Visit to see Amma, the Hugging Hindu Saint, Irvine (FREE)

Amma (India's Mata Amritanandamayi) is world famous for her compassion, distributing free hugs around the world. She has hugged more people than anyone else in the world. She is on a campaign wishing, "May all beings everywhere be happy," the Buddha's own sentiments of universal loving-kindness (metta). She is on an annual tour and is coming to Southern California to meet anyone in need of a blessing. It is good to see such beings [as have attained samadhi, which in Buddhism refers to anyone who has mastered the meditative absorptions, which would make them "saints" in most of the world's religions, including Hinduism, but very much excluding Buddhism. A "saint" or arhat in Buddhism is anyone who has reach stream entry or beyond through insight or vipassana. Only this higher seeing uproots the defilements and liberates one, whereas the absorptions merely temporarily suppress them and make one seem saintly for the time being. This distinction was one of the great contributions of the Buddha to the Dharmic religions and spirituality in ancient India.] Nevertheless, it is still good and a blessing to see beings who have gained samadhi. This may include Amma, who has done so many wonderful and selfless things that it is possible she has gained super-consciousness.