Havanpola Ratanasara

The Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara, a monk who strove to build an American style of Buddhism and led Buddhists, Catholics and other denominations in interfaith dialogues, has died. At 80, Ratanasara was believed to be the oldest Buddhist monk in Southern California. He suffered from diabetes and heart problems and died in his sleep last Friday surrounded by monks in his apartment at the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles.

The Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara, a monk who strove to build an American style of Buddhism and led Buddhists, Catholics and other denominations in interfaith dialogues, has died. At 80, Ratanasara was believed to be the oldest Buddhist monk in Southern California. He suffered from diabetes and heart problems and died in his sleep last Friday surrounded by monks in his apartment at the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles.

If Buddhism is ever to gain a national voice on social and ethical issues, it will have to look to U.S.-born converts and a younger generation of Asian immigrants, say leaders of a movement for an American version of the 2,500-year-old religion. "There is a generation gap," said the Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara of Los Angeles, who was reelected executive president of the American Buddhist Congress at the group's recent national convention in Koreatown.

If Buddhism is ever to gain a national voice on social and ethical issues, it will have to look to U.S.-born converts and a younger generation of Asian immigrants, say leaders of a movement for an American version of the 2,500-year-old religion. "There is a generation gap," said the Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara of Los Angeles, who was reelected executive president of the American Buddhist Congress at the group's recent national convention in Koreatown.

If Buddhism is ever to gain a national voice on social and ethical issues, it will have to look to U.S.-born converts and a younger generation of Asian immigrants, say leaders of a movement for an American version of the 2,500-year-old religion. "There is a generation gap," said the Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara of Los Angeles, who was reelected executive president of the American Buddhist Congress at the group's convention last weekend in Koreatown.

A multiethnic service observing Buddha's birthday will be celebrated next Saturday in Los Angeles, part of the first step by American Buddhist leaders to pick a common date for the annual observance. The holiday, also known as Wesak, will begin at the Los Angeles Vietnamese Temple at 10 a.m. with a procession of priests and monks of varied traditions in Buddhism.

Multiethnic Vesak ceremonies commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha will be held at a Rosemead monastery Sunday with chanting, offerings of food and incense and discussions of Buddhism's future. The 16th annual celebration organized by the Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California and open to the public will begin at 9 a.m. at the new Rosemead Buddhist Monastery, 7833 Emerson Place, where the Venerable Chao Chu is abbot.

Some residents apparently are not satisfied by reassurances from members of the Myanmar Buddhist Society that a meditation center and monastery proposed for their community would be a place of quiet. A community group says it will appeal a Planning Commission decision giving the group permission to build the 5-acre retreat. "It is all those cars coming and going that concern me," said Georgia Campbell, who lives on the hilltop above the site.

If Buddhism is ever to gain a national voice on social and ethical issues, it will have to look to U.S.-born converts and a younger generation of Asian immigrants, say leaders of a movement for an American version of the 2,500-year-old religion. "There is a generation gap," said the Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara of Los Angeles, who was reelected executive president of the American Buddhist Congress at the group's convention last weekend in Koreatown.

Today's question: Everyone gets angry. But at times, anger becomes uncontrolled. Even a traffic accident can result in a fatal argument. What can be done to hold anger in check? The Rev. Ignacio Castuera Senior pastor, Hollywood United Methodist Church The power of imagining or envisioning needs to be harnessed to deal with anger, especially by those who live in urban settings where anger-causing situations abound.

The World Fellowship of Buddhists ended its five-day General Conference on Thursday at a showplace temple in Hacienda Heights with the election for the first time of two Americans as vice presidents. Jack Petranker, 42, executive secretary of the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center in Berkeley, said that, to his knowledge, he is the first Caucasian Buddhist active on the U.S. mainland to win election as one of 15 vice presidents for the world body.