: What is your opinion on Buddhism, Ashin? Could you, please, kindly share it with us?

Q: What is your opinion on Buddhism, Ashin? Could you, please, kindly share it with us?
A: The Buddha teaches how to manage life by performing good thoughts, deeds, and words mindfully to get a happier and better life moment after moment. Everyone has this opportunity equally to try their best.
According to the Buddha’s Teaching, or in my own experiences, Being Buddhist, being Christian, being Hindu, bring Muslim, being Jewish, and being anybody else does not matter too much but how you think, how you speak, and how you act are truly important in your everyday’s life. It will make your life better or worse in social relationships with your family members, friends, colleagues, and your boss.
We know that there are quite enough people good, bad, evil, and even worse in the name of Buddhism, in the name of Christianity, in the name of Islam, in the name of Hinduism, and in the name of Judaism. It is not because these names and labels are good or bad but because those people are individually good or bad in their own quality of how they think, how they act, and how they speak, known as Kamma, individual volitional activity taught by the Buddha.
In my experience, the Buddha is the greatest scientist of all the scientists across the world because the Buddha is extremely objective like modern scientists and inviting everyone to come and see His Teaching but has never invited anyone to come and believe in His Teaching, which has hit my heart and touched my heart deeply since I was a young man.
Therefore, the Buddha, for me, is a forever scientist who has guided me on how to manage my life better, happier, and calmer moment after moment. This is the reason why I try to share the Buddha’s Teaching with those who are really interested in it with a practical approach to discover the reality of life. This is my opinion on Buddhism.
Q: Thank you so much indeed, Ashin.

How can you live happily in such a modern sophisticated world?

Q: Ashin, How can you live happily in such a modern sophisticated world? Please, could you kindly answer this question form most of us to guide us on how we should live our poor life in a stressful world particularly in the United States and western world?

A: Well, It is a very good question and a fundamental need for the human quest. I can feel that the entire humanity is very stressful in daily life across the world because coronavirus outbreak which has been happening all over the world since the beginning of 2020. America would be the worst at the moment because there is not only a coronavirus issue but also the racism issue in America. I’m sorry for all of what is happening all over the world including my poor country, Myanmar.

Actually, you are your own master according to Buddhism. You can mindfully create what kind of person you want to be or what kind of community you want to live in. Whether you want to live a happy life or an unhappy life/ whether you want to live in a happy community or an unhappy community totally depends upon you.

You have to manage your own life as you are your own master. According to Buddhism, you can also do it and create Which kind of person you want to be or in which kind of community you want to live. It is very inspiring to me and to humanity too. When I knew this teaching of the Buddha, I felt very confident, encouraged, and of course, inspired too concerning how I should lead my life, manage and deal with everything serious or light/ small or big by myself. I have done it too so far. How your life now is closely connected with how you volitionally behaved and did in the past.

How you will be in the future is also closely connected with how you are right now and right here. It is a natural law but people are not aware of such a simple law of cause and effect and also you have a wonderful opportunity to manage your life according to Buddhist philosophy. What you are volitionally doing right here and right now will make you what kind of being you will become in the next or in the next life if you are a believer in such a life after death.

You are living in the law of cause and effect. Above this natural law, there is no external power that can make you good or evil according to the Buddha’s Teaching but your mind and your volition closely connected with your actions right here and right now are the only power that can make good and evil every moment in the near and far future.

Therefore the Buddha said, “PLEASE, be mindful of what you are thinking, what you are speaking, and what you are acting to live perfectly and happily” Appamādena sampādetha in Pāli language. It is also called “Mindfulness Meditation” very well-known even in these days of ours. Nowadays, it is practiced by all walks of life across the world. Of course, when you are mindful of everything you are doing, you can imagine how hard you will do mistakes in whatever you.

It is a very practical approach to our very life here and now. Of course, when you can lessen your mistakes or do no mistakes in your actions by doing everything mindfully, you can imagine how you will be happy every moment. This is the reason why Buddhism becomes popular across the world without converting anyone to become Buddhist as done in other religions in the world. It is very significant and remarkably throughout world religious history. I love it.

Q: Great answer, Venerable Ashin. I love it too. I hope Buddhism is growing faster in the western world because of its powerful and mind-blowing enlightening messages to humanity. For now, Bye, Ashin, Thank you so much for your answer.

A: You are always welcome.

What is your opinion on other faiths of the world, Sir? Please.

🐰Today’s section of question and answer 🐰

Q. The way you have given a talk today is quite nice and wonderful and there is no problem at all in your talk with any faiths of the world. What is your opinion on other faiths of the world, Sir? Please.

A. Well, first of all, I want to say “Thank you for your beautiful judgement on my objective Dhamma talk today” because I really appreciate your understanding on my talk. If I have to answer your question on my point of view to other faiths of the world, I think my Dhamma talk, itself, makes you all feel clear in meaning because my talk comes from the depth of my heart ❤️ and from my my pure, clear and objective wisdom. Therefore, you all can read between the lines on my objective Dhamma talk today.

I usually answer that I have no idea about other religion when I ‘m asked by people to say my opinion on the other faiths of the world. In my opinion, I believe that no religion does matter but people who interpreted their faiths on the particular religion they follow may be wrong so they may be bad at their understanding because of their attachment to their own faiths.

Therefore, some people become aggressive and violent in the names of their religion, their faith and their God. Your question is concerned not in the definition of religion I have understood but concerned with people who have followed a particular type of religion.

I’m sure that Buddhism and the people who have clearly understood the meaning of Buddhism across the world will never go bad, violent and aggressive and they will be ashamed to do so because I, myself, have followed the path taught by the Buddha and have practiced Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā for more than two decades. The aim is to live peacefully, happily and harmoniously within and outside us.

The Buddha taught all of us to live happily, peacefully and harmoniously at the moment while we are just living. He gave us a perfect way how to live happily, peacefully and harmoniously. Why are we, human being, not happy actually? It is because we are motivated by our own greed, hatred and delusion called the roots of unwholesome deeds known as “Three poisons” in these days.

Therefore, we have to wisely eradicate them at root of our hear by developing wisdom, by practicing “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā meditation” or by paying attention to what is actually happening within us instead of paying attention to the others.

You know now how much paying attention to what is actually happening within us brings practical benefits to our life. Therefore, we are here now gathering together to practice meditation, of course, paying attention to what is actually happening within us.

If everyone can do so, everyone of us may become better in personality, by deeds, words and thoughts. So you can imagine how the world will become if it is repaired by such better people modified and purified by the practice of attention.

Therefore, in my opinion, we need meditation in which we are well-trained to live mindfully at the very moment. Buddhism or Christianity or Islam or Hinduism or Judiasm or any religion is ok; it doesn’t matter too much. It is my opinion and my answer to your question. I hope you got it.

Q: perfect 👌 . Thank you so much 😊 sir for your clear answer.

A: You’re welcome.

Everyone is smiling and enjoying my talk today and the section of question and answer.

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Don’t you think that he was selfish?

Q: When Prince Siddhattha left royal family including his own wife and child for escaping from Suffering caused by Attachment, don’t you think that he was selfish? In my own thinking, he was selfish to do so.

A: Not at all. Do you think that an American president is selfish when he left his own beloved family to take the office as a president so that he can take perfect care of the country?

Q: Not at all.

A: Similarly, Prince Siddhattha was not selfish at all because he compassionately felt he was more responsible for the benefits and happiness of the entire humanity than his own family. He was not an ordinary human like us because the two possibilities about him was predicted by the five skillful, well-versed, and well-educated royal astrologers as soon as he was born. These two possibilities were (1). He would become a greatest and the most powerful king in the world and (2). He would become fully Enlightened One if he renounced the world.

However, by raising up his only index finger at the presence of the King, one of the five royal astrologers, named Kondañña predicted only one possibility about Prince Siddhattha, that he would renounce the world and he would definitely become Fully Enlightened One. The King, the father of Prince Siddhattha didn’t want to hear it because he loved his son so much. He didn’t want his son to renounce the world but he wanted his son to become a great king of the world.

Therefore, he told Kondañña to stop his answer but Kondañña didn’t stop his answer and courageously continued reporting his prediction about the Prince to the king. The king finally became annoyed and angry by Kondañña’s continuous and courageous report about the baby Prince Siddhattha to him so the king told his men to take him out from his presence and to banish him.

The royal astrologer, Kondañña said that he would go to the Utuvela forest and meditate there until Prince Siddhattha renounced the world for his spiritual quest to do for the benefits and happiness of the entire humanity. Finally, as you know, the Prince Siddhattha left the palace and royal family for searching the way that could make everyone quite equally feel beneficial, happy, peaceful, safe and secure spiritually by deeply meditating in remote area such as a certain forest.

Therefore, he left his own royal family for finding the way so that he could take perfect care of the entire humanity as an American president left his own family when he moves to the office and takes position there.

Q: Oh! I see, now. It is so clear now about why Prince Siddhattha was not selfish. Thank you so much indeed for giving us time and sharing perfect wisdom with us.

A: You’re always welcome.

When we love each other, there is attachment too. How can we deal with the attachment?

Q: When we love each other, there is attachment too. How can we deal with the attachment?

A: Well, I think that you have to understand the difference between attachment and love. Why is attachment there? Actually, attachment is arisen by negative emotions such as distrust and maybe possessiveness of something or someone. I’m sure that attachment is not love any more. When you are attached to something or someone, you will definitely be suffered for the attachment.

No matter who we are or which religion we follow, we will be suffered when we are attached to anything and anyone. Even a monk must be suffered when he is attached to something or someone. Therefore, we are in the same boat. Only when you see the meaning of true love will you be able to be happy.

Q: It’s true. How can we understand whether it is true love or not?

True love means seeing each other’s benefits, wishing for each other’s happiness, being ready to fulfill mutual needs and no selfishness at all in true love. Therefore, there are quite many positive spiritual phenomena in true love such as mutual care, mutual attention, mutual respect, no distrust, sense of security, trustworthiness, reliability on each other. In true love, you will not think for you first but you will think the other first. These things are the characteristics of true love ❤️.

As soon as you feel negative between both parties, it will not be love anymore. So before this negative emotion is bigger, you must try a sincere talk to each other on what causes such a negative emotion between you two not to create a bigger negative emotion. It will be very difficult to solve when the negative emotion is bigger between you, both parties.

You should remember the difference between “Love and Attachment” as follows:–
Love is an angel 😇 ; attachment is a devil.
Love is water; attachment is fire 🔥.
Love is positive; attachment is negative 👎.
Love keeps us warm; attachment keeps us burn.
Love is a friend of loyalty; attachment is a friend of corruption.
Love is praised by the wise; attachment is blamed by the wise”.
So now, I hope you understand the difference between love ❤️ and attachment. Be an an angel 😇. Don’t be a devil.

Q: Well, thank you so much Sir. We are so lucky today meeting you and listening to your precious speech. We will keep it to home. Thank you so much again.

In the picture, a priest hugged me with deep love and warmly welcoming to his church when I was in Italy for teaching “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā meditation”. It is just exactly what we all need more than a belief in a religion. It is also a very practical matter to live as wise and smart human being in this wonderful planet because we can’t build our world and humanity by hatred and hostility but by love, compassion and mutual understanding. May everyone of the world in any faith be equally happy, safe and secure, free from all kinds of troubles and live harmoniously.

“What is Nibbana?”

Q: “What is Nibbana?”

A: Nibbana is not the question; it is the goal. If there is the goal, there is the Path, of course. We have to follow the path first before we ask ‘What is Nibbana?’ The Path begins with Right Understanding but not with right faith or right belief. For Right Understanding we must learn. When we learn something, we will get learned in what we have studied of course, if we are smart enough.

When we are learned, we must put into practice to test our understanding whether it is right or wrong. According The Buddha’s Teaching, being learned is not enough to achieve Right Understanding but you must put into practice. Look! How scientific it is.

On the other hand, for the faith or belief, we do not need to learn anything but we must just be blind to achieve the faith. Look! How easy it is and it is also too far from modern science. This is the difference between Buddhism and religion. It is also the reason why quite many scientists, psychologists, philosophers, scholars and educators are deeply interested in Buddhism and its practical approach to its Truth or its goal.

Actually, the realization of Nibbana can be emerged from your confidence and understanding developed by following The Noble Eightfold Path beginning with Right Understanding that can develop realization of Nibbana day after day.

Therefore, Nibbana is deeply connected with your practice that can develop your Right Understanding and confidence on the Path to the goal of Nibbana. Nibbana cannot be attained by reading books or by prayer or devotional services such as offering incense sticks and bowing down to the image of the Buddha.

These devotional services are fine but they cannot bring you the reality of Nibbana, the Ultimate Peace of mind in which your mind has totally been cultivated and purified by practicing The Noble Eightfold Path that includes eight constituents: Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.

When you follow The Path, your understanding will become clear and right and your confidence will be clearly developed. The realization of Nibbana will be clearly emerged from your confidence developed through the intensive practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. I hope you get it.

Q:Oh! Yes. It is absolutely clear. You are wise, Sir. Thank you so much for your wise teaching.

What is Hināyāna Buddhist school Sir?

What is Hināyāna Buddhist school Sir?

I have never heard of the Buddhist school Hināyāna throughout my life when I was a layman outside the monastic life. I’m now 52. However, I heard of this word, Hināyāna just the word not more than that. I’m not too much interested in any names and labels. These are not important for me. Dhamma itself is the most important in my life.

There has been no Hināyāna school too in my mind since I was young. I have never experienced with Hināyāna Buddhist school but I know there have been two major schools: Theravāda and Mahāyāna in eastern Buddhist countries.

However, when I became a monk, and studied the texts of the Buddha’s Teaching, I unavoidably have to know it because I’m a Buddhist monk. I also thought I must know it. And also, I was getting interested in all the Buddhist schools split from original Buddha’s Teaching.

However, I have never lost my interest in the Buddha’s Teaching because I became a monk when I was fully grown up after my university studying Mathematics. I started my in Buddhism with meditation which touched my heart so closely. Meditation practice changed my life more than a lot.

After I have studied theory in the scriptures and put into practice, I understood the Four Noble Truths are the essence of the Buddha’s Teaching. They are very scientific, experiential and realizable to everyone who practices “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā” meditation.

No matter who you are, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, if you practice “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā” meditation, you will experience with the Four Noble Truths because they are within your reach.

Therefore, the essence of the Buddha’s Teaching is the Four Noble Truths truly discovered by the Buddha, by practicing very deep and serious meditation. If there are no “Four Noble Truths” in Buddhist schools of any name split from the original Teaching of Buddha, it will not be called “Buddhist school” but It can be called “superstitious religious schools” based on too many believes and deities.

Such schools will not make us clear and comprehensive but rather confused in the essence of the Buddha’s Teaching which is extremely scientific even to these days in the age of technology.

In my own understanding, “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā” meditation is the purest form of Buddha’s Teaching proven by science and applicable even in our day-to-day life in these days. Names and labels are not important for me but the essence of the Buddha’s Teaching is the most important of all in Buddhism. I don’t like this word, Buddhism very much. However, it is a conventional term used by many people across the world for a long time. I hope you get it.

Can you explain us, Sir, how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world?

Q: She said that when someone dies, this person can be reborn in animal world according to Buddhism. Can you explain us, Sir, how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world?

A: You are a mathematician. I love mathematics too because a mathematics brain is quite critical and precious. It does not feel nice going around from here to there. Of course, the Buddha teaches people ‘The Law of Cause and Effect’ or ‘The Law of Action and Reaction’ as Isaac Newton said ‘There is an action; there is always the same reaction to it’. It is a very simple example quite similar to the Buddha’s Teaching , ‘The Law of Cause and Effect’.

Actually, my life of Buddhism started comparatively understanding the law of cause and effect with Isaac Newton’s theory when I studied physics at young age both in high school and university. A mathematician can understand it very easily. Of course, if you believe in Buddhism as a religion that is completely based a Creator God, there is nothing to do with scientific approach to its truth or its goal.

However, in my understanding, Buddhism is not like other religions that train their people unquestioning faith on God. Buddhism has never encouraged or discouraged people to believe in God or not to believe in God because there is nothing to do with the idea of God in the the Buddha’s Teaching but with understanding.

Now, you can see how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world after death according Buddhism. To be reborn in human world or in animal world it does not depend upon whether you are Buddhist or non-Buddhist but it depends upon your volitional actions by deeds, by words or by thoughts. There are two different types of action we can do: one is wholesome and another is unwholesome.

Wholesome actions will make you reborn in human world or heavenly world or wholesome destination. Unwholesome actions will make you reborn in animal world. There is nothing to do with the idea of God in the the Buddha’s Teaching but with understanding.

Now, you can see how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world after death according Buddhism. To be reborn in human world or in animal world it does not depend upon whether you are Buddhist or non-Buddhist but it depends upon your volitional actions by deeds, by words or by thoughts. There are two different types of action we can do: one is wholesome and another is unwholesome.

Wholesome actions will make you reborn in human world or heavenly world or wholesome destination. Unwholesome actions will make you reborn in animal world or unwholesome destination. Therefore, you can see there is nothing to do with Buddhism to make you reborn in human world or animal world but all the actions wholesome or unwholesome you have done throughout your life will decide where you must be reborn in the next. This is the reason why Buddhist people are doing meritorious deeds or services to the monastic, to the temples, to the meditation centers and even to the elder in general.

The wholesome actions must not be based on greed, hatred and delusion. Whatever you do can be called unwholesome actions when your action is based on greed, hatred and deletion. Reciprocally, when your action is based on non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion, these actions can be called wholesome actions.

If you learn this teaching critically, you can see how this teaching works. It works very positively with your life here and now. You should not treat anyone badly because this bad action will make you reborn in animal world. This is the reason why Buddhist people treat their friends nicely with nicer heart, nicer words and nicer actions to keep their friends warm and friendly and happy.

By practicing nice words, nice thoughts, and nice action will they be blessed and rewarded by their own volitional actions as a saying goes thus, ‘Virtue is its own reward’. Now, I hope you can learn from the Buddha’s Teaching for your question. If one has often done unwholesome actions, one will be decided by one’s own actions to be reborn in animal world.

Nobody can help but if one can correct one’s actions by mindfulness and wisdom, one can become a better person in one’s moral and spiritual quality. Only then can one be saved from being reborn into animal world. Therefore, one must do all nice, beautiful and wholesome and meritorious actions very often in life because we are so easy to do ugly, bad, unwholesome and demeritorious actions quite often.

Meditation is the best antidote to remove all of unwholesome thoughts, speeches and actions that can make us reborn in the negative destination including animal world. This is why many Buddhist people are fond of meditating when they find somewhere quiet and serene. I hope you get it now.

Q: Yes, it is quite clear why a human can be reborn in animal world. It is also quite inspiring us to do good thoughts, speeches and actions. Thank you so much Sir for your Dhamma Teaching.

A: You’re welcome.

How could you adapt for those who are worshiping to the image of the Buddha like a God if the Buddha is not a God?

Q: We have learnt that Buddhism is not a religion; it is like a set of philosophy. How could you adapt for those who are worshiping to the image of the Buddha like a God if the Buddha is not a God?

A: Well, first of all, I openly want to say that my interest is not just Buddhism. My interest goes beyond Buddhism because my interest is Vipassanā meditation that can help how to adapt everything and everyone wherever you are. If I have to talk too long about worshiping, bowing down, and about all they have done in the different temples, churches, and mosques and so on, I get bored so easily.

However, I do respect them and the way they are doing according to their respective faith and religion as they believe in. As a spiritually grown up Buddhist monk like me who gets used to living alone in forest to practice deep meditation for 8 months a year, and who has been experienced with this meditation practice for more than two decades, talking too much and too long about devotional practices, rites and rituals keep me feel bored and dry. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with society in such devotional services as long as they do not hurt, harm, hate and kill each other in the name of their respective religion.

However, as I have understood my people in Burma and even myself, we do not worship to the image of the Buddha but we express our gratitude to the Buddha by bowing down to His feet in temples because we know the value of His Teaching and how much we are happy by following His Teaching in a practical approach. In my experience, the Burmese are quite nice people though they are physically quite poor. They believe that they are happy by the Buddha’s Teaching they have followed as much as they can.

Of course, they offered food, fruits, robes, flowers, candle lights, incense sticks to the image of the Buddha because they feel their Buddha is still alive remembering his wonderful teachings. It is something similar to what I’m used to doing expression of my gratitude to my late mother. She had already died since I was young but I have still remembered her goodness, her wonderful admonition, her love and kindness so I always pay respect or homage to the image of my late mother whenever I remember her. It is also a kind of expression of gratitude to my mother. My mother is still alive in my mind though she died of course.

However, when you are spiritually fully grown up, you know what you should do more and what will bring benefits to you. For example, now in my age, instead of paying homage to my late mother by burning incense sticks and candle lights, offering cakes and fruits and bowing down to her feet right before her, I try to follow her admonition and advice to fulfill her wishes upon me to do.

My mother wanted me to open my heart and mind to everyone who wants to come along with the path I’m walking on. She wanted me to do for the benefits of the many, for the happiness of the many and out of compassion for world. I feel I’m doing now for the humanity by traveling to those who invite me to come and teach them the way of life or meditation or whatever not only in the country but also in abroad.

I’m sure that my people, Burmese are not worshiping to the image of the Buddha as you thought but they try to pay homage to their Buddha thinking that the Buddha is still alive because they can feel His Teaching called Dhamma is truly alive. If you start practicing it, it will keep you truly happy, calm, peaceful and harmonious. Then, you can adapt everything and everyone you experience with at the moment. I hop you get it.

Thank you, sir your wonderful explanation. Your English is excellent and it makes us clear now.

Q: Where does the soul go after death? or what happens to the soul when one passes away?

Ashin Kelāsa with an Hindu gentleman, who lives in United States

Q: Where does the soul go after death? or what happens to the soul when one passes away?

A: Well, the question is interesting for me just when I was young. I’m used to asking the same question to my father concerning my late mother. However, my father could not answer my question. I’m now spiritually quite developed by practice living mindfully in every moment. I feel so funny to such a question “Where does the soul go after death?” at the back of my mind because it is not within the reach of our hands. It is an extremely religious matter.

Of course, the Buddha teaches us “The Law of Cause and Effect” the cause is all the volitional actions done by ourselves every moment. Each volitional action will bring us their particular result. There is nothing to do with Buddhist or non-Buddhist in the law of cause and effect because we always volitionally think about someone or something. We always volitionally speak of someone or something and we always volitionally act to someone or something.

This is just nature but we are naturally following this natural law of cause and effect. It is not because we are Buddhist but because we are composed of mind and matter, physical and mental phenomena. We have a mind; we must think; it is called Mano-Kamma. We have a mouth; we must speak; it is called Vacī-Kamma. We have a body; we must act; it is called Kāya-Kamma. Therefore, we can see that we are floating in the stream of Kamma as long as we are alive. No matter whether we like it or not, we must be floating on the stream of Kamma, the natural law of cause and effect.

Then, the answer to the question “Where does the soul go after death?” is overthought and over-worried. It is beyond our reach but I’m sure that it is within the reach of the law of cause and effect taught by the Buddha. What will happen to the soul after death is just the question of an effect caused by all your volitional actions you have done here and now in this very life. It is quite clear and quite scientific Teaching of the super-scientist Buddha, isn’t it? This is not just my philosophy but the greatest guru’s, the Buddha’s Teaching. I totally agree with the Buddha. His Teaching does not go against any religion and and god. I hope you got it.

Q: Well, thank you so much sir for your kind, patient and wise explanation on the question.