Posted on 12/09/2004 3:13:31 PM PST by fishtank
Lords of the Rings star embraces Buddhism
Item 9652 Posted: Wed, Dec. 08 2004 Weblogged by ReligionNewsBlog.com
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Hindustan Times (India), Dec. 6, 2004 http://www.hindustantimes.com
Another Hollywood star Orlando Bloom is to become a Buddhist. The Lord of the Rings star, 27, took part in an hour long ceremony at a centre to commit himself to the faith, according to a Mirror report.
Orlando, who jealously guards his private life, joined 60 other fledgling Buddhists at the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist movement HQ at Taplow Court Mansion in Maidenhead, Berkshire. A visitor was cited: "He looked really happy. He looked comfortable and quite excited."
Bloom was presented with his Gohonzon, a scroll with Chinese and Sanskrit characters on it. Dressed in jeans, a camel coloured sweater and shirt, he accepted his scroll from centre director Ricky Baynes. An onlooker said: "He shook Ricky's hand like the other people getting their Gohonzons and looked calm."
"When everyone had theirs we all clapped and cheered. Afterwards we all had a cup of tea together and Orlando went to the gift shop. People were queuing up to get his autograph and have their picture take with him. He was very friendly and didn't seem to mind."
Orlando said his Gohonzon would take place of pride in his home. It is likely to be kept in a wooden shrine, surrounded by candles. He would chant the holy Japanese mantra nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the scroll twice a day. He must also read and recite two chapters from the Lotus Sutra holy scripture.
Orlando, who played elf Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has never publicly spoken about his religious faith but has often been seen clutching Buddhist prayer beads.
No idea what the appeal of Paris Hilton is. She is the one reason I will never stay in a Hilton hotel again. You have to wonder what her parents are thinking -- she is a public relations nightmare.
Buddhist nations have long been know for their peaceful serenity and passive approach to martial matters. Just consider the gentle Japanese.
Or take the Vietnamese who would never dream of resorting to violence to resolve an issue. Nor would the Cambodians.
And war and oppresive police action is unknown in Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
And then he'd probably kick some buddha...
Yep, there's no "is this really wrong" stuff in Buddhism; if you have to ask, it's wrong, and you know it. Very clear-cut on morality, and I find avoidance of sin much easier than under Christianity.
The Buddhist concept of "nothingness" should not be understood as nihilism.
Quite right.
In recognizing the Dharma-kaya of the clear light in the
state after death, one is to be constantly aware and reminded that:
"....now thou art experiencing the Radiance of the Clear Light of Pure Reality. Recognize it. O' Nobly born, thine
present intellect in real nature void, not formed into anything as regards characteristics, or color, naturally
void, IS the very reality...
Thine own intellect which is now voidness,yet not to be
regarded as the voidness of nothingness but as being the
intellect itself unobstructed, shining, and blissful is the
very consciousness....
Thine own consciousness, not formed into anything, in reality void, and the intellect, shining and blissful, these two are inseparable. The union of them is the Dharma-
Kaya state of perfect enlightenment.
Thine own consciousness, shining, void, and inseparable
from the Great Body of Radiance, hath no birth nor death
and is the Immutable Light-Buddha Amitabha.
Knowing this is sufficient. Recognizing the voidness of thine own intellect to be Buddhahood, and looking upon it
as thine own consciousness, is to keep thyself in the divine
mind of the Buddha.
Contemplate compassion for the whole universe and be better for it.
Namu Amida Butsu.
In this case, I must respectfully disagree. This is not classical Buddhism, but the Soka Gakkai cult, which is bad news. (Just ask the GI's who (or whose wives) have become entangled in SG.
SG is openly acknowledged to be a front for (or identical with) the Japanese Komei political party.
IIRC, involvement in SG has, in many cases, led to dischasrge from the U.S. armed forces, and/or has resulted in revocation of GIs' security clearances.
Bushido Shintoists. Not hat I have anything against Shinto.
I can't find it online, but it's 13 pages of pretty fascinating stuff. ie:
Both Jesus and the Buddha emphasized that the inner person is more vital than the outer image, and that individuals must look to their own lives rather than critize others.
Also, only a single story about each man's adolescence has come down to us; in each, the youth appears as a spiritual prodigy.
There's more quotes and similarities, of course, and the article poses some good questions like "If Jesus did not travel to India, and if the Buddha's teachings did not enter Palestine via the silk road, then how can their similarities be explained?"
Anyway, makes for good thought-provoking reading.
This is very zen.
Yesss! Can we hijack the thread and start posting HIS pictures, for no reason at all?
No objections here. Nope. None whatsoever.
Mmmmm...
Oh I wish I could post pictures, but I don't know how.
**sigh**
Oh, thank you. That sure did wake me up this morning!!
Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese were Shintoists. Buddhists are pacifists (think the Dali Lama). They're constantly getting their collective butts kicked. Like in Tibet.
Mark
Instructions are in threads called html sandbox or html bootcamp.
Sigh... this has made my morning! Thank you so very much.
Thanks!
OH MY GOODNESS!
My daughter will be VERY sad. She just luvs Orlando Bloom.
Kinda like when I found out that Jon Bon Jovi was a Kerry supporter ... *snif snif*
Orlando, here's a premodern (belief) and modern(evidence) thought for you in your postmodern (all is relative) world: whatever "works for you" and is currently "cool", may not be truth, and truth is an important thing to consider, because eventually everyone faces it.
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