1. Buddhism for Youth By: KiranMaharjan kiranmaj@hotmail.com www.kmaharjan.com.np Buddhist youth committee Patan, Laltitpur

2. Present Scenario A 21-year-old Buddhist nun was gang raped by five men inside a bus in eastern Nepal, media reports said Monday. International Youth Conference on Buddhism Begins this Week Approximately one-hundred youths of Buddhist organizations from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and other nations will take part in an international conference for youths on Buddhism in Nepal. The organizer (YMBA Nepal)

3. Present Scenario The statistical data of 1993 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and of 1995 by Korea National Statistical Office Buddhists outnumbers that of Christians by 5 to 21% among the people with religions over 30 years old. The ratio between the Buddhists and the Christians in their 20s is 14.4% to 18.5% It is 11.4% to 22.6% in the age range of 15 to 19. This tendency of decrease of the younger Buddhists is identical with the result of the data of 1995.

4. Challenges ? Primarily in countries that have been ruled by communist governments that have worked self-consciously to undercut Buddhist institutional power and influence This has happened in the Mongol areas of Central Asia, in China (including Tibet), North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos  Nepal ?? The society of fast gratification Too many distractions to the practice Difficulty in supporting oneself if you are a monk

5. Challenges पैतृकसम्पती (ancestral Property) Demographic distribution in peripheries of Lumbini and Kathmandu valley Two schools of thought Some who say let people come to the Dhamma on their own, when the time is right Another camp that would like to help others come to the Path of the Dhamma in ways that might be seen as missionary. Need to market the buddhism

7. Power of Giving renunciation (nekkhamma) Letting go of something valuable is what is occurring, whether it be money, food, time, energy or knowledge, which is also called renunciation (nekkhamma) in Buddhism. You may have noticed that everything outlined here requires effort on our parts. To do anything good and worthwhile requires effort, but the results are worth it in the end. Happy giving!

8. Reverence (आस्था) Reverence is a form of self-discipline that subdues the ego when respect is paid to those who are worthy of it. It purifies the mind and lays a strong foundation for further progression along the path. You can bow down and revere the mother or father before leaving the house and get their blessings, which is a form of a protection you take with you. reverence to our teachers by standing from our seats when they enter the class room or lecture theatre in the Sigâlôvâdasutta.

9. Mental Purity Develop the opposing positive qualities in our minds. Bring to mind the drawbacks of giving into these negative thoughts. Pay no attention what-so-ever to the negative thoughts and to continue and concentrate with our present activity. Degrees slow down the fast pace of the defiled mind and to analyze, find and then removing the root cause for the arising of defilements Expend great mental energy to subdue and suppress strong negative thoughts as and when they arise.

10. Fault Finding & Resentment Will you? I do not wish to dwell on others' faults. I do not wish to look at what others are doing. Let not one seek others’ faults, things left done and undone by others, but one's own deeds done and undone. I do not wish to remember what (wrongs) others have done to me in the past. He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,” in those who harbor such thoughts hatred is not appeased.

11. Wake Up Young Buddhists need to take responsibility for our own actions and our own lives Being independent does not just mean taking control of our finances, accommodation, study and work, it also means taking control and being responsible of our actions (कर्म) and our kammic destiny, without looking for approval from outside. This does not mean we don't ask wise people for advise, it simply means that we don't blame them or others when things go wrong, but own up to our own actions.

12. Buddhism & Youth To be continued……… क्रमश …..