Friday, December 12, 2014

The power of beauty (sutra)

Pat Macpherson, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Crystal Quintero, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Associated Press, 9-8-13; Sedaka Sutra (SN 47.20), Ittha Sutra, "Welcome Things" (AN 5.43)
The 63rd Miss World Pageant contestants wear Indonesian's traditional dress during opening ceremony in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 (AP/Firdia Lisnawati).
Everyone loves beauty, even touchy-feely primates, like humans on devas (uhohbro/youtube).
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Has been Miss USA 2012, Rhode Island's Olivia
BALI, Indonesia - The 63rd edition of the Miss World pageant opened [last year] after protests by Muslim hard-liners confined the event to Indonesia's predominantly Hindu resort island of Bali.
 
The opening ceremony, which was televised to 186 countries, featured Bali's Kecak dance and a parade of all 131 contestants.
 
Immodest bikini. It's all rigged
Following days of protests by Indonesian hard-line Muslim groups and the rejection of the contest by a leading clerics' organization, the government announced [the day before] that it was moving the Sept. 28 final round to Bali. It was initially set to be held in Sentul, on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta.
 
Bali is the only Hindu [and Buddhist]-dominated province in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.
 
Can males be beautiful? Of course
Controversy over the pageant has been mounting in Indonesia, which has a reputation as a tolerant, pluralist society that respects freedom of expression.
 
The Indonesia Ulema Council, the country's most influential clerics' organization, and the hard-line groups Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia and Front for Islamic Defenders have urged the government to cancel the event.

Porn sucks in lesbians, too, in a patriarchy.
They have argued that the exposure of skin by women in a competition violates Muslim teachings, even after organizers agreed to cut the bikini competition and instead outfit contestants in more conservative sarongs [wraps].
 
The chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley, has promised that none of the contestants will wear a bikini. More
 
The Beauty Queen
Wisdom Quarterly translation, Sedaka Sutra (SN 47.20)
Rural Afghan girls look at U.N. workers unloading ballot kits to simulate elections that are actually rigged from helicopter in Ghumaipayan Mahnow village, some 256 miles (410 km) northeast of Kabul, Oct. 4, 2004. Air is the only way to deliver the electoral material in the inaccessible areas of the Badakhshan province. A helicopter distributed electoral kits in 24 remote villages near Tajikistan's border (AP/Emilio Morenatti).
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Sakka: Shall I keep you mindful with a sword?
Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sumbhas in the Sumbhan town of Sedaka, where he addressed the monastics, "Meditators!"
 
"Yes, venerable sir," they replied.
 
Mara: Can my daughters distract you?
The Blessed One said, "Suppose, meditators, a large group of people crowds together shouting, 'The beauty queen! The beauty queen!' Further suppose the beauty queen is highly accomplished at singing and dancing, so that an even larger group crowds in shouting, 'The beauty queen is singing! The beauty queen is dancing!'

"Now suppose a man comes along, eager to live, shrinking from death, desiring pleasure, abhorring pain. The crowd says to him, 'See here, fellow! You will take this bowl filled to the brim with oil and carry it on your head between the great crowd and the beauty queen. A man with a raised sword will follow behind you, and if you spill even a drop of oil, he will cut your head off right on the spot!'

Top ten: Monnin said the contestant told her about the discovery as the top 16 were announced. But organizers say she resigned to protest transgender contestants (AP/DM).
 
Miss Georgia, China 2007
"What do you think, Will that man drift off, forget to pay attention to the bowl of oil, allow himself to be distracted?"
 
"No, venerable sir!"
 
"I give you this analogy to convey this meaning: The bowl filled to the brim with oil stands is mindfulness rooted in the body. Thus train yourselves: 'We will develop mindfulness rooted in the body. We will pursue it, hand it the reins, and make it the basis, give it a grounding, steady it, consolidate it, and undertake it well.' Train yourselves that way."

How do I become beautiful?
Wisdom Quarterly translation, Ittha Sutra, "Welcome Things" (AN 5.43)
Bikini wrapped in a U.S. flag -- golfer Sophie Horn (rantsports.com/facebook)
Beauty draws attention and is celebrated even among males with different standards.

Who dictates the standards of beauty?
Anathapindika the (multimillionaire) householder went to the Blessed One, bowed, sat respectfully to one side. And the Blessed One said to him: "Five things, householder, are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard to get in the world. What are those five things?
  1. Long life is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard to get in the world.
  2. Beauty...
  3. Happiness...
  4. Influence (status, power, riches, prestige)...
  5. "Rebirth in the heavens is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard to get in the world.
Burmese prince (Dietmar Temps)
"Now, I tell you, these five things are not obtained by praying or wishing (by making vows and bargains). If they could be obtained by praying or wishing, who would not have them?

"It is unfitting for a disciple of the noble ones who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, a disciple of the noble ones who desires long life should follow the path of practice (karma) leading to long life. [It will yield this result even if one does not specifically wish for it.] In so doing, one will attain long life, whether human or divine.
 
I'm pretty, too, right? Not just my sisters.
"It is unfitting for a disciple of the noble ones who desires beauty to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, a disciple of the noble ones who desires beauty should follow the path of practice leading to beauty. In so doing, one will attain beauty, whether human or divine.
 
"It's unfitting for a disciple of the noble ones who desires happiness...influence...rebirth in the heavens to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, a disciple of the noble ones who desires [these things] should follow the path of practice leading to [them]. In so doing, one will attain [them]."
 
Long life, beauty, influence, honor, heaven, high birth:
To those who delight in aspiring for these in great measure,
Continuously, the wise praise heedfulness
(vigilance, mindfulness, wakefulness, resolution)
In making merit (beneficial karma).
The wise person, heedful, acquires a two-fold safeguard,
In this life and in the next.
By breaking through to this safeguard, one is called wise.
 
Don't body-shame me for these skinny b-thc-s. I'm my own self! (bookstove.com)

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