary activity, incipient changes in the traditional structures become perceptible.

It is only in European writings that one finds lengthy accounts of the social conditions prevailing in the island. The indigenous literature, being mainly religious, lacks information regarding mundane topics like women. But from circumstantial evidence one could surmise that the liberal attitude towards women in Sri Lanka is a trend that has continued from the remote past. When one thinks of women in the traditional East, the picture that comes to our minds is that of the veiled women of Islamic societies, the zenanas where high class Indian ladies lived in seclusion, the harems of Imperial china where lived thousands of royal concubines guarded by eunuchs, the devadasis who in the name of God were forced into a life of religious prostitution; all manifesting different aspects of the exploitation of women in the East. It is little known that there were societies in Asia where the position of women was a favorable one, judging even from modern standards. Thailand and Burma too belong to this category. In those instances also we have based our conclusions mainly on the observations of Europeans who lived in these two countries in various capacities in the 19th and 20th centuries. R. Grant Brown, who was a revenue officer for 28 years in Burma (1889-1917) has remarked,

 ”Every writer on Burma has commented on the remarkable degree of independence attained by the women. Their position is more surprising in view of the subjection and seclusion of wives and daughters in the neighboring countries of India and China…”[2]

A British envoy to the Court of Ava was struck by the equal treatment accorded even to royal ladies.

 ”The queen sat with the king on the throne to receive the embassy. They are referred to as ‘the two sovereign Lords’. It is not extraordinary to the Burmans for with them, generally speaking, woman are more nearly upon an equality with the stronger sex than among any other Eastern people of consideration.”[3]

Lieutenant General Albert Fytche, Late Chief Commissioner of British Burma and Agent to the Viceroy and Governor General of India, wrote in 1878, “Unlike the distrustful and suspicious Hindus and Mohammedans, woman holds among them a position of perfect freedom and independence. She is, with them, not the mere slave of passion, but has equal rights and is the recognized and duly honored helpmate of man, and in fact bears a more prominent share in the transactions of the more ordinary affairs of life than in the case perhaps with any other people, either eastern or western.”[4]

Further inquiries have revealed that in Thailand too, though not to the same extent, the women enjoyed considerable liberty. For instance, J.G.D. Campbell,[5] Educational Adviser to the Government of Siam wrote in 1902,

“In Siam at any rate whatever be the causes, the position of women in on the whole a healthy one, and contrasts favorably with that among most other Oriental people. No one can have been many days in Bangkok without being struck by the robust physique and erect bearing of the ordinary woman… It can be said of Buddhism that its influence has at least been all on the right side; and when we remember the thousand arguments that have been advanced in the name of both religion and morality to degrade and debase the weaker sex, this is indeed saying much to its credit.”

Sir Charles Bell, British Political Representative in Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim, writes in 1928, “When a traveler enters Tibet from the neighboring nations of India and China few things impress him more vigorously or more deeply than the position of the Tibetan woman. They are not kept in seclusion as are Indian women. Accustomed to mix with the other sex throughout their lives, they are at ease with men and can hold their own as well as any women in the world.” Bell continues, “And the solid fact remains that in Buddhist countries women hold a remarkably good position. Burma, Ceylon and Tibet exhibit the same picture.”[6]

These comments on the freedom and independence enjoyed by the women in certain pre-industrialized and sometimes isolated Asian societies are startling. It is not suggested that in any of these countries, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand, the women are on a par with the men both in theory and practice. But they have been favorably compared with the women of the neighboring countries of India and China, where Hindu, Confucian and Islamic doctrines held sway. This statement may appear contradictory for Burma and Thailand were synthesis of Indic and Sinic civilizations. In Sri Lanka too the impact of Hinduism was very strong. The question arises as to how the situation with regard to women in those three societies should be different from the major cultures of Asia. The common feature predominating in those countries is that they are intensely Buddhist. It is tempting therefore to conclude that Buddhism has helped to better the position of women in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand.

This conclusion would take us back to the question of the Buddhist attitude towards women and how it differs from that of other religions. Examining the position in ancient India it is clear from the evidence in the Rigveda, the earliest literature of the Indo-Aryans, that women held an honorable place in early Indian society. There were a few Rigvedic hymns composed by women. Women had access to the highest knowledge and could participate in all religious ceremonies. In domestic life too she was respected and there is no suggestion of seclusion of women and child marriage. Later when the priestly Brahmans dominated society and religion lost its spontaneity and became a mass of ritual, we see a downward trend in the position accorded to women. The most relentless of the Brahman law givers was Manu whose Code of Laws[7] is the most anti-feminist literature one could find. At the outset Manu deprived woman of her religious rights and spiritual life. “Sudras, slaves and women” were prohibited from reading the Vedas. A woman could not attain heaven through any merit of her own. She could not worship or perform a sacrifice by herself. She could reach heaven only through implicit obedience to her husband, be he debauched or devoid of all virtues. Having thus denied her any kind of spiritual and intellectual nourishment, Manu elaborated the myth that all women were sinful and prone to evil. “Neither shame nor decorum, nor honesty, nor timidity”, says Manu, “is the cause of a woman’s chastity, but the want of a suitor alone”.[8] She should therefore be kept under constant vigilance: and the best way to do it was to keep her occupied in the tasks of motherhood and domestic duties so that she has no time for mischief. Despite this denigration there was always in Indian thought an idealization of motherhood and a glorification of the feminine concept. But in actual practice, it could be said by and large, Manu’s reputed Code of Laws did influence social attitudes towards women, at least in the higher rungs of society.

It is against this background that one has to view the impact of Buddhism in the 5th century B.C. It is not suggested that the Buddha inaugurated a campaign for the liberation of Indian womanhood. But he did succeed in creating a minor stir against Brahman dogma and superstition. He condemned the caste structure dominated by the Brahman, excessive ritualism and sacrifice. He denied the existence of a Godhead and emphasized emancipation by individual effort. The basic doctrine of Buddhism, salvation by one’s own effort, presupposes the spiritual equality of all beings, male and female. This should mitigate against the exclusive supremacy of the male. It needed a man of considerable courage and a rebellious spirit to pronounce a way of life that placed woman on a level of near equality to man. The Buddha saw the spiritual potential of both men and women and founded after considerable hesitation the Order of Bhikkhunis or Nuns, one of the earliest organizations for women. The Sasana or Church consisted of the Bhikkhus (Monks), Bhikkhunis (Nuns), laymen and laywomen so that the women were not left out of any sphere of religious activity. The highest spiritual states were within the reach of both men and women and the latter needed no masculine assistance or priestly intermediary to achieve them. We could therefore agree with I.B. Horner when she says Buddhism accorded to women a position approximating to equality.[9]

Moving from the sphere of philosophy to domestic life one notices a change of attitude when we come to Buddhist times. In all patriarchal societies the desire for male offspring is very strong for the continuance of the patrilineage and, in the case of Hindus, for the due performance of funeral rites. For only a son could carry out the funeral rites of his father and thus ensure future happiness of the deceased. This was so crucial to the Hindu that the law allowed a sonless wife to be superseded by a second or a third one or even turned out of the house.[10] It is said “through a son he conquers the world and though a son’s son he attains immortality.”[11] As a result of this belief the birth of a daughter was the cause for lamentation. In Buddhism future happiness does not depend on funeral rites but on the actions of the deceased. The Buddhist funeral ceremony is a very simple one which could be performed by the widow, daughter or any one on the spot and the presence of a son is not compulsory. There is no ritual or ceremonial need for a son and the birth of a daughter need not be a cause for grief. It is well known that the Buddha consoled king Pasenadi who came to him grieving that his queen, Mallika, had given birth to a daughter. “A female offspring, O king, may prove even nobler than a male…”[12] a revolutionary statement for his time. Despite the spiritual quality of the sexes and the fact that a son is not an absolute necessity in securing happiness in the after life, yet even in Buddhist societies there is a preference for male offspring even today, so potent is the ideology of male superiority.

Marriage and family are basic institutions in all societies whether primitive or modern and the position of woman in a particular society is influence by and expressed in the status she holds within these institutions. Has she got the same rights as her husband to dissolve the marriage bond? Has she the right to remarry or is this a man’s privilege? The answers to these questions will undoubtedly determine the position accorded to women in any society. Let us examine the Buddhist attitude to the question. In Buddhism, unlike Christianity and Hinduism, marriage is not a sacrament. It is purely a secular affair and the monks do not participate in it. In Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma there is a good deal of ceremony, feasting and merry-making connected with the event but these are not of a religious nature. Sometimes monks are invited to partake of alms and they in turn bless the couple. Although there are no vows or rituals involved in the event of a marriage, the Buddha has laid down in the Sigalovada Sutta the duties of a husband and wife:

“In five ways should a wife as Western quarter, be ministered to by her husband: by respect, by courtesy, by faithfulness, by handing over authority to her, by providing her with ornaments. In these five ways does the wife minister to by her husband as the Western quarter, love him: her duties are well-performed by hospitality to kin of both, by faithfulness, by watching over the goods he brings and by skill and industry in discharging all business.”[13]

The significant point here is that the Buddha’s injunctions are bilateral; the marital relationship is a reciprocal one with mutual rights and obligations. This was a momentous departure from ideas prevailing at the time. For instance Manu says, “Offspring, the due performance of happiness and heavenly bliss for one’s ancestors and oneself depends on one’s wife alone.”[14] Confucius, an older contemporary of the Buddha, spoke in the same tone: “in this way when the deferential obedience of the wife was complete, the internal harmony was secured, and a long continuance of the family could be reckoned with.”[15]Confucius gives in detail the duties of the son to the father, the wife to the husband and the daughter-in-law to the mother-in-law but never vice-versa; so that the wife had only duties and obligations and the husband only rights and privileges. According to the injunctions of the Buddha given in the Sigalovada Sutta, which deals with domestic duties, every relationship was a reciprocal one whether it be between husband and wife, parent and child, or master and servant. Ideally, therefore, among Buddhists, marriage is a contract between equals.

However it does not necessarily follow that social practice conforms to theory. The egalitarian ideals of Buddhism appear to have been impotent against the universal ideology of masculine superiority. The doctrine of Karma and Rebirth, one of the fundamental tenets of Buddhism, has been interpreted to prove the inherent superiority of the male. According to the law of Karma, one’s actions in the past will determine one’s position of wealth, power, talent and even sex in future births. One is reborn a woman because of one’s bad Karma. Thus the subordination of women is given a religious sanction. It is not unusual even in Sri Lanka for women, after doing a meritorious deed, to aspire to be redeemed from womanhood and be reborn as a man in future. Despite the remarkable degree of sexual equality in Burman society, all women recite as a part of their Buddhist devotions the following prayer: “I pray that I may be reborn as a male in a future existence.”[16] In Thailand in 1399 A.D., the Queen Mother founded a monastery and commemorated the event in an inscription in which she requested, “By the power of my merit, may I be reborn as a male…”[17]. Several examples could be quoted from the popular parlance of all three societies to show that even women, whatever their station, have accepted the idea of female inferiority and this has influenced the husband-wife relationship in varying degrees in the societies concerned. In Sri Lanka where this idea is least perceptible, it is considered becoming even in modern times to maintain a facade of husband domination. The wifely control is unobtrusive and subtle. This ambivalent attitude is more pronounced in Burma where women are a specially privileged lot. They control the family economy; socially, politically and legally they are on a par with men. But the wife makes a show of deference to the husband which in itself is no measure of male dominance but an adaptation to a cultural norm. On the other hand, the fact that men could have multiple spouses whereas the women were restricted to one, placed the husband in a privileged position. The reverse was true in Sri Lanka where polygamy was unknown except in the royal family, polyandry was practiced (though not widespread) till recent times. In traditional Thailand the subordination of the wife in the family hierarchy was sanctioned by law. Till 1935 polygyny was legally recognized.

“Fundamental to the family law in the Law Code of 1805 was the conjugal power of the husband, which meant that he managed the property held jointly by the spouses, that he could sell his wife of give her away and that he could administer bodily punishment to her, provided the degree of punishment was in proportion to the misdeed.”[18]

From the nature of the marriage contract one passes on to the question whether both parties had the same facilities for terminating the contract. It is seen that in most cultures the woman is irretrievably bound by the chains of matrimony while the man can shed his shackles with ease. The Confucian code of discipline provides the husband with several grounds for divorce. Not only leprosy and sterility, even disobedience and garrulity were valid reasons to get rid of a wife. Among the Hindus marriage was an indissoluble sacrament for the woman, while the man had the right to remarry even when the first wife was alive. Says Manu, “A barren wife may be superseded in the 8th year. She whose children all die in the 10th, she who bears only daughters in the 11th, but she who is quarrelsome without delay.”[19] In addition a man could abandon a blemished, diseased or deflowered wife.[20] Under Islamic law the contract may be dissolved by the husband at his will without the intervention of a court and without assigning any cause. But a wife cannot divorce herself from her husband without his consent except under a contract made before or after marriage. If the conditions of the contract are not opposed to Muslim law then the divorce will take effect.[21]

In Buddhism marriage received no religious sanction and in the absence of a Buddhist legal code comparable to the Laws of Manu or the Sharia Law of the Muslims, the dissolution the marriage contract was settled by the individuals concerned or their families. With regard to Sri Lanka, there is a document dated 1769 which gives an orthodox and official view on the subject. The Dutch who were ruling the maritime provinces of Sri Lanka wished to codify the laws and customs of the island. The Dutch Governor I.W. Falck sent a series of questions to the eminent monks of Kandy and the answers to these are given in the document known as the Lakrajalosirita. The governor raised the question whether divorce was permitted among the Sinhalese. The reply was,

 ”A man and a woman who have been united in marriage with the knowledge of their parents and relations and according to the Sinhala custom cannot become separated at their own pleasure. If a man wishes to obtain a divorce it must be by proving that his wife, failing in the reverence and respect due to a husband, has spoken to him in an unbecoming manner; or that she has lavished her affection on another and spends his earning on him, and if her improper conduct is proved before a court of justice he will be permitted to abandon her.”

The next question is for what faults on the part of the husband may the wife sue for and obtain a divorce from him. The Bhikkhus reply,

“If being destitute of love and affection for his wife, he withholds from her the wearing apparel and ornaments suitable to her rank; if he does not provide her with food of such a quality as she has a right to; if he neglects to acquire money by agriculture, commerce and other honorable means; if associating with other women, he squanders his property upon them; if he makes a practice of committing other improper and degrading acts such as stealing, lying or drinking intoxicating liquors, if he treats his wife as a slave and at the same times behaves respectfully to other women, on proof of his delinquency before the above mentioned court, the wife may obtain a divorce.”[22]

The significant point is that even in theory the Sinhala laws were equally applicable and binding to both husband and wife. One clearly sees the influence of the injunctions of the Sigalovada Sutta in the development of these institutions.

However, litigation being a tedious process then as now, it is unlikely that the average Sinhalese of the 19th century resorted to this lengthy judicial procedure. The Lakrajalosiritawas written by Buddhist monks for the information of a foreigner, and judging from the rest of the document they tried to depict ideal conditions. Only the very well-to-do could afford the luxury of a court case. A more realistic account has been left by Robert Knox who spent 19 years in the company of poor peasants:

“But their marriages are but of little force and validity for if they disagree and mislike one another they part without disgrace. Yet it stands firmer for the Man than for the Woman: howbeit they do leave on the other at their pleasure.”[23]

According to Sinhala laws of the 18th century the wife was treated very liberally at the time of divorce. She got back all the wealth that her parents gave her at the time of marriage and half of all the property acquired by the couple after marriage. Also she was given a sum of money sufficient to cover her expenses for the next six months. It is worthy of note that in Sri Lanka prior to European occupation both sexes had equal facilities for divorce, both in theory and in practice. The situation changed, however, with the impact of Christianity and the introduction of Roman Dutch Law by the Hollanders in the areas under their control.

In traditional Burma too a code of divorce provided for ill assorted unions. Where there was a mutual desire for separation due to incompatibility or other causes, parties can divorce each other by an equal division of property. If one is unwilling the other is free to go provided all property is left behind. A woman can demand a divorce if her husband ill-treats her or if he cannot maintain her; and a man in case of sterility or infidelity of the wife. Another method, not uncommon, is for the aggrieved party to seek refuge in monastic life; for this would at once dissolve the marriage bond. This easy availability of divorce in Burma has been condemned by Father Bigandet, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Rangoon as “damnable laxity”. Despite this censure, it is said that this easy and equal facility for divorce has rendered the Burman spouses more forbearing and that serious connubial quarrels are rare among them.[24]

In Thailand although women had legal disabilities, they could initiate divorce proceedings which enabled them to escape from a tyrannous husband. As far back as 1687 the French envoy to the Siamese court observed,

 ”The Husband is naturally the Master of Divorce but he never refuseth it to his wife when she absolutely desires it. He restores her portion to her and their children are divided among them in this manner…”[25]

Although the conjugal power of the husband was fundamental to the 1805 Code, yet the wife’s right to divorce was preserved and she was treated generously when the marriage was annulled.

Moving on to the question of the remarriage of widows and divorcees, one notices that in certain societies the wives were regarded as the personal property of their husbands. As such the custom of slaying, sacrificing or burying women alive to accompany their deceased husbands along with their belongings has been found in many lands as far removed as America, Africa and India. The best known example is the soti puja or self immolation of high-caste Hindu widows. This custom which was unknown in the Rigveda, developed later: it was never very widespread but there were isolated instances continuing even up to early British times. The British had to introduce legislation to prevent it. Among the Hindus a widow was expected to lead a life of severe austerity and strict celibacy for she was bonded to her dead husband. Further she lost her social and religious status and was considered an unlucky person. The question of the remarriage of divorcees did not arise because a Hindu wife could not repudiate her husband; even if she was rejected by the latter she had to remain celibate.

In Buddhism death is considered a natural and inevitable end. As a result a woman suffers no moral degradation on account of her widowhood. Her social status is not altered in any way. In Buddhist societies she does not have to advertise her widowhood by shaving her head and relinquishing her ornaments. She is not forced to fast on specific days and sleep on hard floors for self-mortification has no place in Buddhism. Nor does she have to absent herself from ceremonies and auspicious events. Above all there is no religious barrier to her remarriage.[26] The remarriage of rejected wives is also known in Buddhist literature.

Women whose marriages break up were free to remarry with no stigma attached,…”But if they chance to mislike one another and part asunder… then she is fit for another man, being as they account never the worse for wearing.”[27] Even the Lakrajalosirita, which gives an orthodox Buddhist view, permits the remarriage of women after separation from their spouses. It was common even in the highest rungs of society. In Burma and Thailand too women had the right to remarry after divorce. As far back as 1687 La Loubere the French envoy noticed that in Thailand, “After the Divorce both can remarry and the woman can remarry on the very day of the Divorce.”[28]

It is clear, therefore, that Buddhism has saved the daughter from indignity, elevated the wife to a position approximating to equality and retrieved the widow from abject misery.

The social freedom that women enjoyed in Buddhist societies, above everything else, has evoked from Western observers the comments that we have quoted earlier in this paper. It is not so much the equality of status but the complete desegregation of the sexes, that has distinguished the women in Buddhist societies from those of the Middle East, the Far East and the Indian subcontinent. Segregation of the sexes only leads to the seclusion and confinement of women behind veils and walls. The Confucian code lays down detailed rules on how men and women should behave in each other’s presence. Manu went to the furthest extreme of segregation by warning that one should not remain in a lonely palace even with one’s own mother and sister. Sexual segregation pervades all aspects of life in Islamic society.

In early Buddhist literature one sees a free intermingling of the sexes. The celibate monks and nuns had separate quarters, yet the cloister was not cut off from the rest of the world. It is recorded that the Buddha had long conversations with his female disciples. The devout benefactress Visakha frequented the monastery decked in all her finery, and accompanied by a maid servant she attended to the needs of the monks. Her clothes and ornaments were the talk of the town, yet neither the Buddha nor the monks dissuaded her from wearing them. It was after she developed in insight and asceticism that she voluntarily relinquished her ornaments.

This free and liberal attitude certainly had its impact on the behavior of both men and women in Buddhist societies. In Sri Lanka in the 17th century, “the Men are not Jealous of their Wives for the greatest Ladies in the land will frequently talk and discourse with any Men they please, although their Husbands be in presence.”[29] It has been remarked that the women visited places of worship always dressed in their best attire. This is quite a contrast to the stand taken by Manu according to whom the love of ornamentation was an evil attribute of women; and the Koranic injunction that the pious woman should hide all beauty and ornamentation behind the veil. Burmese women of all ranks went unveiled and ornamented and added color to all occasions, though flanked by India and China, where customs such as purdah and foot binding prevailed. In Thailand it has been noticed that the women of the upper classes, though by no means confined to lives of strict seclusion, did not appear much in public.

In conclusion we could say that the secular nature of the marriage contract, the facility to divorce, the right to remarry, the desegregation of the sexes and above all else the right to inherit, own and dispose of property without let or hindrance from the husband, have all contributed to the alleviation of the lot of women in Buddhist societies. Conflicting with the Buddhist ethos and negating its effects in varying degrees is the universal ideology of masculine superiority. So that in all three societies — Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma — there is an ambivalence in the attitudes towards women. Yet their position is certainly better than in any of the major cultures of Asia.

 


 

References

1.The Miscellaneous Works of Hugh Boyd, with an account of his Life and Writingsby L.D. Campbell (London 1800), 54-56. Boyd was sent in 1782 as an envoy to the Kandyan court by the British Governor at Madras. 2. R. Grant Brown, Burma as I saw it 1889-1917 (London 1926). Grant, who was a member of the Indian Civil Service, was a magistrate and revenue officer in Burma for 28 years. 3.Journal of an Embassy from the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava by John Crawfurd, 2nd ed. in 2 vols. (London 1824), I, 243. 4.Burma Past and Present, Lt. General Albert Fytche, 2 vols. Vol. II London 1878. 5.Siam in the Twentieth Century, Being the Experiences and Impressions of a British Officer, by J.G.D. Campbell (London 1902) 112-113. Campbell was Inspector of Schools and later Educational Adviser to the Siamese Government. 6.The People of Tibet, Charles Bell, Oxford 1928, p. 147. 7.Laws of Manu, trans. G. Buhler, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXV (Oxford 1866). 8.Ibid., IX, 10. 9.I.B. Horner, Women under Primitive Buddhism: Laywomen and Alsmwomen(London 1930), XXIV. 10.Laws of Manu, IX, 81. 11.Ibid., IX, 137. 12.Quoted by I.B. Horner in Women in Early Buddhist Literature, The Wheel Publication, No. 30 (Colombo 1961), 8-9. 13.Dialogues of the Buddha, trans. C.A.F Rhys Davids, part III, 181-182. 14.Laws of Manu, IX, 28. 15.The Sacred Books of China: The Texts of Confucianism, trans. James Legge (Oxford 1879) Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXVIII. 431. 16.Quoted by Melford E. Sprio in, Kinship and Marriage in Burma: A cultural and Psychodynamic Analysis (London 1977), 260. 17.Quoted by C.J. Reynolds in “A Nineteenth Century Thai Buddhist Defence of Polygamy and some Remarks on the Social History of Women in Thailand”, a Paper prepared for the Seventh Conference International Association of Historians of Asia, Bangkok, 22-26 August 1977,3. 18.Ibid., 6-7. 19.Laws of Manu, IX, 81. 20.Laws of Manu, IX, 72. 21.D.F. Mulla, Principles of Muhammedan Law (Calcutta 1955). 264. 22.Lakrajalosirita, ed. and trans. Bishop Edmund Pieris, Published by the Ceylon Historical Manuscripts Commission, 10 and 11. 23.Robert Knox, An Historical Relation of Ceylon (Glasgow 1911), 149. Knox was a ship-wrecked British sailor who spent 19 years from 1660 to 1679 as a prisoner in the Kandyan Kingdom. 24.Fytche, Vol. II, 75. 25.Simon de la Loubere, The Kingdom of Siam, With an Introduction by David K. Wyatt (London 1968) 53. De la Loubere was an envoy sent to Siam by Louis XIV of France in 1687. He was in Siam for four months only. 26.I.B. Horner, Women Under Primitive Buddhism, 72 sqq. 27.Knox, 149. 28.De la Loubere, 53. 29.Knox, 104.

Source : http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dewaraja/wheel280.html


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  1. Wan Wai Meng on Apr 6, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    In so many examples in countries whereby Buddhism is prevalent, women’s status are elevated.

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KECHARA FOREST RETREAT PROGRESS UPDATES

Here is the latest news and pictorial updates, as it happens, of our upcoming forest retreat project.

The Kechara Forest Retreat is a unique holistic retreat centre focused on the total wellness of body, mind and spirit. This is a place where families and individuals will find peace, nourishment and inspiration in a natural forest environment. At Kechara Forest Retreat, we are committed to give back to society through instilling the next generation with universal positive values such as kindness and compassion.

For more information, please read here (english), here (chinese), or the official site: retreat.kechara.com.

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  • SamFoonHeei
    Friday, May 16. 2025 02:38 PM
    Visiting Tibet, holy Gaden Monastery is everyone dream and a once life time. Of course if we have the means to visit again will be great. End of December 2008 and early January 2009 our Guru H E Tsem Rinpoche with a small group students visited Tibet. Thousands of pilgrims, visitors and tourists around the world have visited this incredible holy land for the last 600 years. Tsem Rinpoche visited Tibet for the first time with an oxygen tank. I am fortunate to visit this holy place with my Dharma brothers and sisters years back.
    With our Guru blessing we went without any without any hitch. Visited most of the monasteries and could feel the powerful energies there. Looking at those pictures in this blog reminds me of trip there.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/i-visited-gaden-for-1st-time-with-an-oxygen-tank.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Friday, May 16. 2025 02:34 PM
    Interesting….. a ground breaking documentary by world BBC where everyone should watch. BBC did mentioned and documented that Jesus was a Buddhist monk and that he had spent some years in India. I would not know about this till I came across this blog. Many people most probably too. Interesting watch one should not miss. Jesus was a religious leader revered in Christianity, one of the world’s major religions. He is regarded by most Christians as the Incarnation of God. Historical evidence indicates that Jesus was well acquainted with Buddhism. Historical evidence indicates that Jesus knew about Buddhism. Other evidence, while perhaps apocryphal, indicates that he spent most of his so-called lost years outside Judea, possibly in Kashmir to study Buddhism exclusively.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/jesus-was-a-buddhist-monk-bbc-documentary.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Friday, May 16. 2025 02:32 PM
    The Great Buddhas of Bamiyan were two monumental Buddhist statues built around 600 CE. A holy site for Buddhists on the Silk Road, historically a caravan route linking the markets of China with those of the Western world. The two most prominent statues were the giant standing sculptures of the Buddhas .It was the site of several Buddhist monasteries where monks at the monasteries lived as hermits. It was until in 2001, both statues were destroyed by the Taliban . Before being blown up in 2001, they were the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world .Buddhism was eliminated in Afghanistan by the 13th century during the Mongol conquests. Sadly all statues depicting humans in Afghanistan was destroyed. They were perhaps the most famous cultural landmarks of the region, and the site was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Despite the Buddhas’s destruction, the ruins continue to be a popular culture landmark, where many locals, pilgrims and tourist visit the site.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this interesting blog.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/massive-2600-year-old-buddhist-monastery.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Friday, May 16. 2025 02:30 PM
    Ven. Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche was born in Eastern Tibet, recognized as the fourth reincarnation of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche. Well he was known for his purity in holding his vinaya vows. Even though he left Tibet in 1959 and settled in India, he had inspired, and supported the Sangha community, working tirelessly giving teachings at Sera Monastery in India . He also continued in protecting, preserving and propagating the Buddhadharma all over the world. H E Tsem Rinpoche first met him about 15 years in Sera Monastery and the last time in Gaden Monastery. Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche knew that Tsem Rinpoche in New York back in 2013 and decided to meet up with Rinpoche. Looking at those beautiful photos tells all . Its truly rejoiced moment .
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing with precious photos taken during Rinpoche visit.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/meeting-kyabje-yongyal-rinpoche-in-new-york.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Friday, May 16. 2025 02:26 PM
    The general preliminaries are the four contemplations on precious human body, impermanence and death, cause and effect of karma, and the defects of samsara. The special preliminaries are taking refuge, arousing bodhicitta, the recitation and meditation of Vajrasattva, mandala offerings, and guru yoga.The purpose of life is to benefit other sentient beings and the greatest benefit we can offer them is to liberate them from their suffering and its causes. We have to purify all the negative karma and defilements we have collected over our beginning-less rebirths and accumulate extensive merit. These are the conditions necessary for us to actualize the path. Well we have received just this once the most precious human life ,we have to make our life as meaningful as possible. The purpose of doing preliminary practices is for us to purify obstacles to achieving realizations of the path to enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. I am still doing my best .
    Great sharing thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this important write up .

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/preliminary-practice.html
  • Jonathan Helm
    Thursday, May 15. 2025 02:37 AM
    My name is Jonathan Helm, I’m from Michigan USA i contacted HIV 2023 after i was tested positive i tried all means but was not working on till i saw the wonderful work of DOCTOR ZACK BALO and i contacted him. that was how i was cured after taking his herbal medicine for two weeks, contact him today through his email address wiseindividualspell@gmail.com or visit his website https://wiseindividualspell.webnode.com
  • SamFoonHeei
    Sunday, May 4. 2025 12:15 PM
    The Heart Sutra teaches emptiness through the epitome of compassion. It is often said that, the heart of emptiness is compassion. It’s an attribute by which we sees the suffering of another and experiences true empathy for them. This empathy, in turn, leads the person to reach out and share in the person’s suffering. By helping them to endure whatever they are going through regardless of race and religion. Our prime purpose in this life is to help and benefit others. Well if we can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. Treat others as we would like others to treat us. Always wish upon others and showing kindness to those who are feeling sad or upset to help them feel better. Lend a shoulder to them to lean on. Emptiness can be explored through meditation and contemplation. By observing the impermanence and interdependence of all things, we can gradually come to understand the true nature of reality. We have to understand the actual words of the Heart Sutra and its meaning within the Buddhist tradition as well as the meanings of emptiness. Will revisit this blog to read, learn more .
    Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teachings.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/emptiness-with-a-heart-of-compassion.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Sunday, May 4. 2025 12:08 PM
    The concept of Dharma is considered to be accessible and applicable to everyone, regardless of their religious background. Dharma, in its essence, is about understanding and living in accordance with universal principles of righteousness and ethical conduct. The core of the doctrine of dharma, especially in Buddhism, is about understanding the nature of suffering, the cause of suffering, the possibility of ending suffering, and the path to liberation through ethical conduct, mindfulness, and wisdom. Dharma is the essential teachings to transform our mind towards that of an enlightened being. Learning and putting what we learn into practice helped us to become a better person. Dharma is for everyone, reading those stories as in the blog give us a clear understanding. Nor matter what religion we are , we are taught to be loving, compassion and living peacefully.
    Thank you Rinpoche for these great teachings.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/dharma-is-for-everyone.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Sunday, May 4. 2025 12:06 PM
    Generosity is giving more than we can, and pride is taking less than we need. Giving is an action; generosity is a matter of the heart. Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. Sharing one’s resources and helping others in need. We have not lived today until we have done something for someone who can never repay you. A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/be-generous.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Sunday, May 4. 2025 12:05 PM
    n Buddhism, Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha and the true nature of reality. It also encompasses principles like the Eightfold Path, which guides individuals towards enlightenment and liberation from suffering. A Dharma attitude involves fulfilling one’s responsibilities and duties towards oneself, others, and the environment. Dharma work helps us to focus on benefiting others instead of ourselves. Each one of us has different ideas, approaches and methods to do dharma work. As long as its benefits others and
    taking responsibility for our own actions transforming others with love and generosity. It is important to embrace our imperfections as embracing puts us on a better path of acceptance and self-discovery.
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/why-do-they-do-dharma-work-like-that.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Tuesday, Apr 22. 2025 07:20 PM
    Buddhism is one of the most ancient belief systems and is practiced today by nearly 350 million people around the world.
    Bettany Mary Hughes is an English historian, author, and broadcaster, specialising in classical history. Bettany Hughes travelled to the seven wonders of the Buddhist world. Where she documented a unique insight into the seven wonders that explained the long and rich history of Buddhism 2500 years ago . Truly fascinating documentary that’s one should watch. Started off her journey with Bodh Gaya in India, the Bodanath Stupa in Nepal, the Temple of The Tooth in Sri Lanka, Wat Pho Temple in Thailand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Giant Buddha in Hong Kong and the Hsi Lai Temple in the United States. At each location, she meets with Buddhist scholars who explain the different concepts that form the core of Buddhist philosophy, giving insight into the long and rich history of Buddhism. Interesting sharing.
    Thank you Rinpoche.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/art-architecture/seven-wonders-of-the-buddhist-world.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Tuesday, Apr 22. 2025 07:16 PM
    H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche (1905-1984 AD) was a highly realized Gelug Lama known as a strong, detached and wrathful lama. He was famous as a sharp analyst and master of philosophical debate, as well as a powerful Tantric practitioner. Disciple of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, junior tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama. Famous as a sharp analyst and master of philosophical debate, as well as a powerful Tantric practitioner. Rinpoche traveling tremendously to many monasteries, doing rituals, and giving many initiations, transmissions and commentaries, and instruction in the profound and extensive dharma . As in this blog Kyabje Zong Rinpoche explains on many rare and precious teachings. Thousands of Westerners have received teachings from him, both in the West and in India. HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was the Guru of many great masters.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoche-explains-on-many-rare-and-precious-teachings-with-translation.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Tuesday, Apr 22. 2025 07:08 PM
    Religious discrimination remains a significant issue globally, impacting various aspects of life. The Dorje Shugden controversy in Tibetan Buddhism involves accusations of religious discrimination against devotees of the Poweful Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden was a powerful Protector associated with the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. H H the Dalai Lama previously practice Dorje Shugden’s practice but somehow later discouraged the practice, citing concerns about sectarianism ,its perceived role as a spirit. Dorje Shugden’s practitioners have reported feeling ostracized and discriminated against by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and those supporting the Dalai Lama. The controversy has divided the Tibetan community and has been a source of contention and tension. CTA had breached the rights of every Dorje Shugden practitioners to what they pray . Many families are torn apart by this. Dorje Shugden people had to break away from their monasteries .Religious freedom and human rights are interconnected. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion regardless of race and faith. Religious freedom is one of the most fundamental of human rights. The discrimination that Dorje Shugden practitioners are experiencing today has similarities to other historic bigotry and prejudices such example was the African American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s,and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Racism affects virtually every country in the world. It denies people their full human rights just because of their colour, race, ethnicity, descent or national origin. The most prevalent discrimination that we see today are national origin and race discrimination. May there be peace,unity, harmony and based on compassion, acceptance and universal freedom of religious choice without discrimination or recriminations of any kind.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/comparisons-of-the-dorje-shugden-ban-with-historic-persecutions.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Tuesday, Apr 22. 2025 07:04 PM
    The Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala, India is said to be thousands of years old, built in the Dravidian style, and houses more secrets than most people can ever dream of. That’s interesting. This temple is a legendary secret chamber that has remained unopened for centuries. Legends and local beliefs it is protected by powerful deities and a curse. The door is said to be sealed with a mystical spell, and it is believed that anyone attempting to open it without proper rituals will face grave consequences, having met with mysterious deaths or terrible misfortune. Locals had warns that attempting to open Vault B without proper rituals and respect for the deities could unleash untold calamities and misfortune. Stories abound of previous attempts to open the vault had failed that resulted in terrifying visions and other supernatural occurrences, and tragic fates for those involved. Some believe that the vault contained ancient treasures , wealth and divine relics . Previously temple workers reportedly tried to force open the door, resulting in the terrifying experiences described in legends. It’s not just a place of worship but also a vault of mysteries. Modern attempts using technology have also failed to open the door, as if some force is protecting it. Every attempt to open Vault B has failed. The door remains closed, and no one know of the contents within, whether wealth, divine relics, or something else entirely, are unknown to the world . No one dare to try opening it since at least the 1880s recording to reports. Interesting article .
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/science-mysteries/the-mysterious-door-of-vault-b-padmanabhaswamy-temple.html
  • SamFoonHeei
    Tuesday, Apr 15. 2025 03:58 PM
    Revisit this interesting truth where not many people knew the actual story behind . With great effort and research finally the story unfolded. In Tibet, Oracles play, an important part in principal roles assisting governmental decision-making and providing intelligence revelation, religion, doctrine, and prophecy. To this day the Tibetan government still believe and rely in Nechung Oracle. When Nechung oracle took trance, it is actually spirit Nyatrul who has causes problems and misprophecies. Nechung is bound by oath to protect the Dharma. Nechung prophecies are unreliable, most probably given by Nyatrul spirit to the Tibetan government. Such as wrong medication given to the 13 th Dalai Lama as prescribed by the Nechung Oracle. Another misprophecies was during the British invasion. If it was really Nechung who took trance of the Oracle, these types of misprophecies would not have happen. As mentioned in the 6th Dalai Lama biography, we cannot trust or rely on Nechung’s prophecies. It was said that Nyatrul not Nechung who created the problems and harm to Dorje Shugden . It must have told HH the Dalai Lama to ban Dorje Shugden .
    Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Jean Ai for this interesting article.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/the-spirit-nyatrul-magic-mischief-and-misery.html

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I must thank my dharma blog team who are great assets to me, Kechara and growth of dharma in this wonderful region. I am honoured and thrilled to work with them. I really am. Maybe I don't say it enough to them, but I am saying it now. I APPRECIATE THESE GUYS VERY MUCH!

Tsem Rinpoche

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The Unknown

The Known and unknown are both feared,
Known is being comfortable and stagnant,
The unknown may be growth and opportunities,
One shall never know if one fears the unknown more than the known.
Who says the unknown would be worse than the known?
But then again, the unknown is sometimes worse than the known. In the end nothing is known unless we endeavour,
So go pursue all the way with the unknown,
because all unknown with familiarity becomes the known.
~Tsem Rinpoche

Photos On The Go

Click on the images to view the bigger version. And scroll down and click on "View All Photos" to view more images.
According to legend, Shambhala is a place where wisdom and love reign, and there is no crime. Doesn\'t this sound like the kind of place all of us would love to live in? https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=204874
5 years ago
According to legend, Shambhala is a place where wisdom and love reign, and there is no crime. Doesn't this sound like the kind of place all of us would love to live in? https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=204874
108 candles and sang (incense) offered at our Wish-Fulfilling Grotto, invoking Dorje Shugden\'s blessings for friends, sponsors and supporters, wonderful!
5 years ago
108 candles and sang (incense) offered at our Wish-Fulfilling Grotto, invoking Dorje Shugden's blessings for friends, sponsors and supporters, wonderful!
Dharmapalas are not exclusive to Tibetan culture and their practice is widespread throughout the Buddhist world - https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=193645
5 years ago
Dharmapalas are not exclusive to Tibetan culture and their practice is widespread throughout the Buddhist world - https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=193645
One of our adorable Kechara Forest Retreat\'s doggies, Tara, happy and safe, and enjoying herself in front of Wisdom Hall which has been decorated for Chinese New Year
5 years ago
One of our adorable Kechara Forest Retreat's doggies, Tara, happy and safe, and enjoying herself in front of Wisdom Hall which has been decorated for Chinese New Year
Fragrant organic Thai basil harvested from our very own Kechara Forest Retreat farm!
5 years ago
Fragrant organic Thai basil harvested from our very own Kechara Forest Retreat farm!
On behalf of our Puja House team, Pastor Tat Ming receives food and drinks from Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to make sure the hardworking Puja House team are always taken care of.
5 years ago
On behalf of our Puja House team, Pastor Tat Ming receives food and drinks from Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to make sure the hardworking Puja House team are always taken care of.
By the time I heard about Luang Phor Thong, he was already very old, in his late 80s. When I heard about him, I immediately wanted to go and pay my respects to him. - http://bit.ly/LuangPhorThong
5 years ago
By the time I heard about Luang Phor Thong, he was already very old, in his late 80s. When I heard about him, I immediately wanted to go and pay my respects to him. - http://bit.ly/LuangPhorThong
It\'s very nice to see volunteers helping maintain holy sites in Kechara Forest Retreat, it\'s very good for them. Cleaning Buddha statues is a very powerful and effective way of purifying body karma.
5 years ago
It's very nice to see volunteers helping maintain holy sites in Kechara Forest Retreat, it's very good for them. Cleaning Buddha statues is a very powerful and effective way of purifying body karma.
Kechara Forest Retreat is preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. This is our holy Vajra Yogini stupa which is now surrounded by beautiful lanterns organised by our students.
5 years ago
Kechara Forest Retreat is preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. This is our holy Vajra Yogini stupa which is now surrounded by beautiful lanterns organised by our students.
One of the most recent harvests from our Kechara Forest Retreat land. It was grown free of chemicals and pesticides, wonderful!
5 years ago
One of the most recent harvests from our Kechara Forest Retreat land. It was grown free of chemicals and pesticides, wonderful!
Third picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
6 years ago
Third picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
Second picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
6 years ago
Second picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
First picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
6 years ago
First picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
The first title published by Kechara Comics is Karuna Finds A Way. It tells the tale of high-school sweethearts Karuna and Adam who had what some would call the dream life. Everything was going great for them until one day when reality came knocking on their door. Caught in a surprise swindle, this loving family who never harmed anyone found themselves out of luck and down on their fortune. Determined to save her family, Karuna goes all out to find a solution. See what she does- https://bit.ly/2LSKuWo
6 years ago
The first title published by Kechara Comics is Karuna Finds A Way. It tells the tale of high-school sweethearts Karuna and Adam who had what some would call the dream life. Everything was going great for them until one day when reality came knocking on their door. Caught in a surprise swindle, this loving family who never harmed anyone found themselves out of luck and down on their fortune. Determined to save her family, Karuna goes all out to find a solution. See what she does- https://bit.ly/2LSKuWo
Very powerful story! Tibetan Resistance group Chushi Gangdruk reveals how Dalai Lama escaped in 1959- https://bit.ly/2S9VMGX
6 years ago
Very powerful story! Tibetan Resistance group Chushi Gangdruk reveals how Dalai Lama escaped in 1959- https://bit.ly/2S9VMGX
At Kechara Forest Retreat land we have nice fresh spinach growing free of chemicals and pesticides. Yes!
6 years ago
At Kechara Forest Retreat land we have nice fresh spinach growing free of chemicals and pesticides. Yes!
See beautiful pictures of Manjushri Guest House here- https://bit.ly/2WGo0ti
6 years ago
See beautiful pictures of Manjushri Guest House here- https://bit.ly/2WGo0ti
Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden~Very good overview https://bit.ly/2QQNfYv
6 years ago
Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden~Very good overview https://bit.ly/2QQNfYv
Fresh eggplants grown on Kechara Forest Retreat\'s land here in Malaysia
6 years ago
Fresh eggplants grown on Kechara Forest Retreat's land here in Malaysia
Most Venerable Uppalavanna – The Chief Female Disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni - She exhibited many supernatural abilities gained from meditation and proved to the world females and males are equal in spirituality- https://bit.ly/31d9Rat
6 years ago
Most Venerable Uppalavanna – The Chief Female Disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni - She exhibited many supernatural abilities gained from meditation and proved to the world females and males are equal in spirituality- https://bit.ly/31d9Rat
Thailand’s ‘Renegade’ Yet Powerful Buddhist Nuns~ https://bit.ly/2Z1C02m
6 years ago
Thailand’s ‘Renegade’ Yet Powerful Buddhist Nuns~ https://bit.ly/2Z1C02m
Mahapajapati Gotami – the first Buddhist nun ordained by Lord Buddha- https://bit.ly/2IjD8ru
6 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami – the first Buddhist nun ordained by Lord Buddha- https://bit.ly/2IjD8ru
The Largest Buddha Shakyamuni in Russia | 俄罗斯最大的释迦牟尼佛画像- https://bit.ly/2Wpclni
6 years ago
The Largest Buddha Shakyamuni in Russia | 俄罗斯最大的释迦牟尼佛画像- https://bit.ly/2Wpclni
Sacred Vajra Yogini
6 years ago
Sacred Vajra Yogini
Dorje Shugden works & archives - a labour of commitment - https://bit.ly/30Tp2p8
6 years ago
Dorje Shugden works & archives - a labour of commitment - https://bit.ly/30Tp2p8
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha.
6 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha.
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha. She was his step-mother and aunt. Buddha\'s mother had passed away at his birth so he was raised by Gotami.
6 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha. She was his step-mother and aunt. Buddha's mother had passed away at his birth so he was raised by Gotami.
Another nun disciple of Lord Buddha\'s. She had achieved great spiritual abilities and high attainments. She would be a proper object of refuge. This image of the eminent bhikkhuni (nun) disciple of the Buddha, Uppalavanna Theri.
6 years ago
Another nun disciple of Lord Buddha's. She had achieved great spiritual abilities and high attainments. She would be a proper object of refuge. This image of the eminent bhikkhuni (nun) disciple of the Buddha, Uppalavanna Theri.
Wandering Ascetic Painting by Nirdesha Munasinghe
6 years ago
Wandering Ascetic Painting by Nirdesha Munasinghe
High Sri Lankan monks visit Kechara to bless our land, temple, Buddha and Dorje Shugden images. They were very kind-see pictures- https://bit.ly/2HQie2M
6 years ago
High Sri Lankan monks visit Kechara to bless our land, temple, Buddha and Dorje Shugden images. They were very kind-see pictures- https://bit.ly/2HQie2M
This is pretty amazing!

First Sri Lankan Buddhist temple opened in Dubai!!!
6 years ago
This is pretty amazing! First Sri Lankan Buddhist temple opened in Dubai!!!
My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche

Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2
6 years ago
My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2
After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can\'t stop thinking of you and I can\'t forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche
6 years ago
After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can't stop thinking of you and I can't forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche
This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS
6 years ago
This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS
Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
6 years ago
Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
6 years ago
Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
6 years ago
The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi
6 years ago
The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi
Beautiful pictures of the huge Buddha in Longkou Nanshan- https://bit.ly/2LsBxVb
6 years ago
Beautiful pictures of the huge Buddha in Longkou Nanshan- https://bit.ly/2LsBxVb
The reason-Very interesting thought- https://bit.ly/2V7VT5r
6 years ago
The reason-Very interesting thought- https://bit.ly/2V7VT5r
NEW Bigfoot cafe in Malaysia! Food is delicious!- https://bit.ly/2VxdGau
6 years ago
NEW Bigfoot cafe in Malaysia! Food is delicious!- https://bit.ly/2VxdGau
DON\'T MISS THIS!~How brave Bonnie survived by living with a herd of deer~ https://bit.ly/2Lre2eY
6 years ago
DON'T MISS THIS!~How brave Bonnie survived by living with a herd of deer~ https://bit.ly/2Lre2eY
Global Superpower China Will Cut Meat Consumption by 50%! Very interesting, find out more- https://bit.ly/2V1sJFh
6 years ago
Global Superpower China Will Cut Meat Consumption by 50%! Very interesting, find out more- https://bit.ly/2V1sJFh
You can download this beautiful Egyptian style Dorje Shugden Free- https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
6 years ago
You can download this beautiful Egyptian style Dorje Shugden Free- https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
Beautiful high file for print of Lord Manjushri. May you be blessed- https://bit.ly/2V8mwZe
6 years ago
Beautiful high file for print of Lord Manjushri. May you be blessed- https://bit.ly/2V8mwZe
Mongolian (Oymiakon) Shaman in Siberia, Russia. That is his real outfit he wears. Very unique. TR
6 years ago
Mongolian (Oymiakon) Shaman in Siberia, Russia. That is his real outfit he wears. Very unique. TR
Find one of the most beautiful temples in the world in Nara, Japan. It is the 1,267 year old Todai-ji temple that houses a 15 meter Buddha Vairocana statue who is a cosmic and timeless Buddha. Emperor Shomu who sponsored this beautiful temple eventually abdicated and ordained as a Buddhist monk. Very interesting history and story. One of the places everyone should visit- https://bit.ly/2VgsHhK
6 years ago
Find one of the most beautiful temples in the world in Nara, Japan. It is the 1,267 year old Todai-ji temple that houses a 15 meter Buddha Vairocana statue who is a cosmic and timeless Buddha. Emperor Shomu who sponsored this beautiful temple eventually abdicated and ordained as a Buddhist monk. Very interesting history and story. One of the places everyone should visit- https://bit.ly/2VgsHhK
Manjusri Kumara (bodhisattva of wisdom), India, Pala dynesty, 9th century, stone, Honolulu Academy of Arts
6 years ago
Manjusri Kumara (bodhisattva of wisdom), India, Pala dynesty, 9th century, stone, Honolulu Academy of Arts
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CHAT PICTURES

22nd May we had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening. Kechara Kuantan Study group.. Sam
9 hours ago
22nd May we had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening. Kechara Kuantan Study group.. Sam
18 th May sunny Sunday to start off our monthly animal liberation activities.. Saving hundred thousand lives from pet-shop.Kechara Kuantan study group Sam
5 days ago
18 th May sunny Sunday to start off our monthly animal liberation activities.. Saving hundred thousand lives from pet-shop.Kechara Kuantan study group Sam
Last but not least, group photo take. after puja and incense offerings completed. Happy Wesak's Day to all. 12th May 2025. Uploaded by Jacinta.
6 days ago
Last but not least, group photo take. after puja and incense offerings completed. Happy Wesak's Day to all. 12th May 2025. Uploaded by Jacinta.
Puja started at 2 pm with Pastor Patsy giving Dharma talk and presenting 8 auspicious on the altar. What a great way to start the puja! May Rinpoche return swiftly, witnessing the Dharma growth in Penang, a northern state, West of Malaysia. Uploaded by Jacinta
6 days ago
Puja started at 2 pm with Pastor Patsy giving Dharma talk and presenting 8 auspicious on the altar. What a great way to start the puja! May Rinpoche return swiftly, witnessing the Dharma growth in Penang, a northern state, West of Malaysia. Uploaded by Jacinta
There are visitors who came specifically to pay homage to H. E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche as well as our members arriving for the puja. Uploaded by Jacinta
6 days ago
There are visitors who came specifically to pay homage to H. E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche as well as our members arriving for the puja. Uploaded by Jacinta
Mostly our relatives and members of the group came to pay homage to Buddha during the day. Generating much merits on Wesak's Day. Uploaded by Jacinta
6 days ago
Mostly our relatives and members of the group came to pay homage to Buddha during the day. Generating much merits on Wesak's Day. Uploaded by Jacinta
Offerings are made on all altars. It was being decorated delicately by the members. Wesak's Day Celebration at Penang Dorje Shugden on 12th May (Mon). Uploaded by Jacinta.
6 days ago
Offerings are made on all altars. It was being decorated delicately by the members. Wesak's Day Celebration at Penang Dorje Shugden on 12th May (Mon). Uploaded by Jacinta.
Group's photo after preparation for Wesak has completed. Taken on 11th May @ Penang Dorje Shugden Temple. Uploaded by Jacinta
6 days ago
Group's photo after preparation for Wesak has completed. Taken on 11th May @ Penang Dorje Shugden Temple. Uploaded by Jacinta
Wesak's Day preparation on 11th May (Sun) : Penang Dorje Shugden. Upload by Jacinta
6 days ago
Wesak's Day preparation on 11th May (Sun) : Penang Dorje Shugden. Upload by Jacinta
15 May Had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening.kechara Kuantan Study Group.Sam
1 week ago
15 May Had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening.kechara Kuantan Study Group.Sam
Completed Dorje Shugden puja @ 3rd May 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 weeks ago
Completed Dorje Shugden puja @ 3rd May 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
9th May.. Some of the Offerings during yesterday puja.Kechara Kuantan Study Group ..Sam
2 weeks ago
9th May.. Some of the Offerings during yesterday puja.Kechara Kuantan Study Group ..Sam
Had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening.Kechara Kuantan Study Group.Sam
2 weeks ago
Had our weekly Swift Return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche this evening.Kechara Kuantan Study Group.Sam
Meditation Sharing & Practice @ Kechara Ipoh Study Group - Guan Sun
2 weeks ago
Meditation Sharing & Practice @ Kechara Ipoh Study Group - Guan Sun
Beautiful Gyenze Statue at Kechara Kuantan with an abundance of offerings .. Kechara Kuantan Study Group.. Sam
4 weeks ago
Beautiful Gyenze Statue at Kechara Kuantan with an abundance of offerings .. Kechara Kuantan Study Group.. Sam
Offerings to the Buddha during DS puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
4 weeks ago
Offerings to the Buddha during DS puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
26th April 2025, completed Dorje Shugden puja with recitation of Namasangiti, led by William. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
4 weeks ago
26th April 2025, completed Dorje Shugden puja with recitation of Namasangiti, led by William. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
27 th April cleaning of Gyenze Chapel. Kechara this afternoon.Kuantan Study group..sam
4 weeks ago
27 th April cleaning of Gyenze Chapel. Kechara this afternoon.Kuantan Study group..sam
Had our DORJE SHUGDEN Puja this evening .May HE Tsem Rinpoche swiftly return to KFR at BENTONG. Kechara Kuantan Study Group..Sam
4 weeks ago
Had our DORJE SHUGDEN Puja this evening .May HE Tsem Rinpoche swiftly return to KFR at BENTONG. Kechara Kuantan Study Group..Sam
Beautiful Lama tsongkhapa Statue at Kechara Kuantan. Kechara Kuantan Study Group by Sam
1 month ago
Beautiful Lama tsongkhapa Statue at Kechara Kuantan. Kechara Kuantan Study Group by Sam
Pastor Seng Piow led the puja team members of the Kechara Penang group. Uploaded by Jacinta.
1 month ago
Pastor Seng Piow led the puja team members of the Kechara Penang group. Uploaded by Jacinta.
Completed Dorje Shugden puja at Penang chapel. 19th April 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
1 month ago
Completed Dorje Shugden puja at Penang chapel. 19th April 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
A beautiful day with blue clear sky to start off releasing fishes.Saving thousands of lives ..fishes birds and fishing baits.kechara kuantangroup Sam
1 month ago
A beautiful day with blue clear sky to start off releasing fishes.Saving thousands of lives ..fishes birds and fishing baits.kechara kuantangroup Sam
Yesterday had our weekly Swift return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche. Kechara kuantan group Sam
1 month ago
Yesterday had our weekly Swift return Puja for HE Tsem Rinpoche. Kechara kuantan group Sam
Periodically, tormas will be replaced with new ones by Choong Soon Heng. The teardrop and round shape specially made and prepared by Siew Hong. Due to their efforts, our puja is complete with the necessary offerings recommended by Rinpoche. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
1 month ago
Periodically, tormas will be replaced with new ones by Choong Soon Heng. The teardrop and round shape specially made and prepared by Siew Hong. Due to their efforts, our puja is complete with the necessary offerings recommended by Rinpoche. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Various 'kuih-muih' offered to Buddhas, generating tremendous merits for both the recipients and sponsors. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
1 month ago
Various 'kuih-muih' offered to Buddhas, generating tremendous merits for both the recipients and sponsors. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Completed Dorje Shugden @12th April, 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
1 month ago
Completed Dorje Shugden @12th April, 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Offerings were prepared before Dorje Shugden puja started on Sunday, 13th April in Kechara Ipoh Study Group centre (Kin Hoe)
1 month ago
Offerings were prepared before Dorje Shugden puja started on Sunday, 13th April in Kechara Ipoh Study Group centre (Kin Hoe)
Mr. Mannance Wong offered lights on behalf of all in Kechara Ipoh Study Group before the start of the puja (Kin Hoe)
1 month ago
Mr. Mannance Wong offered lights on behalf of all in Kechara Ipoh Study Group before the start of the puja (Kin Hoe)
Come on, Smile! A quick and easy way to make others happy instantly before we start our puja today. 5th April, 2025 Dorje Shugden puja at Penang chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
1 month ago
Come on, Smile! A quick and easy way to make others happy instantly before we start our puja today. 5th April, 2025 Dorje Shugden puja at Penang chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Today's flower offerings @5th April, 2025. Dorje Shugden weekly puja at Kechara Penang Chapel at No 49, Jalan Seang Tek. Uploaded by Jacinta.
1 month ago
Today's flower offerings @5th April, 2025. Dorje Shugden weekly puja at Kechara Penang Chapel at No 49, Jalan Seang Tek. Uploaded by Jacinta.
Here are some of the offerings to the Buddha @ 5th April, 2025. Uploaded by Jacinta
1 month ago
Here are some of the offerings to the Buddha @ 5th April, 2025. Uploaded by Jacinta
Mdm.Betty & Mr. Teo came very early for setting up & cleaning. Dorje Shugden puja @every Saturday 3pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
1 month ago
Mdm.Betty & Mr. Teo came very early for setting up & cleaning. Dorje Shugden puja @every Saturday 3pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
We gathered for a group photo after the Dorje Shugden puja ~29th March 2025. Kechara Pennag Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
We gathered for a group photo after the Dorje Shugden puja ~29th March 2025. Kechara Pennag Study Group by Jacinta
Deepest and most sincere gratitude for Irene's invaluable and precious Dharma sharing. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Deepest and most sincere gratitude for Irene's invaluable and precious Dharma sharing. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Welcome Irene Lim, most senior student of H. E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche to our Penang chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Welcome Irene Lim, most senior student of H. E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche to our Penang chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Offerings to Buddhas - 29th March. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Offerings to Buddhas - 29th March. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Pastor Seng Piow came again to lead our puja & Dharma sharing. It's so precious to share Dharma, even it's a short one, uploaded by Jacinga. 22nd March 2025
2 months ago
Pastor Seng Piow came again to lead our puja & Dharma sharing. It's so precious to share Dharma, even it's a short one, uploaded by Jacinga. 22nd March 2025
20250322 - Penang members chilling out after puja. It's good to touch base with everyone. After all, we only get to see each other during weekend puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
20250322 - Penang members chilling out after puja. It's good to touch base with everyone. After all, we only get to see each other during weekend puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Puja packages taken up by 4 sponsors today - 22nd March 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Puja packages taken up by 4 sponsors today - 22nd March 2025. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
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Dorje Shugden
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