GAQ BP 102 - 28th February 2012 (Tuesday)

• Did the continuation of last week's (Tuesday) lesson and finished the notes (of which I do not know which notes she is referring to as I did not turn up last Tuesday).... SORRY !!!!
• Think its the "Buddhist critique of Pre-Buddhist World Views P1" lecture notes
• Something about the materialistic doctrine and indeterminism and ajita kessakambali.
• Lots of stuffs on sutta: Tevijja Sutta DN 13 and Sundaka Sutta

GAQ P 102 - 28th February 2012 (Tuesday)

• Ven Seelananda took over permanently from Ven Acara who has gone back to Burma to take on a teaching position in a University.
• Ven Seelananda - seelanandathero@aol.com (81808639)
• Did the atta garudhamma 4 out of the 8 strict rules to be held by the Bhikkhunis

GAQ BC 102 - 26th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Went through the lecture notes on "Critique of Brahmanas"
• Sariputta and Moggallana were from the Brahmin caste
• The ppl at that time clain the origiin of the Vedas are from divine revalation
• Buddha's challenge was that from the 7th generation back, they do not have direct contact or knowledge of Brahma, thus it was "Blind leaning the Blind"
• Issara
• God concept and Kamma
• The hindus and Brahmanas think that the Brahma god has more power tan Kamma power

GAQ BP 101 - 26th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Ven Udita did not come and hence Ven Dr P Gnanarama took over the class
• Rig Veda -> Hymns sung at time of sacrifices for Gods to grant
• Victory in War
• Heroic Sons
• Long Life
• Wealth in the form of Cattle
• They believe that the earliest human to have died on earth was YAMA an he discovered the highest heaven and live there forever
• The vedic aryans made sacrifices so that they can be born in Yama heaven and live there with Yama forever
• Yama controls hell
• They believe that anger is also a god called "Manyo"
• (Kat)Henothism
• Agni is known to be an intermediate God that carries information and stuffs to other gods
• Apas is Water Deity
• In (monism / monotheism) ????, there is one supreme god that is dominant over all gods
• Sarvedevah -> invite all gods to the sacrifice
• Sukta, Tad Ekam, Ekam Sat
• Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda
• Atharva Veda (at first it was not accepted as an authentic veda, but this was later accepted)
• Black Magic
• White Magic 
• Mantras for Sickness healing and for women and men
• Brahmanas -> texts composed after vedas as commentaries to the vedic texts
• Aranyakas -> Semi-philosophical Texts; some ppl at that time wandered into the forest to speculate about Atman and the meaning fo life
• Upanishads -> Philosophical Texts which were composed before the rise of Buddhism
• Ishvara, Brahma & Visnu

GAQ P 101 - 26th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Completed or more or less almost finished Handout 2 / 3 ???

GAQ BC 101 - 23rd February 2012 (Thursday)

• Early Vedic Period
• Political
• Nomadic Life
• Family (kula) -> Village (Grama) -> Visu (higher position is Raja King)
• Partriarchal Society
• Birth of a male offspring is the desire of the common people
• Administrative Staffs
• Purahita is the advisor of the king and also act as a middle man
• Senani is the army commander and must listen to Purahita
• Society
• Equalitarian
• Marriage
• Monogamy is for most people
• Polygamy is for Kings and noble people
• Wife duties is to look after the household and to participate in major religious ceremony
• No Caste division
• Arya Varna
• Dasa Varna
• Occupation not based on Birth
• Economic
• Cattle Rearing; later try to practice agriculture but no strong knowledge
• Religion: Indra (important), Agni, Varuna
• Indra was Thunder God then became War God
• These 3 Gods are Polytheism
• Seers (god pass message through them)
• Apala
• Viswavara
• Ghosa
• Lopamadra
• Early Vedic Religion reflected the patriarchal character and that it was a type of Primitive Animism
• Most of the Gods they created are of masculine character

GAQ P 102 - 23rd February 2012 (Thursday)

• Did Anguttara Nikaya from Sutta 6 onwards to 7

GAQ BP 102 - 21st February 2012 (Tuesday)

• I did not come for this lesson and suppose Lay Hoon did the Pre Buddhist World Views II hand out.
• Assigned groups to do presentations on the 6 Heratical Teachers
• Purana Kassapa
• Makkali Gosala
• Ajita Kessakambali
• Pakuda Kaccayana
• Sanjaya Belathaputta
• Nigantha Nattaputta

GAQ P 102 - 21st February 2012 (Tuesday)

• I did not attend this lesson and thus may only conclude that Ven Acara did the continuation of Bhikkhnikkhandaka Mahapajapati Gotami vagga
• Ven Acara is leaving MV to go back to Myanmar to take up lecturing position in a University NEXT WEEK.... wish him all the best and may the triple gem be with him always !!!

GAQ BC 102 - 19th February 2012 (Sunday)

THIS POST IS CREDITED TO ONG MEE LENG's CONTRIBUTION

I did not attend the lesson and thus got the info from the above mentioned Dhamma sister

Brahmana tradition

Brahma - Prajapati

Listening remembered text

Sruti vs Surti

Sacred

Text -> Vedas

Devine revalation

Verses

Recitation

Mahabharata - Great Epic

Bhagavad Gita - Song of the Lord

Karma; Samsara; Moksha

Purushartha (goal of human life)

Kama - Sensual Pleasure

Artha - wealth

Dharma - duties

Moksha - liberation

Varnadharma - caste system

asrama dharma

Pitr-yana - Ancestor

Deva-yana - Heaven

GAQ BP 101 - 19th February 2012 (Sunday)

• THIS POST IS CREDITED TO ONG MEE LENG's CONTRIBUTION
• I did not attend the lesson and thus got the info from the above mentioned Dhamma sister
• Religion comes from fear and respect of nature
• Prajapatis - creating forces
• Rudra
• Marut
• Mitra
• Agni
• Soma - Lord of Immortality; Moon God
• Indra - War God (strength and success in war); demon of draught
• Mudra - God of Healing
• Atharvan - Charms, rhymes, prophilectic songs

GAQ P 101 - 19th February 2012 (Sunday)

• I did not come for this lesson and suppose it covers the verbs endings terminations... (pls correct if I'm wrong Thanks)

GAQ BC 101 - 16th February 2012 (Thursday)

• Vedic Period (1500 BC - 600 BC)
• Early Vedic (1500 BC - 1000 BC)
• Late Vedic (1000 BC - 600 BC)
• http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bistrream/123456789/26164/1/unit-12.pdf
• Indus Valley Civilization dclined between 1900 BC - 15000 BC
• Harappan is from 2850 BC - 1900 BC or, as some scholars might say 3500 BC - 1500 BC
• Aryan / Indo Aryan (2000 BC)
• Aryans are thought to come from Russia
• They were nomadic pastoralist - horse riding and have their main livelihood in cattle
• They need more land and thus invaded India
• There are 3 seasons in India - Spring, Summer, Winter
• Aryan easy to subdue Indus Valley Civilization
• Indo Aryan / European language in "Sanskrit"
• Dravidians call them Vedic Aryans
• Vedic language is Sanskrit
• Rig Veda say about Aryan culture in the lyric poetry
• Aryans admire Indus Valley Civilization about the following
• Village Community
• Systems of Land Tenure
• Taxation
• Old Bull, when no economic value, are made for sacrifice tpo please gods
• Elder -> war chief (Raja King)
• One family unit is called "Kula"
• Many Kulas make a village
• Many villages make a "Visu"
• Many visu make a "Jana" (Tribal); of which the leader is the war chief (Raja)
• Raja need priest (Purohita) to assist him
• This priest later became the high priest in Brahmanism
• Senani is the "Commander of the Army"
• King have 2 kinds of meetings - Sabha and Samiti
• Females are allowed to attend the meetings to contribute ideas and suggestions

GAQ P 102 - 16th February 2012 (Thursday)

• Did the Anguttara Nikaya (Cattuka Nipata) Sutta 5 and 6

GAQ BP 102 - 14th February 2012 (Tueaday)

• Went thru the handout on Pre Buddhist World View I
• Gave out new hardcopy notes to LJ for scanning to be distributed to class via email

GAQ P 102 - 14th February 2012 (Tuesday)

• Ven Acara continued the Mahapajapati Gotami Bhukkhunikkhandaka.

GAQ BC 102 - 12th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Religious Chronology (Polytheism until monism)
• Early Vedic
• Polytheism -> 33 Gods
• yajna -> sacrificial rituals of which animal sacrifice is the main type
• Mid Vedic
• Henotheism
• Brahmanas - monotheism
• Castses - 4 life stages
• Late Vedic
• Monism
• Aranyakas
• Upanishads (Atman identify with Brahman)
• Karma Marga (performing sacrifice) shift to Jnana Karma
• Brahma (generate life)
• Visnu (sustain life)
• Siva (destroy life)
• The above 3 are called the Trinity of the Vedic Culture and Thought
• Another 3 types of thought/concepts
• Karma
• Samsara
• Moksha
• Now got this term called Allah Upanishads
• Hindus clain that Buddha us a reincarnation of Visnu and He is born a Hindu and died a Hindu

GAQ BP 101 - 12th february 2012 (Sunday)

• Pali and Sinhalese alphabet are similar
• Ajahn (Thai Language) means "Acariya" a.k.a. teacher in Pali
• Fire God is very important - Aggi (pali) Agni (Sanskrit)
• The people think sun and lightning belong to the Fire God
• 4 Things to be weary/ afraid of
• Serpent
• Young Prince
• Small Fire
• Young Monk
• They believe that sun is the eye of Varuna
• Buddhism has freedom of thought and believers and devotees are allowed to read stuffs of other religions. This kind of freedom is not enjoyed by other people of other faiths and religions
• We have to have wide learning (i.e. explore and read about Vedic and Brahmanical Culture and Thought and also other religions) so that we may further appreciate & understand our religion (i.e. Buddhism)
• Fear and respect of nature creates religion, which is all man-made
• 4 Stages of Life in the Vedic and Brahmanical Culture
• Brahmacariya -> learning stage
• Grhsta -> work, marry and have children (esp a son)
• Vanaprastha -> go to forest to contemplate about metaphysical and philosophical questions (most ly about life, god and soul)
• Sanyasi -> renounce
• Non-Aryans are merchants, while Aryans are cultivators

GAQ P 101 - 12th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Did Handout 2 and revision on exercises on Handout 1

GAQ BC 101 - 9th February 2012 (Thursday)

• Culture of Harappan Civilization
• Town Planning - Pls refer to Singapore's Ang Mo Kio GRC
• Economic Life
• Agriculture - Wheat, Barley, Cotton (make dress)
• Domestication of Animals - buffaloes, goats, oxen, elephants, dogs, camels, *horse* -> Pls take note of the horse
• Crafts - Bronze Work, Pottery, Brick Making (to build city gate; what kind of house -> classify as merchants, artisans, tamer... etc)
• Trade (Internal & External)
• Arts - Sculpture (figures of men, woman and animals), fire altar (fire is very important in every culture and civilization)
• Script - until now cannot verify (Harappan write from right to left and NOT left to right)
• Religion of Harappan Civilization
• Male Deity - Pasapati (proto-siva)
• Female Deity - Mother Goddess
• Because of agricultural products, got to thank Mother Goddess for land
• Tree Worship - Pipal Tree (later known as Bodhi Tree)
• Animal Worship - unicorn, buffaloes, elephant, deers
• In Hinduism, Buffaloes are sacred animals

• Pali is Romanized
• Tibetan only have their language script in the 7th Century AD
• Harappan people do not keep record of things no matter if it is in writing or oral
• Seals are for identification of products belonging to that particular civilization at that time
• The amusement at the Harappan time are dances, music and dice games
• Next week to do Vedic Culture

GAQ P 102 - 9th February 2012 (Thursday)

• Did the Anguttara Nikaya Book of fours 3rd and 4th Suttas

GAQ BP 102 - 7th February 2012 (Tuesaday)

• Did the Brahmajala Sutta
• The Brahmajala Sutta is more for monks and nuns and less for the lay people
• Refer to the 3 notes she sent out
• The meditative speculations are based on the 4 Arupa Jhana attainments

GAQ P 102 - 7th February 2012 (Tuesday)

• Ven Acara continued the Bhikkhuni Khandaka on Mahapajapati Gotami

GAQ BP 101 - 5th February 2012 (Sunday)

• Chronology of Vedic Literature
• 10000 BC create hymns
• Seems to have an emphasis on dstes and time periods
• In Rig Veds = Hymns for Gods + Prayers to ask favours from Gods
• Vedic Language is different from Sanskrit Language
• 750 BC is Jainism. It is different from Buddhism.
• Both Buddhism and Jainism do NOT agree with Vedic culture
• Clay tablets were found in the Hittite Kingdom and this proves there are Gods Mitra, Varuna, Indra and Nasatyan
• From hymns of Rig Veda, there is Aitariya Brahmana
• Between the Samhitas of the RIg Vedas to the Brahmanas, there is a long period
• The Indo Aryan race conquered a small part of India near the Ganges
• Earliest Vedic Hymns arose not later than 1500 BC
• Rig Veda originated from Iran according to J. Hertel
• The God a.k.a. Deva concept was in the western society before being brought to India

GAQ P 101 - 5th February 2012 (Sunday)

• naRmada... NOT namaRda (Pls note !!!)
• Emphasized the importance of the TABLE of DECLENSION of NOUNS
• Next week start actual syllabus
• Today only revision
• upasagga (prefixes) - to be covered in Handout 3
• Nipatas
• Difference between SO (that) and ESO (this), SA and ESA, TAM (that) and ETAM (this)
• Idam -> this
• Yo -> who
• "Yo dhammam passati, so mam passati"
• In Pali, there are no punctuations
• "ti" is the shortened form of "iti"
• "ko ayam" -> who is this?
• "Ayam sisso" -> he is a student
• Ayam is a flexible word
• ESO and AYAM both means "this", but they denote the distance between the speakers. ESO is when they are nearby amd Ayam is when they are very nearby
• There are no articles in Pali
• EXAM =  not likely to get a "a" ending masculine declension of nouns
• 20 marks = 10 marks (declension) + 10 marks (conjugation)
• Adjectives are declinable
• SAHA and SADDHIM both means "with"
• www.metta.lk for all suttas...