Buddhism As Education

The upcoming symposium on the History of Buddhism will be held in Gurun and Sungai Petani, Kedah respectively from 16th to 17th September 2011. The symposium will bring you deeper into the history of Buddhism, the rise and fall of the previous Srivijaya and Langkasuka kingdoms as well as the Buddhism during that era.

Today is Ksitigarbha (Earth Store) Bodhisattva's Enlightenment Day in accordance to the 30th day of the 7th lunar month. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed that as long as there was still one suffering soul in hell, he would not attain buddhahood. Since there are always many souls in hell, Ksitigarbha has a lot of work to do! However, because of his great compassion, the bodhisattva still vowed to save them all. He does not want to see people being punished in hell and then committing still more crimes in their next lives. In addition to suffering souls in hell, the bodhisattva also helps living beings in other realms: humans, celestial beings, asuras, hungry ghosts, and animals and insects. He hopes that by teaching all these creatures, he will be able to stop them from committing more crimes, and thus help them to end their constant suffering. Ksitigabha Bodhisattva Mantra for Eradicating Fixed Karma : Om Pra Ma Ni Da Ni So Ha

Ven. Dhammasubho explaining the Vinaya rules and the programme highlights to the would-be Samaneras The Venerable Sanghas of Nandaka administering the precepts and ordination Ven. Dhammasubho giving his explanation on the novitiate programme Ven. Khemasiri shaving the head of one of the participant s The Nandaka Vihara in Cherok To'kun, Bukit Mertajam at Seberang Perai Tengah had today officiated its Annual Novitiate Programme with about more than 20 participants taking part in both as Samaneras and Preceptors. This is a one week programme held in conjunction of the Vassa (Rain Retreat) which is observed every year. Participants from as far as Kuala Lumpur and Selangor also traveled a long way to Nandaka to participare in this meritorious programme. The programme was graced by the Nandaka Vihara's Abbot Venerable Dhammasubho with the ordination and administering of precepts for all the participants. Congratulations and Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!

By Stanley Koh Nowadays, if you speak about wandering hungry spirits, you are more than likely to elicit some condescending remark about your superstitious nature. But spiritual beings do exist, although the question of whether they experience hunger is an open one. In his book, “What Buddhists Believe”, the renowned Buddhist scholar K Sri Dhammananda wrote: “There are visible and invisible beings or spirits in the same way as there are visible and invisible lights. One cannot deny the existence of such spirits just because one is unable to see them with one’s naked eyes.” Various other scholars representing different religious traditions have made similar assertions. Of course, to the modernist mind, these pious utterances do not prove anything. Nevertheless, the fact is that millions of Asians faithfully observe what is commonly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Zhong Huan in Mandarin. Malaysian Chinese, like many other Chinese communities around the world, celebra...

In conjunction of the 7th Lunar Month, Palme Gon Buddhist Society in Bagan Lallang, Butterworth had performed series of Puja with the aim of promoting Filial Piety, praying for World Peace as well as transference of merits to the deceased, thus releasing them from various sufferings and be reborn in a better realm. Lamp lighting, release of lotus candles into the river and offerings of various kind of food were also incorporated into the Puja event.

Monlam Rinpoche leading the prayer session The Rinpoche and his Lamas chanting the mantras and prayers Various offerings were prepared on the altar The Rinpoche conducting the prayers for liberation The fish were prepared for liberation Fire puja and offerin g Venerable Monlam Rinpoche and his Lama followers were invited to conduct a mass prayer session in Palme Gon Buddhist Society in Bagan Lallang, Butterworth from 31 July 2011 to 2 August 2011 recently in conjunction of the 7th Lunar month in order to release the sufferings of those wondering souls and spirits and lead them for reborn into better realms. During the prayer, various activites were performed, among them were the liberation of fish and crickets, performing a fire puja and transference of merits to the departed ones.

A little monk who is not old enough to become ordained is called a "sami". Once, there is a little sami who studied Buddhism with a very wise Teacher. He was a very good student. He was respectful, sincere and obedient and had learned very quickly in his daily Buddhist studies. The Teacher was so wise that he could foretell the future, where he knew from the beginning that this little student could not live very long. One day he counted and realized that the little student had only seven days left to live. He felt very sad upon his findings. He later called the little sami and said to him, "little same, you haven't seen your mother for long time. I think you need a vacation. You run on home and visit your mother and come back eight days from now". He did this so at least the little sami could die in his own parents' house. When the little sami left for home, the Teacher was very sad. He thought he would never again see his little student. Eight days later, t...