Wat Rong Khun, วัดร่องขุ่น ~ Thailand

is known as White Temple is situated  about thirteen kilometers south of Chiang Rai, very near to Myanmar. Different from other temple. It is covered with combination of whitewash and tiny mirror chips that make it shine.

It  was built by artist, Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat. He  together with more than 60 followers devoted totally their effort and energy to make this structure their life work created this temple with his freedom, not under anybody’s influence or thought processes, so he did not accept donating from any sources including government

The artist used white color to represent Buddha’s purity while the mirrors symbolize Buddha’s dhamma, teaching men to observe their own mind and reflect kindness towards others.

Before entering the temple grounds, morbid and spooky statues and hanging heads welcome the new visitor. Skeletons and Demons warn the visitor about the dangers of Alcohol and Smoking.

 

The whole architecture as well as the statues all around have been carefully studied and are imbued with riddles, teachings and Buddhist philosophy.

The Temple is surrounded by a pond with dozens of white and black fish guarded by dragons and fantastic mythological creatures.

surrounded by the pond

Before crossing the bridge of the “Cycle of Rebirth”, we cannot prevent getting the chills gazing upon the hundreds of sculpted hands reaching up from “Hell”, symbolizing the way to happiness through overcoming cravings.

 

Twisted demon faces observe and mock the visitor as he prepares to purge his soul from cravings.

After crossing the Bridge, the visitor reaches the temple, the Abode of Buddha.

Although still unfinished, the paintings on the walls inside represent a mix of traditional Thai Buddhist art and contemporary scenes like a plane crashing into the twin towers, the war for Oil, many movie/comics characters like Neo, Batman, Doraemon, Kungfu Panda,  Superman and Star Wars droids. All superheroes painted to let people know that there really are no heroes in our world. so many morality declines , the world become ill , people lack moral standard. that is why Ajarn Chalermchai portray evil people as the demon with mouth opened encircled the entrance of the temple. Too bad photography inside the temple was not allowed . so I scan a view photos from guiding book.

scanned from white temple guiding book

scanned from white temple guiding book

scanned from white temple guiding book

scanned from white temple guiding book

scanned from white temple guiding book

When visitors walked out, they feel they leave the demon behind and going towards the highest level of dhamma, where people will not reborn, to meet the Lord Buddha at the edge of the universe.

Next to the white temple, on the other side of the pond, is also a the “Gharavasa” (the layman quarters) where an Art gallery, a preaching hall and a “golden toilet” are located, I think that is the most beautiful public restroom, and free to enter and admire, many people took photo of themselves in front of this toilet.

 

The temple-like building is supposed to represent the Body (as opposed to the white temple that represents the Mind). Charlemchai built the two bots (white and gold) in hope to teach people to let go and not cling to substance or money, and not to perceive the physical body as an assumed identity.

Ajarn Chalermchai builds this  temple is different from other temples that are golden. He believes that gold is suitable to people who lust for evil deeds. The Lord Buddha represent purity, and he use small mirrors throughout  the building is symbol of wisdom (Dharma) that shines throughout the universe.

“I want to build a heavenly garden (happiness) for humans to stroll in. I want all visitors of whatever religion to have feeling of peace, happiness and at the same time get to understand the meaning of Buddhism that can be seen all over the temple whether it’s in the architectural, the drawings , or the molding works” said Ajarn Chalermchai

Whether or not his message will reach visitors’ soul, Wat Rong Khun is scheduled to be completed by 2070 , remains one of the most unusual and interesting places of worship I have ever visited.

When it is completed, Wat Rong Khun will be a symbol to one man’s dedication to his country, his religion, and his present King, with a deep meaning behind every statue, corner or architectural design representing the wild creativity and vision. one day, it will also became a heritage of the world.

” I discipline the mind to train me toward being a good person with clear thinking, speaking well, and doing good deeds, We are all human, and I want to give goodness to people. If we have love and forgiveness in our hearts, it will come out naturally. You need to practice patience before you can control your own mind.” said Ajarn Chalermchai.

 

 

Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals

Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the world

1. Change

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.

2. Control.

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

3. Forgiveness

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

4. Action.

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

5. The present moment.

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”

6. Everyone is human.

“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”
“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

7. Persist.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

8. Goodness.

“I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.”
“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”

9. Truth

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”

10. Development.

“Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.”

 

I Wish You Enough…

This is really a good story. Read and remember…

Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. The airline had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, “I love you. I wish you  enough.”She in turn said, “Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.” They kissed and she left.

He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone
knowing it would be forever?”

“Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?” “I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead, and the reality is, the next trip back will be for my funeral,” he said.

“When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, “I wish you enough. May I ask what that means?”

He began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down for many generations within my family. My parents used to say it to everyone.”

He paused for a moment, looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. “When we said ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them,” he continued and then turning toward me he shared the following:

 I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough ‘Hellos’ to get you through the final ‘Good-byes.’

Then he walked away.

I WISH YOU ENOUGH!

~Written by Bob Perks~
http://www.IWishYouEnough.com

 

Bothering of Love, Modest proposal for Lent



Bothering to Love: One Priest’s Modest Proposal for Lent

James Martin, SJ

“People diet for physical reasons, so why not for spiritual ones?”

What have you given up for Lent?

That’s what many Christians–from almost every denomination, and especially Roman Catholics–are asking one another this time of year. The most common thing to forego, I would wager, is some kind of food: soda and chocolate seem to be the Most Favored Sacrifices, with cigarettes and liquor running a close third.

Each year, in fact, a Jewish friend from my college days calls me on Ash Wednesday to tell me what to give up, since he thinks my deciding on my own is too easy. Last year it was chicken wings, which was harder than you might think. (I’ll save the story of how he came to assign my abstinence for another time.)

Fasting originated as a way of saving money on food, so that Christians could give it to the poor. It had a practical end: no meat for you meant more money for those who couldn’t afford meat. Giving things up also reminds you that you don’t always have to give into your appetites. It reminds you of your ability to exert self-control. And it reminds you of the poor, who go without every day, Lent or not. The Dutch spiritual writer and Catholic priest Henri Nouwen summed it up nicely: “For now, it seems that some fasting is the best way to remind myself of the millions who are hungry and to purify my heart and mind for a decision that does not exclude them.”

Some people see Lenten sacrifices as another example of religious masochism. But look at it this way:

People diet for physical reasons, so why not for spiritual ones? If you spend hours in the gym for a great body why not do something healthy to free your spirit from what St. Ignatius Loyola, the 16th-century founder of the Jesuit Order, called “disordered affections.” Often Christians abstain from unhealthy things they’ve been unsuccessfully trying to avoid all year–like junk food or too much TV.

But this Lent I’d like to suggest not giving something up, but doing something.

Specifically, bothering.

In the Gospels, when Jesus of Nazareth condemns people, or points out sin, it’s usually not people who are trying hard to avoid sinning, it’s people who aren’t bothering to love. In the famous parable of the Good Samaritan, in the Gospel of Luke, two men pass by a guy lying by the side of the road, who could certainly use some help. They could help the fellow, but they don’t. He rightly points out their sin. Jesus doesn’t condemn those who are weak and trying hard; but those who are strong and aren’t trying at all.

For Jesus, sin is often a failure to bother to love, what theologians used to call a “sin of omission.”

But during the weeks before Easter, most Christians during the weeks seem stuck on what they’ve been trying to avoid for years. A familiar hymn is: “I try to stop smoking every time Ash Wednesday comes around!” But if Jesus were around today (I know that’s a dicey few words) he might say, “Don’t worry about where you’re already trying and keep failing. Look at where you’re not even bothering.”

So this Lent, instead of fasting, why not bother? Instead of a negative Lent, how about a positive one? Instead of giving up chocolate for the umpteenth year in a row, or trying to kick your smoking habit, why not bother to call a friend who’s lonely? Instead of turning off your TV, or going to the gym, bother to donate money to the poor in Haiti. Instead of passing up potato chips, bother to visit a sick relative.

In the Gospels Jesus says, “It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice.” Here’s a novel idea for Lent: why not take Jesus at his word?

The Rev. James Martin is a Jesuit priest and culture editor of America.
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“Why be honest, when it pays to be dishonest? Why fight for others, when they won’t fight for you? —or even for themselves?…the answer I think lies in what life means to you. If life means having a good time, money, fame, power, security, then you don’t need principles; all you need are techniques. On the other hand, if happiness counts more than a good time, respect more than fame, right more than power and peace of soul more than security; if death doesn’t end life but transforms it, then you must be true to yourself and to God and to love the truth and justice and freedom that are God’s other names.– Jose Diokno