Chapter 13: Becoming a Buddhist

Q1 What you said so far is very interesting to me. How do i become a Buddhist?

Once there was a man called Upali who was impressed by the Buddha's teachings and decided to become one of his disciples. But the Buddha said to him:

'Make a proper investigation first Upali.

Proper investigation is good for a well-known

person like yourself.' M.II,379

In Buddhism, understanding is the most important thing and understanding takes time. It is the end product of a process, so do not impulsively rush into Buddhism. Take your time, ask questions, consider carefully and then make your decision. The Buddha was not interested in having huge numbers of disciples. He was concerned that people should follow his teachings as a result of a careful investigation and consideration of facts.

Q2 If I have done this and I find the Buddha's teachings acceptable, what would I do then if I wanted to become a Buddhist?

It would be best to join a good temple or Buddhist group, support them, be supported by them and continue to learn more about Buddha's teachings. Then, when you are ready, you would formally become a Buddhist by taking the Three Refuges.

Q3 What are the Three Refuges?

A refuge is a place where people go when they are distressed or when they need safety or security. There are many types of refuge. When people are unhappy, they take refuge with their friends. The Buddha said:

'To take refuge in the Buddha,

the Dhamma and the Sangha and

to see with real understanding

the Four Noble Truths,

Suffering, the cause of suffering,

the transcending of suffering and

the Noble Eightfold Path that leads

to the transcending of suffering,

This indeed is a safe refuge,

this is the refuge supreme.

This is the refuge whereby one is

freed from all suffering.' Dhp. 189-192

Taking refuge in the Buddha is a confident acceptance of the fact one can become fully enlightened and perfected just as the Buddha was. Taking Refuge in the Dhamma means understanding the Four Noble Truths and basing one's life on the Noble Eightfold Path. Taking Refuge in the Sangha means looking for support, inspiration and guidance from all who walk the Noble Eightfold Path. Doing this, one becomes a Buddhist and thus takes the first step on the path towards Nirvana.

Q4 What changes have taken place in your life since you first too the three refuges?

Like countless millions of others over the last 2500 years, I have found that the Buddha's teachings have made sense out of a difficult world. They have given meaning to what was meaningless life. They have given me a humane and compassionate ethics with which to lead my life and they have shown me how I can attain state of purify and perfection in the next life. A poet in ancient India once wrote of the Buddha:

'To go to him for refuge, to sing his praise, to do him honor

and to abide in his Dhamma is to act with understanding.'

I agree with these words completely.

Q5 I have a friend who is always trying to convert me. I am not really interested in his religion and I have told him so but he won't leave me alone. What can I do?

The first thing you must understand is that this person is not really your friend. A true friend accepts you as you are and respect your wishes. I suspect that this person is merely pretending to be your friend so he can convert you. When people try to impose their will on you, they are certainly not friends.

Q6 But he says he wants to share his religion with me.

To share your religion with others is a good thing but I suggest that your friend doesn't know the difference between sharing and imposing. If I have an apple, I offer you half and you accept my offer, then I have shared with you. But if you say to me 'Thank you, but I have already eaten' and I keep insisting that you take half the apple until you finally give in to my pressure, this can hardly be called sharing. People like you 'friend' try to disguise their bad behavior by calling it 'sharing', 'love' or 'witnessing'. But by whatever name they call it, their behavior is still just rude, bad mannered and selfish.

Q7 So how can I stop him?

It is simple. Firstly, be clear in your mind what you want. Secondly, clearly and briefly tell him so. Thirdly, when he asks you questions like "What is your belief on this matter" or "Why don't you wish to come to the meeting with me," clearly, politely and persistently repeat your first statement. "Thank you for the invitation but I would rather not come."

"Why not."

"That is really my business. I would rather not come."

"There will be many interesting people there."

"I am sure there will be but I would rather not come."

"I am inviting you because I care about you."

"I am glad that you care about me but I would rather not come."

If you clearly, patiently and persistently repeat yourself and refuse to allow him to get you involved in a discussion, he will eventually give up. It is a shame that you have to do this, but it is very important for people to learn that they cannot impose their beliefs or wishes upon others.

Q7 Should Buddhists try to share the Dhamma with others?

Yes they should. If people ask you about Buddhism, tell them. You can even tell them about the Buddha's teachings without their asking. But if, by either their words or their actions, they let you know that they are not interested, accept that and respect their wishes. It is also important to remember that you let people know about the Dhamma far more effectively through your actions than through preaching to them. Show people the Dhamma by always being considerate, kind, tolerant, upright and honest. Let the Dhamma shine forth through your speech and actions. If each of us, you and I, know the Dhamma thoroughly, practice it fully and share it generously with others, we can be of great benefit to ourselves and others also.

weekly dharma quote 31

Avoid all evil,

Embrace all goodness,

Purify one's own mind.

Meditation Class 2

Ehipassiko!



Date: 26 January 2011 (Friday)

Time: 7:30pm to 10:00pm

Venue: MPH 5 2.07.02

Person in Charge: Sis. Gong Li Wan

Tutor: Ven. Chang Wen

Flow of Event
Opening Salatution
Practicing Eight-Form Chan Moving Meditation
Introduction to Walking Meditation - Theory
Practicing Walking Meditation
Sharing of the Chan Wisdom story
Reflection / Verbal feeback / Sharing / Q & A
Closing Salutation

Chapter 12: History and Development

Q1 Buddhism is now the religion of a large number of people in many different countries. How did this happen?
Within a 150 years of the Buddha's passing his teachings had already spread fairly widely throughout northern India. Then in about 262 BCE the then emperor of India, Asoka Mauriya, converted to Buddhism and spread the Dhamma throughout his entire realm. Many people were attreated by Buddhism's high ethical standards and particularly by its opposition of the Hindu caste system. Asoka also convened a great council and then sent missionary monks to neighbouring counteries and, who even went as far as Europe. The most successful of these missions was the one that went to Sri Lanka. The Island became Buddhist and has remained so ever since. Other missions brought Buddhism to southern and western India, Kashmir and what is now southern Burma and peninsular Thailand. A century or so after this, Afghanistan and the mountainous regions of northern India became Buddhist. Monk and merchants from that region gradually took the region into central Asia and finally to China from where it later penetrated into Korea and Japan. It is interesting to note that Buddhism is really the only foreign system of thought that has ever taken root in China. In about the 12th century Buddhism became the dominant religion of Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia due mainly to the efforts of monks from Sri Lanka.

Q2 How and when did Tibet become Buddhist?
In about the 8th century the king of Tibet sent an ambassador to India to bring monks and Buddhist scriptures to his country. Buddhism caught on but did not became the major religion due partly to opposition from the priests of the indigenous Bon religion. Finally, in the 11th century a large numbers of Indian monks and teachers came to Tibet and the religion became firmly established. Since that time Tibet has been one of the most fervently Buddhist countries in the world.

Q3 So Buddhism spread very widely.
Not only that, there are very few instances of Buddhism persecuting the religions it encountered as it spread or of it being spread by conquering armies. Buddhism has always been a gentle way of life and the idea of using force or pressure to induce belief is repugnant to Buddhists.

Q4 What influence did Buddhism have on the countries it went to?
When missionary monks went to different countries they usually took more than just the Buddha's teachings with them, they also brought some of the best aspects of Indian civilisation. Monks were sometimes skilled in medicine and introduced new medical ideas into areas where they had not existed before. Neither Sri Lanka, Tibet nor several regions of central Asia had writting until monks introduced it and of course with writing came new knowledge and ideas. Before the coming of Buddhism the Tibetans and the Mongolians were a wild unruly people and Buddhism made them gentle and civilised. Even within India, animal sacrifice went out of vogue because of Buddhism and the caste system became less harsh, at least for a while. Even today as Buddhism spreads in Europe and America, modern Western psychology is starting to be influenced by some of its insights into the human mind.

Q5 Why did Buddhism die out in India?
No one has ever given a satisfactory explanation for this unfortunate development. Some historians say that Buddhism became so corrupt that people turned against it. Others say that it adopted too many Hindu ideas and gradually became indistinguishable from Hinduism. Another theory is that monks began to congregate in large monasteries supported by the kings and that this alienated them from the ordinary people. Whatever the reasons, by the 8th or 9th century, Indian Buddhism was already in serious decline. It disappeared completely during the chaos and violence of the Islamic invasion of India in the 13th century.

Q6 But there are still some Buddhists in India aren't there?
There are and indeed since the middle of the 20th century Buddhism hasstarted to grow in India again. In 1956 the leader of India's untouchables converted to Buddhism because he and his people suffered so badly under the Hindu caste system. Since then about 8 million people have become Buddhist and the numbers continue to grow.

Q7 When did Buddhism first come to the West?
The first Westerners to become Buddhists were probably the Greeks who migrated to India after the invasion of Alexander the Great in the 3rd century BCE. One of the most important ancient Buddhist book, the Milindapanha, consists of a dialogue between the Indian monk Nagasena and the Indo-Greek king Milinda. In more recent times towards the end of the 19th century, Buddhism started to attract admiration and respect in the West when scholars began translating Buddhist scriptures and writing about Buddhism. By the early 1900's a few Westerners were calling themselves Buddhists and one or two even became monks. Since the 1960's the numberof Westerner Buddhists has grown steadily and today they make up a small but significant minority in many Western countries.

Q8 Can you say something about the different types of Buddhism?
At its height Buddhism stretched from Mongolia to the Maldives, from Balkh to Bali and thus it had to appeal to people of many different cultures. Further, it endured for many centuries and had to adopt and adapt as people's social and intellectual lives developed. Consequently while the essence of the Dhamma remained the same its outward from changed greatly. Today there are three main types of Buddhism - Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.

Q9 What is Theravada?
The name Theravada means The Teachings of the Elders and is based mainly on the Pali Tipitaka, the oldest and most complete record of the Buddha's teachings. Theravada is a more conservative and monastic-centered form of Buddhism which emphasizes the basic of the Dhamma and tends to take a more simple and austere approach. Today Theravada is practiced mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

Q10 What is Mahayana Buddhism?
By about the 1st century BCE some of the implications of the Buddha's teachings were being explored more deeply. Also, society was developing and this required new and more relevant interpretations of the teachings. The many schools that grew out of these new developments and interpretations were collectively called Mahayana, meaning The Great Way, because they claimed to be relevant to everyone, not just to monks and nuns who had renounced the world. Mahayana eventually became the dominant form of Buddhism in India and today is practiced in China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan. Some Theravadins say that Mahayana is a distortion of the Buddha's teachings. However, Mahayanists point out that the Buddha accepted change as one of the most fundamental of all truths and that their interpretation of Buddhism is no more a distortion of the Dhamma than an oak tree is a distortion of an acorn.

Q11 I have often seen the term Hinayana. What does this tern mean?
When Mahayana was developing it wanted to distinguish itself from the earlier schools of Buddhism so it called itself Mahayana, the Great Way, and dubbed the earlier schools Hinayana, meaning the Little Way. Therefore, Hinayana is a somewhat sectarian term that Mahayaniats give to Theravadins.

Q12 What about Vijrayana?
This type of Buddhism began to emergy in India in the 6th and 7th centuries CE at a time when Hinduism was undergoing a major revival in India. In response to this, some Buddhists were influenced by aspects of Hinduism especially the worship of deities and the use of elaborate rituals. In the 11th century Vajrayana became well established in Tibet where it underwent further developments. The word Vajrayana means the Diamond Way and refers to the supposedly unbreakable logic that Vajrayanists used to justify and defend some of their ideas. Vajrayana relies more on a type of literature called tantras than on the traditional Buddhist scriptures and therefore is sometimes also known as Tantrayana. Vajrayana now prevails in Mongolia, Tibet, Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan and amongst Tibetans living in India.

Q13 This could all be very confusing. If I want to practice Buddhism how can I know which type to choose?
Perhaps we could compare it to a river. If you went to the source of a river and then to its mouth they would probably look very different. But if you followed the river from its source, as it would its way through hills and dales, over waterfalls, past the numerous small streams that flowed into it, you would eventually arrive at its mouth and understand why it seemed to be so different from the source. If you wish to study Buddhism start with the earliest basic teachings - the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the life of the historical Buddha and so on. Then study how and why these teachings and ideas evolved and then focus on that approach to Buddhism that appeals to you most. Then it will be impossible for you to say that the source of the river is inferior to the mouth or that the mouth is a distortion of the source.

weekly dharma quote 30

Don't be heedless of merit
('It won't come to me')
A water jar fills,
even with water
falling in drops.

With merit - even if

bit

by

bit,

habitually - the enlightened one fills himself full.

Semester Gathering & Movie Sharing

Ehipassiko!

Hi dear friends of IMUBS, this is our first welcoming gathering of this year :)
For new members you're most welcomed to join us! And for existing members, it's time we catch up :)
Do come and enjoy yourself with a nice movie and pizzas :))

Date: 21 January 2011 (Friday)

Time: 7:00pm to 9:30pm

Venue: LT 2 (3rd Floor)

Person in charge: Tan Pei Zin (Stella)

Chapter 11: The Buddhist Scriptures

Q1 Nearly all religions have some kind of holy writings or Bible. What is the Buddhist holy book?
The sacred book of Buddhism is called the Tipitaka. It is written in an ancient Indian language called Pali which is very close to the language that the Buddha himself spoke. The Tipitaka is a very large book. The English translation of it takes up nearly 40 volumes.

Q2 What does the name Tipitaka mean?
It is made up of two words, ti means 'three' and pitaka means 'basket'. The first part of the name refers to the fact that the Buddhist scriptures consist of three sections. The first section, called the Sutta Pitaka contains all the Buddha's discourses as well as some by his enlighted disciples. The type of material in the Sutta Pitaka is very diverse which allows it to communicate the truths that the Buddha taught to different types of people. Many of the Buddha's discourses are in the form of sermons while others are in the form of dialougues. Other parts like the Dhammapada present the Buddha's teachings through the medium of poetry. The Jatakas, to take another example, consists of delightful stories in which the main characters are often animals. The second section of the Tipitaka is the Vinaya Pitaka. This contains the rules and procedures for monks and nuns, advice on monastic administration and procedure, and the early history of the monastic order. The last section is called the Abhidhamma Pitaka. This is a complex and sophisticated attempt to analyse and classify alll the constituents that make up the individual. Although the Abhidhamma is somewhat later than the first two sections of the Tipitaka it contains nothing that contradicts them.

Now for the word 'pitaka' In ancient India, construction workers used to move building materials from one place to another by means of a relay of baskets. They would put the baskets on their heads, walk some distance to the next workers, pass it to them, he would repeat the process. Writing was known in the Buddha's time but as a medium, it was considered less reliable than the human memory. A book could rot in the monsoon damp or be eaten by white ants but a person's memory could last as long as they lived. Consequently, monks and nuns committed all the Buddha's teachings to memory and passed it on to each other just as construction workers passed the earth and bricks to each other in baskets. This is why the three sections of the Buddhist scriptures are called baskets. After being preserved in this manner for several hundred years the Tipitaka was finally written down in about 100 BC in Sri Lanka.

Q3 If the srciptures were preserved in memory for so long they must be very unreliable. Much of the Buddha's teachings could have been lost or changed.
The preservation of the scriptures was a joints effort by the community of monks and nuns. They would meet together at regular intervals and chant parts or all of the Tipitaka. This made it virtually impossible for anything to be added or changed. Think of it like this. If a group of a hundred people know a song by heart and while they are singing it one gets a verse wrong or tries to insert a new verse, what will happen? The sheer number of those who know the song correctly will prevent the odd one from making any changes. It is also important to remember that in those days there were no televisions, newspapers or advertising to distract and clutter the mind which, together with the fact that monks and nuns meditated, meant that they had extremely good memories. Even today, long after books have come into use, there are still monks who can recite the whole Tipitaka by heart. The monk Mengong Sayadaw of Burma is able to do this and he is mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as having the world's best memory.

Q4 How important are the scriptures to Buddhists?

Buddhists do not consider the Tipitaka to be a divine infallible revelation from a god, every word of which they must believe. Rather, it is a record of the teaching of a great man that offers explanations, advice, guidance and encouragement and which should read thoughtfully and respectfully. Our aim should be to understand what the Tipitaka teaches, not just believe it and thus, what the Buddha says should always be checked against our experience. You might say that the informed Buddhist's attitude to the scriptures is similar to a scientist's attitude to research papers in a scientific journal. A scientist conducts an experiment and then publishes his or her findings and conclusions in a journal. Other scientists will read the paper and treat it with respect but they will not consider it valid and authoritative until they have conducted the same experiment and got the same results.

Q5 You mentioned the Dhammapada. What is that?

The Dhammapada is one of the smallest works in the first sections of the Tipitaka. The name could be translated as 'The Way of Truth' or 'Verses of Truth'. It consists of 423 verses, some pithy, some profound, some containing appealing similes, others of considerable beauty, all spoken by the Buddha. Consequently the Dhammapada is the most popular piece of Buddha literature. It has been translated into most major languages and is recognised as one of the masterpieces of world religious literature.

Q6 Someone told me that you should never put a copy of the scriptures on the floor or under your arm, but that it should be placed in a high place. Is it true?

Until recently in Buddhist countries as in medieval Europe, books were rare and valuable objects. Therefore, the scriptures were always treated with great respect and the customs you have just mentioned are an example of this. However, while customs and traditional practices are alright, most people today would agree that the best way to respect the Buddhist scriptures would be practice the teachings they contain.

Q7 I find it difficult to read the Buddhist scriptures. They seem long, repetitious and boring.

When we open a religious scripture we expect to read words of exaltations, joy or praise that will uplift and inspire us. Consequently, someone reading the Buddhist scriptures is likely to be a bit disappointed. While some of the Buddha's discourses contain considerable charm and beauty, most resemble philosophical thesis with definitions of terms, carefully reasoned arguments, detailed advice on conduct or meditation and precisely stated truths. They are meant to appeal more to the intellect than to the emotions. When we stop comparing the Buddhist scriptures with those of other religions we will see that they have their own kind of beauty - the beauty of clarity, of depth and of wisdom.

Q8 I read that the Buddhist scriptures were originally written on the leaves of palm trees. Why was this done?

At the time the scriptures were written, paper had not been invented in India or Sri Lanka. Ordinary documents like letters, contracts, accounts and deeds were written either on animal skins, thin metal sheets or palm leaves. Buddhists didn't like to use animal skins and writing the scriptures on metal sheets would have been both expensive and cumbersome and so palm leaves were used. After the leaves were specially prepared they were bound together with string and put between two wooden covers making them convenient and durable, just like a modern book. When Buddhism came to China the scriptures were written on silk or paper. About 500 years later, the need to produce many copies of scriptures led to the invention of printing. The world's oldest book is a Chinese translation of one of the Buddha's discourses published in 828 CE.

weekly dharma quote 29

Irrigators guide the water.
Fletchers shape the arrow shaft.
Carpenters shape the wood.
The wise control themselves.

Music Composing Competition (Mandarin)

Ehipassiko!

There is a music composing competition organised by Paramita.
The due date is 31 January 2011.

Please contact me at ghtan0908@yahoo.com or sms me (017-4957719) if you are interested.

may you be well and happy always! =)

Meditation Class 1

Ehipassiko!

Let's begin the new year with meditation class for beginner. The will be a total of 8 meditation classes for this first half of the year where we will learn/refresh all the 5 types of meditation (eight-form chan moving meditation, walking meditation, sitting meditation, sleeping meditation and eating meditation). Let's learn and have fun together!

Following are the details of the first meditation class of the year.

Date: 19 January 2011 (Wednesday)

Time: 7:30pm to 9:30pm

Venue: MPH 5 (3.02.07) IMU Bukit Jalil campus

Person in charge: Gong Li Wan

Tutor: Ven Chang Wen

Flow of Event:

Opening salutation

Introduction to Eight-form Chan Moving Meditation

Practicing Eight-form Chan Moving Meditation

Brief on the benefit of Meditation

Sharing of the Chan Wisdom story

Reflection/Verbal feedback/Sharing/Q&A

Closing Salutation

May you be well and happy always!

January Activities Calendar

Happy New Year!

It's has been awhile since our last activity (movie sharing in October 2010). Organising committee of IMU Buddhist Society has come out with a series of activities for this semester.

Following is the activities calendar for January 2011. Do not hesitate to contact person-in-charge of each activity for details.



Please stay tuned for latest update.

A Get-together
Person in Charge: Chor Kaizia
Email: kaizia5584@hotmail.com

Meditation Class
Person-in-charge: Gong Li Wan
Email: hazel.kisser@rocketmail.com

Movie Sharing
Person-in-charge: Tan Pei Zin (Stella)
Email: stella_tpz@hotmail.com

Dharma Talk
Person-in-charge: Tan Pei Zin (Stella)
Email: stella_tpz@hotmail.com

Chapter 10: Monks and Nuns

Q1 The monastic institution is an important one in Buddhism. What is the purpose of monks and nuns and what are they supposed to do?
The Buddha's purpose in founding an order of monks and nuns was to provide an environment in which spiritual development would be easier. The lay community provide monks and nuns with their basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, and medicine - so they can devote their time to the study and practice of the Dhamma. The ordered and simple lifestyle of the monastery is conducive to inner peace and meditation. In return, the monks and nuns are expected to share what they know with the community and act as an example of how good Buddhist should live. In actual practice this basic mission has sometimes been extended far beyond what the Buddha originally intended and today monks and nuns sometimes act as school teachers, social workers, artists, doctors and even politicians. Some have argued that taking such roles is alright if it helps to promote Buddhism. Other point out that by doing such things monks and nuns too easily get entangled in worldly problems and forget the purpose why they went to the monastery in the first place.

Q2 Do you have to be a monk or a nun to be enlightened?
Of course not. Some of the Buddha's most accomplished disciples were lay men and women. Some were spiritually developed enough to instruct the monks. In Buddhism the level of one's understanding is the most important thing and that has nothing to do with whether one wears yellow robe or blue jeans, or whether one loves in a monastery or a home. Some might find the monsatery, with all its advantages and disadvantages to be the best environment in which to grow spiritually. Others may find the home with all its joys and sorrows, to be best. Everyone is different.



Q3 Why do Buddhist monks and nuns wear a yellow robe?
When the ancient Indians looked into the jungle they could always tell which leaves were about to drop from the tree, because they were either yellow, orange or brown. Consequently, in India, yellow became the color of renunciation. Monk's and nun's robes are yellow so they can act as a constant reminder of the importance of not clinging, of letting go, of giving up.

Q4 What is the purpose of monks and nuns shaving their heads?
Normally we are very concerned about our appearance, especially our hair. Women consider a good hairdo to be very important and men are quite concerned about going bald. Keeping our hair looking good takes up a good deal of time. In shaving their heads monks and nuns give themselves more time for the things that really matter. Also, a shaved head symbolised the idea of paying more attention to inward than outward appearance.

Q5 Becoming a monk is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a monk?
One should ask the same thing about any vocation. 'Becoming a dentist is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a dentist? There'd be no teachers, no cooks, no taxi drivers.' 'Becoming a teach is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a teacher? There'd be no dentist, etc. etc.' The Buddha did not suggest that everyone should become a monk or nun and indeed that is never going to happen. However, there will always be people who are attracted to life of simplicity and renunciation and who take delight in the Buddha's teaching above all else. And like dentist and teachers they have special skills and knowledge that can be helpful to the community in which they live.

Q6 That might be so with those who teach, wirte books or do social work. But what about the nonks and nuns who do nothing but meditate. What good are they to the community?
You might compare the meditating monk to the research scientist. Society supports the research scientist as he sits in his laboratory conducting experiments because it hopes that he will eventually discover or invent something that will be for the general good. Likewise, the Buddhist community supports the meditating monk (and his needs are vert meager) because it hopes that he will attain wisdom and insights that will be for the general good. But even before this happens or even if it doesn't, the meditating monk can still benefit others. In some modern societies it is 'The Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous' with its extravagance, its conspicuous consumption and its self-indulgence which is held up as the ideal to follow, or at least to envy. The example that the meditating monk sets reminds us that one doesn't have to be rich to be content . It shows us that a gentle and simple lifestyle has its advantages too.

Q7 I have heard that there are no more Buddhist nuns. Is this true?
The Buddha founded the order of nuns during his lifetime and for five or six hundred years, nuns played an important role in the spread and development of Buddhism. But for reasons that are not clear nuns never commanded the same esteem or received the same support, as monks and in India and Southeast Asia the order died out. However, in Taiwan, Korea and Japan the order of nuns has continued to flourish. Today in Sri Lanka, steps are being take to reintroduce the order of nuns from Taiwan although some traditionalists are not very enthisiastic about this. However, in keeping with the Buddha's original intention, it is only right that women as well as men have the opportunity to live the monastic life and benefit from it.

weekly dharma quote 28

As a single slab of rock
won't budge in the wind,
so the wise are not moved
by praise.
by blame.

Meditation Retreat

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

There will be a one-day meditation retreat organised by Nalanda this weekend.
Date: 9 January 2011 (Sunday) Time: 9am to 5pm Teacher/Tutor: Ven. Amaranatho

This is an introductory meditation retreat session for one who would like to experience a day of devotion to mental cultivation. Beginners are encouraged to participate.

Registration is now open, please email your registration to: bhavana@nalanda.org.my or
call 03-8938-1500 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 03-8938-1500 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or 016-202 5319 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 016-202 5319 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (Sis. Sandra Yang from Nalanda). Detailed programme will be sent via email once we have confirmed your seat.

If you want to render your volunteering service, you are most welcome. Please contact us (Nalanda) at the above mentioned email address or telephone no.

Thank you.

P/S: please contact Bro. Chen Yeh at 0127177411 (President of IMU Buddhist Society) for details.

weekly dharma quote 27

Those consummate in virtue,
Dwelling in heedfulness
Released by right knowing:
Evil cannot follow their tracks.

Chapter 9: Good Luck and Fate

Q1 What did the Buddha teach about magic and fortune telling?
HE considered such practices as fortune telling, wearing magic charms for protection, fixing lucky sites for buildings and fixing lucky days to be useless superstitions and he expressly forbid his disciples to practice such things. He called all these things 'low arts'. He says;

"Whereas some religious men, while living of food provided by the faithful, make their living by such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood as palmistry, divining by signs, interpreting dreams... bringing good or bad luck... picking the lucky site for a building, the monk Gotama refrains from such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood." D.I,9-12

Q2 Then why do people sometimes practice such things and believe in them?
Because of greed, fear and ignorance. As soon as people understand the Buddha's teaching they realise that a pure heart can protect them better than bits of paper, scraps of metal and a few chanted words. They will then no longer rely on such things. In the teachings of the Buddha, it is honesty, kindness, understanding, patience, forgiveness, generosity, loyalty and other good qualities that truly protect you and give you true prosperity.

Q3 But some lucky charms do work, don't they?
I know a person who makes a good living selling lucky charms. He claims that his charms can give good luck, prosperity and he guarantees that you will be able to predict winning lottery numbers. But if what he says is true then why isn't he himself a millionaire? If his lucky charms really work, then why doesn't he win the lottery week after week? The only luck he has is that there are people silly enough to buy his magic charms.

Q4 Then is there such a thing as luck?
The dictionary defines luck as 'believing that whatever happens, either good or bad, to a person in the course of events is due to chance, fate or fortune.' The Buddha denied this belief completely. Everything that happens has a specific cause and the effect. Becoming sick, for example, has specific causes. One must come into contact with germs and one's body must be weak enough for the germs to establish themselves. There is a definite relationship between the cause (germs and a weakened body) and the effect (sickness) because we know that germs attack the organisms and give rise to sickness. But no relationship can be found wearing a piece of paper with words written on it and being rich or passing examinations. Buddhism teaches that whatever happens does so because of a cause or causes and not due to luck, chance or fate. People who are interested in luck are always trying to get something - usually more money and wealth. The Buddha teaches us that it is far more important to develop our hearts and minds. He said:

'Being deeply learned and skilled,
Being well-trained and using well-spoken words;
this is the best good luck.

To support your mother and father,
the cherish your spouse and child
and to have a simple livelihood;
this is the best good luck.

Being generous, just, helping your relatives
and being blameless in one's actions;
this is the best good luck.

Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude
and hearing the good Dhamma;
this is the best good luck.' Sn.261-6