Avatamsaka Vihara = Engaged Ecoversity Project
We are developing an open university project in 100 Bigha land in West Bengal to reconstruct the forgotten legacy of the Indian education system., there is no syllabus, the whole existence is our Syllabus, the process of self-realization with the existential reality is the syllabus. Everyone is welcome!
About us : “Avatamsaka Vihara”
Avatamsaka Sutra is Mahayana text that depicts interdependence and interpenetration of all dharmas (here dharma means “phenomenon”, both in the sense of them being both temporal and spatial, and material and nonmaterial)โ for example, the phenomenon that we linguistically identify as “I” interpenetrates all other phenomena that we linguistically identify as the world or the universeโ they arise together and are dependent on one another following the Mahayana idea of pratityasamutpada or dependent co-originationโ and where neither of them are fixed or static, and neither being the cause, nor the effort (because, cause and effect are but mental constructions according to the Madhyamakas).
‘Avatamsaka’ literally means flower ornament, เฆฏเงเฆฎเฆจ เฆซเงเฆฒเงเฆฐ เฆฎเฆพเฆฒเฆพโ เฆฏเงเฆเฆพเฆจเง, เฆฏเงเฆฎเฆจ เฆฎเฆพเฆฒเฆพเฆฐ เฆฎเฆงเงเฆฏเง เฆชเงเฆฐเฆคเฆฟเฆเฆฟ เฆซเงเฆฒเงเฆฐ เฆ เฆธเงเฆคเฆฟเฆคเงเฆฌเฆเง เฆเงเฆเฆเง เฆชเฆพเฆเงเฆพ เฆฏเฆพเง, เฆคเงเฆฎเฆจเฆฟ เฆเฆฌเฆพเฆฐ เฆชเงเฆฐเฆคเฆฟเฆเฆฟ เฆซเงเฆฒเงเฆฐ เฆญเงเฆคเฆฐเฆ เฆฎเฆพเฆฒเฆพเฆฐ เฆ เฆธเงเฆคเฆฟเฆคเงเฆฌเฆเง เฆเฆฎเฆฐเฆพ เฆฆเงเฆเฆคเง เฆชเฆพเฆโ and this sutra gives the clue about my/our relationship with my/our environment, and how we interpenetrate and arise together, as explained by the pratityasamutpada/dependent co-origination
And Vihara is not exactly a university in the modern sense of the term, they rather arose as resting places of the wandering monks, especially during the range seasons, where the took shelter, meditated and discussed scripturesโ so the idea of vihara is intimately linked with the idea of ‘journey’, which in our case serve as a metaphor to the ‘journey’ of life
The guiding principle of the Open University is Pratฤซtyasamutpฤda
Pratฤซtyasamutpฤda leads us to understand that all phenomena are interconnected, and which is the key to ecological consciousness
In Zen tradition the spiritual practice of drawing ensล (meaning circle) and calligraphy for self-realization is called hitsuzendลโ the ensล is empty yet fullโ and it symbolises the universe which is at the same time full, yet empty (of essence or swabhaba)โ and it also symbolises absolute enlightenment
Hitsuzendล (way of Zen through brush) is a form of meditation which is related to Wabi-Sabi aesthetics, which is characterized by its transience and imperfectionโ it manifests itself by its asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, etc., thereby appreciating the beauty that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete in natureโ a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (trilakแนฃaแนa)โ impermanence (aniccฤ), non-self (anattฤ) and suffering (duแธฅkha)
Volunteer exchange Benefits
Accommodation and food
Free-time activities
Rock climbing. trekking, cycling, community art practice, plantation, visiting Sundarban sea beach, boating, fishing, participating in various cultural, musical, dance shows can be made free for the volunteers due to our collaboration with various organizations.
CONTACT DETAILS ๐๐งHow to apply?
Volunteering opportunity in West Bengal โ You can apply and send your expression of interest and profile here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1gZOsgRLCpZA_mwiZuyitkANJ-HilZ5R91qBT90sKzH4/viewform
Contact at lieberearth@gmail.com
www.lieberearth.org
paulprasenjit21@gmail.com
M: 9062244647
Our domain is www.avatamsakavihara.in ๐(we have just purchased the domain and we need volunteers who can build the website and take care of the digital work.)
See more volunteering opportunities in India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Visit the spirituality volunteer programs
