On 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 moreOn Sunday 27 March, Sis. Paru conducted the first of six modules of BPS 033 ‘Buddhist Devotional Practice’ course, where she touched on the topic of ‘What is Buddhism?’ and ‘The Three Jewels’. She explained that the coined English term ‘Buddhism’ refers to the religious tenets and practices centred upon the Buddha’s teachings. When Buddhism spread to other parts of the world, it took on different forms due to the influence of local beliefs and culture of the indigenous peoples.
Read moreOn Sunday 27 March, Sis. Joyce gave a sharing on the spirit of Sāmaggī, explaining that it is the spirit of harmony, peaceful co-existence, and having inner tranquility. When there is harmony in the community, there will be goodwill and peace, and the community will prosper and be strong.
Read moreOn Sunday 13 March, Sis. Buddhini Tan shared with us the importance of daily meditation as Buddhists. She explained that practising Sīla (Morality) and Dāna (Generosity) alone were not enough as the Buddha also taught Bhāvanā (Mental cultivation) – leading to the purification of our minds through meditation.
Read moreOn Sunday 6 March Sis. Santi Cheang gave a sharing based on the Buddha’s advice to Rāhula at Ambalaṭṭikā in the Ambalatthikārāhulovāda Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 61). In the sutta, the Buddha admonishes his young son, Venerable Rāhula, on why one should never utter a falsehood, not even in jest. The Buddha exhorts Rāhula: “So, too, Rāhula, when one is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I say, that one would not do”.
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 Sunday 14 February, Sis. Nandini Tan gave a Dhamma sharing based on Ittha Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya 5.43) on “What is welcome”, where the Buddha taught the householder Anathapindika the five things which are ‘welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard to obtain in the world’. The five things are long life, beauty, happiness, status and heavenly rebirth.
Read moreOn Sunday 31 January, Bro. Aggaphala Yap conducted the third session of the ‘Svagatam’ Induction Programme, continuing the Dhamma theme on ‘Sāmaggī’ (concord) within the family.
Read moreOn Sunday 31 January, Sis. Santi Cheang gave a Dhamma sharing which was most pertinent for the festive season. She spoke about the root causes of conflicts and how to avoid them, citing the ‘Samagama Sutta’ of Majjhima Nikaya (Sutta No.104).
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