Buddhism As Education

The Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia (YBBM) is organising a large scale Maha Sanghika Dana on Sunday, 5 July 2009 at Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society, Jalan Macalister, Penang. The Sanghika Dana will commence at 7.00 am. Last year, a total of four thousand devotees took part in the event through sponsorship and two hundred forty members of the Sangha community attended the said function. In Buddhism, Maha Sanghika Dana is an act of providing alms food to a group of homeless ordained people who had renounced the world (called the Sangha) to strive for peace and enlightenment through Buddha's teachings. The Maha Sanghika Dana is considered very meritorious action and therefore according to the Scriptures, will accrue good results such as long live, beauty, happiness, strength and wisdom. According to the Mahayana Tradition, Ven. Monggallana performed his meritorious deeds on advice of the Buddha and successfully rescued his mother who was released from the suffering of the hell.

The Malaysian Sangha Fund was launched on 25 August 1991 during the first Maha Sanghika Dana organised by the Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia (YBBM), which was held at the Penang Chinese Town Hall, Pitt Street, Penang. The proceeds of the Maha Sanghika Dana are then channeled into the Malaysian Sangha Fund with the main objective of supporting the welfare of the Malaysian Sangha and offering opportunities for Buddhist devotees to do so. The Malaysian Sangha Fund is managed by a committee consisting of Ven. Chao Phra Raj Dhammathada (Chairman), Ven. Phra Kru Pannya Sasananurak (Vice Chairman I), Ven. Chi Chern (Vice Chairman II), Ven. Boon Kean (Vice Chairman III), Ven. Phra Khru Siddhikhanarak Chamriang Candano (Hon. Secretary), Ven. Indratana Maha Thero (Hon. Treasurer) and two lay representatives from the YBBM management board. The committee which began operations in early 1992 has: 1) offered annual scholarship to monks and nuns studying in various institutions 2) offered book prize