Download Vol-55 Dec-2013 - Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia

PP562/2/2013 DEC 2013 VOL 55
A Publication of
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
A new BMSM branch is born - The Putrajaya Branch Protem Committee with their Family members, CMC
Members and Bhante Mahinda on 15 Oct 2013 .
Vas & Kathina Samadhi Vihara - Circumambulation of the Vihara on 19th Oct 2013.
Dedication
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
FOUNDER, BMSM
Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda
(1919-2006)
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
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CONTENT
VOLUME 55
Dedication
01
Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda
Special Features
03
04
05
18
20
23
Award
Speeches
Seminars
Special Issues
Survanamitra
24 Hours Metta
Affliate
39
BMSEF
Interfaith
40
MCCBCHST
International
42
47
51
WFB
WFBY
WBU
54
New Year Message 2014
Sections
27
30
32
Welfare
Youth
Meditation - DMC
Branches
33
34
37
2
Shah Alam
Kajang
Putrajaya
ADVISOR
Dato’ Ir. Ang Choo Hong
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Jocelyn Tee
<[email protected]>
EDITORIAL BOARD
Loh Pai Ling
Pang Hock Huat, Jeffrey
Lim Kean Liang
Monica Voon
Dr Ong Puay Liu
Yow Kuan Wai
PRINTER
Pioneer printing & trading
(00202341-A)
No.4,6,11 Jalan Brunei Barat
Off Jalan Pudu
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
43300 Serdang
Voice of Buddhism
PUBLISHER
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
123 Jalan Berhala, Brickfields,
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 603-22730150,
Fax: 603-22733835
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bmsm.org.my
Special Features
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
BMSM, a World Buddhist
Outstanding Leader
By Bro. Quah Chi Boon, BMSM Vice President
The Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
was one of the five (5) organisations in the
world to be conferred the World Buddhist
Outstanding Leader Award 2014.
Buddhist organisations selected for this
World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY)National Office of Buddhism Thailand
award are “exemplary organisations
which continually support and sponsor
the propagation of Buddhism as well as
preserve and protect Buddhist values”.
The achievement of the awarded
organisation is “prominently, highly in the
creation of prosperity in Buddhism and
country. “
Office of Buddhism, Buddhamonthol,
Nakornpathom,Thailand in February this
year 2014.
Bro Quah said the award is a tribute to the
exemplary and visionary dhammaduta
initiatives and service of BMSM’s founding
father, the late Dr K Sri Dhammananda,
and past and present BMSM leaders.
He added that the award is a timely
recognition of BMSM’s more than 50 years
of contribution to the Buddhist world, which
would not have been possible without
the selfless and tireless contributions of its
leaders and members.
“Through Service, Purity and Wisdom, we
have come this far. Let’s further internalise
this motto and combine it with the
motivation of this prestigious award to take
us forth to new levels,” an elated Quah
proposed.
Taking the cue from the Buddha’s
exhortation to the first sixty Noble Ones, Go
ye forth, we will, out of compassion and
welfare for all, bring the sublime Dhamma
-- excellent in the beginning, middle and
the end -- to many to end all suffering and
attain the ultimate bliss of Nibbana.
BMSM Vice President Bro Quah Chi Boon
received this distinguished award from
H.H Somdetphra Maha Ratch Mangkhla
Chan, Acting Supreme Patriarch Thailand,
President of the Supreme Sangha Council
in a solemn and very dignified ceremony
held in Museum Auditorium, National
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51st Central Annual General
Meeting
by Bro Jeffrey Pang, Hon. Gen. Sec.
Extract of Speeches by the Religious Advisor and Advisor of Buddhist Missionary Society
Malaysia (BMSM) during the 51st Central Annual General Meeting (CAGM) held on 7th
July, 2013 in Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam.
RELIGIOUS ADVISOR, VENERABLE MAHINDA THERA
Ven. Mahinda expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Dato’
Chee Peck Kiat who had tirelessly put in so much time, effort and
personal resources to fulfill the wishes of the late Chief Reverend
, Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, who
founded BMSM, to see that BMSM has its own premises to carry out
its own activities.
Ven. Mahinda said that as a disciple of the late Chief Reverend,
he will try his best to serve the BMSM in whatever way he can to
continue the legacy of his teacher. For a start, Ven Mahinda said
that for 2013, he will be spending his three months Vas at Samadhi
Vihara and during this time, he will occasionally be away for two to three days to make a
quick visit to states where there are high concentration of BMSM members to reconnect
with them. This will provide BMSM the opportunity to grow nation-wide and have a wider
outreach of dhammaduta services.
In this way, it is some kind of ‘rejuvenation’ of BMSM and a kind reminder to the members
that they should be more active and collectively continue the Dhammaduta services
advocated by our Founder – the Beloved Chief Reverend.
ADVISOR, BRO IR. DATO’ ANG CHOO HONG
Dato’ Ang Choo Hong shared his thoughts in the wake of differing
views of members in a big organisation like BMSM. The rule of
thumb is that the majority or the decision of the governing body is
supreme. It would be chaotic if everyone wanted their views to be
adopted. The essence of it is that compromise is the best solution
going forward. He hoped that with the change in leadership,
BMSM will be able to scale to greater heights.
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Special Features
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Buddha’s Pedagogy: A Matter
for Teachers
by Prof. Dr Ong Puay Liu
More than 2,500 years ago, the Buddha
realised the formidable task of teachers
– how to impart education to people so
that they would become human beings of
character, dignity and wisdom.
But he was not disheartened for he had
unshakeable faith in the Dhamma he
had discovered through his own effort,
own experience, and own understanding.
Hence, he preached to all and sundry
(except the hungry), travelled from house
to house, town to town, village to village,
city to city, to preach the Dhamma.
Meeting a multitude of individuals with
different dispositions, capacities, viewpoints
and in different contexts – class, caste,
custom, etc – the Buddha had to improvise,
adapt, innovate, and strategise his delivery
methods to render his teaching effective
and beneficial to the listener(s). The Buddha
did all these out of compassion and loving
kindness to help fellow human beings live a
life of happiness and, ultimately, to end this
cycle of suffering.
is the goal of this education that teachers
want to give to their students? What would
their legacy be?
Much like modern practitioners of the
science of teaching, the Buddha Gotama
emphasised the importance of first
developing qualities within oneself so as
to be able to reach out and help others
develop similar qualities. ‘Let one first
establish oneself in what is proper, and then
instruct others. Such a wise man will not be
defiled’. As an aspiring trainer of conduct
for others, one must train oneself first, for,
as the Buddha has declared, ‘one who is
sinking in the mud cannot for certain pull
out another who is also sinking in the mud’.
Henceforth, an aspiring teacher who is
‘untamed, untrained’ cannot by himself,
tame and train another.
Today’s Challenges
Fast forward to the 21st Century. In the
modern-day world, how much more
difficult it is for teachers to carry out their
responsibilities efficiently and effectively,
when the educational system has been
“hijacked” by the demands of the state
and market.
Teachers, therefore, need to reflect,
investigate and analyse their purpose of
education, and be confident in their own
analysis of their purpose. The Buddha
has provided a systematic, time-tested,
experiential and easy-to-implement model
of pedagogy (science of teaching). The
model is based on the standpoint that
every person is trainable, that is, each
can be trained to bring forth his or her
latent capacity and potential to acquire
knowledge, grounded on character
building, moral development and spiritual
advancement.
What kind of teaching method is
appropriate and beneficial for today’s
students, whether they are seeking secular
or Buddhist education? The answer lies
within the hearts and minds of the teachers
themselves. What kind of education do
they want to impart to their students? What
How should an aspiring teacher “tame and
train” himself/herself? The Buddha has laid
down a set of standards to help and guide
the aspiring teacher: ‘Verily, Ananda, not
easy is it to teach Dhamma to others. In
teaching others Dhamma, Ananda, make
five things stand up within you, then teach
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others Dhamma. What five? Teach others
Dhamma, thinking: I will give a talk on the
gradual; teach others Dhamma, thinking: I
will give a talk with the way in view; teach
others Dhamma, thinking: I will give a talk
out of kindliness; teach others Dhamma,
thinking: I will give a talk not as a means for
gain; teach others Dhamma, thinking: I will
give a talk not to my own hurt nor to others’
The Buddha has also prescribed how
teachers, having trained and developed
the qualities outlined above, should carry
out their role as a compassionate teacher:
• train them (students) in the best
discipline;
• see that they grasp their lessons well;
• instruct them in the arts and sciences;
• introduce them to their friends and
associates;
• provide for their safety in every quarter.
Besides laying the groundwork for aspiring
teachers to train themselves first and
develop qualities that would make them
good, compassionate, loving and wise
teachers, the Buddha has also prescribed
and demonstrated several teaching
methods, endorsing his status as an
‘incomparable guide for the training
of persons’ and ‘teacher of gods and
humans.’
Buddha’s teaching methods
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incorporate the following approaches, with
the emphasis on a gradual approach as
the foundation of his pedagogy:
1. Ānupubbīkathā – the gradual
approach
Ānupubbīkathā,
gradual
instruction,
talk or sermon. The term refers to the
progressive sermon given by the Buddha, in
accordance with the Buddha’s knowledge
in advance, the capacity and readiness of
the listener(s). The Buddha’s method was
to begin with something simple, basic, and
close to the listeners so that they could
relate what the Buddha was saying with
their own experiences and living conditions.
The Buddha Gotama first practised this
gradual instruction on his five former friends,
the ascetics Konḍañña, Bhaddiya, Vappa,
Mahanama and Assaji. These five ascetics
were sceptical of the Buddha’s sincerity for
renunciation, and so, the Buddha used the
ānupubbīkathā approach by first explaining
to them the importance of adopting a
middle way (which is beautifully captured
in Sona Sutta [AN 6.55 Sona Sutta: The
Simile of the Lute]), signified by the Noble
Eight Fold Path. Then, when he perceived
their minds were ready and receptive, the
Buddha began to instruct the five ascetics
on the Four Noble Truths.
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The
Upāli
Sutta
and
the
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta illustrate
how the Buddha skilfully prepares the
listener’s mind before speaking to him on
the advanced teaching of the Four Noble
Truths: ‘Then the Blessed One gave the
householder Upali progressive instruction,
that is, talk on giving, talk on virtue, talk
on heavens; he explained the danger,
degradation and defilement of sensual
pleasures, and the blessing of renunciation.
When he knew that the householder
Upali’s mind was ready, receptive, free
from hindrances, elated and confident, he
expounded to him the teaching special to
the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation
and the path’.
The Buddha places great confidence in
this gradual approach, beginning with
the most basic, that is, to cultivate good
conduct or discipline (silā), as illustrated in
this sutta: ‘It is possible, brahmin, to describe
gradual training, gradual practice, and
gradual progress in this Dhamma and
Discipline. Just as, brahmin, when a clever
horse-trainer obtains a fine thoroughbred
colt, he first makes him get used to wearing
the bit, and afterwards trains him further, so
when the Tathāgata obtains a person to be
tamed he first disciplines him thus: “Come,
bhikkhu, be virtuous, restrained with the
restraint of the Patimokkha, be perfect
in conduct and resort, and seeing fear in
the slightest fault, train by undertaking the
training precepts …”
Why did the Buddha adopt this method
of gradual, step-by-step instruction?
The answer possibly lies in the Buddha’s
knowledge of the human condition.
Human beings are capable of thinking, and
capable of being trained and educated.
In other words, human beings have the
capacity to develop their potential to
be good, noble, and dignified. Through
learning and training, human beings
can be transformed from being mere
“puggala/puthujana”, or ordinary person,
to ariya puggala, noble beings. Buddha
sees individuals as existing in their own right;
hence, the Buddha views all individuals in
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
the same, unattached, unbiased, objective
manner. Undoubtedly, those individuals
with ‘much dust in their eyes, dull faculties,
bad qualities and hard to teach’ will need
a longer time to understand his Dhamma,
while individuals with ‘less dust in their eyes,
keen faculties, good qualities and easy to
teach’ will understand his Dhamma within
a shorter time.
2. Adaptation Approach
Buddha also demonstrates skilfulness in
using existing conditions as a resource to
teach the Dhamma. The Buddha’s style
of adapting his teachings to prevailing
conditions has been characterised by an
eminent scholar as “pouring new wine
into old bottles”. The Buddha gives new
meaning to words that were already
current.
He adapted traditional ideas
and practices and adjusted his sermons
to suit the temperament of his listeners,
a method that came to be known as
“upaya-kosallam”, that is, the skilful policy
(expedient means) of converting people.
The Buddha has the ability to understand
the background of those to be instructed.
Whenever and wherever the Buddha
imparted his teachings to others, it is said,
at first he always ascertains their dispositions
and tendencies and purposes; and thus he
selected, adjusted and aptly preached the
doctrines with reference to the background
of each individual or group of individuals.
For example, Buddha uses the word
“Brahma”, then existing as a major idea/
belief – Brahma-God – to preach the path
leading to the highest goal, by cultivating
the four brahmavihāras, or sublime virtues.
Another example of Buddha’s adaptation
approach is when the Buddha instructed a
brahmin in the “ritualistic tenet” of washing
away the sin. Instead of going into the river
and washing the sin away by bathing (as
this could also mean washing away one’s
good deeds), the Buddha advised the
brahmin to take a bath in spiritual culture
by harming no living beings, etc.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
3. Illustration Approach
Another skilful means of the Buddha is to
use analogy, simile, parable, story and
fable taken from the everyday lives of the
listeners. The Buddha also incorporates
beautiful verses in order to make them
sweet, effective and attractive. According
To convey the message of not jumping
to conclusions upon first impression, the
Buddha used the simile of the elephant’s
footprint as illustrated in the Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta: The Shorter
Elephant Footprint Simile.
4. Analytical Approach
The analytical approach, or vibhajja-vāda,
of the Buddha’s teachings is one of the most
important characteristics found in the earlier
texts. For example, the Buddha uses this
analytical method in his second sermon on
Anattalakkhana Sutta [The Discourse on the
Not-Self Characteristic], where the Buddha
breaks down the empirical existence of the
physical human being into five aggregates
– body, feelings, perceptions, mental
formations and consciousness, and their
respective elements or constituents. Why
does the Buddha use the human body in
this analytical approach? The answer is
that the Buddha wants to show that there
is no abiding entity called “self” (attā), and
hence, it is pointless to think that there is
a “self that is mine”, “my self”, and “this is
what I am”.
to the Buddha, he uses analogies “for there
are cases where it’s through analogies that
knowledgeable people can understand
the meaning of what is being said”.
There are several memorable similes and
stories: the simile of the lute to explain the
Middle Way to Venerable Sona Kolivisa; the
simile of the saw, where the Buddha tells
the story of a wise slave who deliberately
tests her mistress’s patience; the story of
bandits carving the listener’s limbs one by
one with a two-handled saw to illustrate
the correct way to develop patience; and
the water-snake simile where the Buddha,
using two famous similes of the water-snake
and the raft, conveys the central message
of the importance of right view.
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Voice of Buddhism
This use of the analytical method has also
been mentioned by the Buddha himself.
For example, in Subha Sutta: To the Brahmin
Subha, the Buddha was asked whether it
is true that householders are capable of
doing noble merit and those gone forth
homeless are not capable of doing merit.
The Buddha’s reply: ‘Young man, here I
have to give an analytical reply, not an
absolute reply. I do not praise the wrong
method, of a householder or of one gone
forth homeless. Whether a householder
or one gone forth homeless, if fallen to
the wrong method it is not possible that
he should be convinced of noble merit. I
praise the right method of a householder
or of one gone forth homeless. Whether a
householder or one gone forth homeless, if
fallen to the right method it is possible that
he should be convinced of noble merit.’
So, too, in the Vajjiya Sutta: About Vajjiya.
Vajjiyamāhita, the householder, when
Special Features
questioned by a group of “wanderers
of other persuasions” concerning the
Buddha’s view, referred to the analytical
method of the Buddha: ‘No, venerable
sirs, the Blessed One does not criticise all
asceticism, nor does he categorically
denounce or disparage all ascetics who
live the rough life. The Blessed One criticises
what should be criticised, and praises what
should be praised. Criticising what should
be criticised, praising what should be
praised, the Blessed One is one who speaks
making distinctions, not one who speaks
categorically on this matter’.
5. Practical Approach
‘Ehi passiko, Paccataṃ veditabbo viññuhi
ti’ (Come and see, To be personally
experienced by the wise). This practical,
or experimental, approach underscores
the standpoint of the Buddha regarding
the Dhamma, and the Buddha himself. In
many suttas, the Buddha emphasises the
need not to accept what we have heard
blindly without reflection, investigation,
critical inquiry and practice. This is so
because the Buddha asserts that the
Dhamma (Truth or Doctrine) is to be selfrealised, with immediate fruit, inviting
investigation, leading on (to Nibbāna), to
be comprehended by the wise, each for
oneself.
The Buddha makes this assertion very clearly
in the Kālāma Sutta. Similarly, the Buddha
does not want people to accept or reject
his teachings on blind faith/emotion or
with unquestioning acceptance/rejection.
Instead, he provides ways for us to train
ourselves to be reflective, critical, inquiring
and investigative. Hence, the practical
approach as laid out by the Buddha
embodies an experiential learning process,
whereby the conclusion or truth is arrived
at, or derived from, through personal
and direct experience. This experiential
method is clearly depicted in the
Ambalaṭṭhikārāhulovāda Sutta: Instructions
to Rāhula at Mango Stone, where the
Buddha delivers his first instructions to his
son, Rāhula. The Buddha informs Rāhula to
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
reflect on his intentions before acting on
them, and to carry through with them only if
he saw that his intended action would cause
no harm. While acting, he should reflect on
the immediate results of his actions; if they
were causing any unintended harm, he
should stop. After acting, he should reflect
on the long-term results of his actions. If he
saw that they actually did cause harm, he
should resolve never to repeat them. If they
didn’t, he should take joy and continue on
the path.
The Buddha’s last words upon parinibbāna,
or passing away, reconfirms his standpoint
on the importance of practice: ‘Behold
now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded
things are subject to vanish. Strive with
earnestness!’ . The only way to understand
and gain realisation of the Dhamma is to
“practise the Dhamma to see if it brings
about an end to suffering within our own
minds”.
Syntactical Approach
While the analytical approach breaks
down a concept or entity into smaller
parts, the syntactical approach refers to
the application of one concept in different
contexts. For example, dukkha, or suffering,
is applied in several but related contexts
-- birth, old age, sickness and death -- as
illustrated in the First Noble Truth: ‘Suffering
[dukkha], as a noble truth, is this: Birth is
suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is
suffering, death is suffering, sorrow and
lamentation, pain, grief and despair are
suffering; association with the loathed is
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suffering, dissociation from the loved is
suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering
-- in short, suffering is the five categories of
clinging objects’. The Buddha’s intention is
not only to explain the meaning of suffering
in different contexts, but more so, the
message he wants to convey is the idea
or truth on impermanency, as depicted
in the changing nature of existence, and
the futility of clinging on and becoming
attached to things not permanent.
6. Question and Answer Approach
The Kālāma Sutta, often written with the
sub-title “The Buddha’s Charter of Free
Inquiry” epitomises the Buddha Gotama’s
receptiveness to questions and debate. This
question and answer and counter-question
method (paṭipucchā-vyākaraniya) is aimed
at stimulating critical thinking and reflection.
The parties involved might not agree or
accept the other party’s viewpoints, but
they might agree to disagree. Buddha
Gotama encourages people to pose
questions to him, for example, when a
certain bhikkhu asked the Blessed One how
long is an aeon, and when the Blessed One
answered, the bhikkhu then asked if it is
possible for the Blessed One to give a simile.
Buddha himself will also pose questions to
the people who come to see him. In the
Siṃsapā Grove Sutta, the Blessed One
‘took a few siṃsapā leaves in his hand and
addressed the bhikkhus thus: “What do you
think, Bhikkhus, which is more numerous:
these few siṃsapā leaves that I have taken
up in my hand or those in the siṃsapā grove
overhead?” ‘ In the Canki Sutta, when the
brahmin student Kāpaṭhika interrupted
the conversation between Buddha and
very senior brahmins, the Buddha rebuked
him. However, the brahmin Canki said
to the Buddha ‘let not Master Gotama
rebuke the brahmin student Kāpaṭhika
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Voice of Buddhism
… he is a clansman, he is very learned,
he has a good delivery, he is wise; he is
capable of taking part in this discussion
with Master Gotama.’ The brahmin student
Kāpaṭhika then went on to ask the Blessed
One: ‘Master Gotama, in regard to the
ancient brahmanic hymns that have come
down through oral transmission and in the
scriptural collections, the brahmins come
to the definite conclusion: “Only this is true,
anything else is wrong”. What does Master
Gotama say about this?’
At the end of the day, considering that
today’s students live in a material and
commercial world, the teachers’ task
is indeed daunting. However, it is not
impossible to touch them with the Dhamma.
The Buddha has shown the way.
This article was presented at the 5th
International Buddhist Research Seminar
held in Bangkok, May 2013 by Prof Dr Ong
Puay Liu.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM)
delegates at the Seminar.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Ethics of Political Engagement
of Buddhist Organisations
by Dato’ Ir. Ang Choo Hong
Two Challenges
A major issue facing Buddhists in
contemporary modern society is whether
they should engage in affairs of the state,
either individually or in groups.
There
is a consensus that lay Buddhists can,
and should, do so. However, there is less
agreement on whether monks and nuns,
as individuals, can engage in politics.
Buddhist monks such as Ven Tai Xu of China,
Ven Ottama of Myanmar, Ven Rahula of Sri
Lanka and Ven Thich Nhat Hanh of Vietnam
were advocates for the involvement of
monks in politics, and were themselves
actively engaged in it. On the other hand,
many monks prefer to shy away from such
activities.
There is a further issue: should Buddhist
organisations, either made up of lay
persons only, or monastics (the Sangha), or
both, engage in politics?
In my opinion, the issue is not whether
Buddhist organisations should engage in
politics. Rather, the issue is the manner
in which Buddhist organisations do so. It
means, what sort of ethics should Buddhist
organisations adopt when they engage in
politics.
For Buddhist organisations to be involved
in public and political affairs, there are
two major obstacles to overcome. The
first is how to stay true to the original
vision, missions and objectives of that
organisation. Buddhist organisations are
formed with specific objectives of Dhamma
propagation, purification of the human
mind, etc. If Buddhist organisations neglect
their original objectives and instead
become “actively involved” in political
affairs, then this amounts to misusing the
name of Buddhism.
The second challenge is that the moment
Buddhist organisations engage in politics,
there is a risk of disintegration among
members of the organisation. For example,
in the 2004 Presidential Election in Taiwan,
the abbot of Zhong Tai Si, Ven Wei Jue,
openly supported candidate Song. This
angered supporters of his rival, Chen, who
demonstrated in front of the Zhong Tai Si.
Again, when Ven Xin Yun supported Ma
Ying Jiu in the 2012 election, supporters of
Chai Wen Yin were not happy. Another
example is when some monks in Sri Lanka
joined political parties and took part in
elections; opinions were divided, even
within the Sangha.
The moment Buddhist organisations start to
disintegrate, they will not be able to play
the role of “middle ground” in civil society.
Indeed, a healthy civil society requires a
“middle ground” to pull together divergent
forces within that society. Traditionally,
religion has been the most effective middle
ground for social cohesion and harmony;
hence, Buddhist organisations should give
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priority to maintaining this position.
What Buddhist organisations can do is
to see how to engage in public and
political affairs in an appropriate and skillful
manner so that they remain relevant to
society at large while reducing potential
disintegration to a minimum. This means
that there is a need for a code of ethics for
political engagement.
Ethics of Political Engagement
In this respect, Ven Thich Nhant Hanh
formulated the 14 precepts of Socially
Engaged Buddhism, in which the 10th
precept may be seen as providing
some ethical rules regarding political
engagement. In the 10th precept, it is
mentioned:
1. Do not use the Buddhist organisation for
personal gain or profit
2. Do not transform your organisation into
a political party
3. A religious organisation should take a
clear stand against oppression and
injustice
4. It should strive to change the situation
without engaging in partisan conflicts
The 2nd rule complies with the necessity
for separation of religion and state in a civil
society. Present-day party democracy is
divisive in nature; to add religious labels to
political parties would make society even
more divided, and this could spell disaster
for the nation.
The 3rd rule -- “A religious organisation
should take a clear stand against
oppression and injustice” – requires that
Buddhist organisations should express their
stand and opinions clearly, and even
mobilise the masses to champion certain
public issues, especially those related
to the purification of the mind, social ills,
development of religions and issues directly
related to Buddhism.
The 4th rule is a test of the wisdom and skill
of Buddhist leaders. Buddhist organisations
should always focus on addressing the
issues at hand in an impartial manner,
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without bias towards political parties with
vested interests.
Apart from the above rules, Dr You Xiang
Zhou of Taiwan opined that there should
be an additional five rules to this code of
ethics.
1. Religious leaders should ensure that
the resources of an organisation are used
in accordance with its original objectives.
Otherwise it would be an abuse and
misuse of resources. When members of
the public make contributions to a religious
organisation out of faith in that religion, that
contribution can only be utilised in realising
the objectives of that faith.
Religious
leaders have no right to use that religious
resource for political ends.
2. When religious leaders mobilise devotees
for certain purposes, that mobilisation
should not exceed the aims of their faith. If
religious leaders mobilise devotees to take
sides in partisan politics, it is likely to attract
an unfavorable response from the public,
especially in modern society that upholds
the principle of separation of politics and
religion.
3. The sacredness of a religious leader
comes from his role as a medium, bringing
the “mundane” to the “supramundane”.
Religious leaders must acknowledge that
they, personally, are not the sacredness of
that religion. Hence, religious leaders must
not convert the sacredness of the religion
to become a field of secular mobilisation
for political purposes. Furthermore, religious
leaders must not pose as “God” or claim to
pass the message of the “Holy”.
4. Devotees’ support and confidence in
religious leaders should always be subject to
rational scrutiny. Faith is beyond rationalism
but that does not mean faith is irrational.
When the role of religious leaders exceeds
the sacredness of that religion, devotees
should not follow blindly.
5. When
a
religious
organisation
inappropriately engages in partisan politics,
Special Features
a vast majority of its devotees would
choose to withdraw themselves. Hence,
religious leaders should always consider the
consequences before acting.
Issues related to Buddhism are a
priority
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
a few states which are suffering under the
mantle of theological rule).
Citizenship taking precedence over religious
adherence does not mean degrading
one’s identity as a follower of any religion.
Apart from the nine rules mentioned above,
I hereby propose to add another three
rules. The 10th rule is to give priority to issues
related to Buddhism. Since the organisation
proclaims itself to be Buddhist, it is natural
and rightful to engage in issues closely
related to Buddhism (or where Buddhist
values can be of great contribution).
Buddhist organisations should keep in
mind the interests of Buddhists and nonBuddhists alike. At the same time, Buddhist
organisations should, by their actions, affirm
and uphold the civil rights of freedom of
speech, thought and faith and other values
of pluralism (to paraphrase Prof Liu Yu
Guang).
Buddhists should voice their own
public issues
Conclusion
The 11th rule that I am proposing is:
Buddhist organisations should plan, explore
and voice their own public issues. There
are many public issues which Buddhist
organisations can raise and champion.
Examples are: abolishment of the death
penalty (or at least abolishment of a
mandatory death sentence); laws relating
to minority Buddhists rights in non-Buddhist
countries; restriction and regulation of pubs,
bars and entertainment outlets; curtailment
of gambling and alcohol consumption;
religious education for Buddhists and nonBuddhists; allocation of land for religious
purposes; protection of rights of animals;
and so on.
In the context of present-day civil society,
if Buddhist organisations disengage from
politics, they are foregoing the rights
bestowed upon them, and this is of no good
to the development of Buddhism and the
nation. On the other hand, by engaging in
politics, they risk deviating from the original
objectives and mission of the organisations,
and face the possibility of self-disintegration.
A code of ethics will help them to strike a
useful balance.
Citizenship as a priority
The 12th rule I am proposing is: National
citizenship should take priority over one’s
identity as a Buddhist when engaging in
public issues. The time of a theological
state has passed (although there are still
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
Buddhism’s appeal in the
western world
by Ven Nanadassana Thera
Dear Friends in the Dhamma. I must firstly
thank the German Dharmaduta Society
for inviting me to give this talk. It was
several years ago that the Ambassador for
Sri Lanka in Italy came to Mitirigala Forest
Hermitage,
where
I am staying, and
had a conversation
with me. He used
to travel in Europe
and gave me a
bit of information
about
Buddhism
in those countries
and
the
reasons
why Europeans are
turning to find solace
in Buddhism. Once
he spoke particularly
about
Germany,
which lies in the heart
of Europe. He told
me something, which
can be, I think, a brief
yet comprehensive
reply to what people
in Europe actually
want
and
need
from Buddhism. The
German Buddhists have a motto, he said,
which is their guiding principle. The motto
is: “We don’t want religion. We want peace
and this is what Buddhism gives us”.
It is well known that the prevailing religion
in Europe is Christianity. It is derived from
Jesus Christ. His life as reported in the New
Testament by the Evangelists is the basis of
the Christian message and religion. In spite
of the fact that Jesus Christ is depicted to
have delivered the message of love to
each other or love your neighbour, yet there
are several passages in the New Testament
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Voice of Buddhism
contradicting this message of love and
these should not be overlooked by anyone
who wants to understand this European
religion. One such passage is found in
Mathew Book 10. Jesus Christ delivers his
speech thus: “Think
not that I came
to send peace on
earth. I came not
to send peace but a
sword”. Other similar
passages are found in
Luke Book 12 and 14.
Jesus Christ speaks
thus: “I came to send
fire on the earth” and,
again, “if any man
comes to me and
hates not his father
and mother, and
wife and children,
brothers and sisters,
yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be
my disciple”.
One
may wonder if the
language here is
figurative or literal.
However, if one looks back at the structure
of Christianity, its history reveals that it is
literally not a peaceful history at all. It is
full of hostilities, persecutions, martyrdom,
violence, bloodshed, slaughters, wars
waged to propagate or defend the new
faith, crusades, forced conversions and
baptisms, inquisitions and even terrible wars
between Christian and Christian. According
to modern historians, far more Christians
have been killed in religious wars among
themselves than through persecution by
the Romans. The two world wars started
in Europe. They are almost forgotten and
Special Features
today there are no political or religious
wars, at least not in Central Europe. Yet
the people today cry out, “We do not want
religion. We want peace, and this is what
Buddhism gives us”.
What is meant here is mental or spiritual
peace. A peace which springs from a
deep knowledge.
A knowledge that
comes from seeing directly the real nature
of the inner and outer world. A knowledge
that pacifies mental defilements and frees
the mind from mental vexation. Thus what
is required in Europe is a spiritual peace
which gives a real knowledge of the
world which Christianity cannot provide
to its followers for it is unable to give them
the guidance, advice, precepts, hints,
answers and techniques which fulfil the
deep demand of the human spirit and the
spiritual dimension of man.
The first contact of any significance
between Buddhists and Europeans came
about as a result of European colonialism.
Although the Indian Emperor Asoka is
known to have sent envoys to Greece
in the third century BCE, Buddhism could
not take root there due to the prevailing
unfavourable conditions.
Later, Islamic
expansion throughout the near East erected
a formidable barrier between Europe and
India. By the beginning of the 19th Century,
however, interest in Buddhist ideas was
clearly beginning to emerge in Europe. Of
course, a few independent thinkers had
earlier recognised the rationality of Buddhist
thought.
Of these, the 19th Century
German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer
must be given pride of place.
To Schopenhauer, Buddhism was the best of
all religions. It was preferable to Brahminism
with its caste system and far more preferable
to Christianity with its fallacious ideas about
God and its defective code of ethics, which
has no moral consideration for animals,
and sometimes not even for human beings.
Schopenhauer’s knowledge of Buddhism
was based on the rather incomplete and
inaccurate source materials then available.
Nevertheless, the affinity between his
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
philosophy and Buddhism is in many ways
striking and a close look at Schopenhauer’s
teachings reveal it as a kind of “incomplete”
Buddhism.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy
became popular during the later part
of the 19th Century and his high regard
for Buddhism has definitely contributed
towards the interest in it not only as a subject
of study but also as a way of thought and
life with which one can identify. It was
only during the later years of his life that
systematic attempts were first made to
arrange and translate the huge volumes of
Buddhist scriptures.
Hermann Hesse, a German author and
essayist, and Nobel Prize winner, once
wrote about the pacifying essence of the
Buddha’s discourses. He wrote: “Whoever
attentively reads a small number of the
countless discourses of the Buddha is soon
aware of harmony in them, a quietude of
mind, a smiling transcendence, a totally
unshakeable firmness, but also invariable
kindness, endless patience.
As ways
and means to the attainment of this holy
quietude and peace of mind, the Buddha’s
discourses are full of advice, precepts,
hints”.
Thus, however dimly most people in Buddhist
countries may apprehend the doctrinal
content of Buddhism, their conviction of
its depth and wisdom is shared almost
instinctively by intelligent men and women
everywhere.
No religion, other than
Buddhism, has set a higher value on the
states of spiritual insight and liberation,
and none has set so methodically and
with such a wealth of critical reflection
the various paths and disciplines by which
such wholesome states are reached as
well as their ontological and psychological
underpinnings that make those wholesome
states so valuable and those paths so
effective.
Strictly speaking, Buddhism aims at
cleansing the mind of impurities, agitation
and disturbances, such as lustful desires,
hatred, hate, anger, ill-will, indolence,
worries, restlessness, scepticism and doubts;
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
at the same time it aims to cultivate
good qualities such as concentration,
awareness, intelligence, will, energy,
the analytical faculty, confidence, joy,
friendliness, compassion, tranquility, and so
forth, leading finally to the attainment of
the highest wisdom that sees the nature of
“mind and matter” as they really came to
be and realising the ultimate truth, peace,
Nibbana. Thus peace can be found in
one’s own purified mind.
Greed, hate, delusion and vulgar behaviour,
mainly caused by mental defilements and
passions, have existed in humanity before
and during the Buddha’s time. All these
exist also today in the same and even worse
manner. For those who abhor any kind of
base bodily, verbal and mental behaviour
and wish to attain a state of moral and
spiritual purity, the Buddha’s Teaching
offers excellent guidance. Moreover, it
is a Teaching that is not restricted to any
historical age, and the moment one puts it
properly into practice one gets immediately
good results. Therefore it is called “akalika”.
Educated Westerners can gradually
acknowledge Buddhism to be not only a
message of great sophistication but also
one of exalted ideals. Perhaps the most
striking evidence that Buddhism continues
to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration
is the fascination it now holds for the
Western World.
To many in Europe and also America,
Buddhism seems to be a spiritual
movement well-suited to mankind’s future,
being grounded in reason and therefore
in harmony with the prevailing spirit of
scientific empiricism.
Offering a path
to salvation from all suffering, Buddhism
requires no blind faith and no belief in the
supra-natural. Those who encounter its
refined morality and profound wisdom can
only regard the Buddhist tradition as one
of the greatest achievements of Man. It is,
therefore, a reassuring thought that despite
recent reversals of fortune, Buddhism would
not merely survive but may possibly be on
the brink of a new age of appreciative
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Voice of Buddhism
revaluation.
Many remarkable men have worked to
spread Buddhism in the world. Of those
great Buddhist workers who deserve to
be honoured is the late Sinhalese monk,
Ven Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi Thero,
well known also by his lay name of Mr
Asoka Weeraratna. Seeing the necessity
to propagate Buddhism, especially in
Germany, he succeeded with his heroic
efforts, sacrifice, devotion and energy in
establishing the German Dharmaduta
Society and a Centre for Buddhist Missions
in Berlin for the benefit of the German
people. In his missionary enthusiasm to
spread the Buddha’s message in the world,
he directed his efforts not only to spread
Buddhism abroad but also in his own
country, Sri Lanka.
At a time when Buddhism had lost its most
supportive and protective structure, namely
meditation, he established in 1967, a Forest
Hermitage not far from Colombo, to enable
Buddhist Yogi Monks to meditate and
contemplate in a suitable and peaceful
environment. The Forest Hermitage was
named Nissarana Vanaya where 30 fully
equipped independent dwellings for
yogis were constructed for meditation.
He brought there the highly respected
meditation teacher, the late Ven Matara Sri
Nanarama Maha Thera, widely recognised
as one of Sri Lanka’s outstanding meditation
masters of recent times, to be the guide
and instructor. Apart from Sinhala Buddhist
monks and laymen, many foreign monks
and laymen alike got the opportunity to
pursue here the practice of meditation with
full dedication, unhindered by other tasks
and duties. Some of them came from USA,
some from Canada, England, Netherlands,
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal,
Italy, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Greece,
India, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan,
Australia, and New Zealand.
In August 1972, Mr Asoka Weeraratna
himself became a monk under the monastic
name Ven Dhammanisanthi. As a layman
and later as a monk he served the cause
Special Features
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
of Buddhism in these and many other ways abroad as well as in his homeland. His name
will be included in a historical book now being produced by the Sri Kalyani Yogashrama
Sansthawa, an association of forest monks in Sri Lanka. May he, by the vast accumulation
of this merit, attain Nibbana.
May also the noble objective of the German Dharmaduta Society to propagate Buddhism
in Europe be achieved in increasing measure in the years to come, thus spreading peace
and happiness in this life among the good people in Germany and also in other countries
in Europe, and guiding them ultimately towards the attainment of the supreme bliss of
Nibbana.
Ven Nanadassana is a Buddhist monk from Greece who has lived in Sri Lanka for the last
20 years, more than 19 in residence at the Mitirigala Forest Hermitage. He has studied
and practised meditation under the guidance of the late Most Venerable Matara Sri
Nanarama Mahathera, the first Meditation Master at the Mitirigala Forest Hermitage. Ven
Nanadassana was well acquainted with Ven Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi Thero (Mr Asoka
Weeraratna), the founder of the Mitirigala Forest Hermitage. He has studied the Tripitaka
under Sinhala Theras and Mahatheras and has thus acquired a theoretical and practical
knowledge of Buddhism. He is fluent in several languages (including Sinhala) and is the
author of the book “Bhikkhu Patimoksha” in German.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
Kajang walks the Dhamma
Path the Fun Way
by Ong Puay Liu
At Kajang Sunday Dhamma School (KSDS),
we make learning fun. We created an
innovative idea by introducing elements
of the Buddha and Dhamma to the ever
popular Snakes and Ladders game.
In the process of researching into the game,
we found some interesting information.
Noteworthy is this nugget that Snakes and
Ladders originated in India! It was then
known as Moksha Patam or Vaikunthapaali
(stairs to Vaikuntha) or Paramapada
Sopanam (ladder to salvation). It was
used to teach Hinduism and Hindu values
to children, particularly the role of karma.
A Jain version, Gyanbazi, dated back to
the 16th century. Renamed Leela, the
game reflected Hinduism consciousness
surrounding everyday life.
The game made its way to Britain where the
British renamed it “Snakes and Ladders”. It
was also introduced to the United States
of America, and assumed another name,
“Chutes and Ladders”.
The game has established itself as a morality
or “virtue vs. vice” game. Do good and you
will go up the ladder. Do bad and you slide
down the snakes. Ladders thus represent
virtues or wholesome actions such as
compassion, generosity, contentment,
truthfulness, faith and humility, while snakes
represent vices or unwholesome actions
such as anger, hatred, cruelty, lust and
covetousness. Do more of these vices and
it is “back to square one”. The number of
ladders will be fewer than the number of
snakes as a reminder that doing good is
much more difficult than committing evil.
What is the ultimate goal of this uphill and
downhill journey of existence? The answer
is moksha, that is, liberation from samsara or
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Voice of Buddhism
stream of existence.
In the original game of 100 squares, the
squares of virtue are Faith (12), Reliability
(51), Generosity (57), Knowledge (76) and
Asceticism (78). The squares of vice are
Disobedience (41), Vanity (44), Vulgarity
(49), Theft (52), Lying (58), Drunkenness
(62), Debt (69), Rage (84), Greed (92), Pride
(95), Murder (73) and Lust (99). Square 100
represents Moksha or Nirvana.
The KSDS-modified Snakes and Ladders
game has a total of 49 squares (7-by-7)
because it is well known that the number 7
has a certain magical, mystical quality. In
keeping with the aim of teaching Dhamma
the fun way, we included as virtues, the
four brahma-vihara or “sublime qualities”,
of metta (loving-kindness 4), karuna
(compassion 8), mudita (appreciative joy
14) and upekkha (equanimity 31).
A player stopping at numbers 4, 8, 14 and
31 will have the pleasure of climbing the
ladder. In contrast are squares number
7 (harming others), number 17 (stealing),
number 44 (telling lies) represent breaking
precepts 1 (do not kill), 2 (do not take things
not given) and 4 (do not engage in false
speech). As this game is largely played
by young children, we replaced precepts
3 (do not engage in sexual misconduct)
and 5 (do not take intoxicants that cause
heedlessness) with “disrespect to parents”
(square 37) and “playing too much
computer games” (square 47). A player
stopping at these numbers will have the
heartache of sliding down the ferociouslooking snakes!
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Ultimate joy for the player is to reach square number 47 after the perilous journey, where
he/she will be bestowed the title of “a good and happy Buddhist”.
When we first introduced the game during Wesak day in May 2013 at our BMSM Kajang
centre, we attracted many players -- young
children, teenagers, parents, and even the
Bhantes who were with us.
This snakes and ladders game serves as
a good reminder of our Lord Buddha’s
timeless teaching of “Do good, avoid evil
and purify our own mind”. Indeed, the
use of precepts and ennoblers is Buddha’s
noble approach of teaching morality
through the emphasis on individual action.
Thuti hotu to our KSDS teachers and Sis
Chow for coming together to produce this
modified version of snakes and ladders.
Please see back cover for the Snake and Ladders game.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
Suvarnamitra - A celebratory
story of gratitude
by Kon Chee Min
that aims to provide care and support for
elders in their homes, with priority given
to Buddhist elders who live alone or with
an elderly spouse. It serves as a link or
point of contact between elders who
need assistance and those who can help.
Providing some happiness and peace of
mind for our Buddhist elders in their own
homes is our modest way of reciprocating
their hard work, contribution and service
to the larger Buddhist community over the
years. It is a way of expressing our gratitude
for their selfless efforts many decades ago.
Some of the services the Suvarnamitra
community is working towards are:
• Transportation for doctors’ visits, temple
•
•
Suvarnamitra consists of two Sanskrit words
– Suvarna, which means Gold, and Mitra,
meaning friend.
Hence, Suvarnamitra
means Golden Friend.
Our story can be traced back to the Good
Heart team, mooted by Bhante Mahinda
more than 10 years ago to provide service
by reaching out to aged-care homes,
orphanages, half-way houses and various
individuals.
Good Heart evolved into
Suvarnamitra in early 2013 to extend
service to our Buddhist elders who had
been pivotal in supporting the late Ven Dr K
Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera in
his exemplary dhammaduta work.
In essence, Suvarnamitra is working
towards setting up a Call/Service Centre
20
Voice of Buddhism
•
•
•
functions, purchasing groceries, meal
delivery and Sangha visits
Arranging cooked food for elders who
are recovering from illness
Arranging daily maid/nursing care
during periods of convalescence
Maintaining regular contact with the
elders via telephone or visits
Organising regular social get-togetherevents amongst elders who are friends
These activities are carried out by
volunteers or paid aged care givers.
Financial
support
comes
from
contributions
from
donors
and
elders who are financially independent
or from their family members.
The Suvarnamitra Project, having received
blessings and support from Bhante Mahinda,
Aloka Foundation and Buddhist Missionary
Society Malaysia, had its first volunteer
recruitment drive during Wesak Day on 24
May 2013 at Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam.
Thirty volunteers signed up that day.
Special Features
The first social event was the Buddhist Elders
get-together at Auntie Tan Teik Beng’s house
in June 2013. More than 50 participants,
comprising Buddhist elders and volunteers,
attended this function. It was such a delight
to see many elders smiling from ear to ear
when they reconnected with old friends
whom they had not seen for many years.
Bhante Mahinda, who was also present,
gave a short talk to encourage the elders
to continue with their practice and guided
them to grow their faith in the Triple Gem.
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
On 18 August 2013, an Age Care Seminar,
titled “Older, Wiser, Happier”, was held at
Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam. The speaker
was an Age Care professional from
Australia, Ms Mabelle Carceller, who shared
her knowledge from the perspective of
the elders and the care givers. The 108
participants showed great interest in
mental health management care, which
Suvarnamitra hopes to organise in the near
future.
Before Bhante Mahinda returned to
Australia in July 2013, he gave a talk to a
group of Suvarnamitra volunteers on caring
for elders. Bhante said although some
thought they did not have the skills to do this
kind of work, it was not necessarily true. In
the field of service, we will discover our skills,
he said. Bhante reminded them that this
was not our first life; in fact, we have lived
many, many life times and we have learnt
many things. He advised the volunteers
that it is only when we have the intention to
help others and give our services freely that
the skills will surface and we will learn how
useful we can be.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
The most recent Suvarnamitra event was the offering of dana, robes and requisites to
the Sangha in Samadhi Vihara on 12 October 2013 , one week before Samadhi Vihara’s
Kathina Day. The event was specially arranged a week earlier to ensure that the elders
would have more time to meet their friends and Sangha in a more leisurely environment.
Bhante Mahinda gave a dhamma talk specially for the elders. The unwavering devotion
of the elders to the Sangha, which they helped to hone 40 to 50 years ago, was an
inspiration to the Suvarnamitra volunteers that day.
In addition to these events, volunteers reached out to individual elders who lived alone on
weekends and occasionally on weekdays, providing them support and help as needed.
The Survarnamitra working committee hopes to recruit more like-minded volunteers to
render their services to Buddhist elders in the Klang Valley.
The group’s long-term mission is to establish a community for elders who will be able to
live with dignity and practice the Dhamma together for the rest of their lives. May the
supporters of BMSM and Aloka Foundation continue to lend their support through service
and in kind to support Suvarnamitra’s mission in serving the Buddhist elders.
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Voice of Buddhism
Special Features
24 Hours Metta
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Report by Pang Hock Huat , Jeffrey
Bhante Mahinda bearing the Buddha relic entering the Shrine Hall.
Illuminating the Asoka Pillar & Unveiling the 24hrMetta message - “Heal with Metta”
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Special Features
For the second year running, on 28th & 29th
December 2013, BMSM Samadhi Vihara
and Aloka Foundation jointly organised a
very auspicious event for world peace and
harmony. It was held very appropriately
during the last weekend of 2013 aptly to
welcome the New Year 2014.
It was a bright Saturday, 28th Dec. morning
which saw Bhante Mahinda, Religious
Advisor of BMSM and Spiritual Director of
Aloka Foundation bearing the Buddha
Relic together with members of the Maha
Sangha from the Theravada, Mahayana &
Vajyarana traditions circumambulating the
Vihara, a tradition to mark the welcoming
of the Buddha relic to the Vihara. The
Relic was brought from Sri Lanka by Ven. B
Dhammananda.
Following a short speech by Ven.
Saranankara and a brief note from Bhante
Mahinda, the 24hrMetta chanting started
off with the 1st hour chanting by the
members of the Maha sangha @10am.
Twenty three Buddhist Organisations and
groups then took turns in one-hour slots
round the clock to chant Karaniya Metta
Sutta and other sutta and mantras while
another eleven joined from wherever they
were in various parts of the country and well
as from Sri Lanka & Australia via internet link
up.
The highlight of the two days’ event was at
8pm on 28th Dec., illuminating the Asoka
Pillar followed by the circumambulation of
the Vihara and unveiling of the 24hr Metta
message for 2014.
This year, to add flavour to the event,
activities like Metta Rocks painting, Sutta
Hand copying and folding of Metta stars
was introduced to attract visitors to the
event to participate in the Metta activities.
We were heartened by the warm response
especially from the youngsters.
It was an event to behold as the response
from the participating organisations,
Bhante Mahinda explaining the gist of the 24hr Metta message to those who were present
24
Voice of Buddhism
Special Features
volunteers and visitors to the Vihara was
very encouraging. The joint organising
committee of this event rejoices with the
many that participated, turned up to offer
their services and help and also those
who were just there at Samadhi Vihara in
making this a spiritually inspired event. Our
special thanks to the many sponsors whose
contributions in cash and kind made this
event possible.
Mahasadhu our appreciation and word
of thanks to the following participating
organisations who took part in the nonstop
chanting of the Karaniya metta sutta and
other mantras for world peace, harmony
and for the welfare of all beings:.
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Kagyu Tashi Pal Dharma Society, Subang
Jaya Buddhist Association, Mudita Buddhist
Society, Buddhist Business Network, Bandar
Utama Buddhist Society, Sambodhi Setia
Alam Buddhist Association, Samadhi Vihara
Metta Circle, Friends of Aloka, BMSM Shah
Alam Branch, Samadhi Youth Team & UTAR
(Perak Campus), University Malaya Buddhist
Society, Nottingham Buddhist Society, Tiratana Buddhist Society NBC Klang, Zheng
Xin Buddhist Association, BMSM Kajang/
Putrajaya/Welfare & Meditation Sections
and
Samadhi
Rainbow
Programme
Children & Parents.
Nalanda Buddhist Society, Kinrara Metta
Buddhist Society, Buddhist Maha Vihara
& Dhammaduta Youth, Sungai Long
Buddhist Society, Klang & Coast Buddhist
Association, Dharma Drum Mountain
Buddhist
Centre
Malaysia,
Selangor
Buddhist Vippasana Meditation Society
& Shah Alam Buddhist Society, Taklung
The offsite
participants- Sammaddithi
Meditation Grove(Sg. Petani), Metta Circle
Penang, Gandharama (Kuala Terengganu),
Aloka Buddhist Centre Melaka, Seck Kia
Eenh Melaka, Genting Buddhist Group,
Kuching Dhamma Vijaya Buddhist Centre,
Aloka Sabah, Pahang Buddhist Association,
Kuantan Buddhist Association, Metta
Round the World Sri Lanka Chapter, Aloka
Meditation Centre Sydney, Metta Circle
Singapore.
Hand copying of the Karaniya Metta Sutta
Metta Rocks
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
25
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
26
Voice of Buddhism
Special Features
Welfare
Section
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
14-15 July 2013
Thirty nine (39) welfare members travelled to Kedah/Penang.
On 14 July 2013, they paid a visit to Samaditthi Meditation Grove in Sungai Petani and
toured the Bujang Valley museum and its archaeological sites. They were grateful to Bro.
Kenneth who guided them for the Bujang Valley tour.
In the afternoon they proceeded to Kulim, where they visited Fayi Buddhist Lodge and
three children welfare homes: Rumah Kebajikan Bakti Fayi, Sunshine Cottage Welfare
Home and Yong Ai Welfare Home.
On 15 July 2013, they participated in the morning dana at Buddhist Hermitage Lunas and
the lunch dana at Nandaka Vihara in To’Kun, Bukit Mertajam.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
27
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Section
28 July 2013
In support of Buddhist Maha Vihara to raise
fund to build additional Sunday school
classrooms,
Welfare Section operated
a drink & food stall at its Charity Food
Fair Carnival. All the items for sales were
donated by committee members and
friends.
15 October 2013
About 12 Welfare Section members and
supporters spent an hour with the senior
citizens at Kim Loo Ting Hong Ying Home
in Setapak. Welfare contributed RM1,600
towards the bereavement fund of the
home.
17 – 18 August 2013
With the assistance of the Raub Buddhist Association, Welfare Section held a charitable
program in Raub, which was participated by 44 members.
They distributed gifts in cash and kind to 25 inmates of 3 old folk homes in Sg. Ruan, Kg.
Sempalit and Sg. Lui and16 deserving poor families in Raub.
28
Voice of Buddhism
Section
30 November – 1 December 2013
Fourty three (3) Welfare Section members
had a 2-day spiritually enriched trip in
Temoh/Batu Gajah/Ipoh .
They had their spiritual batteries recharged
by attending three dhamma
Q&A/
dhamma sharing sessions with Bhante
Hye at Vihara Buddha Gotama, Bhante
Tikkhayana at Dhammapiti Meditation
Monastery, and Dato’ Ang Choo Hong at
Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association Centre.
Visiting Sukhavana Meditation Monastery in
Bercham was an uplifting experience.
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
8 December 2013
In support of Sri Jayanti Welfare Organisation,
Welfare Section operated a drink and food
stall at its Charity Food Fair 2013 in Sri Lanka
Buddhist Temple, Sentul to help raise fund
for its various charity programmes. All the
items for sales were donated by committee
members and friends.
Forthcoming Welfare Activities
They also visited and donated RM1,000
each to four Welfare Homes:
a. Batu Gajah Handicapped Children
Welfare Home (38 children)
b. The Foundation of Training Centre &
Home for the Handicapped at Taman
Camay, Pasir Putih, Ipoh (35 children)
c. Pertubuhan Jagaan Kanak-Kanak
Cacat Setia in Silibin (38 children).
d. Bao En Shih – Anning Old Folk Home
(43 inmates) and Anning Orphanage
Home.
August 2014
December 2014
Raub Charity Trip
Temoh/Batu Gajah/Ipoh
Religious Charity Trip
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
29
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Section
Youth Roundup:
Buddhist Youths boring? Not D2Y!
Buddhist youths a boring bunch? In Dhammaduta Development Youth (D2Y), the word
“boring” does not exist in our lexicon.
In learning and applying the Dhamma in our daily lives, we have tons of fun as can be
seen from our activities:
Chinese New Year Carolling (February)
To usher in the year of the Snake, D2Y Chinese New Year carollers and a lion dance troupe
visited 10 homes, including Ci Hang Welfare Centre in Sungai Buloh. Spirits were high as
the carollers arrived at dawn and sang their hearts out till dusk. In addition, the D2Y lion
dance troupe blew the crowd away with its performances.
Barn Trip (April)
Pet-lovers from all over Klang Valley participated in this one-day barn trip to Lotus Life
Liberation Park in Bentong, Pahang. Volunteers had an eye-opening experience as they
were mostly city residents. The purpose of this trip was to feed the animals and clean the
barns. Not only were they “greeted” by numerous dogs, cows, goats, cats and tortoises,
the volunteers were also welcomed with warm hospitality by the barn manager and her
co-workers.
30
Voice of Buddhism
Section
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Parents’ Appreciation Dinner (June)
Parents’ Appreciation Dinner (PAD) is a bi-annual event organised by D2Y. Our goal
is to show appreciation to our parents and family members for their continuous and
endless support. This year, it was held in Shah Alam Buddhist Society (SABS) on June
28. Performances such as acting, singing and dancing by our D2Y members had many
parents beaming with pride.
CampX (August)
CampX was held in the serene and picturesque Sasanarakha Buddhist Sanctuary, Taiping,
in August this year. The theme for this 4-day 3-night camp for young adults ranging from
18-25 years was “Learn today, lead tomorrow”. It was physically challenging to climb the
slopes of Sasanarakha daily but all participants persevered. At the end, they gave the
camp the thumbs-up but dubbed it “tiring “.
Dhammaduta Development Youth Camp (D2YC) 2013
D2YC 2013 was held on December 4-9 at the Shah Alam Buddhist Society (SABS).
Participants between the ages of 14 and 18 joined this annual year-end camp to gain new
experiences and make kalyana mitras. Our specially-tailored programmes for these teens
were aimed at equipping them with knowledge of the Dhamma and also to challenge
their minds.
Youth Roundup – BMSM Kajang Youth
Section
What do I want?
The 12th Teenage Camp was held in BMSM
Kajang Branch and Samadhi Vihara Shah
Alam from December 5 to 8. With the
theme “What Do I Want?”, it was aimed at
educating participants on how to handle
problems and stress during their adolescent
years.
Sixty-three participants attended the
camp and to the credit of 15 facilitators
and 10 committee members under the
leadership of Camp leader Daimler Yong
and Assistant Camp Leader Rachel Kong,
new and interesting elements based on the
popular Korean reality show Running Man
were introduced.
A special session “Wow! Amazing!”
was the surprise visit of a group of local
artistes, Thomas and Jack and Hank, who
entertained the participants with a few
songs.
And what’s in store for 2014? We can’t wait
to get on with the programme.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
31
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Section
Dhammavijaya Meditation
Centre
Kathina Ceremony in Dhammavijaya
Meditation Centre (DMC), Dengkil
BMSM Meditation Section held its Kathina
and Sanghikadana Ceremony in the newly
completed Sima Hall at Dhammavijaya
Meditation Centre (DMC), Dengkil for
the second year on 27th October 2013.
This also marks the 6th Vassa spent by
Most Venerable Sayadaw U Agganna in
DMC. Two additional venerables, namely
Venerable Khema Nanda and Venerable
Tejaw Barsa were invited from Pa-Auk
Tawya, Myanmar to spend their Vassa
in DMC. Several Venerables from others
Monasteries: Pa-auk Meditation Centre,
Singapore and Tusita Hermitage, Kuching
East Malaysia and Chempaka Buddhist
Lodge, Selangor, Malaysia were also invited
to join the Kathina Ceremony.
The ceremony started with Buddha Puja
at 8.30am and sermon delivered by
32
Voice of Buddhism
Sayadaw U Agganna. It was followed by
Kathina Robes and Requisites offerings to
sangha members by representatives from
BMSM Meditation Section, Dhammavijaya
Meditation
Centre
and
devotees.
Thereafter, a Pindacara within DMC was
carried out before lunch dana.
There was a continuous stream of devotees
and visitors who come to pay respect to
the Triple Gems and make Offerings. The
celebration ended with another Sermon
in Burmese specially for the Myanmar
devotees and friends at 2pm.
Sadhu!
Sadhu! Sadhu!
Dhammavijaya Meditation Centre (DMC)
is a collaborative meditation centre
between Pa-Auk Tawya, Myanmar and
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia since
its inception in 2004. Sayadaw U Agganna
is the present Abbot cum Meditation
Teacher.
Shah Alam:
Vas & Kathina 2013
This year, for the first time, BMSM at Samadhi
Vihara invited two Venerable monks to
spend their three (3) months Vas at the
Vihara. The invitation to Bhante Mahinda
Maha Thera, our Religious Advisor and Ven.
Bolangoda Dhammananda Thera from Sri
Lanka was conducted on the evening of
22nd July 2013 by the main sponsor, BMSM
together with six (6) co-sponsors.
The Venerable monks spent their three
months practicing as well as teaching the
Dhamma to the members and devotees
conducting activities like the daily evening
chanting of the Maha Samayam Sutta, one
(1) three days retreat and several weekends
one day retreats. Besides that there were
also evening Dhamma talks and regular
Sunday morning Puja & Dhamma talk.
Branches
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Report by Lim Meng Sheng
One of the highlights during the Vas period
was the unveiling of the Asoka Pillar on 31st
August 2013 in conjunction with the 7th
Memorial of our Founder, Venerable Chief
K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera.
At the end of the three (3) months Vas,
a Kathina Robes and Requisites Offering
ceremony was held at Samadhi Vihara on
20th October 2013. The ceremony started
off with the circumambulation of the
Vihara led by the main sponsor, followed
by the co-sponsors and devotees. There
were eleven (11) monks present during the
ceremony led by Bhante Mahinda and
with presence of Ven. B. Saranankara from
Sentul Temple made it a grand & auspicious
occasion. There was an estimated crowd
of five hundred who attended the event
which went on smoothly right through the
Sanghika Dana & lunch to the devotees.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
33
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Kajang:
Branches
Kajang holds all-night Metta chanting on
National Day …
BMSM Kajang held a “National Day All Night Metta Chanting” for the first time on August
31-September 1 to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the passing away of our beloved
Chief Reverend, Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, and also for
National Day, invoking the blessings of the Triple Gem for peace, harmony and stability in
our country.
The chanting started at 8pm led by the Maha Sangha and followed by chanting-farers
from BMSM Kajang branch, Bandar Utama Buddhist Society, Sg Long Buddhist Society,
Subang Jaya Buddhist Association, Samadhi Vihara Shah Alam, Friends of Aloka and our
very own teachers, parents and students of Kajang Sunday Dhamma School.
Bhante Mahinda and Bhante U Agganna conducted the closing ceremony, during which
Bhante Mahinda gave a short sermon on the power of Metta chanting.
The Maha Sangha leading the all-night chanting.
34
Voice of Buddhism
The Maha Sangha light the oil lamps to signal the
start of the All-Night Chanting.
Branches
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
… a fund-raising Charity Food & Fun Fair …
A Charity Food & Fun fair was held on 10 November 2013 at BMSM Kajang branch to raise
funds for its building renovation project.
After an early morning drizzle, the weather turned superb with a cool breeze and by that
time the stalls were ready and “open for business”. Food on sale included kow jum, nasi
dagang, curry mee, Penang laksa, keropok, fried meehoon, herbal eggs, vegetarian
rending, popiah, fruits, vegetarian and non- vegetarian mixed rice, lui cha, Myanmar
laksa, cakes, fried rice, kuih-muih, curry puff, yam cake, curry chicken, cekodok, pau,
glutinous rice, noodle roll, tarts, nyonya kuih, cookies, Seremban siew pau, varies tong shui,
pudding, cold drinks, etc.
Non-food and dried food items included: Bonsai plants, fruit plants, organic dry food,
stationery, toys, kitchen utensils, rice, oil, detergents, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes,
handmade crafts, t-shirts, etc.
There were also two game stalls, each run by Kajang Sunday Dhamma School and BMSMKJ
youth section. Other interesting stalls were health consultation, haircuts and face painting.
The response was so good that most of the food was sold out before closing time.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
35
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Branches
… and more Giving and Sharing
In the second half of the year 2013, KSDS continued its theme-based programme to instil
the values of giving and sharing. The teachers emphasised the tender loving care of pets
such as dogs, cats, rabbits, terrapins and hamsters. The students had the opportunity to
feel and touch those animals with care and love.
In August, students were taken on a “tour” of India, following the footsteps of the Buddha
during a slide presentation screened by teachers who had recently gone on a pilgrimage.
In September, students were taught arts and crafts using recycled material – paper to
make bowls and mineral water bottles to make a racing car.
The year ended with an emphasis on appreciation for the world, country, family and
friends. “Be grateful” was the message, which was strongly brought home by Mr Nick
Vujicic. Despite his handicap, he touched the students and parents with his strength.
KSDS’s annual event – Year End Camp -- was held on 22-24 November at BMSM Kajang
Branch, with the theme, “Cultivate Dhamma in You”. The 45 participants showed great
team spirit and enjoyed the fellowship in the camp.
A camp focused on Cultivating the Dhamma in the young.
36
Voice of Buddhism
Putrajaya:
Branches
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
A new BMSM branch is born
BMSM Putrajaya is the latest addition to the
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia family!
An interest meeting held on 15 October
2013 at Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam, saw
the 36 in attendance forming a pro-tem
committee headed by Dr Ong Gua Pak.
Since then, the Registrar of Societies
has approved the registration of BMSM
Putrajaya Branch, which will be entrusted
with the task of organising dhammaduta
activities and operating the new Pusat
Buddhist Dhammaduta Malaysia that
BMSM will be developing.
BMSM has been allocated a 0.66 acre
land in Precinct 5 of Putrajaya and the
development plans are pending approval
from the authorities.
The enthusiastic committee members
swung into action shortly after the branch
inception by participating in BMSM Kajang
Branch’s Food and Fun Fair to raise funds for
its new building. The food stall operated by
Putrajaya branch raised RM3,030 through
the sales of “khau jam” (Kelantanese nasi
kerabu), fish and prawn crackers (keropok)
and cut fruits.
The committee members and volunteers
also participated in a specially convened
Metta Workshop at Samadhi Vihara, Shah
Alam, on 17 November 2013 to familiarise
themselves with BMSM Religious Advisor
Bhante Mahinda’s Metta Round The World
and metta circle initatives to rally more
people in the practice of metta for world
peace, harmony and stability.
Putrajaya Branch members took a Group Photo with other BMSM family members from Kajang Branch,
Shah Alam Branch and Welfare Section, after receiving the Souvenir of 24hrs Metta Chanting.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
37
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Branches
Bro Dr Ong Gua Pak, Chairman of Putrajaya
Branch and the Hon Sec, Bro Dr Kang Tong Hum
(2nd and 3rd from right) with Sis Loh Pai Ling
(BMSM President); Dato’ Ir Ang Choo Hong
(BMSM Advisor); Bro Patrick Phoon (BMSM Vice
President); Bro Kng Tuan Kah (BMSM Shah Alam
Chairman); Sis Ng Lai Peng (BMSM Kajang
Chairperman); Sis Lye Eng Lan (BMSM Kajang
Hon Sec and Bro Liew Yoke Loy (BMSM Kajang
Committee).
Brisk sales at the Putrajaya branch stall at the
Kajang Branch Food & Fun Fair.
Putrajaya Committee with Bhante Mahinda at a
Special Metta Workshop on 12th Nov 2013.
Putrajaya Committee & Family members are with
BMSM Family at the 24Hr Metta Chanting 2013
38
Voice of Buddhism
Affliate
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
BMSM Novitiate Programme
and BMS Endowment Fund
16th November – 24th November 2014
BMSM Novitiate Programme and BMS
Endowment Fund Aids Presentation at
Samadhi Vihara and Bodhi Park.
This year’s Novitiate Programme was
well attended by about 40 participants
including 28 Samaneras, 11 Upasikas, and
1 Upasaka.
The Programme was conducted by eminent
teachers which include Ven. Galle Udita,
Ven. Pannasaddha, Ven. Ru Tzu, as well as
our brother monks from the Sentul Temple
under the leadership of Ven. Saranan Kara.
Ven. Galle Udita is the Chief Monk of
Singapore while Ven. Saranan Kara is the
Chief Monk of Malaysia.
All participants who graduated from this
Programme felt that the high standards of
the teaching enriched their spiritual life as
well as gain good understanding of the life
of a renunciant.
The discipline of the participants and their
enthusiasm for Dhamma knowledge were
impeccable. The Dhamma Talks were very
inspiring and knowledgeable that all of
them consciously listen to the Dhamma Talk
with wise attention throughout the three
hours plus without interruption in any one
session.
After the sermons delivered by Ven Ru Tze
and Ven Pannasaddha (Ven.Wei Shin),
the participating students, parents, school
teachers and novices were invited to have
lunch with venerable Sangha members.
BMS Endowment Fund intends to expand
the aids program and would appreciate
more generous donors to share the merits
through making donations (by cheque)
to ‘BMS Endowment Fund’. These are taxexempted. A receipt will be sent to our
donor in appreciation.
The Novitiate Programme and Aids
Presentation were successful with our
generous sponsors from the Yayasan Belia
Buddhist Malaysia, and the BMSM Ladies
Section.
The Programme Chairman cum BMSEF
Vice Chairman, Bro.Quah Chi Boon wished
to record our society’s heartfelt thanks to
all those who contributed once again to
the successful completion of the Novitiate
Pogramme and Aids presentation Project.
In
conjunction
with
this
Novitiate
Programme, Aids Presentation was held on
19 November 2013 by Buddhist Missionary
Society Endowment Fund.
About twenty four (24) students from SJKC
Pin Hwa 2, Aman Perdana, Klang received
the cash aid of RM200 each and goodies
which included writing aids, foodstuff and
towels/toiletries.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
39
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Interfaith
MALAYSIAN CONSULTATIVE
COUNCIL OF BUDDHISM,
CHRISTIANITY, HINDUISM,
SIKHISM AND TAOISM
(MCCBCHST)
MCCBCHST turns 30 years old on 06th August 2013.
A vegetarian dinner was held in conjunction with the Pearl Jubilee (30th) Celebration of
MCCBCHST in HGH Convention, Sentul on August 10, 2013. YB Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima
Joseph Kurup, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, was the Guest of Honour who
launched the celebration.
The celebration was further enriched by the presentation of dances of different faiths’
groups, namely: Bharatham Dance by Malaysia Hindu Sangam and Mangul Bera Pooja
Dance by Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society (SAWS); Long Gu (Dragon Drum) by
Malaysia Buddhist Association (MBA); Bhangra Dance by Malaysian Gurdwaras Council
(MGC) and Chinese Cultural Dance by Federation of Taoist Association (FTA).
Thank you to Brother Neubert Ambrose from Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) who
kindly volunteered his excellent Master of Ceremony task. Our sincere thanks also go to
the group of diligent volunteers from Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM), who
have greatly assisted in the organisation of the celebration dinner.
About MCCBCHST
MCCBCHST is the largest non-Muslim religious organisation in Malaysia with the aim:
• to promote understanding, mutual respect and co-operation between people of
different religions;
• to study and resolve problems affecting all inter-religious relationships; and
• to make representations regarding religious matters
MCCBCHST has worked tirelessly for the past three decades and have repeatedly
appealed to the Government to take positive steps to alleviate the fears of non-Muslims
at the erosion of their religious freedom and other unresolved religious issues which affect
their lives.
40
Voice of Buddhism
Interfaith
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Cutting the Pearl Jubilee cake by Guest of Honour,
YB Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima
Joseph Kurup, witnessed by the MCCBCHST
committee and invited guests.
YB Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup with
members of the Organising Committee of Pearl
Jubilee Dinner.
Mangul Bera Pooja Dance by Sasana Abhiwurdhi
Wardhana Society (SAWS).
Bharatham Dance by Malaysia Hindu Sangam
(MHS).
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
41
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
International
WFB News:
A Thai Interreligous Roving Trip to
Malaysia and Singapore
Khun Sawanee CHUENSUMRAN, the Deputy
Secretary General of World Fellowship
of Buddhists (WFB) related the intention
of Khun Krisada KONGKAJAN, DeputyDirector General, Department of Religious
Affairs (DRA), Ministry of Culture of Thailand
of his intention to send a Thai Interreligious
Delegation to visit Malaysia from 21-23
August, 2013.
Officer, Promotion of Religious Activities
and Foreign Relations Group, Office of
the Secretary, Department of Religious
Affairs, Ministry help to coordinate the visit
in Malaysia. The delegates have a fruitful
and meaningful visit to following offices
and prominent religious sites, namely: Thai
Buddhist Temple – Wat Chetawan, Petaling
Jaya, Selangor; Christian Church – Trinity
Methodist, Petaling
Jaya,
Selangor;
Hindu Kuil – Shree
Lakshmi Narayan,
Jalan Ipoh, Kuala
Lumpur.
National
Mosque of Malaysia
in Kuala Lumpur and
meeting with the
officials from JAKIM;
Sikh
Gurdwara
Sahib
in
Sentul,
Kuala Lumpur.
The main objective
of their visit is
to establish the
relationship among
all
participants
through
their
exchanges
on
religious
affairs
cooperation
in
ASEAN.
The first
four countries to
be visited in 2013
are
Philippines,
Visit to Wat Cheta Wan, PJ.
The delegations also
Malaysia, Singapore
visited the Buddhist
and
Indonesia.
Malaysia is the second country after their Maha Vihara (BMV) before meeting-up
visit to Philippines in July, 2013. The next visit with the officials of Malaysia Consultative
will be Singapore scheduled in September, Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) in BMV.
2013.
They met with Dato’ Azman Amin bin
BMSM
together
with
RADM.
Isara Hassan, the Director General, Department
YIMPHANICH,
RTN.,
the
Delegate of National Unity and Integration (JPNIN)
Representative and Assistant Secretary for a fruitful exchange and dialogue session
General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists before leaving for airport on their last day
(WFB) and Ms. Treechada
AUNRUEN, of visit.
Secretary to the Delegation Religious Affairs
42
Voice of Buddhism
International
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Visit to Trinity Methodist Church, PJ
Khun Krisada, DDG of Thai DRA,meeting with Most
Ven Datuk K Sri Dhammananda and Committee of
SAWS & BMSM
Exchange of Souvenir: Khun Krisada, DDG of
Thai DRA and Sardar Jagir Singh, President of
MCCBCHST
Exchange of Souvenir: Khun Krisada, DDG,
Thai DRA and Dato’ Azman Amin, DG of JPNIN,
Malaysia
Thai DRA delegates; Mr Chan, JPNIN, Sister Pai
Ling and Sister Cheng Tuan in front of JPNIN
Putrajaya, Malaysia
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
43
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
International
After their visit to Malaysia, the delegation from the Thailand Department of Religious
Affairs, Ministry of Culture continued its Interreligious Roving Trip to Singapore. This trip to
Singapore was successfully coordinated by Brother GS Tan from Buddhist Union Singapore
and Khun Sawanee Chuensumran, Deputy Secretary General of WFB. The main places of
interest visited by the delegates while in Singapore were the Inter-Religious Organisation
and Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle, Ministry of Culture, Community and
Youth (IRCC, MCCY).
Visit to Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO)
MICA Building after meeting with IRCC, MCCY
44
Voice of Buddhism
International
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Buddhist leaders gather
in Bangkok to share the
Dhamma
Buddhist leaders from all over the world
gathered at the World Buddhist Assembly
held in Bangkok from September 30 to
October 3, 2013, to discuss, contemplate
and share the Dhamma. The assembly
was convened by The World Fellowship
of Buddhists (WFB) to commemorate the
100th Birthday Anniversary of HH Somdet
Phra Nyanasamvara, the 19th Supreme
Patriarch of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Representing the Buddhist Missionary Society
of Malaysia (BMSM) were its President, Sis
Loh Pai Ling, and Dato’ Ang Choo Hong.
Sis Pai Ling is the co-chairman of the newlyformed standing committee of Inter-faith
Dialogue of the WFB for the term 2012-2014
while Dato’ Ang is the co-chairman of the
Panca Sila standing committee of WFB. Sis
Ang Cheng Tuan was also part of the BMSM
delegation.
HH Sangharaja from Laos, Most Venerable Phong Samalek (Piyadhiro Bhikkhu); Khun Phallop Thaiarry,
Sec Gen of WFB (Behind HH Sangharaja); President of WFB, HH Phan Wannamethee, Dato’ Khoo Leong
Han, Honorary Vice President of WFB, Dato’ Tan Gin Soon, Vice President of WFB, Sister Camellia
Darmawan, Exco of WFB and Brother GS Tan, Secretary of Inter-faith Dialogue Standing Committee of
WFB. Sister Pai Ling, Co-chairman of Inter-faith Dialogue Standing Committee of WFB and Sister Cheng
Tuan, Vice-President of BMSM.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
45
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
International
Sis Loh also attended the 80th WFB Executive
Council Meeting, which was held during
the assembly.
The WFB was formed in Sri Lanka in 1950 for
the purpose of bringing Buddhists of the
world closer together. Today there are
135 regional centres in 37 countries and
on every continent in the world. Status
as a regional centre is granted only to
a Buddhist organisation with reasonably
good standing and whose objectives and
activities are consistent with the aims of
the WFB. BMSM is honoured to be a WFB
regional centre.
Photo with Sangharaja from Laos HH Phong
Samalek (Piyadhiro Bhikkhu).
The three-day programme included: an
intra-faith forum on how the Buddhist
world could work together; the many
Dhamma traditions and need to strengthen
commonalities while minimising and
respecting differences; accepting diversity
and living in harmony; and how collective
Buddhist actions could play a positive role
in environmental solutions.
Intra-faith Forum moderated by Bro Graeme Lyall,
Chairman of WFB Interfaith Dialogue Standing
Committee
Intra-faith Forum moderated by Khun Sawanee
Chuensumran, Deputy Secretary General of WFB.
Panelists from left: Dato’ Ir Ang Choo Hong
(Malaysia); Mr Ratna Sakya (Nepal); Ven Yi Jih
(Chinese Taipei) and Ven Dr Jinwol (Korea).
46
Voice of Buddhism
The Inter-faith Dialogue Standing Committee with
Khun Krisada Kongkajan, Deputy Director General
of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Thailand.
WFBY:
International
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
CROSS-BORDER LEARNING FOR YOUTHS
Youth exchange programmes to Japan and the US and another on home turf were the
predominant youth activities in the second half of 2013.
Five youths were selected as BMSM delegates to the International Buddhist Youth Exchange
(IBYE) Programme on Aug 26-30 at Fukushima, Japan. In this year’s annual international
programme, hosted by Japan Young Buddhist Association, our youths came up close and
personal with survivors who saw loved ones perish, met selfless unsung heroes and heard
tales of blessings of Dhamma at work.
In their own words, they relate the experience they gained from the Crisis Management
Programme through the visit to Fukushima in the aftermath of the 9.0-magnitude 2011
earthquake that set off a tsunami and resulted in radiation within an 80-km diameter area
surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Liew Huey Shin:
“These words from a survivor still ring clear in my mind: ‘ When the tsunami came, everybody
was running up the hill. When I was running, I saw this granny behind me and her leg was
injured. I helped her, carried her on my back. But as we proceeded, I knew both of us
would not make it. I had to let go of her and save myself. Until now, I could not forget the
look in the granny’s eye…’
The spirit of the Japanese to continue living positively is inspiring. Despite all the pain
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inflicted by the tsunami, they motivated each other positively to carry on with their lives. I
could feel that the survivors were holding on strongly, smiling outwardly even though they
were deeply scarred inside.
It was definitely an eye opener for me and an invaluable experience to learn about crisis
management in a disaster. “
Ang Chee Keong:
“The selfless efforts of Rev Koyu Abe of Joenji Temple in Tokyo impressed me the most. With
nothing done by the Government to decontaminate the affected areas, Rev Koyu took
it upon himself to lead a group of people to dig out the contaminated soil with their own
hands. He was not afraid of the harm of radiation to himself. Just do it so that others will be
free from harm…
We in Malaysia know only how to complain and expect someone to do something for us.
The selfless spirit of Rev Koyu is really inspiring for me. “
BMSM Delegates participating IBYE Japan (from left): Bro Ang Chee Keong; Sis Liew Huey Xi; Sis Liew
Huey Shin; Sis Yap Ja Min and Sis Ong Tian Han
Ong Tian Han:
“The Iwasaki City Council of Social Welfare leading the disaster recovery activities like
clearing up and providing shelter reported that in Iwasaki, more than 14,000 buildings
collapsed, 60,000 more were damaged and 7,598 residents were evacuated.
We were brought to this village, one with 500 houses, only to see a wide open space now
with patches of grass growing and only a damaged Buddhist temple and remnants of a
few houses standing.
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Besides this visual impact, the emphasis of the power of a smile left a lasting impression
on me. The Iwasaki Reconstruction Assistance Volunteer Center established to recruit
volunteers to provide reconstruction assistance instructed volunteers and life support
counselors to smile to bring comfort to victims and bring back their smiles, especially the
children.
The interaction we had with victims, now relocated in a victim residential area, was
another unforgettable experience. We performed for them and after that, we were told
to interact and just listen to them. From my personal experience, language was no barrier.
By opening our hearts, we were able to hear, understand the voice deep in their hearts
and know their feelings. We were able to connect …”
Yap Ja Min:
“我们来到发生海啸的最前线的沙滩上，进行了一场接近1小时的祈祷仪式。虽然在太阳下暴晒真
的很辛苦，可以却在完成后有种无法言喻的满足和充实感，现场法喜充满！虽然无法给予帮助，可
是至少可以参与祈祷，祝福生还者和回向功德给罹难者，心里充满法喜！信仰的支助同样重要，
它协助平复创伤的心灵。让人们从新面对生命和生活。马来西亚是一个没有天灾的国家，我们无法
想象天灾的景象，无法了解那种随时可能遭受灾害的情景，所以马来西亚是幸福的。借着这次的活
动，让身处和平国度的我有机会到真正的灾害现场，亲眼看到灾后的景象，亲自与受难者了解到那
场让世人震惊的灾难。”
Liew Huey Xi:
“令我印象最深刻的是第二场的主讲者-阿部光裕老师。他把带有辐射的泥土挖起，包起来。由于
没有人会要高辐射的泥土，他就把那些泥土放到自己寺庙的后山。他召集人手，到辐射率很高的地
方从沟渠，地砖之间的细缝把那些泥土挑出来，之后再测量辐射率。在他们的努力之下，辐射率逐
渐降低。当别人问及他们为何要冒险做这些工作的时候，有一个老人说：“本来是不想做的，但是
为了孩子，只好做了。”让我再一次拜倒在他们的无私精神之下。阿部老师现在依然很关心日本的
辐射率，至今一直在努力着，对于他的精神，文字太轻了。避难所里都是老人，不知道什么时候才
能回家，所以我们要给他们打气。能和他们交流是一个宝贵的经验。”
Another youth, Cham Jia Shen, was BMSM’s delegate to the 2nd World Buddhist Youth
Leaders Assembly held in Los Angeles, USA. The two-day conference and two-day tour in
September 2013 drew 120 youths from 20 countries. It was the first time WBYLA was held in
the US and it was also the first jointly organised by World Fellowship of Buddhist Youths and
World Buddhist Sangha Youth.
Jia Shen summarises his experience:
“One thing I learnt is that it is very important to have an open mindset towards life, for
example, being bold enough to step out and experience new things in life although it is
most likely to be accompanied by uncertainties.
Also, we need to be both approachable as well as being the one who takes the first step
to get to know someone new. Throughout my stay, I befriended strangers. One of them, a
local, brought me hiking in Azusa during the free day I had. Another friend I made during
the visit to a Thai Temple -- a Mexican learning meditation from the resident Thai monk --
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shared with me his aspirations and he also later brought me around to see the city as well
as mountain climbing.
Overall, I am very grateful to all the volunteers who have been most warm and
welcoming. They carried out their tasks in a very harmonious and efficient manner, always
accompanying their work with smiles and laughter. I am very impressed and touched by
their acts of selflessness displayed
throughout. It certainly serves as
an important example for us all to
learn from.”
Bro Jia Shen, only delegate from BMSM to the 2nd World
Buddhist Youth Leaders Assembly held in Los Angeles.
The World Fellowship of Buddhist
Youth’s Inter-Cultural Buddhist Youth
Exchange (IBYE) & International
Buddhist Youth Forum (IBYF) was
held in Malaysia in November. More
than 80 participants from Thailand,
Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, India
and Malaysia participated in
the nine-day programme, which
took them to Genting Highlands,
Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. BMSM
delegates at this programme were
Lai Sze Ching and Sean Loo Wei
Cheng.
Lai Sze Ching:
“I learned a lot through all the inspiring speeches and meaningful workshops. The various
type of pujas we participated in like the Japanese Puja, Taiwanese Puja and Mahayana
mahapuja were wonderful, memorable experiences. “
Group Photo IBYE KL
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Voice of Buddhism
WBU:
An
International
Seminar
on
Life
Management with Meditation - Experience
and Success co-organized by The World
Buddhist University (WBU), The World
Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) and the
Pipphalivanaram
Mindfulness
Center
(PMC) was held at the World Fellowship of
Buddhists (WFB) Headquarters in Bangkok,
Thailand. This three-day seminar was held
from 10-12 August 2013 (2556). More than
40 participants from Malaysia attended the
seminar.
The rationale for organising this seminar
on managing life through meditation was
derived from a question asked by many
participants during a previous seminar
held at BMSM Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam,
Malaysia, which was co-organised by both
Thailand and Malaysia.
The question was “how does meditation
support the management of a practitioner’s
daily life?
International
Volume 55 . Dec 2013
Undoubtedly, such a question has been
frequently asked by participants attending
seminars on meditation and the different
techniques of meditation to be applied
in one’s practice. The responses from
meditation teachers, both Thai and
non-Thai, who are well-known in their
knowledge and practice of meditation as
well as making meditation a part of their
daily life, provided valuable information for
the practitioners. However, in reality, it is not
105 Kong Ming Lantern were released to mark the closing of the Blessing Ceremony
for Her Majesty the Queen
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easy for people to practise and to balance
their daily life with meditation.
This is because they have not acquired
deep understanding towards meditation –
that meditation produces not only peace
but also wisdom to analyse and manage
life. From the lecturers’ experiences,
through meditation in daily life, they have
successfully managed their individual daily
lives. Even though suffering has not been
eliminated completely, there is still room
for happiness to take place and to be
experiences.
invited to share their experiences. Sharing
and discussing experiences regarding
Dhamma practice is one of the highest
blessings and a kind of merit making in
the Buddhist tradition, which will produce
desirable rewards transferable to others
and ourselves.
For this seminar held in August 2013, its
main objective is to share the merits of
meditation towards success in one’s
life. Most Venerable U Ashin Agganna
To enable more people to know about
meditation and how to manage meditation
in their daily life, the WBU plans to continue
organising such seminars on meditation
and managing life with meditation.
Buddhist scholars (both Thai and foreign;
monks and lay people) who are successful
in managing life through meditation, will be
Group photo taken at Pipphalivanaram Mindfulness Centre, Wat Pipphalivanaram, Rayong Province.
52
Voice of Buddhism
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Volume 55 . Dec 2013
represented Malaysia to present a paper on his experiences with meditation.
The organiser has kindly arranged a visit to Pipphalivanaram Mindfulness Centre, Wat
Pipphalivanaram, Rayong Province, hosted by its Abbot, Dr. Wimoak and Ven. Phra
Dusadee Methangkuro.
Group photo taken during a visit on the way to Pipphalivanaram Mindfulness Centre,
Wat Pipphalivanaram, Rayong Province.
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
53
New Year Message 2014
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous
New Year. Prosperity and longevity, along
with good health and stable relationships,
are things we all yearn for in our lives. These
are the main source of happiness for most
people.
This year, we would like to urge you all to
take stock not only of your material wealth
and worldly possessions, but also to check
whether your ego has decreased or
increased over the past year, and for the
year ahead. The criteria of measurement
lies in looking at your own mind and
checking the frequency and duration of
your anger and displeasure over petty
issues, as well as the frequency of quarrels
and misunderstandings you have with
people around you.
The way to reduce and overcome such
problems is to cultivate the Dhamma.
Remember that the basis of all human
problems lies with the delusion of the self. It
is this delusion, our egocentricity expressed
in our thoughts, speech and body action,
that gives rise to discord and disharmony
with others as well as within ourselves.
Therefore, instead of making only worldly
wishes for the coming year, please make
sure to focus on your spiritual development
as well. Faith and confidence in moral and
spiritual values, such as reverence, humility,
contentment and gratitude, together
with loving-kindness and forgiveness, will
naturally enhance your spirituality.
In your wishes to have a long and healthy
life, it is important to recognise the true
value of this human life and make good
use of this precious opportunity to cultivate
your mind. Whatever work, whatever duties
or chores that you have to do in your daily
lives, please remember to do it mindfully.
Mindfulness will pave the way for you to
grow in wisdom and compassion.
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Voice of Buddhism
It is important to have love and care for
yourself as well as love and care for others.
Care not only at the physical level, but also
on emotional, mental and spiritual levels,
by reducing and eliminating greed, hatred
and delusion. That is how we can grow and
age with wisdom, and prepare ourselves
to face any challenges in life, especially as
we live through times of great change and
uncertainty.
Dhamma is the best thing that you can
have in your life. It is the only thing that can
help you to transform yourself. Whatever
Dhamma teachings you have received,
especially over the last one year, please
cherish them and put them into practice.
Those who have participated in our Metta
sessions and workshops over the past year,
please keep up with your practice, and
also help us to spread the message around.
This year the Metta Convention will be
held in Sri Lanka from June 27-29, with an
organised post-convention pilgrimage
to several sacred sites. Those interested,
please check the below sites:
Website:
www.mettaroundtheworld.org Facebook : www.facebook.com/
MettaRoundTheWorld OR
www.facebook.com/MettaConvention
I truly rejoice with the generosity and
untiring services which you have all
rendered throughout the year for the cause
of Dhamma.
DHAMMO HAVE RAKKHATI DHAMMACĀRI Dhamma protects one who lives according
to the Dhamma.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with
you and all other members of your family.
May all beings be well and happy.
With metta
Yours in the Dhamma
Bhante Mahinda
BMSM Kajang 12th Teenage Camp 2013 Group Photo with Bhante U Mangala
Let’s Play Have Fun
Dec 2013 / Vol. 55
(Please read Page 18 & 19 for story)