Download omipbudd1{iih - Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia

[|OMIPBUDD1{IIH
Vol. L4 No.
I & 2, June
-
December
lg77
KDN
lW52
ffi,
F{
ks
s;+'
,,".S&l
ffiW
ffi"ffi
&
w
g,
ff,..
ff:'1r;,;1
.:.l........,..
..9
V
e
\d
d
::::::IUi: 1::::::::::: :::::::
q
Fdl
pt
rn
.&.......,.:
::.'t,:lll::t.*,:
'a .t'.t.
l,,ll
.....,,:.,,{'....:i
J
:,::::::::::i:
i*:
::::
,,,',,',,,,,,,,{/l:,
:,:::,
n# , .',;;:',ilti9:,,:,
l;dl
H
A t1...9,,...
::,:::.:
::::::::, ,::
w
t'e
:::,:
t&
FU.
Sl\l
tr-E
......r !f
sfr
H, It
:::'l:::::
:.
.
l.
..*,..
'
& :d.
*',,*...
,"''. q {* _q
,. r ,,.,1$ \*
\ :'f
*.
, d,. $,- J
{,
.d{
hd
l
d,
sf.ri
urF
F. mfi:
M
l-
:P.
, F,,",'
S
fft
{} X':
&t((:
,
n
w ar {
"":l:::::"'
,,.
Ki
7,.
Fq
ffi,
iW:
t@
hH
:,:ffi'
,,Fd
A
Fqd
111,,,,,
J:::
$-
:
r,..,,
t*,::,,:
,t&1,
,,,,,,,
.*
:
,,,,,',
ii
lll"':;,;:,
rF
'F.ll,:,,
15....,..,
F1
H
ftl
m
ill,,'1,.
t|OICE OF BUDDllI$tYl
BUDDHIS:I- MISSIONARY
soctEry
123 Jolon Berholo,
Brickfields,
Kuolo Lumpur 09 - 06
Aims
(a)
I
Oblects
To study and
JUNE
propagate
Buddhism.
(b) To encourage, foster and de-
velop the qualities
of truth,
compassion and to practise
the Teaching of the Buddha.
(c)
To arrange religious lectures
wherever possible.
(d)
To print Buddhist literature.
(e)
To assist in the opening of
religious schools and to
render assistance to Buddhist
organisations where necessary.
(0
To
-
DECEMBER
1977
VOL. 14. Nos 1 & 2
IlIfIfO'S 1UIIE FOOIJ
Long is the night to him who is owoke,
long is the poth to him who is tired.
Even so, long is the life to the foolish
who knows not the sublime Truth.
lf o troveller does not come ocross onyone who iS his
superior or ot leqst equol, let him keep his solitqry
journey firmly, for there is no use hoving the compony
of o fool.
"These ore my sons; this is my weolth"
sush
thoughts torment only a fool, who does not know thot
he himself does not belong to himself; much less his
sons ond weolth.
render spritual
ance/advice
assist-
to members
or
any Buddhist in case of sickness and/or death.
Atrnrual Surbscription:
Malaysia
Dollars Areas -.
Sterling Areas
O,ther countries -
M$2.00
U.S. $2.00
75 d.
U.S. $2.00
Back copies are available at 50
cents per copy from the Society.
The back copres can be easily
bound into volumes for reference.
Advertisement rates on application.
Letters and articles for publication should be Mdressed to The
Editor.
Credit Cover:
Mr. Jayasiri Semage,
Sri Lanka.
The fool who knor,u-s thot he is foolish is wise to thot
extent. But the fool who oonsiders himself to
be
wise is indeed o fool.
lf o fool lives with o wise mon oll his life, he will be
oble to perceive os much of the truth os the spoon
lying in the soup moy perceive of its toste.
But if o mon of understonding be ossocioted with the
wise even though for only o minute, he will soon perceive the truth, the tongue tosting the soup.
Fools ore the greotest enemies of their own selves, for
their foolish deeds beor bitter fruits for them.
Thot deed is wrong ofter doing which one repents ond
the results of which one receivos with teors.
And thot deed is good ofier doing which one hos not
to repent ond the reword of which one receives with
c smile.
As long os on evil deed does not beor its fruits, the
fool thinks it is honey, but when the deed beors fruit
the fool suffers untold grief.
The Buddho
Dhommopodo
BACK TO ASOKA
FOR INSPIRATION AND ACTION TODAY
By DR.
R.
L.
SONI
The advent of Asoka was an event
par excellence in the history of mankind.
Viewed from whatever angle, Asoka admittedly, stands head and shoulders above all
the rulers the world ever. h4d,
national glory in the eontext of international
welfare; and above all for spiritual promo-
Not alone as a ruler, but as well as
an administrator, or a statesman, or a reformer, or a missionary, Asoka is a lessou
for all ages and climes. The saintliest of
sovereigns and yet certainly not given to
dreamy speculations, always thoughtful of
the welfare of others and yet ever perfectly
attentive to the calls of the State, highly
imbued with lofty virtues and yet practical
to the extreme, inspired by fiery idealism
and yet with his feet never off the earth,
Asoka exemplified in his life the sublime
qualities which Buddha extolled, and he
applied energetically in actual practice the
principles which the Buddha advocated as
ihe attributes of a worthy State. No wonder
the merited distinction of a highly righteous
monarch was his, and he was universally
hailed as Dhammasoka. Also, he was truly
His Sacred Majesty, as evidenced by the
majesty of his doings still standing as a
Himalayan example for all and as shown
by the sanctity of his name infusing new
spirit of creative wholesomeness throughout
the ages.
earth and goodwill among mankind', which
notwithstanding the faked appearances to
the contrary, are woefully absent in the contemporary world.
For our times, given to stark ethical
degeneration, spiritual starvation, disgusting
poverty of statesmanship, religious confu-
sion, cultural disintegration, and political
muddleheadedness, the example
comes as a hope sublime.
of
Asoka
,dcross the corridors of history, come
reverberating-echoing and re-echoing
the wisest of
through over 2200 years
counsels for the wellbeing-of mankind; for
political sagacity in matters domestic as well
as foreign; for social wellbeing of one and
all; for economic sanity as a prelude to
for administrative effi'
ciency marked by sincerity, honesty, and
promptness; for loftiest of principles in personal and private life; for public morality
geared to ethical excellence; for commulal
harmony rooted in religious tolerance; for
material prosperity;
tion here and wellbeing in the
'hereafter.
Such are the lessons that percolate to us
through the sieve-holes of time. These are
the lessons with a message of opeace on
Ours is a world of terrible fears and
appaling uncertainities, and besides, of
singular insanity and blissful laCk of inte.
grity: this, because of absence of wisdom
in the midst of stupendous philosophical
enquiries; unparalled stupidity in the midst
of plenty; political chaos in the midst of
hrghly developed systems; and, above all,
maniacal ambitions to conquer heavenly
bodies in the midst of utter defeat on earth
in matters economic as well as social, political as well as those connected with wise
statesmanship, ethical as well as spiritual,
and national as well as international. In a
world as this, the message of Asoka is a
lessions par excellence. This is a lesson of
imperative significance, particularly today,
when humanity is facing fearful odds, when
the threat of the atomic, hydrogen, and
world-suicide bombs is shaking us to our
very foundations, when big nations are indulging in the abominable game of neoimperialism and many a small nation is
stewing in frustrationi and isolationism is
of their own election, when the cold war
is shattering our nerves and the prospects
of a hot war hang over us like a mamoclean
sword. Anytime anything can happen'
ranging from a local catastrophe to global
annihilation. There is something sinister in
the air, something fishy everywhere, certainly
something ominous indicative of not happy
conclusion. Under conditions as these,
when the global horizon is overladen with
dark clouds eclipsing the light of the sun of
righteousness, when the hope of hurnan
the world
security
-ofseems a dream, when
nations itself is getting delirious
union
with ideological frictions, and when thg sublime art of diplomacy is manifesting bank'
ruptcy, the lessons of Asoka provide
glirnmer of silver-lining on the horizon.
a
We may well be asked: who was this
Asoka, and how could his example be a
lesson to us to help us out of our difficulties
in this thermonuclear age?
To know Asoka, we have to look back
to a period a little before this advent. After
the Indian invasion of Alexander, India
awoke to her political instability, and realised that political consolidation was the
need of the hour. Chandragupta met the
challenge and assisted by his wise counsellor
Cfranakya, succeeded
consolidated empire
in
establishing
a
vast
for the first time in
Indian annals. His grandson was Asoka,
who ruled for forty years from about 270
to 230 B.C. Determined to round off his
dominations, he decided for the acquisition
of the few remaining outlying states. In
about the tenth year of his reign, he started
with Kalinga, the conquest of which made
him overcome with remorse. Attracted by
sanctity, encouraged religious processions
and illuminations, appointed ministers and
commissioners to direct and supervise moral
culture, convened the Third Buddhist Synod
and thereafter despatched missions to lands
near and far, which helped establish cultural
contacts of far reaching import in the sphere
of international relations and peace. Ii also
seems certain that within two or three years
of his conversion to Buddhism, he became
a member of the Sangha and ruled as a
monk with full temporal authority, as evidenced by the statue of Asoka in-monastic
robes seen by the Chinese pilgrim I-ching
on his visit to India as late as the seventh
century A.C.
Asoka's activities evidence
doubt that he was
beyond
a devout exponent
of
oExer-
life for wholesome deeds
tion for ggneral welfare and prompt
strenuous
des-
patch of business' were some among his
main guiding principles. Imbued with remarkable practical sense and dynamism,
Asoka displayed in his life the spirit of
Buddhism at its best, besides which succeeded very well to put on secular wheels,
with 'happiness of the many, welfare of the
man' as the sublime objective.
of Buddhism, he, as observed by
Shri Jawaharlal Nehru in his 'Discovery of
India', "decided to abandon warfare in the
full tide of victory", and he felt that true
conquest was in the conquest of hearts
through the law of piety. Thenceforth, he
gave up warfare as a matter of State policy,
forbade animal sacrifices and gave up flesh
diet, of which he seemed to have been quite
fond earlier. Also, the royal tours of
pleasure and hunting were replaced by tours
of piety. "He", writes Swami Vivekananda,
"punished those who would perform yajnas,
or offer meat to the invited at any ceremony". This was something different to
the usual practice based on the injunctions
of Manu, who, as quoted by the Swami,
ordained that those who did not partake of
the animal food offered at certain ceremonies would take rebirth as animals.
wonderfully well the entire ouflook of the
teachings. By 'good life' Asoka meant re-
The fact that merits noting is that
Asoka was extremely energetic in his devo-
beliefs, tolerance for the views of others;
also, obedience to parents, regard for the
humanity
tion to the wellbeing of his people. To this
end, he got wells for drinking water dug up,
shady trees planted, roads built, public
parks and medicinal gardens set up, and
hospitals for humans as well as for animals
established. To infuse righteous spirit in
his subjects whom he was fond of hailing
as his beloved children, he had rocks and
pillars inscribed throughout the kingdom
with the lofty message of righteous living,
had, among other structures, Sanchitope and
the original temple of Buddhagaya- built,
arranged pilgrimages to places of Buddhist
For search of lessons from Asoka, a
systematic study of his proclamations on
rocks and pillars is indicated. A good many
of these documents in stone have survived
the ravages of time, the fury of invaders,
and the inclemencies of tropical climate.
These exist to this day in a reasonable state
of
preservation.
Their main theme
is
directed to exhortations for 'good life', so
as to enjoy satisfaction here and happiness
in the hereafter. In his proclamations,
Asoka not only summarised the practical
side of Buddhism but also simplifled
verence for ethical values, respect
for other's
living creatures, reverence for teachers, and
up-righteousness of character in general. He
favoured compassion, liberality, loving kindness to all": also, wholesome deeds and
animals welfare. Obviously, these ordinances published on stone have more an
ethical than a doctrinal air: these are more
concerned with the promotion of civic
virtues than the publication of orthodox
tenets. Even his favourite word 'the
Dhamma' is rarely mentioned. While
'kamma' and 'rebirth' are implied, there is
no mention of these as such: also, strik-
ingly enough, such fundamentals of Buddhism as the Four Noble Truths, the formula of 'dependent origination', 'concentration' techniques, and meditation practices
etc are significantly omitted. Also, it seems,
for practical reasons, he considered it not
worthwhile to deny the existence of the
creator God, or to even affirm Nibbana as
the final Goal.
Asoka's essential target being a Welfare
State, his main emphasis was on good behaviour, tolerance, and strenuous exertion,
which he succeeded in inculcating into the
masses. The result was a Welfare State,
for material prosperity, cultural
resplendence, moral excellence, countrywide peace, happiness among the people,
and above all security from without. His
policy was marked by utter elimination of
aggressive nationalism on the political level
known
and fanaticism on the religious plane. Even
aftei making Buddhism the State Religion,
Asoka was no bedmate with the darker
forces of bigotry and religious animosity.
He was happy over the realization of his
dream of a peaceJoving society, through
the application of Buddhism: yet what he
actualy used on the public level was only
the 'moral culture' aspect of the Dhamma.
Through this he endeavoured for happihess
for all here and welfare in the hereafter.
Thus, he won not only the'love of all tnen'
but also the epithet 'beloved of the gods',
rdevanampiya' being one of his cherished
titles. Rrghtly did H.G. wells in his 'outlines of History' declare Asoka 'alone shining as a star' among the galaxy of rulers
that the world has so far seen.
With respect to the Welfare State in
the context of Socialistic ideals, we are
huppy to quote the illuminating comments
Edict of Asoka, made in his
or a'Kalinga
-Address
in 1955 before the
Inaugural
Accounts-General's Conference
in
New
Radhakrishnan,
Delhi by the late Dr. S.
who appreciating the words of Asoka to
the effect that he desired the welfare of all
people as he would of his own children,
remarked: "fn the new context it is increasingly realized that all wealth is in some
measure a trust ...... Property does not
confer an absolute right ...... and no man
can claim that his wealth is entirely earned
by his own efforts and that he has an absolute say in its disposal." This is a faithful
echo of the view which Ghandhiji expressed
in his 'Young India' in the pre-Independence
days.
At a time in world history, when social
structure in witnessing a marked revolution,
even economic layout is fast moving towards
socialism, and when the political edifices
ardently cherished a little while back as
crashing before our very eyes, we need investigate and use the lessons learnt from
Asoka for giving a requisite direction to the
new world taking birth under our very eyes.
Only then we will be able to build and bequeath a better world.
The word of today is obviously in a
by the advent of the
atomic explosion, though, truly speaking,
this very explosion spells a new epoch,
marking our times as a transitional stage
between the old order and the world of
tomorrow. As such, we verily are on the
crossroads of history, and all depends on the
course adopted by us. Not in bitterness but
in sweet co-operation and saner understanding, we need lay the foundation of this new
world, with, of course, Asoka as our guide.
Also we need remember that in terms of
the past, we might be victims of a tragic
fate: but, in view of the present we are the
architects of our destiny. As such, we
can create a new world of hope and happiness for all on the lines indicated by Asoka.
In any case, we must come out of the darkness of confusion and prepare to create and
face the sunshine of Asokan ideals. But,
with all the inspiiation from Asoka at our
disposal, we have but to work out our salvation ourselves, sincerely and strenuously,
individually and collectively. We own this
world: it is our moral duty to make it a
better one. Even though the Buddha and
Asoka guide, we are the real actors in the
drarna. We can make or mar the show
through our performance.
mess, made worse
Certainly we need be sincere in our
profession of ideals. On this, Dr. S. Radha-
in his Address before the International Red Cross Conference at New
Delhi in 1957, while commenting on the
Asokan Edict after the Kalinga War,
rrghtly laments that our practices, unlike
with Asoka, were o'far away from our professionsi' and that the nations of the world
who have pledged their allegiancs to peace,
do not seem for peace." This is indeed
krishnan
deplorable.
Ours is a worid riddled with not a few
oersoual, national, and international stakes.
Alro, outt is a peculiarly strange world,
ours is a world of not only dismal despair
but also brilliant hope. While on the one
hand, hunger, poverty, disease, and un-
cerJanities are staring into the face of
humanity as a whole, on the other there is
the promise of a golden age through the
peaceful application of the thermonuclear
energy. Certainly, there is something somewhere missing! And, what is missing, seems
to be of vital import ! That something is
the ethico-spiritual nourishment. Without
ii there can be no Welfare State, no success
in the noble tenets of Socialism anywhere.
That is the impasse the world is in today,
and there is the imminent danger of the
world entering a blind alley whence rightabouturn might become wellnigh out of
question. At a stage as this, the pride of
possessing atomic energy will not help, nor
the conceit of military might: rather, if
anything, anything, these are expected to
make matters worse and danger utter and
final.
Now it is the question of danger not to
one nation or the other, but to the whole
world (to the entire family of man, and
to all life). There is yet a solution.
"The very coniinuity of the human race
depends on formation of a world government", observed the world-famed British
historian Arnold J. Toynbee on Z}th
February 7965, at New York at the fnternational Conference 'Pacem in Terris'
(Peace on Earth), attended by 220 ,statesmen and scientists from all over the world.
In the absence of the Asokan spirit. the
question of the world Government coming
into existence or operation does not sound
to be a practical proposition, even though
the solution ofiered is about the best poss;ble. To the same distinguished gatheiing,
the late U Thant of Burma, the Secretary
General of the UNO, addressed: "The UN
today must work towards a world in which
even
aggressive nationalism is banned as a means
of promoting or protecting national interis no longer required
to support a difierent point of view", and
he added: "It is the failure of everyday
practical behaviour to keep pace with proests where fanatism
fessed ideals and aims which makes-the
promise of our infinitely promising world a
mockery for so many of our inhabitants."
True indeed ! Ours
m,uch glamour without
is a world with
but no strength
within. For, fact is that material amenities and bombs alone would not spell
strength. If anything, these spell weakn-ess,
akin to the weakness inherent in a house of
cards, which splendid though might be to
look at, is yet without foundation and with-
out resistance to evil storrns. The real
strength is in the ethical values, further
backed by spiritual vigour. These, regrettably enough, are mostly prominent by their
absence today.
True ! The world is in a mess, and
events are happening, which are ominous.
However, there is the satisfaction that the
world is not bereft of sensible people, who
though few are all the same waking up to
the grim reality of the situation. Bertrand
Russell is a brilliant example of those keenly
interested in human wellbeing.
Scientific and technological progress is
valueless but actively harmful
unless modified by a social and humanitarian outlook, said the Duke of Edinburgh
on the 23rd February 1965 in his Address
before the University of New South Wales,
and he significantly added that the whole
weight of scientific, technological, and intellectual humanism must join together in a
not only
to solve the problems eating into the vitals of man. This is a veritable echo of the very spirit of the Asokan
single campaign
ideals
:
Another vital issue of the time is that
we have to learn to live together, even in
the midst of racial hatred and national
animosities. That too is a lesson that the
Buddha gave mankind, and which Asoka
successfully practised in the political field
on a national level. It is gratifying indeed
to witness it being expressed as the need
of the day. We must learn to live together
as brothers or we shall perish together as
fools", said the late Dr. Martin Luther King.
And, he added: "The old 'eye for an eye'
philosophy ends up leaving everybody blind".
The same Negro integrationists illustrious
leader was 'deeply saddened and appalled
at the assassination of Black supremacist
Malcolm X, and he reported to have emphasized on the 2lst February 1965 at Atlanta,
Georgia, (U.S.A.).: "W'e must face the
tragic fact that Malcolm X was murdered
by a morally inclement climate. ft reveals
that our sqciety is still sick enough to express dissent through murder. We have
not learned to disagree without being violently disagreeable".
The words uttered by this Noble Peace
Prize winner are significant enough. We are
certainly living in a world with poor ethical
sense, wherein disagreements are expressed
violently.
Humanity taken as a whole, is certainly
yet not properly civilized nor do we deserve
the honourable title of 'well cultured' in
terms of the ideals upheld and practised by
Asoka. Human beings are given to hatred
and violence at the slightest provocation,
and the violence, though with 'Containment'
in matters personal and local, expresses as
indulgence
in mass massacres and destruc-
tions with satanic weapons in international
conflicts. It is not one country that stands
to be blamed for 'morally inclement climate': it rather seems to be a global phenomenon in the world of today. If there is
the heartless murder one day of the youthful
father of Burmese Independence, General
Aung San, a little later is the assasination
of the saintliest politician of our age, namely
of Ghandiji of India, and another day President Kehnedy of U.S.A. is shot dead.
There are, as a matter of fact, such murders
without end. And, even otherwise the
noctious climate of violence is everywhere.
The remedy is not in meeting violence with
violence, gunghots with shellfire, or 'an for
an eye' and a tooth for a tooth', but in meeting the challenge of hatred and violence with
love and goodwill. 'Hatred ceases not by
hatred, but by love aloneo, counselled the
Buddha, a lesson which Asoka adopted as
a matter of State policy, and which Jesus
brought home to Europe a little over a
couple of centuries later. It is this lesson
that the world need resurrect for the benefit
of this sick and demented world of today.
It needs be promptly salvaged and used, or
else we all stand to perish. The essential
spirit of this lessson is a total ban on wars.
Means have to be discovered to get this
lesson take form in the context of the conditions and needs of today.
Certainly, Asoka was great in every
of the term: he was great not only
as a sovereign on the throne but also as a
sovereign in the hearts of the people, and
greater still as a gentleman par excellence,
with a kindly heart ever beating with the
impulse of universal goodwill. Peace at
home and abroad was his cherished dream,
which did find fulfilment in the context of
the world of his time. When we think of
Asoka, the dream of peace gets conjured
up in our mind for our own times. Even
though the obstacles are Himalayan and
the difficulties are potent enough, the door
of hope remains open, for the spiritual seed
of Asoka is not yet lost from the heart of
humanity. If anything, the time today
seems opportune for the seed to grow and
bear fruit. This, for one the world now is
sense
smaller in the sense of communications and
for another because of thermonuclear power
there is left no other choice than between
utter destruction and survivial. The hope is
in the lessons from Asoka, which alone will
help to follow the course or survival
Asoka symbolizes a full blooded ideal promisful of a Welfare Statg breeding true in
political, social,
every sense of the term
religious,
ethical, educational, medical,
national, and international. A Union of
such States will easily flow to the ideal of
a World Government.
Lest our laudations of Asoka be misunderstood, we hasten to emphasize that
the flow of time being irreversible, we have
but to march onwards. The clarion call
'Back to Asoka', therefore, spells not to
bear the burdens of the past or to step
back, but to gather precious lessons from
the glorious heritage for application today,
so that the future may be still more glorious.
Though the times of Asoka, when compared
with ours, were difterent, yet the
lessons
garnered from his achievements, are bound
to enlighten us about our problems, however fresh or vexatious these be in the context of modern conditions.
In Conclusion: Sitting on his auspicious throne at the Magadhan capital at
Pataliputta in India over 2,200 years back,
Asoka set up a glorious Lighthouse of the
Dhamma to save all people from shipwreck
in the turbulent oceah of Samsara. While
guiding the destinies of his people to a real
Welfare State, he also sent missions of goodwill abroad. To this day not a few people
are indebted to him for the civilizing touch
his envoys gave to their way of life and
the cultural richness they brought to their
way of thinking.
It is in the fitness of things that India,
the homeland of Asoka, should have
salvaged from the cultural debris of the
ages, and besides suitably used the glorious
of the Dhamma, which Asoka
ardently patronized. It is in that Wheel
that there resides the secret and sacred
'mantra'"of wellbeing for the world of today.
Whosover truly understands and appreciates the Wheel, is blessed indeed. And,
whichever nation adequately assimilates the
sublime lessons emanating from this inspiring symbol and sincerely operates its policy
in terms of the values flowing from it, it is
bound to become the centre of the universe
for peace in the world and happiness in the
human family.
Wheel
Finally: We today ardently bow
to
Asoka in solemn gratitude and in all humility, for the creative inspiration he invests
us with, for the magnificent example he
ret for all time, and particularly for
NEW
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ven.
LI FE
T. Vijita
Sri Lanka
Dhammarakkhita
K.
Mr. Gordon J. Kirley
Mrs. Oh Boon Tat
Mdm. Tan Chye Gaik
Mr. Mah Guan Lin
Mr. Tan Kia Koon
-
Rev. Yasue Izumi
-
Miss Leong Chake Soon
Mr. Chia Choon Leong
10. Mr. Lee Theng Hooi
ll. Mr. Liew Chang Huat
12. Mdm. Gan Siew Gaik
13. Miss Koay Eng Nee
14. Mdm. Khoo Bee Tin
15. Mr. Khoo Boo Seong
16. Dr. Ng Peng Khin
17. Mr. Leong Kok Hing
18. Mdm. Teh Ong Neo
19. Mr. Goh Geok Khoon
the
P.
K.
Lumpur
Jaya
Lumpur
Singapore
Singapore
K.
Lumpur
Canada
Johor
-
K.
Lumpur
Kelang
Kelantan
- Malacca
Lumpur
- K.
.K. Lumpur
Perak
- PePnang
- P. Jaya
- K. Lumpur
timely guidance we are priv[eged to have
of the lessons he bequeathed us for
safety against the impending crisis of unimaginable magnitude that otherwise awaits
rnankind in our own life-time.
because
MEMBERS
20. Miss Thanna Wong Iuai
21. Miss Rosalind Sim
22. Mr. Ang Choo Hong
23. Mr. Ho Eng Aw
24. Miss Tan Joo See
25. Miss Kong Yoon Heong
26. Mdm. Seow Kim Chwee
27. Mr. V.J. Mitchell
28. Miss Lee Lee Lin
29. Miss Lim Swan Hwa
30. Mr. Kong Yee Kam
31. Mr. Tan Yew Ken
32. Mr. Chong Swee Fah
33. Mr. Tan Keat Chye
34. Mr. Ng Hong Pau
35. Maj. Ng Kim Boon
36. Mr. Fam Seng Lin
37. Mr. Eddie de Silva
38. Mr. Kannappan
39. Mdm. Catherine Koh
Lumpur
- K.
Lumpur
- K.
K. Lumpur
- Singapore
- U. Kingdom
.Lumpur
- K,
Lurnpur
K.
- Australia
- Kelang
- Trengganu
K. Lumpur
- Trengganu
- Perak
- K, Lumpur
- K. LumPur
-'K.K. LumPur
- K. LumPur
- K. LumPur
LumPur
- Malacca
-
for that city to be restored. This should be done, and after a
time that city should be prosperous and flourishing, populous, crowded with people,
grown and expanded.
seen and should ask
Even so have
f,
awakened ones
monks, seen an ancient way, an ancient road followed by wholly
of olden times.
Gautama the Buddha
\rrru jLrrLIr{ri\L{L\rr\tr-1r-
r-
jL{rrl,
J,rrrr!tr\rr\rrrr<\L-\r-
Why we should end suffering
by
VEN. NYANAPONIKA THERA
The penetrative wisdom of the Buddha has sirown to us the true width and
depth of suffering that not q1lY exists in'
but constitutes the world. If, moved by
that Dresentation of truth, we resolve to
make'an end of Suffering, it is of primary
imoortance to have a clear understanding
of hhat we have called "the true width and
depth of Suffering," at least in its essential
asiects.
If
our grasp of
it is too glaringly
incomplete, the results of our endeavours
to eliminate it, will be likewise so' In the
following,' only one, but an important aspect
of the Truth of Suffering is represented,
and, consequently, the answer to our question, "Why-should we end Suffering?" will
likewise be only one of the many that are
possible.
If we aspire to the extinction of Sufier'
ing, we should not only think of the pain
and sorrow of our own, but also of the
suftering which we inflict upon others as long
ol.hcrs
an active evil or harmful
resDonse
that enlangles them still more in the meshes
of Karma. Our own greed will increase
the competitive greed of others; our own
lustful desire rouses the lust in others which
might have slumbered until we awaken it.
Our own hate and anger is met by hate and
anger in return, starting thus the endless
round of mutual revenge. By our own illusions we may deceive others too, who, on
their part, will lend increased weight and
influence to them by their belief. Our prejudices become infectuous; our wrong judge-
ments, false values and erroneous views,
sometimes only casually expressed, are taken
up and might be expanded by others to
extensive systems
deceptive and perverted notions working untold harm on
Feoplesn minds. (flow careful we should
be in what we speak and write!) In all these
cases a good part of the responsibility will
be ours.
of
as we have not yet reached the perfect harmlessness of a passion-free heart and the clear
Thirdly, the fact that the waves of
emotion have a limited and varying lifetime is often the cause of suffering for
others. Our own desire, love or affection
towards a certain being may have died a
elimination of Suffering. It will quicken
our steps on that Path, because it will
quicken our conscience, if we instil in us
the habit of a regular remembrance of the
fact that, on our way through samsaric
existence, we are adding to the suffering of
others too, consciously or unconsciously.
natural death beyond recall, while the person
visiotr of a liberated mind. In contdmplating this aspect of the Truth of Suffering, we
shall feel an increased urgency in our resolve
to enter earnestly the Path leading to the
The sufiering we may inflict upon our
fellow-beings includes firstly those cases
where- other beings are more or less passive
objects of our harmful actions. Our greed
robs and makes poor, deprives and detracts.
soils and violates. Our hate kills and
destroys, hurts and rouses fear. The turbid
waters of our interfering ignorance flood
and devastate the neighbour's peaceful
shores: our misjudgements lead him astray
and leave him in calamity.
Then there is a second and even more
consequential and detrimental way of harming others by the repercussions of our own
defilements. It is a frequent effect of our
evil or impure actions that they provoke in
that was the object of our feelings is still
burning in desire, thirsting for love, longing
for
affection, and is suffering under our
neglect. Or, in the reverse: while the other
one's love has died, ours is still alive and is
constantly urging the other, encroaching upon him, disturbing his peace, tearing at his
heart, and making him sad and unhappy on
our quite common situations in human relationship which often lead to tragic consequences. We feel their pungency particularly strong because seemingly no moral
guilt is here involved; only the stern, impassive Law of fmpermanence impresses painfully its stamp upon this scene of life. Yet,
here too,'a moral principle is involved if we
understand it rightly, though it is a matter
of definition whether we apply here the
word "guilt." What else is it than lust,
attachment, craving, in other words, the
first of the three fmmoral Roots of Sufferng (akusala-mula) that also in the situations mentioned above, causes the searing
pain which lack
of
fulfilment inflicts?
Looking at
it in this light, how clear will
become the Second Truth promulgated by
the Buddha: Craving is the origin of Suffering! How clear will become that seeming
paradox pronounced by the Buddha:
"From what is dear to us, suffering arises" !
When deeply contemplating on that little
specimen of life's sufiering as presented
here, we shall feel indeed: Truly, this alone
is enough to turn away from all forms of
existence, to get disenchanted, to get
detached from them!
Still we have not exhausted all those
many possibilities how our own imperfections may draw others into the whirlpool of
suffering. But it may suffice here to add a
fourth and last point. Our own passions
and ignorance, whether they involve our
neighbour directly or whether he is only an
onlooker of their manifestations, mlght
easily become the cause that, with his losing
trust in us, he loses his trust in man, loses
his belief in ideals and his will to contribute
to the fund of goodness in the world. Our
own imperfections may well become the
first inducement to his becoming egocentric
out of disappointment, a cynic or mysanthrope out of personal or impersonal
resentment. Thus, owing to our own imperfections, the forces of Good will have
been weakened not only in us, but in others
too.
There are many who will reply to the
Buddhist doctrine of Suffering by saying:
"We are well aware that happiness and
beauty, joy and pleasure have to be paid
for by a certain amount of suffering. We
are willing to pay the price without grumbling, and even the last price, death; and we
think it is worth the price, and that zest is
added by it to our enjoyment." Before
them who speak thus, we may place the
facts indicated above, and we may ask
them: o'Are you aware that the price you
are speaking of, is not only paid by the
currency of your own suffering, but also by
the suffering of others? Do you think that
it is right and fair if you make others pay
for your happiness? And will it still be an
'additional zest' if you think of that part
of it?" And the partner of our conversation
provided he is honest and noble-minded
-(and
only then it will be worth-while to
speak to him) will pensively say: 'I did
not think of that. It is true, I must not
make others pay for my own shortcomings.
If I deem it unfair and ignoble in my everyday dealings, should it not likewise hold
good for these higher problems of life?' We
may then be sure that we have implanted a
seed in his mind and conscierice which will
sprout in due time.
We return now to our initial line of
thought. We have seen how our actions
may effect others through many channels,
how our shortcomings may drag-others into
suffering, entanglement and guilt. This our
constantly accumulating responsibility for
much of the suffering and unhappiness in
the world should be an additi<inal and
powerful incentive to us to become holy
and whole for the sake of others too.
Certainly, our own wholeness and
health will not cure others, at least not
directly and not in all cases. Our own
harmlessness will but rarely keep others
from doing harm on their accord. - But oui
own winning to spiritual health will diminish the sources of infection in the world;
our own harmlessness will lessen the fuel
nourishing the fires of hate which ravage
this earth.
By remaining conscious of the suffering
we cause and the suffering we might pre:
vent, we add powerful motives to tliose
abeady urging us to enter the Liberating
Path. These motives are: the manly and
challenging feeling of responsibility, an!
the fullness of motherly love and compassion. These complimentary ideals of Duty
and Love (we may call them the male and
the female principle) will help to keep us
unswervingly on the Path. Love and Com.
passion towards those who might becorne
the victims of our imperfections, will urge
us to fulfil our Duty iowards them in the
only way possible: by fulfilling our duty
towards ourselves.
The above lines of thousht are tersely
of the Buddha that iS
much too little known
expressed by a saying
"By
guarding oneself, one
guards
others; by guarding others, one is guarding
oneself" (Samyutta Nikaya, No. 47, 19).
In the light of the observation
made
above, these simple and yet so profound
words of the Master will become still more
translucent, and will become charged by a
magical power stirring the very depth of our
being. By contemplating the instances we
have given of the detrimental efiects of our
actions upon others, we shall still better
understand that both statements in the pas,
sage quoted above are, in fact, complemen.
tary; that, by guarding ourselves we are
doing the best for protecting others; and,
. . . Bofore doing actions by deed,
word and thought, while doing them and
after doing them, one should reflect thus:
'Does this action lead to the harming of self,
to the harming of others, to the harming of
both?' After reflecting again and again,
we should purify our action by deed, word
and thought. Thus, O Rahula, should you
train yourself."
be done
moved by the wish to protect others against
the suffering caused by ourselves, we shall
do our utrnost to guard ourselves.
Therefore, we have
to be watchful of
every step of ours for our own sake and for
the sake of our fellow-beings. Only by a
high degree of mindfulness shall we succeed.
Therefore it is said in the same Discourse
of the Master which we have quoted: that
the method of practising that twofold guardedness
Again
"Thus.
which here too proves to
be the Sole Way (eknyano masgo). " 'I
will protect myself,' thus the Establishing of
Mindfulness has to be cultivated. 'I will
protect others,' thus the Establishing of
Mindfulness has to be cultivated" (loc. cit.).
"Advice
61):-
in a
to
passage
of the Buddha's
Rafiula'- (Majjhima
Nikaya,
"After reflecting again and again,
actions
by deed, *oifu atia thought
ii:d
19
:(t
:c
iii
-rL
ji
,:lj
3i
*
jt
monks, should You trairl
untiringly. For one who considers the
welfare irt botn, this is sufficient indeed., to
strive untiringly" (s,amyutta Nikaya, No.
t2.22).
The same idea and the same method is
expressed
O
vourselves: For one who considers his own
welfare, this is sufficient indeed to strive
untiringly. For one who considers others'
welfare-, this is sufficient indeed to strive
is the firm Fstablishing of Mindful-
ness (satipatthana)
it is said :-
*tr"out,i
SECTIoN oN
These three sayings of the - Master
will shed hght oq each.other.
They will, particular$ if taken in their context, togeth-er with thair full guide,s in treading-the-Path, by reminding us of the riglt
-Ethodr for aciomplishing our task. C
quoted above,
;E
PASSION
1i
:(i
:(i
Transient and changeable are sensual pleasures which are pregnant of Suffering
1|.
.
-r4
and full of venom as a heated iron ball. Anguish is its roots and sufiering ;ii
its
fruits.
li
The world is clothed with Ignorance and cannot appear (know the Truth) because
of the various kinds of Desires, with which the world, I say, is smeared. Suffering
is the great danger of the world.
t)i.
il
$
|i
li:0:
The world is bound by Desire, and can be free only by cutting
Desire destroyed, all bonds accordingly sever.
it off. With
at
rlt
i1;.
j[
#
ll
3r:
li
ii-,F
il
'3r
:l):
'.,'
Beings are persistently spun by Desire, like a bird caught in
tied with the rope of Desire which is most difficult to cut ofi.
a
-
snare, they
3i
3i
;ii
:)i3
i!
1!;
:{i
are
1i
ii
:(i
There is no rising of passion in him who is equauimous, always mindful, and who 1i
]t
does not (attachedly) consider himself equal to, or better or worse than others.
For a bhikkhu whose Craving for existence is pulled off, whose mind is peaceful ;l
and whose cycle of births is exhausted, there is no more existence.
3t
Variegated sweet and delighdul are sensual objects that diversely disturb the mind
Realizing their evil, a person should, like the oneness of a rhinoceros's horn, live
a sngle tfie.
(KTLESAVAGA)
!E
:{i
:{i
li
ii
ji')i.
ii
;li.
10
BUDDHISM AND
MIRACLES
by
SIRI PERERA
Q. C.
Miracle of Persuasion. There the bhikkhu
I think this, do not think
that, call to mind the following, do not call
to mind these others, abandon these and
lead your life for such and such attainments.
Such a bhikkhu proclaims that there has
appeared in this world the Tathagatha who
is the Blessed One, the All Enlightened
One, possesed of knowledge and virtue,
omniscient worth, knower of worlds, wellgone, an incomparable tamer of men,
teacher of gods and men, enlightened and
holy. Such a bhikkhu also proclaims that
the Blessed One has also by virtue of his
supreme wisdom understood the entire
yor.ld of beings consisting of devas,
brahmas, maras, kings, and men and all
places of living beings. The bhikkhu also
further sets forth that the Blessed One has
proclaimed to the world the Dhamma which
is.ex_cellent in the beginning, excellent in ihe
mlddle and excellent in the end: which
-U;_
On one occasion it is recorded in the Kevqtta
Sutta of the prgla NikqVa, thc Blessed One
was sojourning in a vitLaru in the mango
exhorts as follows:
grove belonging to the banker Pavarika,
close at the city of Nalanda. At that time
Kevatta, the son of a leading citizen there,
came to see the Blessed One and in the
course of his conversation requested that He
should send a bhikkhu possessed of psychic
powers to perform some miracles in
Nalanda, so that the people of that city
would be better convinced of the truth of
the Teaching of the Buddha. Kevatta made
the request three times and the Blessed
One refused to accede to this request, all
three times stating that he did not exhort
the bhikkhus to perform miracles.
Thereafter, the Blessed One proceeded to
explain to Kevatta the reason for this refusa]. There are, said the Buddha three
kinds of miracles, namely first that kind of
miracle where a bhikkhu possessed of
psychic powers can make one appear as
many, many appear as one, walk in the air
D.harnma _provides the path to ihe
shakable deliverance of iris mi"a anO
attainment of Nibbana.
and through walls and rocks and on water as
on land and perform such other acts. Then a
it
e
The Blessed One added that a householder,
having heard His Dhamma, is filled with
sa.ddha or confidence in the Tatagatha and,
in consequence of his being persuirled of the
Truth of the Teaching, abandons the house-
person without saddha would say that in
a number of ascetics
Gandhara there were
living and amongst them was one
who
practised the art called Gandhara and therefore this was nothing new. Therefore it is
proclaimed by the Buddha that I dislike
hold life for the homeless state and treads
the path of virtue, concentration and wisdom
and attains Nibbana. "This self-realisation
such cheap performances.
Secondly, there is also the miracle of being
able to read others thoughts. A pelson
possessed of such power is able to say
where another has joy or sorrow or is able
to see the thoughts in the latter's mind.
Such a person can also state how another's
mind works. Then a sceptic would say
declared the Blessed One is the true miracle".
The attainment of the psychic powers which
enable the performance, of the first and
second kinds of miracles referred to above
is possible outside the Teaching of the
Blessed One. These are the Iddhi powers
and the ability to read other's thoughts
that there is a practice known as Chintamani
and it is by virtue of this power that a
bhikkhu is able to read another's mind.
Thus said the Blessed One such a performance is cheap and common and therefore it is that I disapprove of such a miracle.
which are two
of
the flve supernormal
powers referred to as Pancka Abhinrw n the
These powers are gained by the
practice of Sqnaqntha Bhavana or concentration Meditation and the attainment of the
Four Ecstasies or Absorptions. There were
ascetics who gained these powers even before the time of the Buddha.
text.
But, Kevatta, said the Blessed One there is
the third kind of miracle which I call the
1l
the Blessed One, the
in incidental and
powers
suih
of
ait"i"-e"t
nJt ttt" main object-ive. Therefore it see$s
It ut tn" Blessed bne did not approve of 4s
Disciples performing miracles. In fact' He
expressly iorbade them to do so.
manner the bhikkhu attains to the six Super-
On the contrary, what He exhorted the
ttikkh" to do was to be virtuous, control
itt"--ti"t"t, practise mindfulness and clear
(c)
sounds in the distance,
Paracittaviianana, the ability
other's thoughts,
d\
Pubbenivasanussatinanq or
to recall Previous births'
(e)
(f)
\r,,
Dibbacakkunflna
In the Teaching of
comorehension,
be filled with
normal Powers, namelY:
(a) Iddhividhanana ot the ability to per'
form miracles,
(b)
contentment
*O in"n retire to a forest dwelling, the foot
of u tt"" or an empty place to practise- con-
centration of min-d. Then his mind betranquil and attains to one pqinted"ort".
griduaUy reaches the four ub-totp;
and
ness
tions or Thor*s.- This is the Miracle of
to
;;iffi;i;;";ll
iil;.;t;.imed
existence and
the ability
defilements and reaches
Persuasion'
the Blessed One' the mind
from ignorance'
The Bhikkhu knows when the mind is then
consists of the four primary elements, has
come into being because of my parents and
grows by means of food. It is impermanent,
changing, breaking up and has the nature
liU"t"t"a that his mind has been liberated'
lrrai ieuirttr is ended, that he has fulfilled
il"
NoUt" Task' that he has done what had
;; b; dd", and that there is nothing further
to do. fn other words, he has become an
Arahant or Holy One and attained to the
u"tftntuUt" deliverance of mind' "ThS It
of ending up in dissolution. This mind is
associated with this body and tied to it".
Meditating thus by virtue of the developrnent of his mind the bhikkhu proceeds to
create another body like his own. This is
also the Miracle of Persuasion. In this
ttr" *itu"f", Kevatta" -pro-claimed the Pud;
dha, "which is the miracle of persuaston'
DEMoNSTRATIoN oF TRUTH
of miracles, as it once did, but
.i '',s"i"n"" today is far from denying the possibility
known as miracles are but
are
*ftut
tfiut
minds'it
*: th";i"* of -ort scientific
untno*n.- Lord Buddha himself expounded this
ii -*ifJ*i"ti"rs of laws as yetnot
be regarded as demonstration
lt ;i"*; 6 Hirn miracles rvere in th"-t"lu"s to po-".ts
that.may be developcd
little-known
of
a
mastery
only
uLI
showed
i, "i-ii"6,
their possessor was al'r
that
proofs
ii by the Yogin, whatever h-is views. ihere wcre no
if
.
3l
:(t
ii
#
;il
:ii
#
3[
$:
lf
ii'
read
.t^ifiL'ghitthu is liberated from the desire
tor---."nt" pleasures, from craving for
concentrated,
pliable, workable and not easily distracted'
ioro. to the attainment of insight wisdom".
He contemplates thus, "This body of mine
MIRAcLE
hear
ot Divine EYe'
that
Asavakshaytutumq or the wisdom
This is the True Miracle of
"Thus, Kevatta" said the Blessed One the
of the Bhikkhu being
the ability to
Nibbana.
Persuasion.
mind
Dibbasotonnna,
ts Nor
enlightened being.
This being so, He not only tauglrt His followers to be wary in the exercise
of any miiaculous powers they might accluire, but also warned others not to be
unduly impressed by such exhibitions.
Thus whereas other religions exploit their miraculous element to the greatest
possible extent, with thJ intention of convincing the masses, Buddhism treats
all such things as of very minor importance."
.\L
Francis StorY,
"Buddhism as world
l2
HATE AS UNWHOTESOME ROOT
by
IRENE QUITTNER
forwarder
Once upon a time, a certain deva came
to visit the Exalted One' Knowing full well
that the Buddha disapproved of killing, he
tried to provoke him by asking if there was
any kind of slaughter of which he approved.
Not to be caught out by such a question
the Buddha replied:
'Wrath must ye slay,
if
in
understanding
atl this.
The
Buddha says there is no grip like Hate and
this indeed is no empty figure of speech.
What is commonly called mental illness is
just a matter of degree as according to the
Buddha all worldings are mad and one of
the things which makes us so is Hate.
fn a recent report on Race Relations
ye would happy
at
it was noticed that while they were
young, the children were friendly enough
towards each other and that it was only
schools,
live,
Wrath must ye slay, if ye would weep
no more.
Of anger, deva, with its poisoned source
And fevered climax, murderously sweet.
That is the slaughter by the Ariyans
upon reaching puberty that animosity and
violence became apparent. They were somewhat puzzled by this, obviously not havirtg
understood that with the maturing of the
bases, Delusion reaches its full potential,
let alone having seen into the root of Hate.
praised;
That must ye slay in sooth to weep no
more.'
This
aggressiveness begins
in the nursery
with sibling rivalry for the mother's or
father's love. Then in school this rivalry
But this is easier said than done as for the
most part we do not know what hate is and
until we do, it cannot possibly be slain. So
what is Hate? What is its function?
First it must be seen, then understood, and
is transferred for the teacher's affection and
praise. Later comes the rivalry for a mate
and once out in the world this rivalry
develops into the lust for power and then
on to the desire to impose one's will on
others. Loss or rejection leads to Hate in
some form or another. Hatred has three
modes. It lies dormant in the mind; then
due to conditions it arises in the mind and
if not stopped there, issues forth in action
through the other two doors of words and
deeds and when this happens, then we're for
no matter for what, is a
it! Competing
-sorrow.
As the Buddha says in
source of
the Sutta Nipata. 'And I saw men struggl'
ing like fish in a pond that is running dry'
each obstructing the other, and fear came
only then can it be uprooted. All we see
of Hate are its symptoms, its syndromes,
its manifestations. There are many illnesses
caused by Hate. Commonest of all perhaps
is a contraction of the muscles causing headaches, digestive troubles, so called rheumatic
pains in various parts of the body; but all
this still does not tell us what it is. Skin
diseases can also be attributed to it and in
extreme cases it can cause a complete closing down of the mind leading to blindness,
deafness and paralysis. All manifestations,
but what is it? It can equally well cause
one's face to turn red or purple, or turn
white by draining away the blood, not to
mention causing water to flow from the
eyes! One of the latest theories about cancer
is that it has not got a physical origin but
is mind-induced: probably by our old friend
Hate! Hate separates living being from living
being so why not cell from cell? A-Hate
filled mind seizes up in much the same way
as does the engine of a car without oil. It
can affect speech, but what Is it? Why does
it arise? Well, up till now we are still no
upon me,'
To put it briefly, we are reactive principles
baset on'grasping, and so Hate arises for
the most part due to being thwarted in
some sense desire or other. It also arises
on account of the concept 'I am' with its
inevitable corollary 'This is mine'. From
the lowest forms of life with their dim and
to the heights of rational
dull minds, up
-life
is permeated with this
humanity, all
idea, wiih this feeling, iall it what you like'
13
rose by any other name.. .. " If this
were not so, their reactions would differ
from ours, but they don't. Hate is one
of the chief motivators and maintainers of
the life-and-death process, but what Is it?
How does it operate and then above all why
does it operates? All views, according to
the Buddha, lead to fever, misery and distress. In man, the direct and one of the
most formidable views and the one clung to
most tenaciously is that 'This alone is the
truth, all else is falsehood". How much
blood has been shed on account of this one
false view alone. We hold assurnptions,
convictions, theories and concepts, hypothesis, views and cling to them mad thereby
barring our way to the understanding of
reality. When the initial pr'emise is incorrect, it stands to reason that what follows
'A
must be incorrect
too. All
'seen' the tricks usually disappear. As a
child I used to enjoy divin! through the
Atlantic breakers.
One has to wait until the huge, black mass
of angry water rears up in front of one and
wait until the foam begins to froth along
its crest. Then fearlessly, at this very
moment, neither before nor after, one has
to dive through this menacing wall of water
in order to come up on the other side. If
one wavers or hesitates bones can be broken
or one can be badly bruised. So it is with
meditation: if one swerves or flinches from'
obstacles, they will only arise again until
they are courageously faced and understood.
in our daily life we fear the
it and file it away in
our minds and then feel 'safe'. In medita'
On- the whole,
unknown, so we name
tion however, at a certain point, there must
just the knowing.
philosophers and
be no naming
thinkers hold such thoughts but only the
Buddha and those who follow his footsteps
do not hold such views because they know
and see and in order to know and see, the
mind must be open, free, unabiased and
unprejudiced, not bound and weighted
down in any way. As the Buddha says to
Sariputta's youngest brother in the Pasadika
Suttanta
to despair as
there are many ways by which Hate can be
Nevertheless, there is no need
controlled, mastered and finally uprooted.
It can be counteracted by meditating on
death and the four Brahma-viharas. It can
be controlled at the five bases by stopping
at feeling. Before craving has a chance to
arise, one must return to the object of Hate
with full attention and investigation into its
nature according to reality, but if we get
carried away by this unpleasant feeling and
cannot stop there, then we must try and see
of the Digha Nikaya:
'These four foundations of Mindfulness have
taught and laid down for the expunging
of and the getting beyond all these com-
I
ments on opinions.'
According
-
into the very root of Hate itself.
It
can
also be controlled by knowing that a Hate'
filled mind will bring a result which will be
one of suffering, and who would be foolish
enough to add to his misery intentionally!
Another method I have found very helpful
if none of the other methods work in ridding
of oneself of this horrible Hate, though I
to the Sutta Pitaka, Hatred is
classified under ninete.en forms such as
'This person has done me wtong', the same
for the present and the future. The same
for beloved relatives and friends. The next
three are, "This person was kind to my
enemies". (How dare they!) By so doing
they don't love 'me', are not loyal to 'me' !)
Always this famous "me" which in reality
does not exist? A very common cause for
rift, this, and the spreading of enmity instead
of metta, in the present and future. The
next nine are that so and so did not do me
a favour; the same for the present and future
and so on. The nineteenth form of Hatred
being resentment against an inanimate
don't think this is a very orthodox one, is
to have a sense of humour and to be able
to have a good old laugh at oneself when
angry; if possible, having a previously looked
at oneself at the mirror ! This dissolves it
quite rapidly I have found!
As long as there is Hate in us, there always
be found an object for that Hate although
most people think that they will be made
happy by the removal of the ofiending
object, but this is not so: in fact, it is
exacfly the reverse: once Hate itself is uprooted, there will be no object that can
offend. From the slightest frown or being
the least irritated by people or things to
murder, whether of the hot or cold variety,
is only a rnatter of degree: both spring
from the same root of Hate. But what is
object, such as the hammer when knocking
one's finger instead of the nail, or when
burning oneself on the kitchEn stove, all of
which is usually due to lack of mindfulness
anyhow!
The mind is the most cunning thing I know.
Again and again f say "Ha! I know you!
Up to your old tricks again !" Having been
t4
Hate? .Why
overwhelmed
-are rye sometimes completely
I ife is a losing battle right from the word,
by it?
'Go'. The sooner we realize this and cease
dissipating our energy in trying to put things
'right' the sooner will we begin to fight the
only battle which is worthwhile and the only
one which we can win ! The conquest of
self through seeing what it really is. Anatta
is the pivotal point of the Dhamma and this
measuring of oneself against others, this
ft can also happen that Hate lies smouldering and being deprived of an obiect and
lacking its normal fare, it will delire down
into memory and fish up as a tasty morsel
some past hateful obje-ct from there and
then proceed to have a good feast off that!
Another aspect of Hatels cruelty. This is
a really perverted state of Hate ai Hatred is
unpleasant and up-setting but cruelty gives
pleasure though of a terrifying kind,- aiO it
is this search for pleasure *neltner perverted
or otherwise that is the great drii'e which
leads us ever onwards thr-ough Samsara, so
those too highly charged wit[ Hate become
sadrsts, mental sadists and even masochists.
The Buddha says that the Hate-fllleAp"iio".
rt no worse bourn befalls him and he is
fortunate enough to be rebom a, a numan
being,-will be born ugly. Furthermore, he
say_s that_such a persoir should be treateO
wtth ndriterence by his fellow men, fearins
ne mrght curse them, abuse them or do theri
some injury.
endless and deadly self-reference which, in.
cidently, is the last
trated, there can be
Nibbana.
:():
no
realization of
r
Be seeing into the root of Hate itself, one
is clearing thd way for its final up-rooting,
and when one has seen into its roots and
understood sensuous lust for what it is, it
then becomes obvious why this and Hate
are uprooted simultaneously on attainment
of the
same path.
To find out what we are, or rather, what we
are not, is the most fascinating search I
know and the only advice I can give anyone
with a similar aim is that which I constantly
But all is not lost for the Hate types as this
for them is balance on the *nof.iri*" of"""
by intelligence and so while Hai;";;;r;;
the Tode of rejecting tiu-g U"i"er,;;;
s-tandmg occurs in the mode of rejecting
con_
ditioned states.
:{i
:s
of the fetters to go, is
the cause of most if not all our troubles and
until this characteristic has been fully pene;
give myself
:
DON'T WISH, JUST WATCH!
CHARACTER
t\-
ii
ii
"One's character is influenced by the example of a parent, a guardian or a close
associate. Life begets life in the moral as well u. ihe biological sphere. Moral
{i
i!
;i]
obeyed or his behaviour unquestioningly assimilated. We should remember
the Buddha's injunction in KAL,AMA surrA not to accept anything blindly
lF
:!t
iF
j,i
{F
3,i
,ii,
;;ffi-;;trilt
with slavish
or
attachment.
ji
:ii
skilful activity. Just 3t
life which is lived 3t
under intense moral exertion and flrm resolution for varying periods of time 3[
produces the jewel character which can shed a luminous glow in ihe darkest hour
i:
of trial and tribulation and which is capable of carving out a way to safety tt
out of danger, out of misery, out of disease."
ll
as the diamond which has been subjected
to
severe pressure, so
if
rrz
>:k
JL
--
-\t
.!,
15
T
ii
:ii
,,perfect
J'-
Health,,
-
;,|
-/t
Ihe Buddhist Contr!hutions to l{eo-Confucianism
and Taoism
By KENNETH CH'EN
NEO . CONFUCIANISM
As an intellectual movement Neo-Con'
fucianism drew the attention of the educated Chinese away from Buddhism back
to the Confucian classics. However, this
Neo-Confucianism was influenced by Buddhism in more ways than one. The Indian
religion had become so intimate a part of
the intellectual make-up of the Chinese that
it was impossible for the Sung thinkers to
give up Buddhism entirely. While the NeoConfucianists used terms found in the Confucian classics, they interpreted those terms
in the light of the dominant Buddhist atmosphere, and the Neo-Confucian system
would be incomprehensible to one not familiar with the prevailing Buddhist ideas of
the age.
In their advocacy of concentration of
mind the Neo-Confucianists also appear to
have been influenced by the Buddhists.
An example of this may be seen in
Chang Tsai's extension of the meaning of
jen to embrace all under heaven. It is
Neo-Confucianists
Buddhist mental discipline emphasizes,
among other things, mindfulness, medita-
tion, and equanimity. Ch'eng Hao stressed
these very things in his essay "Tranquility
in Human Nature!" He wrote that tranquility means quietness in time of activity
and inactivity, and that when the mind is
excited, it becomes overactive and falls
into uncertainty. He advocated concentrating the mind on one subject; when one does
this, he said, the mind is its own master,
will not fall prey to external influences, and
cannot be harmed by any enemy.
Li Ao to the Ch'eng brothers the
all had their say about
what constituted sagehood. Li Ao wrote
From
that a sage is enlightened when he is master
of his emotions. Ch'eng Yi also wrote that
the sage is enlightened when he is master
of his emotions. Ch'ng Yi also wrote that
the sage is one who controls his emotions of
joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, dislike, and
greed, and adjust his expression to the
principle of the golden mean. This Confucian preoccupation with sagehood was probably a response to the Buddhist emphasis
on the attainment of bodhisattvahood.
more than likely that in this extension the
Buddhist concepts of the universality of life
and the all-compassionate bodhisattva, ever
ready to save all sentient beings, played a
role.
Although the Neo-Confucian idealist
Lu Hsiangshan based his emphasis on the
mind on the Book of Mencius and the Great
Learning, one cannot escape the suspicion
that he was influenced by Buddhist, espe-
cially Ch'an, tenets. Indeed, Lu and his
chief disciple, Wang Yang-Ming (14721529), of the Ming Dynasty, were accused
by their opponents of being Buddhists in
disguise, this in spite of the fact that in a
letter to a friend Lu criticized Buddhism
severely for its selfishness and negation of
life. The Ch'an School, with its cardinal
There were also particular views held
by the Sung philosophers that might point
to Buddhist influence. For instance, Chu Hsi
held that any object contains within it the
suDreme undivided ultimate as well as the
pa?ticularizing principle which gives the
object its individual character. Such an idea
is close to the Hua-yen doctrine of interpenetration and intermutuality, the all in
one and the one in all. Shao Yung (1011
ln his cosmological speculations
- 1077)
a theory that at the end of an epoch,
had
which he said spanned 129,500 years, the
present world system would come to an
end, to be replaced by another. Chu Hsi
also shared in this view. Such an idea was
alien to the Chinese and was undoubtedly
influenced by the well-known fndian concept of aeons and recurring world systems.
tenet that this mind is the Buddha and that
this mind intuitively and instantly
knows
what is right and wrong without depending
upon external sources, very likely influenced
the thinking of Lu and Wang. It is interesting to note that the controversy which
of disraged within Buddhist circles
- that
with Chu
cussions of the Neo-Confucians,
Hsi representing the gradual rational
approach and Lu Hsiang-shan the intuitive
instantaneous approach.
16
While pointing out these influences of
Buddhism upon Neo-Confucianism, we must
not make the mistake of overestimating the
extent of such influences. Though the NeoConfucianists studied Buddhism and appropriated Buddhist ideas, the system which
they constructed was distinctly Chinese in
its emphasis on the reality of the pheno-
sources had been forthcoming. Meanwhile,
the Buddhist sutras were flowing into China
in a never-ending stream, inciting the envy
of the Taoists with their variety, scope, and
imagination. To the latter this was an inexhaustible supply from which they could
borrow and copy
exactly what the
Taoists did from the- fifth century on. So
menal world, the importance of the individual, and the value of social relations and
hasty and slipshod was this wholesale copy-
ing that the Taoists leJt behind numerous
traces of their unethical practice. fn general
it seemed that what the Taoist did was to
take over a Buddhist sutra and then substitute Lao-tzl for the word Buddha whenever it appeared, but very often the copyist
was not attentive enough to make all the
changes. Consequenfly, in some of the socalled Taoist works, we find such passages
as the following:
responsibilities. A fair verdict of history
would therefore be that in this movement
the Sung philosophers returned to their
native Confucian traditions via some excursions into the path of the Buddha.
BUDDHIST INFLUENCE ON TAOISM
Neo-Confucianism was not the only
system afiected by Buddhism; Taoism was
also subjected to its all-pervading influence.
Off all the teachings in the world, the
Buddha's teaching is foremost
During the Han Dynasty Buddhism was able
to gain a foothold on Chinese soil by allying itself closely with Taoism and borrowing
from it, but in later centuries it was the
Taoist turn to borrow from Buddhism.
(Hsi-sheng ching, Sutra on the Western
Ascent).
Our master is called the Buddha, who
follows the incomparable teaching
(Wen-shih-chuan, Biography of Wen-
To begin with, the Taoists never had
any idea of their system as a religion consisting of a body of doctrines and beliefs
left behind by a master and preserved in a
shih).
The host of saint and immortals have
corpus of literature. It was only after Buddhism had come in and gained widespread
already realned the way of the Buddha
acceptance that the Taoists took over from
the Buddhists the idea of a religion. Once
having made this initial appropriation, the
Taoists decided that they might just as well
go all the way imitating the foreign model.
Mystery).
(Tung-hsuan chen-i ching, Sutra on
the True Unity Which Penetrates
The most obvious of such borrowings
may be seen in the biographies of Lao-tzu
that appeared during the Sung Dynasty. In
First, the Taoists themselves admitted
that they borrowed the practice of making
statues and images from the Buddhists. The
first Taoist images of their deities appeared
about the middle of the fifth century-under
the Northern Wei Dynasty, with the deities
flanked on both sides by Taoist saints.
one of these biographies, the Yu-lung-chuan
(Biography of the One Who Resembles a
Dragon), we read that Lao-tzu was by issu-
ing forth from the left rib of the Holy
Mother, who was clinging to the branches
of the plum tree at the time. As soon as
he was born, he took nine steps and from
each footprint lotus flowers sprang forth. At
the time of his birth ten thousand cranes
hovered above in the skies, while nine
dragons spat forth water to bathe the newborn baby. After he was born, with his
left hand "pointing to heaven and his right
hand to earth, he uttered the cry that in
heaven and earth only the Tao was supreme.
Nine days after birth his body become
endowed with the seventy-two major and
eighty-one minor characteristics. The Holy
Mother, after giving birth to Lao tzu, then
mounted a jade chariot and in broad dayIight ascended to heaven.
It is in the field of literature that the
Buddhist contribution to Taoism is most
obvious. In the early stages of Taoism as a
religion it was a relatively simple matter
for the Taoists to build up a body of literature of their own. All they had to do was
to group together those works branded as
heterodox by the Confucians
on
- works exalchemy, divination, hygiene, breathing
ercises, and so forth
attribute these
- and
to the founder of their
religion Lao-tzu.
However, there was a limit to the supply
of such literature and the Taoists would
have faced a prolonged drought if no other
L7
conceived of chiefly as instructors and
saviours. One of these celestials was said to
have been eternally teaching and converting
people since the beginning of time. The
Buddhist concepts of Karma and rebirth
were likewise appropriated, as indicated in
the following passage:
It is perfectly clear that such a biography of Lao-tzu was nothing more than
a retouching of a Buddhist source, very
likely the LALITAVISTARA, with some
changes in proper names here and there.
Having built up their body of literature,
the Taoists then organized it into a canon
The Taoist saints since countless aeons
have all depended on the
in the past
merits of their past lives to attain to the
Tao of the present; they have without exception reached their present state through the
accumulation of mtrits derived from their
former careers.
modeled, as one would expect, after the Bud-
dhist Tripitaka. Consequently, the Taoist
canon now consists of three sections, with
each section then divided into twelve categories.
Certain concepts of the Buddhists were
also taken over by the Taoists. An example
of this was the concept of the bodies of the
Buddha. During the Period of Disunity the
Taoists had already developed the idea that
the supreme Tao, in order to instruct deities
This is in contrast with the earlier
Taoist doctrine of the transmission of
burden, according to which the merits and
demerits accrued by an individual were
manifested not in his future lives but were
passed on to descendants of later geqer-ations. Finally, the Buddhist concep of the
three worlds the world of desires, the
- and the formless world
world of forms,
was taken over IN TOTO by the Taoists.
and men in the world, from time to time
would assume a human form to perform
this function. The historic Lao-tzu was but
one of these incarnations. Such a Taoist
idea was undoubtedly based on the Buddhist
doctrine of the two bodies of the Buddha,
the DHARMAKAYA or the body
essence, which is the
of
only true and real body
This brief summary will suffice to show
how much the Taoist appropriated from the
of the Lord, and the NIRMANAKAYA or
body of transformation, which is the manifestation of the DI{ARMAKAYA on earth.
In imitation of the bodhisattva, the allloving and compassionate being, the Taoists
brought forth a class of transcendent beings
called T'IEN-TSUN, venerable celestials,
Buddhists
in
their views on
cosmology,
pantheon, literature, and doctrines. Instead
bf Taoism's swallowing up
Buddhism,
as
was feared at the end of the Han Dynasty'
the Taoists were themselves overwhelmed
by the Buddhists.
EARNESTNESS
ii
EARNESTNESS . . . . is one of the most dynamic of virtues. It consists in choosing self-development instead of pleasure as the principal aim in life. Those who
are lured by pieasure find their path ending in ennui, disease, stunted personality.
Earnest man's chief attribute is simplicity
;i
3t
i[
li
3.i
it
Simplicity is for the spirit what athletics are for the body. In many ways 3i
it is exhibited: in food and drink and dress. Earnest man dislikes expensive It
and stimulating dishes and he spends very little time on his food. The slave li
of food and drink will find difficult to achieve wisdom and virtue.
ii
"Riches, beauty, perfumes and jewels are no such adornments
as is right behaviour. True beauty and true happiness are
only to be found where right feelings have their home in the
heart."
;';
ii
]F
3i
:l;
3[
\rLrr-iL-tL-g-rL{rru
18
T1lE Il{lPACT OF BtlOD}lI$lvl Ol{ tlllE$TIRII YOUTll
by
DR. BUDDHADASA P. KIRTHISINGHE
The Beatles, epitomising at the time the
longings of millions of young people, became
involved with Asian religions of non-JudeoChristian traditions. Just as young people
Path, which admonishes the Buddhist to
a righteous way of life based on
right understanding, avoiding the extremes
of sensuality on one hand and self-mortification on the other.
choose
have become disillusioned and are rebelling
against current social ideas and morals, some
have now turned away even from other
Buddhism is
Asian religions to adopt the simple way of
life of
fn
Buddhism.
teaches
One of the Buddha's exhortations is: "Take
ye refuge unto yourself, be your own salvation, and with earnestness and right resolve,
karma), a man makes his own decision
whether to be free or shackled, said the
Buddha. Significantly, the Buddha even
advised men not to accept the very teachings
of Buddhism unless they found them reasonable; this was the advice he gave to the
Kalamas.
Clearly, in a world of change and turmoil,
many young people find an expression of
their own aspiration in something that the
Buddha said more than two thousand five
hundred years ago:
his king-
- even his
dom, palace, wealth, power and
wife-to move out among men, high and
low, rich and poor, carrying only a begging
bowl and a change of clothing. It is a
simplicity with a strong appeal to Western
Youth today.
No man is noble by birth
No man is ignoble by birth
Man is only noble by his own action
Man is only ignoble by his own
of
practising Buddhism is to
achieve enlightenment and deep satisfaction
in this life; it does not look particularly to a
future life, although it does not discount
that as a hypothesis. The Buddhist observes
that there is much of savagery in every one
of us, that we have cravings that lead to
hate, fear and greed, all in turn producing
unhappiness, grief and sotrow. The existence
of these evils is recognised in the Four
Noble Truths, the last of which offers a
practical solution to remove suftering. The
msthod is described in the Noble Eightfold
The aim
with the
fear and coercion; and if he unfolds his inmate potentialities without doing harm to
any living creature. Through his actions (or
work out your own salvation." It is not
hard to see why this vision of man's duty
should appeal to young men and women
no longer ready to regard as sacrosanct the
mixed standards of a technological society
glown out of religious and theistic concepts.
To the youn& Buddhism may appeal simply
because it is more philosophical than religious. The life of a Buddhist monk or nun
is patterned on the great renunciation of
Prince Siddhartha, who later became the
Enlightened One
the Buddha. Prince
- everything
Siddhartha renounced
agreement
the individual, as well as equality arnong
men. Likewise in Buddhism, a man strives
to live unhampered by prejudices of class
and caste. Buddhistically, a person is considered to be truely free if he lives without
to
other religions, Buddhism
man to rely on himself for salvation.
contrast
in perfect
democratic way of life. Democracy upholds
the principle of freedom and the dignity of
action.
Racial difierences are unknown in the history
of Buddhism; so are caste distinctions, and
social revolutions accompanied by violence.
The Indian Buddhist Emperor Asoka gave
up warfare after victory-the only leader
in history ever to do so. In his Outline of
History, H. G. Wells writes of him:
Amidst the tens and thousands of names
of monarchs that crowd the columns of
history, their majesties and graciousness and
19
substituted the theory of evolution' BudAtrism nnOs no quarrel with such a hypothesis. It maintains that there are innumerable worlds such as ours, that they appear
and reappear; there is no need for the assu'
mptions of fanciful mYthologies.
serenities and Royal Highnesses and the
like, the name of Asoka shines, and shines
From Volga to
almost alone
- a star.
Japan his name is still honoured. China'
TiLet and'even fndia, though it has left his
doctrine, preserve the traditions of his greatness. More living men cherish his memory
today than ever heard the name's of
Buddhism has always worked through peace '
ul nersuasion, through enlightenment, knor'r'
tedse. tindness, consideration for others -
f
Constantine and Charlemagne."
itself may help us to understand
its appeal to youth in the mid-seventies of
this centurY.
*fri"fi
Science has shaken the belief that the world
was the creation of a personal God and has
i"
AIJ$TRAIIAil BtlODllIST$ PARIICIPAIE
III IOUCATIOIIAL
PR0JECT: A[I$TRALIA
national $oups will create or contribute
to friendlier ielationshiPs'
new pattern of religious studies conducted by departmental teachers is already
A
being iniroduced in Tasmania and South
Australia. The Russell Report on Religious
Education in State Schools (in Victoria,
Melboume) recognises religion as a major
influence in human society and has rejected
a denominational or confessional approach
to religious education. The Report gives no
place for indoctrination by particular groups'
to nrovide a definitive resource texttoof in the Buddhist sects in Australia'
*iih ttt" co-operation of the leaders of
such sects.
to nublish a
concensus statement for
of Australian Teachers
*tto "-ay be involved in teaching about
^
the guidance
Buddhism
In view of this recent invitation, John D.
Hughes, Dip. App. Chem. T.T.T.C., has
applied for a grant from the Schools Comfot
mission Innovation Program 1977
Boronia Technical School in Victoria- to
launch a project for the reduction of racial
prejudices through the co-operation of
various Buddhist groups in Australia. In
in
schools'
Buddhist gror4)s
in Australia include
those of Chines6, Ja^panese, Tibetan and Thai
oriein. Since it is unlikely that most nativeboin Australians and the majority of the
reduce racial prejudice, to be offered
as an elective at the school to which he
namely Boronia
has been appointed
Technical School. -
misrant ^any,
oooulation of Australia have l'rad
factual knowledge of Budif
littTe,
dhism, it s#ms likely that racial attitudes
towards Buddhists can arise. By teaching
factual material of the 'way of life' of different national groups involved in Buddhism
in Australia, the categorical definition of a
'whole group' can be broken down because
the individual differences within the different
sects can be seen.
to test the efiectiveness of such an experience in term of an implicit and
often explicit assumption that information about the 'way of life' of different
Readers wishing to contribute any ideas
exchange views on the above program
may write to: John D. Hughes, 33 Brooking
Street, Upwey 3158, Victoria, Australia).
brief (summary), his aims are:
to
design an educational experience to
or
20
Ven.
Mahinda-
Tb{I]DDtrilTNqT NqTOXRY
In the country of Tibet
properties, but now I am laughed at by my
family, and my daughter-in-law are ashamed
of my old-age and fraility. They have hid-
there once lived an
old weaver who had numy sons. Day-in and
day-out he worked away at his weavingloom and never once gave a thought to the
meaning of his life, nor to life in general.
Even though he was concerned only with
superficialities, and now and then it did
occur to him that no end of his labour
could be seen. Everyday he began his work
afresh, and everyday he carried on spinning.
During the course of his life he had grown
quite rich, and to his many sons he had
given wives of good families, so that his clan
flourished with many children.
den me away in this garden where they may
not see me, and I live here quite alone,"
While he spoke thus, the old man's tears
flowed.
The monk felt great pity for him and said:
you are weeping so bitterly about this
minor misfortune, how much more will you
moan and lament if you fall into an unhappy
"If
rebirth? All your life you have been concerned only with superficial and material
things, and you have not layed up the more
precious treasures of the mind. You are
paying for that bitterly now, and after death
you will turn around for a long time in the
One day the weaver's beloved wife died,
and when, at the age of eighty-nine, he became too feeble to prepare his own food,
his many daughters-in-law prepared his
meals in turn. When, in his frailty, the old
man came tottering along to his children's
homes, other people (as well as his children
and their servants) used to laugh at him and
cycle of rebirths. Your present unhappiness
is due to your own actions, and yet you
unjustly blame your children."
ridicule him as the rich old man to whom
all his money was no longer of any use.
Then his daughters-in-law felt it unpleasan{
and troublesome when the old man called
at their houses; it spoiled their joy of life
and harmed the family's good reputation.
At last they decided to build a small hut of
reeds in one of their gardens for the old
weaver, where he could live quietly, while
they continued to send him his meals in
turn. They all found this solution quite
reasonable, and soon the old man moved
into his litfle hut in the garden of his eldest
The old man sighed: "O yes, venerable sir,
alas, you are quite
death
the
here whom
I
I
left on the following morning he was able
to apply himself diligently thereafter in the
meditations {hat had been explained to him.
All the time that hitherto he had spent in
sleeping and dreaming and bewailing his
fate, he now used to advantage. He no
longer felt bitter and sad when his daughtersin-law dropped and hint that he was nothing
brought up and fed and for
selected suitable wives. Once
the owner and master of all these
f
I
listened very carefully and soon grasped the
meaning of it, so that although his teacher
am the father of all these many children
whom
!"
The old man was startled, and when he
for instruction the monk advised him
to develop meditation on the transiency of
of all sensuous existence and on its unsatisfactory and void nature. The old man
night. The monk replied that his vows did
not allow him to spend the night with laypeople in the house, but that he could stay
in the garden. When the old weaver saw
the lights of the lamps coming into the
garden, he came out of his little hut to inquire who had arrived, and the visitor told
him that he was a Buddhist monk. When
the monk in return asked the old man who
he was, the weaver told him: "O venerable
I
I was young
asked
son's house and was received with rich almsfood as well as an invitation to spend the
sir,
When
The monk replied, "I know that remedy;
can get it for you."
son.
Not long after this, a monk came to
right.
and had the chance to purify my mind, I
failed to do so; and now that I am old and
need so much to feel a little satisfaction and
joy, I am unable to work for it. O, what
I need is a remedy against old-age and
but a useless old man whom they all had to
feed, he accepted their words quietly forgave
was
them
large
2L
in his heart. For twelve years, he
to the .conclusion that
must have been ghosts.
matter and came
devoted himself to meditation in the garden
hut and accumulated a store of virtue and
it
merit that was incomparably larger than his
wealth in money and property; but because
Next morning, however, when they again
went into the garden, they found to their
surprise that the old man was quite hale
to his daughter-in-law these spiritual things
were quite foreign, they failed to notice any
change in him.
and hearty, and that his features glowed and
radiated an inner serenity. He did not tell
them of his inner experiences since he lack
the ability to instruct others, but from now
on many people who had heard of that
wondrous happening, came to see him, for
even just the sight of him was enough to
One day the families of the old man
a great festival, and only late
at night did one of his daughters-inJaw
remember that they had not taken any
food to him. Feeling great remorse, she
went into the garden with some food, and
surprised to find the litfle hut ablaze with
light. Wondering what it could be, she
approached, and through the window saw a
group of fifteen deities shinning in celestial
glory, waiting upon the old man with great
respect. Seeing this, she at once ran back
to the house to fetch the others, but from
what she told them they only gathered that
the old man must be dead. When they all
came to the garden and saw the deities
they were very frightened and quickly turned
back to the house, where they discussed the
celebrated
move and benefit them all. He became
known as the 'Guru Tantri', and many of
his visitors were encouraged to return again
to their religion and were later born in
heavenly worlds. The old man, who had
once appeared quite useless and a burden
to everyone, thus became the spiritual guide
of the whole district. At the age of more
than a hundred yeaqs the old weaver finally
passed away, and his family, together with
the whole township mourned him for many
days.
(From the Tibetan Tang'an retold by Di.
H.
Hecker).
SECTION ON ACTION
He who is energetic in good actions, earnest clever, and has his functions well
managed, can have a position in governmental service.
ff
a man should do wrong, let him not do again nor take pleasure
in it, for painful
is the accumulation of evil.
He who, in spite of others' benefit, has no
sense
of gratitude, can
never find
again in time of need.
Beings dread punishment and fear death. Comparing himself with others, a man
should not
kill nor let kill.
(KAMMAVAGGA)
22
An inside focus in and around the world
by Ven. Dhommosiri
(BUDDHIST MONKS' TRAINING CENTRE, KUALA LUMPUR)
HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIP: CAPE TOWN
A
RECENT commendable development
cumently taking place in Cape Town, a
somewhat remote and distant cry finally
reaches this part of the shore. Once again
it poses a critical re-examination of the
human-animal relationship that many of
us take for granted in our everyday living.
Evel if we are concerned, for our
reasons, our convictions are
Perhaps the time has long passed that man
remained passive and ignorant to the active
few, who continuouly exploited these animals
for their selfish gains. It is time that the
world at large wake up from its slumber,
for it cannot afford to rest at its lourels anv
Ionger.
selfish
strong
enough to put it into concrete actions. Many
shelved
away, again for selfish motives,
The time is ripe for each and every individual, particularly Buddhist groups and
it
organizations to take an active part, a concerted effort in assisting individuals, groups
or organizations to promote a feeling Jt on"ness with fellow creatures. For too long
the historical account of the human-animal
relationship has had been a trial of blood.
regard the issue as unimportant and trivial
in relation to their other primary
concem.
While others not only ignored the issue, they
blatantly transgressed the principle of non-
violence towards animals by senselessly
killing them to satisfy their hatred, anger
At its beginning, animals were killed for
sacrificial offering, today, the killings continue, except modern man has cooked up
and greed.
In a recent
publication entitled, 'METTA',
and also incidently its first, it made no
apologies and compromises in revealing the
ugly truth about the horror of human
cruelties against the animal world. Its sole
objective is unquestionably a noble and
worthy one. fts message is also an appeal.
It is an appeal to each and every one of us,
new justifications all in the name of materia-
Iistic progress.
Metta made no hesitation in exposing the
hypocrisy and double standards -ot f,i-un
activities. While various governments set
up sanctuaries and national parks for
as conscientious 'human beings' to search
onr conscience, and to raise our consciousness of universal loving kindness towards
the animal kingdom. It is undoubtedly a
meaningful message that it is time to explode the myth, 'that the universe was
brought into existence solely for man, his
animals, the motive is nonethelesi questionable. Either that it serves as a recieational
or
-
convenience and enjoyment.'
the medical, industrial, commerical. pharmal
ceutical and cosmetic fields.
The birth of 'Metta' is not an ordinary protest that could be easily muffled to silence.
In
It is a 'lion's roar' by a few dedicated and
atrocious destruction of animals in the com-
a rich
South Africa alone, Metta revealed, a
staggering number amounted to a million
helpless creatures have been killed a year,
compassionate persons, denunciating the
mercial
it
location,
that would attract sreat
numbers of tourists to boost up their forEignearnings. Governments thloughout ltre
world continue to close both eyes
legalised
cruelty in the experiments conducted imidst
a 'hush-hush' atmosphere within and among
to further the senseless interests of man.
of mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, baboons, monkeys hive been
world. Metta, itself is an avenue,
Thousands
store-house of truthful information
subjected to lengthy investigation and research by dedicated professional volunteers.
It not only helps to keep the public aware
of the many cruel practices which take place
daily, it also assist any organization in any
campalgn against any cruelty to any sentient
being in any part of the world.
by commercial industrial experiments. Metta appeals to the
world to stop buying commerical products
like hairsprays, lipsticks, where thousands
and thousands of dogs and rabbits have been
killed during the course of their experiments
urinmercilessly desroyed
of new porducts.
L-'l
in Pali, is certainly in need of funds to carry
,on its wottry cause. Let us remember that
it is not just a Cape Town's battle against
the cruelties towards animals, this human
Perhaps one may say, 'It is quite impossible
ruot to utilise something commercially manu-
factured that has iu one way or other not
of animals!' To
contributed to the death
that Metta answers: oNumerous products
are animal - suffering free' while
mental sickness inflicted upon animals is
take the
happening everywhere
- if we
trouble to find out, even possibly within a
stone's throw awaY.
ryany
household products are cruelly tested on
animals. Sind us your name and address
and name the partii:ular products in which
vou are interested. We will investigate it
ind give you the results.'
It
is a responsibility every 'human' should
shoulder, and need not necessarily confine
to Buddhists or other religious labels. We
At this iuncture, let us recall the coments
of a renbwned prolific Buddhist writer, the
need not be reminded that this task demands
a great degree of human conviction to implement this humane cause, especially -!ud-
who raises the followlate
- Francisfn Story
onsof his writings, he asked,
ing queries.
dhist missionaries thoughout this world to
take this opportunity, it is hoped to 'practise'
(not merely- lip service)' the Buddha's attithat animals should
tudes towaid animals
and undergreat
sympathy
with
be treated
'WoutO the majority of human beings be
much better than animals, if all restraints
of fe.ar were removed? Are not most of
man's moral rules only devices for holding
society together in the interests of mutual
securiiy? Is not man the only being who
kills
unnecessarily,
standing.
for mere amusements?
All
He continued, 'Buddhism takes into full
account the animals' latent capacity for
affection, heroism and self-sacrifice. There
is in Buddhism more sense of kinship with
the animal wodd, a more intimate feeling
of oommunity with all that lives, than is
found in Westem religious thought. And
this is not a matter of sentiment, but is
rooted in the total Buddhist concept of life.
It is an esssntial part of a grand and all
embracing philosophy which neglects no
aspects of experience, but extends the coucept of personal evolution to all forms of
sentient lifc.'
those interested, please write to:
.METTA'
P. O. Box 6728,
Roggebaai 8012,
CAPE TOWN.
Comments
and opinions are
Address them to
:
welcomed:
-
'Ven. Dhammasiri.
'Voice of Buddhism'.
Buddhist MissionarY SocietY,
Buddhist TemPle, Jalan Berhala,
Brickfields, Kuala LumPur 09 - 06'
The name of the publication, 'METTA', sc
appropriately named, means lovingkindness,
MalaYsia.
Buddhist Meditation
(IN THEORY & PRACTICE)
ti.
bY
:(i
'!\-
li
:q
ii
-r,
vEN. (DR.) p.
PAPERBACK Ms7.oo
1i
vAJTRANANA
.ii
:{i
ai
'NAYAKA
Hord Cover
us$3,00
ii
-ii-
>):<
ht,
Poges
THERA
M$12.00
us$
500
Postoge
:(i
24
5.2o
Extro.
li
ii.|,
-ii
ii
:li
It
t*
%uCcll4tot tYlewo
ESTA,BLISHMENT OF AN INTER.
NATIONAL BUDDHIST INSTITUTE IN
SRI
With the enthusiastic support of a number
of leading Bhikkhus and lay Buddhist
leaders and scholars in the island, the Institute was inaugurated on 25th March, l97l
at Paramadhamma Chetiya Piriven Vihara
in Ratmalana A suitable site with the
necessary buildings, in close proximity to
the Vihara had been selected to house the
project. It was officially gazetted as a
charitable Buddhist Institute on llth May,
LANKA
The warm reception that was accorded to
the Venerable Kirinde Sri Dhammananda
Nayaka Thera on his return to Sri Lanka in
October 1976, had given him great inspiration and encouragement to ernbark on yet
another lofty step in his missionary career.
1977.
His 25 years of Buddhist missionary service,
in Malaysia, had provided him with
greater insights to the urgent need of a
A
nucleus of young local monks have been
for the Institute and they are undergoing an intensive English Language course.
The Institute is now seeking students from
various parts of the world.
based
selected
dhammaduta centre which could provide the
necessary facilities and training for the
proper understanding and disernination of
the Buddha Dhamma, especially amongst the
English-speaking Buddhist communities
throughout the world.
Apart from the Canonical Studies (i.e. the
TRIPITAKA) in its original Pali and Sanskrit traditions, Doctrinal Studies, Buddhist
On February 26,1977 the Venerable left for
Sri Lanka to initiate the establishment of the
Institute which he had cherished for a long
Culture and Civilisation, Comparative Religion Languages and Social Studies, the Institute will also offer a course in Applied Buddhism which includes Meditation, the development of teaching techniques and oratory
time.
Itrauguralion
of the Paramadhamma
Br.rddhist Institute on 25th March, 1977
Ittotograph shows the Founder Director of the Institute, Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka
Thera lighting the traditional oil lamp at the Main Shrine of the Paramadhamma Chetiya
Piriven vihara. Looking on are ven. P. Soratha Maha Thera (The Dean of studiei):
V-en. Mahinda_(pupil of Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Thera); Ven. M. Wipulasaia
Maha Thera (Deputy Director) and Ven. B. Dhammaratana Thera (Registrar).
z5
skills, Paritta chanting and other related
field of studies. The rnedium of instruction
will be mainly in English'
Sri Lanka and abroad, the Institute will
grow and be able to satidfy the spiritual
Initially, the Institute will only provide
a 3 to 5 years Full Term course to student
monks. Short term intensive courses, semi:
nars and forums for monks as well as for
the laity will be offered at a later stage.
Buddha.
It is
ihirst of the many through the proper understanding of the Sublime Teachings of the
Those requiring further information, please
write to:
The Registrar, Paramadhamma Buddhist
Institute,
that keen and genuine
from various parts of the world
envisaged
students
41, Lumbini Avenue, Pirivena Road,
Ratmalana, (Mt. Lavinia) SRI LANKA.
would take this opportunity to enrol for the
full term course and receive proper guidance
OR, The Director,
Buddhist Monks' Training Centre,
Budhist Ternple, 123, lalan Berhala,
Brickflelds, Kuala Lumpur 09 - 06, Malaysia.
and training at the Institute.
Ii
is also hoped that through the assistance,
morally and financially frorn the people of
Ven. Mirisse Pannasiri Maha Thera and Ven. Ampitiye Mangala Thera.ieading--the student
monks from the Main Siitin. fluit of th. Putu-adhamma-Chetiya Piriven Vihara after
rcligious service.
dent), Rev. Seiko Masubuchi (Japan). Mr.
Khoo Leong Hun (Malaysia, Vice-President)
and Mrs. Mallika Chalarak (Asst. Secretary
THE WORLD FELLOWSHIP OF
BUDDHIST - "lzlh World Conference
H.S.H. Princess Poon Pismai Diskul, the
President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB), presided at the 18th meeting
of the WFB Executive Council held at The
Keio Plaza Inter-Continental Hotel in
Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday 27st May, 1977.
The other mernbers present were Mr. Prasert
Ruangskul (the Secretary General), Mr.
Sunau Miyabara (U.S.A., Vice-President),
Mr. Teh Thean Choo (Malaysia, Vice-Presi-
General).
The most important item in the agenda for
deliberation by the Council was in respect
of porblems connected with the l2th W.F.B.
General Conference to be hosted by the
Japan W.F.B. Regional Centre as represented by the Japan Buddhist Federation.
In this connection, the W.F.B. Executive
Council met members of the Japan Budar
dhist Federation Preparatory Committee
headed by His Holiness Hossu Kocho
Ohtani, the JBF President and assisted by
Rev. Seiko Masubuchi as the Secretary
General, with eleven other representatives.
His holiness Hossu Kocho Ohtani in extending a warm welcome to the members of the
W.F.B. Executive Council stated that the last
General Conference held in Japan was in
1952, at a time when Japan was in the process of rehabilitation. He added that
although Japan had enjoyed its last fifteen
years or reconstruction, most Japanese had
forgotten about Buddhism, forsaking it for
their own material gains, hence the suggestion to hold the next conference in Japan
would be a timely one to help in ihe
strengthening of the spirit of Buddhism in
tion Preparatory Committee are going about
in their tremendous organisational efforts
in preparing for the big world event. The
following extract from the Editorial in
"Young East" New Series Vol. 2 Spring
1976, speaks for itself:
"The Japan Buddhist Federation, the Regional Centre of the World Fellowship
of Buddhist in Japan, called for the unanimous concensus of Japanese Buddhists
and their denominations concerning the
hosting of the next World Buddhist Conference in Japan. The blue print was
underlined by the International Affairs
Committee of the Japan Buddhist Federation which includes commemorative
projects, such as the building of the Japan
Buddhist Federation Headquarters evenlgally to be situated at Tokyo Hongwanji
Temple; the inauguration of the International Congress of Buddhist scholars;
and the establishment of an fntemational
Buddhist Exchange Fund.
Japan.
At
the Joint Meeting, His Holiness also indicated that the 12th W.F.B. General Confe-
rence would be held in Japan from lst
October to 6th October, 1978. The Conference-proper will be staged in Tokyo whilst
session will-be held in Kyoto.
4_"
The"l_o.i"g
Japan Buddhist Federation will look
after the board and lodging expenses of all
accredited delegates and observers
durins
the tenure of ttrl conference- gu"f, Wlf'.g:
Regional Centre is expected to nominaiea
maximum of two delegates and three
observers to the Conference. Apart fronr
It no doubt requires large sum of money,
trme and manpower to realise all these,
and many obstacles and difficulties will
need to be surmounted along the way.
However, with the full use of energies
and facilities which Japanese Buddhists
and their denominations cherish, we firmly
believe that Japan can safely host the
the conference proper, the preparaiory Com-
next conferencg and show to the world
the-competence and ability of Japanese
*
Buddhists, who can share the international responsibility for the building of
world peace through Buddhism."
mittee would also be making arrangements
fo the delegates and observers to viJit leading Buddhist Temples in Japan and other
places
of interest.
TEH THEAN CHOO
The Jo4t- Meeting also agreed that leading
personalities from other co-religionists bd
invited to attend the forthcoming General
Conference
to promote closer intei-faith
operation for the peace of the world.
It
co-
is with regret that we learnt of the
recent illness of Princess Poon Pismai
Diskul, President of the W.F.B. She
was warded in the King RanM General
On the subject of official intimation of
the 12th General Conference, it was decided
that the initial official announcement would
bemade by the Headquarters of the W.F.B.
in Bangkok under the signature of the President, hincess Poon .Disrnai Diskul. This
will be followed in due course by official
Hospital
for
treatment
thrombosis.
of
cerebral
On behalf of the
Buddhists in
Mr. Teh The,qn Choo, wtN,
executive Council member ol the
W.F.B., paid a briel visit to Bangkok
in mid October, specially to pay
respects to H.S.H. Princess Poon
M,alaysi,a,
invitations to be sent out by the W.F.B.
Japan Buddhist Federation.
Pismai Diskul.
'We
!_t-g aqticipated that the forthcoming 12th
WFB General Conference to be treta in
Japan will be an epoch.making conference,
judging from the keeness and enthusiasm
that members of the Japan Buddhist Federa-
fervently hope that she will soon
recover from her illness and resume
the onerous duties as President of
the World Fel{owship ol Buddhists.
27
WESAK
'77
CELEBRATIONS
Wesak Day was officially celebrated on
a declared Public
Monday, 2hd May
holiday in Malaysia. Most of the Buddhist temples and organisations in the country have organised special
programmes for this thrice sacred occasion
commemorating the Birth, Enlighteument
-and Passing Away of the Br"rddha.
Besides the usual float and candle-light procession and various other traditional and
devotional religious practices, there has also
been a growing awareness amongst our Bud-
dhist communities towards greater participation in welfare and educational activities.
Visits to charitable and welfare homes and
the distribution of gifts to the inmates have
become regular features of Wesak Celebrations, especially in Kuala Lumpur and
Penang, where a number of Buddhist
Temples and organisations have got together
to form Joint Wesak Celebration Committee.
Blood donation campaign is yet another
charitable project which is fast catching on
to various Buddhist organisations.
The Chairman of the K.L. Joint Wesak
Mr. Ng Ban Onn, PJK,
lookine on as the BMS Ladies Section's Chairman, Mrs. C. E. Lim cheered up the orphans'
Celebration Committee,
countries depicting Buddhist Culture and its
civilisation 6ave indeed contributed towards
amongst the R-uddhist
greater participation
-Other
educational projects indommunities.
clude various competitions such as Bud-
Educational projects such as,Buddhist Expothe display of Budsitions
- which includes
dhist publications,
Buddhist art and posters,
as well as Dhamma talks and discussions
dhist Quiz, Chanting Competition (in Pali
and Chinese), Hymn singing. Elocution Contests, Buddhist Art and Essay writing con-
have made this year's Wesak Celebrations
more
lively. The introduction of
tests.
Tlre Wesak 1977 Celebrations was well
covered by the mass media
- the local
colour
strides on the life of the Buddha and documentary films from various Buddhist
presses,
radio and television.
Tun Tan Siew Sin, SSM, JP, (on the extreme Right) joined in the visit to the
Leper Settlement at Sungei Buloh.
The group rvere well received with a lion dance.
28
organised a grand five-mile long procession
In KUAL,A LUMPUR, the Joint Wesak
through the town.
Celebration Comrnittee, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Ng Ban Onn Plr, comprised of representatives from five Buddhist
organisations, namely, the Buddhist Missionary Society, the Sasana Abhiwurdhi
Wardhana Society, the Selangor Buddhist
Association, the Chetawan Buddhist Temple
and Hoeh Beng Temple. Through their
joint efiorts, a very successful donation
campaign had been launched. A two-day
rveekend programme had also been organised, visiting altogether nine welfare homes,
including those for the aged, orphanages,
home for the retarded and handicapped
childrens as well as the Leper Settlement
at Sungei Buloh. Members and devotees
from various Buddhist organisations together
with their youth groups participated in the
distribution of gifts.
The youths who came along to cheer up the
chidren
thousands of devotees
in the city, and without exception, the Buddhist Temple in
Brickfields became one of the centres of
On Wesak Day,
Orphanage
- with gifts aml
In Malacca, a similar event of a grand float
procession was organised by the Seck Kia
Eenh (Malacca Buddhist Association).
Various Buddhist societies from schools,
thronged the temples
attraction. There was a marked increase
in the number of devotees who came to the
temple to observe the Eight Precepts. There
were about one hundred and eighty of them
-
at the
songs.
including the Muar Buddhist Society, participated in the procession.
young and old.
of the Buddhist Societies, devotees
and well-wishers brought vegetarian food as
'dana' or almsfood for the monks and those
devotees observing 8 precepts, in the early
Mernbers
morning and forenoon. Blessing services
rvere conducted at intervals in the mair-r
shrine hall, while dhamma discussions and
meditation session were held in the International Buddhist Pagoda. The highlights of
the day's celebrations ended in a simple
candlelight and float procession in the
evening.
In PENANG, apart from the individual
celebrations
of various temples, an elaborate
programme had been drawn
out by
the
Penang Wesak Celebrations Committee,
under the Chairmanship of Mr. Khoo Leong
Hun, rp., prt. A Buddhist Exposition Week
(26th April to lst lvlay) consisting of the display of Buddhist Publications from various
parts of the world, filrn shows and dhamma
talks and rneditation sessions, were organised
throughout the period. Besides visits to
charitable homes and organisations, a blood
donation carnpaign and various competitions, the Celebration Committee had also
home as part
29
of the Wesak Celebration
In IPOH, a Buddhist ExPosition was
for the first tirne by
the Y.B.A.M. Perak State Liaison Committee. Dhamma talks, slide shows, display
successfully organised
of Buddha images and posters and Buddhist
publications were part of the activities conducted.
In KLANG, besides their own religious and
charitable activities, a Buddhist Exposition
was similarly held by the Klang and Coast
Buddhist Association.
Apart from tlre
above-mentioned - places.
thbre were also many other temples and
organisations, throughout the country, which
had taken part in the Wesak '77 Celebrations.
ANNUAL PRIZE.GIVING DAY
The Annual Prize-Giving Day of the BudIVlaOam Araglyawalrna presenllng
School children.
dhist Institution (Sunday Dhamma School)
was held crn Sunday, 3rd July, 1977 at the
to the Dhamma
Lumpur.
Director of Education, Selangor
The Principal, Venerable H. Hemasiri Thera,
B.A., presented the Annual School Report
and thanked all the voluntary Dhamma
School teachers for their valuable services.
He also expressed his gratitude to all those
who have supported thE Dhamma School in
in one way or anothl.
cash or kind
P.G.D. Hendry.
Buddhist Temple, Brickfields,
Kuala
tne
prlzes
Mr. Tan
of the
Teik Beng, KI\{N, pKr. the President
Mr. Teh
Buddhist Missionary Society
of the
Thean Choo, auN, and the President
Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society, Mr.
Presentation of plizes were made by Madam
Alagiyawanna and Mr. Tan Teik Beng made
the presentation of the Y.M.B.A. (Colombo)
-
The gathering was also addressed by the
and the Malaysian Buddhist Examination
Syndicate certificates to all the successful
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka
Thera, the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka
in Malaysia, Dr. K.L.V. Alagiyawanna, the
candidates.
The Principal, Ven.
H. Hemasiri Thera presented the Annual School Report.
30
ANNUAL BLESSING SERVICE
,,MAHA PIRITH PINKAMA''
JOINTLY sponsored
Both of them, pupils of the Venerable
Dhammananda Nayaka Thera, are
presently undergoing training at the Buddhist Monks' Training Centre at the premises of the Brickfields Buddhist Temple,
Kuala Lumpur.
K. Sri
by the SASANA
ABHIWURDHI WARDHANA SOCIETY
and the BUDDHIST MISSIONARY
SOCIETY, an all-night vigil in the chanting
of Sutras and Parittas was held on Saturday,
27th AugusI, 1917, as part of the Annual
Blessing Service and in conjunction with
Malayia Independence Day
- invoking
Blessings upon the King and Malaysia,
be-
MORE DHAMMA SESSIONS
nefactors, devotees and well-wishers.
The chanting ceremony
FOR
BUDDHIST SOCIETIES IN
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
An increasing number of students from
various tertiary educational institutions
throughout Malaysia have continued to show
keen interest in the study and practice of
the Buddha Dharnma.
commenced at
8 p.m. and ended at 6 a.m. the following
morning. A large crowd attended the ceremony which was conducted by both the
Thai and Sinhalese Bhikkhus.
One of the new developments have been
the formation of Buddhist Societies at the
Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC)
and at the Specialists' Teachers Training
Institrrte (STTI), both in l(uala T umour.
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE MONKS'
TRAINING CENTRE
The Higher Ordination (UPASAMPADA)
Samanera Dhammasiri (on the right) and Samanera Sirinanda (on the left) receiving
lheir higher Ordinaticn under the Preceplorsl-rip of Ven. Pandit Pemaratna h4aha T|eral
of Samanera Sirinanda from (Ipoh) and
Lectures, religious discussions coverSamanera Dhammasiri (from Kuala
ing various aspects of Buddhism, and mediLumpur) took place on Sunday, 28th
tation sessions have been conducted at
August, 1977, at the International Buddhist
various centres, including, the University of
Pagoda, Brickfields Buddhist Temple, Kuala
Malaya, Agriculture University, University
Lumpur.
of Technology, in Kuala Lumpur, and the
Science University in Penang. Similar actiThey received their UPASAMPADA
vities have been organised by the Buddhist
under the Preceptorship of Venerable
Societies of various Teachers' Training ColPandit Pemaratna Maha Thera, the Chief
leges (Kuala Lurnpur):
Tea- the Day
Monk of Mahindarama Temple, Penang.
chers' Training College, Technical
Teachers
31
Training College and the Specialists Teachers Training Institute.
Regular weekly talks and Dhamma sessions
l"rave also been conducted
Abdul Rahman
at the
Tunktt
College.
Most of the lectures and discussions have
been conducted by the Ven. K.
Sri
Dhammananda Nayaka Thera and assisted
by Ven. Mahinda and Ven. Dhammasiri,
both of the Buddhist Monks' Training
Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
B.IVI.S. LADIES SECTIOI\I RAISE
FI,'ND FOR PARAMADHAMMA
BTJDDHIST INSTITUTE
A Fund-raising Vegetarian
Dinner,
of the Ladies
Section
under the Chairmanship
Beng, Vice-Fresident
Mrs. Tan Teik Beng addressing the crowd (below)
and thanking them for making the Fund-raising
of Mrs. Tan Teik
Vegetarian Dinner
a success.
of the Buddhist Missionary Society, was
organised on Saturday, lst October, 1977
at the Girl Guides Association Hall in
Brickficlds" Kuala Lumpur.
This fund-raising project was held in
aid of the newly established Paramadhamma Buddhist trnstitute (FBI) in Sri
Lanka. The Most Venerable K. Sri
Dhammananda Nayaka Thera, Founding
l)irector of the Institute was also
to address the gathering
present
attended by more
than eight hundred members
and
wishers
well-
of various Buddhist organisations in
Kuaia Lumpur, including the Karma Kagyu
Dharma Centre, the Hoeh Beng Buddhist
Missiou, the Chetawan Buddhist Temptre,
the Selangor Buddhist Association,
the
Venerable h..{ahildr, lecluring to member
of
32
tl-re
Unive:sity of Malaya Buddhist Society
hundred Dhamma School Teachers are ex-
Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society and
the Buddhist Missionary Society.
The function was also graced by the pre-
sence
to ParticiPate.
LEcruR TouR To rHE EAST coAST:
Several members of the YBAM Executive
oected
of the High Commissioner for . Srr
in Malaysia, Dr. K.L.V. Alagiya-
Cornmittee viisted various Buddhist organisations in Pahang, Trengganu and Kelantan
from 10th to 17th April. Talks on Buddhism were given by the Rev. (Sister) Chee
Ern and Mr. Khoo Poh Kong.
I-anka
wanna and Madam AlagiYawanna.
BUDDHIST YOUTH ACTIVITIES
The Young Buddhist Association.
of
Malavsia (VBAM) have been actively
engaged in' various religious, educational
GOIODWTLL MISSION ABROAD FOR
OUR YOUTH LEADERS:
CANADIAN TOUR: Miss Sujata Yew and
Goh, both representing thc
Miss Cynthia
'Buddhist
Association of Malaysia'
Young
have Seen chosen for a 3-month youth mission in Canada from July to October, 1977'
They were amongst the twenty-eight le-aders
from various youlh organisations in Malaysia to participate in this Youth Exchange
and welfare prgjgcts throughout the country
during the period under review.
ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGNS were successfullv held in Alor Star and Penang or-r 20th
Maich and 25th March, 1977, respcctively.
Forums, slide-shows and exhibitions were
organised to educate the people on the
danger of the abusive use of drugs.
BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGN IN
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 30 Youths
took part in the blood donation campaign
on 7th March, organised bY the YBAM
SELANGOR State Liaison Committee.
MALAYSIAN YOUTH WEEK: Hundreds
of youth members from the YBAM took
oari in the vouth Rallies in Kuala Lumpur
ind Penang in early May to mark the
Malaysian Youth Week.
BUDDHIST EXPOSITION IN IPOH: A
display
of Buddha images, Buddhist publica-posters
and other art works together
tions,
with Dhamma talks and slide shows were
very successfully organised for the first time
in Ipoh by the YBAM Perak State Liaison
Committee in conjunction with the Wesak
Celebrations. Similar activities and programmes have been launched by the Buddhist youths in various parts of the country
to celebrate Wesak 1977.
DF{AMMA SCHOOL TEACHERS' CON.
SULTATION: About
fifty
iointly
Programme
organised
by
thq
arrd
of -Culture, Youth and Sports
the Canada World Youth.
Suiata Yew, from lpoh. is the Honorary
Min-istrv
Se6retary
Liaison
of the YBAM
Selangor State
Committee and Cynthia, from
Penang, is the Assistant Honorary Secretary
of the-Mahindarama Sunday Pali School
Penang.
:::::::t:::::i:::!i:iri:::t:::;iiiat:i:iiii::;:rtiiitil:iui::i:lll:ii!!:i't::+liiii
; rl.. .
i
d
participants
from Pahang, Selangor, Melaka and Johore
took part in this MELAKA CONSUI-TATION from 8th to 10th April, organised by
the YBAM Melaka State Liaison Committee and the Seck Kia Eenh Dhamma
School aI Jalan Gajah Berang, Melaka. A
new INTEGRATED SYLLABUS for
Dhamma Schools, prepared by Venerable
Piyasilo, had been reviewed. A follow-up
to this Melaka Consultation will be held
in Penang (in English and Mandarin mediurn) from 16th to 18th December. Member organisations from l(edah, Perlis,
Kelantan, Trengganu, Penang, Perak and
Selangor will be taking part in this North
Zone Dhamma Teachers' Consultation.
,U-:..1
M r,t,5
About one hundred Dhamma School
Teachers' Consultation. About ol1e
Sujat,a Yew
Cynthia Goh
JJ
in
SOUTHEAST ASIAN TOUR: Miss Karuna
Teo Beng Lan, a member of the Executive
Committee of the Buddhist Missionary
Society and the Vice Chairman of the
YBAM Selangor State Liaison Committee
has been selected to participate in the
..SHIP FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA
YOUTH" Programme for two months.
Novices taking their Precepts from the Director,
Buddhist Monks Training Centre.
The 2-week programme included early
morning and evening religious services,
Miss Kqruna
Teo
This programme is carried out by
the
Government of Japan with the active participation and co-operation of five S.E. Asian
countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philiippines, Singapore and Thailand. The
aim is to promote friendship and mutual
understanding among the youths of these
five Southeast Asian countries with Japan
ihrough living together aud participating in
various activities on board the ship
"NIPPON MARU". For the purpose of
goodwill exchange and deepening of mutual
understanding, the participants will also meet
local youths including leaders of youth activities and rnembers of youth organisations.
Miss Karuna is also the Vice-Chairman of
Majlis Belia Kuala Lumpur. She has also
been appointed as the Assistant Youth
Leader for the group of 30 youths participating in the programmc.
Paritta Chanting and Meditation sessions.
Lectures and Dhamma Discussion were
held in the morning, afternoon and evening'
OUR CONGRATULATITONS to Miss Helen
Botheju for the honour that was bestowed to
her on the occasion of the Birthday of the
Yang Di Pertuan Agung on 1 June 1977.
Miss Botheju, an English Lecturer at the
Maktab Ferguruan Seri Kota (the Day
Teachers Training College) Kuala Lumpur
has been awarded 'A.M.N.' for her voluntary
services to the country.
THE SECOND BUDDHIST NOVITIATE
PROGRAMME organised by the Buddhist
Monks' Training Centre and co-sponsored
by the Young Buddhist Association of
Malaysia and the World Fellowship of Buddhists was held at the Buddhist Temple,
Brickfields from 4th to 18th December, 1977.
Twenty-four participants from various parts
of the country
including Kedah, Kelantan
- Taiping, Kuala Lumpur,
Trengganu, Penang,
Klang Kuantan, Muar and Sabah took
part in this Novitiate Programme.
Miss Helen Batheju A.M.N.
An active member of the Sasana Abhiwurdhi
Wardhana Soicety and the Buddhist Missionary Society, she is also giving voluntary
Tutor to the Buddhist Monks' Training Centre, Kuala
services as an English
I-umpur.
34
DISTINGUISHED AWARDS F'OR, $UDDT{IST F,EAT}ERS:
TAN SRI DATO LEE SIOK YEW,
PMN, SPMS,
PJK.
Patron of the Buddhist Missionary
TAN SRI DATO LEE SIOK YEW,
Minister of Health, Malaysia, was conferred
with the title of S.P.M.S. by the Sultan of
Society
Selangor on 8 March 1977.
MR. TAN TEIK BENG,
JSM, SMS, KMN, PKT.
Vice-President
Mr. Tan Teik
of the Buddhist
Mis-
Beng receiving award
Sultan of Selangor.
sionary Society, Mr. Tan Teik Beng, Director
of Education, Selangor, was conferred the
title of S.M.S. (Setia Makhota Selangor) for
the services he had rendered to the State.
'I'he award was made on the occasion of the
Birthday of the Sultan
March L977.
of
Selangor
on
8
MR. TAN GIN SOON, pnr.
The Prcsident of the Young Buddhist
Association of Malaysia, Mr. Tan Gin Soon
was honoured with the Pingat Jasa Masyarakat (P.J.M.) by the Governor of Penang on
16 July 1977 for his various social services
rendered to the State.
Mr. Tan is also the Hon. Adviscr to the
Mahindarama Sunday Pali School, Penang
as well as a member of the Supreme Council
of the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport
and a member of the National Youth
Consultative Council, Malaysia.
from the Governor of Penang.
from
the
AN AFPEAL FOR EYE DONATION:
Mr. M. Hanafiah
The Malaysian Association for the Blind
a noble task in
organising the Eye Donation Campai-gn in
an- effori to savs the sigtrts of the blind.
From the Buddhist point of view, the donation of eyes and other organ and tissues
of the body for the well-being of others
constitute an act of charity and a meritorious deed. Thus the Human Tissues Act
Ministr.v
(MAB) has undertaken
Ketua Polis, Kwala Lumpur
Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda N4Yaka
Thera
Buddhist Missionary Society
Mr. Arthur E.&se
Council of ChurchF
Hj. Mohd. Yunus bin Hj.
Mohd Yatim
Pusqt Islam, Wilayah Persekutuan
Mr. S. Govinda Raj
d"
Hindu Sangham MalaYsia
Dato' Haji Ahmad Nordin bin
Mohd. Zain
PERKIM
Prof. S. Chandran
lJniversity of Malaya
Mr. Michael K.H. Teh
Rot.ary Interrwtionsl
Mr.O.V. Thomas and Miss Winnie Ng
M.A.B.
Cik Bibi Sabariah bte. Mohd Amin
Sheikh
The Act enables people to donate eyes
and other parts of the body (such as the
kidney) and permits doctors to remove the
same after death.
within six hours of
death
cdn be used for grafting. The removal can
be done either in a hospital or in the home
of the donor by a doctor and a 24 hour
service is provided by the eye bank. Eyes
donated will be stored in special solution
and temperature in the Eye Bank which
will distribute them to hospitals which have
blind patients who can benefit from corneal
grafting or transplantation. Except for
persons suftering from corneal disease, anybne irrespertive of sex, age or race, bespectacled or otherwise can donate their
N.C.W.O.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Hussein O-nn
already launched the campalg+ tlr
has
-frrtutuo.iu
to have its own Eye Bank' At ths
J vJvu.
ffi"
Eye Donation committee compnse ot
representatives from the Ministries of
foimation as well as religious groups including Majlis Ugama (Federation Territory),
Perkim, The Buddhist Missionary Society,
Council of Churches and Hindu Society,
etc. They include'
Justice Dato' Haji Mohd.
Dato Haji Kamaruddin
Inausuration of the Eye Donation Campaign
in th; Ciw Hall Kuali Lumpur, on Saturday
isth O"db"r, 1977, Datin Suhaila, the wife
li"'irt" ni*"'Minisier, presented certificateF
to all potential eye donors who have sub-
mitted their declaiation forms.
Malavsia. in the past, has been solely
AepetiAe"t on the Ihternational Eye Banlc
in'Sri Lanka for eye corn@s necessary to
restore the sight of our blind population'
Twenty per cent of about 18,000-blind
oeerile in'the country could have their eye'
-iif,#-tstot"a throu-gh comeal grafting or
#nsplailt, if there are donors.
a"-i'#-
Choirmnn
Dato' Dr. Keshmahinder
Singh
M,A,B.
Dr. Hj. Ismail Md. Noor
Health Division, Ministry of Health
Dr. R. Balasingham
I'ffi "x'AT":?
Health Division, Ministry of Health
Dr. (Mrs.) S. Kandiah pr
General Hospital, Kuala Lumpui
"J::#' ilfl:
The Eye Donation Committee'
.lo fvfiUvsian Association for the Blind,
P. O. mi 68?' Kuala LumPur.
OR from
The Buddhist TemPle,
123, lalan Berhala, Brickfields'
Kuala LumPur'
36
\*
trfiE',1""[
forms are available from:
Mr. B. S. Williams
Ministry oJ lheffme Services
Mr. Anthony G. Geoffrey
Ministry of Eduaation
t'
Samad
Mr. Mohd. Abdul Kadir Moosa
of. t974 certainly deserves the wholehearted
support of all understanding Buddhists.
Ey-es rernoved
A
of Brfiasting {TV)
BOOK
REVIEW
IN
ItlDDHlsM
AMERICA
by
Emmo McGloy Loymon
In. surveying Buddhism in America in
historical and contemporarv contexts. Lav-
Slt'." T;X':il"*nffi'','#,
questions as: Who are the American Buddhists? Why do Americans become Buddhists? The approach is from the perspective of a psychologist studying the relation'
ship between religion and culture rather
than of a theologian comparing religions
and philosophies. It is divided into four
ltT,-,-'T;
"?"ff
America; the characteristics
and motivations of America's Buddhists; how Buddhism approaches the problems of American
societg Buddhism's approach to psycho4:rafi1and how Buddfiism cornpurii with
sections. Fart one provides a basic understanding of Buddhism in general terms.
Part two depicts the major schools of Buddhism in America. Part three discusses the
characteristics of American Buddhists.
Part four projects the future of Buddhism
in this country.
Uhrlstlanlty.
The book is based principally on the
author's participation iir nudOnist rituals
and meditation sessions; interviews with
American Buddhist laymen, as well as both
American and Asian Buddhist priests; visits
[o more than sixty Buddhist erouns in the
United Statos; and a study o'f niwsletters
and. journals p-ublished by Buddhist groups
in America. Several other books have be6n
written that discuss Buddhism in relation to
American religions and American mysticism; however, none of these books
mentions Nichiren Shoshu, Chinese Buddhism in America, and there is seldom
mention of Theravada. The author's discussion of Buddhism in relation to the problems of American society
also repres-ents
-other
an approach not found in
woiks.
BUDDHISM
IN AMERICA
At a time when we see church membership and attendence declining, family relationships eroding, and the problems of
AmeriCan society going unsolved, it would
seem that theologians, psychologists, educators, and others who are concerned about
our society could profit from a book at what
some Americans believe this Asian religion'
philosophy, and way of life has to ofier
Arnerican society in meeting its diffic'frr
challenges.
Nelson-Holl lnc., Publishers,
325 West Jockson Blvd., Ghicogo,
lllinois 60606.
PRICE: Us $17.so.
provides
1 psychological and sociological analysis of
Buddhism
in
America, answering-
such
t
:d
.ii-
ii
r,s
.ir-
Newly Reprinred By
-
'li.
-r4
:(i
B.M.S.
;i-r,
g Buddha ap**His Teachinss
.ii.
*bvMAHA THERA
VEN.
vtrlv. NAnAUA tvtAnA
tt
3i
ii.*
ji
:(i
:{i
NARADA
713
I
ntrnA
1!'!!-
$
ti
i'
poges
*
M$12.O0
;[
Postoge Extro.
:li
37
.
{F{
.. ,#
The Buddhist Missionory Society wishes to express its opprecioi'ion ond
ocknowledges the receipt of the following foreign Publicotions :-
*
*
Buddhist Quarterly London Buddhist Vihara)
* Zeitschrift Fur Buddhismus
Bodhi Baum
* Wisdom (Annual Journal of the Buddhist Society), (lmperial College University
of London)
+
I
Metta (Journal of the Buddhist Federation of Australia)
*
Friends of The Western Buddhist Order Newsletter, London
*
Mahabodhi, India
*
Washington Buddhist ((Quarterly Newsletter of The Washington Buddhist
Vihara)
it.
* Kalavinka Voice of Dharma, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
* The Dongguk Post, Seoul, Korea.
rk
*
L'Ecole D'or, Bruxelles.
Prajna (Buddha Gaya Quarterly, Bihar, India).
Panna Magga (Journal of The Buddhist Cultural Institute) New York, U.S.A.
t<
Sinar Padumuttara, Tangerang, Republik Indonesia,
i
Torch of Wisdom, Taipei, Taiwan.
*
Dharma World, Japan.
*
The Middle Way (Journal of The Buddhist Society), London.
* Budhana Kuriero, Flensburg, Germany.
* Nanyang Buddhist, Singapore.
Drum of the Dharma, Buddhist Society of Western Australia.
* The Buddhist (Colombo Young Men's Buddhist Association) Ceylon
* Vajra Bodhi Sea (Sino-Americffnuddhist Association), California, America.
*
Pali Buddhist Review (PaPli Buddhist Union), England.
* Echo of The Dhamma (Mangala Vihara),
Singapore.
:
* DAS Buddhistische Haus, Edelhofdamm, Germany
*" OOMOTO (Universal Love and Brotherh<f Association), Japan.
* Kodo News (Overseas Edition of The #0" ffiOan), Japan.
* Metta Newsletter, Cape Town.
#
x A Manual for Insight Nleditation Practice (Wat Buddhawararam
"
u.s.A.
t
l}
38
of
Denver),
THE FOLLOWING VALUABLE BOOKS ARE OBTAINABLE FROM
THE BUDDHIST MISSIONARY SOCIEry
Anatta and Nibbana
.
.
nr"-iludortiJt boctrine of Nibbana ::
Nirvana, Nihilism and Satori . .
Rebirth
A
of
1.40
3.50
r.80
Abhidhamma ..
11.00
The 3 Basic Facts of Existence
(Collected Essays)
Life of Sariputta
Purification of Character &
Karma & Rebirth
6.00
1.40
1.20
.80
View
5.00
Abhidhamma Studies ..
Aids to Abhidhamma PhilosoPhY
1.40
1.20
.60
1.80
Gods and the Universe
The Buddha's Last Request . .
Last Davs of the Buddha . '
Human itrogress (Reality or lllusion')
r.20
L20
Goine
F6Ath
The 4 Sublime States . '
Greater Discourse on Voidness
The 5 Mental States . .
AsDects
of Buddhist Social Philosophy
The 4 Nutriments of Life
The 7 Factors of Enlightenment
The Truth
of
.'
Anatta
The 3 Signata
Manual of Insight
of
Mindfulness
The Power of Mindfulness
Practical Insight Meditation
The Buddha On Meditation and
.60
.60
.60
.60
Refuge
Live Now
5
PrecePts
.
The Significance of the 4 Noble Truths
Buddhism in a Nutshell
Pathways of Buddhist Thoughts
.
.
1.20
1.80
Buddhist Catechism
The Basic PurPose of the following
the
Buddha
Buddha The Healer . .
Buddhism and the Age
Perfect Health
Buddhism and Science
Suoreme Science
.
.
of Science ..*
of the Buddha
.
.
ttr'e Suddhist Wheel SYmbol ..
60 Days of Milarepa . .
Buddhist Commentarial Literature
German Buddhist Writers
Buddhism in Ceylon . .
Handbook for Mankind
1.00
2.50
r.50
Edwin Arnold
Buddhism and Peace ..
The Problem of Sin .
Buddhism and
the Raee question
.30
1.00
.80
1.20
1.40
1.20 *'
.60
1,50
1.20
1.80
1.20
1.m
r.20
Essays and Poems
Early Western Buddhists
1.50
1.20
1.20
.70
1.40
1.40
r.50
A
The Buddha, His Life and Teaching
The Way of the Noble
.60
5.00
7.00
The Buddhist Attitude to Other Religion
Brahmanism, Buddhism and Hinduism . .
Broadcasts
.60
1.20
l.00
.
.
1.40
.70
1,.20
on Buddhism
1.80
1.00
1.80
1.20
.60
1.80
1.60
.60
Christianity
and Buddhism ..
Buddhism and
Schopenhaur
Aspects of Buddhist Social Philosophy . .
Buddhism and Comparative Religion . .
in Indian History . .
of Buddhist Thought ..
Ideal Solitude
l.2O
Buddhist Reflection on Death . .
Samyutla Nikaya (An Anthology) Part II
1.80
by Bhikkhu Nanananda
1.80
by John D. Ireland
5.00
The Magic of the Mind
1.40
Ethics in Buddhist Perspective
.qg
The Psychological Aspect of Buddhism . .
Everyman's Ethics (4 Discourses)
-.fg
2'00
Abhidhammaha-Sangha Part I
.60
Taming the Mind
.60
Kalami Sutta
.60
The Discourse Collection
.60
Advice to Rahula (4 Discourses)
.60
The Mirror of the Dhamma . .
The Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha .60
3'lg
The Triple Gen and the Uposatha
Lives of the Disciples
'60
.80
Stories of Old
1.00
The Discourse on the Snake Simile
.80
The Great Adventure ..
.60
Devotion in Buddhism
The Basic Facts of Existence :1.40
Impermanence Part I
1.40
Part II
Suffering
1.40
Egolessness Part III
2.40
Ansuttara Nikaya
: ffll L
2.40
2.00
Part III
1.40
Dialogue on the Dhamma
Aspects of Buddhism
Facets
Prayer and Worship
.
.
The Case for Rebirth
PsychologY
The 4 Noble Truths
3.00
1.20
Mudita
Buddhist Meditation and DePth
The
1.00
1.00
1.00
3.00
Higher States of Consciousness
The Sitioatthana Sutta and its
Application to Modern Life
A Guide to the PerPlexed
The Practice of Lovingkindness
The 3-fold
.60
.60
.60
1.00
1.00
1.00
.60
.60
r.20
iiflection of Death (Marananusmrti) ' '
''
Practical Advice for Meditators
Metta
The Foundation of Mindfulness
Mindfulness of Breathing
The Way
r.80
2.40
of Birth and Death
Manual
1.20
2.00
Explained
Dependent Origination
Requisites of Enlightenment . .
Abhidhamma for the Beginner
Wheel
$ 0.60
.70
1.20
.
.
Rebirth and Doctrine and Experience
Path of Purification . .
What the Buddha Taught
The Buddha and His Teaching
(by G.P.
Malalasekera)
The Book of Protection
The Buddha's Ancient Path
.
.
Dimension of Buddhist Thought
Concise PaliEnglish Dictionary
Buddhist Dictionary . .
The New Pali Course Part II . .
The Buddhist Outlook
The Confused
12.00 4s
30.00 s
12.00
1.70
3.50
10.00
15.00
18.00
18.00
7.50
12.00
5.00
7.00
Society
Concept and Reality
PUBLICATIONS BY THE BUDDHISf
MISIONARY SOCIETY
Buddhist Meditation (theory
soft-cover
hard-cover
&
Practice)
$ 7.00
12.00
The Psychology and Philosophy of
Buddhism
Why Worry?
What Ruddhist Believe
A Manual of Buddhism
The Way to Nibbana ..
Come and See (Meditation
Why Religious Tolerance?
Blueprint of Happiness
1.50
2.0c
2.00
& Drugs) ..
Do you Believe in Rebirth?
Why Religion?
.
5.00
.
.
..
The Danger of 'I'
The Life of the Buddha (Part I)
Handbook of Buddhist
Buddhist Recital & Sutras (Chi. & Pali)
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.30
0.60
0.60
0.50
1.00
0.50
0_50
\..,
I -rr-{tIL\L-rr--rr-rt-rt-\rtrlrjLjr,lr^lr,rrrrrr\t
\rL{z{rJ4\rrt\4rlr\rr{rilr\irrrarrr,\rrr\rrlarrt,rlrtrztrrr\Lr\L{?{1,-12
I ar\s;,f -F;/sr/\<-srrsr/s;/\.-/s>rr=/F;/\r;,rr,,ri,/ar,/\r
!r:i,
r
'
*l"l'r
,
,;i
:q
-ti
r)i.
:ri
3r
$
-ii
^ -,..,,,,,
With Best, Comptiments
:rf
ri
ii
it1[
,1i
i!
li
i$
i[
*a
-rL
from
-ii.
1i
ii
T., A., AlDllR.S
31p
.\,
:ll:
{i
:(t
J'<
$
iiii
a rr\. rr l\ i^
r9
iiii
ii
Manufacturing
cAsKET
JALAN KLANG,
KUALA LUMPUR 21 - 04Funerar Directors
ii
ii
ii:l):
**ths
Made to
order;
Service
ret: 2o4958
.1,
<!r<rrJr.\rrlr-r'.Jr,rrr-rf.!t
r:h12
RAUB ELEETRIE SAWMILL &
ENTERPRISES SDN. BHD.
DORAISAMY,
'ALAN
03. 04 WEST MALAYSIA.
KUAI,A LUMPUR
P. O. Box No.
j-
Telephone: 2M287
Cable Address " RAUBWOOD"
338
UNDER THE MALAYSIAN TIMBER INDUSTRY BOARD LICENCES
MANUFACTURER TIM 24175 SUPPLTER TIS 415175
PACKER TIP 14l7s
EXPORTER 'tlE 280174
MILL: RAUB, PAHANG.
P. O. Box
9.
Telephone:
106,
Housing Developer Licence No. 214
.
ii,rt
;F
iiri
ii
{t
-rL
3€
&
.1'
23,
ti
Monumentar ii
Merchants lil
Alwavs At Your
ji
lrt {t -rr.rrr-rr4v-.v-{r-trrrr\rzrtrrr4rrrtrr.rirlirL
3i
Export ftsmains ii
To Any Part of rhe World Can Be li
Arranged'
ii-ir
"r"-o
Preservation
.i?
-ii
.i,
-i,
:C
?t
urv ruvrvuuw
Marble
Ivl4wuD
Masons Glg
and rvr@r
j?
,^4,
3924.
ova'+'
CASKET
CoMPANY
^r
BATU 3+,
163, 6r+..
No. -^^
SELANGOR
>ii<
-i'-
.Tel:
;
SELANGOR
ya
o Gem
/,:!^* Merchants.
rr^-^L^-+^ i;
'-.
rvrsrur'auLD'
Diamondt &
'sru
li:.t
h srREET,
eTE EET r'.-.
Lr
lob, BELFTELD
rPoH.
-iL
ii
Jewellers "f
ii
-ii
;i.!i-
f;
1;
SYAR|KAT
il-
.it-
ii;3
-!:
46
.
I 5 I 75 (6)
Quarterly published by Buddhist Missionirry Society.
Jalan Berhala, Kuala Lumpur 09 - 06' Malaysia.
Printerl by P.K.S. Printers, 2J lalan Tandang. Petaling Jaya. Selangor
')1.
t)i.
iF