On Buddhist Monasteries: An Introduction to some Famous Temples in Asia

A monastery is a building or complex of buildings that comprise the living quarters and workplaces of either monks or nuns; whether living in a community or alone. Therefore, a Buddhist monastery is the combined home and “base of operations” for Buddhist monastics. Currently, there are notable Buddhist monasteries in approximately 30 countries all over the world; spanning African, Asian and Western cultures.

The development of Buddhist monastery architecture harks back to the olden days after Buddha’s ascension. As Buddhism developed in India, the earliest temples followed a Brahmanist Vedic model; which consisted of a square inner space, a sacrificial arena, a conical or rectangular sloping roof and a porch or entrance area framed by freestanding columns or a colonnade. Later additions expanded on the monastery’s religious functions to include study areas and basic caterings for the disciples’ bodily needs. Although the integration of local cultures and separate religious practices following Buddhism’s spread eventually led to diverging architectural styles, much of this basic plan still survives today. For example, temples in China and Malaysia would not only include localised paintings of demons and monkey guardians on the walls to shelter visitors and residents from evil spirits; but also the pagoda, which originates from the Indian stupa, a sculpted marker used to demarcate holy sites and the dwellings of holy men. Another event that affected monastery architecture was the birth of Buddhist art and production of Buddha’s likeness in sculptures circa 1 CE, which brought about an architectural approach in which the temple serves as a backdrop for Buddhist statues.

There are countless Buddhist monasteries that are either famous for unique architecture or great influence. For practical purposes, we shall restrict this review to only a few notable ones in Asia.

China

Hanging Monastery

Perched precariously halfway up a cliff some 75 meters (246 feet) above the ground, the Hanging Monastery is one of the most remarkable sights in China. Consisting of a complex of 40 rooms linked together by mid-air corridors and walkways, this remarkable monastery appears to be glued to the side of a sheer precipice. The name ‘hanging’ may be misleading though as it’s actually supported by stilts rather than built into a cliff. The monastery was built in the 5th century and has been hanging here for 1500 years. Over its long history many repairs and extension led to its present day scale.

Lama Temple

When placed in light of China’s and Tibet’s tussle, the existence of this temple becomes all the more curious. The Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple/Palace of Peace and Harmony), located in the northeastern part of Beijing, is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. The temple was built by Chinese emperors who harbored a deep fascination for the Tibetan version of Buddhism. Over the years, many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here, and there are still monks in residence today. The temple contains a 26 meter (85 foot) tall statue of Maitreya Buddha carved from a single piece of white sandalwood.

Tibet

Yumbulugang

According to a legend Yumbulagang was the first building in Tibet and the palace of the first Tibetan king, Nyatri Tsenpo. Its name means “Palace of Mother and Son” in Tibetan. Under the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama the palace became a monastery of the Gelugpa school. Sadly, it was heavily damaged and reduced to a single storey during the Cultural revolution but was reconstructed in 1983.

Ganden Monastery

Ganden Monastery is one of the ‘great three’ university monasteries of Tibet, located at the top of Wangbur Mountain at an altitude of 4,300 meters (14,107 feet). The other two are Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. Being the farthest from Lhasa of the three university monasteries, Ganden traditionally had a smaller population with some 6,000 monks in the early 20th century. In 1959 the monastery was completely destroyed by the Red Guards and the mummified body of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Monastery, was burned. Reconstruction of the Monastery has been continuing since the 1980s.

Mongolia

Erdene Zuu Monastery

The Erdene Zuu Monastery is probably the most ancient surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It was built in 1585 by Abtai Sain Khan, at the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism into Mongolia. Stones from the ruins of Karakorum were used in the construction. It is surrounded by a wall featuring 100 stupas. The number 108, being a sacred number in Buddhism, was probably envisioned, but never achieved. Under communist rule Erdene Zuu was allowed to exist as a museum only. However, after the fall of communism in Mongolia in 1990, the monastery was turned over to the lamas and Erdene Zuu again became a place of worship.

Bhutan

Punakha Dzong

Unlike other Buddhist monasteries, the Bhutan dzong is highly unique in that it has certain secular functions. A dzong is actually a combination of both a fortress and monastery; and one can found in every district in Bhutan.  Of these, the Punakha Dzong is one of the most photogenic. Built on an island between the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, it serves as protection for the region, an administrative seat for the government and the winter home of the monastic body. It is joined to the mainland by an arched wooden bridge, and contains many precious relics from the days when successive kings reigned the kingdom from this valley.

Burma

Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda (or Golden Pagoda) in Yangon, is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Burma. The origins of Shwedagon are lost in antiquity but it is estimated that the Pagoda was first built by the Mon during the Bagan period, sometime between the 6th and 10th century AD. The temple complex is full of glittering, colorful stupas but the center of attention is the 99 meter high (326 feet) high main stupa that is completely covered in gold.

Taung Kalat

Built atop an extinct volcano plug, the Buddhist monastery of Taung Kalat is one of the most breathtaking sites in Burma. To reach the monastery, visitors must climb the 777 steps to the summit. Along the way are a multitude of Macaque monkeys expecting treats. From the top of Taung Kalat, one can enjoy a panoramic view. One can see the ancient city of Bagan and the massive solitary conical peak of Mount Popa, the volcano that actually caused the creation of the volcanic plug.

Japan

Todaiji Temple

Todaiji (“Great Eastern Temple”) in Nara is one of the most historically significant and famous Buddhist temples in Japan. The temple was built in the 8th century by Emperor Shomu as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan. Today little remains of the original buildings of Todaiji. The Daibutsuden (“Great Buddha Hall”), dates for the most part from 1709. It houses one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan and is the world’s largest wooden building, even though it is only two-thirds the size of the original structure.

Indonesia

Borobudur

Located on the Indonesian island of Java, 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Yogyakarta, the Borobudur is the largest and most famous Buddhist temple in the world. The Borobudur was built over a period of some 75 years in the 8th and 9th centuries by the kingdom of Sailendra, out of an estimated 2 million blocks of stone. It was abandoned in the 14th century for reasons that still remain a mystery and for centuries lay hidden in the jungle under layers of volcanic ash.

Taiwan

Foguangshan (佛光山) (Mountain of the Light of Buddha)

The Tahsiungpao, Tapei, Tachih, and Dashu shrines are the main structures of Foguangshan, a huge temple complex located to the northeast of Tashu village in Kaohsiung County. On the southeastern side of Foguangshan stands a 120-meter tall Buddha Amitaabha statue. Its main square is surrounded by 480 standing Buddhas. Foguangshan has more than 10,000 Guanyin statues, and more than a thousand large and small Buddha statues and lanterns of light rest in the 14,800 niches on the walls of the four shrines.


Written by Lee Shing Yee, Sara Chen and Jeremy Chiu

Social Phobia - The fear of being scrunitised and judged by others

Among all the phobias found, one of them that one can relate to in Malaysian communities is the social phobia. Social phobia is the fear of being scrunitised and judged by the people around us, mostly involving parties or bigger crowds.

It may be triggered by overprotective parents, or a traumatic event when the person is still a child, possibly bullying cases. If left unnoticed, the condition will turn into a full scale social phobia that would cause one to run away from crowds just to avoid having being judged or scrutinised by them.

• Blushing

• Difficulty talking

• Nausea

• Profuse sweating

• Trembling

• Elevated blood pressure

• Rapid heart rate

Physical symptoms that often occur with social phobia include:

I've seen people who has this phobia take off and run from a room of choir members thinking that they didn't want them there as a result from observing their frowns and scrutnity when they go in the room. 

Social phobia can be limited to one situation (such as talking to people, eating or drinking, or writing on a blackboard in front of others). Or, it may be so broad (such as in generalized social phobia) that the person experiences anxiety around almost everyone other than family members.

One can take a test to see if one has social phobia.

The health care provider will look at your history of phobia, and will get a description of the behavior from you, your family, and friends.

Signs include:

When seeking treatment, one should know of the possible outcomes.

The goal of treatment is to help you function effectively. The success of the treatment usually depends on the severity of the phobia.

Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications are sometimes used to help relieve the symptoms of phobias.

-Aly-

Fasting: compulsion or improvement?

Surat Al-Baqarah [verse 256] :  There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion.

'If only I had a will power I'd have achieved it...It's all my laziness...If only I could be better...', are the magic words that make our lifes easier, without any intention to change it. This article will explain you one dimension of fasting on me.

God has given Muslims a present, the reward of which even angels are not able to count. Rewards that would assist you even after your death and raise your rank among the whole humanity.

Not only that, but it also a chance  to improve ourselves for this worldly life and have what the most unsuccessful people do not have: discipline, determination, will power.

This is the month of Ramadan- ''Sultan of 11 month'.

 Each Muslim has his own story of fasting and the reasons for it, but allow me to explain on component which are compulsory to exist.

1.The magic of intention

Deed be it as huge as mountain of Jomolungma but without of intention of pleasing God it has no purpose.And I personally know that when a deed is done with an intention to please a human or with an expectation to get praise or anything in that line,it would always result in dissapointment, illusionary expectation  and accusations. Main reason is due to the fact that you are dealing with HUMANS.This word encompasses so much power and so much weaknesses.

So here you are  to fast 1 whole month from dawn until sunset, where you abstain from drinking, eating and intercourse-all of it should be only for Him-the Creator, not to loose weight, not because everyone around you does so-but because it is a command from your Creator.The magic that I feel of intention is that the more sincere is your intention the easier is to do the task. It does not matter how long is it to fast,or how hot is it outside, as long as God is pleased with me.With a clear and sincere goal, achieving it becomes a piece of cake.

We are always happy that Dato' XXX is pleased with our actions or when the faculty thinks high of us.But how about the creator of this Dato XXX and the creator of these faculty members,the creator of  the earth planet, the whole universe including stars, comets- is He pleased with you?

A paint has a painter, a machine has its constructor-and if I would be interested in details of painting the painter would have his answer ready or a constructor who has each detail of the wires, materials needed for improvement of this machine would know better what to do once machine is broken.A painter would not know what to do with machine, and constructor with painting. So is our body.

 It is a fact that the construction that our body has is not a mere coincidence.It is also a fact that there is body that is hurt and soul that aches or feels happy.So who is the constructor of this human body?Who is the god of the body?'Human himself',some answer'.How come there is still no cure for AIDS?How come you can not function without sleeping enough?Are you not all so powerful? How come you get hungry or thirsty after specific amount of time?How come you die when there is no supply of oxygen for only 3 minutes?Are you not the lord of your body?

Due to the fact that I can not answer following questions there is a higher power.Hence, there is a Creator for our body.

Absolutely Creator knows what is best for the body, like the constructor about machine and like the painter about painting.

There are virtues of fasting that change peoples' life, but now we will talk about Discipline.

A man without discipline is no one.So am I. Fasting thought me  to take control of my laziness,carnal desires.And I think that man can achieve nothing without ability to control mind and  heart.You are not born with the strength but you develop them.

30 days of perfect discipline- for your entire life,highly encouraged Monday and Thursday voluntarily fasting with mind, heart, eyes, ears- would definitely have the effect on your personality.

An interesting experiment was done in the 1960s at a preschool on the Stanford University campus when the ability of 4 year old to resist temptation was tested. A marshmallow was placed in a room and the children were told they could have the marshmallow immediately, or if they waited until tester had run an errand nd returned, then they could have two marshmallows. Some children waited for two marshmallows, while others ate one immediately.These same children were followed immediately.

Those who resisted temptation at 4 were now, as adolescents, more socially competent, personally effective, self-assertive, and better able to cope with the frustrations of life.The third or so who grabbed the marshmallow, however, tended to have fewer of these qualities and shared instead a relatively troubled psychological portrait. Even more surprising, those who have waited patiently at four were far superior as students to those who acted on whim. Most astonishingly, they has dramatically higher scores on their SAT tests. 

There is perhaps no physiological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse. it is the root of all emotional self-control, since all emotions, by their very nature, lead to one or another impulse to act.

And in conclusion, as it was said 'We will come to realization that sacrifices that we have done today are the greatest investments for tomorrow'....

Done by: Aimira Paiibek kyzy , Nurul and Zahra

Tan Mei Kuan: Meditation

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "meditation" is defined as "the action or practice of meditating" which is to "focus one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation".

First of all, according to "goodlifezen.com", meditation is said to be able to reduce stress, promote physical health, help us sleep better, increase our happiness and achieve inner peace. One of the many tips offered by the website on meditating is about posture. Ensure our "spine is upright with head up". This is because if "we are slumped our mind will drift". On the other hand, "if our body is well-balanced, our mind will also be in balance".

Secondly, according to "learning meditation.com", when we put time, faith and commitment into meditating, we may experience a feeling of separation during meditation time. A feeling of separation is where our mind becomes "clear, clean and blank". We are still aware of sounds around us but there sounds will not be able to interfere with our meditation. During meditation, we may smile, we may weep and we may also fell asleep. When we awaken, we will feel refreshed.

Thirdly, according to "artofliving.org", meditation helps to form a happy society in this modern world. The world out there is full of "anger, hate, fear, and other negative emotions".These emotions will multiple and infect others. For instance, when a person gets robbed, that person will start to be suspicious of everything and everyone. This will affect the people surrounding him and thus producing an unstable society. Meditation will help that person to replace these negative emotions with a "calm peaceful mind". When the number of calm, peaceful and healthy people increases, the society as a whole will become "trusting, happy and content".

In conclusion, meditation is a useful method of relaxation.

How to Recover from Internet Addiction

Can you live without internet for a week?

If you can’t, you could be an internet addict. I used to be an internet addict for several years since I was in my junior high. I had to play online game over 3 to 4 hours almost every day otherwise I can’t sleep well. It brought me a great influence. My grades dropped n I wasted a lot of time on it. For my experience, the best way to recover from internet addiction is distracting yourself. Do other things to keep yourself busy and keep yourself far away from computer. If you don’t have other things to do, then try to do new things. Be careful don’t end up with another addiction such as smoking or drinking. Remember, an addiction is that you feel you must have. It is a compulsive behavior.
Chen, Yu-Fen(Sara)

Testophobia

What is testophobia? Testophobia, is a fear of taking texts or the fear of taking exams. It is common to many middle school students. The symptoms are shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and feeling of dread. The severity of symptoms depends on everyone, some are serious, and some are not. This kind of phobia is a strong, persistent fear of situations. Testophobia is uncontrolled. Almost phobias are believed to be developed by heredity, genetics and brain-chemistry combine with life-experiences. The therapies take months or years and you might have to be exposed repeatedly your fear before you get over it. If you avoid the issue without overcome your fear, you might live in the fear forever.
Chen, Yu-Fen(Sara)

Nephophobia

    Below are what I have found regarding Nephophobia which actually means an exaggerated or irrational fear of clouds. Most of the sufferers of this phobia have had experienced violent events that include clouds and some even regard the white floating images as an omen of danger. The symptoms that can be identified for this phobia is feeling of panic,terror, dread, having rapid heartbeat and having taken extreme avoidance measures. There are also a few known treatments for this phobia. The sufferers can undergo behavior therapy and also take anti-anxiety medication. Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy and psychotherapy are also know to help to cure this phobia. However, it is important for the people who have this phobia to learn more on the makeup of clouds and to realise that clouds are more than not a harmless buffer between the earth and sunlight.