Buddha and Buddhasim

The biggest statue of  Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama was born and educated as a Hindu, and was deeply saddened as he saw the suffering of those who were confused and embattled in conflicting beliefs over their many gods. Those with little understanding were fighting over foolish matters such as whether or not Rama was greater than Krishna or Shiva.

Indeed, Siddhartha was deeply saddened by the pain and suffering that he saw in the world, and set out to discover a path whereby one could rise above the differences and distinctions of mankind in order to enjoy a life beyond suffering.

He saw that on-going arguments over whether or not "my god is better than your god" were not bringing insight to mankind, but were actually resulting in painful division, misunderstanding, hatred and violence. He saw that instead of the people's belief in Brahman bringing them together in peace, their religion often led to petty bickering over which gods, goddesses and attributes were superior. Siddhartha also noted that many unenlightened teachers were leading the people astray and using either the love of God or the wrath of God as the reason for every action. But that approach was leading only to more pain and suffering.

Over time, Siddhartha was shown that there was another path, a path that would rise far above and beyond such arguments, divisiveness and hatred.

Shakyamuni Buddha taught that if a person had been shot with an arrow, there was really no point in a group of people standing around arguing over who made the arrow, or what type of wood it was made of, or what type of feathers were used. The first, and most important matter, is simply to remove the arrow.

Shakyamuni had awakened to the truth that only when one has discovered true peace is he truly ready and able to discover the glorious depths and wonders of Life. So, rather than starting off with the divisive and contentious issue of God and His attributes, the teachings of Shakyamuni simply began with learning how to be a good human being, learning how to live with loving-kindness, respect and harmony for all of creation.

While there are many possible paths leading to a life of love, harmony and beauty, we generally see that any one teacher will tend to use certain specific concepts and ideals in his teaching; and so it was that Shakyamuni began to teach the people about the causes of their suffering.

Shakyamuni taught that there is no need to even mention the ideal called God or Allah or Krishna or the All-Mighty Ever-Seeing One in order to learn the truth of suffering. So, the great innovation in his teaching was that he did not use either the love of God or the wrath of God as a reason to live in harmony with one another, he completely side-stepped such contentious issues, and began to teach about crucial issues for living a peaceful and mindful life, such as the Four Heavenly Abodes: loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha).

This path was of course very successful because people were, and still are, eager to put an end to their suffering. However, as is the case with every path toward understanding, the followers of the teaching did not always comprehend where this path would lead. For many, the teaching of Buddha was merely a refuge from suffering, and thus many believe that there is no God in Buddhism. And, for them, that is therefore true. But that is not the fault of the teachings of Shakyamuni. Every person has their own unique definition of 'God'. Indeed, each person has their own special understanding of God; for some, there is a personal God; for others there is an unknowable God. Thus, many of the arguments about God stem from the simple fact that God is beyond definition.

I once saw the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso talking about his early days of learning science and how he began to see the wonder and magnificence of the intelligence that was in some manner behind the existence of all the stars and planets.... How delightful! In the peace and mindfulness offered by Buddhism, he had indeed seen beyond the beyond, and had acknowledged that Mystery beyond the mysteries that many would call God. In general, the Buddhist path recognizes that there is an essential radiance (also called luminosity or purity) that forms the basis of our awareness and which permeates and supports our existence. Again, some would simply call that radiance God, or and aspect of God, but it is not the name that matters. What really matters is that we allow this glorious purity, regardless of what we call it, to manifest in our lives as compassion and loving-kindness. That is our true nature, and that is our highest calling.

There are many paths to perfection, and each person is offered their own personal path out of their own particular darkness and pain. Each person has their own unique path, and we must willingly allow each of our brothers and sisters to walk their own unique path... not only allow them to walk their own path, but we should happily celebrate their path and encourage them along their way no matter how different their path may seem to be.

There is only One Light shining through every window... call it Buddha-nature, call it Divine Essence, call it God, the name doesn't really matter; it is only the direct personal experience and manifestation of that essence that really matters. So, go for it! Every person has this glorious essence, the essence of enlightenment, already within them, let it out, let it shine!!

The God of Hindu: SHIVA

The biggest image of  God Shiva

Shiva is the god of the yogis, self-controlled and celibate, while at the same time a lover of his spouse (shakti). Lord Shiva is the destroyer of the world, following Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver, after which Brahma again creates the world and so on. Shiva is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction and in the positive sense of destroying the ego, the false identification with the form. This also includes the shedding of old habits and attachments.

All that has a beginning by necessity must have an end. In destruction, truly nothing is destroyed but the illusion of individuality. Thus the power of destruction associated with Lord Shiva has great purifying power, both on a more personal level when problems make us see reality more clearly, as on a more universal level. Destruction opens the path for a new creation of the universe, a new opportunity for the beauty and drama of universal illusion to unfold. As Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram or Truth, Goodness and Beauty, Shiva represents the most essential goodness.

While of course many hindu deities are associated with different paths of yoga and meditation, in Shiva the art of meditation takes its most absolute form. In meditation, not only mind is stopped, everything is dropped. In deep meditation or samadhi, even the object of the meditation (like a mantra) is transformed into its formless essence, which is the essence of everything and everyone. Thus Shiva stands for letting go of everything in the world of forms. The path of Lord Shiva is the path of the ascetic yogi.

Forms of Shiva

Shiva has many forms, which are visible in his Panchavaktra form with 5 heads, a combination of all Shiva energies : Aghora (resides in the creamation grounds), Ishana (most often appears as the shivalingam), Tat Purusha (meditating), Varna Deva (the eternal Shiva) and Saddyojat or Braddha Rudra (the old wrathful form). The last also forms the connection to the Rudraksha mala - a rosary made of the dried fruits of the Rudraksha tree.

Another form is the Nataraj. Shiva Nataraj's dance represents both the destruction and the creation of the universe and reveals the cycles of death, birth and rebirth. His Dance of Bliss is for the welfare of the world. In the pose of Nataraj, the King of Dance is giving darshan to his beloved devotees within the "Hall of Consciousness", which is the heart of man. Under his feet, Shiva crushes the demon of ignorance called Apasmara Purusha, caused by forgetfulness. One hand is stretched across his chest and points towards the uplifted foot, indicating the release from earthly bondage of the devotee. The fire represents the final destruction of creation, but the dance of the Nataraj is also an act of creation, which arouses dormant energies and scatters the ashes of the universe in a pattern that will be the design of the ensuing creation.

Yet another manifestation of Lord Shiva is said to be Hanuman, the ultimate karma yogi, in never-ending selfless service to Ram. The fact that this is not really clear can be perfectly explained by the understanding that a true karma yogi will never take the credit for his acts, as they would otherwise not be entirely selfless. The ego would still get the credit. So, in order to respect Shiva as a true karma yogi, let us not pay too much attention to this manifestation.

The Mahamrityunyaya form of Shiva is the great conqueror of death. The Mahamrityunjaya mantra is one of the two main mantras of the Vedas, next to the Gayatri mantra. It is chanted to remove death and disease. This form of Shiva also is the being of pure joy, referring to the unconditioned enjoyment of the perfectly peaceful mind. That is the true nature of the divine elixir that this Shiva offers his devotees in no less than four hands.

Another main form of Shiva is Ardhnarishwara, half Shiva, half Shakti. Also related to Shiva is Indra.

Attributes of Lord Shiva

Shiva's main attributes are :

• the trident that represents the three gunas
• the snakes that show he is beyond the power of death and poison and also stand for the Kundalini energy.
• the sound of Shiva's two-sided drum maintains the rhythm of the heartbeat and creates the sound AUM in the overtones.
• the vehicle of Shiva is the white bull called Nandi (the joyful).
• Shiva is often seated on a tiger skin or wears a tiger skin, with the tiger representing the mind.
• Shiva lives on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.

Relationships

The power or energy of Shiva is Shakti, his spouse, of which Parvati is probably the most popular form. Shiva's first wife was Sati and his second wife was Parvati. They are also known by many other names, such as Uma, Gauri, Durga, Kali, Annapurna and Shakti. His sons are Ganesha and Kartikeya.

Shiva and Parvati are often shown as sitting in happy, intimate embrace. They also like to discuss philosophy. Shiva taught Parvati on Vedanta (transcendent knowledge), while Parvati tought him Sankhya (cosmological knowledge). Both were perfected yogis.

After their marriage, they left for mount Kailash and immersed themselves completely in a sexual intercourse so strong that the deity of desire Kama was reborn when their sweat mingles with his ashes. Their love was so intense that it shook the cosmos and frightened even the gods.

Tandava dance, Parvati is said to complement him with a slow, creative step of her own, calming him with her soft glances. While Shiva shows a wilder nature that is both ascetic and erotic, Parvati stands for the middle path of the householder. As Shiva exulted in his romantic dalliance with her, the true mother in her longed for a child. Shiva resisted the life of a householder, but Parvati's desire for it was greater than his resistance. Hence first Ganesha was born, later also Kartikay.

The Shiva Lingam

Lord Shiva is conceived in his unborn, invisible form as the Shiva Lingam. The Lingam represents the male creative energy of Shiva. This main symbol of Shiva is worshipped in virtually every Hindu temple and home. The phallus is not worshipped as such, but through it Shiva is worshipped as the supreme consciousness. Embracing the base of the linga is the yoni, the female organ, as the universal energy, as Shakti, Shiva's spouse. Through profound understanding of this symbol, the mystery of creation can be understood as an act of love.

When Ganga incarnated on Earth, Lord Shiva captured her in his hair to avoid that she would flood all of Earth (See the Life of Ganga).

Shiva worshippers (Shaivites) are among India's most ascetic yogis, their body smeared with ashes, dressed in saffron colors and wearing a Rudraksha mala. The path of Shiva can thus be seen as the inward-going path, the great journey to find the self. This path is complementary to the path of Vishnu, which is the outgoing path, bringing out the self from within and letting it manifest in the universe and our lives.

Feel the different motion in AIR

I took a deep breath, stretched out my arms, and jumped. For a brief second I was flying! In half that brief second, I was plummeting to what I was sure would be certain death. The air whooshed past me as I dropped 100 metres into the impressive gorge of the Bhote Khosi River.

At 160 metres Nepal’s bungy is the tallest of its kind in Asia and the second highest commercial jump in the world. Costing 85 Euros, including lunch and return transport from Kathmandu, it is also the best value bungy available. Indeed, it is far cheaper than its shorter and less impressive Antipodean rivals.

The jump is found at the disconcertingly named The Last Resort, 12km from the Tibetan border. Yet don’t let the name put you off. It is a beautifully situated resort complete with safari-style luxury tents and exotic gardens bordering the jungle. Perched atop a high cliff, it can only be reached by the suspension bridge that the more fool-hardy among us choose to throw ourselves off. Accommodation consists of 4-person or 2-person tents with electric lighting, comfy beds, towels, clothes racks and decorative orchids. You won’t find a sleeping bag here! There is a bathroom block with hot showers ensured everyday by solar panels. The inclusive buffet is delicious with choices ranging from the traditional Nepali dal bhat to burgers and salads, while the bar serves alcohol, soft drinks and tasty smoothies.

Alongside the bungy, The Last Resort team run their infamous Canyon Swing. This offers the same thrills but without the rather daunting prospect of diving off head first. Harnessed around the middle, the ‘swinger’ jumps off the platform and after an impressive 6 second freefall is flung backwards and forwards at speeds reaching an exhilarating 150km/h.

Other adventure sports are on offer if you prefer keeping your feet on firmer ground. Canyoning is an exciting combination of climbing, abseiling and sliding down waterfalls. Not only will you glide down 60 metre abseils and bathe in private mountain streams, but it is also worth just marvelling at your guides, whose antics, including running head first down a slippery waterfall, wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a James Bond film.

Additionally, you can exploit perfect rafting conditions offered by the wild Himalayan-fed river next to the resort, along with opportunities for mountain biking and hiking.

Despite its reputation for high-octane adventure, the resort also seeks to promote itself as a peaceful retreat; perfect for tired hikers back from treks or those wishing to escape the hubbub of Kathmandu. I thoroughly recommend treating yourself to a massage or facial offered by the resident Himalayan Healers Project. The project is not only known for its quality beauty treatments, but also for training members of Nepal’s lowest caste, the Untouchables, and providing them with credible work opportunities.

The Last Resort offers excellent outdoor adventure sports for an exceptionally reasonable price compared to elsewhere in the world. For an overnight stay, including the bungee or swing and a day’s canyoning, the resort charges 115 Euros. What’s more, it is a fine example of responsible travel, since a set amount of the fee is spent on supporting the local community and re-investing in the third poorest country in the world.

Travel in Nepal

Travel in Nepal

Nepal is a beautiful country of the world. Nepal is a land locked country that is located between two great country India and China. Nepal is a small country with an area of 147000 sq.km. There are 36,000 villages in Nepal with 75 district, 14 zones, and 5 development region. The capital city of Nepal is Kathmandu which is central part of Nepal. Nepal has been divided into 3 parts, then one Train, Hill and Mountain Region.
Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is the first entry point. Kathmandu valley has the honors of possessing a full fledged ancient and medieval civilization. There are as many houses as many temples and there are as many men as many gods. Every day there seems people observing festivals and ritual activities. Kathmandu, one finds a unique culture having the blend of Hinduism and Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. the tourist visiting Nepal are a not only attracted by the snow peaks, lakes, gorges, glaciers, forest, animals, ancient cities, but also they are attacked by different ethnic groups.
Traveling in most impotent places
Kathamandu: It is the capital and th biggest city of the country. The parliament and head offices of all the offices are located here. Basntapur, Hanuman Dhoka, Kasthamandap, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, are very imported places.
Patan: It is located in the Lalitpur district of Bagmati zone It is also famous for Nepalese art nad craft. Lod Krishana, Minnath, Machchhendranath and Buddha Stupa is attractive places.
Bhadgaon: Bhadgaon is the axcient name of modern bhaktapur. It is to the east of Kathmandu. It is one of the oldest and the trirt biggest town in the valley. It is famous for Nepalese art and architecture. Nyatapol, the temples of Bhairavnath and Dattatraya, Bhaktapur darbarsquare are some of its most attractive objects.
Nagarkot: Nagarkot is a very beautfull place in Nepal. It is located 32 km east of kathmandu. It is reanowned for its sunrise view of the Himalaya including Mount Everest as well as other snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. Nagekot also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley. Nagarkot is an international tourist destination with spectacular views of the whole Langtang range, sunrise on the mountains and sunset views. We can see the panoramic views of the captivating landscapes and hills with the Kathmandu valley. You can breathe the cool mountain breeze in the resort town of Nagarkot. There are resorts from top-end quality to decent lodges to accommodate you and serves different cuisines
Pokhara : Pokhara is situated in the Kaski district of Gandaki zone. There are several lakes in pokhara,Fewa lake, Rupa lake, Begnas lakewhich enrich the beauty of the place. At the Fewa lake itself there is a temple of Barahi. Another significant site is the temple of indyabasini. Pokhara is famous for its natural beauty. Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri, Annpurna Mountain are assn very clearly from pokharaMahendracave, chamero Gupha, David Falls, etc. are other attractive places of pokhara. The beautiful scenery of Seti river is another eye- catching object. For all these reasons, pokhara has vbecome the center for tourists of different countries.
Lumbini: Lumbini is situated in Rupandehi district of Lumbini zone.It is an important historical and religious place. Gautam Guddha, the founder of Buddhism and preacher of peace in the world wah born in Lumbini. The monument of Ashoka the Great and the temple of Mayadevi (Mother of Gautam Buddha) are aldo located here.
Janakpurdham: Janakpurdham is the Dhanusha distirct and Janakpur zone. It is also situated in the eastern terai. The famous temple of Ram-Janaki is located here. Every year on the fifth day of the full moon in the month of Magh, Ram Nawami, a big festival is held here.
Parks and Animals: In the 8 national parks Everest National park , Royal Chitwan National park, Royal bardia National park, Shey-phoksundo National park, Khaptad National park, Langtang National park, Rara national park Makalu-barun national park. The available endangered species of this country are Tiger, Rhin,Snow-leopard, clouded-0leopard, Red panda, Brown bear, Asamese macaque, Gangetic dolphin, Wild elephant, Giant horn bill, swamp deer, Wild yak, Tibetan antelope, Black buck, four horned antelope, This country also harbours one of the world's best bhvitats for onehorned rhino, Royal Bengal tiger, Snow-leopard, Clouded-leopard, Red panda. There wildlife includes wild elephant, buffaloes, bison, blue bull, brown bear, sloth bear, leopard, crocodiles and many varieties of cat,dog,deer and antelope families. This reveals that Nepal is an ecological dreamland.
Nepal in herbs: Nepal's biodiversity is a reflection of physiographic, climatologically and wide altitudinal variations. Nepal represents 118 ecosystems and 35 forest types. Its biological diversity ranging between Indo-Malayan and palaeoartic fauna and flora includes 3 critically endangered, 14 endangered and 42 vulnerary. Forest are an integral part of biodiversity. There are over 6500 species of vascular plants including over 252 species of endemic, 400 species of trees and 700 species of medicinal plants.
Himalayan region: Climatically, Nepal Himalayan region is characterized by the decreasing oxygen pressure, the high radiation values, the low temperatures and the absolute humidity of the air. Similarly, in the geological context of Himalayan region there can be seen the steep and irregular relief of the mountain, poorly developed soil, high susceptibility to geomorphologic hazards, leeward position to high mountains' ridge short period of vegetation, limited choice of crops and poorly developed infrastructure. The most important travels activities in Nepal are trekking and mountaineering. Nepal took on an open sky policy which led to significant increase in private sector airways and helicopter services and Domestic Airlines service are available in Kathmandu Trekking in Nepal is a unique mobile. This is the country where ons's every day trekking activity is always changed from one camp to another. Therefore, many tourists visit Nepal to have new experiences form trekking activities. The popular trekking routes are Mt.Everest area in the north east, Langtang, Helambu in the central region, Annapurna, Jomshom, upper Dolpa, Lomanthang mustang and Jumla- Rara are more difficult and expensive.
Rafting: After a trek, tourists are found to do whitewater rafting mostly in the Trisuli River. Rafting in the Sunkosi, Kaligandaki, Arun, Karnali, Bheri and Seti River are available. One the way down form rafting trip, the tourists generally go to the Jungle Resort Camps located in the Terai region. some touriste will go to Royal Shukla phanta, some will visit Bardia National park and some will visit Koshi Tappu and Chitwan National park for the purpose of observing animals available inside the park. Spotted deers, rhinos, crocodiles, and tigers have fascinated the tourist who visit these areas. It is estimated that approximiately sixty-thousand tourists visit Chitwan National Park.
To recapitulate, Nepal is a dreamland that wins and solaces the heart of visitors by the captivating sights and experience of the incredible mountain chain wild forests, climbing and trekking routes, ecology, mountain environment, culture, heritage, religion in term of products and their events and various other activities. Therefore, Nepal Tourism Board has branded "Naturally Nepal: Once is not enough". An adventure tourist can ascend to Sagarmatha and other youngest Himalayas for the rewarding and thrilling climbing sensation and descend to Sauraha (Located outside the Chitwan Natipnal Park) through snowy paths or rocky steps to breathe the satisfaction of such' wilderness'. While enjoying Elephant ride in Sauraha, he or she will have a pleasant nostalgia of the climbing when he sees the snow-clad mountains at his back and tiger at his front in the National Park of Chitwan. A trekker's journey from Lomanthang to Lumbini will still fascinate him to experience trans-Himalayan culture, tantric Buddhism of the north, mysterious gonpas (tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries) and pre-historic caves and hidden pilgrimages and his journey to Lumbini helps him to breathe t he air of peace and tranquility and renouncement at the birth place of Lord Buddha. Similarly, a visitor's journey from Kanchanjunga to Kanchanpur provides him the experience of mountain and study of diverse ethnic culture. Kanchanjunga dream fulfills also the desire of a high-hill walking through the tea gardens of the beautiful hill station of the eastern part of Nepal (Illam) adjoining Darjeeling. Hills of Nepal are the life and soul of diverse ethnic group. A new destination of trekking can be introduced to Labchi-Lumnang of Dolakha District under the theme of Adventure Pilgrimage Trek especially to the Buddhists of Europe and USA. Similarly, inner Solu valley trek can be developed for those who do not want to talk at high altitude. Shamanism tour will be other fascinating activities in different areas of NEpoal. The potential destinaion would be Dhading and Makwanpur, Gorkha, Nuwakot, Dolakha, Jajarkot and eastern Nepal. To visit Nepal is to see the life in the land without wheels.
Juxtaposition and synthesis of old and new, nature and culture, ecology and environment, flora and fauna, Buddhism and present ideas and behavior, rituals and other practices, living goddess- Kumari and reincarnated Lama- Rimpohe, masks and mantras, faith healers and sorcerers, shamanism and spiritism is a unique and rewarding feature of this country. Equally vibrant and fascinating are the four heritages popularly known as Natural Heritage (Nature gifts), History rooted Heritage (Historical places and monuments), Manufactured Heritage (Manmade artifacts) and Socio-ideological Heritage (Social institutions-family, marriage, kinships, customs, dresses and ornament food habits, festivals, dance, drama, folk songs, ethos, norms, values, morals and beliefs). These reveal that Nepal is anthropological pilgrimage.

Lalitpur

Lalitpur

Lalitpur, Darbar square

 

Lalitpur is a perfect paradise for the visitors situated nearby Kathmandu city. Lalitpur is a beautiful place. Because of its beauty it has become a frequent destination for the visitors both from home and abroad countries. This town is full of modern amenities and local charms, therefore, it attracts the visitors. Once someone visits this place he/she never forgets it.

There are beautiful guest houses and bed and breakfast places that are less expensive. Visitors can enjoy both Nepali and continental foods. To fulfill the cultural interest, visitors can go to exhibition centers that stay open 24 hours. For religious people there are so many temples, monasteries,churches and mosques. On visiting these places one can have spiritual experiences. Similarly, for the sports person this town has so many games to offer. Throughout the year, people can enjoy different games in different clubs. In the same way, for the children it has a zoo, fun parks and children play grounds, to offer once children goes to visit these places they get full fun and entertainment.

In fact, this is really a beautiful place in Nepal which cannot be described in words. In order to enjoy the beauty of this place one should come and see it.

Pokhara

Nepalese pride Pokhara

Phewa and fishtail

 

Pokhara is one of the beautiful place of the earth. It is in the lap of the mountain. It is also known as a town of lake. It is 200 kms far from the capital city (Kathmandu). Pokhara is situated at an altitude of 827 meters from sea level. It is linked by Air and by road from Kathmandu and the Indian border Sunauli. Pokhara can be reached in 6 hours bus ride and just 30 minutes by Airplane from Kathmandu. From pokhara we can see the several mountains such as Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchher(Fishtail), Manaslu, Annapurna and others. Fishtail is just 30 kms far from pokhara and we can see the shadow in the phewa lack.in this way there is beautiful views of hills also they are Sarankot, Kaskikot, Kalikasthan, Bharat Pokhari and the Pumdi Bhumdi Hills.

Pokhara has suitable climate for visit. People can visit every time in the year. At the time of winter the average temperature is 6degree Celsius and at summer 30-32 celsius.

There are severall lakes and rivers in pokhara. Fewa, Bernas Rupa are the famous lakes of the pokhara. In the same way the seti river flows through the heart of the pokhara. In pokhara there are many caves. They are Mehendra cave, Gupteshwot mahadev, chamera cave and others. In pokhara near Gupteshwot mahadev there is davis fall.

There are several temples of Hindu’s people and Buddhist’s people. One is Baharai temple which is almost center of the Fewa Lake and surrounded by the water. Other temples are Bindabashini,Buddhist monastery and so on.

One interesting thingis that in pokhara the seti river goes completely underground in certain places.