To
learn Buddhism

Introduction (File Download /Norwegian Laste ned /Khmer Download)
(By Mèn Nath, Leader for KBS)

  • More than 535 million Buddhists in the World (Buddhistforbundet, BF:2015)
  • Buddha (Name: Siddhartha Gautama) was born in India (563 – 483 BC): Birth place at Lumbini, Nepal (today) and passed away in Kushinagar, India.
  • Most people in East Asia: China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and South East Asia: Cambodia (95%), Thailand (90%), Burma (85%), Sri Lanka (70%), Vietnam, Laos,… etc.
  • Forward to USA, Canada, South America, Australia , Europe, Africa –(new resettling residences).
  • Buddhists in Norway are bout 40000 people (8%), (BF:2015)

There are 2 main parts: Theravada and Mahayana

1- Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism

  • Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam.
  • Buddhists must practice like Buddha – Goal: Nirvana/Nibbana (death)

2- Mahayana is separated as Tantrayana, Tibetan Buddhism, and Zen (Japan).

  • China, Tibet, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and some countries in South East Asia.
  • Buddhists learn among Buddha’s thinking – Many can be to Nirvana/Nibbana.

Who do practice the Buddhist regulations?

  • Monks
  • Nuns
  • Buddhists can voluntarily join by themselves

Buddhists learn among:

  • Buddha
  • Dharma (Buddhist regulations, and thinking)
  • Monks

The Five Precepts

  1. Do not harm or kill living things.
  2. Do not take things unless they are freely given.
  3. Lead a decent life.
  4. Do not speak unkindly or tell lies.
  5. Do not abuse drugs or drink alcohol.

Four Noble Truths

  1. Human life has a lot of suffering.
  2. The cause of suffering is greed.
  3. There is an end to suffering.
  4. The way to end suffering is to follow the Middle Path

The Eight-fold Path

  1. Right understanding and viewpoint (based on the Four Noble Truths).
  2. Right values and attitude (compassion rather than selfishness).
  3. Right speech (don’t tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid gossip).
  4. Right action (help others, live honestly, don’t harm living things, take care of the environment).
  5. Right work (do something useful, avoid jobs which harm others).
  6. Right effort (encourage good, helpful thoughts, discourage unwholesome destructive thoughts).
  7. Right mindfulness (be aware of what you feel, think and do).
  8. Right meditation (calm mind, practice meditation which leads to nirvana).

Activities for Khmer Buddhist Society Norway (KBS)

  • Dharma learning – 2 times an every month  (Saturday/Sunday)
  • Invite monks to visit us at KBS Center for 1 time a month
  • Khmer New Year Ceremony (Moha Songkran), and New Year Party on 13 or 14 April
  • Vesak Ceremony has scheduled in May (Remind: Buddha’s birth, Enlightenment and Passed away)
  • Summer: Dharma learning
  • Pchum-Ben Ceremony has scheduled in Sept/October
  • Khmer Culture Event has scheduled in November/December