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ENLIGHTENED
TIMES
Dhamma in a Vesak Lantern
by Prem Mirihagalla
Last Vesak, I had an interesting question
asked of me by a visitor to Dhammaloka as he
observed volunteers carefully sticking
brightly coloured paper to a lantern. The
visitor asked, “What is the significance of this
lantern to Buddhism or Vesak?”
“To me it symbolises the whole of Dhamma" I
said, "and illumination of this lantern to me is
like the radiation of Dhamma”. He looked
even more puzzled and I explained what I
meant.
A beautiful view of
Dhammaloka
during Vesak 2012
• This lantern has four squares attached to
each other. They signify the four noble truths
following each other.
• The fourth noble truth is the cessation of
suffering. The light at the middle of the
lantern reminds me of the middle path to be
taken.
• The middle path that leads to Nirvana is the
noble eightfold path. There are eight
triangles formed by connecting the four
squares. They represent the noble eight fold
path.
The visitor appeared satisfied with this
answer. If you know of any other
interpretation or a suggestion please let me
know by emailing to prem@bswa.org.
Venerable Buddharakkita giving
some encouragement to the
volunteers helping on Vesak day, saying
".. take delight in the happiness you
give to many others who will enjoy
these decorations."
Performing the
circumbulation around the Buddha
altar in the park.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 2
OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE BUDDHIST SOCIETY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Recognising Vesak 2012
The community of Buddhists in Western
Australia got together to celebrate Vesak Day
during the full moon day in May 2012. This
day is very significant for Buddhists
everywhere as this day marks the birth of
Siddhartha Gautama, the day of his
Enlightenment when he became the
Buddha, or the Awakened One, and the
passing away of the Buddha after 45 years of
teaching the Four Noble Truths and Noble
Eightfold Path to the people of India, and
now passed on to us through the community
of monks and nuns.
These Truths taught more than 2,500 years
ago has helped us to improve ourselves,
morally, mentally and spiritually, making us
better members of the community. It is not
surprising then that 21 people took the 5
Precepts this Vesak day at Dhammaloka. We
welcome them to this growing community of
Dhamma practitioners and wish them well in
their practise.
New Buddhist taking the 5 Precepts on Vesak Day 2012.
In recognition of the importance of Buddhists and Buddhism to Australia, I would like to share with all of
you, several Vesak Day messages given by the leaders of this nation we proudly call home.
It is with great pleasure that I send my best wishes to you all for this year's Vesak Day celebrations.
Marking the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautama Buddha, Vesak is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the
contribution of Buddhist thought to culture and society.
We can all learn from Buddha's teachings of equality, fraternity, respect and understanding.
The Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils has played an important role in developing, promoting and representing the
Buddhist community in Australia and around the world.
As the home to a diversity of faiths and cultures, our nation can share and learn from the celebrations of our different faith
communities. Vesak Day is one such occasion, to be respected and valued.
I hope that all participating in Vesak Day celebrations have an enjoyable and uplifting time.
Hon Julia Gillard - Prime Minister of Australia
I am delighted to have the opportunity to extend my very best wishes to the Buddhist Council of Western Australia for the
celebration of Vesak Day – the most important date of the Buddhist calendar. Vesak Day is a day of great significance for Buddhists as
it is a time to celebrate and pay homage to Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.
More than 2,500 years ago, Buddha renounced the privileged life of a prince to search for knowledge that can transcend suffering and
attain enlightenment. Today, his teachings and ideals inspire millions around the world, including Western Australia's growing
community of Buddhists. According to the 2006 Census, Buddhism is Australia's fastest growing religion and is one which
contributes to making Western Australia one of the most culturally and religiously diverse States in Australia.
The Western Australian Government recognises that our religious and cultural diversity is one of our greatest assets and adds
immeasurably to the social, cultural and economic prosperity of our State.
I congratulate the Buddhist Council of Western Australia for its contribution to Western Australia and particularly for fostering a
spirit of understanding, cooperation, friendship and goodwill in our broader community.
May the celebration of Vesak Day be a reminder to us all of Buddha's teachings of peace, tolerance and compassion.
Hon Colin Barnett MLA - Premier of Western Australia
2

Your Presence Makes A Difference
Teaching Visit Of Venerable Amaranatho
The BSWA is looking forward to the return of Venerable Amaranatho
in September this year. Having had the opportunity last year to get to
know Ven. Amaranatho and the way that he works, we have been able
to develop an extensive teaching schedule.
Arriving early September through to end November, his visit will be a
great support during the time of the Rains Retreat. There will be
opportunities for members of BSWA as well as the wider community
to take advantage of this visit and learn new skills and practices.
Ven. Amaranatho will be based at the Cambodian Buddhist Society of
WA in Kelmscott but will also visit Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre
every week. He is offering a veritable smorgasbord of opportunities for
BSWA and Cambodian BSWA (Kelmscott) people, as well as the
general community, to further develop their practice. The full
programme is still being finalised but opportunities include:
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – An 8 week course to be
delivered at both Dhammaloka and Kelmscott/Armadale
• 7 Day Retreat at Jhana Grove Meditation Centre in November
• Professional and Personal Development Workshops – a series of 3
workshops: 1. Trauma for the helping profession 2. Storytelling and
Buddhist wisdom 3. Archetypes and Buddhist wisdom
• Weekend family camp at Nanga Bush Camp
• Workshops for parents and teens at Minnawarra House in Armadale
Please visit the
Dhammaloka website,
or atKelmscott
/Armadale for more
information regarding
Ven. Amaranatho's visit
and itinerary.
Biodata:
Venerable Amaranatho
moved from the Jewish
faith to Buddhism via the
computer industry, a
degree in computing and
artificial intelligence and
world travel. He has been
a Buddhist monk for eleven years and trained at Amaravati Monastery
in England. He now lives as an alms mendicant. He leads residential
family, young people and creative retreats for adults in England,
Ireland, Malaysia, Bali and Australia. He also runs Jewish Buddhist
meditation retreats and men's retreats. These events are based on coexploration,
creativity, fun and a willingness to honestly look at
oneself.
The main emphasis is on a contemplative or reflective attitude towards
understanding who we are. This is based on accepting or welcoming
the way life is and allowing our natural wisdom to arise. Amaranatho
has recently trained to be a Source Process breathwork therapist,
which uses the breath for healing any life limiting decisions we made
when we took our first breath. He has edited two books of Ajahn
Sumedho, the former Abbot of Amaravati Monastery.
I would like to give my deepest regards to all those observing the festival of Vesak, and I hope that you find joy as well as reflection on this most
important day in the Buddhist calendar.
As you celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha Gautama I know you will feel the importance of this day, as those generations
before you have felt it. This is a time for you to reflect upon the teachings of the Buddha, but also a time for you to remember those less fortunate than
yourselves.
I wish you well in your efforts to bring happiness to others on this special day.
The Buddhist community is an important part of Western Australia, and the Buddha's teachings of respect and equality are essential values for our
society.
I applaud the Buddhist community for their dedication in promoting peace and harmony in our society. The Buddhist community's support for multifaith
interaction in Western Australia has been important for the continued understanding, and acceptance, of Western Australia's diversity and
multiculturalism.
I wish great joy and happiness to all who are sharing in Vesak.
Hon Mark McGowan MLA - Leader of the Opposition
If you can find a worthy friend, A virtuous, steadfast companion,
Then having overcome all perils, You should associate with him content and mindful.
Dhp.328
3

The Piggy Bank
By Ramyani
My grandmother maintained a note book that we called her book of
merits. She meticulously penned the good deeds and acts of merit in this
book on a daily basis. Once, she gave 10 cents to a beggar and requested
he return the next day to clean the garden for a fee of a rupee. The next
day, the entry was “the lazy owl never came back, begging is easier”.
Eventually, she made up her mind not to give money to beggars.
Although she never went to work, she was very good with saving money.
From the household money, she would buy two eggs instead of three,
boil and cut each egg into three pieces. My grandfather, grandmother
and I would then be entitled to two pieces each or two thirds of an egg.
To her, missing out on 1/3 of an egg was neither here nor there.
The money saved would go into a till which was hidden under her bed.
When counted after three years, the total saved in coins of 2, 5, 10, 25
and 50 cent denominations came to a whopping Rs. 123.22. Some
copper coins had turned brown, but after a wash they gleamed on
catching the sun's rays through the window steel bars of the room.
I was hoping that she would buy me a doll or give me a present. No such
luck or courtesy was extended by my worldly Grandma.
One fine day, when I was just eight years old, my Grandma requested me
to dress in white. She too was in a white outfit. We both went to the
Temple and offered flowers to Buddha. She then donated the total
collection of her till to the Head Priest, with one condition attached,
namely the money is to be used to colour the encircling walls
surrounding the temple premises with white paint. This was many
years ago, when one hundred Rupees went a long way.
Within a fortnight, the Temple had clean white walls, befitting a serene
place. My grandmother's motive for saving all that money and
sometimes doing without, was to use the savings to spread the Buddha's
message of 'Dana' (Giving with generosity).
Her gesture left a lasting impression on me. She taught me the value of
saving as well as parting with a fair share towards charity.
I now have a piggy bank where I put any leftover coins, usually in the 10
cent denomination, after shopping in Perth. The piggy bank was
bought in Singapore during my first visit to the island. Whenever a
good thought for a small donation came up, an occasional gold coin
would go into the piggy bank. Slowly but surely, the piggy bank became
heavier by the day.
The final result was the paying of my first annual membership fee of $33
to BSWA when the piggy bank was full. There was even enough left over
money to make an additional donation to BSWA!
I would greatly encourage you, the readers, to start putting away a little
money for charity. It can be as little as 5 cents. You might think it is not
much but you will be amazed by the results you get. By doing so, you
will find that Generosity (giving) is indeed one of Life's Highest
Blessings.
sitting
though the spine is aligned
when i look to the mind
i more often find,
than not, it's inclined
to slumping, and sagging and lagging
behind.
but i pause, and because,
we must remind
ourselves that, by nature, we seem
designed
to underrate, to call it fate;
with consequent lament: 'too late! too
late!'
(recognize papanca, mate?):
too soon our 'kammic limit' find;
until: unfair, untrue, unkind -
'to flaw and fraudulence confined!'
unholy, yet unwholely blind
to wish, to will, to guess,
to step, and, yes,
to the occasional 'success'
(we may uncertainly confess); but
nonetheless,
through glasses dark we
hide behind,
'til finally, fully, serpentine'd.
"... you should have money in the bank and money in your pocket,
but you should have no money in your head. Some people believe
the opposite. Their minds are filled with money, yet their pockets
are empty and their bank account is zero."
--"Chan and Daily Life" by Master Sheng Yen:
Eastern Horizon #46 (January 2012)
4

Bodhinyana (Monks) Monastery
is the ordination of Tom Anderson in May.
Tom was the BSWA secretary for a number of
years, and Ajahn Brahm says it's about time
he put on the white clothes. Also, Neil
Proudfoot and Steve Graham have ordained
as Anagarikas.
Our long time (really long time!) lay resident,
Amandus Santamuni, has returned from Wat
Buddha Dhamma. To balance the accounts,
we have sent Venerable Santutthi to stay at
the Wat. Venerable Santutthi will be at Wat
Buddha Dhamma at least for the coming
rains retreat and possibly longer.
Venerable Shanta has arrived from Sri Lanka
on the 22nd of May. He plans to stay for 6
months to practice under Ajahn Brahm.
Venerable Abhayaratana has left the
monastery to visit family in Europe and
Canada. He plans to spend the next rains
retreat in Myanmar. Ven. Il Muk from Korea
stayed with us for three weeks in April/May. A
Melbourne based Vietnamese monk Tanh
Thien is spending one month at Bodhinyana
as a visitor. Venerable Bodhidhaja has
returned from his 6 weeks overseas trip.
Buildings and Maintenance
Three huts have been fitted with new roof
gutters to improve the rain water collection.
After getting the permit, we are now burning
the dead trees and branches that we have
gathered over the past few months, to reduce
the fuel load in the Monastery and thereby
also the fire danger. The monks and lay
people from Bodhinyana have completed the
covered walkway to the teacher's cottage at
Jhana Grove. They are also continuing to
landscape the Jhana Grove gardens and do
groundwork, as well as weeding at the Retreat
Centre.
Ajahn Brahm at the Tour d' Indonesia 2012.
(Photo by: Ehipassiko Foundation)
Ajahn's Travels
Ajahn has had a hectic teaching schedule over
the past few months, but still managed to
make it to London at the end of March for his
mother's funeral. Hazel Betts had suffered
from Alzheimer's for quite some time, and
had been in a nursing home up to the time of
her death.
From the 17th to the 28th of March Ajahn
Brahm travelled throughout Indonesia, at
one time selling out a talk faster than Lady
Gaga! He visited his Singapore disciples on
the way back to Perth. The next trip was five
days in Kuala Lumpur for talks, seminars and
a short "executive retreat". Again he stopped
off in Singapore to give two talks at the Ren Ci
Hospital Auditorium.
Jhana Grove Meditation
Retreat Centre
Between the last Enlightened Times
and now, we had a 9 day retreat
conducted by Ajahn Brahm followed by
a weekend retreat using some
recordings of the retreat. Venerable
Hasapanna conducted a successful
weekend retreat in early June at Jhana
Grove.
Building and Maintenance
Ajahn Brahm and the monks have
completed building the roof of the
walkway in front of the teacher's
cottage. They have done an incredible
and professional job.
Saturday 12th May was the UN Day of Vesak
Celebrations with the Buddhist Council of
Victoria in Melbourne. Ajahn spent the
following four days giving talks and leading
meditation workshops and returned to Perth
on the 16th of May. A few days later he was
back in Melbourne for the Australian Sangha
Association AGM at Quang Minh Temple,
Braybrook. Ajahn Brahm said the AGM was a
great success and achieved some real world
results. Finally, from the 25th to the 28th of
May, Ajahn gave a series of talks at the Kuala
Lumpur Maha Vihara.
Comings and Goings
We have had a large number of anagarika
ordinations over the past few months. Of note
Ajahn Brahm organised extension of
the concrete road down to the lower
dam. This was done for fire trucks to get
access to the lower dam.
Prem has supervised the installation of
the new water neutralising system
which will solve the problem of
corroding copper pipes. Ajahn
Brahmali and the monks have done a lot
to help in its establishment.
Mary Williams, along with some other
gardening volunteers, are doing a
wonderful job of developing the lower
gardens.
Ajahn Brahm showing the completed
walkway roof. He likes to get on top of any
work that needs to be done.
5

Dhammasara (Nuns) Monastery
(Australian Sangha Association) conference. It was generously and
beautifully hosted by the Quang Minh Temple. Visit
www.australiansangha.org for more information.
Once again the Dhammasara community was invited to visit the Sri
Lankan temple for their Vesak festival. We happily paid a short visit,
and were well looked after – yet another magnificent Vesak lantern!
Coming and Going
Bhikkhuni Syinchen from Taiwan spent a month with us in May. We
were honoured and delighted to have this senior bhikkhuni spend
time with us and learn more about the forest tradition. After their stay
with us of a few months, Ven. Munissara (previously Sister Nissara)
and Ven. Pasada left for Santi Forest Monastery, NSW.
We had several Sangha visit the monastery including Sister
Upalavanna from Burma/Sydney and Phra Warut from Bangkok.
They enjoyed a tour of the monastery.
The ordination of Venerables Nissara and Pasada at Dhammasara Monastery.
Community
The community continued to expand since the last issue of the
Enlightened Times. Anagarika Lin ordained as a samaneri on the
28th of April, a quiet ceremony among family and friends. She is now
“Sister Cetokhila”. A few weeks later, Analeya and Dulani formally
entered the community, ordaining as anagarikas. And finally,
Anagarika Nadene returned from Malaysia with her occupational
trainee visa approved. With a community of nine (2 bhikkhunis, 4
sameneris, and 3 anagarikas), Vassa 2012 is fully booked with a total of
13 people - including lay guests.
Activities
The first bhikkhuni ordination here at Dhammasara took place on
the 1st of March. Our visiting sameneris, Nissara from Nirodharam,
Thailand and Pasada from Santi Forest Monastery ordained that day.
The Kalyana Mitta group organised yet another fund-raising event, a
“movie night” and the entire community was down at Dhammaloka
supporting their effort. An array of short-eats were prepared and
served in addition to the movie screening and presentations by these
young ones. Sadhu! Your generosity continues to be an inspiration to
us. And also, thank you Peng for the Sala project collection at a housedana
for the four bhikkhunis – a wonderful way to celebrate a
birthday.
Ven. Hasapanna conducted the weekend programme at Dhammaloka
(Friday night talk, Saturday meditation class, flower puja, Sutta class)
on the 6th of April and the 25th of May. She also conducted two
funerals during that time and recently taught a weekend retreat at
Jhana Grove in the beginning of June.
We were delighted to be invited by the Cambodian temple in
Kelmscott and took part in their New Year celebration on the 14th of
April. We also happily accepted an invitation from our generous Thai
supporters to take part in their “Songkran” New Year Festival, the
next day at Dhammaloka.
In May, Ven. Hasapanna was invited by the Buddhist Fellowship in
Singapore to be part of their Vesak Programme. She gave several talks
and conducted a meditation workshop over several days. Sadhu for
the donations received for the Sala building project!
Ven. Nirodha conducted the Vesak day annual silent meditation at
Dhammaloka which was well attended and enjoyed by all. At the end
of May, she was in Melbourne for several days to attend the ASA
Building and Maintenance
We have installed a camping-type gas hot water shower in the
compost toilet at the campsite and replaced the electric hot water
system with a gas system in Kuti 8 (ex-abbot's kuti) as it is more
energy-efficient.
Ten park/meditation-benches were built and donated by Eric and his
team of Sri Lankans. Thank you Wipula and the generous metal
frame manufacturer. They will be mounted following the completion
of the stupa projects.
Sala Complex Project
We are likely to use a new more suitable building material for the Sala
complex. “Tesip” is well insulated, termite proof, fire resistant,
council-approved and can be built in a shorter time. In addition, it is
considerably cheaper. A small “test building” (that will have its uses
in the future) will be put up before making a final decision.
Geotechnical tests have confirmed the use of stumps as a preferred
foundation.
All this has meant that a new and slightly revised development plan
has to be lodged. The bell-tower has been removed for the time being.
The accommodation pods are being modified as mentioned in the
previous Enlightened Times. Once everything is finalised, the plans
will be available online and on display.
Stupa and Bodhi Tree
On Sunday the 25th of November, the sacred Bodhi Tree will be
planted on monastery soil. The most Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa
Nayaka Thero from Anuradhapura will be coming from Sri Lanka to
attend the ceremony. The site, including a new access road, (near
Stupa 2, above the future Sala complex) is being prepared.
Various marble items donated by our Malaysian Stupa team and
others will arrive shortly from Burma. Four 45” marble Buddharupas,
a 5ft Shwedagon Pagoda for the top of Stupa 1, a 7ft Buddha
rupa for the Sala hall, a 5ft Buddha rupa and two 27” Buddha rupas, as
well as another marble statue.
Later in the year, our Malaysian stupa team together with our local
team under the leadership of Chee Way and John Field will complete
this challenging project, depending on the specific donations on
hand.
For all our building projects, monastery and Sangha support, our sincere
thanks to our local and overseas donors!
6

President’s Report
By Philip Ragan
Philip Ragan
President BSWA
It's been a busy three months at the Buddhist
Society for our new committee! As the new
President, I've been making a point of trying
to attend everything I can, including events
we hold at Dhammaloka and visits to Jhana
Grove Retreat Centre as well as Bodhinyana
and Dhammasara Monasteries.
The great community spirit that I encounter
everywhere is very heart warming. There is a
warm and happy spirit in our members, and
isn't it just wonderful to come and spend time
together?
While we get focused on work or projects, the
community spirit at BSWA has reminded me
of what is important, namely our devotion to
our spiritual directors, and the people that we
share our Buddhist faith with! We are like a
large family, and while disputes or friction
sometimes happens in any family, we should
never forget the “two bricks” story of Ajahn
Brahm. In dealing with each other, show love
and remember the other 98 bricks!
I get asked, aren't you busy being President,
and don't you get stressed or overworked?
The answer to the first is yes. I do have a day
job, working as an economist and writing
forecasts of world events, and I have an online
book publishing business to run. But do I get
stressed? No, or at least, rarely. In this I have
our spiritual leader Ajahn Brahm to thank. I
approach life the way I think he would if he
were in my shoes.
The first big lesson for all of us is to learn
mindfulness, living in the present moment.
Getting stressed means you are focusing on
future things not done yet, and does stress
help you get them done any faster? No it
doesn't. Of course we have to be aware of
things that need doing, and arrange to do
them, but we only ever have the present
moment in which to do things, so wasting the
present moment worrying is of no help.
The second lesson lies in learning to be happy
and to enjoy whatever we choose to be doing
in the present moment. In this way, I manage
all of the things I am responsible for.
Admittedly there are some things I haven't
been able to address as quickly as I'd like, but
I'll get there, with your help.
The other wonderful discovery at BSWA has
been the helpfulness of my fellow committee
members and the many volunteers of
generous spirit who help with things. As with
everything, it's not what we do, it's our
attitude to them that decides our quality of
life. So yes, I'm frantically busy doing all the
work that seems to be involved in being
President, but I'm having great fun with it,
and so enjoy all of the people that I'm getting
to know in our community.
While I could regale you with stories of
b u i l d i n g w o r k s , u p g r a d e s o f t h e
Dhammaloka buildings, and so on, I'll leave
that for another forum, because I'd like to
share some of the delights of serving as
President, which often come in little things
that happen.
I've been attending the dana offerings on
Saturday and Sunday mornings often, and as
a result am getting to know our Thai
community better. They have a generous
spirit in offerings and volunteering that is a
great example for us all.
When Ajahn Brahm had to return to the UK
for his mother's funeral, the Thai community
passed a collection bowl around that Saturday
and donated generously most of the cost of his
flight. No one asked or forced them to do it,
they just wanted to and got on with it, which I
thought showed the Buddhist spirit in action.
I visited Jhana Grove to see Dania and discuss
caretaking matters, but sitting down with
Dania and Christina, we never did get as far as
mundane caretaking duties! We had an
exciting conversation about new courses,
events and so on that we could do for people.
I had only know Dania as caretaker, and
discovered that she is a highly intelligent and
witty person who was previously a Canadian
dance champion. One thing leads to another,
and Dania will be dancing at our music &
dancing fundraiser on June 23.
I attended a presentation and several dinners
with Khandola, a lovely Buddhist woman
from northern India, who had spoken on
“feminine principles in Buddhism”. She
leads a group called “the bare foot doctors”
who do volunteer cataract and other surgery
on the wandering nomads in the Himalayas,
like the well known Fred Hollows program.
Her energy was fantastic to experience.
Now, my 18 year old daughter is doing a
nursing degree at uni and needs to do some
volunteer work abroad for a few weeks as part
of that. I brought her and Khandola together
and as a result she is likely to go join the “bare
foot doctors” for a few weeks next year. I just
love it when you can make 2+2=5.
There is joy in what we do every day. If you
don't have enough joy in your life, come and
get busy volunteering with the Buddhist
society and you'll soon find more!
7

The Buddha Effect
by John Hall
I was watching the television news the other evening and during the
sports segment, a very famous ex AFL footballer, was being
interviewed in the back yard of his home in Melbourne. I
immediately noticed just over his shoulder and clearly 'in shot' was a
Buddha Statue.
This ex AFL great is a household name but not normally considered
to be an aesthete or a particularly sensitive individual. I believe that
this combination of apparently incongruous imagery demonstrates
two or three phenomena of what I call The Buddha Effect.
First of all, to the best of my knowledge, the person being interviewed
was unlikely to be a Buddhist so the Buddha Rupa is very likely to be
simply a garden ornament.
The second point is that, out of all the locations inside or outside his
house, the TV crew took the decision to conduct the interview with
the Buddha in the background, presumably to visually enhance what
they were presenting.
The last point I would make about this is that nowadays Buddha
statues and other similar Buddhist iconography, e.g. Kuan Yin
statues and the so called Laughing Buddha, better known as
Maitreya, are commonly seen at various locations in our daily life that
seem to indicate a popularity of these images far above the cultural
and religious needs of the one percent of Buddhists in Australia.
It seems to me that this very same iconography has now entered the
mainstream of Western pluralist secular democracy and seems to
have quietly pervaded our visual media with seemingly no conscious
promotion from practicing Buddhists as a whole.
I became a Buddhist 28 years ago and I can remember looking high
and low to find a Buddha Image for my devotional needs. Back then,
there were virtually no Buddha statues for sale and of the few that
were available, the price was generally well above what I could afford.
Almost all were priced in the multiple hundreds of dollars and were
almost all like large museum pieces.
But at some stage between now and then, Buddha images started to
show up all over the place. A good example of this are some of the $2
dollar outlets who at one stage a couple of years ago were selling
detailed miniature terracotta Buddha images, the range of which
included a Theravada style Buddha, a Kuan Yin, a Maitreya and a
Tara of some sort, all perfectly suited to a table top shrine or
bookshelf.
At the other end of the retail spectrum are the specialists who seem to
stock larger garden or outdoor Buddhist Iconography, some with an
integrated fountain or meant to be used in conjunction with a water
feature. Then there are the 'ubiquitous' New Age spiritual outlets and
we are all aware that these retailers specialize in Buddhist and/or
Buddhist inspired paraphernalia.
Somewhere in the middle are the large nationwide DIY retailers that
have a garden centre as part of their range and what used to be the
main decorative garden feature comprising mainly elements of Greco
Roman classicist statues, etc. These have now been replaced by
Buddhist, South East Asian themed stock.
catalogue section of the weekend newspapers. In at least one of each
of these, a Buddha will make an appearance as a mural, statue or
garden feature.
Pay close attention when you are watching the telly and as above you
are likely to see a Buddha statue in shot, generally in the background
in some fairly unrelated way. There are too many of these for this
short article to mention, however train your eye and your
mindfulness to see how many you can see on a regular if not a nightly
frequency.
So what to make of this phenomenon! My feeling is that we are
witnessing an unheralded triumph of at least one strand of the much
celebrated multiculturalist policies of the last couple of decades.
Much of the above phenomena are as a direct result of South East
Asian immigrants and refugees successfully joining our community.
Without so much as a ripple, immigrants from Cambodia, Laos,
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand and to some extent Malaysia and
Singapore have become Australian citizens and have brought their
mainly Buddhist culture with them, along with a sense of real
gratitude and a willingness to make the best of their lives here.
However, this does not wholly explain the great uptake of Buddhist
iconography in the wider community though. It does not explain why
nearly every Lotto kiosk has a 'laughing Buddha' next to the counter
or why so many non-Buddhists decorate their houses with Buddhist
murals, statues and so on.
My feeling is that images of Buddhist culture have been to some
extent unconsciously taken up by the wider community because they
conform with, or represent some sort of identification with, or
reflection of, all that is peaceful, noble, beneficial and uplifting.
These qualities are of course, what we have come to know as the very
benefits attainable by following The Buddha's noble teachings. Just
as the Buddha's Image has gone mainstream, we should ourselves
incorporate these qualities in ourselves, to become a shining example
to the people around us.
Buddhist
Society
Western
Australia
The other common place that Buddhist themed iconography seems
to be regularly seen is the visual media, not the least of which is the
print media. Take a look at a display house feature or furniture
8

The Significance of the Full Moon Day of June or Poson Poya
The full moon day of May is recognised
worldwide as Vesak Day, commemorating the
birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama (the
Buddha), the day he gained Enlightenment
(samma-sambodhi) and the day he passed
away (Maha-Parinibbana). However, not
known to many is the significance of the full
moon day in June.
The full moon day of June marks the
introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by
Arahat Mahinda Thera in the year 247BC.
Since that day, Sri Lanka has been a Buddhist
country. Sri Lankans thus owe Buddhism a
deep debt of gratitude for influencing their
moral, intellectual, cultural and spiritual
development.
In the light of these developments, Arahat
Mahinda Thera was known as the Anu
Buddha (or the second Buddha) in reverential
gratitude for his selfless service and
dedication to the people of Sri Lanka. For me,
the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka is
the greatest single important event in Sri
Lankan history.
Under the patronage of King Asoka of India,
Dhammaduta (spreading of dhamma)
missions were inaugurated and sent to
different parts of the world. Among them, the
most successful one was that sent to Sri Lanka,
led by Arahat Mahinda, the son of King
Asoka. Arahat Mahinda Thera was
accompanied by other theras, a novice monk
and an anagarika.
Even before the introduction of Buddhism to
Sri Lanka, the Poson full moon day was a
national holiday and a day of rejoicing in Sri
Lanka.
However, on one such full moon day of June,
the group headed by Arahat Mahinda arrived
at Mihintale in Sri Lanka. At this moment
King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka, with a
few of his friends were hunting and chasing
deer. Suddenly the deer he was chasing
disappeared and the King heard someone
calling by his name “Tissa”.
by Abey
The king was surprised as no one in his
kingdom would call him by his name. Then
he saw the calm and serene Arahat Mahinda
and four other yellow robed monks. The king
asked who they were and Arahat Mahinda
replied that they are followers of the Buddha
and out of compassion for him and the people
of Sri Lanka, they have come all the way from
India. Immediately the king laid down his
bow and arrow and paid respect to Arahat
Mahinda. After that, they conversed a little.
Arahat Mahinda wanted to test the king's
Kantaka Chetiya located at the site of the first meeting of the King and Arahat Mahinda.
knowledge and intelligence before
expounding the Buddha's teaching.
After this test, Arahat Mahinda was very
pleased with the king's knowledge and he
preached “Parable of the Elephant footprint”
(Chula Hatti Padopama Sutta). At the end of
the sermon, King Devanampiyatissa and
forty thousand of his followers took the Three
Refuges. After that day, Sri Lanka became a
Buddhist country.
Thus, the importance of that Poson Poya is
well remembered and celebrated by the
people of Sri Lanka to this day.
9

Saturday Meditation at Dhammaloka
by Fiona Nichols
A long week at work followed by the Friday
night Dhamma talk enriches many, but if you
are like me and work in the hospitality
industry, attending this talk can prove
difficult. This is my reason for attending the
S a t u r d a y a f t e r n o o n m e d i t a t i o n a t
Dhammaloka held between 3-4.15pm. I can
unwind after a hard night's work the night
before and get in touch with my spiritual side
come Saturday afternoon.
Whether you are a beginner at mediation or
more advanced, there is something to suit all.
There is a four week introductory course on
meditation that starts the first Saturday every
month and gives a good foundation for those
who want to learn about mediation. It gives
insight into mindfulness and concentration
on the breath.
However, if you have been meditating for a
longer period of time and would like
something more advanced, the main hall
holds a meditation talk that leads into a 45
min meditative process which is often guided
by the popular Ajahn Brahm. The instructor
who runs the guided mediation, be it Ajahn
Brahm or someone else, will ensure that the
meditators are taught simple yet very effective
mediation techniques.
I was recently introduced to a form of
meditation called Metta or Loving Kindness
Meditation which involved concentration on
the breath, and breathing in “May I be happy”
and breathing out “May all beings be happy”.
I found that this particular type of meditation
centred me and gave me a focus I cannot
usually achieve. Apart from relaxation, I was
able to focus strongly on my meditation
subject and radiate loving kindness to all.
I have long been doing mindfulness
mediation and found that Metta meditation
took me to a new state I had never before
experienced. I strongly feel that if I had not
attended the mediation classes that I would
not have known about this type of mediation
for a long time as the Friday night Meditation
and Dhamma talks often concentrates on a
more basic meditation that suits both
Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike. I did find
that the Metta meditation deepened my
understanding of Buddhism and gave me
knowledge with insight.
Metta meditation has greatly benefitted me
and I am sure this type of meditation might
also benefit you. However, if it is not suitable
for you, there are other meditation techniques
that might be more suitable. The skillful
instructors at the Saturday Meditation classes
will be able to guide you in your meditation
practise.
If you have never been to the Saturday
afternoon meditation before and are a
beginner, I recommend the introductory
course which will ground you in all sorts of
meditation techniques. Once you are more
familiar with the nature of meditation then I
would recommend the advanced class. Even
though you may consider yourself as
advanced, remember we all have a lot to learn
and never stop learning, so keep that it mind.
Come along to relax and enjoy yourself on the
Saturday meditation, I'd love to meet you.
However, for those of you who are unable to
make it for the advanced Meditation class in
person, you can still join the class virtually.
The advanced meditation class will be
streamed live on the Dhammaloka website.
Sunday Sutta Classes at
Dhammaloka
Most think that the Friday night talk
encapsulates what is happening at the
Dhammaloka, but nothing could be further
from the truth. I regularly attend the Sunday
Sutta class that is often run by Ajahn
Brahmali and find it to be a useful insight into
Buddhism.
The Suttas are collection of teachings (or
discourses) directly attributed to the Buddha
and his close disciples. There are more than
10,000 suttas grouped into 5 collections
(Nikayas): Digha Nikaya (The Long
Discourse), Majjhima Nikaya (The Middle-
Length Discourse), Samyutta Nikaya (The
Connected/Grouped Discourse), Anguttara
Nikaya (The numerical Discourse) and the
Khuddaku Nikaya (The Minor Collection).
Every second Sunday (the second and the
fourth of every month), the Sutta class runs
from 3pm-4.15 pm. The class is often given by
the informative Ajahn Bramhmali. It
provides insight into spiritual growth as the
main focus of the group is to explore on what
the Suttas have to say about the Dhamma and
spiritual life.
If you are like me, you would want to know
what the Buddha actually did and said to
people. Last year, I remember a very
informative talk being delivered about
mindfulness and its connection to
meditation. I found that by combining the
theoretical and the practical (meditation), it
had greatly enriched my experience and
conscientiousness.
This is no mere sermon, those who attend are
invited to ask questions and deepen their
understanding of Buddhist practice.
Through understanding the theory, you can
come to grasp the Four Noble Truths with
greater ease as well as the Eight Fold Path.
Buddhism has often been viewed as a
complicated religion/philosophy. However,
through the Sutta classes, it enriches my
understanding of Buddhism in a simple way
without all the confusion.
If you want to grow in your understanding of
Buddhism and apply the teaching to your life,
I highly recommend the Sunday Sutta class.
The theoretical discourse will deepen your
understanding of the philosophy and can be
practically applied to your practice. Don't be
afraid to come to the Sutta Class, all are
welcome, be you a first time Buddhist or an
advanced practitioner.
For those of you who are far away, do not feel
left out. The Sutta classes are streamed live on
the Internet. Please visit the Dhammaloka
website to listen in between 3pm-4:15pm
every second Sunday of the month. You can
also download the sutta classes from the
Dhammaloka website or through the mobile
application once it become available.
Artwork courtesy of Ron Battersby
10

Plans for a Dhammasara Special Issue Enlightened Times for Spring 2012
By Jaipal Singh
It is not every issue where you have the Editor reflect on the
direction of the Enlightened Times. The Enlightened Times is
primarily an avenue for the BSWA committee to inform and report
the activities and news regarding the society to its members. I try my
best to do this, while trying not to repeat reporting of events. After
all, major annual events like Vesak Day Celebrations are conducting
in a similar manner from one year to the next. While such an event is
significant, there is only so many ways it can be reported from year to
year.
Therefore, I provided an avenue for members of BSWA to contribute
articles about their own personal experiences within BSWA,
Buddhism in general or the progress of their Dhamma practice. I
hope that this has both motivated you as well as informed you about
how other people perceive BSWA and Buddhism.
We have had some very interesting articles regarding some people's
first impressions of the monasteries, or their first meditation
experience or even general knowledge about different Buddhist
cultures (A big thank you to Abey for providing us with information
about Sri Lankan Buddhist culture). In this issue, there is an article
about the prevalence of the Buddha Rupa in Western Society.
I think that the rest of us readers would like to know more about
different Buddhist cultures, from other parts of the world such as
Thailand or Burma. I hope we can get some articles from the Thai or
Burmese community as they are also an important part of the BSWA
family.
In the mean time, all of you budding writers out there might be
interested in a special project. The president mooted the idea of having
a special commemorative issue of the Enlightened Times for
Dhammasara Monastery. This issue will provide members of BSWA a
glimpse of the trials, tribulations, determination and hard work of the
people who made Dhammasara possible. Setting up a monastery is
hard work, more so when it is for the order of nuns (Bhikkhunis).
As Dhammasara celebrates its 14th anniversary on 27 June. Prem and
Mahinda are planning to produce a DVD to commemorate this event.
We eagerly await this DVD. I would also like to ask members to
contribute articles, especially those who were involved from the very
beginning or in the early days of Dhammasara for the special issue
Enlightened Times. Please send these articles to publicity@bswa.org
or post to Dhammaloka c/o Publicity Committee by 31 August 2012.
I am looking forward to your articles.
KATHINA PILGRIMAGE 2012
Bodhinyana to Dhammasara
6 - 10 November 2012
The Kalyana Mitta group is organising Perth's first ever pilgrimage as a way to strengthen faith and bring the
community closer together.
This 'pilgrimage' will start from Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine to Dhammasara Nuns' Monastery in
Gidgegannup. The participants will walk 100 km over 5 nights in the lovely Perth Spring season.
This year will be all the more auspicious as this pilgrimage will conclude at Dhammasara Monastery in time
for the Dhammasara End of Rains (Kathina) ceremony which will see the planting of the sapling from the
sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree.
As the numbers of participants are limited (max 17 people), please email the Kalyana Mitta group on
perthkalyanamitta@gmail.com to register your interest. Participants can join part of or all of the
pilgrimage. The KM group will also be needing volunteers for the support team.
Note: Participants with medical conditions are required to inform the organisers during registration
in order to prepare the appropriate medical aid if it is required
11

Dhammaloka
T ENLIGHTENED
IMES
W I N T E R 2 0 1 2
Armadale Meditation Group
Dhammaloka Library Opening Hours
Meditation Retreats at Jhana Grove Retreat Centre
Entry into Rains Retreat
Upcoming Activities
• Chanting, Guided Meditation and Dhamma Talk - Every Friday, 7pm-9pm.
• Beginner's Meditation Class - Every Saturday, classes starts 1st Sat of the Month, 3pm-4:15pm.
• On-going Meditation Class - Every Saturday, 3pm-4.15pm.
• Sutta Study Group - 2nd & 4th Sunday of the Month, 3pm - 4:15pm.
• Dhamma School for Children - Every Sunday, 9:15am - 10:15am.
• Living Buddhism Group – 2nd & 4th Friday of the Month, 5:30pm - 7pm.
• Sangha Dana - Every Weekend, 10am.
Meditation Class - every Tuesdays, 7pm - 8:30pm
FRIDAY: 6.00 - 7.30pm (closes, then reopens) 9.00 - 10.00pm
SATURDAY: 2.00 - 3.00pm (closes then reopens) 4.15 - 5.00pm
Nine Day Retreats • 16th - 25th November (Ajahn Brahm),
The Rains Retreat is an honoured tradition from the time of the Buddha. During this time, the
Sangha retreats from the outside world for 3 months and devote their time to formal practice.
The start of the Rains Retreat is as follows:
• Bodhinyana (Monks) Monastery - 29 July 2012
• Dhammasara (Nuns) Monastery - 22 July 2012
The activities are correct at time of printing.
Please contact BSWA (info@bswa.org) to verify the times closer to the date.
Support the Buddhist Society of WA and enjoy huge
savings on food and fun activities!
The Entertainment Book is a local restaurant and activity guide that provides valuable 25% to
50% off and 2-for-1 offers from many of the finest restaurants in Australia. It also has discounts on
activities including movies, shopping, fun parks, theatre, accommodation and so much more! To find
out more, go to http://www.entertainmentbook.com.au
Books are $65 each and all funds raised will go towards our wonderful Buddhist Society, helping
monks, nuns and lay people walk this beautiful path of happiness.The savings from the deals easily pays
for the cost of book many times over. Books will be available in May and are valid for one year.
To order, please go to the following link:
http://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/911z22.
Remember to choose the correct edition depending on where you live. Eg. Perth, Sydney, Melbourne
etc. Books can be picked up in person from Dhammaloka Centre in Nollamara, or posted out by
registered or regular post.
For any enquiries, please contact Joanne on 0431 849 483
Enlightened Times Autumn 2012
Official Newsletter of the Buddhist Society of
Western Australia (Inc.)
Special Thanks to all of our contributors
and helpers.
Articles or information to be considered for the
next issue must reach the Editor by 5th
September 2012, by mail to the postal address
below or email: publicity@bswa.org
Please provide Word documents and images in
jpg format where possible.
Printed by: The Environmental Printing
Company using vegetable based ink on 100%
recycled paper.
www.environmentalprintingco.com
Layout & design by Sandra Harms
p1sharms@westnet.com.au
© BSWA July 2012
Buddhist Society
of Western Australia (Inc.)
Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre,
18-20 Nanson Way, Nollamara WA 6061
Postal: PO Box 3135, Yokine WA 6060
Tel: +61 (08) 9345 1711
Fax: +61 (08) 9344 4220
Web: www.bswa.org
Email: admin@bswa.org
Armadale Meditation Group
Community Health, Armadale Hospital
Coordinator: Jo Donnelly - (08) 9291 0702
Mobile: 0407 018 862
Email: armadale@bswa.org
Bodhinyana Monastery
216 Kingsbury Drive, Serpentine WA 6125
Tel: +61 (08) 9525 2420
Fax: +61 (08) 9525 3420
Open daily. Dana food offering from 10:20am
Dhammasara Nuns' Monastery
No.203 Reen Road, Gidgegannup WA 6083
Tel: +61 (08) 9574 6583
Fax: +61 (08) 6210 1131
Open daily. Dana food offering from 10:20am
Jhana Grove Retreat Centre
283 Kingsbury Drive Serpentine WA 6125
Tel: +61 (08) 9525 3314
Caretakers: Michael & Dani Percy
JGRC Coordinator: Ber Sun
(email: jhanagrove@bswa.org)
Committee Members
President: Philip Ragan
Vice President: Kanchana Lafrentz
Secretary: Vincent Lee
Treasurer: Wenghong Lam
Assistant Secretary: Lucky Kodituwakku
Assistant Treasurer: Suzanne Kennedy-Keane
Building and Maintenance Coordinator:
Kieran Kerr
Volunteers Coordinator: Ron Mutton
Fundraising and Events Coordinator:
Lynne Jackson
External Publicity and Media Coordinator:
Jaipal Singh
Web Services Coordinator: Bo Schafers
Technical Operations Coordinator: Siok Gan
12