Buddhism As Education

I had recently visited the Sammaditthi Meditation Grove (SMG) situated at Lot 617, Tanah Kubur Cina, Sungai Pasir, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah. SMG is the latest Buddhist centre of Theravada tradition to be constructed in Sungai Petani. The construction of its Sima Hall had almost completed, kutis (monk's huts) are also been constructed to accommodate the resident and visiting members of the Sangha. Their daily activities include morning pujas, followed by breakfast and lunch danas, where devotees are encouraged to perform their meritorious deeds. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.

Single-mindedly chanting a sutra without wandering thoughts, distractions or doubt, this is called cultivating meditative concentration. From the beginning till the end, enunciating clearly every word without error or omission - this is cultivating wisdom, we call it fundamental wisdom. Thus, chanting a sutra is cultivating simultaneously the precepts, meditative concentration and wisdom. If one thinks about the meaning of the sutra while chanting it will ruin the cultivation of precept observation, meditative concentration and wisdom. This is treating the sutra as a worldly book. A Living Buddha Zhangjia once said: Buddhism does not emphasize on forms or rituals but rather true substance. If we pay attention only to the formality and fail profoundly comprehend the essence of the sutra's teaching, we will not progress any further than just being zealous about our faith and thus be easily manipulated by those with bad intentions. Chanting the sutras is cultivating the prece...

The Taiping Bodhi Langka Ram Buddhist Temple today held its Kathina Day at its temple premises. The ceremony was presided by the temple's resident monk Venerable Anandajoti. About more than 100 devotees and friends attended today's meritorious event. Asides, a Dhamma session with all devotees and friends at the temple's shrine was also held by Venerable Kumara of the Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS), Taiping. The event was later followed by Pindacara, Offering of Pindapata, Buddha Puja, Offering of Potential Requisites and Sanghikadana. A dedication of merits was later recited by the Sanghas and devotees to ensure all beings benefited from today's meritorious event. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!

How does one subdue and transform one’s thoughts? When an evil thought arises, one should constantly have the wisdom to be aware of it and stop the wandering thoughts. For many kalpas, for which there is no beginning, ordinary being have been immersed in affliction and habits, so they naturally have many wandering thoughts. But it is said, “Do not fear a thought arising; fear realizing is too late”. When an evil thought arises, one should immediately detect it and transform it into “Amituofo”. This is indeed cultivation. In the Zen school, this is the practice of enlightening illumination. Here is where we practice transforming an evil thought into a virtuous thought, transforming an evil thought into “Amituofo”. The “Chapter on the Perfect and Complete Realization of Mahasthamaprapta” from the Surangama Sutra tell us how Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva concentrated on Buddha-name chanting from the time he took refuge until the time he attain enlightenment. He taught us that the proper...

We may want to ask, “What is the method that Bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land practice to achieve all their faculties and having supple body and gentle mind?” It is mindfully chanting “Amituofo”. As Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva said, “I and fifty-two fellow practitioners…”. Fifty-two” refers to the ten stages of faith, ten stages of abiding, ten stages of practice, ten stages of dedication, ten stages of ground, the stage of equal enlightenment and the stage of wondrous enlightenment. “Fellow practitioners” refers to practitioners who shared the same aspiration and focused on practicing the Pure Land method. This tell us that from Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva’s initial generation of the Bodhi mind until attainment of Buddhahood, he practiced the Buddha-name chanting without any changes. This is truly inconceivable! Buddha-name chanting enables us ordinary beings to attain Buddhahood. To practice good deeds with one sincere mind means to have an absolute proper and virtuous th...

Karma Norbuling Buddhist Centre (KNBC) is holding the Gyazhi Puja today at its centre in Penang mainland. The puja is led by the resident master Venerable Khedup Rinpoche assisted by his Lamas and Anilas (Nuns). The puja commenced this morning at 10.00 am and will complete at 9.00 pm tonight. The puja is excellent in dispelling the followings: *Diminishing of life forces or bad omens of untimely death, *Hard luck, *Harms from powerful spirits and demons, *Negative astrological effects, *Robbery, thefts, quarrels, unrest, *Epidemics. Gyazhi is the Puja of 400 Offerings which was first carried out by the Buddha to appease the mara or demonic negative forces within us. Beings have these four very strong negative forces which arise from: 1. The Five Aggregates, 2. Defilement, 3. Death, 4. Lustful External Powerful Influences. With these four negative forces that actively present within us and completely controlling us, arises an obscu...

Some people may say that when one chants mantras, one will also get help from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Indeed, when chanting mantras as practiced by Esoteric schools, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will also be there to help but it is not as good as chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha. When one chant mantras, one will have the help of one or two Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. To get the help of three to five Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is incredible. But when one mindfully chants the name of Amitabha Buddha, one will obtain the help of all Buddhas in the 10 directions and in the three time periods. This is why the merit of chanting the Amitabha Buddha's name is inconceivable. What does the proper thought arising means? It is "Amituofo": the most truthful and ultimate proper thought. The only important issue in our life is to constantly maintain proper thoughts, not to cling to deviated or erroneous ones and to be constantly mindful of Amitabha Buddha day and night witho...

The answer to this question is, the noble qualities such as generosity, morality, etc, etc, not spoiled by craving, pride or wrong view, but founded on great compassion and wisdom which is skill in seeking merit, are to be named Parami. Further explanation, when giving dana, if it is tainted with craving, thinking "this is my dana", if it is tainted with pride, thinking, "this dana is mine", if it is tainted with wrong view, thinking, "this dana is for myself", such dana is said to be spoiled by craving, pride and wrong view. It is only the kind of dana not spoiled by craving, pride or wrong view which could be termed Perfection (the same applies to observance of morality, etc). To be qualified as a Parami, acts of merit such as dana, sila, etc should not only be free from taints of craving, pride or wrong view, but should be founded on Great Compassion (Maha-karuna) and wisdom which is skill-in seeking merit (Upaya-kosalla Nana). Mahakaruna: A ...

If we want to practice filial piety to perfection, we just need to single-mindedly chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. When we meet Amitabha Buddha, our filial piety will then be perfect. It is because, once we are in Pure Land, we will be able to recognize our parents and also all our parents in the past lifetimes and clearly know which paths they are in, so that when the conditions are mature, they will listen and accept our advice to mindfully chant the Buddha-name when we urge them to do so. This way, we will have the ability to help them, we will be able to help our family members, friends and those who have an affinity with us, from everyone of our lifetimes, transcend the Six Paths, attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land and attain Buddhhood. This is great filial piety, this is true filial piety! Single-mindedly chanting Amituofo day and night will reduce all of our wandering thoughts into one thought of Amituofo. Is Amituofo good or bad? N...

The Karma Norbuling Buddhist Centre (KNBC) recently held its 100 Deities Chang Chog and Chod Pujas in conjunction with the seventh month. The 100 Deities are attributes and activities of the 5 Buddhas and their female counterparts. At the end of the puja, the paper tablets of the deceased are burnt away, representing the purification of the 5 aggregates. Through the prayer and the ritual performed, the consciousness of the deceased are merged and become inseparable from the wisdom of the 100 Deities. Thus, they are liberated. Chod in Tibetan means cutting off, the significance is the sacrifice and offering of the ego. Through this practice, the practitioner will attain fearlessness and victory over the maras, symbolized through the curved knife and victory banner. The ultimate purpose is to cut off the ego. Non-biased love and compassion will also be cultivated through this practice. The above event was jointly presided by Dupsing R...