Kagyu Nl

Abstract The essay examines the issue of death and burial customs among four major traditions. Ancient societies believed in life after death. For instance, Ancient Egyptians would mummify bodies in order to reserve the souls and prepare the deceased for another life. The second group constitutes of the Native Americans; their practices vary from tribe to tribe. However, they also believed in life after death and would bury their dead with material possessions. Japanese death ceremonies reflect Buddhist traditions; most of them cremate the bodies of their relatives. Lastly, modern Americans present bodies in their natural form to symbolize death as a rite of passage. Introduction Cultures throughout...

Yunnan is regarded as a microcosm of the multinational China. It has 25 minorities, nearly half of the whole country's total number of 56. Each minority, distributing in different corner of Yunnan Province, has its own customs, history and culture for thousands of years, celebrating their own festivals which are really attractive and fascinating. With such diversity, Yunnan attracts the most people who are interested in ethnic culture and customs. Among the existing 25 minority groups, the Yi, Bai, Dai, Naxi, Zang (Tibetan) etc. are the majority and most famous. They have dependent cultures, customs, languages and histories. Most of them also have their own religion beliefs, including Tibetan...

To get to the Earth Altar is quite easy. Simply take subway line #2, and get off at ANDINGMEN station. Exit through Exit A, and turn right onto the ANDINGMENWAI DAJIE. Take a look around. Here, the word traffic is synonymous with 'traffic jam': in the past decade the number of cars in Beijing streets has been soaring, and this phenomenon shows no sign of slowing. Your eyes will probably stop at the familiar faces of KFC and McDonald's, among an array of fast food restaurants. Earth Altar: where Emperors Pray Affluence for His Subjects Earth Altar Park - Initially built in 1533 to serve as the place where emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties offered (non human) sacrifices to the 'Supreme Ruler of the...

The Everest Base Camp Trek, through the soaring Himalayan mountain range, presents a (manageable) physical challenge, a psychological reward, and an uplifting experience to treasure for a lifetime. Part of its appeal is that it taps into the innate human instinct of exploration and allows a reconnection to nature on a grand scale. Exploring: Human Nature In the increasingly secular society of the western world, we often look to nature to revive a sense of spirituality missing from our modern lives. And nature rarely disappoints. Whether it is a thunder storm, a paddle in the sea, a country walk, or even the sun on our face, there is something about being exposed to the elements that restores our...

The capital of Sikkim, is a unique hill resort of northeast India and undoubtedly one of the most oft-visited ones. Perched on the ridge of a hill at an altitude of 1700 mt, Gangtok is famous for its scenic beauty and spectacular views of the Kanchenjunga, their highest mountain in the world. The town offers a mild temperate climate with a temperature of around 23 degree centigrade in summer and around 6 degree centigrade during winter. Prime Attractions of Gangtok Do-drul Chorten The Do-drul Chorten or Stupa was built by the Venerable Trullshi Rimpoche, head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism, in 1945. Inside the Stupa, there are complete mandala set of Dorjee Phurba (Vajra Kilaya), a set of...

Adam's Peak is one of the most recognisable places in Sri Lanka, yet many people are not aware of the island's famous mountain until they visit it for themselves on their Sri Lanka holidays. The mountain is held in sacrosanct by followers of four religions: Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims. However, long before any of these religions appeared on the island, the mountain was worshipped by the aboriginal inhabitants of the island, the Veddas. They named the peak Samanala Kanda after one of the island's four deities. Hindus also have a different name for the peak and call it Sivan Adi Padham. They believe that the giant footprint left on the peak is Shiva's and was left on the mountain during...

Thanks to the diverse culture, traditions, exotic locations, unique wildlife, of late India has emerged as most sought after tourist destination in the entire world. It is a land full of colors and festivals. Every religion as well as every season in India are linked with one and more festivals which are celebrated with utmost joy and gaiety. These splendorous festivals are the lifeline of the India culture and tradition. Some of the famous Indian festivals are Holi, Diwali, Janmashtami, Durga puja, Christmas, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Buddha Purnima and many more. These festivals are the main source of communal harmony in the country. They aids to maintain the national integration of the country. Similar...

Heterogeneity in religious culture sometime creates serious problems in South Asia. In terms of number of followers, Hinduism has the largest number of followers, with Islam and Buddhism being the two other major faiths. Although a strong secular movement was launched by the Indian and many other South Asian governments, it failed to minimize cultural gaps among the various religions. Most prominent clashes between religious groups seem to involve Hindus and Muslims, or one Muslim sect against another, or Sikhs and Hindus, or Buddhists and Hindus. Relations between the two most powerful states of South Asia, India and Pakistan, have been greatly complicated by religious factors. Clashes between Sri...

Say for instance you are redecorating your room, and you want it to have additional flavor to spice it up a little bit; and so you decided to buy an area rug. If you are looking for a unique elegant design with a touch of antiquity, Tibetan rugs are the rugs to choose. What are Tibetan rugs? What makes Tibetan rugs distinct and unique from the other styles of rugs?   Over the years rug making has played a very huge role in Tibetan culture. It is considered as one of the ancient arts and crafts of Tibet. Tibetans use rugs in almost anything in the household; from a simple floor covering to a horse saddle, and even as a wall décor and for beddings. They are also used for ceremonial purposes in...

Most of us have been exposed to at least one religion while we were being raised by our parents. I was raised a Christian and lived in a Christian community. Like most Muslims and Hindus, we never had a choice, about which religion we wanted to belong to. Our upbringing determined our future religious beliefs. No matter how good or bad our childhood was, our parents justified their behaviors and we accepted these and will probably pass them down to our children. I was wondering, what if you took the strongest Christian in this country and put them into a Tibetan monastery, shortly after they were born. Instead of growing up in a Christian community and gathering strength through other Christians...

the key Buddhist ceremonies is the Mong Son Thi Thuc ceremony, which involves an impressive performance of solemn music and ritual dance. The monks chant prayer texts in chorus, while drums and bells sound in the background, this combination evoking both the hardness and softness of Buddhism. Christian music must also be examined. Some priest’s claim that sung blessings is twice as powerful as spoken ones. The composition and teaching of hymns are considered crucial tasks, performed according to strict guidelines. Learning these hymns is a basic duty for pious Christians and each church has a well-trained choir. At first, the human voice was the sole instrument. Later, musical instruments like...

Ghost Housing When you visit Thailand, you can see many miniature houses that look almost like dollhouses. But they are not for kids to play. They are built for ghosts. Many Thais still believe in ghosts, which goes back to animistic beliefs that were present in Thailand long before the arrival of Buddhism or other religions. Twice As Big As London The former capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya, was almost twice as big as London in the 17th century, and in fact, it was one of the most spectacular cities in the world at that time. While London had around 500,000 inhabitants, Ayutthaya reached 1,000,000. The kingdom of Ayutthaya astonished tradesmen from all over the world, and reports of early European...

Ajanta and Ellora caves are the pride representative of India's architectural heritage. These two mind blowing caves are world famous for their cave shrine which has been cut from rock all by using hand. These caves were lying low for a long time until it was discovered by the British army officer John Smith while on a hunting expedition in the year 1819. Since then Ajanta and Ellora have captivated many visitors from all over the world. Ajanta has been designated as world Heritage site by the UNESCO. The brilliant sculptures and paintings of these two caves are simply awe-inspiring. These two caves are located in the midst of the Sahyadri hills. Located near the Aurangabad city of Maharashtra...

When asked who he is the Dalai Lama will tell you he is "just a human being...who chooses to be a Buddhist monk." But for the Tibetan people he is the 14th re-incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Boddhisatva of Compassion. The exiled spiritual and political leader of Tibet, he is sometimes referred to as a god-king, or a living Buddha. Whatever his title, Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama, is clearly his people's heart and soul. One young Tibetan refugee tells of falling down an icy Himalayan slope during his 1995 escape from Tibet. Hearing his terrified companion's cries of "Dalai Lama...Dalai Lama" echoing behind him, he says that "My friend thought I was dying, so he was praying for me" by calling His...

Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim State is a well known hill station of India which is visited by large number of tourists round the year. This is small hill top town situated at an altitude of 5,800 ft amidst lofty snow capped Himalayan mountains and lush green vegetation. It became a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site after the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840. During Gangtok Tour one can see amalgamated culture of Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet which makes it a vibrant place to visit. The well known attractions of this place are: Enchey Monastery: This monastery is approximately two hundred years old located on hill top 3 km away from the city center. The name 'Enchey Monastery' means 'the...

Pokhalde Peak rises to the north of the Kongma La above the Khumbu glacier opposite Lobuche. Lying at a relatively low altitude, Pokhalde provides its climbers an interesting and adventurous trekking experience. Pokhalde (5,806 m) was first climbed in 1953 via the Kongma La along its north ridge by the 1953 Everest Expedition team led by John Hunt. Pokhalde resembles a crenulated rocky ridge dominated by the vast bulk of Nuptse when viewed from Nuptse. The northern side of the peak has a small hanging glacier that is best reached along the ridge rising from the Kongma La. By and large the rock on the peak is poor, although it does offer some interesting scrambling on the well-defined ridges. The...

Mantra Meditations Down through the ages there have been stories of the mysterious power of Mantras. Every country in the world has their own set of Mantras. Marching armies who chant or sing the same words or songs are sending the powerful energies out in front of them. Vikings used to chant Odin, Odin, Odin as they charged towards their enemies. It is said that the power of Odin's chant caused many an enemy to break and run. A Mantra, be it a mental intonation, a sing-song, a chant or a full blown shout is all about energy. In Tibet and India they have prayer wheels with words, symbols, mantras, chants and prayers attached to them. When the wind blows it causes the wheel to spin and pours forth...

type="text/javascript"> The sprawling metropolis that is Tokyo is also the capital of Japan. With a history dating back more than 400 years, this massive city grew from a simple fishing village to one of the worlds most recognized places in the world after Japans Imperial family found themselves here after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. In addition to being the educational, political and economical hub of the country, Tokyo is also the religious and cultural hotbed of the country as it houses some of the most iconic temples and shrines that belong to the country. ‘Fuji-san’ or Mount Fuji as it is better known around the world, is the highest point in Japan standing at an amazing height of 12...

There are many different religions in this world, and since the beginning of time, there has been thousands of them, all professing to worship the one and only TRUE GOD, Creator. Out of all of these religions, only two of them teach that if people on earth do not worship "their" God, they will burn in hell forever. All other religions never taught such a doctrine. The only two religions that teach eternal damnation is the Christian and Muslim religions. Even though there are many religions on earth today, the major religions are listed below: BAHA'I: Baha'i has 5 million followers. Their god is named Gaha'u'llah. BUDDHISM: Buddhism has 307 million followers. Buddhism doesn't teach about God but to...

According to a recent Pew Research poll on religion, a growing number of Americans define themselves as 'spiritual but not religious'. Those of us in this group want to introduce our children to spirituality, but outside of any particular religious context. A good way to do this is through books. What follows is a list of picture books for children 3-9 years old that cover spiritual themes such as gratitude, compassion, connectivity, and contemplation, outside of any single religious tradition. Reading these to your children is a great way to open up discussion about spiritual themes. I have 'tested' them all out on my own daughter, and included her reactions. The Golden Rule, by Ilene Cooper...

oes around must come around. This is the basic understanding of the “Law of Karma” in the Western world in which it has already become an integral part of the prevailing culture and philosophy. In fact, you can trace similarities between karmic principles and those from modern cultures and religions. It can be related to the concept of doing good deeds in Christianity if interpreted as “if you do good things, then it will come back to you” or conversely, “if you do bad things, then bad things will happen to you.” The stark difference, however, comes with the Christian belief that everything can be overcome by love and forgiveness. Meanwhile, modern spirituality, which revolves around the...

Nagarjunasagar Valley is located 150 km from Hyderabad in the sate of Andhra Pradesh in India. The valley has derived its name from the south Indian master of Mahayana Buddhism - Acharya Nagarjuna of the 2nd century AD. It is one of the important Buddhist site in the country. The major attraction of the area is the Nagarjunasagar Dam located on the river Krishna. Constructed at the amazing height of 124 meters, it is the tallest masonry dam in the world. It is one the earliest hydro electric projects in the country. The construction of this Dam was completed in the year 1966. The dam has the power generating capacity of 1 Million KW. The Dam irrigated over the 3.6 million acres of land in the state...

Many believe that Christianity is dead or dying. I disagree with this idea and I believe Christianity is stronger than ever. But, there are those who believe Christianity should die and I disagree with this as well. Definition of religion: a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing A moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. I read an article on the subject of...

India with long list of sightseeing and tourist destinations is a home of hill stations. In India you will find array of hill stations with awesome climate and weather condition. Dalhousie, Chamba, Khajjar, Dharamshala, Kasauli, Chail, Kurfi, Manali tours, Mandi, Shimla, Mashorba, Kullu, Naldehra, Rohtang Pass, Kangra, Solan, Kashmir, Lahau, Spiti, Narkanda, Ooty, Darjeeling and lots more are the famous hill stations of India. Among these Gangtok is one of the hill stations of India, capital of Sikkim.ayurveda panchakarma Gangtok is famous for Buddhist pilgrimage centers with beautiful ancient Buddhist monasteries. It is located in the north east of India, an area too is famous for its cool climate...

India, a colorful land of South-east Asia is an ultimate destination for vacation. It shares its border with some beautiful nations which are as colorful as India. Most of these neighboring countries cultural, political and economical scenario are similar to that India as in ancient time some of them are part of India. Here is a list of some of the neighboring countries of India: Pakistan: As the name reflects, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a Muslim dominated country. It has an heart wrenching history of partition from India and the bloody massacre of 1947. Its history also contains political instability, military rule and wars with India. Pakistan is one of the most amazing nation of South...

Spiti 'the middle land' is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh adorned by the magnificent Western Himalayas. Perched at the height of over 3000 meters above the sea level, Spiti is one of the few unexplored areas in the world. The valley characterizes the unique Buddhist culture similar to that found in the nearby Tibet and Ladakh region of India. The magnificent mountain ranges in the Valley of Spiti are dotted with some of the finest Buddhist monasteries in the country. Spiti is undoubtedly beautiful weather you are looking for the scenic vistas, magnificent old monasteries or the traditional silent villages. The region's real charm lies in its unspoiled Himalayan beauty. Spiti is the ideal...

Prayer beads were first used in Hinduism, and they are known in Hinduism as japa mala. Prayer beads are also used in Christianity, both by Catholics to say the rosary, and also by Eastern Christians. Bahai's also sometimes use prayer beads to recite 95 times per day. In Buddhism prayer beads are often used, often called the Buddhist rosary, and the number of prayer beads varies with different forms of Buddhism. A strand of prayer beads is called a mala, and the word mala literally means garland or strand. Get Prayers Sent To Your Cell Phone In Hinduism, where prayer beads began, a mala contains 108 beads. This number, 108, is significant for many reasons. 108 is mathmatically significant because it...

The aim of this article is to provide the reader with information about Ghao (Gau) boxes (prayer boxes) which are often found in the form of a handcrafted silver locket. Where do Ghao boxes originate from? Although used by many religions and faiths, it is believed that Gau boxes originate from the Buddhist or Hindu faith. However, many people wear them today not for religious purposes but as a silver locket purely for their aesthetic appeal. What are Ghao boxes commonly used for? In religious circles, Ghao boxes are used to aid the wearer in focussing his/her mind in prayer. This is done by having a prayer written on a small piece of paper and then put and sealed inside the prayer box. The Ghao box...

On October 17 1979 Mother Teresa of Calcutta in India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress which also constitute a threat to peace”. Had it been now would she have tried to overcome terror that is fuelled by religious hostilities? She declared in her prize acceptance speech that “I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing- direct murder by mother himself-, .Because if a mother can kill her own child –what is left for me is to kill you and you kill me-there is nothing between {http:// nobelprize.org/peace/ laureates/1979/teresa- lecture.html} If that...

Jessica Alba inThe Love Guru - Author: Aparna Prakash Mon Jun 9, 2008 Jessica Alba stars in the new Mike Myers comedy The Love Guru which opens in theatres across North America on Friday, June 20. The Love Guru is the story of an American boy who is raised in an Indian Ashram. He returns to America and becomes the Love Guru to celebrities. Jessica Alba plays the estranged wife of a star hockey player and she approaches the Love guru for help. Love Guru is to be released acroos America on Friday June 20th and this is a preview. You can find out more about the movie at their website at Check out the official website for more details. The film has created controversy the way it has been filmed in...

Remote viewing is nothing new in Tibetan monasteries. For thousands of years remote viewing in the middle of other spiritual activities have dominated Tibetan culture. What some Indian tourists came to learn from a few Tibetan monasteries under the current Chinese rule is extremely alarming and fascinating. According to these tourists remote viewers are seeing world powers in the course of self-destruction. They also see that the world will not be destroyed. Between now and 2012 the world super powers will continue to engage in regional wars. Terrorism and covert war will be the main problem. In world politics something will happen in and around 2010. At that time the world powers will threaten to...

Joyful Wisdom by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is my favorite book I have read recently. I've never tried meditation or studied Buddhism but have always been interested in the concepts of it, such as focusing your mind and being at peace. Also I like it because it may help to quiet the anxieties and troubles that the world's imprint leaves on me (and you). The author states that Buddhist meditation practice provides "the opportunity to use difficult conditions- and the disturbing emotions that usually accompany them- to unlock the power and potential of the human mind." Sounds great to me! What really hit home for me was the emotional/thought management techniques. Basically through meditation and...

The state Arunachal Pradesh is the easternmost state of the country and is claimed by China. Regarding the location of the state it has been located in the easternmost area and it shares its border with the Assam state from the south and Nagaland to the southeast. Burma/ Myanmar is located at the east and Bhutan to the west north and it also borders with the Tibet which is ruled by the China. The state is also called as the 'Land of Rising Sun' and it has also many attractions and wonders which attracts many travelers towards the state. The flowing rivers, the snow covered mountains, the evergreen flora and fauna, the cultural heritage of the state is having the great enthusiasm to travel to the...