Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly, based on Ven. Thanissaro translations, Sedaka Sutta "At Sedaka" (SN 47.20) and Ittha Sutta, "What is Welcome" (AN 5.43)
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| Beauty contest winner and sextortion victim Cassidy Wolf (Tim Harbaugh/AP) |
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| All beauty pageants lead up to the ultimate competition for Miss World (Firdia Lisnawati/AP) |
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| Thai beauty (A1eatoire/flickr.com) |
Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One
was residing among the Sumbhas, in the Sumbhan town of Sedaka. There the
Blessed One addressed the monastics, "Meditators!"
"Yes, venerable sir," the monastics replied. Then the Blessed One said:
"Yes, venerable sir," the monastics replied. Then the Blessed One said:
"Suppose a large crowd of people comes thronging together saying, 'The beauty queen! The beauty queen!' Suppose further that the beauty queen is highly accomplished, a singer and dancer, such that an even greater crowd comes thronging saying, 'The beauty queen is singing! The beauty queen is dancing!'
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| Afghan beauty (Nat Geo) |
"Now suppose someone comes along, desiring to live, shrinking from [even the thought of] death, craving pleasure, abhorring pain. The crowd says to that person:
"'Now look here, friend: Take this bowl filled to the brim with oil and carry it on your head between this great crowd and the beauty queen. Someone with a raised sword will follow right behind you, and wherever you spill even a drop of oil, right there will your head be cut off.'
"What do you think, meditators? Will that person, not paying attention to the bowl of oil, likely give in to external distractions?"
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| The Buddha's mother, Maya Devi, dreaming of conception (DharmaDeshana) |
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| The Philippines are full of beauty |
"No, venerable sir!"
"I give you this parable to convey a meaning: The bowl filled to the brim with oil stands for mindfulness immersed in the body. Train yourselves: 'We will develop mindfulness immersed in the body. We will pursue it, hand it the reins, and take it as a basis, grounding it, steadying it, consolidating it, cultivating it well.' That is how you should train yourselves."
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| Miss World 2013 in Bali, Indonesia (AP/Firdia Lisnawati/thejakartapost.com) |
Beauty is Welcome
"What is Welcome" (Ittha Sutra, AN 5.43)
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| Megan Young Miss Philippines is now Miss World |
Anathapindika the [millionaire Buddhist] householder
went to the Blessed One, bowed, and sat respectfully
to one side. Seated there the Blessed One said to him:
"These
five things, householder, are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard
to obtain in the world:
- Longevity is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, hard to obtain in the world
- Beauty is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, hard to obtain in the world.
- Happiness...
- Status....
- Rebirth in heaven(s)....
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| I Used to Care |
"But I say these things are not to be obtained by prayer [petitioning] or wishing. If they were, who would not have them?
"It is not fitting for a follower of noble ones [the enlightened, the exalted] who desires longevity to pray or to delight in praying for it. Instead, one
should follow a path of practice leading to longevity human or divine. By doing so, one
will attain longevity.
"It is not fitting for a follower of the noble ones who desires
beauty to pray or delight in praying for it. Instead, one should follow a path of practice
leading to beauty human or divine. By doing so, one will attain beauty. [The same is said for happiness, status, and superior rebirths.]
"Long life, loveliness, influence,
Honor,
heaven, high birth --
For those who delight therein,
Heedful,
acquire right
A twofold security, here and beyond,
Breaking through, indeed one is wise.
Our Indian Miss America 2014
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| Miss America, Nina Davuluri, responds to racist remarks...Too "Asian" for TV? |
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| Thinking: Thank you, Goddess Lakshmi? |
We would have voted for Sacajawea, the beauty on the American dollar, but the gatekeepers went East Indian rather than Native American. So much for indigenous beauty at the national US pageant.
Instead, a so-so Nina Davuluri was crowned Miss America 2014 in New York on September 15, 2013. She is the first female of Indian descent ever to take the tiara.
Instead, a so-so Nina Davuluri was crowned Miss America 2014 in New York on September 15, 2013. She is the first female of Indian descent ever to take the tiara.
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| Native (faceofgold.com) |
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| Selling out to The Man to get ahead in America: the Julie Chen story on CIA-controlled CNN |
(CNN) She's the second consecutive New York
beauty queen to take the Miss America title, but she's the first
Indian-American to wear the national crown -- tiara -- atop her
perfectly coiffed head
"I was the first Indian Miss New York, and I'm so proud to be the first Indian Miss America," Nina Davuluri said after she won. Davuluri's resume goes considerably deeper than her heritage, however.
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| Mindlessly racist tweets begin right away |
The 24-year-old native of
Fayetteville, New York was on the dean's list and earned the
Michigan Merit Award and National Honor Society nods while studying at
the University of Michigan, where she graduated with a degree in brain
behavior and cognitive science.
I was just as astounded as you were in regards to the irrational reactions of the Miss America outcome. How can it be that the very country that is supposed to exist based on "the American dream" be so intolerant? The U.S.A. is meant to be a vessel for all backgrounds of people, a melting pot. It was just completely shocking that people could be so relentless.
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