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Om Enlightenment Symbol & Buddhist Alms Bowls 200 Riels Cambodia Authentic Coin Money for Jewelry (1994) (Mantra) (Bodhisattva)

Om Enlightenment Symbol & Buddhist Alms Bowls 200 Riels Cambodia Authentic Coin Money for Jewelry (1994) (Mantra) (Bodhisattva)

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Om Enlightenment Symbol & Buddhist Alms Bowls 200 Riels Cambodia Authentic Coin Money for Jewelry and Craft Making (1994) (Mantra) (Oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ) (Bodhisattva of Compassion) (Avalokiteśvara)

Obverse: Two Ceremonial bowls (one above the other) Above this is symbol Om (in Khmer language) from which rays of light emitting. Probably the most well known mantra is "Om mani padme hum", the six syllable mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara.

Reverse: Year in Gregorian (1994) and Buddhist calendar (2537)
Lettering:
២០០
រៀល
200
គ.ស.១៩៩៤ ព.ស.២៥៣៧

Translation:
200
Riels
200
1994 AD 2537 BE

Features
Issuer Cambodia
King Norodom Sihanouk (1993-2004)
Type Standard circulation coin
Year 1994
Value 200 Riels
200 KHR = USD 0.049
Currency Second riel (1979-date)
Composition Steel
Weight 2.4 g
Diameter 19.9 mm
Thickness 1.1 mm
Shape Round
Technique Milled
Orientation Medal alignment ↑↑
Number N# 6108
References KM# 94, Schön# 57

Wikipedia:
Buddhism in Cambodia (Khmer: ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានៅកម្ពុជា) has existed since at least the 5th century. In its earliest form it was a type of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Today, the predominant form of Buddhism in Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism. It is enshrined in the Cambodian constitution as the official religion of the country. Theravada Buddhism has been the Cambodian state religion since the 13th century (except during the Khmer Rouge period). As of 2013 it was estimated that 97.9 percent of the population was Buddhist.

Wikipedia:
In Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk, nun, spiritually-developed person or other sentient being. It is not charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic connection to the spiritual realm and to show humbleness and respect in the presence of the secular society. The act of alms giving assists in connecting the human to the monk or nun and what he/she represents. As the Buddha has stated:

Householders & the homeless or charity [monastics]
in mutual dependence
both reach the true Dhamma....
— Itivuttaka 4.7

In Theravada Buddhism, nuns (Pāli: bhikkhunis) and monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) go on a daily almsround (pindacara) to collect food (piṇḍapāta). This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money cannot be accepted by a Theravadan Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, as the Patimokkha training rules make it an offence worth forfeiture and confession.

....

In Buddhism, both "almsgiving" and, more generally, "giving" are called "dāna" (Pāli). Such giving is one of the three elements of the path of practice as formulated by the Buddha for laypeople. This path of practice for laypeople is: dāna, sīla, bhāvanā.

The paradox in Buddhism is that the more a person gives – and the more one gives without seeking something in return – the wealthier (in the broadest sense of the word) one will become. By giving one destroys those acquisitive impulses that ultimately lead to further suffering. Generosity is also expressed towards other sentient beings as both a cause for merit and to aid the receiver of the gift. In Mahayana Tradition it is accepted that although the three jewels of refuge are the basis of the greatest merit, by seeing other sentient beings as having Buddhanature and making offerings towards the aspirational Buddha to be within them is of equal benefit. Generosity towards other sentient beings is greatly emphasised in Mahayana as one of the perfections (paramita) as shown in Lama Tsong Khapa's 'The Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path' (Tibetan: lam-rim bsdus-don):

Total willingness to give is the wish-granting gem for fulfilling the hopes of wandering beings.
It is the sharpest weapon to sever the knot of stinginess.
It leads to bodhisattva conduct that enhances self-confidence and courage,
And is the basis for universal proclamation of your fame and repute.
Realizing this, the wise rely, in a healthy manner, on the outstanding path
Of (being ever-willing) to offer completely their bodies, possessions, and positive potentials.
The ever-vigilant lama has practiced like that.
If you too would seek liberation,
Please cultivate yourself in the same way.

In Buddhism, giving of alms is the beginning of one's journey to Nirvana (Pali: nibbana). In practice, one can give anything with or without thought for Nibbana. This would lead to faith (Pali: saddha), one key power (Pali: bala) that one should generate within oneself for the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

The motives behind giving play an important role in developing spiritual qualities. The suttas record various motives for exercising generosity. For example, the Anguttara Nikaya (A.iv,236) enumerates the following eight motives:

Asajja danam deti: one gives with annoyance, or as a way of offending the recipient, or with the idea of insulting him.
Bhaya danam deti: fear also can motivate a person to make an offering.
Adasi me ti danam deti: one gives in return for a favor done to oneself in the past.
Dassati me ti danam deti: one also may give with the hope of getting a similar favor for oneself in the future.
Sadhu danan ti danam deti: one gives because giving is considered good.
Aham pacami, ime ne pacanti, na arahami pacanto apacantanam adatun ti danam deti: "I cook, they do not cook. It is not proper for me who cooks not to give to those who do not cook." Some give urged by such altruistic motives.
Imam me danam dadato kalyano kittisaddo abbhuggacchati ti danam deti: some give alms to gain a good reputation.
Cittalankara-cittaparikkarattham danam deti: still others give alms to adorn and beautify the mind.
According to the Pali canon:

Of all gifts [alms], the gift of Dhamma is the highest.
— Dhp. XXIV v. 354)

*****

Om or Aum; ॐ, ओ३म्, IAST: Ōṃ , Tamil: ௐ, ஓம்) is the sound of a sacred spiritual symbol in Indian religions. It signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness or Atman. More broadly, it is a syllable that is chanted either independently or before a spiritual recitation in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The meaning and connotations of Om vary between the diverse schools within and across the various traditions. It is also part of the iconography found in ancient and medieval era manuscripts, temples, monasteries and spiritual retreats in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

.....

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana)
In Tibetan Buddhism, Om is often placed at the beginning of mantras and dharanis. Probably the most well known mantra is "Om mani padme hum", the six syllable mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara. This mantra is particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteśvara. Moreover, as a seed syllable (bija mantra), Aum is considered sacred and holy in Esoteric Buddhism.

Some scholars interpret the first word of the mantra oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ to be auṃ, with a meaning similar to Hinduism – the totality of sound, existence and consciousness.

Oṃ has been described by the 14th Dalai Lama as "composed of three pure letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the impure body, speech, and mind of everyday unenlightened life of a practitioner; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech and mind of an enlightened Buddha." According to Simpkins, Om is a part of many mantras in Tibetan Buddhism and is a symbolism for "wholeness, perfection and the infinite".

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