Monastics

26 September 2014

Wet but joyful ‘Pindacāra’ in Seri Kembangan

Report by Muditā  |  Photographs by Gan Jia Cheng

On Saturday 20 September, devotees gathered at the Seri Kembangan morning market for our twice-monthly ‘Pindacāra’ (monks going on alms-round) programme.  The rain which came in the early morning did not dampen the spirits of many devotees who turned up with offerings to the venerable monks.

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9 September 2014

Supporting the “Four-fold Assembly”

Recently, Nalanda had the good fortune of hosting Ven. Ayya Santinī from Maribaya, Indonesia, who was accompanied on her visit here by several Indonesian devotees.  While residing at Nalanda Centre, she gave several teachings and conducted personal interviews with devotees.  We were also honoured to receive Venerables Dhammadinnā and Sumangalā who came to meet Ayya Santinī in Sri Serdang.

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8 September 2014

How the ‘Bhikkhunī’ Order came about

Today is the full-moon day for the month of ‘Potthapāda’ (or ‘Binara’ [ බිනර ] in Sinhalese).  According to Sri Lankan Theravada tradition, this day commemorates the occasion where the Buddha allowed the ordination of ‘bhikkhunīs’ (women renunciates), and thus is a very important anniversary.

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4 September 2014

‘Pindacāra’ in Seri Kembangan

Report by Muditā Chan

On Saturday 16 August, our monthly ‘Pindacāra’ was held at the Seri Kembangan Jalan Besar market.  Volunteers were there early to engage with market-goers, informing them about the monks coming for alms.  The weather took a sudden turn and rain started pouring.  Nonetheless it did not dampen the spirit of many devotees who patiently waited under umbrellas for the arrival of venerable monks.

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16 August 2014

Joyful ‘Pindacāra’ in Sri Petaling and Happy Garden

On Saturday, 2 August, devotees and volunteers participated joyfully in the monthly ‘Pindacāra’ (monks going on alms-round) Programme at the Sri Petaling and Happy Garden morning markets.  We were honoured by the presence of two senior venerables from Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple Sentul, to participate in this alms-round.

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3 August 2014

Joyful ‘Pindacāra’ in Seri Kembangan

On Saturday 19 July, market-goers in Seri Kembangan’s Jalan Besar market waited patiently for the start of Pindacāra (monk going on alms-round).  Many devotees were ready with cooked food in hand to be offered to monk(s) on alms-round.  It was indeed joyful to experience the atmosphere of calm and humility as people of different age groups participated wholeheartedly in this meritorious activity.

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24 July 2014

Dharma Drum Mountain teachers visit Nalanda

On Friday 18 July, Nalanda Centre was honoured by the visit of two senior monastic teachers from Dharma Drum Mountain (法鼓山), one of the largest Buddhist organisations in Taiwan, which was founded by the late Venerable Master Sheng Yen.

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14 July 2014

Annual Rains Retreat for Monastics

The tradition of ‘Rains Retreat’ was started by the Buddha Himself in the year 588 BCE, where the Lord and 60 bhikkhus resided in Sarnath near Varanasi.  The Buddha, seeing that the period of intense spiritual practice and communal discipline had greatly benefited the monks, formally instituted the 3-month ‘Rains Retreat’ whereby monks and nuns were to refrain from traveling and engaging in much activity to focus their attention inwardly towards spiritual development and purification.

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12 July 2014

Entering the ‘Vassa’ – Annual Rains Retreat

According to Theravada Buddhist tradition, monks are required to observe Vassana’ or ‘Rains Retreat’ for a duration of 3 months beginning the day after the full-moon of Asalha month, which is today.  The tradition of ‘Rains Retreat’ was started by the Buddha Himself in the year 588 BCE, where the Lord and 60 bhikkhus resided in Sarnath near Varanasi.  The monks learned and practised Dhamma intensively under the direct guidance of the Buddha; at the end of that period, all of them had attained the highest spiritual goal of Arahantship.

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6 July 2014

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s birthday

Today is the 79th Birth Anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.  We wish the Spiritual Leader of Tibetan Buddhists a long fruitful life with good health, joy and peace!

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