"Sabba danam dhamma danam jinati" [The gift of Truth excels all other gifts]
" Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhasa " Homage to the Blessed One, Accomplished and Fully Enlightened One
"Go forth, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good and the happiness of both gods and men. Let no two of you go in the same direction. Teach the Dhamma which is beautiful in the beginning, the middle and the end. Explain both the letter and the spirit of the holy life completely fulfilled and perfectly pure.(Anattalakkhana Sutta SN 22.59)"
Theravada Buddhism had existed in Malaysia for centuries among the Thai ethnic community that lived along the peninsula's northern border with Thailand. A vigorous community, the Thai bhikkhu sangha had a benevolent influence on the other races especially the ethnic Chinese in the northern states. However, due to language and cultural differences, few Chinese ordained into the Thai bhikkhu sangha. Theravada Buddhism only began to have a significant impact on the Chinese Malaysian community early this century as a result of a curious combination of causes.
However, there was a change when a remarkable 32 year old Bhikkhu by the name of Ven.Dr.K Sri Dhammananda, upon the invitation of the SAWS, stepped onto the shores of Malaysia in the last days of December 1951. Ordained as a Samanera at age 12, and a bhikkhu at age 21, he had excelled as a scholar. In 1945 he entered the Benares Hindu University in India for further tertiary education. Among his contemporaries in the university were Ven.Saddhatissa and Ven. Amritananda who later were to play important dhammaduta roles in England and Nepal respectively. In the year following his arrival in Malaysia, Ven.Dhammananda met the highest authority of the British colonial government, Sir Gerald Templar. At that meeting, he convinced Sir Templar that an effective means to counter the ongoing communist insurgency was to allow him to preach to the ethnic Chinese in the villages who were the main supporters of the insurgents. In 1962, to further enhance his missionary efforts, he formed the Buddhist Missionary Society, Malaysia ("BMSM"). This society printed the late Venerable's numerous booklets on the Dhamma and freely distributed them by the hundreds of thousands throughout the country. These books were the first introduction to Buddhism for many. The Late Venerable also started a vigorous program of regular sermons at the Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and at various societies scattered throughout the country. As a result, Theravada Buddhism captured the hearts of a large section of the English-speaking public. The SAW was also ably assisted by several other Sri Lankan monks. Among the more notable were: Ven.Gunaratana who after 10 years (1958-1968) in Malaysia, left for USA where he established the Bhavana Society in West Virginia. Ven Wimalajothi (1976-1987) who after returning to Sri Lanka set up the Buddhist Cultural Center emulating the techniques he had learnt.
Ven.K.Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera. the Chief High Priest of Malaysia who excelled in social work and set up the Ti-Ratana Welfare Homes and Ti-Ratana Community Centres in Bangsar, Klang and Lumbini Garden in Puchong. In December 1976, Late Ven.K.Sri Dr. Dhammananda initiated a program enabling Buddhists interested in experiencing the life of a monk to ordain as Samaneras for a short period of time conducted by Ven. Mahinda and other Bhikkhus. Since then, this novitiate program has been an annual affair and has resulted in several young men taking up the robe as a life commitment. Some of these Bhikkhu disciples are pursuing studies in Sri Lanka or residing at the BMV, Brickfields, KL. Elsewhere, other temples set up by Sri Lankan monks also gained popularity. One such was the Mahindarama Vihara on the island of Penang under Ven. Pemaratana who resided there since1957 till his death in 1997. Others are the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur under the abbot Ven.B.Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera and Ven.Sri.Ratansiri Nayaka Maha Thera of the Seck Kia Eenh temple in Melaka which although set up by locals have maintained a tradition of inviting Sri Lankan monks as residents.
Another Malaysian Straits Chinese Bhikkhu is the Ven. Mahinda of Malacca. He undertook basic Buddhist studies and training in Sri Lanka and practical Buddhist meditation under several masters in Sri Lanka, India, Burma and Thailand. He has travelled to more than 30 countries to spread the peace message of the Buddha. Since 1976, Ven.Mahinda has been conducting the annual Pilgrimage to India, etc.and Annual Novitiate Programmes at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Assisted by Sis.Sumitra, Ven.Mahinda has also been conducting meditation retreats in KL, Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Australia. Ven.Mahinda is also the spiritual director of Aloka Foundation of Malaysia in Bukit Asahan, near Tangkak, Johore. He is the abbot of the world-class Aloka Meditation Centre of Sydney, Australia.
Thank you for visiting our Dhammadutta site! This is where we kept all our photos, reviews etc. from now on, so come back whenever you want to see what's the lastest news in Malaysia and the other parts of the Buddhist World. Feel free to post a reply if you see something you like or just want to get in touch. Log on http://dktan.multiply.com for the original version of our site on Buddhism. Sukhi Hotu !
DEVOTEES of Subang Jaya Buddhist Association (SJBA) and Sri Varatharajah Perumal Temple at SS13, Subang Jaya, can now breathe a sigh of relief as the construction of a pedestrian bridge across Persiaran Kewajipan has begun.
The good news was... more
Dhammasarana Vesak Thorana 2010 with Songs Part 1 Dhammasarana Buddhist Vihara Keysborough, Australia vesak thorana (pandal) 2010. Art by Mangala Kalansuriya, Songs by Ajith Gunatilaka, Lighting and design by Rasika Amarasiri. The pandal was... more
For thirty-six years, I’ve taught meditation to thousands of people, at the Insight Meditation Society retreat center in Barre, Massachusetts, which I cofounded in 1975, and at schools, corporations,... more
"Love comes when you least expect it, when we are not looking for him. If you walk to the game of love, never find the right partner. This only creates anxiety and unhappiness. Love is never out; I have inside. Do not insist that love comes immediately. May not be ready for him, or maybe you're not evolved enough to attract the love you crave. " Greetings, God bless you, ANTOINETTE
There are times when someone would like to do certain things but they need some kind of reminder to alert them that the time to carry out a certain activity has come.
Try download this Professional Dhamma Talk by Bro. Billy Young http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvdzKje6mkY Talk by Bro Billy Young Ta Ken at the Seremban Sudhamma Buddhist Society on 22nd October 2011 on the topic "PERCEPTION, INTENTION, EXPECTATION".
OBJECTIVE: To help us understand how our thoughts and emotions interact to form our Perception of the world around us, and how Intentions and Expectations motivate our behaviour. We apply this learning from a Buddhist perspective to help us experience greater happiness and peace of mind.
SYNOPSIS: How do we perceive the world through our senses? What motivates us to behave in certain ways? Why do we sometimes react emotionally while other times we can remain calm and rational? Whether we become happy, or unhappy, this has a lot to do with our Perception of the world around us, as well as our Intentions and our Expectations in everyday life.
The speaker first explains some of the happenings inside our mind and body from a psychological perspective -- how Perceptions are formed, how emotions are aroused, how we become motivated to take action, and what happens to our physiology when we are emotionally aroused.
The speaker then relates latest findings in Psychology and Neuroscience with key aspects of Buddhist teachings such as of "karma", "vipaka", the 5 Aggregates, and the 6 Sensual Fields.
Video clips of the latest research findings from the fields of Psychology and Neuroscience help enhance the presentation.
Every time we love a person released, so to speak, a thread of our energy on it, which creates a living connection between the two vibrational fields, even at a distance. Thus, when we feel it isn't good or when they think of us intensely. We designed this wireless connection also about friends, people we like, the projects we have, every time we identify with someone and something, throw it a part of our energy, creating the link. Likewise, when we hate someone or something we fear, we connect also energetically, without even trying. How often we hear of people who for years have been stuck together by hatred, always replenished, unable to move forward in your life ... The unresolved situations in the past often form a network of wires that carry on the back (the image of the dogs that pull the sleds in the snow in cold countries) - continue dragging the memories and guilt throughout his life - and doing so little energy that it remains for being available for the present. We were literally tied to the past. We're thus living in the midst of a network of wires that connects us to people, situations, ideas, fears, memories and hopes. This link can be very enjoyable in certain situations, as when we love, but when the contact ends, we often feel that a part of us went to the other. Although we're referring to the dreams and expectations, it actually occurs in terms of energy. It's necessary to pull the wire back, recover the energy that was projected on the other, and integrate it back into itself. Back to being whole. Forgiveness is a way to do this. By forgiving others, we give up all expectation placed upon him and with that bring back all our energy with which he was - whether in the form of love, sorrow, anger or vengeance. By releasing the other, we're free too. Likewise, the internally resolve any situation from the past - accepting things as they happened, even that wasn't the way we expected - we get back the energy invested there and that until then was paralyzed. In doing so, it closes the gap, and become more complete again. What the other doesn't affect us anymore. What happened is past. We become more aware of this. More importantly, more available for life.
I Wish for You… Comfort on difficult days, Smiles when sadness intrudes, Rainbows to follow the clouds, Laughter to kiss your lips, Sunsets to warm your heart, Gentle hugs when spirits sag, Friendships to brighten your being, Beauty for your eyes to see, Confidence for when you doubt, Faith so that you can believe, Courage to know yourself, Patience to accept the truth, And love to complete your life.
You Are Special, Unique And Priceless One Of A kind.
