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"Mahāsī Sayādaw U Sobhana (, ; 29 July 1904 – 14 August 1982) was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk and meditation master who had a significant impact on the teaching of vipassanā (insight) meditation in the West and throughout Asia. In his style of practice, derived from the so-called New Burmese Method of U Nārada, the meditator lives according to Buddhist morality as a prerequisite for meditation practice. Meditation itself entails the practice of satipaṭṭhāna, the four foundations of mindfulness, anchoring the attention on the sensations of the rising and falling of the abdomen during breathing, observing carefully any other sensations or thoughts. This is coupled to reflection on the Buddhist teachings on causality, gaining insight into anicca, dukkha, and anattā. Mahāsī Sayādaw was a questioner and final editor at the Sixth Buddhist Council on May 17, 1954. Biography Mahāsi Sayādaw was born in 1904 in Seikkhun village in Upper Burma. He became a novice at age twelve, and was ordained at the age of twenty with the name Sobhana. Over the course of decades of study, he passed the rigorous series of government examinations in the Theravāda Buddhist texts, gaining the newly introduced Dhammācariya (dhamma teacher) degree in 1941. In 1931, U Sobhana took leave from teaching scriptural studies in Moulmein, South Burma, and went to nearby Thaton to practice intensive Vipassana meditation under Mingun Jetawun Sayādaw (also rendered Mingun Jetavana Sayādaw), also known as U Nārada. This teacher had practiced in the remote Sagaing Hills of Upper Burma, under the guidance of Aletawya Sayādaw, a student of the forest meditation master Thelon Sayādaw. U Sobhāna first taught Vipassana meditation in his home village in 1938, at a monastery named for its massive drum 'Mahāsi'. He became known in the region as Mahāsi Sayādaw. In 1947, the Prime Minister of Burma, U Nu, invited Mahāsi Sayādaw to be resident teacher at a newly established meditation center in Yangon, which came to be called the Mahāsi Sāsana Yeiktha. Mahāsi Sayādaw was a questioner and final editor at the Sixth Buddhist Council on May 17, 1954. He helped establish meditation centers all over Burma as well as in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, and by 1972 the centers under his guidance had trained more than 700,000 meditators. In 1979, he travelled to the West, holding retreats at newly founded centers such as the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, U.S. In addition, meditators came from all over the world to practice at his center in Yangon. When the Mahāsi Sayādaw died on 14 August 1982 following a massive stroke, thousands of devotees braved the torrential monsoon rains to pay their last respects. Practice Mahāsi's method is based on the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, which describes how one focuses attention on the breath, noticing how one breathes in and out. Practice begins with the preparatory stage, the practice of sīla, morality, giving up worldly thoughts and desires.Mahāsi Sayādaw, Manual of Insight, Chapter 5 The practitioner then engages in satipatthana by mindfulness of breathing. One pays attention to any arising mental or physical phenomenon, engaging in vitaka, noting or naming physical and mental phenomena ("breathing, breathing"), without engaging the phenomenon with further conceptual thinking.Mahasi Sayadaw, Practical Vipassana InstructionsBhante Bodhidhamma, Vipassana as taught by The Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma By noticing the arising of physical and mental phenomena, the meditator becomes aware how sense impressions arise from the contact between the senses and physical and mental phenomena, as described in the five skandhas and paṭiccasamuppāda. This noticing is accompanied by reflections on causation and other Buddhist teachings, leading to insight into anicca, dukkha, and anattā.PVI, p.22-27 When the three characteristics have been comprehended, reflection subdues, and the process of noticing accelerates, noting phenomena in general, without necessarily naming them.PVI, p.28 Notable students *Freda Bedi *G. V. Desani *Joseph Goldstein *Anagarika Munindra *Achan Sobin S. Namto * (Panditārāma) *Sharon Salzberg *Jack Kornfield * (U Janakabhivamsa) *Ashin Jinarakkhita *Ashin Silanandabivamsa Publications Mahāsi Sayādaw published nearly seventy volumes of Buddhist literature in Burmese, many of these transcribed from talks. He completed a Burmese translation of the Visuddhimagga, ("The Path of Purification") a lengthy treatise on Buddhist practice by the 5th century Indian Theravadin Buddhist commentator and scholar Buddhaghosa. He also wrote a volume entitled Manual of Vipassana Meditation. His English works include: * Notes References Sources * External links *A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw *Biographical Sketch of Mahāsi Sayādaw from Buddhanet.net *The Practical Dharma of Mahasi Sayadaw *The Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw's Discourses and Treatises on Buddhism *Books by Mahāsi Sayādaw *Biography of Mahāsi Sayādaw from the American Burma Buddhist Association *A Discourse on Satipatthana Vipassana by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw from Accesstoinsight.org 1904 births 1982 deaths Burmese Buddhist scholars Theravada Buddhist monks Burmese Buddhist monks Burmese Theravada Buddhists People from Sagaing Region Burmese spiritual writers "
"Democrats for Life of America (DFLA) is a 501(c)(4) American political advocacy nonprofit organization that seeks to elect anti-abortion Democrats and to encourage the Democratic Party to oppose euthanasia, capital punishment and abortion. DFLA's position on abortion is in opposition to the current platform of the Democratic Party, which generally supports abortion rights. The group takes no position on most socio-economic issues or any foreign policy. They have drafted the Pregnant Women Support Act, a comprehensive package of federal legislation and policy proposals that supporters hope will reduce the number of abortions. They have an affiliated political action committee, DFLA PAC. They have proposed linking a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of gestation to increased support for pregnant women and mothers, such as paid medical leave and/or more support for affordable day care. History In 1999, Democrats for Life of America was founded to coordinate, at a national level, the efforts of anti-abortion Democrats. In the 1960s and 1970s, anti-abortion Democrats comprised a substantial portion of the party's membership in the United States Congress and the United States Senate. Some Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates ran for those offices as anti-abortion, including Hubert Humphrey and Sargent Shriver. Others were once anti-abortion before running, such as Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton and Al Gore. In the 1980s, the influence of anti-abortion advocates in the Democratic Party declined slowly but considerably. At the 1992 Democratic National Convention, anti-abortion Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania was allegedly "barred from addressing the Convention because of his antiabortion views". The official reason given by the Convention organizers was that Casey was not allowed to speak because he did not support the Democratic ticket. Kathy Taylor, a pro-abortion rights activist from Pennsylvania, instead addressed the convention. Taylor was a Republican who had worked for Casey's opponent in the previous gubernatorial election. Several anti-abortion Democrats did address the delegates in 1992, though they did not address the anti-abortion stance, and were not given prominent prime time slots. Governor Casey's son Bob Casey, Jr., also an anti-abortion Democrat, spoke during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. March for Life. Relationships As its name implies, DFLA aims to encompass members of the Democratic Party who are anti-abortion, cutting against the stereotype that Democrats are naturally pro-abortion rights and that those who are anti-abortion are naturally Republicans. =Relationship to the Democratic National Committee= Despite its strongly pro-abortion rights platform, party leadership has supported some anti-abortion Democrats, such as Bob Casey Jr.. =Relationship with other anti-abortion organizations= In 2010, the previously cordial relationship between DFLA and the anti-abortion movement at large was significantly damaged amid controversy over the March 2009 decision of anti-abortion congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), co-author of the Stupak–Pitts Amendment who for months had led an effort to keep abortion funding out of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to strike a deal with President Barack Obama in which Stupak and many of his supporters would vote in favor of the bill and Obama would sign an executive order forbidding federal dollars from being used to fund abortions. Nearly all anti-abortion organizations who had previously supported Stupak (such as the National Right to Life Committee and the Susan B. Anthony List) decried the deal as a farce, saying the executive order lacked the legal force to prevent tax dollars from being used for abortions. Several anti-abortion Democrats were targeted for defeat by national anti- abortion groups over the PPACA vote, and the ranks of anti-abortion Democrats were cut roughly in half in the 2010 elections. Anti-abortion Democrats in recent elections =2004= In their 2005 book, Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future, Paul Begala and James Carville praised Democrats For Life for their work that led to the Pregnant Women Support Act. In the book they say the legislation "is built around seventeen concrete policy proposals that would reduce the number of abortions.... We believe these proposals would do more to prevent abortions than all the speeches, all the marches and all the campaign ads the pro-lifers have used over the past 30 years." They go on to call it "both good politics and, we think, good policy". The initiative has become legislation known as the Pregnant Women Support Act, which "has gained broad support and even has attracted some Republican backers". The Commonwealth of Virginia is the first state to pass a version of the PWSA. Organizations and Individuals who support the bill include the National Association of Evangelicals, Sojourners/Call to Renewal, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Americans United for Life, National Council on Adoption, Life Education and Resource Network, Redeem the Vote, Care Net, Tony Campolo (founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education), Joe Turnham (Chairman, Alabama Democratic Party), U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr., and actor Martin Sheen. =2010= The organization has endorsed Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper and Congressmen Jim Oberstar, Joe Donnelly, Steve Driehaus and many other anti-abortion Democrats for the 2010 midterm elections, and its PAC raised over $42,000 in 2010.Health vote haunts anti-abortion Democrats Of the four mentioned above, only Donnelly was successfully re-elected. Oberstar was defeated after 18 terms. Additionally, all four of the freshmen successfully endorsed by DFLA in 2008 were defeated for re-election in 2010 (see above). = 2018 = Representative Dan Lipinski, a long-time anti- abortion Democrat, from one of Illinois' Chicago-area House districts won his primary. In Pennsylvania, Representative Conor Lamb, who identifies as personally anti-abortion, won his special election for the 18th Congressional district. Republican House Speaker, Paul Ryan, referred to Lamb as anti- abortion when explaining the election outcome. Nevertheless, Lamb said this was his personal belief and that he's from "a Catholic background, (but) choice is the law of the land.” Three Democratic Senators, who self-identify as anti-abortion, had voted to ban abortion after 20 weeks and ran for re- election to the US Senate; Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia had all voted with most Republicans on the issue. Donnelly and Manchin had been endorsed by Democrats for Life in their re-election bids. On the afternoon of July 20, 2018, DLFA Executive Director Kristen Day hosted an event where anti-abortion Democrats from around the nation gathered for their first annual conference at a Radisson Hotel in Aurora, Colorado. Over eighteen individual speaking sessions were arranged over the course of three days. The keynote speaker on Friday evening was former U.S. Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) who was instrumental in keeping abortion funding out of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Stupak discussed the challenges of being an anti-abortion Democrat while promoting his new book For All Americans.https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/lonely-but-determined- pro-life-democrats-speak-up-51099 See also *Abortion debate *American Solidarity Party *Communitarianism *Factions in the Democratic Party *Fetal and children's rights *Libertarians for Life *Philosophical aspects *Republican Majority for Choice *United States anti-abortion movement References External links Life of America Factions in the Democratic Party (United States) Anti-abortion organizations in the United States 1999 establishments in the United States 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations "
"Nicholas Allen Jones (born 20 January 1969), known as Nicky Wire, is the Welsh lyricist, bassist and occasional vocalist with the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Prior to the group, Wire studied politics at university; this would later influence his lyrical work. He was co-writer of the band's lyrics (alongside Richey Edwards) from 1989 to 1995, and has been the band's primary lyricist from 1995 to the present. In addition to his work with Manic Street Preachers, Wire released a solo album, I Killed the Zeitgeist, in 2006. Biography =Early life= Born Nicholas Allen Jones in Llanbadoc, Monmouthshire, Wales, Wire is the younger brother of poet and author Patrick Jones. He attended Oakdale Comprehensive School with James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Richey Edwards. Wire played competitive schools football and, aged 14, was captain of the Welsh national schoolboys' team. Although he was offered a trial at both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal football clubs, back and knee problems brought his football career to an end. Wire took A-levels in politics and law. He later attended Portsmouth Polytechnic, but after several months transferred to the University of Wales Swansea, starting his course a year after Edwards. He graduated with a Lower Second-Class Honours degree in politics, which has led him to comment that he may have pursued a career in the diplomatic service or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. =Career= Wire is a founding member of Manic Street Preachers and was originally rhythm guitarist but changed to playing the bass guitar after original bassist Flicker left the band. He co-wrote the band's lyrics with Richey Edwards between 1989 and 1995, taking over sole responsibility following Edwards's disappearance. Some of Edwards' lyrics were used on 1996's Everything Must Go album, making 1998's This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours the first album with lyrics by Wire alone. Wire usually plays Gibson Thunderbird, Rickenbacker, Fender Jazz and most recently Italia Maranello basses, one of which is a custom acoustic model made by request for the band's 2007 acoustic sessions. Nicky chose the pseudonym Wire because of his lanky, "wiry" frame (he is 6'3"). He often dons a dress or a skirt for his group's gigs although he has curtailed his flamboyance somewhat in recent years. Wire's cross- dressing dates back to his teens, when he would go to local pubs in Blackwood wearing a dress; he has, however, been keen to emphasise that he is not a transvestite. He puts his attraction to glam and women's clothes at least in part down to his very close relationship with his mother. Wire is notorious for his outspoken attitude and has been known to cause controversy in the press. He once stated during a 1992 gig, "In this season of goodwill, let’s pray that Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury pretty soon". However, he has since expressed regret for the remark; stating that it was misinterpreted and "didn't come out the way [he] wanted it to." Wire has noted that his band has taken "inspiration from Queen," Mercury's band, as well as being noted fans of R.E.M.'s earlier albums. In November 2007, he was recruited as Chair of the Advisory Board for the new commercial Xfm South Wales Radio Station. =Solo career= Nicky Wire on the Manics' "Past, Present and Future" tour On Christmas Day 2005, the Manics posted a solo track by Wire called "I Killed the Zeitgeist", available to download free for one day. In early May, the rumoured first single entitled "Break My Heart Slowly" from his début solo album premièred on BBC Radio 6 Music with Phill Jupitus. Wire played an intimate solo gig at the Hay Festival on 5 June 2006. The setlist consisted of material from his forthcoming album. Also included was a short acoustic rendition of "Condemned to Rock 'N' Roll" from Manic Street Preachers' début album Generation Terrorists. Speaking to NME.COM before the gig, Wire confirmed that he was currently working on a solo album and he'd already written 25 songs. On the following day, Wire released the free track "Daydreamer Eyes" on his new website. He released the single "The Shining Path" as an exclusive iTunes only download on 17 July. His solo album, entitled I Killed the Zeitgeist was released on 25 September, with the single "Break My Heart Slowly" released on 18 September. In an interview with New Musical Express in March 2020, that also confirmed work on a 2021 Manic Street Preachers album and a solo album by bandmate James Dean Bradfield, Wire announced that he was working on more solo content, joking that he would not have to put in much work to meet fan demand. Bradfield later reconfirmed this, likening their simultaneous solo work to when they did the same in 2006. Personal life Wire married his childhood sweetheart, Rachel, on 25 September 1993. He missed the band's appearance on Top of the Pops to promote "Roses in the Hospital" because of the honeymoon and was replaced on the day by a Manic Street Preachers roadie wearing a Minnie Mouse mask. The couple live in the Newport suburb of Allt-yr-yn with daughter Clara Enola (born 2002) and son Stanley McCarthey (2007). The family previously lived in a terrace house in the village of Wattsville, near Blackwood. Although he was annoyed when a British tabloid revealed that he lived there, printing a picture of his house with the number clearly visible, he later paid public tribute to his former home in the title of the track "Wattsville Blues," on Know Your Enemy album. Wire follows the Welsh rugby union team, Whiteheads RFC and Dragons. He is also a fan of Warrington Wolves rugby league team, (who are nicknamed The Wire), as well as being a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur in football, with whom he turned down an offer of a trial as a teenager. Musical equipment ;Bass guitars *Fender Precision BassThe Manic Street Preachers Gear Guide dolphinmusic.com Retrieved: 2009-12-23 *Fender Jazz Bass (with custom third pickup)Preaching to the converted maniacs.rawkster.net Retrieved:2009-12-23 *Rickenbacker 4003 *Gibson Thunderbird *Italia Maranello ;Amplification *Ampeg SV-2 *Ampeg SV-32 *Ampeg 8x10 cabinets Solo discography ;Albums *I Killed the Zeitgeist (25 September 2006) – No. 130 UK ;Singles *"I Killed the Zeitgeist" (Free download from the official Manic Street Preachers website, 25 December 2005) *"Daydreamer Eyes" (Limited free download from his official solo site, June 2006) *"The Shining Path" (Exclusive iTunes only download, 17 July 2006) *"Break My Heart Slowly" (18 September 2006) – #74 References External links * Nicky Wire biography from BBC Wales * Video – Nicky Wire talks to the BBC about the early days of the manics, and receiving the NME Godlike Genius award 1969 births Living people Alternative rock bass guitarists Alternative rock singers Alumni of Swansea University Manic Street Preachers members People educated at Oakdale Comprehensive School People from Blackwood, Caerphilly People from Tredegar Welsh baritones Welsh male singers Welsh rock bass guitarists Welsh rock singers Welsh socialists Welsh songwriters Welsh people of English descent Male bass guitarists "