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New Year 2012 Greeting Cards Its Huge Collection Blog, 2012 new year, 2012 Animation Greetings, New Year, new year 2012, New Year 2012 Collections, 2012 Animation Images, 2012 Animation wallpapers, New year 2012 wallpapers, Calendar, 2012, 2012 Calendar, 2012 Collections, 2012 Images,

2011-11-21T17:58:00.010+05:30

Also See Katrina Kaif 2012 Calendar Please Click Below Link:

http://cool-collections-cool.blogspot.com/2011/10/katrina-kaif-2012-calendar.html

Also See Shay Laren Calendar 2012

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New Year Quotes 2012

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." - By Benjamin Franklin

"New Year's Day is every man's birthday." - By Charles Lamb

"Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty." - By John Selden

"The merry year is born
Like the bright berry from the naked thorn." - By Hartley Coleridge

"And ye, who have met with Adversity's blast,
And been bow'd to the earth by its fury;
To whom the Twelve Months, that have recently pass'd
Were as harsh as a prejudiced jury -
Still, fill to the Future! and join in our chime,
The regrets of remembrance to cozen,
And having obtained a New Trial of Time,
Shout in hopes of a kindlier dozen." - By Thomas Hood

"For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning."

See also:

Also See Kareena Kapoor 2012 Calendar Please Click Below Link:

http://cool-collections-cool.blogspot.com/2011/10/kareena-kapoor-2012-calendar.html

Also See Katrina Kaif 2012 Calendar Please Click Below Link:

http://cool-collections-cool.blogspot.com/2011/10/katrina-kaif-2012-calendar.html

Also See Shay Laren Calendar 2012

P

lease Click Below Link:

http://cool-collections-cool.blogspot.com/2011/10/shay-laren-calendar-2012.html

Most Amazing Rear Photos

2011-11-16T16:10:00.001+05:30

Most Amazing World Tour Pictures

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Skaftafeli, Iceland

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Turquoise Lake, Jiuzhaigou National Park, China

Hotel Four Seasons Hotel, Bora Bora

Paterswoldse Meer, Skating on the lake Paterswoldse Meer, just south of the city of Groningen, The Netherlands

Marble Cave, Chile Chico, Chile

Ice Canyon, Greenland

Valley of the "Ten peaks", Moraine Lake, Alberta, Canada

Benteng Chittorgarh, Benteng Chittorgarh, India

Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, Canada

Riomaggiore, Italy

Mount Roraima, Venezuela

Multnomah Falls, Oregon, USA

Petra, Jordan

Restaurant next to the cave above the river Yangtze Sanyou, Hubei Province, China

Seljalandsfoss, Waterfall Seljalandsfoss, south coast of Iceland

Festival of sky lanterns, Thailand

Marqueyssac, Gardens Marqueyssac, France

Alesund, Norway

Keukenhof, Netherlands

Coyote Buttes slope, Arizona, USA

Seychelles

East Iceland

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Preachers Rock, Pulpit, Norway

Blue Caves - Zakynthos, Greece

Most Amazing Pictures Of All Over The World

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Amazing 3D Drawing On Pavement

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Beautiful cups and saucers

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Beautiful Wallpapers

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Beautiful Landscapes

http://cool-collections-cool.blogspot.com/

Good Thoughts

2011-11-11T12:06:00.000+05:30

40 Very Delicious Latte Art At Cafe/Cappuccino

2011-11-09T12:06:00.000+05:30

Since 1980s, the art form created by pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso, or so called latte art, has been widely welcomed within the modern society, which thirsts for elegance and beauty. With the strong need of the society, the Baristas, coffeehouse bartenders, have sought for creativity and evolution for the latte art since then, resulting in plethora of patterns and even variants in the industry.

(Image Source: R. E.)

Why latte art? It’s just not only about showing the artistic talent of the baristas, but making the latte more visually appealing, sexy, and apparently more delicious. And for this post, we’re gonna deliver you 40 very delicious examples of the latte art. No words, no description, just the art. Enjoy them and if you’re like me, you might feel the aroma floated from these charming examples!

3 Oz Hot Chocolate. (Image Source: ericagisme)

A Cup For Winter Morning. (Image Source: PoYang)

A Cup Of Fire-Breathing Dragon. (Image Source: jrobblee)

Andrew’s Cap. (Image Source: dogmilque)

Art Of Hotchoc. (Image Source: jibbilittle)

Bakery Bar Hot Cocoa. (Image Source: pdxhipsterdoofus)

Bang Fo’ Yo’ Buck! (Image Source: nicely85)

Cafe Mocha. (Image Source: LuisMacalinao)

Cappuccino And A Cookie. (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Cappuccino At Intelligentsia Coffee. (Image Source: R. E.)

Cappuccino & Post. (Image Source: Raphael Borja)

Cute Bear. (Image Source: okayama)

Epicenter Friday: Cappuccino. (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Espresso Macchiato. (Image Source: Arancia Project)

Etching. (Image Source: Lameen)

Flat White. (Image Source: Lameen)

Floral Display. (Image Source: JTeale)

Four Barrel Mon: Cappuccino. (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Latte Art At Cafe. (Image Source: tom.glanz)

Latte Art Butterfly. (Image Source: meirzafri)

Latte Art: Kiki. (Image Source: dola_dola)

Latte And Plants. (Image Source: Anders Madsen)

Latte Bear. (Image Source: Nekousa)

Latte Flower. (Image Source: thevoyager)

Latte In The Dark. (Image Source: Junojuno2010)

Love Latte. (Image Source: PoYang)

Lovely Pour. (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Meow. (Image Source: Nekousa)

Moka Tulip. (Image Source: LATTEGARCIA)

On The Grass. (Image Source: PoYang)

Pity Bear. (Image Source: MiKA FOTO)

Ripe Cake And Cappuccino. (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Rosetta. (Image Source: pieeetr)

Simple. (Image Source: Kuba Bożanowski)

Smiling Sun. (Image Source: okayama)

Sunshine Latte! (Image Source: Premshree Pillai)

Tierra Mia Coffee: Latte. (Image Source: R. E.)

Today’s Latte. (Image Source: shomagi)

Warm Latte. (Image Source: Michelia Kramer)

Wood Latte Art. (Image Source: baristang)

Bodhidharma The Kun Fu Master, Bodhidharma biography, Bodhidharma Images, History Of Bodhidharma, Life After Bodhidharma, Shaolin Temple, 7am arivu Movie Stills

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Life After Bodhidharma

At the height of the temple's prosperity, many years after the death of Bodhidharma, the complex housed around 1500 monks. This contingent of priests also included more than 500 fighting monks.

It was due to the legacy of Bodhidharma which convinced many students over the years to travel to the Shaolin Temple either to learn about Buddhism and meditation or just for the Martial Arts training.

Some who trained elsewhere also came to the Shaolin Temple for it was still known as the origin of Kung-Fu or as it is more correctly known - Chuan-Fa. One of these "martial art monks" actually developed the art ten fold when he became the head of the temple. This priest named Cheuh Yuan, with the assistance of another Chuan-Fa expert, expanded the original sets which were being learned by the novices, into various sets which were all divided into five separate animal groups.

The five in question were the Tiger, Dragon, Leopard, Crane and Snake. Each set within one of these groups contained techniques which resembled the movements of that particular animal.

The studies into the martial arts aspect of the temple gave such proficiency to the monks and their fighting skills that no one would dare to challenge them. Every priest from the

Shaolin Temple was recognized and respected everywhere he went throughout China.

When the Emperor heard of the effectiveness of the fighting force of this temple he actually hired the temple to help put down a rebellion. Unfortunately, this proficiency was also the reason for the temple's downfall. The new Emperor in Peking saw them as a threat to his government and so in 1674 ordered his troops to storm the temple and burn it down, along with its inhabitants.

Again the government forces underestimated the fighting force that was gathered at the temple and it was only because of a traitor inside the temple, which finally allowed the victory of the government troops.

The fighting was fierce and many died with only five of the priests escaping with their lives. These five were some of the finest instructors in the martial arts section of the temple and it was this talent and skill that allowed them to escape the destruction.

The five masters became known as the "Five Ancestors" and they spread throughout

China

to pass on the knowledge which they possessed. All five had separate styles of the exercises that they were taught, but all had the same Zen Buddhist background training.

The first thing that these monks did was to organize the people who wished to overthrow the new tyrannical government that now sat in Peking. These "societies" utilized the martial art training to prepare themselves to fight against governmental troops. These societies became very powerful and in turn the style of training each society possessed eventually spread throughout Asia. Soon many had trained in this new self-defense but unfortunately many did not just use their training skills for purely self-defense purposes and in this way the art also spread.

One avenue that this art took in expanding throughout Asia was the way of the military. The Military immediately saw the potential for this defensive form of unarmed (hand to hand) combat. These forms of exercises became an essential part of a Warrior's training.

The military avenue also included the navy and of these Asian countries, there were many sailors who also had some training (or experience) in the martial arts (chuan-fa).

It was from these sources that the martial art of chuan-fa was eventually found its way to the island of Okinawa. It was here where karate was to eventually develop to what it is today.

History Of Bodhidharma

Names (details)
Bodhidharma, woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, 1887.
Known in English as:	Bodhidharma
Tamil:	போதிதர்மன்
Telugu:	భోధిధర్మా
Sanskrit:	बोधिधर्म
Persian:	بودی‌دارما
Simplified Chinese:	菩提达摩
Traditional Chinese:	菩提達摩
Chinese abbreviation:	達摩
Hanyu Pinyin:	Pútídámó
Wade–Giles:	P'u-t'i-ta-mo
Tibetan:	Dharmottāra
Korean:	달마 Dalma
Japanese:	達磨 Daruma
Malay:	Dharuma
Thai:	ตั๊กม๊อ Takmor
Vietnamese:	Bồ-đề-đạt-ma

Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century and is traditionally credited as the leading patriarch and transmitter of Zen (Chinese: Chán, Sanskrit: Dhyāna) to China. He was the third son of a Tamil king of the Pallava Dynasty. According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the Shaolin monks that led to the creation of Shaolinquan. However, martial arts historians have shown this legend stems from a 17th century qigong manual known as the Yijin Jing.

Little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend, but some accounts state that he was from a Brahmin family in southern India and possibly of royal lineage. However Broughton (1999:2) notes that Bodhidharma's royal pedigree implies that he was of the Kshatriya warrior caste. Mahajan (1972:705–707) argued that the Pallava dynasty was a Tamilian dynasty and Zvelebil (1987) proposed that Bodhidharma was born a prince of the Pallava dynasty in their capital of Kanchipuram Scholars have concluded his place of birth to be Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India.

After becoming a Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma traveled to China. The accounts differ on the date of his arrival, with one early account claiming that he arrived during the Liú Sòng Dynasty (420–479) and later accounts dating his arrival to the Liáng Dynasty (502–557). Bodhidharma was primarily active in the lands of the Northern Wèi Dynasty (386–534). Modern scholarship dates him to about the early 5th century.

Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as a rather ill-tempered, profusely bearded and wide-eyed barbarian. He is described as "The Blue-Eyed Barbarian" in Chinese texts.

The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall (952) identifies Bodhidharma as the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in an uninterrupted line that extends all the way back to the Buddha himself. D.T. Suzuki contends that Chán's growth in popularity during the 7th and 8th centuries attracted criticism that it had "no authorized records of its direct transmission from the founder of Buddhism" and that Chán historians made Bodhidharma the 28th patriarch of Buddhism in response to such attacks.

Biography

Part of a series on Chinese Buddhism

Contemporary accounts

There are two known extant accounts written by contemporaries of Bodhidharma.

Yáng Xuànzhī

A Dehua ware porcelain statuette of Bodhidharma, from the late Ming Dynasty, 17th century

The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang (洛陽伽藍記 Luòyáng Qiélánjì), was compiled in 547 by Yáng Xuànzhī 楊衒之, a writer and translator of Mahāyāna Buddhist texts into the Chinese language.

At that time there was a monk of the Western Region named Bodhidharma, a Persian Central Asian. He traveled from the wild borderlands to China. Seeing the golden disks [on the pole on top of Yǒngníng's stupa] reflecting in the sun, the rays of light illuminating the surface of the clouds, the jewel-bells on the stupa blowing in the wind, the echoes reverberating beyond the heavens, he sang its praises. He exclaimed: "Truly this is the work of spirits." He said: "I am 150 years old, and I have passed through numerous countries. There is virtually no country I have not visited. Even the distant Buddha-realms lack this." He chanted homage and placed his palms together in salutation for days on end.

Broughton (1999:55) dates Bodhidharma's presence in Luoyang to between 516 and 526, when the temple referred to—Yǒngníngsì (永寧寺)—was at the height of its glory. Starting in 526, Yǒngníngsì suffered damage from a series of events, ultimately leading to its destruction in 534.

Tánlín

The second account was written by Tánlín (曇林; 506–574). Tánlín's brief biography of the "Dharma Master" is found in his preface to the Two Entrances and Four Acts, a text traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, and the first text to identify Bodhidharma as South Indian:

The Dharma Master was a South Indian of the Western Region. He was the third son of a great Indian king of the Pallava Dynasty. His ambition lay in the Mahayana path, and so he put aside his white layman's robe for the black robe of a monk [...] Lamenting the decline of the true teaching in the outlands, he subsequently crossed distant mountains and seas, traveling about propagating the teaching in Han and Wei.

Tánlín's account was the first to mention that Bodhidharma attracted disciples, specifically mentioning Dàoyù (道育) and Huìkě (慧可), the latter of whom would later figure very prominently in the Bodhidharma literature.

Tánlín has traditionally been considered a disciple of Bodhidharma, but it is more likely that he was a student of Huìkě, who in turn was a student of Bodhidharma.

Later accounts

Dàoxuān

In the 7th-century historical work Further Biographies of Eminent Monks (續高僧傳 Xù gāosēng zhuàn), Dàoxuān (道宣; 596-667) possibly drew on Tanlin's preface as a basic source, but made several significant additions:

This Japanese scroll calligraphy of Bodhidharma reads “Zen points directly to the human heart, see into your nature and become Buddha”. It was created by Hakuin Ekaku (1685 to 1768)

Firstly, Dàoxuān adds more detail concerning Bodhidharma's origins, writing that he was of "South Indian Brahman stock" (南天竺婆羅門種 nán tiānzhú póluómén zhŏng).

Secondly, more detail is provided concerning Bodhidharma's journeys. Tanlin's original is imprecise about Bodhidharma's travels, saying only that he "crossed distant mountains and seas" before arriving in Wei. Dàoxuān's account, however, implies "a specific itinerary": "He first arrived at Nan-yüeh during the Sung period. From there he turned north and came to the Kingdom of Wei". This implies that Bodhidharma had travelled to China by sea, and that he had crossed over the Yangtze River.

Thirdly, Dàoxuān suggests a date for Bodhidharma's arrival in China. He writes that Bodhidharma makes landfall in the time of the Song, thus making his arrival no later than the time of the Song's fall to the Southern Qi Dynasty in 479.

Finally, Dàoxuān provides information concerning Bodhidharma's death. Bodhidharma, he writes, died at the banks of the Luo River, where he was interred by his disciple Huike, possibly in a cave. According to Dàoxuān's chronology, Bodhidharma's death must have occurred prior to 534, the date of the Northern Wei Dynasty's fall, because Huike subsequently leaves Luoyang for Ye. Furthermore, citing the shore of the Luo River as the place of death might possibly suggest that Bodhidharma died in the mass executions at Heyin 河陰 in 528. Supporting this possibility is a report in the Taishō shinshū daizōkyō stating that a Buddhist monk was among the victims at Héyīn.

Epitaph for Fărú

The idea of a patriarchal lineage in Chán dates back to the epitaph for Fărú (法如 638–689), a disciple of the 5th patriarch Hóngrĕn (弘忍 601–674), which gives a line of descent identifying Bodhidharma as the first patriarch.

Yǒngjiā Xuánjué

According to the Song of Enlightenment (證道歌 Zhèngdào gē) by Yǒngjiā Xuánjué (665-713)—one of the chief disciples of Huìnéng, sixth Patriarch of Chán—Bodhidharma was the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in a line of descent from Śākyamuni Buddha via his disciple Mahākāśyapa, and the first Patriarch of Chán:

Mahakashyapa was the first, leading the line of transmission;
Twenty-eight Fathers followed him in the West;
The Lamp was then brought over the sea to this country;
And Bodhidharma became the First Father here
His mantle, as we all know, passed over six Fathers,
And by them many minds came to see the Light.

The idea of a line of descent from Śākyamuni Buddha is the basis for the distinctive lineage tradition of the Chán school.

Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall

In the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall (祖堂集 Zǔtángjí) of 952, the elements of the traditional Bodhidharma story are in place. Bodhidharma is said to have been a disciple of Prajñātāra, thus establishing the latter as the 27th patriarch in India. After a three-year journey, Bodhidharma reaches China in 527 during the Liang Dynasty (as opposed to the Song period of the 5th century, as in Dàoxuān). The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall includes Bodhidharma's encounter with Emperor Wu, which was first recorded around 758 in the appendix to a text by Shen-hui (神會), a disciple of Huineng.

Finally, as opposed to Daoxuan's figure of "over 150 years," the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall states that Bodhidharma died at the age of 150. He was then buried on Mount Xiong'er (熊耳山 Xióngĕr Shān) to the west of Luoyang. However, three years after the burial, in the Pamir Mountains, Sòngyún (宋雲)—an official of one of the later Wei kingdoms—encountered Bodhidharma, who claimed to be returning to India and was carrying a single sandal. Bodhidharma predicted the death of Songyun's ruler, a prediction which was borne out upon the latter's return. Bodhidharma's tomb was then opened, and only a single sandal was found inside.

Insofar as, according to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, Bodhidharma left the Liang court in 527 and relocated to Mount Song near Luoyang and the Shaolin Monastery, where he "faced a wall for nine years, not speaking for the entire time", his date of death can have been no earlier than 536. Moreover, his encounter with the Wei official indicates a date of death no later than 554, three years before the fall of the last Wei kingdom.

Dàoyuán

Subsequent to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, the only dated addition to the biography of Bodhidharma is in the Jingde Records of the Transmission of the Lamp (景德傳燈錄 Jĭngdé chuándēng lù, published 1004 CE), by Dàoyuán (道原), in which it is stated that Bodhidharma's original name had been Bodhitāra but was changed by his master Prajñātāra.

Modern scholarship

Bodhidharma's origins

Though Dàoxuān wrote that Bodhidharma was a Tamilan from South India. Broughton (1999:2) Notes that Bodhidharma's royal pedigree implies that he was of the Kshatriya warrior caste. Mahajan (1972:705–707) argued that the Pallava dynasty was a Tamilian dynasty and Zvelebil (1987) proposed that Bodhidharma was born a prince of the Pallava dynasty in their capital of Kanchipuram. He was the 3rd prince of Pallava dynasty.

Bodhidharma's name

Bodhidharma was said to be originally named Bodhitara. His surname was Chadili. His Dhyāna teacher, Prajnatara, is said to have renamed him Bodhidharma.

Faure (1986) notes that "Bodhidharma’s name appears sometimes truncated as Bodhi, or more often as Dharma (Ta-mo). In the first case, it may be confused with another of his rivals, Bodhiruci."

Tibetan sources give his name as "Bodhidharmottāra" or "Dharmottara", that is, "Highest teaching (dharma) of enlightenment".

Practice and teaching

Meditation

Tanlin, in the preface to Two Entrances and Four Acts, and Daoxuan, in the Further Biographies of Eminent Monks, mention a practice of Bodhidharma's termed "wall-gazing" (壁觀 bìguān). Both Tanlinand Daoxuan associate this "wall-gazing" with "quieting [the] mind" (安心 ān xīn). Elsewhere, Daoxuan also states: "The merits of Mahāyāna wall-gazing are the highest". These are the first mentions in the historical record of what may be a type of meditation being ascribed to Bodhidharma.

Bodhidharma seated in meditation before a wall; ink painting by Sesshū

In the Two Entrances and Four Acts, traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, the term "wall-gazing" also appears:

Those who turn from delusion back to reality, who meditate on walls, the absence of self and other, the oneness of mortal and sage, and who remain unmoved even by scriptures are in complete and unspoken agreement with reason.

Exactly what sort of practice Bodhidharma's "wall-gazing" was remains uncertain. Nearly all accounts have treated it either as an undefined variety of meditation, as Daoxuan and Dumoulin, or as a variety of seated meditation akin to the zazen (坐禪; Chinese: zuòchán) that later became a defining characteristic of Chán; the latter interpretation is particularly common among those working from a Chán standpoint. There have also, however, been interpretations of "wall-gazing" as a non-meditative phenomenon.

The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra

The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, one of the Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtras, is a highly "difficult and obscure" textwhose basic thrust is to emphasize "the inner enlightenment that does away with all duality and is raised above all distinctions". It is among the first and most important texts in the Yogācāra, or "Consciousness-only", school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

One of the recurrent emphases in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra is a lack of reliance on words to effectively express reality:

If, Mahamati, you say that because of the reality of words the objects are, this talk lacks in sense. Words are not known in all the Buddha-lands; words, Mahamati, are an artificial creation. In some Buddha-lands ideas are indicated by looking steadily, in others by gestures, in still others by a frown, by the movement of the eyes, by laughing, by yawning, or by the clearing of the throat, or by recollection, or by trembling.

In contrast to the ineffectiveness of words, the sūtra instead stresses the importance of the "self-realization" that is "attained by noble wisdom" and occurs "when one has an insight into reality as it is""The truth is the state of self-realization and is beyond categories of discrimination". The sūtra goes on to outline the ultimate effects of an experience of self-realization:

[The Bodhisattva] will become thoroughly conversant with the noble truth of self-realization, will become a perfect master of his own mind, will conduct himself without effort, will be like a gem reflecting a variety of colours, will be able to assume the body of transformation, will be able to enter into the subtle minds of all beings, and, because of his firm belief in the truth of Mind-only, will, by gradually ascending the stages, become established in Buddhahood.

One of the fundamental Chán texts attributed to Bodhidharma is a four-line stanza whose first two verses echo the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra's disdain for words and whose second two verses stress the importance of the insight into reality achieved through "self-realization":

A special transmission outside the scriptures,
Not founded upon words and letters;
By pointing directly to [one's] mind
It lets one see into [one's own true] nature and [thus] attain Buddhahood.

The stanza, in fact, is not Bodhidharma's, but rather dates to the year 1108. Nonetheless, there are earlier texts which explicitly associate Bodhidharma with the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. Daoxuan, for example, in a late recension of his biography of Bodhidharma's successor Huike, has the sūtra as a basic and important element of the teachings passed down by Bodhidharma:

In the beginning Dhyana Master Bodhidharma took the four-roll Laṅkā Sūtra, handed it over to Huike, and said: "When I examine the land of China, it is clear that there is only this sutra. If you rely on it to practice, you will be able to cross over the world."

Another early text, the Record of the Masters and Disciples of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (楞伽師資記 Léngqié shīzī jì) of Jìngjué (淨覺; 683–750), also mentions Bodhidharma in relation to this text. Jingjue's account also makes explicit mention of "sitting meditation", or zazen:

For all those who sat in meditation, Master Bodhi[dharma] also offered expositions of the main portions of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, which are collected in a volume of twelve or thirteen pages, [...] bearing the title of Teaching of [Bodhi-]Dharma.

In other early texts, the school that would later become known as Chán is sometimes referred to as the "Laṅkāvatāra school" (楞伽宗 Léngqié zōng).

Legends

In Southeast Asia

According to Southeast Asian folklore, Bodhidharma travelled from south India by sea to Sumatra, Indonesia for the purpose of spreading the Mahayana doctrine. From Palembang, he went north into what are now Malaysia and Thailand. He travelled the region transmitting his knowledge of Buddhism and martial arts before eventually entering China through Vietnam. Malay legend holds that Bodhidharma introduced preset forms to silat.

Encounter with Emperor Xiāo Yǎn 蕭衍

The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall tells us that in 527 during the Liang Dynasty, Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Chán, visited the Emperor Wu (Emperor Xiāo Yǎn 蕭衍 (posthumous name Wǔdì 武帝) of Liáng 梁 China), a fervent patron of Buddhism. The emperor asked Bodhidharma, "How much karmic merit have I earned for ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?" Bodhidharma answered, "None. Good deeds done with worldly intent bring good karma, but no merit." The emperor then asked Bodhidharma, "So what is the highest meaning of noble truth?" Bodhidharma answered, "There is no noble truth, there is only void." The emperor then asked Bodhidharma, "Then, who is standing before me?" Bodhidharma answered, "I know not, Your Majesty."

From then on, the emperor refused to listen to whatever Bodhidharma had to say. Although Bodhidharma came from India to China to become the first patriarch of China, the emperor refused to recognize him. Bodhidharma knew that he would face difficulty in the near future, but had the emperor been able to leave the throne and yield it to someone else, he could have avoided his fate of starving to death.

According to the teaching, Emperor Wu's past life was as a bhikshu. While he cultivated in the mountains, a monkey would always steal and eat the things he planted for food, as well as the fruit in the trees. One day, he was able to trap the monkey in a cave and blocked the entrance of the cave with rocks, hoping to teach the monkey a lesson. However, after two days, the bhikshu found that the monkey had died of starvation.

Supposedly, that monkey was reincarnated into Hou Jing of the Northern Wei Dynasty, who led his soldiers to attack Nanjing. After Nanjing was taken, the emperor was held in captivity in the palace and was not provided with any food, and was left to starve to death. Though Bodhidharma wanted to save him and brought forth a compassionate mind toward him, the emperor failed to recognize him, so there was nothing Bodhidharma could do. Thus, Bodhidharma had no choice but to leave Emperor Wu to die and went into meditation in a cave for nine years.

This encounter would later form the basis of the first kōan of the collection The Blue Cliff Record. However that version of the story is somewhat different. In the Blue Cliff's telling of the story, there is no claim that Emperor Wu did not listen to Bodhidharma after the Emperor was unable to grasp the meaning. Instead, Bodhidharma left the presence of the Emperor once Bodhidharma saw that the Emperor was unable to understand. Then Bodhidharma went across the river to the kingdom of Wei.

After Bodhidharma left, the Emperor asked the official in charge of the Imperial Annals about the encounter. The Official of the Annals then asked the Emperor if he still denied knowing who Bodhidharma was? When the Emperor said he didn't know, the Official said, "This was the Great-being Guanyin (i.e., the Mahasattva Avalokiteśvara) transmitting the imprint of the Buddha's Heart-Mind."

The Emperor regretted his having let Bodhidharma leave and was going to dispatch a messenger to go and beg Bodhidharma to return. The Official then said, "Your Highness, do not say to send out a messenger to go fetch him. The people of the entire nation could go, and he still would not return."

Nine years of wall-gazing

Failing to make a favorable impression in Southern China, Bodhidharma is said to have traveled to the northern Chinese kingdom of Wei to the Shaolin Monastery. After either being refused entry to the temple or being ejected after a short time, he lived in a nearby cave, where he "faced a wall for nine years, not speaking for the entire time".

The biographical tradition is littered with apocryphal tales about Bodhidharma's life and circumstances. In one version of the story, he is said to have fallen asleep seven years into his nine years of wall-gazing. Becoming angry with himself, he cut off his eyelids to prevent it from happening again. According to the legend, as his eyelids hit the floor the first tea plants sprang up; and thereafter tea would provide a stimulant to help keep students of Chán awake during meditation.

The most popular account relates that Bodhidharma was admitted into the Shaolin temple after nine years in the cave and taught there for some time. However, other versions report that he "passed away, seated upright"; or that he disappeared, leaving behind the Yi Jin Jing; or that his legs atrophied after nine years of sitting, which is why Japanese Bodhidharma dolls have no legs.

Bodhidharma at Shaolin

Further information: Shaolin Monastery#Patron saint

Some Chinese accounts describe Bodhidharma as being disturbed by the poor physical shape of the Shaolin monks, after which he instructed them in techniques to maintain their physical condition as well as teaching meditation. He is said to have taught a series of external exercises called the Eighteen Arhat Hands (Shi-ba Lohan Shou), and an internal practice called the Sinew Metamorphosis Classic. In addition, after his departure from the temple, two manuscripts by Bodhidharma were said to be discovered inside the temple: the Yijin Jing (易筋經 or "Muscle/Tendon Change Classic") and the Xi Sui Jing. Copies and translations of the Yi Jin Jing survive to the modern day, though many modern historians believe it to be of much more recent origin. The Xi Sui Jing has been lost.

Both the attribution of Shaolin boxing to Bodhidharma and the authenticity of the Yi Jin Jing itself have been discredited by some historians including Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Matsuda Ryuchi. This argument is summarized by modern historian Lin Boyuan in his Zhongguo wushu shi

As for the "Yi Jin Jing" (Muscle Change Classic), a spurious text attributed to Bodhidharma and included in the legend of his transmitting martial arts at the temple, it was written in the Ming dynasty, in 1624, by the Daoist priest Zining of Mt. Tiantai, and falsely attributed to Bodhidharma. Forged prefaces, attributed to the Tang general Li Jing and the Southern Song general Niu Gao were written. They say that, after Bodhidharma faced the wall for nine years at Shaolin temple, he left behind an iron chest; when the monks opened this chest they found the two books "Xi Sui Jing" (Marrow Washing Classic) and "Yi Jin Jing" within. The first book was taken by his disciple Huike, and disappeared; as for the second, "the monks selfishly coveted it, practicing the skills therein, falling into heterodox ways, and losing the correct purpose of cultivating the Real. The Shaolin monks have made some fame for themselves through their fighting skill; this is all due to having obtained this manuscript." Based on this, Bodhidharma was claimed to be the ancestor of Shaolin martial arts. This manuscript is full of errors, absurdities and fantastic claims; it cannot be taken as a legitimate source.

The oldest available copy was published in 1827 and the composition of the text itself has been dated to 1624. Even then, the association of Bodhidharma with martial arts only becomes widespread as a result of the 1904–1907 serialization of the novel The Travels of Lao Ts'an in Illustrated Fiction Magazine.

Teaching

In one legend, Bodhidharma refused to resume teaching until his would-be student, Dazu Huike, who had kept vigil for weeks in the deep snow outside of the monastery, cut off his own left arm to demonstrate sincerity.

After death

Three years after Bodhidharma's death, Ambassador Song Yun of northern Wei is said to have seen him walking while holding a shoe at the Pamir Heights. Song Yun asked Bodhidharma where he was going, to which Bodhidharma replied "I am going home". When asked why he was holding his shoe, Bodhidharma answered "You will know when you reach Shaolin monastery. Don't mention that you saw me or you will meet with disaster". After arriving at the palace, Song Yun told the emperor that he met Bodhidharma on the way. The emperor said Bodhidharma was already dead and buried, and had Song Yun arrested for lying. At the Shaolin Temple, the monks informed them that Bodhidharma was dead and had been buried in a hill behind the temple. The grave was exhumed and was found to contain a single shoe. The monks then said "Master has gone back home" and prostrated three times.

For nine years he had remained and nobody knew him;
Carrying a shoe in hand he went home quietly, without ceremony.

The lineage from Śākyamuni Buddha to Bodhidharma

Śākyamuni Buddha
1.Mahākāśyapa Móhējiāyè 摩訶迦葉
2.Ānanda Ānántuó 阿難陀
3.Śāṇavāsa Shāngnàhéxiū 商那和修
4.Upagupta Yōupójúduō 優婆掬多
5.Dhṛṭaka Dīduōjiā 提多迦
6.Miccaka Mízhējiā 彌遮迦
7.Vasumitra Póxūmì 婆須密
8.Buddhānandi Fútuónándī 浮陀難提
9.Buddhamitra Fútuómìduō 浮陀密多
10.Pārśva Pólìshīpó 婆栗濕婆
11.Puṇyayaśas Fùnàyèshē 富那夜奢
12.Ānabodhi / Aśvaghoṣa Ānàpútí 阿那菩提
13.Kapimala Jiāpímóluó 迦毘摩羅
14.Nāgārjuna Lóngshù 龍樹
15.Kāṇadeva Jiānàtípó 迦那提婆
16.Rāhulata Luóhóuluóduō 羅睺羅多
17.Saṅghānandi Sēngqiénántí 僧伽難提
18.Saṅghayaśas Sēngqiéshèduō 僧伽舍多
19.Kumārata Jiūmóluóduō 鳩摩羅多
20.Śayata Shéyèduō 闍夜多
21.Vasubandhu Shìqīn 世親
22.Manorhita Mónáluó 摩拏羅 bhodidharman
23.Haklenayaśas Hèlèyènàyèzhě 鶴勒夜那夜者
24.Siṃhabodhi Shīzǐpútí 師子菩提
25.Vasi-Asita Póshèsīduō 婆舍斯多
26.Puṇyamitra Bùrúmìduō 不如密多
27.Prajñātāra Bānruòduōluó 般若多羅
28.Bodhidharma Pútídámó 菩提達磨

The lineage of Bodhidharma and his disciples

In the Two Entrances and Four Acts and the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks, Daoyu and Huike are the only explicitly identified disciples of Bodhidharma. The Jǐngdé Records of the Transmission of the Lamp (Jǐngdé chuándēng lù 景德传灯录) of Dàoyuán 道原, presented to the emperor in 1004, gives Bodhidharma four disciples who, in increasing order of understanding, are Dàofū 道怤, who attains Bodhidharma's skin; the nun Dharani, who attains Bodhidharma's flesh; Dàoyù 道育, who attains Bodhidharma's bone; and Huìkě 慧可, who attains Bodhidharma's marrow.

Heng-Ching Shih states that according to the Jǐngdé chuándēng lù 景德传灯录 the first `bhikṣuni` mentioned in the Chán literature was a disciple of the First Patriarch of Chinese Chán Bodhidharma, known as Zōngzhǐ 宗旨 [early-mid 6th century]; Bodhidharma before returning to India after many years of teaching in China asked his disciples Dàofū, Bhikṣuni Zōngzhǐ, Dàoyù and Huìkě to relate their realization of the Dharma. Zōngzhǐ is also known by her title Soji, and by Myoren, her nun name. In the Shōbōgenzō 正法眼蔵 chapter called Katto ("Twining Vines") by Dōgen Zenji 道元禅師 (1200–1253), she is named as one of Bodhidharma's four Dharma heirs. Although the First Patriarch's line continued through another of the four, Dogen emphasizes that each of them had a complete understanding of the teaching.

The Records of different authors gave a variation of transmission lines.

According to the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (Xù gāosēng zhuàn 續高僧傳) of Dàoxuān 道宣 (596-667) the transmission line runs as follows:

Bodhidharma
- Huìkě 慧可 (487? - 593)
  - Sēngcàn 僧璨 (d.606)
    - Dàoxìn 道信 (580 - 651)
      - Hóngrěn 弘忍 (601 - 674)

According to the Record of the Transmission of the Dharma-Jewel (Chuán fǎbǎo jì 傳法寶記) of Dù Fěi 杜胐 the transmission line runs as follows:

Bodhidharma
- Dàoyù 道育
- Huìkě 慧可 (487? - 593)
  - Sēngcàn 僧璨 (d.606)
    - Dàoxìn 道信 (580 - 651)
      - Hóngrěn 弘忍 (601 - 674)
        Fǎrú 法如 (638-689)
        Shénxiù 神秀 (606? - 706)

According to the History of Masters and Disciples of the Laṅkāvatāra-Sūtra (Léngqié shīzī jì 楞伽師資紀記) of Jìngjué 淨覺 (ca. 683 - ca. 650) the transmission line runs as follows:

Bodhidharma
- Dàoyù 道育
- Huìkě 慧可 (487? - 593)
  - Sēngcàn 僧璨 (d.606)
    - Dàoxìn 道信 (580 - 651)
      - Hóngrěn 弘忍 (601 - 674)
        Shénxiù 神秀 (606? - 706)
        Xuánzé 玄賾

According to the Xiǎnzōngjì (显宗记) of Shénhuì 神会 (d. 758) the transmission line runs as follows:

Bodhidharma
- Dàoyù 道育
- Huìkě 慧可 (487? - 593)
  - Sēngcàn 僧璨 (d.606)
    - Dàoxìn 道信 (580 - 651)
      - Hóngrěn 弘忍 (601 - 674)
        Huìnéng 慧能 (638-713)
        Xuánjué 玄覺 (665-713)

Later sources:

Layman Xiang
Huagong
Yan'gong
Dhyana Master Na
Dhyana Master Ho
- Hsuan-ching
- Ching-ai
  - T'an-yen
  - Tao-an
  - Tao-p'an
  - Chih-tsang
  - Seng-chao
  - P'u-an
    - Ch'ris Min-has
    - Ching-yuan (1067–1120)

Images:

Images collected by Richard Ebbs

Shaolin Temple

Note: Want to know Beginning of Bodhidharma Watch Suraya's Tamil Movie 7am Arivu Bodhidharma.

Amazing Japanese Ideas

2011-11-02T17:57:00.000+05:30

12 Creative Motorcycles

2011-11-02T16:15:00.000+05:30

Cartoon Motorcycle

Are you the kind of person that wants all the attention on you? Well, you would love a ride on this one! This crazy cartoon-inspired motorcycle took part in a Motorcycle Rally. The event, that gathers motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world, presents the weirdest of motorbike designs once a year in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Predator Motorcycle

Are you a tough guy that likes intimidating people just by passing close to them along the highway? Then, this awesome and scary skull-covered design is just the right one for you! The Predator motorcycle was made as a commission, by Pitstop Motors, a custom bike shop in New Jersey.

Jaguar Motorcycle

This cool Jaguar "leaper" cat logo concept bike was created by Barend Massow Hemmes of Massow Concept Cycles along with Polar cycles of Doncaster UK. Professional computer illustrators and even a sculptor contributed to get this truly unique final result.

World's Tallest Rideable Motorcycle

Do good things come in small packages? Not in this case! This massive motorcycle was built by Greg Dunham and is 6,500 pound heavy, 15 feet tall and 20 feet long. The huge design has entered the Guinness World Records, as the world's tallest rideable motorcycle. It took 3 years to have it finished and its price is $300,000.

Suzuki Biplane (Motorcycle)

This futuristic Biplane concept motorcycle was presented in 2007 by Suzuki in Tokyo. Due to the awesome aircraft-inspired design the rider is supposed to have the same feeling as being in an open-canopied biplane.

World's Biggest Single-Cylinder Motorcycle

This outrageous motorcycle was built by Franz Langer, a retired German engineer who had his name written in the Guinness Book of Records for building the biggest single cylinder motor on a motorcycle.

Flying Motorcycle

If you are a thrill seeker, you will love this one! A flying bike called the Super Sky Cycle, created by former test pilot Larry Neal of Boyd. This original machine can go as fast as 70 mph in the air and 60 mph on the road. The price? About $ 25,000!

F15 Fighter Jet Motorcycle

This is actually a Honda Goldwing motorcycle that has been modified to look like a mini F15 Fighter Jet! Who would have thought?

Uno Motorcycle

Wait a minute... isn't one of the wheels supposed to be in front of the other? Not when we talk about The Uno. This orange and grey colored machine made its first appearance in the 2008 National Motorcycle Show in Toronto. It was invented by 18-year-old Ben J. Poss Gulak, who also gave the unique motorcycle certain interesting features, like running on electricity and being controlled by body language.

World's First Motorcycle

This one's really a collection piece. The First Motorcycle was created in 1885 in Stuttgart, Germany. It was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. The invention was also the first petroleum-powered vehicle.

Electric Motorcycle

Take a look at The Smart Chopper, an awesome electric motorcycle presented a few months ago by Siemens. It is charged in 5 hours when plugged into any 110-volt socket but this could be reduced to even one hour when plugged into a higher-voltage station, according to Siemens.

The Smart Chopper has a countrywide tour scheduled for next year, in order to promote sustainable and green technology.

Shoe Motorcycle

Now, this is an original one! The orange shoe motorcycle was spotted by Dale Murray around Chicago downtown. The unusual machine was promoting a shoe sale at Marshalls.

Top 10 Dating Mistakes

2011-11-02T15:47:00.000+05:30

Are you making dating mistakes that stand in the way of you finding the right person or keeping the right person after finding him/her? Too often people end up ruining their chances with the person they are dating by committing fixable errors. This article discusses ten common dating mistakes, and what you can do to avoid them in the future.

1. Game playing: This strategy is usually employed for one of two reasons. The first is to protect one's ego. When it comes to dating, everyone, on some level, fears rejection. Playing it cool and not getting too involved may make you feel safe, but you risk coming across as aloof or remote, and may turn the other person off. Balance between demonstrating interest and maintaining your composure is best. Another reason people play games is to get something you want that you wouldn't likely get if you played it straight. For example, telling someone you love him or her so they will sleep with you, and then not calling them again. This form of manipulation is simply unacceptable (to put it mildly), and does not lead to healthy relationships. You will get further in less time in finding a relationship if you allow yourself to be genuine. It's OK to put your best foot forward, and also to be a bit cautious, but have the courage to be upfront and show who you are.

2. Talking too much about your ex: While this information will eventually be shared at least to some extent, it shouldn't be discussed in detail during the initial phase of a relationship. You want to get to know the person and each have a chance for a fresh start. Carrying old baggage into a new relationship amounts to clutter. If you have baggage, then best to work it out in individual therapy before pursuing a new relationship, at least to a point where it isn't affecting your reactions and clouding your judgment.

3. Fantasizing about the future: While men are typically (not always) the masters of game playing, women have this one down pat. When you catch yourself trying on his last name before the third date, it's time to remind yourself to slow down. In the first 3-6 months of a relationship, you are likely running on oxytocin, which is a chemical found in chocolate. It creates the sense of well-being and euphoria that comes with "falling in love." This might as well be dubbed the period of temporary insanity, because you are not in command of all your faculties; your brain is hijacked by those lovely chemicals, interfering with your ability to think clearly. Until you have time to really get to know someone, and see him or her in a wide range of situations, it is helpful to not get ahead of yourself; don't strongly attach to some illusion that you have created about the person. This can lead to pitfalls of setting up unrealistic expectations and subsequent disillusionment, or depression if the relationship doesn't work out.

4. Obsessing over details: This one is common with those who worry. The worry may be a general habit, but now it is turned on the subject of the relationship: worry about what the other person said, worry about what they meant by it, worry about how you reacted, worry about the relationship not working out, worry about what if it does work out, how will your parents react...on and on. Being anxious is a mood killer, and will not make you attractive to a potential mate. But don't go worrying about that! Try to tap into your self-confidence and trust that if the relationship is meant to work out, it will.

5. Ignoring red flags: If someone doesn't show up when you're supposed to meet, that's a red flag. If they don't let you call them at
home, yep, red flag. If they kick their dog, bingo, red flag. Of course, there are more subtle warnings that one may be tempted to overlook, especially if one is eager for the relationship to work out. While one shouldn't jump to conclusions without sufficient evidence on the first problem that arises, an emerging pattern is not something to make excuses for or brush under the rug. Address these problems early, and don't waste your time.

6. Interrogating your date: "How many children do you want" is not a good opening sentence. You want to show interest by asking about their likes or dislikes, but not press someone for information. Let things evolve a bit, as you get to know someone. Patience and restraint are required here, even though you may feel pressed for time. Do your best to relax and have fun.

7. Avoidance of intimacy: While this one is traditionally men's domain, women are quickly catching up in the fear of commitment zone.
Modern society imposes so many requirements and expectations on what makes for a "good catch," and that makes it hard to sort through whether someone would be a good choice for us. We don't want to "settle," and the quest for the perfect mate can cause us to overlook or undervalue a truly good partner. Alternatively, we might be so fearful of getting hurt, betrayed or rejected, that we exit stage left just as the play gets going. If fear of commitment is an obstacle, better to work out your patterns schemas http://www.cognitive-therapy-associates.com/schemas/ in therapy than in your relationships.

8. Rush in, rush out: Are you reckless in love? Do you plunge into the deep end, only to find that the water is way too cold? Then this
one's for you. Getting overly involved too soon is a big red flag. If you do it, then you need to pace yourself, and be more considerate of the other person, who you are probably leading on. If you fall for those who do it, then you need to slow things down and not get taken for a ride (or pursue a different type!).

9. Not being honest about your needs: Pretending everything is OK can work for only so long. assetiveness is a golden skill for those who are ready for a mature relationship. Unless you can ascertain and directly communicate your needs (by being clear and specific),
then you are basically operating on a child level. While many people get by this way, it is not very effective, and puts you at a disadvantage when you are trying to get your needs met. Assertiveness is not to be confused with being bossy or demanding. Being tactful and direct is the quickest path to relationship success.

10. Sacrificing too much to get the relationship: If you find that you are doing things you would not otherwise do to get someone's
attention, like bending over backwards and injuring your spine in the process, then you are entering the land of the doormats. Often people tend to do this if there is a problem with low self-esteem.
Valuing yourself enough to put your needs on the table as well as the other person's is key in establishing balance and harmony. A healthy relationship is one between two equals, both giving and receiving in reciprocal fashion.

If you find that you are in a relationship that has a lot of benefits but there are some kinks that need to be addressed, best to discover effective ways of handling these conflicts early on. Relationship coaching or couples therapy can help you learn how to better manage problematic issues so that they are no longer impinging on the health and happiness of your relationship.

Importance of Pranayama

2011-11-02T15:09:00.000+05:30

Pranayama is extremely beneficial for children, young, middle aged and old people. Other exercises are not recommended for weak and patients' suffering from tuberculosis, heart disease, epilepsy, intestinal problems etc. the patients of bone disorder, swelling, cirrhosis, paralysis and handicapped people should also not do exercises. But everybody can practice pranayama irrespective of the age and problems. The diseases are cured and provide good health. Tough asanas cannot be done but pranayama can be practiced easily. Generally, tough exercises makes the person dull headed but pranayama increases the intelligence. It has been seen the wrestlers generally have low IQ. It makes the person intelligent; the person becomes capable of grasping minute things and improves the reflexes. It arouses the intuitive power hence pranayama is useful in all ways, Pranayama is simple and easy to practice. It also does not require much time and gives more benefits.

Regular practice of pranayama helps in the physical, mental and spiritual development. It makes the person self-controlled, with good thoughts, talent and attractive personality. It relieves the person from diseases and vices, the person becomes strong willed and strong hearted. The person develops the art of foresight, foretelling and communicating without using the sensory organs and other sources. Pranayama makes the mind sharp, which is beneficial for professions like teaching, lecturer, poet, writers etc. the social reformers, social workers, leaders, singers, film actors and actresses also improve skills with the regular practice of pranayama. They become capable of leaving a lasting impression over listeners and viewers.

Practicing pranayama develops the power of dedication, hard work and enthusiasm between the industrialist and businessmen. Understanding the customer's requirements, getting the pulse of their needs is very important in case of business. They develop their business with the help of this, hence pranayama is also important for these people.

Yogasanas and pranayama are also suitable for women looking at their anatomy. They become beautiful, delicate, and healthy with a good figure. Their vitality also increases many times. The pregnant ladies get good benefits from pranayama. The ladies who practice asana-pranayama after conceiving, their womb develops in a healthy manner and gives proper nutrition to the child. The physical and mental pain caused during pregnancy is relieved easily. The child also remains healthy. The reproductive organs become healthy and capable to an extent that caesarian method is not required for delivering the child but a healthy child is born through normal delivery and the child inculcates good values.

The parents can also remove the negative feelings and habits like mischievousness, hyper activity, speaking lies, stealing, gambling and drinking alcohol and other vices by making the child practice pranayama. In this way pranayama is useful for all age groups. It is especially beneficial for spiritual devotees. It is beyond religion, caste and community. The chanting of mantras, meditation, worship, prayers and singing of devotional songs along with pranayama give instant energy. Pranayama provides strength to the person's determination. This helps him to lead an enthusiastic life without bothering about obstacle and hindrances and resolve his worldly problems. The worship and prayers become emotional with pranayama. It gets rid of the playfulness of the mind and improves the concentration. The age-old bad habits and sins are also washed off. It inculcates good values and emotions and increases the self-confidence and self-independence. The person gets the intelligences to resolve different types of problems.

Pranayama is also capable of relieving the person from problems like heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, incurable diseases and those, which are caused due to the modern life style. Not only that pranayama is the main medium to meet the supreme soul. Though it is a deep and wide study but it is not impossible. It can be made possible with devotion, austerity and controlling the sensory organs. Purity and disciplined life is the background, which takes the person on the path of accomplishment with regular practice. Regular practitioner of pranayama is able to synchronize the breathing with the arousal of Sushmana nerve, the oxygen is circulated and has an affect on every function of the brain, it gives divine powers. In this way the devotee gets internal light and experiences Gods blessings. His temple like mind becomes pure. He has no bonds, everybody is his relative, he has the feeling of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam'. He lives with following feeling:

sarve bhavantu sukhinah sarve santu niramayah
sarvebhadrani pashyantu ma kascid duhkha bhag bhaveta

Caution: Pranayama should be practiced in a sequence and slowly. Unnecessary haste is not recommended. It can be harmful instead of doing well. The practice should be regular otherwise there will be not be any benefits. Patanjali saint says:

yatha simho gajo vyaghrobhavedavashyah shnaihshnaih
tathaivam sevito vayuranyatha hanti sadhakama
-Hathayoga Pradipika-

As the wild animals like lion, elephant, tiger and other animals do not come into the control easily similarly the life energy comes into control with practice. Haste can be harmful for the person. Therefore the practice should be increased gradually.

Hindu Festival Photos From India

2011-11-02T14:45:00.000+05:30

Ganesh Festival in month of august every year.

Hindu devotees carry a statue of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh on a bullock cart during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. The idols are immersed into oceans or rivers at the end of the ten day long festival that celebrates the birth of Ganesh. (AP Photo/Dhiraj Singh)

Indian Hindu devotees gather with large statues of the elephant-headed Hindu God Ganesh, before immersing them in the Arabian Sea, on the final day of the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Indian Hindu devotees covered in paint stand in front of a large statue of the elephant-headed Hindu God Ganesh, seen in the background, before immersing it in the Arabian Sea, on the final day of the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Indian Hindus bring statues of the Hindu God Ganesh for immersion in the Arabian sea on the final day of the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Indian Hindu devotees splash water on a large statue of the Hindu God Ganesh before immersing it in the Arabian Sea on the final day of the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Dhiraj Singh)

A Hindu carries a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh for immersion into the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Hindu holy men chant mantras and pray in the Varuna Yajna ritual to appease the rain God at the Sankara Mattham in Mumbai on August 26, 2009. Ten priests stood neck deep in water for over 4 hours to perform a special prayers for the arrival of rains. (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)

A Hindu priest performs morning rituals with a traditional oil lamp on the banks of the River Ganges in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A Hindu pilgrim feeds a sacred cow at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, on August 16, 2009, as it holds an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. Over 65,000 pilgrims and guests were expected to visit Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple during the three day festival to celebrate Janmashtami. This year's theme for the Krishna festival is the symbiotic relationship that exists between man, cows and the environment. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

An idol is seen reflected on a mirror as an artist gives final touches to an idol of Hindu goddess Durga for the forthcoming Durga Puja festival in Allahabad, India, Tuesday, Sept.1, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

An artist works on an idol of Hindu goddess Durga for the forthcoming Durga Puja festival in Allahabad, India, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A Hindu devotee gets his mouth pierced as he takes part in an annual religious procession called "Shitla Mata" in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh August 16, 2009. Hindu devotees subject themselves to painful rituals during the religious procession to demonstrate their faith and as a penance to the deity at a temple dedicated to the goddess Shitla. (REUTERS/Ajay Verma)

Women have their hands decorated with henna on the eve of the Hindu festival of Hariyali Teej, in Allahabad, India, Saturday, August 22, 2009. Hariyali Teej is a fasting festival for Hindu women, celebrated for marital bliss and the wellbeing of their husbands. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Hindu women take part in a traditional dance at Pashupati Nath Temple during celebrations of the "Teej" festival in Kathmandu August 23, 2009. Married Hindu women wear red bridal dresses to celebrate the Teej festival and pray for a long life and the well-being of their husbands. Unmarried women observe the festival by praying for a good husband. (REUTERS/Shruti Shrestha

People in traditional costumes participate in the celebration of the Indrajatra festival in Kathmandu September 3, 2009. Nepal's Newar community began celebrating the Hindu festival of Indrajatra with the worship of the Kumari and the god of rain, Lord Indra. (REUTERS/Gopal Chitrakar)

Devotees form a human pyramid to reach a clay pot containing butter during the celebrations of "Janmashtami" in Mumbai August 14, 2009. Janmashtami marks the birthday of Hindu Lord Krishna. (REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe)

Female devotees form a human pyramid to break a clay pot containing butter during the celebrations of "Janmashtami" in Mumbai August 14, 2009. (REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe)

Devotees take a tumble while trying to form a human pyramid to reach a clay pot containing butter during the celebration of "Janmashtami" in Mumbai August 14, 2009. (REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe)

Hindu devotees offer food to a cow and a calf, and pray as part of the "Pind Daan" rituals performed for the soul of departed ancestors on the banks of the river Ganges in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Nepalese devotees pull the chariot with living goddess, locally known as the "kumari" during the week-long Indra Jatra festival at Durbar square in Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

Hindu devotees perform rituals at a temple of Hindu God Krishna during Krishna Ashtami festival that marks the birth of Lord Krishna, in Patan, a suburb of Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

A giant mask of a deity, locally known as "Bharaiv", is seen at roadside in Durbar square during the week-long Indra Jatra festival in Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Binod Joshi)

Hindu devotees take holy dips as they perform the "Pind Daan" rituals performed for the soul of ancestors in the river Ganges in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A Hindu woman celebrating the Rishi Panchami festival helps her friend to take a holy dip in the Bagmati River in Kathmandu August 24, 2009. During the festival, women worship Sapta Rishi (seven saints) by taking a holy bath, which symbolises the washing off of all the sins and impurity of the whole year. (REUTERS/Shruti Shrestha)

Indian President Pratibha Patil, seated left, interacts with children during a function marking the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009. Raksha Bandhan is a day that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. (AP Photo/Presidential Palace)

Hindu devotees perform rituals on the occasion of Teej, at Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, in Allahabad, India, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Hindu devotees gather during "Gokarna Aunsi" at Gokarneshwar temple at Gokarna, a suburb of Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. On this auspicious day, Nepalese Hindus gather at the shrine of Lord Shiva to perform anniversary rituals in memory of their departed fathers. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

Hindu pilgrims pray in the main temple at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, on August 16, 2009, as it holds an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

Hindu pilgrims carry a life size model of the late Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, on August 16, 2009, as it holds an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

An artisan gives finishing touches to an idol of Hindu snake god Mansa at a workshop in the eastern Indian city of Siliguri August 16, 2009. Hindus across India and Bangladesh will be celebrating the "Nagpanchami" festival by worshipping snakes on Monday. (REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

Thousands of Tenggerese tribespeople climb up the holy Mount Bromo in Probolinggo, East Java, on September 6, 2009, during the Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival. During the annual Yadnya Kasada festival the Tenggerese climb Mount Bromo, an active volcano, and seek the blessing from the main deity Hyang Widi Wasa by presenting offerings of rice, fruit, livestock and other local produce. (Mochammad RISYAL HIDAYAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Hindu worshippers pray during the Kasada festival at Mount Bromo in Indonesia's East Java province September 6, 2009. Villagers and worshippers throw offerings into the volcanic crater of Mount Bromo during the festival to give thanks to the Hindu gods for ensuring their safety and prosperity. (REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas (INDONESIA SOCIETY)

Amazingly Creative Drawing Vs Photography

2011-11-02T14:38:00.000+05:30

This wonderful work has done by a very talented Belgian painter, illustrator, portraitist, caricaturist and photographer Ben Heine. This creative artist was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He Studied graphic arts and sculpture and I also have a degree in journalism.Lets take a look at some of his awesome works that he calls “Drawing Vs Photography” or “Imagination Vs Reality”.

Kannada Rajyotsava & History Of Karnataka

2011-10-31T17:08:00.000+05:30

History of Karnataka

History of Karnataka

Political history of medieval Karnataka

Origin of Karnataka's name
Kadambas and Gangas
Chalukya Empire
Rashtrakuta Empire
Western Chalukya Empire
Southern Kalachuri
Hoysala Empire
Vijayanagara Empire
Bahmani Sultanate
Bijapur Sultanate
Kingdom of Mysore
Unification of Karnataka
Societies Economies
Architectures Forts

The recorded history of Karnataka goes back more than two millennia. Several great empires and dynasties have ruled over Karnataka and have contributed greatly to the history, culture and development of Karnataka.

The impact of kingdoms of Karnataka origin have been felt over other parts of India also. The Sena Dynasty of Bengal called themselves Karnata Kshatriyas, the Karnatas of Mithila ruled over present day Bihar called themselves Karnata Vamsha and Karnataka Kshatriya. The Chindaka Nagas of centra India, Gangas of Kalinga (Orissa), Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, Chalukyas of Vengi, Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri were all of Kannada origin who later took to encouraging local languages.

Pre-history

Main articles: Karnataka, Political history of medieval Karnataka, Etymology of Karnataka, and Karnataka History Timeline

Inside the old Badami cave Temple

The credit for doing early extensive study of prehistoric Karnataka goes to Robert Bruce-Foote and this work was later continued by many other scholars. The pre-historic culture of Karnataka (and South India in general) is called the hand-axe culture, as opposed to the Sohan culture of North India. Paleolithic hand axes and cleavers in the shape of pebbles made with quartz and quartzite which have been found in places such as Lingadahalli in Chikkamagaluru district and Hunasigi in Gulbarga district, and a wooden spike at Kibbanahalli in Tumkur district are examples of old stone age implements. There are reports that a polished stone axe was discovered at Lingsugur in the Raichur district Neolithic sites (new stone age) of importance are Maski in Raichur district, Brahmagiri in Chitradurga district etc., with abundance of evidence that man begun to domesticate animals such as cows, dogs and sheep, use copper and bronze weapons, wear bangles, rings, necklaces of beads and ear-rings and have burial chambers. To the end of the Neolithic era, during the Megalithic age, people in Karnataka began to use long swords, sickles, axes, hammers, spikes, chistles and arrows, all made of iron.

Scholarly hypothesis postulates contacts between the Indus Valley cities of Harappa and Lothal in 3000 BCE, citing the discovery of gold found in the Harappan sites that was imported from mines in Karnataka. Evidence of Neolithic habitation of areas in modern Karnataka and celts dating back to the 2nd century BCE were first discovered in 1872. There are reports that a polished stone axe was discovered at Lingsugur in the Raichur district; however the authenticity of these reports remains unverifiable.Megalithic structures and burial grounds were discovered in 1862 in the regions of Kodagu and Moorey Betta hills, while Neolithic sites were discovered in north Karnataka.^[ Scholarly hypothesis postulates of contacts between the Indus Valley city of Harappa in 3000 BCE, citing the discovery of gold found in the Harappan sites that was imported from mines in Karnataka.

Early history

Main articles: Satavahanas and Kadambas

Hoysala Empire architecture in Belur

Around 230 BCE, the Satavahana dynasty came to power and its rule lasted nearly four centuries till the early 3rd century CE. The disintegration of the Satavahana dynasty led to the ascent of the earliest native kingdoms, the Kadamba Dynasty of Banavasi in modern Uttara Kannada district with Mayurasharma, a brahmin native of Talagunda in modern Shivamogga district as the founding king, and the Western Ganga Dynasty in southern Karnataka, marking the birth of the region as an independent political entity. These were the first kingdoms to give administrative status to Kannada language as evidenced by the Halmidi inscription of 450, attributed to King Kakusthavarma of the Kadamba Dynasty. Also, recent discovery of a 5th century copper coin in Banavasi, ancient capital of the Kadambas, with Kannada script inscription on it, further proves the usage of Kannada at an official level.

Medieval history

Main articles: Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Western Chalukyas, Hoysala, Western Gangas, and Vijayanagara Empire

Bahubali statue in Shravanabelagola

They were followed by large imperial empires, the Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakuta Dynasty and Western Chalukya Empire, who had their regal capitals in modern Karnataka region and patronised Kannada language and literature.

Natives of the malnad Karnataka, the Hoysalas established the Hoysala Empire at the turn of the first millennium. Art and architecture flourished in the region during this time resulting in distinctive Kannada literary metres and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to the Vesara style of architecture. The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought large parts of modern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under their rule.

In the early 14th century, the Vijayanagara Empire with its capital at Hosapattana (later to be called Vijayanagara) rose to successfully challenge the Muslim invasions into the South. This empire was established by Harihara I and Bukka Raya who many historians claim were commanders of the last Hoysala King Veera Ballala III and the empire prospered for over two centuries. The Bahmani sultans of Bidar were the main competitors to the Vijayanagara empire for hegemony over the Deccan and after their fall, the Bijapur Sultanate took their place in the dynastic struggle for control of the southern India. After the defeat and disintegration of the Vijayanagara Empire in battle at Talikota in 1565 to a confederacy of Sultanates, the Bijapur Sultanate rose as the main power in the Deccan before their defeat to the Mogul Empire in late 17th century. The Bahamani and Bijapur rulers encouraged Urdu and Persian literature and Indo Saracenic architecture, the Gol Gumbaz being one of the high points of this contribution.

Modern history

Main articles: Wodeyar and Tipu Sultan

Mysore Palace

The Wodeyars of Mysore, former vassals of the Vijayanagara Empire, leased the state from the Mughal king Aurangzeb in the 15th century. With the death of Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, Haider Ali, the Commander-in-Chief of the Mysore Army, assumed control over the region, until the rule of the kingdom was passed to Tipu Sultan, after Haider Ali's death. In attempting to contain European expansion in South India, Tipu Sultan, known as the Tiger of Mysore fought four significant Anglo-Mysore Wars, the last of which resulted in his death and the incorporation of Mysore into the British Raj.

Unification of Karnataka

Territories before unification

Main article: Unification of Karnataka

After Indian independence, the Wodeyar Maharaja acceded to India. In 1950, Mysore became an Indian state, and the former Maharaja became its rajpramukh, or governor, until 1975. The Ekikarana movement which started in the latter half of the 19th century, culminated in the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 which provided for parts of Coorg, Madras, Hyderabad, and Bombay states to be incorporated into the state of Mysore. Mysore state was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The state of Mysore was formed on November 1, 1956 and since then November 1 of every year is celebrated as Kannada Rajyotsava / Karnataka Rajyotsava.

Post-modern history

K Changalaraya Reddy became the first Chief Minister of Mysore state. The Maharaja of Mysore H H Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadeyar became the Rajapramukh later the Governor of the State.

Inside Look At Twitter's New Office

2011-10-28T17:10:00.000+05:30

Here's an inside look at the Twitter Office 3.0 in San Franciso. Thanks to a full-featured kitchen, live DJ, what appears to be a giant touchscreen table, and stunning views, it's right on par with some of Google's digs. Courtesy of photographer Dustin Diaz. Complete picture gallery below.

How and Why Snakes are Eaten

2011-10-28T17:02:00.000+05:30

Siamese cobra (Naja siamensis) is one of the most amazing creatures on Earth, one of the three who are never ill. That is why at all snake farms of the South-Eastern Asia many medicines made "with help of" Siamese cobras are offered.

Dried gallbladder of snakes are used like immunomodulator, the medicine reinforcing immune system; encapsulated snake oil is a natural product containing collagen - good for CVD prevention; powder made of snake genitals is a secret of men's sexual drive.

There is one more thing - you may try to drink fresh snake blood and eat its still warm heart. It's believed that drinking blood of a creature with perfect immune system makes your own immune system much stronger - that's the reason why people drink blood of crocodiles and snakes. Heart is eaten to obtain the power of the animal that was killed.

First of all Siamese cobra must be chosen.

It is let our from the cage and it crawls right at your feet, it seems the cobra needs just a second to get to you and make a deadly bite, but it's known that snakes don't attack first.

Then the snake is caught, its throat is corded and stretched.

Then its body is cleaned.

Shallow notch and the snake's heart is taken out.

Blood is drained into a glass

When the heart is extracted it still beats for some time...

Blood is diluted with whiskey and tossed off.

The heart is cut for two persons. It's eaten and washed down with alcohol.

The cooked meat of the cobra looks like this.

Snake liver tastes like beef liver, there is no much meat but it tastes rather well.

Good Thing is Indians feeling Snakes are like GOD