Nalanda Institute Director Achariya Tan Siang Chye with his team of able officers.

By Achariya Tan Siang Chye, Director of Nalanda Institute

1 July 2018 marks the 11th anniversary of Nalanda Institute Malaysia.  It is truly an honour for me to serve as the Director of an institution which has built a reputation for the quality and excellence of its educational programmes.  I take joy in paying tribute to my team of energetic colleagues at Nalanda Institute who have carried out their work with commitment and quiet confidence, always ensuring that our programme objectives are achieved.

There is a pressing need to bring the Buddha’s fundamental teachings to the Malaysian Buddhist community, many of whom have not had the opportunity to benefit from this great spiritual heritage.  In our present environment where materialism, doubts and cynicism constantly occupy our thoughts, it is important to present our Buddhist brothers and sisters with an appealing path to the true teachings.  WACANA 2017 Conference last July had initiated this process, with many more activities planned to ensure we stay on track to address this need.

Our team is also looking at new ways and means to disseminate the Buddha’s teachings, such as using digital technology in our work.  This would allow those who are interested to access our learning material to do so in their own time and pace.

My heartfelt thanks to all our donors, sponsors, facilitators, and the management of Nalanda Buddhist Society, who have provided us with all the support needed for us to carry out the Institute’s mission.  May the Buddha-Sāsana continue to thrive in the world.