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.
Read moreOn 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.
Read moreOn 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.
Read moreOn 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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreAccording 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.
Read moreToday 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!
Read moreReport by Joanne Tan | Photographs by Gan Jia Cheng
On Tuesday 24 June, Nalanda Centre was honoured to have Āyasmā Kumāra to deliver a Mandarin Dhamma talk with the title ‘以智慧面对逆境’ (“How to overcome adversities with Wisdom”). When faced with difficulty in life, one should face it, accept it, and handle it with a positive mind and wisdom.
Read moreOn 15 and 19 June, a workshop themed “The Young Buddhist Monk and His Role in the New Millennium” was held for Sri Lankan missionary monks based in Malaysia. The two-day, multiple-session workshop was held at the Brickfields Buddhist Maha Vihara and the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple in Sentul.
Read moreReport by Gan Bee Ching.
On Monday 2 June, devotees had an inspiring evening listening to Ayya Santinī’s Dhamma talk during her three-day visit to Nalanda. Ayya used the ongoing renovations at Nalanda Centre as an analogy for one’s spiritual journey. The space (in our hearts) which was previously occupied for material gains is presently demolished, making room for spiritual activities in the future.
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