Namo Buddhaya & Happy Nalanda Day!

Today marks the 18^th Anniversary of Nalanda Buddhist Society Malaysia, a time for us to pay tribute to our Dhamma teachers, benefactors, members and volunteers who have been with us on this enriching journey of holistic education.  In staying true to our Vision and Mission, Nalanda has brought about life-long transformational changes to me personally, and to many others who opened up their hearts and mind to the Buddha’s teachings.

This journey is not without its challenges, with the most recent being the Covid-19 pandemic which has put humankind to the test.  However, I am touched and proud to know many Nalandians accepting these adverse changes and overcoming them with fortitude.  Many had also quickly deployed resources to give material assistance to those in need, and many more offered their care to those overwhelmed by anxiety and fear, becoming pillars of emotional and spiritual support.

In this time of uncertainty, I am also moved by the commitment of members and volunteers who swiftly and innovatively brought our learning programmes online without sacrificing the human connection.  As a result, programmes such as Sunday Morning Service, Weekly Group Meditation sessions, Dhamma School classes, Buddha Day, Dhamma Day, and Dhamma Family gatherings continued to serve as platforms for the community to learn and grow.  These efforts, amongst others, are testament to the efficacy of the Buddha’s teachings.

We have these opportunities to learn, serve and improve because of all the nameless and selfless ones who paved the road for us.  On behalf of the Board of Management, we express our deepest appreciation to our past and present Dhamma teachers and spiritual guides for their timely teachings and encouragement; to past leaders whose efforts have enabled us to grow, and to many Buddhist organisations for their support and fellowship.  We also extend our sincere thanks to our earnest members, donors, benefactors, and volunteers for your faith and dedication.  We could not have progressed this far without everyone’s support.

Last but not least, we would like to thank our immediate past President, Sis. Evelyn Chow for her tireless commitment and compassion in leading the Society for the past 6 years.

Today is also the 10th year anniversary of Pustaka Nalanda, a source of quality learning resources for programmes offered by our educational divisions.  Housing over 5,100 titles, Pustaka operates a Buddhist Reference Library and a Youth Library in Serdang, as well as 3 general Branch libraries in KL, Johor and Sungai Petani.  On this occasion, we extend our thanks to Pustaka Nalanda Director Bro. Ananda Fong for his leadership, and his team of librarians for their excellent care and service over the past 10 years.

Upon these foundations that we have inherited, let us continue to learn, cultivate self-discipline and be dutiful to our mission.  Our journey ahead will focus on strengthening our character to be a strong embodiment of Buddha-Dhamma in service to the Sāsana.  We must also maintain our spirit of working well together which is forged upon mutual understanding and trust.  We must remember, that as long as we cultivate our core values without being heedless, we will be able to continue moving forward as a spiritual community anchored in wisdom and compassion.

Let us persist in nourishing our hearts and minds with the sublime Dhamma, and live each moment with wholesome intentions in pursuit of a noble way of life.  May the light of Dhamma shine brightly within, so that it illuminates the world too.  I wish for your safety, good health, success and well-being in days to come!

Sukhihontu.