Category Archives: Researches

Asian Heritage Day of May at Cambodian Canadian Community

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Op-Ed: Khmer Youth Association 

The Khmer Youth Association would like to express deep gratitude and appreciation on the successful welcoming of Bus Tour of Asian Heritage Foundation to celebrate the Month of May signifying for Asian Culture and Diversity in Alberta, Canada.

We are glade to see more than 32 guests unloading from the bus and entering into the compound of our centre. We are glade to see our community members of more than 50 collectively help and participate this extraordinary event.

The presentation was briefly explaining about the history of the community, the history of rich cultural heritage such as ancient monument of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the Khmer clothes, performance art and food, the benefit of Vipassana meditation and its practice etc.

The event was highlighting with 7 distinctive shows:

1. Pinpeat Music Orchestra which is assembled of many original instruments have originated since the Angkor period of 9 century. The instruments are including Sko Touch, Sko Thom, Tre etc. (see attached photo) or more reading on: http://blog.aseankorea.org/archives/13752

Cambodia-11

Courtesy of: http://blog.aseankorea.org/archives/13752

2. Preah Thong Tong Sbai Neang Neak which is one of the important parts of Khmer Wedding. Preah Thogn Tong Sbai Neang Neak or groom holding the scarf of bride significantly describes the legend of the birth of Cambodian country. The legend said that Groom must follow Bride by holding the scarf tightly so that he can reach her parents’ resident. Legend further describes that Cambodia originally led by a powerful and gorgeous princess, a distant traveler named Preah Thong fell in love with the princess and asked her to be married. In order to travel in a long distance and dangerous way, Preah Thong must ensure that his one hand is holding the scarf tightly while another hand is holding a sword. For Neang Neak who is a family leader in that time, she is a chief in the family to oversee many things including family finance which she is holding on her palm hand as a symbol. The legend was about the Kingdom of Naga (Sacred Serpent) in which some interpretation has been mistaking called Dragon. Naga is the important legendary sacred snake in Cambodia. More reading about the story of Preah Thong Tong Sbai Neang Neak: http://www.tourismcambodia.com/culture/art-and-culture/khmer-wedding.htm

Preah Thong Tong Sbai Neang Neak   Note that in the past, the wedding ceremony took up to more than 3 days with more than 62 traditional songs but now it has summarized to 13 songs in 1 day and a half.

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Tver Bon and Tver Tean in the Context

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Dear Sis. Socheata and everyone;
Alms Food Collection to 100 Monks ធើ្វបុណ្យរាប់បាត្រ១០០អង្គ

Alms Food Collection to 100 Monks ធើ្វបុណ្យរាប់បាត្រ១០០អង្គ

Just to confirm that Buddha doesn’t regard next life of exist or non-exist extremely. The belief or principle teaching of extremism is not the way the Buddha’s teaching propagated. His teaching is the middle way, moderate way or non-judgmental etc.

For Buddha, next life can exist in the condition of:

- We are possessing Kilesa (defilement) កិលេស, Kamma (action) កម្ម and Vipaka វិបាក (fruition); these 3 are the potential for next rebirth

- With above 3, we are still Puthujana បុថុច្ជន, not Arahanta អរហន្ត

For Buddha, next life doesn’t exist in the condition of:

- Enlightened One, or Awaken One (full Enlightenment) will not been reborn.

About Danna or Tver Bon/Tver Tean is one of the principle teachings of Lord Buddha. Be reminded that Tver Bon and Tver Tean is not equivalent to the term “sharing”. Sharing might be equivalent to the international aids of developed or democratic countries who attached strings and conditions to those aids. But Tver Bon/Tver Tean in current situation of Cambodia might be comparable to the aids or free donation from China. In the public, it is showing that China is very kind to Cambodia. But at the back door, China might be able to obtain good position on different special agreements with the powerful for the benefit of China’s corporations etc.

Khmer proverb said “give him the means to catch fish, not the fish”. Buddha said “Teaching people the Dhamma or wisdom បញ្ញា is the greatest Tver Bon or សព្វទានំ ធម្មទានំ ជិនាតិ “.

សតិអារម្មណ៍ចាញ់បាក់ស្បាតឬជម្ងឺបាក់ស្បាត? in respond to previous article

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សតិអារម្មណ៍ចាញ់បាក់ស្បាតឬជម្ងឺបាក់ស្បាត? 
មុននឹងចាប់ផ្ដើមនិយាយ ជាដំបូងសូមខន្ដីអភ័យទោស ពីសំណាក់លោកអ្នកអានសិន ព្រោះថាអ្វីនឹង​បរិយាយតទៅនេះ ច្បាស់ជាអាចប៉ះពាល់ដល់ចិត្តគំនិតរបស់លោកអ្នកអានមិនខានឡើយ ដោយសារអ្វីនឹង​បរិ-យាយតទៅនេះ គឺជារឿងរ៉ាវខ្មែរយើងខ្លះមិនអាចទទួលបានឡើយ ដោយសារយើងយល់ផ្សេង ឬមិនធ្លាប់ទទួល​ស្វ័យតិទៀនលើករណីយ៍ទាក់ទងនិងខ្លួនយើង ។
តាមដែលធ្លាប់បានដឹង មានការសិក្សាបន្ដិចបន្ដួចទេបានធ្វើឡើងអំពី «សតិអារម្មណ៍ចាញ់បាក់ស្បាត» ក្នុងចំណោមបណ្ដាជនខ្មែរ ។ ដោយសារ ខ្ញុំបាទមិនមែនជាជនមានជំនាញខាងវិជ្ជានេះ អ្វីដែលនឹងបរិយាយគឺ​ជា​ទស្សនៈធម្មតាប៉ុណ្ណោះ ។
សតិអារម្មណ៍ចាញ់បាក់ស្បាតប្រហែលជាកើតមានយូរមកហើយ
ប្រសិនពិចារណាតាមប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ដ បណ្ដាជនខ្មែរបានទទួលរងគ្រោះចាញ់បាក់ស្បាតតាំងពី​យូរ​ណាស់​​​​មក​​ហើយ ។ គឺចាញ់បាក់ស្បាតក្នុងសម័យកាលលើកទីមួយ នៅសម័យចាញ់សង្គ្រាមរួចចាកចោលទីក្រុងអង្គរ (ឆ្នាំ ១៣៥០-១៣៩៨) ។ បណ្ដាជនខ្មែរបានធ្លាក់ខ្លួនយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ទាំងផ្លូវកាយនិងចិត្ត ចំនួនមនុស្សក៏បាន​វិនាស​អស់​យ៉ាងច្រើន ដោយសារសឹកសង្គ្រាម ជម្ងឺតំកាត់ រត់លូន និង ទុរភិក្ស ជាដើម ។
ចាប់តាំងពីចាកចោលទីក្រុងអង្គរមក បណ្ដាជនខ្មែរមិនសូវបានសុខទេ រហូតដល់សម័យរៀបចំ​ទី​ក្រុង​លង្វែក ទើបបណ្ដាជនខ្មែរទទួលបាននូវស្ថិរភាពខាងផ្លូវសង្គមសេដ្ឋកិច្ចបានមួយកំរិត ជាហេតុបណ្ដុះបណ្ដាល​បាននូវមនុស្សមានសុខភាពផ្លូវចិត្តមួយភាគ ។ សម័យកាលចំរើននេះបានកើតឡើងមិនយូរប៉ុន្មានទេ ក៏ទីក្រុង​លង្វែកជួបប្រទះនឹងការវាយប្រហារធំៗញឹកញយ ។ នៅឆ្នាំ ១៥៩៤ ទីក្រុងលង្វែកក៏ត្រូវបច្ចាមិត្រវាយបំបែក ប្លន់​កាប់សម្លាប់ និង កៀរយកប្រជាជនខ្មែរជាច្រើនម៉ឺននាក់យកទៅប្រទេសសៀម ។

ប្រជាជនខ្មែរគឺមានជំងឺបាក់ស្បាតផ្លូវចិត្តទាំងអស់ដូចគ្នា

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ខ្ញុំគិតថាខ្លួនខ្ញុំព្រមទាំងមិត្តកសិករទាំងអស់ពិតជាមានជំងឺបាក់ស្បាតផ្លូវចិត្ត (Trauma) ហើយ។ ជំងឺនេះទាមទារពេលវេលានិងថវិការជាច្រើនដើម្បីព្យាបាល។ តើខ្ញុំមានសមត្ថភាពណាទៅគិត ដល់រោគសញ្ញានៃជំងឺនេះ បើរោគឃ្លាន ខ្លៅ ខ្លាច ស៊ីរូងផៃ្ទក្នុងនិងចាក់ស្អិតជាប់ក្នុងបេះដូងរួច ទៅហើយនោះ។

កាលពីថ្ងៃមុន ខ្មុំបានសរសេរពីទេពកោសល្យប្រជាភិថុតរបស់អ្នកនយោបាយជាភាសាអង់ គ្លេស ដែលទេពកោសល្យនេះមានភាពខុសគ្នារវាងអ្នកនយោបាយនិន្នាការប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និងអ្នកនយោបាយនិន្នាការកុម្មុយនីស។ អ្នកវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តនយោបាយមានគំនិតតែមួយដូចគ្នា គឺអ្នកនយោបាយដែលឈរជួរមុខគេគឺជាអ្នកដែលពូកែខាងប្រើល្បិចកលប្រជាភិថុត(manipulations).

ខ្ញុំប្រាថ្នាចង់ឃើញអ្នកដឹកនាំខ្មែរអនុវត្តប្រសិទ្ធិភាព​ជាមេដឹកនាំដោយការយកតំរាប់តាមលោក ប្រធាធិបតីសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក George Washington។ បន្ទាប់ពីលោកមានអំណាចគ្រប់យ៉ាងក្នុង ដៃ រៀបចំប្រទេសប្រកបដោយនីតិរដ្ឋហើយ លោកបានកំណត់អណត្តិរបស់លោកតាមច្បាប់ ហើយគាំទ្ររៀបចំអោយមានការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសរើសប្រធាធិបតីថ្មីដោយសុចរិតយុត្តិធម៌។

លោកបានក្លាយជាបីតាជាតិដ៏អស្ខារ្យម្នាក់ចាប់តាំងពីថ្ងៃទី៤ មីនា ១៧៩៧តរៀងមក។

ក្នុងឱកាសបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំខ្មែរ ឆ្នាំម្សាញ់ បញ្ខស័ក ព.ស.២៥៥៧ នេះ អ្នកនយោបាយខ្មែរខិតខំ បញេ្ចញទេពកោសល្យរបស់ខ្លួនដើម្បីទាក់ទាញអ្នកគាំទ្រ។ អ្នកដែលមានលុយជួលប្រព័ន្ធផ្សព្វ ផ្សាយបានច្រើនឫអ្នកដែលប្រើអំណាចគ្រប់គ្រងផ្តាច់មុខនូវប្រព័ន្ធផ្សព្វផ្សាយតែម្នាក់ឯងរឹតតែ អាចបញ្ជ្រាបល្បិចកលប្រជាភិថុតរបស់ខ្លួនបានកាន់តែច្រើន។

Manipulationចំរៀងថ្មីរបស់ផលិតកម្មថោន ចំណងជើងថា សម្លក្តាម ច្រៀងដោយលោកពែកមីពិតជាទាញ ចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍របស់ខ្ញុំជាខ្លាំង។ ខ្ញុំមិនអាចដឹងពីគោលបំណងនៅពីក្រោយឆាកនៃបទចំរៀង នេះទេ Manipulation1តែអ្វីដែលខ្ញុំចាប់អារម្មណ៍គឺ៖
- ផលិតកម្មថោនបានឃោសនាស្រាបៀរកម្ពុជាទាំងស្បត ទាំងសេចរឿង និងដបគឺជាបន្ទាត់ព្រំ ដែនខ្មែរ
- អត្ថន័យចំរៀងគឺពិតជាចូលជ្រៅទៅក្នុងបេះដូងកសិករខ្មែរដែលមានដល់ទៅ៩០ភាគរយ នៃប្រជាពលរដ្ឋទាំងអស់
- ទំនុកត្រង់ថា ពីដើមមានស្រូវម៉ែឳភ្ជួរនឹងសត្វគោ សម័យតេជោភ្ជួរនឹងអាគោយន្ត ពិតជា បង្ហាញនូវទេពកោសល្យយ៉ាងពិតប្រាកដមែន

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Conflict Resolution for the Workplace

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Conflict Resolution for the Workplace

Self-reflection assignment

Personality Style1While the former manager was transferred to another store, a new coming manager has run her management style differently. Some of the co-workers said she is a micro manager, mean and angry leader. For me, I see her as very rigid and nepotistic.

To handle with the new manager, first of all I have to understand myself first: what is my strength and weakness, how is my self-awareness and self-expression? What type of personality style am I in comparing to animals or bird such as turtle, teddy bear, fox, shark and owl? How could I build creative response and appropriate assertiveness? What is my personality profile – task focused or people oriented? Primary step is the emotional management and the courage to stand up with open listening and open communication in a way of win-win approach.

Comparing to animals on how do I handle conflict, I am likely characterized by owl that win-win strategy is very substantial. Unlike Turtle who withdraws into its shell when he/she is facing with problem; Teddy Bear who is cheerful and refusing to talk about the problem; Fox who likes compromise all the time; and Shark who hardly pushes to the end to determine win or lose; Owl will make special effort to mutual understand, build trust, and undertake appropriate assertiveness etc. As I took my vow to understand the new manager style and personality, I furthered my step in putting myself within a cool situation although my manager was always tense and authoritative.

“I statement” is very helpful for me. Once, I directly told her that “I feel that the caring both internal and external customer(s) are very important”. With this statement, I furthered explain the unfriendly action against staff(s) are like treating internal customers unproductively. Whenever, the staffs don’t incorporate with the management teams, it might make work environment worse. So the prospect of putting customer first possibly referred to everyone especially external customers and internal customers (co-workers). I am considering this action as part of my creative response and appropriate assertiveness.

Conflict Resolution on Power1When I was a graduate assistant at the university, one of my senior co-workers tended to offer me many tasks in which distorted my time to serve my boss who directly supervised my tasks. As he set deadlines for those tasks, I had to double energy and time to complete them. Once, the burden was overwhelmed, I must state the need of change to the management team. Before that, I face-to-face talked with co-worker about assigned duties I must also complete for the boss. He finally understood on my responsibility.

I am more inclining to task-focused than people-oriented. I believe in tidiness, compliant, well organized, set-policy and punctual. But I might miss parts of sense of humor, people sensitivity and social outgoing etc.

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Political Leadership Message to Welcome Khmer New Year 2557

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All Cambodians must be the catalyst of change!
All Cambodians must be the agent of change!
Change yourself – good luck!
Change other – impossible!

 

Happy Khmer New Year 2557

 

I don’t think the strategy of “divide and conquer” would be applicable in our modern century. It possibly boomerangs!

Political leadership in Cambodia has been embedded by old style of communist manipulation, nepotism (no meritocracy), extremism and self or personal cult.

Abraham Kaplan said “politics is the redistribution of bandits.” Political scientist prof. Gergen said “a politician is a person who projects, motivates and rationalises the public for personal gain.” This manuscript is clearly illustrating the political game of “manipulations” but there is different between communist style of manipulation and democratic style of manipulation. While we are condemning KR of revolutionary communist, the arrival of Vietnamese’s regime is pure socialist communist. Both legacy and inheritance are still co-existing in Cambodian society nowadays.

For democratic-based manipulation, all games are educational and creating good heritage for younger generations. For communist-based manipulation, they can do whatsoever to defeat their contender(s) regardless of bad or unproductive outcomes. Within this prospect, Sam Rainsy who exercised his rights to protect Cambodia territory should not be criminalized. And the action should not be used to marginalize his political career. His absence is not good at all for Cambodia while this country is heading to develop democracy.

Brief History of Buddhism in the Kingdom of Cambodia

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BRIEF HISTORY OF BUDDHISM IN THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

ashoka_lion_capitalIn the year of 238 B.C (before Christ), Emperor Asoka King sent two learned Bhikkhu monks named Sona Thera and Utara Thera to propagate Buddhism in Suwanaphumi or Southeast Asia of present time. From that time Buddhism has flourished through out the land of Suwanaphumi or golden land. We are able to trace back through various ancient kingdoms such as Funan Kingdom (first state of present Cambodia) had been claimed about the advantage of Buddhism in this capital city. Among the kings of Funan dynasty, Kaundinya Jayavarman (478-514 AD) sent a missionary to China under the leadership of a Buddhist monk named Nagasena from India. During the reign of the same Chinese emperor, two learned Khmer monks named Sanghapala Thera and Mantra Thera of Funan went to China. At this early years of the sixth century AD, the two learned Cambodian Bhikkhu monks taught Buddhism and meditation to the emperor of China. Bhikkhu Sanghapala had translated an important Buddhist scripture Vimutti Magga(the Way of Freedom) which it is believed older than Visutthi Magga (the Way of Purity) written by Buddhagosacara. Now this Chinese manuscript has been translated into different language by many Buddhist countries.

King Rudravarman (514-539 AD) is said to have claimed that in his country there was a long Hair Relic of Lord Buddha for his people to worship. The Tharavada with Sanskrit language flourished in Funan in the fifth and earlier part of the sixth centuries AD. Around seventh century AD, the popular usage of Pali language in southern region manifested the strong appearance of Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia.
The great emperor, Yasovarman (889-900 AD) established a Saugatasrama and elaborated regulations for the guidance of this asrama or hermitage, at the time, Buddhism, Brahmanism (both Visnuism and Vaisnavism) flourished in Cambodia. During the reign of Jayavarman V (968-1001 AD), the successor of Rajendravarman II, Mahayana Buddhism importantly advanced. The king supported Buddhist practices and invoked the three forms of existence of the Buddha. In this way, up to the tenth century AD, Mahayana Buddhism became substantially prominent.

Pramakramabahu I, the king of Sri Lanka, is said to have sent a princess as a bride probably for Jayavarman VII, son of Dharnindravarman II (1150-1160 jaya1AD), who was the crown prince. King Jayavarman VII (1181-1220 AD) was a devout Buddhist and received posthumous title of Mahaparamasaugata. The king patronized Mahayana Buddhism, his records expressed beautifully the typical Buddhist view of life, particularly the conduct of charity and compassion towards the whole universe. Taprohm Inscription of his reign informed that there were 798 temples and 102 hospitals in the whole kingdom, and all of them were patronized by the king. One of the monks who returned to Burma with Capata Bhikkhu was Tamalinda Mahathera, who is believed the son of the Cambodian Emperor Jayavarman VII. Under the influx of Sihala School Buddhism; his administrative prestige retreated, his temporal power crumbled away, and the god-king cult was weakened. Theravada Buddhism had become the predominant school of the people of Angkor at the end of Jayavarman VII ‘s reign.

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