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The silent courtyards, pine groves and temples here at the foot of Mount Fuji hardly look like a battleground. But there is an atmosphere of siege among the monks rustling […]

Brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence that Buddhist practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries that mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and allow people to achieve different, transformed levels of awareness. It is concluded from the research that meditation changes the workings of the brain in the short term and also quite possibly produces permanent changes.

A debate on the question of connection between the Buddhist doctrines of Karma and reincarnation, a substantial soul and the non-self theory is presented. Arguments suggest that the soul is neither unborn nor undying but is the bearer of Karma and reincarnation is according to its Karma and experiences, it is always changing and has its being as continuity.

Buddhism teaches that the karmic potency results in finding new goals through Dharma that is individual moments of consciousness, ones experiences and influences which all are exposed that develops into a certain character and this whole complex flow is called gotra (lineage) which represents the inheritance. The constant change in the stream of consciousness leads to change in character, which is receptive and good, which means the sutras, referred to 'sons and daughters of good family'.

Buddhism is taught on two levels of truth, the relative and absolute, and to understand the Buddha Dharma, these two levels of truth need to be understood. It explains further that no levels can be ignored as the relative is to practice and the absolute inspires.

The four noble truths of Buddha are discussed in detail. According, to Buddha greed, lust and cravings are the main cause for all the sufferings in human life.

Majjhima Nikaya has described the preachingEs and endeavors of Buddha. Buddha preached about life and how important it is not to waste the precious time as one has a short lifespan.

It is stated that humans are the farers through life. It is also said that there is a path of destiny, which comes in parallel with all the others, consciously or unconsciously forming our Karmic path.

The contributions of Buddha to the human society and the teachings of Buddhism that motivated its followers to swim against the current and to bring about a total revolution within oneself are discussed in detail.

Sunyata and bodhisattva are regarded as the foundation of Mahayana Buddhism's theory and practice. The relationship between emptiness and bodhisattva is also examined.

The last three months of the Buddha's life and his death are dealt with in the great discourse about the parinibbana of the Buddha, Mahaparinibbana Sutta. The opinion that Buddhism and Christianity are pessimistic religions are countered with the help of this discourse.

The meaning of 'Reality' according to Buddhist wisdom is discussed. The concepts of Dhamma, Nibbana, and the intricacies of Buddhist Practice are explained.

The divine and transcendent levels of different regions are presented. According to the some of the religion saints all religious expressions are remarkably similar and interchangeable.

The chairman's closing talk to overcome the five hindrances given at the Buddhist Society Summer School 2002 is presented. The five hindrances are desire, ill, sloth, torpor and doubt.

The challenge that Buddha issued some 2500 years ago called Ehipassiko is described. Elliot Cohen describes his experiences in Cirencester in August 2002 where 90 people came as acceptance to the challenge.

A talk given at the Buddhist Society Summer School 2002 is described. It is concluded that development of awareness is not and end in itself.

The textual transmissions of all living traditions of Buddhism mentions about the function of the 'Dharma protector', a protector of religion. The functions and the way it can be carried out by different beings and objects is described.

The wheel of life or the Wheel of Birth depicts a picture of the various states that we live in all our waking lives and in dreams too. The five Skandhas, the Dharmasamtana and the Karman is described.

The 50 year old Buddhist Society Summer School conducts a meeting of people who have been impressed by the Buddhist message of Dharma towards the end of summer. This is a report on the meeting for the year 2001.

A discussion on being open to dharma at the Buddhist Society Summer School 2001 is described. This discussion dwells on how to obtain a true fulfillment through the two aspects of life, the openness of the heart and becoming a true adult by standing on ones own feet.

LEAD: The teachings of Vajradhatu, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism with 3,500 to 5,000 followers in the United States, Canada and Europe, do not prohibit homosexuality or sex with more […]