Archaeologists Unearth Remains of Buddhist Stupa at Bhimeswara Temple

Bhimeswara Temple where the excavation was carried out at Chebrolu in Guntur district | EXPRESS PHOTO

New Indian Express
By P Laxma Reddy

Published: 23rd August 2014 06:10 AM

VIJAYAWADA: In an important excavation executed by the Archaeology Department after finding a wall at Bhimeswara temple at Chebrolu village in Guntur district, the officials have unearthed six railing posts of the Buddhist Stupa and several other precious remains.

It may be recalled that the a brick alignment (wall) was unearthed on August 12 while digging on the southern side of the Bhimeswara Temple premises as a part of the temple renovation works taken up by the Archaeology Department. Following this, a team of officials of the Archaeology Department including assistant director K Chitti Babu, deputy executive engineer Koteswaran and technical assistant B Deepak Joe visited the place on August 16 and decided to explore the site further, anticipating some valuable remains there.

After the excavation, they have found the railing posts depicting Lotus Medallions and a row of animals. They also found a sculpture in which Bodhisattva is seen worshipped by a group of devotees, an image of a mystical animal and a ‘Yaksha’ on these posts.

“We have also found a sculpture in which the devotees are seen worshipping a Stupa by garlanding it, and large bricks (52 x 27 x 8cm size) at the site,” said Chitti Babu and added that an inscription of temple in Telugu-Kannada language has also been found.

Buddhists ask for Bodh Gaya to be dry, vegetarian zone

Redfiff News
July 16, 2014

Buddhists and Hindus have joined hands demanding that Bihar’s twin towns of Gaya and Bodh Gaya be declared vegetarian and a dry area.
The demand came from two quarters – the Mahabodhi Society of India and Vishnupad temple management.

Speaking of their demand, Sivali Thero, a Buddhist monk associated to MSI, said, “We have launched a campaign for the same.”

He said, “Bodh Gaya was the place where Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment. This is the spot from where he preached non-violence towards any living being. Hence, in accordance with his teachings, we want Bodh Gaya to be made into a vegetarian zone.

Famed Composer’s Hilltop Home Comes With a Surprise Buddha

This article from Curbed.com (a site on architecture and real estate) chose to mention the Buddhist image in Marvin Hamlisch’ former home… we include that image only. Follow the link to see more! – Buddhist art news

Curbed.com
Monday, June 30, 2014, by Lily di Costanzo

Formerly home to late Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Pulitzer Prize-winning (whew) composer Marvin Hamlisch, this hilltop property in Bedford, N.Y., just hit the market for $7.95M. Hamlisch—the man behind such shower stall classics as “The Way We Were” and “What I Did for Love”—bought the four-bedroom, 4,686-square-foot estate in 2011 with his wife, apparently drawn to the staggering views that stretch from Connecticut to New Jersey. Inside, the colonial manse offers a master bedroom suite on the first floor, along with a sunken music room, a formal dining room, and an octogonal breakfast nook that looks directly over the Hudson River. And though the place was originally built in 1968, it underwent a major renovation effort four years ago, leaving behind pretty, neutral-hued decor and exactly one massive, totally unexpected buddha mural.

[link]

Photo essay: Visit to Jaulian Buddhist Monastery

People’s Daily
Li Shen
July 05, 2014

A close look at one of the surviving votive stupas at the ruins. (China.org.cn/Li Shen)

Jaulian are the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery which are quite close to Taxila, an ancient town and archeological site in northwestern Pakistan. The ruins consist of two main parts: the main stupa and the monastery of Jaulian. Taxila was an important Buddhist centre of learning from the 5th century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D. The Jaulian Buddhist Monastery is considered as the oldest university of the world.

For more photos, follow the [link].

Ancient murals in Aba Prefecture in urgent need of protection

People’s Daily Online
July 01, 2014

A photo of ancient murals in Xuankong Gumiao. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

Wall paintings discovered inside an ancient Buddhist temple were in need of comprehensive protection and restoration. The temple, Xuankong Gumiao, or “Suspended Ancient Temple”, is located 3,200 meters above sea level, on top of Gada Mountain of Jinchuan in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.

The wall paintings are described as “delicately well-crafted”. However, after thousands of years of wind and rain, the temple is collapsing and some of murals have been seriously damaged. Historians then call for better protection and repairing of those murals.

For more photos, follow the [link].

17 of Southeast Asia’s most photogenic temples

Brave New Traveler
25 Jnune 2014

Wat Pho (Bangkok, Thailand) A Buddhist temple in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok, Wat Pho is home to the reclining Buddha (49.2 feet in height and 141 feet in length). The temple, additionally known as Thailand’s first public university, is often considered the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. (via)

To view more, follow the [link].

Cambodian Buddhists hope fundraiser will help pay for new temple

Inside the chapel of the Wat Buddhikaram temple in West Valley City, October 9, 2002., Keith Johnson, Deseret News Archives

By Whitney Evans, Deseret News
Published: Thursday, May 15 2014 6:40 p.m. MDT

SALT LAKE CITY — Two gold and white lion statues stand as symbols of protection in front of the Utah Cambodian Community Buddhist Temple.

Crumbling concrete on the driveway to the north foreshadows the building’s fate. Soon the temple, or Sala Chann, will be demolished, paved over and used as a parking lot for a new temple.

Cardboard boxes are stacked on the lawn, and bricks are piled up next to a small home where three monks live — evidence of the change at hand.

In an effort to raise funds for the new temple, members of the Cambodian Buddhist community in Utah will sell Cambodian food during the Living Traditions Festival at the Salt Lake City-County Building, 451 S. State, Friday through Sunday.

Located on the side of a narrow street near signs that read, “No parking on street,” a converted garage has served as the Cambodian Buddhist temple in Utah. The current Sala Chann houses about 150 people, which means anywhere from 100 to 200 people are forced to gather outside during festivals under an adjacent pavilion of about the same size.

Sri Lankan Buddhist Temple to be built in historic Thai city

Colombo Page
Jun 5, 2014

June 05, Ayutthaya: A project to build a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in the historic Ayutthaya City in Thailand’s Ayutthaya Province will be launched, according to a report by the Thailand National News Bureau.

The Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Phiophong and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand General Shantha Kottegoda have recently surveyed Wat Krachai, Ayutthaya Province, the intended site to construct the Sri Lankan Temple.

According to the Ayutthaya Governor, the Sri Lankan Temple will be built following an international relationship agreement between Ayutthaya Province and Sri Lanka for an exchange of temple constructions in both countries, in order to strengthen their international religious relationship.

[link]

 

First Vietnamese Buddhist Temple Opens In Sioux Falls, North Dakota

(From temple’s Facebook page)

KDLT News
by Betsy Jibben, Reporter
May 25, 2014 4:39 PM

A Vietnamese Buddhist Temple opened its doors Sunday in Sioux Falls, making it the first temple in town.

Around 100 people packed into the new Chua Ky Vien, not just to celebrate the opening, but also Buddha’s birthday.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was complete with traditional Vietnamese music and dances, a sermon and a flowers offering.

The ceremony was held inside the new temple, followed by dinner.

“So Sunday we are very happy to celebrate and we hope in the recent future we have more come and share with us too,” said Thich Minh Dieu.

Chua Ky Vien is located on South Marion Road. The land was bought for the temple last fall with the help of Buddhist followers in Sioux Falls.

[link]

A giant Buddha statue is unveiled in Bangladesh

Buddhistdoor International BD Dipananda 2014-05-29

A new buddha statue in East Idalpur Buddhist Temple. From Dhammainfo.

Recently, when an initiative to erect a 10-foot Buddha statue at the Ajalcuga Forest Temple in Rangamati district of Bangladesh was raised, there was strong opposition from the local state forces and administration. The district administration imposed 144 prohibitive rules indefinitely and claimed these areas in protected forests were out of bounds for building any kind of settlement. At the same time, there was an attempt at depriving the Buddhists and some indigenous organizations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of their right to build religious structures on their land.