BFN project

KONFERANSE I THAILAND
I går 17. mai landet jeg i Bangkok. Formålet var å være med på den 19. «United Nations Day of Vesak» (UNDV) konferanse 19. – 20. mai. Vesak er dagen da buddhister feirer Buddha. I 1998 vedtok FN at dagen skulle markeres - derav feiringen som har blitt en årviss hendelse. Jeg er medlem av UNDV sin «excecutive committee» så derfor var jeg med på et møte i dag hvor vi fikk de siste detaljene på plass før konferansen begynner i morgen.

I tillegg til meg deltar følgende fra Norge: Chau Ngoc Thai, Vo Thuan Thu Thi, Tilakasiri Perera, og Phra Vimolsasanavides

SECTRETARY GENERAL OF BUDDHIST FEDERATION OF NORWAY AWARDED HONORARY DOCTORAL DEGREE IN THAILAND

I recently received a letter from the Thai University Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya (MCU) stating that I had been awarded an honorary doctorate in Buddhist studies. Part of the background for this is probably my work as a coordinator for the project "Common Buddhist Text" which for a period of 7 years gathered scholars at MCU from many Buddhist traditions.
The ceremony was to take place on 12 December. At this time Thailand had been opened for entry so I took the opportunity to go.
It was very nice to meet many old friends among the Buddhist leaders. Prior to the award ceremony, I was warmly received by the Director of the International Buddhist Studies College (IBSC) at MCU: Ven. Dhammahaso who proposed entering into an MOU with the University of Oslo with which I have collaborated for many years (the Oslo Coalition for Freedom of Religion and Belief). The conversation was followed up further with MS Orawan Topathomwong at IBSC.
I was also invited to a meeting with Phra Sophonwachiraphon (Phra Chao Khun Sawai) from the Supreme Sangha Council who invited me to participate in further cooperation in Thailand.
It was also a great honor to be invited to Wat Prayon Monastery in Bangkok for a meeting with the Most Venerable Dr. Phra Brahmapundit from the Supreme Sangha Council where we, among other things. discussed the continuation of the "Common Buddhist Text" and a new translation of the Pali Tipitaka.
The actual presentation took place in the large hall at MCU. Instead of the usual 3,000 participants at the annual convocation, the event was scaled down to 700 due to the corona situation - but still an impressive sight. Here I also met old friends like Ajahn Tah who invited me to visit the Mon State of Myanmar (whenever possible). I also met Phra Debvajracarya Thiab Malai who is the Dean of the Faculty of Buddhist Studies at MCU an old friend since many years.

BUDDHISTFORBUNDET MED NY NETTSIDE

Buddhistforbundet har en stund jobbet med å utvikle en ny nettside. Den er nå på lufta og kan ses her:

www.buddhistforbundet.no

Siden ser helt annerledes ut enn den gamle og tar sikte på å nå forskjellige målgrupper med litt forskjellig informasjon. Medlemmer i styre, sekretariat og kontor er nå presentert med CV og bilde. Vi tar sikte på å bli en mer åpen organisasjon for våre medlemmer såvel som andre.

Vi har videre grundige presentasjoner av våre medlemsamfunn som vi oppfordrer dere til å ta en titt på.

Vi har også produsert filmer om "de fire edle sannheter" og "kvinner og buddhisme". Vi anbefaler spesielt en rykende fersk trailer der Ringu Tulku presenterer essensen av buddhismen på 96 sekunder.

Vi har også en oversikt over de viktigste høytidene som feires av buddhister og ikke minst - vi har nå en nettbokhandel der du nå kan kjøpe bøker direkte på nett.

Ellers har vi fokus på skolen som er viktig på grunn av at buddhismen inngår i KRLE og RE fagene. Her har vi lagt ut bøker, musikkvideoer, filmer og tekster - og mer vil komme etter hvert.

Vi håper at du ta en titt på den nye nettsiden. Vi hører gjerne fra deg med kommentarer og forslag til videre utvikling av siden.

Forside - Buddhistforbundet HVA ER BUDDHISTFORBUNDET? Buddhistforbundet er et norsk trossamfunn som samler omkring 14000 buddhister og venner av buddhismen. Over 500 av dem er tilknyttet Buddhistforbundet direkte mens over 13000 er tilknyttet våre femten forskjellige medlemsamfunn.Disse representerer alle hovedretningene inne...

MONKS FROM SRI LANKA CRITISISE NORWAY'S PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Monk from Sri Lanka have engaged themselves in the case of untrue allegations about the Buddha by the Broadcasting Corporation of Norway. The Mahamevnawa monastery in Sri Lanka has branches all over the world including a monastery in the Netherlands. Its abbot has sent a letter to the Broadcasting Corporation of Norway:

Kringkastingsrådet NRK
Postboks 2450 Torgarden
7005 Trondheim
Norway

Nederhorst den Berg, February 22 2019.

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery in the Netherlands is one of many Buddhist monasteries founded by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero. Our headquarter is found in Sri Lanka and our monasteries located all over Sri Lanka and many different countries.
We have learned that:
the Norwegian Broadcasting Coperation (NRK), in a video published on its website (På tro og Are) to be used for education in Norwegian schools states that «women were mentally inferior to men and incapable of understanding and practicing his teaching».
This statement is untrue and not even supported by most researchers in modern Buddhology. The statement paints a false and derogatory picture of the founder of our religion. It can also be mentioned that among our canonical texts dealing with sayings from Buddhist monks and nuns, you will find the Therigatha. This book contains sayings from enlightened Buddhist women, nuns.
Hence, the statement about women as inferior to men and incapable of understanding and practicing the teaching of the Buddha, is not supported by Buddhist canoncial texts nor by modern scholarship in the field.
We also are informed that the Buddha is presented in a figure of the mytological Budai from China. We want to point out that that is another misunderstanding. Budai has nothing to do with the founder of our religion, the Buddha.
It is not acceptable that a film containing such serious misinformation is used to shape the understanding of Buddhism of pupils in Norwegian schools.
We therefore request the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation to remove this film from your educational website.
Yours,
Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery
The Netherlands
Bhante Anandaghosa Thero Bhante Charana Sumana Thero Bhante Sudewa Thero

Mahamevnawas hjemmeside:

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery was established to benefit the spiritual development of human beings through the teachings of Buddha. Here the Buddha’s teachings are presented in modern language that is easy to understand.

BUDDHISM DEFAMED IN SCHOOLS IN NORWAY

Buddhists in Norway now face an unexpected problem: In a film published on the website of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation for use in Religions Education in Norwegian schools LORD BUDDHA is presented as a fat baby (see picture below) probably inspired by the Chinese figure Pu'tai. We find this disturbingly disrepectfull and have PROTESTED AGAINST THIS DEFAMATION OF LORD BUDDHA.

But even worse: In the same program it is stated that LORD BUDDHA said that "women were mentally inferior to men and incapable of understanding his teachings" (in Norwegian: "Det var fordi kvinner var mentalt underlegne menn og ute av stand til å forstå og praktisere læren hans").

We HAVE REACTED VERY STRONGLY AGAINST THIS DEEPLY INSULTING AND UNTRUTHFUL ALLEGATION AGAINST LORD BUDDHA. Unfortunately the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation have so far stubbornly refused to correct their mistake and withdraw the film and no apology has been received from them.

It is deeply frustrating that derogatory and insulting untruths are presented as truths even to Buddhist schoolchildren in Religious Education classes in Norwegian schools.

As Buddhists we need to stand together and defend the Buddha against insults and lies. We therefore suggest that you inquire at the nearest NORWEGIAN EMBASSY about this matter and ask them to explain what is happening in Norway - a country which is supposed to respect all religions and treat them equally.

Yours in the Dhamma

Egil Lothe
Secretary General
Buddhist Federation of Norway

- First picture show disrespectful drawing of Siddhartha Gautama in the film by Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
- Second picture illustrate shameful allegation of mental inferiority of women according to the Buddha with "mental level" of women beeing only 1/3 of that of men