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A Day in the Life

Selflessness and Selfishness

“Morning's silent chill
Winters empty gray-blue sound
I hear only cold”

by Bhante Kassapa,
 Private Writings

November 29th, 2009  ·  1 Comment

Buddhism is; in respect to selflessness one of the most unique religions in history. Buddhism characteristically describes ‘existence’ in terms of process and relation rather than an entity or substance or creation, and therefore does not believe in the existence of a self or soul (considered the same) the idea of a separate soul is an invention of early church philosophers found in the west and is a philosophical notion of an immortal and immaterial essence left over at death.

It is important to understand the etymology of the modern idea for soul for the western mindset. Early Greek philosopher Plato 427…

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Recent Dhamma Talks

Kathina Robe Ceremony 2009 Speech

November 15th, 2009  ·  No Comments

Good morning and welcome to Buu Mon Buddhist Temple as we come together to celebrate one of the most important ceremonies in Theravada Buddhism. I am Bhante Kassapa and I welcome The Most Venerable Buddhapala Venerable monks from Florida and Houston our city officials and all of you to our annual Kathina Robe Ceremony.  We are most pleased to have you with us today.

The Kathina Ceremony is an annual event dating back nearly 2600 years, one of the original ceremonies put into place by the Buddha.  Kathina is a special celebration, a ceremony that traditionally marks the end…

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Thoughts on Self Love and Loving Others

August 12th, 2009  ·  1 Comment

Love can be expressed as a person’s capacity to care for, have feelings for, care about, treat with compassion and equanimity. It is the quantitative capacity to engage another being with the simple behavioral skills of loving compassion. It is using the positive energy of love to care for and nourish others.

What is most important in Buddhism and part of the core teachings of the Buddha is self love and an understanding of who you are. We must develop the capacity to generate love for ourselves, before we can be an example of love for others to learn.  If…

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Thoughts on Western Buddhism

July 6th, 2009  ·  No Comments

My very personal quest is trying to develop a Buddhist sense about practice and monk hood. It goes past the learning of chants and practices of monks in far off lands. We can become bogged down with the minutia of life and fail at some of the basic understandings found in the Dhamma.

I have had the very fortunate privileges to travel to many temples here in the US and have attended/participated in many different cultural events. In the past 5 years I have been able to participate in Vesak and Katina celebrations in Vietnamese, Cambodian, Burmese, Thai, Sri Lankan…

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Dhammacast – Is Buddhism a Religion or Philosophy?

This is an adaptation of a Dhamma Talk that Bhante Kassapa Bhikkhu gave at Lamar University to Dr. Raul Garcia’s Philosophy class on September 20, 2007.

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Dharma Poetry

Morning’s Songs

February 10th, 2008  ·  2 Comments

Just now peering through the trees,

the first light of morning gold

breaks the shadow times of night.

Before the light grows stronger

awakening the morning creatures,

I wonder at the ‘oh so silent still’.

In these moments of calm morning air,

and daylights not yet broken

I pause to breathe the tranquil space.

For soon the chitterings of waking birds,

will chorus in the morning’s songs

as night’s shade fades away.

The promise of another day’s dawning

as morning stretches

to embrace the once cold and darkened

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Dhamma Palabras en Español

El significado del loto

November 16th, 2009  ·  1 Comment

Creciendo en el fango, pero sin el olor del fango

La flor de loto mantiene un lugar especial para todos nosotros, tanto en Oriente como en Occidente simboliza nuestra lucha en este mundo. Una flor pura y hermosa nacida en las aguas del estanque debajo del fango que, cuando llega el momento, surge. Crece fuera del agua y hacia el cielo, abriendo sus pétalos con los rayos calientes del sol, revelando su belleza natural. Al compartir su fragancia con el mundo, deja el fango muy atrás. Las grandes hojas redondeadas están impermeabilizadas, como la flor se pone hacia el cielo,…

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Bài bằng Việt ngữ

Chánh Ngữ

April 28th, 2009  ·  No Comments

Ngôn ngữ và lời nói rất mạnh mẽ. Lời nói có thể giúp xoa dịu hay kích động.
Nhiều vấn đề xảy ra cho ta bắt nguồn từ lời nói thốt ra trong lúc nóng giận. Ta thường ít khi tìm hiểu nguồn cơn, mà chỉ biết các biểu hiệu của sự nóng giận. Nếu tự nhìn sâu kỹ như trong lúc hành thiền, ta có thể tìm ra các lý do của sự nóng giận bằng cách tìm hiểu nguồn cơn.

Bốn đặc tính của chánh ngữ là:

1. Không nói dối hay vọng ngữ.
2. Không…

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A Message from Bhante Kassapa

Bhante Kassapa Bhikkhu

I am Bhante Kassapa, and welcome to 'From West to East'. I am a Theravada Buddhist monk, and currently residing in Buu Mon Buddhist Temple in Port Arthur, Texas. I am hoping that you enjoy your visit to the site. I teach Vipassana Meditation here at the temple along with a varied mix of duties. It is my wish that you will enjoy your stay, possibly experience a few things, and recognize the happiness that can be found inside yourself. You may e-mail me here or at bhante_kassapa@yahoo.com. Each of us is on a journey. We may lose our way a few times along the path but that's ok. You're here now, so breathe and peruse the images, read the postings and feel free to ask any questions that come to mind. I hope that whatever we try to accomplish here on'From West to East' that our first goal is to acknowledge real compassion is for all people without exception. Secondly, we wish to to teach the message of awareness, mindfulness and charity of self to all people. Finally, we would hope that you learn to love yourself and have peace. Wherever you go, always leave that place better, for you having been there.

I wish you Peace.

Bhante Kassapa

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