THE INQUIRY

I am…
Who is this “I” you are talking about when you say “I am”?

Is “I” just a name, a label attached to your body?
Then choosing a different label would you be a different “I”?
Is the “I” the role you are playing. Your social, political, economic, religious role?
And would “I” disappear when your role ends.
When you reach retirement or change your social status?
Is “I” the body, the assemblage of organs inside the cover of your skin?
And then losing a part of it your body, a limb or more, would you be a lesser “I”?
Is “I” the endless stream of thoughts running through your head?
(“I think, therefore I am” seems to be the ultimate expression of the human Ego.)
What would happen if you would stop thinking for a moment.
Would “I” stop to exist ?

I believe in one God, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in one intelligent reality of which I am part of.
I am the expression, the creation and the experience of God in this world.
I am the extension, the manifestation and the materialization of the divine.
I am therefore I think.

Buddhist Art

Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world. Buddhist art followed believers as the dharma spread, adapted, and evolved in each new host country. It developed to the north through Central Asia and into Eastern Asia to form the Northern branch of Buddhist art, and to the east as far as Southeast Asia to form the Southern branch of Buddhist art. In India, Buddhist art flourished and influenced the development of Hindu art, until Buddhism nearly disappeared in India around the 10th century due in part to the vigorous expansion of Islam alongside Hinduism.

During the 2nd to 1st century BCE, sculptures became more explicit, representing episodes of the Buddha’s life and teachings. These took the form of votive tablets or friezes, usually in relation to the decoration of stupas. Although India had a long sculptural tradition and a mastery of rich iconography, the Buddha was never represented in human form, but only through Buddhist symbolism. This period may have been aniconic. This reluctance towards anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha, and the sophisticated development of aniconic symbols to avoid it (even in narrative scene where other human figures would appear). This tendency remained as late as the 2nd century CE in the southern parts of India, in the art of the Amaravati School . It has been argued that earlier anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha may have been made of wood and may have perished since then. However, no related archaeological evidence has been found.The earliest works of Buddhist art in India date back to the 1st century B.C. The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya became a model for similar structures in Burma and Indonesia. The frescoes at Sigiriya are said to be even older than the Ajanta Caves paintings.

"BUDDHA QUOTES"

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

 You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.
Buddha

 Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
 

 The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.


 Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha
 

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/buddha101052.html#rPatoO7T3W0CyjiV.99

  “We are what we think.  All that we are arises with our thoughts.  With our thoughts we make the world….”  The Buddha

Buddhism Today

With the fast pace and high stress of modern life many people are becoming interested in the peaceful philosophy of Buddhism. In particular there is a very deep interest in learning how to meditate, both to overcome stress and anxiety, and to deepen one’s spiritual experience. In response to this growing interest Kadampa Buddhism offers many different ways of learning about Buddhism and practicing meditation. Kadampa Buddhism was first introduced to the West in 1976 by the renowned Kadampa Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Since then he has worked tirelessly to provide all the conditions necessary to support contemporary practitioners. He has written twenty-one authentic books on Buddhism that are now being translated into many different languages.


A worldwide network


Geshe Kelsang has also established over 1100 Kadampa Buddhist centers and study groups in 40 countries around the world where people of all cultures can train in meditation and other Buddhist practices. These centers all have qualified local teachers and offer introductory classes, structured study programs, and meditation retreats. All Kadampa Buddhist Centers are open to the public. Every year Kadampa Buddhists from around the world gather for meditation festivals in the USA and Europe, including two in England, where they receive special teachings and empowerments and enjoy a spiritual holiday.


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Dayna Huor's winning extreme bo @ Quebec Open 2009

Dayna Huor - is 13 years old and a second degree blackbelt in taekwondo and a first degree in karate. Her father and brother (Brendon) first taught her martial arts when she was 3 years old and she started taking classes at the age of 4. She has been doing martial arts for over 10 years now. She is a 10-time youth black belt world champion from competing in national and world martial arts tournaments. She also does dance, gymnastics, tumbling and plays the violin.
Her family consists of mom and dad Maura and Kenneth Huor, her two older brothers Brendon and Jason Huor. Her hometown is Davenport, IA and she was born and raised in the Quad Cities. Her instructors are John Sharkey Jr., Jai Johnson, Brendon Huor, Kenneth Huor, and Grand-Master Chung Eun Kim. She currently trains at Sharkey's Karate Studio, and Jai Johnson's Karate Center, and teaches with her parents at DAYNA HUOR MARTIAL ARTS within Next Level Fitness in Moline, Illinois. She is a star athlete member on national/international competition Team AKA (which stands for American Karate Association). She does Shorei-Ryu Karate and Taekwondo, and earned her TaeKwonDo second degree blackbelt at Chung Kim's Blackbelt Academy. She also earned her first degree blackbelt in Karate at Jai Johnson's Karate Center. She trains 6 days a week for two hours per day and is a straight "A" student academically. She attends regular public schools, and currently I am a 8th grader at Wood Intermediate School in Davenport, Iowa.

Dayna recently accepted an offer to become a member of the elite world renown "Team Paul Mitchel" martial art demonstration team. This summer she will begin shooting scenes for the motion picture feature film "Calico".

http://www.thehuors.com/

om mani padme hum - great melody

Karma

Karma is a Sanskrit word from the root "Kri" to do or to make and simply means "action." It operates in the universe as the continuous chain reaction of cause and effect. It is not only confined to causation in the physical sense but also it has moral implications. "A good cause, a good effect; a bad cause a bad effect" is a common saying. In this sense karma is a moral law.

Now human beings are constantly giving off physical and spiritual forces in all directions. In physics we learn that no energy is ever lost; only that it changes form. This is the common law of conservation of energy. Similarly, spiritual and mental action is never lost. It is transformed. Thus Karma is the law of the conservation of moral energy.

By actions, thoughts, and words, man is releasing spiritual energy to the universe and he is in turn affected by influences coming in his direction. Man is therefore the sender and receiver of all these influences. The entire circumstances surrounding him is his karma.

With each action-influence he sends out and at the same time, receives, he is changing. This changing personality and the world he lives in, constitute the totality of his karma.

Karma should not be confused with fate. Fate is the notion that man's life is preplanned for him by some external power, and he has no control over his destiny. Karma on the other hand, can be changed. Because man is a conscious being he can be aware of his karma and thus strive to change the course of events. In the Dhammapada we find the following words, "All that we are is a result of what we have thought, it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts."

What we are, then, is entirely dependent on what we think. Therefore, the nobility of man's character is dependent on his"good" thoughts, actions, and words. At the same time, if he embraces degrading thoughts, those thoughts invariably influence him into negative words and actions.

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