The Nalanda Education & Outreach (NEO) Centre in Sungai Petani, Kedah, was inaugurated on 11 December with a simple yet meaningful ceremony. Inaugurating the Centre means dedicating it as a Buddhist educational facility. The choice of 11 December was significant as it was an Uposatha new-moon day as well as Nalanda’s ‘Education Day’.
Read moreOver the last few days, the fantastic ‘Mangala Squad’ comprising Nalandians from Kedah, Serdang and Kuala Lumpur congregated at NEO Centre Sungai Petani for a big cleaning exercise. The Centre is almost completed with just some furniture and equipment to be installed.
Read moreOn Service Sunday 13 December, Dr. Phang Cheng Kar conducted the first of two sessions of his MindfulGym Workshop at Nalanda Centre. It is a mindfulness-based stress management programme specially designed for relaxation and wellness. Dr. Phang said that the programme was tailored to suit Malaysians and worked well for both the secular and Buddhist communities.
Read moreOn Saturday 12 December, 30 Kelantan participants of BPS303 – Certificate in Buddhist Studies course graduated with flying colours. Their success was well-deserved as they had worked very hard and showed great tenacity to earn their certificates. Despite the challenges they faced during the 5-month course, they never wavered in their enthusiasm and love for the Dhamma.
Read moreIn conjunction with Nalanda’s ‘Education Day’ and Uposatha New-moon day on 11 December, the Chairman of Nalanda Education Team, Achariya Vijaya Samarawickrama, gave a Dhamma talk at Nalanda Centre. Achariya Vijaya’s talk was on the ‘Noble Eightfold Path – the Path to Wisdom’. He said we had two choices: we could either choose the ‘Right Path‘ which led to wisdom and happiness, or the wrong one which led to ignorance and suffering.
Read moreOn Saturday 5 December, two venerable Sangha members went on alms-round at Sri Petaling and Happy Garden markets as part of Nalanda’s monthly educational Pindacāra programme.
Read moreOn 6 December, Venerable Rewatha from Glasgow, Scotland gave a Dhamma talk on mindfulness. He began his talk with an oft-quoted gatha from the Dhammapada: “Sabbapāpassa akaranam kusalassa upasampadā sacitta pariyodapanam etam buddhāna sāsanam.”
Read moreSis. Sunanda Ong’s Service Sunday Dhamma talk on 29 November was a lively and animated session. The mood was most apt for her talk on joy and happiness. Devotees were asked what they understood about ‘joy’ and ‘wisdom’.
Read moreNalanda’s Children Learning Camp for 9 to 12 year-olds was held at Nalanda Centre from 1 to 3 December. The holiday camp with the theme ‘Always be Caring’, was attended by 75 children. It was organised by Nalanda Dhamma School facilitators and assisted by senior students.
Read moreThe Buddha spent 45 years teaching the Dhamma to His followers. His emphasis on the training and spiritual education of his disciples has become the example for generations of Buddhists to follow in His footsteps.
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