3 April 2011 - Service Sunday

Join us this week during the Service Sunday on 3 April 2011, 9am – 12pm.

Programme :

9.00am   Puja & Chanting

9.20am   Meditation

9.30am   Dhamma talk by Ven. Kassapa on “The Significance of Sharing Merits”
11.30am Offering of lunch dana

Profile of Ven. Kassapa :
Ven. Kassapa is the founder of Rockhill Hermitage, an international forest meditation centre in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He is also the head teacher for the Vipassana Insight Meditation Foundation in Melbourne. The venerable has much experience as counselor and meditation teacher to cancer patients, doctors and other staff at the Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre in Melbourne, Australia where he resided for 12 years. Today he still serves as the honorary meditation consultant to the hospital and introduces this therapy elsewhere. Further information about the venerable and the centre, please refer to http://www.rockhillsrilanka.com/



27 March 2011 - Practice of Giving



Some members and devotees of Nalanda offered food items to the senior citizens
at Tong Sim Senior Citizens Care Centre in Salak South.



Besides food, we can also provide comfort to the aged one.

This photo was taken with the caretaker of the centre, Mr. Cheong Loy (second from left).
From left : Bro. Louis Chan, Bro. Lee, Chan Yu, Mrs. Choo, Sis. Visakha and Qi Hua.

27 March 2011 - Bhavana Day

The participants were encouraged to devote oneself fully in the one-day meditation practice.

The Bhavana Day was conducted by Ven. Ayya Santini from Indonesia
during her six-day Dhammaduta tour in Malaysia.

Offering of lunch dana to the two venerable nuns - Ven. Ayya Santini and Ven. Badranirmala.

Serving the two venerables with one's own hands.

Simple lunch treat for the participants.  

April 2011 Activities

Dhammaduta Tour to Kelantan

On her Dhammaduta tour in Malaysia, Ven. Ayya Santini, the Abbess of a vihara in Lembang, West Java, Indonesia, assisted by Sis. Buddhini and Sis. Nandini, conducted two Dhamma workshops in Kelantan. These learning programmes were jointly organized by Nalanda Buddhist Society and Persatuan Buddha Wakaf Baru, Kelantan. The workshops were held from 24 to 26 March, 2011, at Wat Pracacinaram, Wakaf Bharu, Kelantan. They were specially designed for primary and secondary school students. A total of 125 students have benefited from the workshops.

27 March 2011 - Bhavana Day

We welcome you to participate in this one-day meditation retreat.  This retreat is suitable for beginners as well as for those who would like to devote oneself to one-day mindfulness practice after the six busy working days. The retreat will be held on this Sunday, 27 March 2011, 9am – 5pm at Nalanda Centre. It will be conducted by Bhikkhuni Ayya Santini from Indonesia.

The programme of the retreat and the profile of the Venerable Ayya are appended below :

Programme

8.15 - 8.45am   Registration

9.00am             Offering & Observance of Five Precepts or Eight Precepts 

9.15am             Instructions to meditation 

9.30am             Meditation practice 

11.00am           Lunch dana for Ayya / Luncheon for participants 

12.30pm           Meditation practice / Personal interview session

3.30pm             Tea break

4.15pm             Meditation practice

5.00pm             Sharing & transference of merits 
                         End of retreat


Profile of Venerable Ayya Santini

Ven. Ayya Santini is a well-known and energetic Dhammaduta in Indonesia. Before taking the full bhikkhuni ordination in 2000, she spent several years as an Anagarini, and inspiring people with her Dhamma talks. She counts among the first Theravadin bhikkhunis from Indonesia in the modern era. She is currently the Abbess of a vihara in Lembang, West Java.

Ayya Santini specialises in training children and youth in meditation and monastic living. She runs camps several times a year, besides drawing hundreds to her periodic talk shows held in major cities throughout Indonesia.

We welcome you to participate in the retreat and discover the path to wisdom.

To register for the retreat, please email your full name and contact no. to bhavana@nalanda.org.my. To enquire for details, please call Sis. Sandra at 016-202-5319 or 03-8938-1500.

Ven. Ayya Santini's Dhammaduta Tour in Malaysia

Ven. Ayya Santini has arrived in Malaysia on 23 March 2011, Wednesday.
This morning she departed for Kelantan to begin her dhammaduta tour.

Below is her tour schedule in Malaysia :

24 March 2011 (Thursday)

7.00am     Breakfast dana at Nalanda Centre
                Depart for Kota Bharu, Kelantan
11.30am   Lunch dana at Kota Bharu
8.00pm    Dhamma talk at Pasir Mas

25 March 2011 (Friday)

7.00am     Breakfast dana
9.00am     Children Camp “Sehari Bersama Anak-anak Baik” at Wakaf Bharu
11.30am   Lunch dana
5.00pm     End of the Camp
8.00pm     Dhamma talk at Wakaf Bharu

26 March 2011 (Saturday)

7.00am     Breakfast dana
9.00am     Teens Camp “Sehari Bersama Anak-anak Baik” at Wakaf Bharu
11.30am   Lunch dana
5.00pm     End of the Camp
8.00pm     Depart for Kuala Lumpur

27 March 2011 (Sunday)

7.00am     Breakfast dana at Nalanda Centre
9.00am     Bhavana Day (one-day meditation retreat)
11.30am   Lunch dana
5.00pm     End of the Bhavana Day

28 March 2011 (Monday)

11.30am   Lunch dana at Nalanda Café (Tel : 03-9058-3510)

29 March 2011 (Tuesday)

7.00am      Breakfast dana
11.30am    Lunch dana at Ti-Ratana Penchala Community Centre
                 (21, Jalan Penchala, 46000 Petaling Jaya ; 03-7784-9002)
Afternoon Depart for Jakarta

You are most welcome to offer breakfast and lunch dana or transportation to the Ven. Ayya whenever she is in Kuala Lumpur, she will be staying at Nalanda Centre.

For further details or arrangement for dana, please call Sis. Santi at 03-8938-1500/1501. Thank you.

BCA T-shirt Design Competition - Winners Announced!

The Buddhist Community Alliance (BCA) organised a T-shirt Design Competition in 2010 to invite participants to design a creative and unique T-shirt that embodies the main founding objective of the BCA – to unify and strengthen the Buddhist community spirit.

The following winners have been selected :

1ST PRIZE : HONG KEE MEE 

 2ND PRIZE : HOONG FOONG SHEUNG 

3RD PRIZE : SAW JAY HAN

 

CONSOLATION PRIZE : YEO SEE LEE

CONSOLATION PRIZE : GAVIN TEOH HOCK GEH

 CONSOLATION PRIZE : PARUADI A/P RAMASAMY

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you for your participation!

The winners will be contacted via telephone.


Mr. Richard Lee
(016-908-7499)
Hon. Secretary
Buddhist Community Alliance

20 March 2011 - Service Sunday and Sanghika Dana

The Dharma School session on every Sunday, 9am to 12pm.

The Dhamma sharing on "Embracing Change, Rediscovering Happiness".

Offering of lunch dana to the invited monks in conjunction with Nalanda Patron's Day.

19 March 2011 - Uposatha Dhamma Sharing

The topic of the Dhamma sharing was "Working with Awareness and Awareness of Working".

Mr. Jeff Oliver, "Awareness is non-attachment, it is just being present moment to moment without judging."

With appreciation, we presented a souvenir to the speaker.

19 March 2011 - Certificate in Teaching (in Dharma School)

Dr. Ong Puay Tee, a lecturer from the Faculty of Business and Law, Multimedia University,
conducted the lesson on Module 2 "Leadership in Education".

Through demonstration and participation from the class,
Dr. Ong illustrated that action speaks louder than words.

Dr. Ong Puay Liu, an Assoc. Professor from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
continued the presentation with the Four Pillars of Education.

After a short break for refreshment and watching videos,
the participants were given a case study for group discussion.

Group presentations on decision making and leadership.

After the presentations, immeditate feedback and comments were given by the two lecturers.

18 March 2011 - Nalanda Patron's Day

[ Introduction to Nalanda Patron's Day ]

The facilitators and students of the stay-in programme offered puja and metta bhavana
for the well-being of our benefactors, past and present.



At the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, we paid respect to our late spiritual adviser,
the Most Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Thero.

 

This is the stupa commemorating the contribution of the late Venerable
to the growth of Buddha-Sasana in Malaysia.



We offered Sanghika Dana at the manostery where the late Chief Reverend was the abbot for over five decades.



After the Sanghika Dana at the Buddhist Maha Vihara, we visited the old folks' home in Seri Kembangan.

Offering of food items to the old folks staying in Rumah Sejahtera.
The caretaker received the gifts on behalf of the residents. 

Come Join Walkathon 2011 at Nalanda!

In aid of Nalanda Education Fund

Nalanda Buddhist Society will be organizing Walkathon 2011 on Sunday, 10 April, in Sri Serdang. Come join us in this fun-filled work-out for the entire family. There are 4 categories of participation for all age groups. Registration is easy – just visit Nalanda’s website at www.nalanda.org.my and register on-line. Alternatively, visit us at Nalanda Centre anytime of the week, and we will do it for you instantly!

The purpose of this Walkathon is two-fold :-

1. We want to encourage physical exercise and an active lifestyle, which is in-line with our objective of promoting physical well-being and good health.

2. We aim to raise RM125,000 for the “Nalanda Education Fund”. The Fund is used to finance Nalanda’s educational programmes for the general public. The amount raised will go towards :

• Nalanda Free School Project – providing free tuition for 400 primary and secondary students in 20 classes.

• Provide free stationeries and reference books to needy children and orphanages.

• Provide free courses through Nalanda Institute for 1,500 adult participants in 2011.

• Provide free learning opportunities for 60 students through Nalanda Dharma School.

• Acquire a 12-seater van to transport needy students to attend free classes at Nalanda Centre.

Please support us in our endeavour to bring about positive social changes through quality education. Also feel free to invite relatives and friends to participate in this event. It’s great to work-out together for better health, and at the same time, contribute towards social improvement through wholesome education!

Thank you!

NALANDA WALKATHON 2011

Organizing Team

For more information, please contact Mr Pee Che Yong 012-382 8806, Ms Margaret Ng 019-309 6880, or Mr Tan Thian Khoon 012-315 7779.

EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN JAPAN

16 March 2011

Dear members and devotees,

Many of us are painfully aware about the twin disasters that struck Japan on 11 March 2011, namely the massive earthquake registering 9.0 on the Richter Scale, and the ensuing Tsunami that obliterated many settlements in Northeastern Honshu.

As of today, the exact death toll and the extent of losses are yet unascertained. The Japanese authorities and public, aided by some foreign helpers, are frantically sifting through debris in the hope of miraculously finding survivors; and also, to undertake the grim prospect of identifying the dead. Millions of people are reported to have lost their homes, and are now facing cold weather without clean water and electricity supply.

Our hearts go out to all the victims of this disaster! We pray for their strength and resolve in facing this calamity. We also pray for the deceased and wish for their well-being in the after-life.

We also applaud the dedication and tenacity of the rescuers and volunteers who are helping victims cope with the disaster. May the workers be successful in carrying out their respective tasks, and be free from harm and danger.

We will be offering our prayers to the victims, and to all beings in need at Nalanda Centre every night at 8.00pm, starting today until Wesak in May. We invite devotees to come and join us whenever possible to strengthen our devotional fervor. We also request you to spare some kind thoughts everyday at home or at work for the suffering beings everywhere, and make it a habit to always aspire that, “May all beings be free from suffering!”

May all beings find peace. Sotthi.

With metta,

Nalanda Buddhist Society

NALANDA PATRON’S DAY, 18 March 2011

Nalanda Buddhist Society first observed “Nalanda Patron’s Day” on 18 March 2007. The day is designated an annual Nalanda event to commemorate and appreciate all our donors, benefactors and volunteers who have contributed tremendously to the growth of Nalanda, and by extension, to the development of Buddhist education.

On “Patron’s Day”, Nalanda members and devotees offer pujas for the well-being of all our benefactors, past and present. We also transfer merits to those who have passed away.

March 18th was chosen as the day to commemorate our benefactors because it happens to be the birth anniversary of our late spiritual adviser, the Most Venerable Dr. K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Thero. Customarily, Nalanda Society and Nalanda Vidyalaya will offer a Sanghika Dana at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, where the late Venerable was abbot for over five decades.

This year, we are continuing with this time-honoured tradition of expressing our gratitude and offering thanks to our donors and volunteers. Nalanda will be offering dana at the Maha Vihara at 11.30am on Friday, 18 March 2011, and two pujas at 9.00am and 8.00pm at Nalanda Centre on the same day.

We welcome all members and devotees to join us on this wholesome occasion at Nalanda Centre as well as at the Maha Vihara. We pray that the merits accrued by our benefactors lead them to liberation from greed, avarice and delusion. We also pray that all beings be free from suffering.

Anumodana.

 
Sis. Buddhini Tan
Hon. Secretary
Nalanda Buddhist Society

13 March 2011 - "Learning Technique Seminar” for Secondary School Students

Nalanda Free School organised its first seminar for the secondary school students. This seminar was conducted by Bro. Aggaphala, a registered licensed counsellor and well attended by 21 participants.

Happy learning hours



Group activities

Group discussion

Presentation by the group representatives