The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism

I am so fortunate to be explored to unlimited knowledge and experiences in Buddhism from multiple organizations. Today, I have attended a Dharma Talk in T-Ritana, Klang, Malaysia. The speaker was Brother Kon Chee Min who spoke about "Dimension of Buddha's Teachings". Among all the spectators that attended the talk, he gave me the printing material of "The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism" - by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. The name Thich Nhat Hanh was so familiar. When I did a research on the name, I remembered I read about him before in a comic version. He was from the Zen Organization (A Buddhist Organization from Japan) and made himself to Vietnam. Now he is locates in Plum Graden, France.  

The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism - 

by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (From the book Interbeing)

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means, they are not absolute truth.

2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times. 

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness. 

4. Do not avoid suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering, including personal contact, visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simple and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your hatred.

7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness. 

8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realise your ideal of compassion.

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.

13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering of other species on Earth.

14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realisation of the Way. (For brothers and sisters who are not monks or nuns). Sexual expression should not take place without love and commitment. In sexual relations, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.

From the  book "Interbeing" - Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism by Thich Nhat Hanh

For more info, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Nhat_Hanh 

Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk, poet, peace activist, and the author of "Being Peace", "The Miracle of Mindfulness" and many other books. He lives in a monastic community in south-western France called Plum Village, where he teaches, writes, gardens, and works to help refugees world-wide. He conducts retreats throughout the world on the art of mindful living, and has conducted special retreats for American Vietnam War veterans, psychotherapists, artists, environmental activists and children. 

Can LOVE be shared equally for all?

Love is one of the important thing that one cannot live without. Children misbehave due to lacking of love. Partners hurt due to abuse of love. Family members suffer because of losing someone they love. Love hurts but love heals too. So, how do we define love?

It all begins from Family Love when it shares among a family members since a baby is born. Then, it extends to Friends Love when it grows and starts to mix with others whom are not its family members. Later, it grows to Couple Love when it meets someone it loves and if it continues, it goes back to Family Love as a new born has arrived. And the patterns continues..

Does Love only restrict to this pattern? 

Does Love only happens among family members, friends and couples? 

Does Love have to focus only to these groups? 

Do you know what kind of Love hurt?

Do you know why does these Love hurt?  

The kind of Love hurts most is the Love with the most attachment which is usually related to Family, Couple & Friends Love. These Love hurts because of too much attachment, focus and expectation. 

You suffer when you attach too much especially when one of these Love leaves you. 

You suffer when you focus too much by putting too much time, effort and energy just by hoping these Love will be with you forever but nothing is permanence. 

You suffer when you expect too much or high on these Love which is so important to you but when things gone wrong, you couldn't accept it and feel disappointed.

The Truth is Relationship just like any other things in this world is impermanence. In a Family Love, Couple Love or Friend Love, someone might leave due to the Natural Suffering of a human being; Born, Old, Sick, Death. Separating is part of a relationship. Someone might not be perfect to cherish and shower others with perfect love. Expectation and promises might not be able to fulfilled. And many more..

So, since Love is impermanence but it is something very important to have, why don't we share it. Share it with others which are not our family, friends, couple or relatives. Share it with strangers. Share it with those who need it. Share it with animals. Share it with sentient beings. Share it with all...

Besides, that's the purpose of life, right? To help others. Helping others doesn't focus only on cash or monetary or material but most people are hungered for love and attention. And that's the most valuable and precious thing that all sentient beings ever wanted, agree? And it is for free.

If you love too much, you will focus too much.

If you focus too much, you will expect too much.

If you expect too much, you will attach too much.

If you attach too much, you will hurt too much.

So, love should be shared equally for all without expecting anything in return unconditionally. 

Remember, to love is to be loved. To be loved is to love. Everything begins from you. The more love you give, the more love you receive. Even better, if you don't expect at all. True happiness comes when you least expect it. So, go ahead and love equally for all. 

May all be well and be loved. 

Meeting His Holiness The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

It was such a blessing and chance of a lifetime to meet one of the most respected and holiest head monk of the world from Tibet in Malaysia His Holiness The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje on 24th May 2012 at Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur during the Thanksgiving Vegetarian Dinner.

Everything was just so coincidence or everything was arranged as planned. I realize about this Dharma trip to Singapore on 25th May 2012 about a week ago before the event from facebook. I didn't hope much as it is impossible for me to meet H.H the 17th Karmapa from Tibet because I am working in Malaysia. All I did was to share this good news on facebook by posting it. Of course meeting monks especially from Tibet was one of my goal since I was awakened. I was so keen to meet monks and if can have the opportunity to learn from them. I didn't even have a chance to meet any other monks in Malaysia, how can I have chance to meet one of the highest head monk of the world from Tibet, never dare to think of it. Who am I qualify to be meet them? I am just an ordinary Buddhist layperson who has just starts to learn. 

However on the 23rd May 2012, a miracle happened. I received an sms from my ex-student about a Buddhist Vegetarian Charity Dinner on 24th May 2012 at Berjaya Times Square Hotel, KL. The most importantly, Karmapa will be attending. I was quite sure it was the same Karmapa that I linked on facebook as it was quite logic as he might dropped by to Malaysia on his way to Singapore on the 25th. Feeling excited but I rejected as I was still having financial problem as I couldn't afford to pay for the tickets. Besides, the tickets were sold in pair and I didn't have anyone to accompany me to go all the way to KL. So, I sent her back a message saying that I had something to attend.

Things are weird. After tiring working that afternoon, I took an afternoon nap. In my nap, I had a dream. I dreamt of my 3rd sister, Sally was talking about the same charity dinner as being invited by her friends. In the dream, I told her that my student asked me about the dinner but I rejected. Knowing her going, I felt like going too. Then, I woke up from my dream. I knew I must attend the dinner as it was so obvious that I really wanted to attend and my intention was only one, to meet HH the 17th Karmapa. So, I sent another message to my student to accept her invitation and asked her to reserve two tickets for me. Since my sister Sally was in my dream, I invited her to be my partner.

Before the event, I did some survey and research on who is the HH the 17th Karmapa and what does Karmapa means "the one who carries out buddha-activity" or "the embodiment of all the activities of the buddhas." In the Tibetan tradition, great enlightened teachers are said to be able to consciously arrange to be reborn as a teacher who can carry on the teachings of a predecessor in a prior life. Pursuant to this tradition, the Karmapas have incarnated in this form of manifestation body (Skt. nirmanakaya), for seventeen lifetimes, as of the present, and all have played the most important role in preserving and propagating the Buddhist teachings of Tibet. Prior to the birth of the first Karmapa, the arrival of a Buddhist master who would be known as the Karmapa had been prophesied by the historic Buddha Shakyamuni and the great tantric master of India, Guru Padmasambhava. Throughout the centuries, Karmapas have been the central figure in the continuation of the vajrayana lineage in general and Kagyu lineage in particular, and have played a very important role in the preservation of the study and practice lineages of Buddhism. (http://www.kagyuoffice.org/karmapa.html)

I was finally there. It took me almost 2 hours to reach Berjaya Times Square Hotel, KL from Klang due to the terrible traffic. I went there with my student and her younger brother. On our way, we shared some beautiful experiences on Buddhism since we had never met since her graduation. My sister Sally traveled separately from Damasara.

When I reached there, my focus was not other than to meet the Holiness. I observed closely and read about all the quotes written by Karmapa. I saw some monks outside before the ceremony start while waiting for the arrival of my sister. I was so keen to meet him. The feeling was like meeting a Super Star or even meeting a very important long lost master or family members. I was such a child.

He didn't show up outside the hall. I went to be seated inside the hall with my sister when she arrived. My eyes were still focused on his existence. The moment had arrived, the ceremony begun. Without hesitation, I grabbed my handphone and a camera and walked to the waiting lane for his arrival. When he walked, I continued to take as many pictures as possible. He was seated with other respected monks and VIPs from other centres. There were numerous of monks arrived on that day. Usually I was very exited with even meeting an ordinary monk but on that day, my focus was only on the Karmapa. I was so happy to be able to meet him. An opening performance of the top lion dances starts, but it didn't distract my attention to the holiness. I kept on taking pictures on the respected Karmapa. I was the only ordinary guest taking picures as I was surrounding by a group of professional photographers. And I was the only lady. I didn't  bother how and what others think as my focus was very clear, to meet him. I guess because I was the only lady, I captured his attention too, I gave him a respected nod. The feeling was like meeting a very respected Guru or Master of mine. I was in fact very nervous and excited as my hands were shaking terribly when I hold the camera. I have never been so nervous since my awakening as I have trained myself to be calm and peace at all time since I practice meditation. It was an exceptional one that day. I know meeting him was very important to me, it's a faith. 

During the dinner, there were  a lot of exciting and interesting performances held but my concentration was also on him. I even took a video of him during his speech. I felt it was really very honoured to have met him in Malaysia as not everyone has the chance to meet him. It was really a chance of a lifetime. Never know, when is my next opportunity. I saw some Buddhist offered the Karmapa something like flowers or scarfs to receive blessings from him, so I asked my student if there is anything that I can offer to him. I told her earlier that I wanted to take picture with him and asked her to help me to arrange that session as she was one of the volunteer there. She promised to help me by asking permission from the PIC. I wanted to offer him something but I didn't know what to offer. Suddenly, I thought of my self-publishing book that I kept some in my car booth, so I checked with my student if I can offer my book to him. My student said yes. So, I rushed back to my car to get the book and wrote a short message on a piece of paper to the respected HH The 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. 

Finally I had a chance to meet him with the help of my beloved student and the organizer. I was so excited and more than thankful. I knew I need to grab every opportunity possible as it was really a chance of a lifetime. I followed the PIC to the Karmapa's seat and offered my book to him. I was so speechless and didn't know what to say. All I did was telling him that I wrote the book myself and I am a teacher. I also seek his permission to take picture with him. I was so nervous but at the same time very happy and delighted to be able to meet his holiness. That's the only 2 minutes that I shared with him but it was truly worth. May Buddha bless him with great health and longevity. I really didn't know when will be the next time we meet again, even though I was really hoping to be his student and learn from him. I guess I just have to put this goal aside and continue to do what I suppose to do in Malaysia until I have another opportunity to meet him again.

Really thanks to those who help and support me achieving my spiritual goals. May all be well and happy.  

  

ANGER is the worst tangle!

Anger is the worst tangle! 

Anger is ugly! Anger is devil! Anger is dangerous! Anger is a trap! Anger is uncontrollable!


Have you ever been in Anger before? Or have you ever seen anyone in Anger before? How does it feel especially when it involves someone you loved? Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel irritating? Do you feel secure? Do you feel scared? Do you feel angry too? 


Anger is an emotion related to one's psychological interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied and a tendency to undo that by retaliation. (Wikipedia) 


There are many reasons lead to Anger. Some of them includes being accused, scolded, blamed, teased, bullied or many more. More people couldn't control themselves when they are in Anger. They are then lead to uncontrollable actions unconsciously. These actions can be dangerous when it includes physical actions. They might lead to hurting, hitting or even killing someone.  


Many parties think that Anger is nothing or something natural. Some even think that Anger is something good to release tension. They think it is a must to be Angry. Anger might be a method used by certain people to get what they want, for example to voice up dissatisfaction. Some children use Anger to demand for their toys. Is it really okay to be Angry? 


Nowadays, commercial supports Anger as something that we look up or something rational like the famous cartoon characters Angry Birds or even The Incredible Hulk. They are certainly unaware of the bad influence on it. 


Anger if it is not controlled will lead to disaster. There are a lot of abused cases involving family members that ended up with night mare. For example, an angry husband accidentally killed his wife during a fight. He then realized his mistake but it was too late. He ended up serving himself in a jail and his children were left alone miserably. 


Is this the kind of life that you wanted? Do you want to be the one who regret? Do you want to be blamed for your action? Is it healthy to be Angry?

From the video, we can see how a child lost his patience to his elderly dad when being asked many times.  Love your parents. Be patience. Don't get angry if he asks many times repeatedly as you too asked many times as a young child when you began to learn and your parents answered you patiently. Be patience. Feel people's shoes, feel their feeling when you lost your temper and patience to them. Feel them. 


In Buddhism, Anger is one of the three poisons – the other two are greed and ignorance – that are the primary causes of the cycle of samsara and rebirth. Purifying ourselves of anger is essential to Buddhist practice. Further, in Buddhism there is no such thing as “righteous” or “justifiable” anger. All anger is a fetter to realization. Yet even highly realized masters admit they sometimes get angry. This means that for most of us, not getting angry is not a realistic option. We will get angry.
( http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/anger.htm )

One more reason that Anger should be avoided is not to be fallen into the lowest realms of The Wheel of Life which is the Hell Realm. 


The hell realm is characterised by acute aggression. We build a wall of anger between ourselves and our experience. Everything irritates us, even the most innocuous, and innocent statement drives us mad with anger. The heat of our anger is reflected back on us and sends us into a frenzy to escape from our torture, which in turn causes us to fight even harder and get even angrier. The whole thing builds on itself until we don't even know if we're fighting with someone else or ourselves. We are so busy fighting that we can't find an alternative to fighting; the possibility of alternative never even occurs to us. 
( http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/intro_bud.htm )

To overcome Anger, one needs to always mindful of his action. Beware of the rise of Anger and try to control it with inner peace and patience. A meditation will help to calm one's mind and calm down Anger.

As a conclusion, Anger provides only harmfulness and not advantages to ourselves and the people surround us. So, why not learn to ease it since it has no advantages at all. Control your Anger now slowly until you are perfected control the Anger in you. Replace it with Calmness, Peace, Patience and Compassion. All the best!

DEATH - Something that we are truly scared?

D E A T H - 

Something that we are truly scared? 

We celebrate and blessed with joy when a baby is born. We mourn and saddened when someone passes away.  The true is whenever a baby is born, it is also the beginning of a death. Human can not be escaped with the Truth Suffering which are Born ; Old ; Sick ; Death. No living beings can be escaped from this sufferings. When there's a beginning, there's always an ending. On the other hand, when there's an ending, there's also a beginning. How does this happen? 

One must know that we are born into this world with this body which we called ours. We thought the body of ours are real, are permanence, are ours. Bear in mind that the body is not real, not permanence or not ours. Confused? What is really happening? We are just shifting from one body to another body from time to time. 

Then, who are we? What are we? If we are not the body which we think is us. 

We are inside the body. We are the mind. We are the master of the body. We have been living and shifting for many years in many forms. Maybe 2000, maybe 3000, or maybe 5000 years ago in many different forms of bodies like human bodies (just like we are now), animals, insects, hungry ghosts, hell, even God or Semi-God. Only those who are awakened know when their third eyes are opened. 

Even Buddha remembered his past lives when he was still under the illusion of self. Buddha was able to recount stories of his past lives. He achieved retro-cognitive powers. Here is one of his past life stories. ( http://reluctant-messenger.com/reincarnation-buddha.htm )

"In days gone by there was a wicked king who used to extort from his subjects all he could get; and he ordered one of his officers to lay the lash on a man of eminence. The officer little thinking of the pain he inflicted upon others, obeyed; but when the victim of the king's wrath begged for mercy, he felt compassion and laid the whip lightly upon him. Now the king was reborn as Devadatta, who was abandoned by all his followers, because they were no longer willing to stand his severity and he died miserable and full of penitence. The officer is the sick bhikkhu, who having often given offence to his brethren in the vihara was left without assistance in his distress. The eminent man, however, who was unjustly beaten and begged for mercy was the Bodhisatta; he has been reborn as the Tathagata. It is now the lot of the Tathagata to help the wretched officer as he had mercy on him." 

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.” - Buddha

So what does the statement made by Buddha meant? 

We come into this world with nothing. We leave this world with nothing except for one thing our KARMA (good or bad deeds). For those who have live their lives wisely by practicing all the good and compassionate deeds, one must not be afraid to be reborn into a lower realms like Animal Realms, Hungry Ghost Realms, Hell Realms, but they will be reborn into a higher realms like God Realms, Semi-God Realms or even Human Realms with higher achievement and prosperity. One also have an equal chance to practice until reaching enlightenment and be free from all the six realms as each of of them has different level of suffering. 

To know more about the Six Realms : 

http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/Six-Realms-of-Existence.htm

For more details of Rebirth and Reincarnation, 

http://www.knowbuddhism.info/2009/03/remembering-past-lives-and-karma.html

So, why afraid, find back the purpose of lives which is to help and benefit others and continue to do more good deeds. Live wisely!

There was a Buddha who asked his student "How much time left?"
His student answered "few days".
The Buddha asked the student to think again.
The student answered "a few hours".
"Think deeply", encouraged the Buddha.
The student finally answered "a breath"

There's no much time left. Life is unpredictable. Do it now before it's too late as it's only a breath time left. 

May you all be blessed with higher attainment to benefit all beings until reaching Nirvana. 

SADHU!   SADHU! SADHU! 

The Buddha's Quotes

The Buddha's Quotes

 “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” - Buddha 

 “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”- Buddha

 “To understand everything is to forgive everything” - Buddha

   “You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself” - Buddha

·        “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” - Buddha

“The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.” - Buddha

  “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” - Buddha

The understanding of the Law of Karma (Cause and Effect) constitute an important aspect of wisdom. It enables us to develop patience, tolenrance and understanding when confronted with obstacles and challenges in our daily lives. It instills in us a sense of responsibility, self reliance and confidence, providing us with a proper sense of purpose and direction in life. – Buddha

“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others” - Buddha

“Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” - Buddha

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” - Buddha

“However many holy words you read,However many you speak,What good will they do you If you do not act on upon them?” - Buddha

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” - Buddha

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.” - Buddha

“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.” - Buddha

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” - Buddha

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Buddha

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” - Buddha

" If a man speaks or acts with pure thought, joy will follow him, like the shadow that never leaves him." - Buddha

"Life is an illusion. A dream, a bubble, a shadow. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is worthy of anger. Nothing is worthy of dispute. Nothing." – Buddha

"The gift of Truth overcomes all gifts. The joy of Truth overcomes all pleasure. The taste of Truth overcomes all sweetness." - Buddha

"Even if everyone else is not doing good, I alone will. Even if everyone else is doing wrong, I alone will not." - Buddha

"In the light of his vision, he has found his freedom. His thoughts are Peace. His words are Peace. His work are Peace." - Buddha

“We already have perfect compassion, perfect wisdom, perfect joy. We only need to settle our minds so that they arise from deep within us.” – Buddha

"Focus not on the rudeness of others, not on what they've done or left undone, but on what you have and have not done yourself." - Buddha

“Our problems are not solved by physical force, by hatred, by war. Our problems are solved by loving kindness, by gentleness, by joy.” - Buddha

I am an official Dharma Teacher

I am an official Dharma Teacher today. It was coincidence and unexpectedly. Now I know the true meaning of unexpected happiness when you least expect it. It happened out of sudden when I enrolled my kids to a Dharma School in one of the Buddhist Organization in Malaysia. Yes, all the while since my awakening, I was intended to be a Dharma Teacher. But somehow in my heart, I thought to myself as I am not qualified to be one. Who am I? I am just a beginner who has just realized and awakened about this spiritual path about 6 months ago. I did a lot of research and reading on my own about Buddhism since awakening. My love and passion towards this wonderful , meaningful and noble journey has deepen day to day. I am actually glad that I know so little as I will have more opportunity to learn as much as possible. Honest speaking, this is the first time I wish for myself, I have never prayed for anything for myself except for my family members and others. But somehow, this is my exceptional. I wish to be permanently with this Buddhist spiritual path until I reach Nirvana to help more sentient beings reaching enlightenment in their lives. I am happy that my prayer has been heard. Thank you, Lord Buddha.  May I be blessed with higher attainment to help end suffering among all beings reaching enlightenment. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!  

Buddhism Activities in Malaysia

Welcome to KCBA English Section Activities Update:

20.5.12 Sunday

8.45 a.m.   -  Buddha Puja & Chanting (in Mandarin & English) @ Main Shrine Hall, GF

10.00 a.m. – Dhamma talk Bro. Tan Huat Chye  entitled:  "Parents' Love: Buddhist Perspective" at Meditation Room, 2^nd Floor.

Guided Pali Chanting (Thai Style) lesson on every Monday night by Bro. Wan Wah Boon,

Time    :  8.30 p.m.

Venue  : Main Shrine Hall, Ground Floor

For further detail, please contact Bro. Wan @ 0123779815.

22.5.12 Tuesday

Come and join us for a devotional night in Pali chanting, Dhamma sharing and hymn singing. 

Time    :  8.30 p.m.

Venue  :  Main shrine hall, Ground Floor

For further detail, please feel free to contact Bro. Michael @ 012 6951817 or Bro. Lee Ee Chai @ 016 6626030.

May  you be well, happy and peaceful always.

 With Metta

KCBAenglish Section Moderator

E-mail : KCBAenglish@yahoogroups.com

The Klang & Coast Buddhist Association

Lot  465, KM 2, Persiaran Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, 41200 Klang, Selangor,
Malaysia. Tel / Fax : 603-33721902

Let's learn more about Buddhism

The Story of Buddha

Siddhartha - whose name means "the one whose objective is attained" - was born into a noble family around the year 560 AC. in the city of Kapilavastu in Nepal. 
     Queen Maya had a vision: six elephants, each one with a lotus flower on his back, were coming in her direction. The next instant, Siddhartha was conceived.
     During her pregnancy, Queen Maya, his mother, decided to call the wise men in the kingdom to interpret the vision she had had, and they were unanimous in affirming that the child about to be brought into the world would be a great king or a great priest. 
     Siddhartha's childhood and adolescence were very like ours; his parents wanted by all means to protect their son from knowing about the misery of the world. So he led his life confined between the walls of the gigantic palace where his parents lived and where everything seemed perfect and harmonious. He married, had a son and knew only the pleasures and delights of life. 
     One night, however, when he turned 29, he asked one of the guards to take him into town. The guard objected, for the king could become furious, but Siddhartha was so insistent that the man eventually gave in, and they left the palace together. 
     The first thing they saw was an old beggar with a sad expression on his face, asking for alms. Further ahead they came across a group of lepers, and right after them a funeral procession passed by. "I have never seen this before!" he must have said to the guard, who may have answered: "Well, that's old age, and that's disease, and death." On their way back to the palace, they came upon a holy man, his hair shorn and wearing only a yellow cloak, who said: "my life was a torment, so I have given everything up so that I don't have to incarnate as myself and suffer old age and sickness and death all over again." 
     The following night, Siddhartha waited until his wife and son had fallen asleep. He entered the room quietly, kissed them both and again asked the guard to escort him out of the palace; there he handed him his sword with the jewel-set hilt, his clothes made with the finest tissues that the human hand could weave, asking him to return them all to his father; then he shaved his head, covered his body with a yellow mantle and set out in search of an answer to the suffering of the world. 
     For many years he wandered all over the north of India, meeting monks and holy men who traveled around there, learning the oral traditions that spoke of reincarnation, illusion and paying for the sins of past lives (karma). When he felt that he had learned enough, he built himself a shelter on the banks of the River Nairanjana, where he lived doing penance and meditating. 
     His life style and will power ended up drawing the attention of other men who in their search for the truth came to him for spiritual advice. But after six long years, all that Siddhartha could notice was that his body was weaker and weaker and the constant infections did not let him meditate as he should. 
     The legend says that one morning, when he went into the river to make his toilet, he no longer had the strength to rise. When he was about to drown, a tree bent down its branches and let him clutch to them not to be swept away by the current. Exhausted, he managed to reach the river bank before fainting. 
     Hours later, a peasant passed by, a milk-vendor who offered him a little food. Siddhartha accepted, to the disgust of the other men who lived there with him. Believing that saint no longer to possess the strength to resist temptation, they decided to leave him immediately. But he gladly drank the milk offered him, feeling that it was a sign from God and a heaven-sent blessing. 
     Encouraged by the meal he had just eaten, he lent no importance to being abandoned by his old disciples; he sat himself down next to a fig-tree and decided to go on meditating about life and suffering. To test him, the god Mara sent three of his daughters to try to distract him with thoughts of sex, thirst, and the pleasures of life. But Siddhartha was so absorbed in his meditation that he did not notice any of this; at that very moment he was experiencing a sort of revelation, remembering all his past lives. As he did so, he also recalled the lessons he had forgotten (all men learn the necessary, but rarely are we are able to put to use what we have learned). 
     In his state of ecstasy, he experienced Paradise (Nirvana), where "there is no earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, it is neither this world nor another world, and there is no sun, no moon, no birth and no death. There lies the end of all of man's suffering." 
     When that morning came to an end, he had reached the true meaning of life and become Buddha (the Enlightened One). But instead of remaining in this state for the rest of his days, he decided to go back to living among others and to teach everyone all that he had learned and experienced. 
     He who once was called Siddhartha, now transformed into Buddha, left behind him the tree under whose branches he had managed to reach enlightenment, and set out for the city of Sarnath, where he met his old companions and drew a circle on the ground to represent the wheel of existence that leads constantly to birth and death. He explained that he had not been happy as a prince who owned everything, nor had he learned wisdom through total renunciation. What human beings should seek in order to reach Paradise was the so-called "middle way": neither seeking pain, nor being a slave to pleasure.
     Impressed at what they heard from Buddha, the men decided to follow him on his pilgrimages from town to town. As they heard the good news, more and more disciples joined the group, and Buddha began to organize communities of devotees, following the principle that they could help one another mutually in the duties of body and spirit. 
     On one of his journeys, Buddha returned to his home town, where his father grieved deeply on seeing him begging for alms. But he kissed his father's feet and said: "you, Sire, belong to a lineage of kings, but I belong to a lineage of Buddhas, and millions of them also lived begging for alms." The king remembered the prophecy that had been made when his son was conceived, and made his peace with Buddha. His son and his wife, who for so many years had complained of having been abandoned, eventually understood his mission and founded a community which began to spread his teachings.
     When he was approaching the age of eighty, he ate something spoiled and realized he was going to die of food poisoning. Helped by his disciples, he managed to travel as far as Kusinhagara, where he lay down for the last time beside a tree.
     Buddha called his cousin Ananda and said:
     - "I am old and my pilgrimage in this life is nearing its end. My body looks like an old cart that has been used a great deal and is still working only because some of its parts are precariously tied up with straps of leather. But that's enough, now it's time to go."
     Then he turned to his disciples and asked if anyone had any doubts. Nobody said a word. He asked the same question three times, but they all remained in silence. 
     Buddha died smiling. His teachings, today codified in the form of a philosophical religion, are spread across most of Asia. In essence, they consist of understanding oneself profoundly and having a deep respect for one's neighbor. 

http://warriorofthelight.com/engl/edi72_brev.shtml

Buddhism in Perspective (Summary)

1.  Eight Sufferings

     Birth, decay, sickness, death, seperation, meeting the unfriendly, failure and aggregates

2.  Five Characteristics of Life

     Sickness, old age, seperation, death and kamma

3.  Five Hindrances in the Mind

     Craving, ill-will, laziness, restlessness and doubt (indecision)

4.  Three Evil Roots

     Greed, anger and delusion

5.  Eight Worldly Conditions

     Gain & loss, fame & blame, honour & dishonour, happiness & sorrow

6.  Ten Fetters

     Illusion of self, skeptical doubt, belief in rites and rituals, craving for worldly pleasure,  

     anger, hatred and ill-will, craving for fine material world, craving for non-physical body, 

     pride, restlessness and ignorance.

7.  Four Elements

     Earth, fire, water and wind

8.  Five Aggregates

     Form, sensation, perception, conception and consciousness

9.  The Middle Path and The Three Advices

     Not to go to extremes. Not to do bad actions, to do good and purify the mind.

10. Dependent Origination

      Cause and Effect

11. Four Noble Truths

      Suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and the path leading to the 

      cessation of suffering

12. Three Universal Characteristics

      Change, suffering and soul-lessness

13.  Twelve Links in Dependent upon Origination

       Ignorance, conditioned activities, relinking consciousness, mind and matter, six 

       spheres of senses, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, volitional activities, birth and 

       death

14.  Thirty Seven Constituents of Enlightenment:

       -   Noble Eight-fold Path - right understanding, right thought, right speech, right 

           action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration

       -   Four foundations of mindfulness - concentration on the body, concentration on 

           feelings, concentration on the mind and concentration on mind objects.

       -   Four mind efforts - Efforts to abandon, effort to prevent bad thoughts, effort to 

           develop and effort to maintain good thoughts

       -   Four bases of success - Zeal, effort, wisdom and mindfulness

       -   Five faculties - Faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and understanding

       -   Five powers - Faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and understanding

       -   Seven enlightening factors - Mindfulness, truth investigation, effort, joy, 

           tranquillity, concentration and equanimity

15.   Noble Eight-fold Path already mentioned

16.   Ten Meritorious Deeds

        Generosity, discipline, meditation, reverence to teachers, sympathetic, joy, learning 

        the Dhamma, spreading the Dhamma and straightening one's view

17.   Ten Perfections

        Generosity, discipline, renunciation, wisdom, effort, patience, determination, 

        truthfulness, universal love and equanimity