Barmiyan Buddha Replica At Pereliya

Pereliya was the place where 1000 of people got killed inside a train because of tsunami. Great to see that Barmiay buddha Replica at pereliya.

great site about buddhism

I found a very interesting site about buddhism.
http://www.beyondthenet.net/

What is Buddhist Meditation

There are many things in life that are beyond our control. However, it is possible to take responsibility for and to change one’s state of mind. According to Buddhism this is the most important thing we can do, and Buddhism teaches that it is the only real antidote to the anxiety, hatred, discontentedness, sleepiness, and confusion that beset the human condition.

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Buddhist meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, and emotional positivity. By engaging with a particular meditation practice one learns the patterns and habits of the mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being. With discipline and patience these calm and focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly tranquil and energised states of mind. Such experiences can have a transformative effect and can lead to a new understanding of life.

Over the millennia countless meditation practices have been developed in the Buddhist tradition. All of them may be described as 'mind-trainings', but they take many different approaches. The foundation of all of them, however, is the cultivation of a calm and positive state of mind.

Each year thousands of people learn meditation with the FWBO. They learn two basic meditations that develop these qualities: the Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving-Kindness meditation or Mettabhavana.

Learning Meditation

The techniques of meditation are very simple. However, reading about them is no substitute for learning from an experienced and reliable teacher. A teacher will be able to offer you guidance in how to apply the technique and how to deal with difficulties. Perhaps most importantly, a teacher can offer the encouragement and inspiration of their own example.At FWBO Centres, meditation is taught by members of the Western Buddhist Order, who are experienced meditators. Classes and courses are open to everyone: you need not be interested in Buddhism. Motives for learning meditation vary. Some people want to improve their concentration for work, study, or sports; others are looking for calm and peace of mind. Then there are people trying to answer fundamental questions about life. With regular practice, meditation can help all of us to find what we are looking for.

Meditation Courses are excellent contexts for learning.

Retreats offer ideal conditions to go more deeply into meditation.

Preparation
When you sit down to meditate you need to set up your meditation posture in a way that is relaxed but upright, usually sitting on a cushion and probably cross-legged. If this is not easy you can sit kneeling or else in a chair. Then you close your eyes, relax, and tune in to how you are feeling. It is important to be sensitive to your experience because this is what you work with in meditation. It is a good idea to take some time to sit quietly before starting a meditation, to slow down and relax. Some gentle stretching can also help.

List of Meditation Centers

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/Sri-Lanka-laypeople-monasteries.pdf

Load Buddha and Buddhism

"Buddhan saranan gachchami"
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.
Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator god, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal, Western sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. Thus Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, or gender. It teaches practical methods (such as meditation) which enable people to realise and utilise its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion.

There are around 350 million Buddhists and a growing number of them are Westerners. They follow many different forms of Buddhism, but all traditions are characterised by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance of differences, and, usually, by the practice of meditation .

Jathika Namal Uyana-The Largest Pink Quartz Mountain in South Asia

(Ulpothagama, Madatugama)
Naamal Uyana” is an extremely rare forest replanted with Ironwood Trees (Mesua ferara) in the 8th Century AD by King Dappula. The Ironwood Tree is endemic to Sri Lanka and the replanted forest is over 200 acres in extent. The Namal Uyana holds a rich animal and plant life with over 19 species of birds and rare species of lizards and 76 kinds of medicinal plants.

The Founder

Ven. Rahula built up for himself a little kuti. " I didn't touch a single tree form this forest to build this avasa," he says pointing to the modest structure. He sawed Mango and other kinds of cheap wood which he obtained from outside.

When the adventuring monk with the pioneering spirit first landed here, he was not to know he was stumbling upon an ancient temple site that had once received royal patronage. Some of the remnants like the sandakadapahana definitely belongs to an early Anuradhapura period, he says, pointing to the absence of carvings which one finds in other sandakadapahanas. The other stone slabs and pillars are of a different era, he believes.
The primary goal of Ven. Rahula is to promote this beautiful land as a meditating centre. It’s calm serine beauty makes the NamalUyana the ideal spot. Also the clean clear water of this land could be used to quench the thirst of the people of this land, who currently suffer from a variety of illnesses due to the unclean water. The cutting down of trees has posed another major problem to the environment. Ven rahula plans to introduce alternatives to cremation of bodies using trees to using modern electrical cremating systems. Also to promote the site as a research location has been a longstanding (dream).

Pink Quartz Mountain

Though Namal Uyana, recently declared a National Heritage site, under the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) has become popular among Sri Lankans in recent years, it has a history filled with legend and romance that dates back to the Mogul period. Historical records reveal that Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan built the 'Taj Mahal', his monument to undying love, with the pink quarts mined from this unique mountain range. Research also reveal that the Emperor visited Sri Lanka to check on the quartz personally.

The quartz deposit spreading over 105 hectares is the largest in South Asia and is estimated to be 550 million-years-old. The stones belong to a superior stone category and according to research, the mineral known as silicon dioxide is the main component of the pink quartz. Another archaeological investigation revealed it to contain 250 million-years-old plant fossils

Sri Lanka Beaches

The island of Sri Lanka has been blessed with over 1300km of coastline. This guarantees year round sunbathing, swimming and water sports on the Island. The western stretch of beaches from Negambo upto Hambantota are at their best from November to April while the beaches of Arugam Bay, Nilaveli and Uppuveli are pristine during the months of May through October.

Sri Lankan beaches offer visitors miles of golden sands with clear waters. This scenario provides the ideal setting for just lazing around and working on that tan. Just a few yards offshore, the ocean comes alive with thousands of different types of coral and marine life. The beaches of Hikkaduwa through to Unawatuna and beyond have excellent scuba diving and snorkeling spots. A number of wrecks can be visited for those interested in some serious scuba diving.

Bentota offers the water sports fan a variety of options from jet skiing towindsurfing. All of the sports are available in the Bentota River, which offers ideal water conditions for sports. Sri Lanka's oceans offer wonderful opportunities for the Angler with some large game fish being caught off the island. The islands oceans are teeming with Barracuda, Seer, Tuna, Marlin and a host of other game.

Accommodation on Sri Lanka's west coast offers everything from simple guesthouses to lavish 5 star hotels and luxurious villas. The nightlife is also vibrant with many nightspots offering entertainment right on the waters edge.The accommodation options on the east coast are somewhat limited. Trincomalee has two star class hotels and a variety of smaller guesthouses. Arugam Bay too offers the guest a variety of accommodation options. So if you are looking for a tan, with some water sports and scuba diving and a wonderful evening to top it all off head down to the Beach.

What To See in Srilanka

Sri Lanka’s scenery is characterized by beautiful white sand beaches, lush rainforest covered hills, and ancient cities and remains.Bentota beach is on the western side of Sri Lanka and is one of the main tourist resorts. Galle on the South coast is also known for its gorgeous beaches as well as the fort in its old town. Kandy is the country’s second city and here you will find the Temple of the Tooth.The interior of the island is also worth exploring, with its rainforest, tea plantations and ancient treasures such as Sigiriya, a sixteenth century fortress deep in the jungle. Sri Lanka has over 3000 elephants, and popular activities are going on elephant safaris or visiting the elephant orphanage at Pinnewala, where you can help to feed and bathe the elephants.The best time to visit Sri Lanka is between October and March.

National Flag

National Flag of Sri Lanka is the Lion Flag. A Lion bearing a sword in its right hand is depicted in gold on red background with a yellow border. Four Bo leaves pointing inwards are at the four corners. Two vertical bands of green and orange at the mast end represent the minority ethnic groups. It is an adaptation of the standard of the last King of Sri Lanka.

Weddings in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka offers you the chance to have one of the most beautiful & meaningful ceremonies availble anywhere in the world. The perfect destination wedding for an adventurous couple. With spectacular scenery and very friendly and hospitable locals, you'll have a paradise wedding forever to remember.

Destination weddings in Sri Lanka are becoming the No.1 location of choice for a spectacular wedding abroad. Fantastic wedding resort hotels offer some of the most worlds most romantic locations, combined with the friendly & enthusistic Sri Lankan people, make Sri Lanka an overseas wedding location hard to beat! In Sri Lanka you can have a Civil wedding, Christian wedding, Buddhist wedding, Hindu wedding or Muslim wedding. Traditional is the Sri Lankan Poruwa ceremony. Most couples getting married in Sri Lanka have a basis of this ceremony either after their religious ceremony as a blessing or combined into a civil ceremony. The stages of the entire traditional marriage Poruwa Buddhist ceremony in Sri Lanka takes about 45 minutes.

Enchanted by the culture, stunned by the scenery and welcomed by the Sri Lankans, couples can easily combine a fabulous wedding with beautiful exotic honeymoon. To arrange your Sri Lanka wedding can be relatively simple. Weddings are completely legal & welcomed by local authorities

Climate of Sri Lanka

Climate Low Lands – Sri Lanka has a pleasant tropical climate. The average temperature of the low lands ranges between 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Central Hills – cooler, with temperatures dropping to 14C. The south-west monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central regions from May to July, while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in the north and east in December and January. Sri Lanka has a good climate for holiday-makers throughout the year.

Geography of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, located in Southern Asia, southeast of India, in a strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes. It has a total area of 65,610 km², with 64,740 km² of land and 870 km² of water. Its coastline is 1,340 km long. Sri Lanka's climate includes tropical monsoons: the northeast monsoon (December to March), and the southwest monsoon (June to October). Its terrain is mostly low, flat to rolling plain, with mountains in the south-central interior. The highest point is Pidurutalagala at 2,524 m. Natural resources include limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower.

Rama's Bridge, a land connection to the Indian mainland that according to Hindu mythology was constructed during the rule of Rama, is now mostly submerged with only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level. According to temple records this natural causeway was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm (probably a cyclone) in 1480.

Geographic coordinates: 7°00′N 81°00′E

History of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's history is one, which faded years ago. It is known mainly in two ways firstly as a Buddhist country and secondly as demon Rawana's Lanka where Lord Ram skipped to rescue Sita. It's actual history starts from 4th century B.C. when Sinhalese kingdom of Anuradhapura developed as the strongest kingdom of all, but with the coming of Mahinda, son of the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka in 3rd century B.C the King and his followers were soon converted to Buddhism