Anagārika Alāra, PhD
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anagarikaalara.bsky.social
Anagārika Alāra, PhD
@anagarikaalara.bsky.social
Theravāda Buddhism 𑀧𑀝𑀺𑀲𑁄𑀢𑀕𑀸𑀫𑀺𑀦̇, science in general, IT, statistics, investing
For children raised in rural Sri Lankan villages, the Israeli Star of David hexagram symbol doesn't mean that. It's just how children are taught to draw stars in school.
October 15, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Putting news right beside entertainment risks blurring the line between fact and fiction. It turns things like war into entertainment, which also discourages people from taking action.
October 15, 2025 at 1:43 AM
I use Tor Browser, and Bluesky sometimes doesn't handle the images I upload correctly. Here is a URL to it:
3.bp.blogspot.com/_WjUvR2gZ3eo...
August 11, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Here is an example of how white sheets/robes, which are often worn by Buddhists and other religious people, can be decorative (hence, a violation of the 7th precept), as a beautiful contrast against dark hair and skin. The model is Nimmi Harasgama.
August 10, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Idea: large animal transport cage camping

Modify the cages which zoos use to transport tigers, cougars, leopards, etc, in order to protect solo campers.
August 8, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Idea: capsule housing for the poor

A Japanese tourism idea generalised to society as a whole
August 6, 2025 at 9:37 PM
If you have trouble finding people of other ethnic groups attractive, focus on people who you find beautiful (eg, models or actors in other countries). It's hard to hate someone who you find beautiful. (Model: Natapohn Tameeruks of Thailand)
August 4, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Newspapers often put horrific news right beside entertainment news or advertising. This shows their coldhearted priorities. They care nothing about the stories they print... they exist only to make money.
August 2, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Do billionaires, living in mansions and megayachts, 'want to work'?
(Image credit: Yahoo Finance)
July 3, 2025 at 7:50 PM
One thing I've almost never seen in America is monastic homeless people: bhikkhus, sādhus, etc. Of course, you can find them in vihāras, āśrams, etc, but most homeless people on the streets are destitute, drug addicts, psychologically ill, etc. Buddha didn't want bhikkhu[nī]s to live in secret.
April 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This man (Ajahn Mun) was very likely an Arahant (a fully enlightened being). Can you see it in his face/eyes?
March 31, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Given the importance of gender in today's pop culture, it's important to remember Buddhist monastics avoid it (w/ celibacy, shaved hair, loose robes, etc), b/c minds can be reborn in any body, and we consider these bodies unfortunate (Buddha called them 'vile').
www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2...
February 26, 2025 at 12:03 AM
When I once complained to a man I met on a train in south Asia that there is not much spirituality in the US, he said, 'At least there is money in the US.' I replied, 'A golden cage is still a cage.'
February 1, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Today, there are many things like Star Wars, The Matrix, etc selling very twisted versions of Buddhist ideas mixed with fantasy. It's both insulting to Buddhists and, no doubt, confuses the public about what Buddha actually taught.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahsoka_...
January 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Early Buddhism was aniconic, representing Buddha with an empty lotus throne, a Dhamma wheel, a Bodhi tree, etc. Buddha images were invented by the Indo-Greeks of Gandhāra and Bactriya, in present day Pakistan and Afghanistan, and made Buddha look like a Greek god
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...
January 8, 2025 at 11:34 PM