Nalanda Education & Outreach (NEO) Centre Johor Bahru is observing this weekend’s auspicious ‘Buddha Day’ with three days of activities comprising Dhamma teachings, an exhibition, guided tour of the Centre, alms-giving to monks, blood donation campaign, and for the first time ever – a candle-light procession in Taman Johor Jaya.
Read moreWesak ‘Buddha Day’ commemorates the profound event of Buddha’s ‘Enlightenment’ – in other words, His complete realisation of truth and liberation from suffering. The path towards ‘Enlightenment’ begins with learning and practising Dhamma. Thus, we should prioritise spiritual cultivation over rituals in observing Wesak Day.
Read moreWesak full-moon is the most important day of the year in the Buddhist calendar as it celebrates the anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment 26 centuries ago. Hence, it is also known as ‘Buddha Day’ – the special occasion to honour the ‘Enlightened One’.
Read moreAuthorities in Thailand today took the drastic action of closing a popular island in the Andaman Sea to tourists. Known for its pristine beaches and fabulous diving, Koh Tachai is part of the Similan Archipelago not far from Phuket. It has been designated a national park. Below is a citation from a CNN news article:
Read moreIn archaeology, every brick or stone seems to tell a story. And so it was when well-known Nepali archaeologist Dr. Basanta Bidari took to the podium and delivered a special lecture at Nalanda Centre on Thursday, 5 May. Dr. Basanta shared his recent discoveries in the last two years at the ancient site of Kapilavatthu – the hometown of Siddhatha Gotama, who later became the Buddha.
Read moreToday, we again celebrate Teacher’s Day in Malaysia. For the development of a happy community and successful nation, good teachers are truly indispensable. They are the ones who can directly shape the culture and attitude of future citizens.
Read moreOn Thursday 28 April, the Universiti Putra Malaysia Buddhist Society (PBUPM) meditation course came to a close for this semester. With the upcoming university examinations and long holidays after that, the weekly meditation sessions will only resume when school reopens in August.
Read moreNalandians who attended the welcoming ceremony for the arrival of the Bamiyan Gandhāri manuscripts to Malaysia on 2 May also took the opportunity to visit another exposition held at the same venue. The “Awakening Force” exhibition is being held at Samadhi Vihara Shah Alam in conjunction with this Wesak month. The exhibition is organized by the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM), and will run until Wesak ‘Buddha Day’.
Read moreOn Monday 2 May, Malaysian Buddhists had a rare glimpse of the Norwegian Schøyen collection of Gandhāri texts from Bamiyan. The world-famous collection was on a special exhibition tour of ASEAN countries, facilitated by the international affairs department of the Sangha Council of Thailand. The Malaysian leg was hosted at the Samadhi Vihara in Shah Alam.
Read moreThe International Buddhist Flag was adopted as the universal symbol of Buddhist faith more than half a century ago. In Malaysia, this vibrant, multi-coloured symbol of peace is ubiquitous in temples and Buddhist centres during Wesak celebrations, but is barely visible for the rest of the year. As such, Nalanda Buddhist Society and the Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia are currently running a campaign aimed at educating the community on the meaning and symbolism of the flag, and to encourage Buddhists to fly the flag at home during Wesak month.
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