Buddha's Teachings at a Monastery in New York [Finding Faith]

The Buddhist Association Of The United States President Bhikkhu Bodhi was ordained as a Buddhist monk nearly 50 years ago while living in Sri Lanka. And before 1973, Jeffery Block, as Bhikkhu Bodhi was then known, lived in Borough Park, Brooklyn, where he grew up in a secular Jewish family.

Now 74, he and a few other Buddhist monks and nuns live the Chuang Yen Monastery in Putnam County, New York. The serene setting provides a tranquil place for those devoted to studying and practicing the ancient teachings of the Buddha. Inside the Great Buddha Hall sits the largest indoor Buddha statue in the Western Hemisphere.

Bhikkhu Bodhi spoke to Fox 5's Sharon Crowley about the meaning of Buddhism. He said the Buddha believed in what he described to his disciples as the "four noble truths."

[srivastm]

He is a renowned author and translator. He has translated several important Buddhist texts to English.

[thefaith]

I'm so blessed to call myself Buddhist. 🙏🙏🙏
Proud to born Buddhist in Thailand.

[dhammapalatan]

"By effort and heedfulness, discipline and self-mastery, let the wise one make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm." [Dhammapada 25]

[melaniehickman]

You are a treasure, Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi!

[lawrencewong]

this guy is like a really got me into buddhism

[soponchanseatipon]

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu, Buddhist from Thailand.

[pawansharma]

Buddha was and is the greatest asset of India

[Juneimphitak]

The light of peace, freedom, wisdom and enlightenment is still burning for mankind

[rikeshmanandhar]

May buddha bless you😊 lots of respect from nepal

[rajveercreation]

I'm Indian buudhist goad bles you 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[aljapeterka]

🙏🏻
wow
super
kul
loven
lepo
buddhisem
buddha
🧘🏻‍♀️
😃😄😊
❤❤❤❤
🇸🇮

[Spiritdove]

researching for myself all my life about religion I found out all the time I was an atheist. However in my searching faith is when you have no evidence. I rather have evidence then something that can lead or not lead to reality and truth. I love to meditate. Buddhas words have brought me through many troubling times. But I realized even attaching to anything even the religion of buddhism is also something which caused me suffering . So basically I am the dust in the wind. I am the wind. I am the buddha.. Im am nothing and everything. My religion is no religion. May all be free of suffering.

[pampokes]

would love to join monastery as a monk.

[Jaymaster]

Yes it’s real history and truth it’s real religion it’s important to respect peoples faith society

[ahdumbs]

Ven. Bhikku Bodhi never fails to give a beautiful explanation of our rich religion.

I find it important to say, though, that the News Channel should have made a distinction between Mahayana and Theravada (the two main branches). For one, the Mahayana DO see Buddha as an eternal being, even though Theravada do not (including Bhikku Bodhi) & Theravadins don’t, en masse, believe in or follow any Boddhisattvas, only the Bodhisatta Metteya/Maitreya (a singular future messiah Buddha) is believed to be a being to one day become enlightened and that is completely different from the concept of bodhisattva in Mahayana

[LakshanIddamalgoda-kswl]

In sri lanka we have theravada buddhism

[gauthamsaip]

There is nothing exactly like Buddhism. It is simply following the teachings of Tatha Gatha. His teachings usually try to cultivate our mind which is the ultimate aim of Human existence via rationale, scientific temperament, detachment, no preconceived notions.

[Che_Guna]

Buddhist history is turning a corner. New finds suggest that it spread wider, lasted longer and was more influential than we realised. In India and abroad, it’s time to update the map.

[romans]

So this is my testimony about getting back into the church after 10 years of being out of it. For awhile I was an atheist and then an agnostic, however, God delivered me out of a difficult and strange period of my life that left me without doubt of His existence and goodness.

It's a bit of a long read, so bear with me.

A couple weeks into February of 2018 I experienced some dreams of a strange nature during a time where I was isolated, depressed, and desperate. I've dealt with anxiety and depression for along time and I was at the end of my rope. I had considered seriously commiting suicide two years ago and when the depression hit this time I couldn't take it anymore. I was searching desperately for something that would allow me to leave the situation I was in.

I was addicted to gaming and was very isolated. I also fell heavily into a series of books I was re-reading at the time that I had a great obsession with, The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.

A few months into a reread of this series I had a dreams in February 2018 one of which I think was prophetic, having to do with seeing a woman and man in the dream that I later saw the next day while walking and while watching TV. This was a man and woman that I hadn't met or seen before.There were also aspects of the dreams (which I can't easily get into because it's difficult to explain due to the content) that led me to believe that The Dark Tower series having to do with parallel universes was real.

I became convinced that there was a world parallel to ours, like the books, that I could gain access to if I used certain objects that I had in my possession . After weird events also began occuring in my home, with my television, and with me, I told my parents about all of it.

They were adamant that what I was experiencing was demonic deception and that I should cease reading these books and give myself over to God.

Being stubborn and delusional I decided to continue in what I thought was a great discovery and a way out of my situation.

Events transpired over the next few days that left me in a state of confusion and despair. My father also ended up in the hospital that week. It wasn't until I began to cry out to Jesus that things began to change. I began to hear from God during this time. I felt like I should rid myself of the books as well as the stuff I had gathered connected to them.

I eventually ended up getting rid of all the books and objects connected to them, as well as a lot of other stuff including my games. We were doing some work in my room at the time so luckily I had something to help keep my mind off what had been happening as well as grow in the word from listening to 107.9 on my radio.

When we finally returned to church a couple weeks later the sermon and series was about the book of Daniel, some of which has to do with prophetic dreams and visions among other things. I know now that this wasn't a coincidence.

Once I started getting involved in the church again and reading the Bible I found out that these things really aren't as uncommon or unbelievable as they seem. My mens bible study at the time had members that had experienced supernatural and amazing things as well

I know this isn't going to sound credible if you aren't a Christian. Back when I didn't believe, these stories didn't seem compelling or true to me. However I can tell you that if you reach out to God wholeheartedly he will reveal himself to you.

I'd like to ask that if you're going through something right now, some kind of challenge or difficulty that you reach out to God and ask him to help you. Sometimes it may not seem like anything is happening, but if you're willing to hold on and push through you can see him move in your situation in miraculous ways.

Here's more about the Gospel here:

If any of you would like to receive or feel led to receive Jesus Christ as your saviour pray this and believe it with all your heart. ❤️

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Good luck and may God bless you! And remember satan is a spirit of fear.