Ready for Meditation
Calgary Buddhist Maha Vihara
Situated in the Northern part of the beautiful City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Calgary Buddhist Maha Vihara (CBMV) was established with the blessings of the incumbent spiritual leader – Bhikku, Venerable Werapitiye Somananda Thera, who gave himself up to the spiritual enrichment of the Sri Lankan Buddhist community in the Southern Canadian hemisphere for the first time in the region’s Theravadin Buddhist history. 
A One-eyed Sea Turtle swims in unfathomed ocean depth and comes up once in a hundred years for fresh air. Eventually, a yoke is floating in that vast ocean surface. The One-eyed Sea Turtle that comes up from the bottom of the ocean pokes its head exactly up for a breath of fresh air and opens its eye right through the tiny hole in that yoke and see the sky above. Imagine this possibility to perpetuate. Such hard and unimaginable is to be born as a Human being. A Buddhist parable indicates that to be born as a Human being is a rare and wonderful phenomenon that takes extraneous causes and their effects.
What are those causes and their effects for this phenomenon to perpetuate. The Buddha describes our incessant birth and re-existence in this circle of Samsaara. A wonderful eventuality that the Buddha teaches in Patticca Samuppaada or Cause and Effect.
In contemplating the transient nature of human existence, nothing is more fragile, insecure, subject to constant change, decay and exposed to continuous suffering in this world. We never hear of human life continuing for a thousand years either. It is so very short. Life swiftly passes away and none among us may maintain our form for even a mere hundred years.
Whether I go before the other, or the other goes before me; whether it be today, or it be tomorrow, no one knows? Those who leave before us are as countless as the drops of morning dew. Though in the morning we may have radiant health and breath, in the evening we may not breath any further. When the winds of impermanence blow, my eyes shall close for ever: when the last breath leaves me, I turn out to be a worthless, rotten piece of log.
Loved ones may gather and lament, but everything is of no use. The body is then sent into an open field and vanishes from this world with the smoke of cremation, leaving only some ashes, or the decaying body goes six feet under ground.
There is nothing more real than this truth of life! The fragile nature of human existence underlies both young and old: and therefore we must, one and all, turn to the teachings of the Buddha and awaken to this ultimate truth. Awaken and make the best of this hard won life…!!
By so understanding the meaning of death, we shall come to fully appreciate the meaning of this life which is unrepeatable and thus to be treasured above all else. By virtue of true compassion, let us realize the irreplaceable value of human life, and let us together live with the Buddha, unstintingly, abundantly adored in our hearts.
Namo Buddhaaya…!!!
It is a rare and wondrous opportunity to be able to encounter the Buddha Dharma, especially in these parts of the world. We have been given this rare opportunity as sentient beings who are able to hear and receive the Buddha’s wonderful Teaching. So, Let us be immersed in the light of the Buddha Dhamma.
Calgary Buddhist Maha Vihara (CBMV) demonstrates active and responsible Buddhist practices in all our temple activities that are sustainable: protecting and preserving natural and social environment, endowed with friendship – Mettah, Karunah and Mudithah on all living beings…..!
What are those causes and their effects for this phenomenon to perpetuate. The Buddha describes our incessant birth and re-existence in this circle of Samsaara. A wonderful eventuality that the Buddha teaches in Patticca Samuppaada or Cause and Effect.
In contemplating the transient nature of human existence, nothing is more fragile, insecure, subject to constant change, decay and exposed to continuous suffering in this world. We never hear of human life continuing for a thousand years either. It is so very short. Life swiftly passes away and none among us may maintain our form for even a mere hundred years.
Whether I go before the other, or the other goes before me; whether it be today, or it be tomorrow, no one knows? Those who leave before us are as countless as the drops of morning dew. Though in the morning we may have radiant health and breath, in the evening we may not breath any further. When the winds of impermanence blow, my eyes shall close for ever: when the last breath leaves me, I turn out to be a worthless, rotten piece of log.
Loved ones may gather and lament, but everything is of no use. The body is then sent into an open field and vanishes from this world with the smoke of cremation, leaving only some ashes, or the decaying body goes six feet under ground.
There is nothing more real than this truth of life! The fragile nature of human existence underlies both young and old: and therefore we must, one and all, turn to the teachings of the Buddha and awaken to this ultimate truth. Awaken and make the best of this hard won life…!!
By so understanding the meaning of death, we shall come to fully appreciate the meaning of this life which is unrepeatable and thus to be treasured above all else. By virtue of true compassion, let us realize the irreplaceable value of human life, and let us together live with the Buddha, unstintingly, abundantly adored in our hearts.
Namo Buddhaaya…!!!
It is a rare and wondrous opportunity to be able to encounter the Buddha Dharma, especially in these parts of the world. We have been given this rare opportunity as sentient beings who are able to hear and receive the Buddha’s wonderful Teaching. So, Let us be immersed in the light of the Buddha Dhamma.
Calgary Buddhist Maha Vihara (CBMV) demonstrates active and responsible Buddhist practices in all our temple activities that are sustainable: protecting and preserving natural and social environment, endowed with friendship – Mettah, Karunah and Mudithah on all living beings…..!