On Wednesday 13 April, we were fortunate to have Venerable Ajahn Chandako leading the weekly meditation session and giving a Dhamma talk at Nalanda Centre. Ajahn Chandako hails from the Thai forest tradition of Ajahn Chah, and is the abbot of Vimutti Forest Monastery in New Zealand.
Read moreOn Sunday 10 April, Achariya Vijaya Samarawickrama gave a talk on ‘Rites & Rituals’, which is part of the BPS 033 Buddhist Devotional Practice course. He explained how rites and rituals evolved with human development and had an important role in binding communities culturally.
Read moreOn Sunday 3 April, Sis. Sunanda gave a sharing on the ‘Dhammapada’ for our daily reflection. She quoted the popular twin verses: “In the unessential they imagine the essential, in the essential they see the unessential ̶ they who entertain (such) wrong thoughts never realise the essence.”
Read moreAlthough ‘Cheng Beng’ (or ‘Qing Ming’, 清明节) was not originally a Buddhist tradition, it has nevertheless been observed by Chinese Buddhists for centuries. The Buddha taught that our duties towards parents and relatives do not end with their death. After their demise, we should continue to honour them by performing wholesome, meritorious and noble deeds, and thereafter dedicate merits to them.
Read moreOn Sunday 14 February, Bro. Tan gave a Dhamma talk at Vihāra Sanghamitta in Karawang, about 70km east of Jakarta. He was there as a guest speaker at the invitation of its Abbess, Venerable Bhikkhunī Ayya Santinī. The talk was attended by 200 devotees, and was held in honour of Venerable Ayya Sīlavatī’s 63rd birthday.
Read moreOn Sunday February 28, Achariya Tan Siang Chye gave a Dhamma talk on living in accordance with the Dhamma. He explained that the root word of ‘Dhamma’ in Pāli, and ‘Dharma’ in Sanskrit’ is ‘dhṛ’ which means ‘to hold up or maintain’; while the Buddhist meaning of Dhamma is the teachings of the Buddha. Hence, when we live the Dhamma, it is to hold us up, and stop us from falling into the woeful states of existence, and to fulfill our potential for Nibbāna.
Read moreOn Sunday 28 February, Nalanda founder Bro. Tan shared with us the spirit of ‘Sāmaggī’, which means harmony, peaceful coexistence, and inner tranquility when living with other people. Real ‘Sāmaggī’ can be achieved by noble beings, but is difficult for those without the nobility of mind. When the mind is tranquil, one will experience peace and harmony wherever one lives. A mind that is not peaceful can be easily agitated.
Read moreOn Friday 12 February, Nalanda Sungai Petani Branch organized an “Open House” for the public at NEO Centre Bandar Mutiara in conjunction with the Lunar New Year celebration. Members of the public began streaming in continuously as the Centre opened at 10 am.
Read moreOn Sunday 24 January, Sis. Sandy Lim gave a Dhamma sharing on Sāmaggī (concord). Sāmaggī is crucial because when there is harmony and unity in a community, it will grow strong and prosper, and there will be peace and goodwill for all to enjoy.
Read moreOn the first Sunday of the New Year, Venerable Bhikkhuni Sumangalā gave a Dhamma talk at Nalanda Centre where she spoke on “Buddhism and Happiness”. Ven. Sumangalā said if we wanted to achieve a high level of happiness, then we should follow the Buddha’s teaching and walk the ‘Middle Path’.
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