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BUDDHIST ERA 2600
| | The accuracy of Buddhist era vindicated Kumudu Gunathilaka The fulfilment of the 2600th year of the dispensation of the Thathagatha falls on the full moon day of Vesak in 2012 A.D. (588+2012 = 2600). This is not only a historic occasion for celebration all over the Buddhist world. It also marks the beginning of a great renaissance, or a spiritual revival. The birth of the Bodhisatva, the true Victor's awaken-ness, and the attainment of Supreme Bliss of the Thathagatha, are the three great events in the history of the Buddhist world. It is difficult to comprehend with our finite knowledge, the true nature of the great spiritual illumination, that took place on the full-moon-day of Vesak 2598 years ago, when the wandering prince became freed from the shackles of birth and death, and attained the realm of absolute wisdom, under the sacred 'Esathu Bo' tree. During the lifetime of the Thathagatha, the followers reckoned the Buddhist Era, from the attainment of Bodhi, with due preference to the year of inception of the dispensation from Migadhaya, in its true splendour. Subsequently, sometime after the attainment of the Supreme Bliss by the Master, the followers reckoned the Buddhist era from the year of Parinibbana of the Master. Those who follow the Sanskrit tradition of the Northern sector-Nepal, Tibet, China and Japan etc. believe that the Master attained Supreme Bliss in 386 B.C., while the followers of the Pali tradition of the Southern sector - Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand etc. believe it to be in 544 B.C., in keeping with the data given in 'Deepavamsa' and 'Mahavamsa' the two great chronicles of Sri Lanka. Scholars like Max Muller, William Geiger, V.A. Smith and many others who computed according to sources from many lands determine that, the year in question should be somewhere in 477,483 and 486 B.C. respectively. Anagarika Dharmapala, one of the most erudite and authoritative personalities of his day on the sublime teaching of the Thathagatha, and history of the Buddhist civilization, commemorated the 2500th year of the dispensation of the Master, on the full-moon day of Vesak in 1912 AD (588 + 1912 = 2500), by placing of a memorial pillar at Saranath; translation of Pali Tripitaka into 'Nagari' language, for easy propagation of the Sublime teaching in its land of birth; and making formal steps for the formation of a Buddhist temple in London, to spread the sublime teaching of the Master in the West. Traditions The followers of the Northern and Southern traditions joined hands together, and 'The World Fellowship of Buddhists, at its third world conference of 1954 held in Rangoon, agreed to accept the year 1956 AD as the 2500th year (544+1956) of the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha, irrespective of the differences in their chronicles. This great event of the Buddhist Era was celebrated on the Full-moon-day of Vesak, and throughout the whole year, all over the Buddhist world. This great occasion was commemorated in Burma with the inauguration of a New International Buddhist University, and the fourth Buddhist Council too was conducted with the participation of other Buddhist countries. On successful completion of it, the new Pali canon was printed by them in several international languages. A Higher Educational Institution was established in Laos for the monks to learn the sublime teaching, and the Pali language. Cambodia too, set up a university for the monks. Thailand planted 2500 Esathu Bo trees, wherein a 'National Centre for the Buddhists' was erected. Sri Lanka translated the Pali canon into Sinhala language for easy reference of the practitioners. Korea, China and Japan also celebrated the occasion in a grand manner with others. In the 'Devatha Samyuktha' of the 'Samyuktha Nikaya', the two 'Suththas' namely 'Chando' and 'Suriyo describe two eclipses of the moon and the sun, occurred while the Thathagatha dwelt at Jethavanaramaya in Saranath; a monumental astronomical guide published in Vienna by Oppelzer in 1887, 'Cander Finis Fernisse' guide the astronomer to identify and trace these past heavenly phenomena todate, most accurately. A lunar eclipse occurred on 29/12/560 B.C., and a solar eclipse occurred on 14/01/559 B.C. Both were partially visible over 'Savaththi'. This confirms the description given in the 'Samyuktha Nihaya'. The results obtained from the astronomical guide confirm that, the two eclipses in question, had taken place 15 years prior to the widely accepted year of Parinibbana i.e. 543 B.C., when the Master was 66. If we take one of the dates given by the scholars i.e. 483 B.C. as the year of Parinibbana, with the astrological guide, these eclipses had taken place 76 years prior to that year. Prince Siddhartha was 9 years old at the time of the manifestation of the eclipses over 'Savaththi'. This testifies that the year 543 B.C. was the accurate year of the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha. Dr. Abaya Ariyasinghe enlightened the public over the media about this finding few decades ago. Buddhist traditions The late Ven. Ananda Maithreeya Maha Thera well versed in both Northern and Southern Buddhist traditions, enlightened the public on this aspect through the media few decades ago. According to the Maha Thera the birth of prince Siddhartha falls on a full moon day i.e. Sunday of Vesak, in 623 B.C. (the 2478th year of Kaliyuga, kataka Lagna, Sinha Navamsaka, Veesa Nekatha at 11.04 a.m. in Kapilavasthupura, with the formation of planets Jupiter -1, Rahu -3, Moon -4, Mars -7, Saturn -8, Venus and Kethu -9, Mercury -10, Sun -11, with Nawamsaka - Jupiter -1, Kethu and Mercury -2, Saturn -3, Venus -6, Sun -7, Rahu -8, Mars -9 and Moon -10) According to the Maha Thera he confirmed these data, on consultation with eminent persons well versed in the subject, in India. These are in accord with the 'Ka-Kayur' and 'Kumara Nadi' consulted by him, thereafter Dr. Saddamangala Karunarathne, after inspecting the inscription of King Upathissa the first, confirmed that the said inscription carried the most ancient record of the Buddhist Era, and it attested that the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha occurred in 543 B.C. Dr. Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater, both eminent occultists as well as psychics of repute, confirmed that prince Siddhartha was born in 623 B.C. attained spiritual illumination in 588 B.C; at the age of 36; and attained Supreme Bliss in 543 B.C. at the age of 81, on fulfilment of 45 years of strenuous service to all beings, who were ready for the sublime truth revealed. While searching through "Akasic' records by psychic means, many previous existences of some of their colleagues, who were associates of the Thathagatha, during the period, they found these data. Historic occasion The fulfilment of the 2600th year of the dispensation of the Thathagatha falls on the full moon day of Vesak in 2012 A.D. (588+2012 = 2600). This is not only a historic occasion for celebration all over the Buddhist world. It also marks the beginning of a great renaissance, or a spiritual revival. The teaching of the Thathagatha is not the privilege of a limited sector of followers. The intrinsic message of the Master, belongs to all beings in the entire cosmos. It is the one and only way for the cessation of all suffering. It transcends Northern, Southern and all other traditions formed later. The true spirit of the sublime teaching of the Master, and its contribution since then, to the civilizations of past and present, can be ascertained, by a proper study of its growth from all points of view. The profound teaching of the Master, has been obscured and distorted by the later formations of over-zealous followers. Although, the principles differ in various schools, the dominating splendour of the personal example of the Thathagatha, stands above them all. This is indeed a rare opportunity and privilege, bestowed upon those leading personalities to participate in the celebration of the 2600th anniversary of the dispensation of this great teacher of the first order, who shed enlightenment on the three realms of being. The Thathagatha left for us a universally esteemed teaching, which has so well contributed to the establishment of world peace, for the advancement of humanity. |
Mayawati tells MPs to raise price rise issue in house
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Tuesday urged party MPs to raise issues related to price rise and ill-treatment of Bhopal gas tragedy victims in the coming monsoon session of parliament.
Addressing a specially convened meeting of party MPs here, she said: "Faulty policies of the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government are responsible for the unprecedented rise in inflation, which has led to acute economic oppression of the common man."
According to a party release, she told the MPs to highlight how the Congress-led union government stood exposed after the recent decontrol of petrol prices followed by a steep rise in the price of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene.
She told the MPs to observe strict discipline. "While ensuring fulfilment of the aspirations of common people, you must not do anything which could malign the image of the party."
She also pointed towards the need to highlight the "discriminatory" and "step-motherly" treatment being allegedly meted out to Uttar Pradesh by the central government .
Mayawati also urged the MPs to focus themselves on the Congress regime's "apathy and injustice" towards the Bhopal gas tragedy victims.
Referring to Maoism, Mayawati said: "Unfortunately, the union government seemed to regard naxalism (Maoism) as a law and order problem, while there were major socio-economic factors at the root of the problem."
Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.
BSP Government has taken solid action against mafias and criminals
Property worth Rs. 233 crore belonging to mafias and criminal elements seized
Criminals like Vijay Mishra get patronage from SP
Several criminal incidents took place during regime of Governments of opposition parties
Annoyed by success of Nand Gopal Gupta "Nandi" criminals committed this crime
Lucknow: 17 July 2010
Terming the statements being issued by the opposition parties
regarding the Allahabad incident as unfortunate, the Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati said that those who were indulging in
cheap politics over the Allahabad incident, which was, in fact, an act
of crime committed by criminal elements, should peep into their
own past. She said that her Government had taken solid action
against criminals and mafias. Illegal property worth Rs. 233 crore
amassed by the criminals and mafias had been seized, so far. This
had caused panic among the mafias and criminals and in this
frustration they had committed Allahabad incident, she pointed out.
The Chief Minister was addressing media persons at her official
residence here today. She said that mafias of Allahabad Mr. Ateeq
Ahmad, Mr. Vijay Mishra and other criminal elements had amassed
huge wealth through their criminal activities and the State
Government had seized it through legal proceedings. The Allahabad
administration had attached properties of Mr. Dileep Mishra (worth
Rs. 4.16 crore) and Mr. Vijay Mishra (worth Rs. 6.20 crore).
Ms. Mayawati said that the police had arrested Kripa Shankar
Pandey alias Kripa Nand Pandey and Rajesh Yadav for this criminal
act within two days. She appreciated the efforts made by all the
police officers in this regard. She said that both of them had
accepted that they were the accomplices of Dileep Mishra and on his
behest they had committed this crime. They have also informed
that the brother-in-law of Dileep Mishra, Shri Manoj Kumar Pandey
and Jitendendra Pandey, Mahesh Kumar Mishra, Purushottam
Dubey and Rajesh Pilot had assisted them in this crime. Both of
them further revealed that Dileep Mishra had told them that he had
discussed this matter with legislator Mr. Vijay Mishra.
Giving information regarding the incident, the C.M. said that
as soon as she was informed about the incident on July 12 she took
serious view of the incident and called meeting of the senior officers
of the State immediately to inquire about it and directed Principal
Secretary Home and DGP and to go to Allahabad and investigate the
matter. She directed both the officers to investigate the incident
thoroughly and ensure severe punishment for the guilty.
Ms. Mayawati said that during the 2007 Vidhan Sabha
elections Mr. Nand Gopal Gupta alias Nandi was fielded from
Allahabad South on BSP ticket. She said that just a few days before
the elections, the block pramukh Chaka, Allahabad Mr Dileep Mishra
had beaten up Mr. Nandi to demoralise him, so that he did not
contest elections. She said that it is a matter of great regret that
the previous SP Government did not take any action in this regard
nor Mr. Nandi was allowed to lodge an FIR. This stand was taken by
those concerned as Mr. Dileep Mishra was a relative of SP's Bhadohi
legislator Mr. Vijay Mishra, she pointed out.
The C.M., while giving information about the criminal cases
registered against Dileep Mishra and Vijay Mishra, said that about
30 cases had been registered against Dileep Mishra while 58 cases
were registered against Vijay Mishra. As many as 13 criminal cases
were registered against Dileep Mishra during 1991 and 2003 and
during 2004-07 no case was registered. Again from May 2007 and
2010, as many as 17 cases were registered. Likewise, 45 cases had
been registered against Mr. Vijay Mishra during 1977-2003 and only
one case was registered against him during 2004-07 and from May
2007 to 2010, as many as 14 criminal cases had been registered
against him. She said that the only case registered against Mr. Vijay
Mishra, filed between 2004 and 2007, was registered on the order
of the Hon'ble Court. The SP Government withdrew six cases
registered against Mr. Vijay Mishra, she added.
Ms. Mayawati said that Mr. Vijay Mishra had about Rs. 50
crore worth illegal property in the Jasola area of Delhi. It had also
been suspected that a senior SP leader also had property in the
same complex. She said that it was evident the SP had been
extending protection to a criminal like Vijay Mishra.
The C.M. said that during the previous SP regime, this party
had unleashed
goonda raj and jungle raj all over the State and the criminals were ruling the roost. The senior SP leaders instead of
taking action against the criminals were protecting them, she said.
The law and order of the State had been given a severe beating
during the SP regime and the poor people were being harassed all
over the State and their FIRs were not being lodged, she stated.
Ms. Mayawati said that after coming to power in 2007, her top
priority was to streamline the law and order of the State. Her
Government had launched a drive against criminals, mafias and anti
social elements, she pointed out adding that she had directed the
senior officers to lodge the cases of those people whose cases were
refused during the SP regime. Owing to her efforts as many as
10,000 cases had been lodged by launching a special drive all over
the State, she pointed out.
The Chief Minister said that after the formation of BSP
Government in this State, she had directed the police administration
that improvement in law and order situation would be estimated on
the basis of action being taken on total lodged FIRs, instead of FIR
numbers. While, during the regimes of earlier all other parties'
Governments it was not taken into consideration. Therefore, these
opposition parties were putting allegations regarding increasing
crimes on the basis of FIR numbers lodged during the regime of her
Government. This attitude of opposition parties was not only
shameful but it also had made it clear that these parties could go up
to what extent, which were making shameful efforts for maligning
the image of BSP Government on the basis of false facts.
Ms. Mayawati said that a large number of criminal incidents
occurred during the regimes of all opposition parties. If these
incidents during the regimes of these opposition parties were not
the symbol of jungle raj, then how the incident which took place in
Allahabad could be termed as a jungle raj in this State.
The Chief Minister said before giving such type of irresponsible
statement these opposition parties should have remembered the
terrorists' attack on Parliament and the terrorist incidents occurred
in Mumbai, besides the human and property loss in these incidents.
Was the jungle raj prevailed in the country in the period, when the
death of the then Railway Minister, Lalit Narayan Mishra took place
in a bomb explosion in Bihar or when Mrs. Indira Gandhi was
assassinated at her residence during the rule of Congress, the
country was plunged in complete chaos, she asked. Similarly, the
innocent Sikhs were openly murdered in the riots of 1984 and the
capital of the country had faced complete chaos despite the
Congress Government. At that time, no Congress leader looked at
these incidents. Besides, these opposition parties' leaders had kept
the complete silence over the killing of hundreds of security
personnel in naxal violence occurred in several States during last
one year.
Ms. Mayawati said that the leaders of Congress party should
also remember the murder of the then Chief Minister Mr.
Vishwanath Pratap Singh's elder brother, who was justice in the
High Court before speaking anything. More than that, the cases of
Mr. Singh and Mr. Lalit Narayan Mishra had not been solved, so far
and the Congress Party Government had completely failed in giving
the punishments to the persons involved in these crimes. The other
opposition parties also had adopted the same approach in these
cases. She said that BSP MLA Mr. Raju Pal was killed openly during
day time in Government protection in Allahabad during the regime
of Samajwadi Party and the entire government ruling at that time
remained engaged in saving the criminals responsible for this
murder. Similarly, during SP regime, BJP MLA Mr. Krishna Nand Rai,
MLC Mr. Ajeet Singh, BJP former MP Mr. Laxmi Narayan Mani
Tripathi and former MLA Chaudhri Malkhan Singh were brutally
murdered. Besides, SP MLA Mr. Manzoor Ahmad was killed in front
of Raj Bhawan on March 06, 2002 during demonstration in
President's rule.
The Chief Minister said that between the period of 1991 and
2005 one MP, 18 MLAs and 38 office bearers of political parties were
killed and 42 attempts to murder took place. During the tenure of
SP between 2003 and 2007 one former MP, three MLAs, one former
MLA and 13 office bearers of political parties were killed. While,
during the regime of BSP Government any person, however
powerful he might be had faced the consequences of his doings, if
he had taken the law into his hands, which is amply clear in the
case of former MLA Mr. Kapil Dev Yadav's murder.
Ms. Mayawati said that Mr. Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, Minister
in BSP Government is an effective and dynamic leader of Vaishya
Samaj, who won the hearts of the people in a short period after
defeating the Congress State President Rita Bahuguna Joshi and
former Assembly Speaker Mr. Keshrinath Tripathi in election. SP
candidate was defeated in this election by a huge margin. It seems
that these criminal elements disturbed by this success of Mr. Nandi
had done this heinous crime, for which they would have to suffer
the consequences definitely.
The Chief Minister said that she had full faith and confidence
over her police administration and the other persons involved in this
incident would be arrested soon.
******
C.M. criticises attack on offices of news channels
Lucknow: 17 July 2010
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati while
criticising the incidents of attack on the Delhi office of
"Headlines Today" an allied channel of News Channel "Aaj Tak"
by RSS workers and the office of Marathi News Channel "G-24
Tass" of Kolhapur, Maharashtra by Shiv Sainiks has termed it
as an attack on democracy. She has demanded stringent
action against the attackers.
The Chief Minister was replying to a question in a press
conference organised at her official residence here today. She
said that attack on media, the fourth pillar of democracy was
unfortunate. She said that after such shameful incidents the
concerning State Governments should not sit with idle hands.
Stern action should be taken against such elements, she
added.
*******
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