Pertaining to the annual Nalandian Gimhana Retreat. Any report, news or notice concerning this programme should be tagged.
The 7-week Nalanda Gimhana Period came to a joyful conclusion on 22 July – the Asalha Full-moon ‘Dhamma Day’. This year’s Gimhana Retreat began on 8 June also on an Uposatha Day. Throughout these weeks, there were Dhamma teachings on Sundays and meditation sessions on Wednesdays. Besides, devotees were encouraged to practise daily morning and evening chanting at home, meditate, perform wise reflections, and do good altruistically everyday!
Read moreIn Buddha’s teachings, ‘light’ is often used to symbolise wisdom. Viewed through the human eye, light is seen as a beam of bright translucence. In fact, the true nature of light is a combination of spectrums with different lengths of electro-magnetic waves. We are unable to see this without the help of various tools, which help us see things that have always been there, but just not visible to us before.
Read moreOn 30 June, Bro. Benny Liow, Editor of YBAM’s Buddhist journal – the “Eastern Horizon”, gave a Dhamma talk on the “Five Daily Reflections”. Bro. Benny quoted from the Upajjhatthana Sutta (AN 5.57) on the five facts of life that should often be reflected upon.
Read moreThe following is a summary of Bro. Tan’s teaching on 26 June, the third group meditation in conjunction with the Gimhana Retreat held at Nalanda Centre.
Read more‘Happiness’ is but a fleeting emotion that lasts for just a short time, before it is displaced by other feelings. ‘Unhappiness’ on the other hand, can last for days or even years, because it can transmute into many forms – be it disappointment, jealousy or anger. Unhappiness is not so much the opposite of happiness, rather it is the absence of happiness.
Read moreIt was the second group meditation of the Gimhana Retreat on Wednesday, 19 June. Following the 45-minute quiet sitting, Bro. Tan quoted Sutta 4.110 from the Anguttara Nikaya on the four kinds of vipers (poisonous snakes), which are comparable to four kinds of persons:
Read moreThe second Service Sunday of the Gimhana period was held on 16 June. It was heartening to hear personal sharings from Sis. Margaret Ng, Sis. Buddhini Tan and Bro. Lee Teck Beng, who shared how the Buddha-Dhamma has impacted their lives, and how thankful they are for the opportunity to learn Dhamma and to serve the community.
Read moreOn Wednesday, 12 June, devotees once again filled the Shrine Hall at Nalanda Centre for the first group meditation of Gimhana Retreat. Bro. Tan guided everyone in loving-kindness meditation, followed by a quiet sitting as we observed our breath mindfully. Despite the day’s hustle and bustle, most meditators experienced a sense of peace after the 45 minute session.
Read moreEveryone was all-ears as Bro. Tan shared the interesting and insightful story about the snake. As it was shedding its skin, this 12-feet long King Cobra snake was very distressed and undergoing a big change. Half-blind, mad with discomfort, and in the heat of the high noon sun, it crossed the hot tar road not once or twice, but three times. This was the sight that Bro. Tan came across one day on the road.
Read moreFor seven weeks after the Buddha’s Enlightenment on Wesak full-moon in May, He contemplated on the Dhamma with His perfectly clear faculty of comprehension. Then, He travelled for seven days from Bodhgaya to Sarnath, where He preached the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta on the Asalha full-moon (Dhamma Day) in July.
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