MANGALA VIHARA Newsletter

MANGALA VIHARA
Newsletter
30 Jalan Eunos Singapore 419495. Tel: 67444285 Fax: 67441912 Website: http://www.mangalavihara.org.sg Mita(P)301/05/2007
Editorial -June 2007
The spirit of an organisation is very much reflective
of its people. The story of Mangala Vihara is a case
in point. The Temple had the good fortune of both
a visionary founding Buddhist monk supported by a
team of hardworking and dedicated lay pioneers. From
its humble beginning dating as far back as the 1930s
our late founder, Ven M M Mahaweera Nayaka Thera’s
effort led to the official establishment in 1960 at its
present premises.
Determined to make Buddhist education the
mainstay of the Temple, the Sunday Dhamma classes
produced hundreds of qualified Buddhist teachers
and knowledgeable Buddhists over the decades,
spreading Theravada Buddhism in Singapore and the
region. Today, Mangala Vihara is synonymous with
good Dhamma education and continues to draw steady
flows of Dhamma aspirants year after year.
Effective learning of the Dhamma means putting
it into practice and the Temple offers bounteous
opportunities. Successful implementation of all the
activities in the Temple are attributed to many factors:
the joint effort of selfless helpers and members
contributing not only time, money and service, but
also relentless support and loyalty. Such Dhammaduta
spirit to serve others underpins true Buddhist values
embodied in the Paramis.
Service comes from the heart and brings happiness
and joy only when there is complete willingness to
give and share it with others, expecting nothing in
return. Be it washing up the crockery and cutlery after
Sunday classes, helping to cook for the festive crowd,
or manning the event stalls on Vesak Day, the unifying
drive is one of generosity and loving kindness. These
meritorious acts will cultivate beautiful minds, which in
turn, open up the path to wisdom and enhance fruitful
understanding of the Buddha-Dhamma.
Let us continue the good work to make the Temple
a teeming centre for Dhamma learning and service to
others. Your contribution as a Dhamma teacher, helper,
supporter or member will benefit future generations.
More importantly, nurturing the youths among us with
responsible roles, and the formation of the Mangala
Vihara Youth Club is timely. Together, we will continue
earnestly the spread of the Dhamma, which is good in
the beginning, the middle, and the end.
The Editorial Team
Han Ah Yew
Leong Kum Seng
Lee Mee Yin
Vesak Day Celebration
Every Vesak Day is celebrated with great reverence by Buddhists
of the various traditions - Theravâda, Mahâyâna, or Vajrayâna
- all over the world as millions of devotees thronged temples.
On the thrice-blessed day, devotees are ever mindful to be
especially generous in their practice of Dâna. They also
observe the eight precepts and some will spend the day at
the temple. While many will be too pre-occupied to think
about the Dhamma on other days, the Buddha’s words are
foremost on everyone’s mind during Vesak, reflecting on their
own existence and meditating. Devotees light candles and
offer flowers to honour the Buddha.
Why are these acts so important on Vesak Day? This is because
Vesak is seen as an appropriate occasion to pay respects to the
Buddha and to show gratitude to Him for the service rendered
towards mankind for the past several hundred years.
The Buddha’s enormous contribution in the 45 years of His
ministry after his Enlightenment was invaluable, not only as a
Teacher, but also as a great psychologist.
That is why devotees streamed to the Temple. Many of us
pay our respect to the Buddha to show our gratitude for his
bounteous contributions to mankind.
Archeological evidence and history had proven that Gotama
Buddha had existed beyond doubt. So too, His virtues. Though
the Buddha passed away 2551 years ago, the world still
commemorates His birth, enlightenment and passing away.
The immense offerings commensurate with His greatness.
Devotees are generous in making donations to temples. The
bountiful gifts are attributed to the power of his dâna pâramitâ
(perfection of generosity) and His virtues. As we reflect on his
greatness on Vesak Full-moon Day, could we have listened to
the Dhamma, and realise Nibbâna then.
We should now strive to accumulate more merits and tread the
Buddha’s path to realise the supreme bliss of Nibbâna. It is the
highest offering as gratitude to the Buddha. If we lessen our
misdeeds and walk the Buddha’s path, it is more worthwhile
than offering material things to the Buddha. Let us together
abide by the Buddha’s teachings.
Ven. Dr I Indasara
Resident Monk
Vol. 4 No. 2

Vesak Day At Mangala Vihara,
the hub of activities – 31 May 2007
Devotees offering flowers
Transferring of merits
Ven. Citara blessing a devotee
Examining the relic
Sim sisters preparing to serve lunch
Enjoying a sumptious vegetarian lunch
Service at the Bodhi Tree
Leading the Procession
Page 2

Embracing Buddhism : My Experience Through Two Religions
About 50 people attended Mr Philip Chan’s sharing session
on his journey through two religions: Catholicism and Taoism
before he embraced Theravada Buddhism in January 2006.
At 64, a retiree and a grandfather of two grandchildren, he
now studies Buddhism with YMBA and attends the Diploma
in Buddhism at the Pali College.
The following is a gist of Mr Chan’s talk written by him.
A Catholic for 30 Years
I was born a Catholic and at 10, attended
weekly lessons to understand the Catholic
faith and to prepare myself for my first Holy
Communion and Confirmation. I had always
been very thoughtful about the meaning of
life, despite many unanswered questions.
I lived a dutiful life, converted my wife to Catholicism, brought
up my children accordingly and participated actively in
activities of the church. When my stepfather died, I obtained
permission from my church to perform the Taoist rites for him
at the funeral, a necessary obligation for me. That was to be
my first encounter with Taoism.
A Taoist for the next 30 Years
A visit to a temple at Chua Chu Kang with my friends to
watch a Taoist ritual and demonstration of spiritual protection
from physical injury and harm ignited my interest in Taoism. I
participated in the prayers and was involved in the rites and
rituals as an active Taoist.
I became a disciple of Kim Eng (the Metteyya Buddha) even
though I did not have much knowledge and understanding
of the faith. Soon I accepted Taoism. Prior to this I had
headaches for a whole day every Sunday lasting five years.
Doctors advised me to live with it as they had done all they
could medically. After accepting Taoism, my Spiritual Master
cured me of my Sunday headache. Since then my interest in
the faith grew.
My Entry into Buddhism in January 2006
My introduction and encounter with Buddhism came as
suddenly as Taoism. I also had no knowledge of Buddism,
and I was overwhelmed by it. I attributed this to my kamma
that when the conditions were right, I understood the Buddha
Dhamma. My initiation into Buddhism was brought about by
two talks by the popular British monk from Perth, Australia
Ajahn Brahm. During the talks, I listened and understood
vividly that “craving” was the root of my problems which
brought about lingering unhappiness. This knowledge had
a profound effect on me and I realised that Buddhism had a
lot to offer.
Some thoughts of Buddhism
Currently, Buddhism to me means that:
• The Heavens in all religions are true, and doing good will
enable one to gain entry.
• To dispel Ignorance, one should ask questions as the Buddha
entreated in the Kalama Sutta. This will bring understanding
and we will then do things with wisdom instead of by blind
faith.
• I feel relaxed when I attend the weekly Puja or other Buddhist
services. This is partly because I attend these more as a
personal choice and not because it is a requirement or
it is mandatory. I find that attending puja is a good spiritual
practice to aid my concentration and meditative mind leading
to calmness. A calm mind allows me to see things as
they truly are to bring about eventual enlightenment.
In addition, I find that puja helps me to foster closer bondage
with other Buddhists.
• All Buddhists can achieve better happiness in their life now
and in the next by understanding and abiding by the
teachings of the Buddha – understanding the Four Noble
Truths, practising the Noble Eight-fold Path, keeping the
Precepts and making daily effort to meditate.
• As mentioned in the Ratana Sutta, the devas show their
love to those humans who day and night bring offerings
to them and guard them diligently. As humans, we will
experience unhappy moments once in a while. During these
low points in our lives, mindful concentration and puja can
help boost our confidence and purify our minds, so sanctified
we will be that even devas will want to help reinforce
it further. Gods or devas can only help those who help
themselves.
May all beings be well and happy.
Sabbe Satta Sukhita Hontu.
Philip Chan.
Quotation:
Life is short and no-one knows what the next moment will
bring. Open your mind while you have the opportunity, thereby
gaining the treasures of wisdom, which in turn you can share
abundantly with others, bringing them happiness.
– Dogen, Zen Master
On Anger: Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets
burned.
http://quotations.about.com/od/spiritualquotes/a/buddhistquotes.htm
Page 3

Mangala Vihara Youth Club
(MVYC)
Parents who wish to enrol their children into the Youth Club
or youths who would like to know more about membership
please contact the following mentors:-
Rita Lee : rlly0954@yahoo.com.sg or mobile: 97302458
Vivien Sng : viviensng@yahoo.com
Anjali Chui : espchui@yahoo.com.sg or mobile: 94308158
Kelvin Ng : Tel: 97921768
Our youths speak ...
Mee Yin (Editorial Team):
Which MV Youth Club activity had made an impact on you?
How did it impact you?
I
n July 2007, the MV Youth Club celebrated its
second year of formation, currently with 35
members.
A short history on MVYC founders and its formation
The MV Youth Club was started in 2005, when 7 founding
youths and their mentors attended a Leadership Training
Course at Mangala Vihara conducted by Shan You Counselling
Centre. The participants learned about leadership qualities
which reinforced Buddhist qualities of patience, wisdom and
fellowship.
Objectives
The objectives of the MV Youth Club are:
• To introduce Buddhism in a fun-loving way
• To provide exciting, challenging and experimental
activities to instil teamwork, sportsmanship and
leadership
• To foster friendship through interaction and bonding
Activities
In the past 2 years, the MV Youth Club organised several
activities to improve camaraderie and engage its members in
community projects such as a successful fund-raising effort,
the Youth Camp and Inter-class friendly games.
Future emphasis will include:
• Active participation in Mangala Vihara activities as emcees
and ushers,
• Enhancement of camaraderie and cohesion among
youths in Mangala Vihara,
• Holding mentor-facilitated weekly Sunday Dhamma
Sharing Sessions to reflect on daily activities to relate to
Buddhist teachings.
• Organising activities, field trips and visits to homes and
community programmes to include fund raising projects
Becoming a member of MVYC
The Youth Club welcomes all persons between 12 and 18
years old.
Wen Da:
Each activity enabled me to understand my
fellow youth members, my mentors and even
my dealings with the public.
However, one meaniningful assignment was
the privilege to emcee a talk by Venerable
Aggacitta this year. As I stood in front of a large audience,
I felt a great sense of belonging – that I actually grew up in
Mangala Vihara and benefitted from the Dhamma lessons.
I had grown to be a Buddhist youth to contribute to the
community. I would certainly want to continue to be a role
model and chart my life according to the Buddha’s teachings.
Lyn:
I benefitted a lot from the Leadership Course.
The games I played needed me to a trust my
friends and cooperate with them. For example,
in one team game, I was blindfolded and had to
take verbal instructions to guide me in building
a pyramid using paper cups. This game taught
me to trust my friend to lead me along the correct path to
achieve our goal. There was no other way that I could complete
the pyramid myself!
Dev:
The year-end camp at Mangala Vihara taught me
many useful life lessons. I had the opportunity
to be a group leader. I learned about the many
interesting facts and misconceptions about
Buddhism. I learned how to be a better person.
Also if one wants to lead, he too must learn
to be led first. A quote from the Buddha made an indelible
impression on me: “I have shown you the Way, it is up to you
to follow”. The Enlightened One humbly told us that it was up
to us to take the Path, without force or coercion, giving us the
choice to decide. His humility is admirable.
Another activity was manning the fund-raising stall for the
Buddhist Free Clinic. We sold drinks which, to our surprise,
attracted a relatively large number of patrons. We realised it
was not what and how we did it, but more about our ability
to contribute in any small way. We learned the power of
volunteerism!
Page 4

A Well-earned Break in Malacca
– 30 June 2007
I
t was a bright and cheery Saturday morning on
30 June 2007 when a group of 43 devotees and
their families waited eagerly at Mangala Vihara
for the coach to take them to Malacca for the
well-deserved ‘post-examination’ break.
Our first stop was an organic
farm where we learned how
vegetables and fruits were
grown the natural way without
the use of chemical fertilisers or
pesticides. Organic fertilisers
were used and plants were
grown in mesh-enclosed areas
to keep out pests via the use
of sticky plates hung up to
trap the occasional intruders.
The section of the farm which
captivated our interest most was the ‘dragon’ fruit enclosures.
Though many had eaten the fruit, few had seen the actual
plant and were surprised to find out that it resembled a giant
cactus. The flowers were delicate and reminded us of the
‘kheng huay’. We were fortunate that a few flowers, which
normally withered after 9.00am, were still in bloom.
The next stop was a sweet
break at the Bee Museum.
We were introduced to the
different species of bees and
everyone eagerly lapped up
samples of honey drink.
After a sumptuous lunch
we visited the Seck Kia Eenh
Temple to pay homage to the
Buddha and to admire and
reflect on the Bodhi tree which, we were told, was planted by
our late Bhante Mahaweera.
The rest of the day
was spent at the new
shopping mall where
many of us picked up
some good bargains.
Time literary flew by
and soon it was time
for dinner before
heading for home.
The journey back was
equally exciting as we
had a karaoke session
on the bus when many
singing talents were uncovered. Before long we were back
at Mangala Vihara. It was a tiring but fun-filled day where
we over-filled up stomachs, overloaded our arms with bags of
goodies, but lightened our wallets.
Mangala Vihara Diary
CHENG BENG CELEBRATION – 1 APRIL 2007
Many members and devotees were in the Shrine Hall to
participate in the mass transferring of merits to their departed
ones. Bhante Indasara led the recitation of the Tirokuddha
Sutta. The names of the donors and their late relatives and
friends were projected on the screen while the Hon. Secretary
and her assistants read them.
37th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 15 APRIL 2007
The 37th AGM commenced half an hour later than scheduled
at 1.30 pm because of the lack of quorum. The Resident
Monk, Ven Dr I Indasara administered the 5 precepts, followed
by his advisory address. Chairman also addressed the members
present, thanking them for attending the AGM, taking an
active interest in the temple’s affairs as well as participating in
activities organised by the Management Committee. After the
normal queries of the accounts, the election of office bearers
concluded the meeting.
EVE OF VESAK DAY – 30 MAY 2007
Extra hands helped to prepare the ingredients for cooking and
decorate the buildings and surroundings to celebrate Vesak,
a thrice-blessed day. Following the evening puja, the Maha
Samaya Sutta was recited to bless the holy water bottles for
distribution on Vesak Day. By 10.00 pm, everything was in
place.
VESAK DAY – 31 MAY 2007
Devotees came as early as 5.00 am to make offerings. The
morning puja was held at 6.00 am after which breakfast was
served to the 2 resident monks. By 8.00am the temple was a
hive of activities – the exhibition of the relics of Buddha and
Arhat Sivali, offerings of light at the Buddha image in the
Shrine Hall and Bodhi Tree, displays of art and crafts produced
by children of the Sunday Dhamma classes, distribution and
sales of Dhamma books and the preparation of vegetarian
food by the kitchen team.
The Sunday Dhamma School screened a film commentary on
Life of Buddha in English at the Chew Quee Neo Hall from
9.30 am till 3.00 pm. The Dhamma Supervisor, Mrs Jessy Phua
facilitated during the film sessions, assisted by Mr Leong Kum
Seng.
At 11.00 am, the Shrine Hall was packed with devotees
attending the Buddha Puja, followed by the collection of Holy
Water. Lunch was served four rounds to 55 tables from 11.30
am to 1.30 pm.
During the evening service, the traditional candlelight
procession was led by 2 specially-constructed palanquins
housing the Buddha’s and Arhat Sivali’s relics. Participants went
round the Temple three times, many in meditative reflection.
The Vesak celebration ended with a sermon on ‘The Significance
of Vesak’ by the Resident Monk, Ven. Dr. I Indasara.
Ellen Song
Page 5

5TH MEMORIAL SERVICE - LATE FOUNDER VEN. M. M.
MAHAWEERA MAHA NAYAKA THERA – 9 JUNE 2007
A Sanghika dana was offered to 28 monks and the transferring
of merits was performed in memory of our late founder. A
vegetarian lunch was also served to members and devotees.
In the evening, the Maha Sangha was invited to initiate
the whole-night recitation of Parittas in memory of our late
founder. Before the recitation, Chairman, Mr. Lim Ah Swan
and Hon Treasurer, Mr. Steven Lee Thien Poh offered lotus
candles while the Hon Asst Secretary, Mdm Clara Lee offered
a bouquet of flowers at late Bhante’s statue. Members and
devotees paid their respects to him. Thereafter, the Chairman
lighted the candles and placed a bouquet of flowers at the late
Bhante’s statue. At 8.15 pm, Ven Chaokun recited the parittas
to initiate the whole night chanting. Then, selected groups of
lay-persons took turns to chant the various discourses until
6.30 the next morning. The event concluded with the morning
puja and a transferring of merits to our late master.
DHAMMA TALK BY VEN DR P GNANARAMA – 28 APRIL
2007
Ven Dr P Gnanarama, Principal of Buddhist & Pali College
gave a talk on 28th April 2007 from 2.30 pm till 4.30pm to
40 members and devotees in the Shrine Hall on the topic of
“Relevance of Buddhism in Daily Life”.
DHAMMA TALK BY VEN DHAMMIKA – 26 MAY 2007
Ven S Dhammika of Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society gave
a talk on “Buddhist Studies in Singapore – The Next Step” to
40 members and devotees in the Shrine Hall from 2.30 pm till
5.00pm.
DHAMMA SHARING BY MR PHILIP CHAN - PERSONAL
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES THROUGH 2 RELIGIONS
BEFORE EMBRACING BUDDHISM – 3 JUNE 2007
Fifty members and devotees attended the sharing session by
Mr Philip Chan at the Chew Quee Neo Hall from 12.30 till
1.30 pm. He shared his personal knowledge and experiences
of 2 religions - Catholicism & Taoism before he embraced
Theravada Buddhism in January 2006. (See Philip’s story on
page 3)
1-DAY TRIP TO MALACCA – 30 JUNE 2007
Forty-three members and devotees from Sunday Dhamma
classes, led by the Chairman, made a trip to Malacca to visit
the Zenxin Organic Park and the Bee Farm. The group had
a sumptuous lunch at the Bejing Restaurant, and, after that,
engaged in shopping at nearby shops and at the famous
Jonker’s Street. Then it was a visit to the Seck Kia Eenh Temple
before more shopping at the new mall opposite Makota
Parade.
On the return trip to Singapore, they bought local products at
Yong Peng before adjourning for a 10-course dinner at Johor
Bahru. Everyone returned home happy; looking forward to
more trips. (See participant’s story on page 5)
Jenny Tan
Hon. Secretary, Management Committee
2007 / 2008
Our Readers Write ...
Neither Defiled nor Immaculate
We always like to make contrasts, such as,
this is good, that is bad, she is pretty, she is
unpleasant, defiled or immaculate, dirty or
pure, intelligent or silly. All these are concepts
in our mind. These dualities are not entities
but discriminative judgements. Nothing is
bad (evil), only our judgement makes it so.
Likewise the notion of what is good.
Describing the world as fundamentally good or fundamentally
bad (evil) is a choice that reflects personal values - it does
not change the facts. A classic example is how advertising
agencies try to change consumers’ perception of the products
they market into ”original” and “new” versions. In fact, the
contents are the same, except for the packaging. Similarly we
try to label things into likes and dislikes.
When something grows, there will be something that will
decay. In the same way, when something no longer exists,
there will be new things that will emerge to replace them. This
is the balance of things. In Dhamma terms: form is emptiness
and emptiness is form: things are in a state of constant flux.
A beautiful rose we have carefully cut and put in a vase is
immaculate and beautiful. It smells fragrant too, so pure and
fresh. The smell from the thrash bin in our homes or offices
is appalling when it is filled with discarded flowers from our
vases. What was once so beautiful and prized, these discarded
flowers are now not worth even a second look in the trash bin.
If we were to look at the discarded stalk of rose with insight,
we will not only learn the nature of impermanence, but also
see the usefulness of all things in different light.
With understanding and ingenuity, we can see garbage as
useful things. With understanding we can see in the garbage
the beautiful rose for it is the nature of things that without the
rose, there will not be garbage; and without garbage we will
not have the rose. New roses will grow from the compost of
decaying plants and roses. The garbage is as precious as the
rose. Both the rose and the garbage are equal in status, one
leading to the next in an unending cycle.
If we reflect and are mindful, we see the Dhamma arising
subtly in all our everyday encounters, as we see from this
example of the discarded rose.
May all of us be well and happy, always!
Teo Siew Lee, Christine
Invitation to contribute ......
We invite all readers to send us their thoughts, experiences,
or articles to:
The Editorial Team.
30 Jalan Eunos, Singapore 419495
or email to editors.mvbt@gmail.com
Page 6

Reflections on my sojourn
in Yangon, Myanmar
L
ast June my sister and I ventured to the land rich in
Buddhist culture on a fleeting visit.
Besides the quick shopping spree for gemstones and
local products, we were fortunate to drop in at the second
largest monastery in Myanmar, established in Bako. With bare
essentials, it housed 1,200 novices. Our entry was well timed
to coincide with the dishing of their staple food, rice, from four
humongous pots. I had
to stand on a platform
to reach the bottom of
it. As I put a ladleful
into each bowl, I felt
the strain of a task to a
seemingly endless but
orderly queue of men
in monk’s robes. It was
with admiration and
respect for them that I By the gigentic pot of rice
reminded myself that whatever muscle pain I had to endure,
I had to dispense the rice without complaint and enjoy the
privilege to offer dana to the novices. It was a rare opportunity
for us. Among the four of us, including the other foreigners,
the tedium of giving was soon brought to an end.
All the while it dawned on me that all things would come
to an end. The thought of impermanence set into my mind
and it was a comfort to realise that nothing, even suffering,
could conclude on a note of relief at the most timely moment.
Patience was the virtue I gathered from the short experience.
Then we peeped
into their dining hall,
furnished only with low
tables on which stood
two simple dishes of
vegetables and plain
soup. I reflected on the
monastics departing
their householders’
life and took a vow
of poverty, celibacy
A glimpse of the bare dinning hall
to practise the Way of Buddha Dharma. They took up the
homeless life of a monk, giving up all their worldly possessions
and begin the Buddhist practice depending on the lay followers
for their well-being and support.
Traditionally they would go out on an alms round as an
integral part of Buddhist monastic life for the last 2500 years.
Historically, by going on alms rounds monks had been able to
live, teach and survive. The alms round taught Buddhist monks
the virtues of humility and gratitude. It was a reminder that
they were completely vulnerable to others availing themselves
to the generosity of others. They were permitted to live in a
society dependent on the goodwill and tolerance of others.
There is a public benefit to this Buddhist practice of alms
round. It is believed that the presence of monastics in society
is a sign of blessings and merit (goodness and well-being) for
the country and its citizens. Making an offering of food during
an alms round benefits the donor. It is an opportunity for any
person to make an offering and have that offering dedicated
to a good cause, whether it be a wish for their well being, or in
memory for a loved one or as a prayer or wish for peace, or the
eradication of poverty. The opportunity to see monks in public
serves as a gentle reminder that there are people dedicated to
practising loving-kindness and peace in this world.
This religious practice is not begging. It involves no solicitation
or proselytism
of any kind. The
monks walk silently
in a meditative
manner and then
chant an alms verse
when something
is being offered.
This verse offers
gratitude and
blessings for what
Servicing rice to the novices has been received.
In doing an alms round the monks wish not to disrupt the
daily routine of the city and its citizens, nor call attention to
themselves for any purpose other than to simply perform the
traditional alms round quietly and with dignity and then return
to their temple.
The Shwedagon Pagoda spanning an immense area impressed
me with its innumerable pagodas in gold. The natives were
at ease sitting in lotus position, deep in meditation. My young
Myanmar companion recently participated in a meditation
retreat and she assured me the acquisition of calm and
mindfulness thereafter led her towards a life of reduced
turmoil and focussed direction.
Its history dates back
2,500 years when two
brothers, Taussa and
Bhalika, merchants
from Myanmar,
offered the Buddha
some honey cakes.
In return, they were
given eight strands of
His hair, which they
presented to their
king who erected the
pagodas to enshrine
the hair. From the
original 66 feet,
successive monarchs
rebuilt it until its
present height of 325
feet.
It is an inspiration and I will surely head that way again. I felt
that I had not done sufficient justice to the Buddhist nation
etched in Abhidhamma. This first trip was just an initiation.
Han Ah Yew
Page 7

Dhamma Supervisor Reports
Our preparations for Vesak Day Celebration
began as early as April 2007. Many of our
Sunday School students, teachers, members
and devotees stayed back after lunch on the
last week of April to help us tie the yellow
strings and label the holy water bottles. We
managed to complete 5000 bottles within two
hours, indicating that with good teamwork and co-operation,
nothing is impossible.
Vesak Day was celebrated by more than 10,000 members,
devotees and visitors who turned up at Mangala Vihara to pay
their respect to the Lord Buddha. They also enjoyed fellowship
during the delicious lunch and many returned to participate in
the candlelight procession that evening. Our energetic senior
teachers (Ms Rita Lee, Mr Ng Kian Seng), and their team of
helpers found it the opportune time to recruit 94 visitors to
attend lessons in the new Sunday School term beginning on
8 July 2007. Our Sunday School Secretaries did a great job in
following up with phone calls to remind the new recruits of
the new term.
There were many walk-in new students registering for our
Sunday Dhamma classes weekly. We are heartened to see the
increased interest in our Sunday Dhamma classes.
The YMBA Dhamma Examination was successfully carried
out on 24 June 2007. We would like to thank the Chief
Invigilator, Mr Gamani Maitipe, a member of the staff of the
High Commission of The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka, who officiated at the examination that day. Sixty-four
of the 84 students, who registered for the examination, sat
for the YMBA Examination. We wish them every success in
their examination and hope to receive 100% passes when the
results are announced.
The candidature was as follows:-
Junior Part I - 35
Junior Part II - 20
Senior Part I - 10
Senior Part II - 5
Diploma - 14
Total 84
Jessy Phua
Dhamma Supervisor 2007 / 2008
Seek Refuge in the Buddha,
Dhamma and Sangha
Dukkham dukkha samuppādam
dukkhassa ca atikkamam
Ariyañcatthangikam maggam
dukkhūpasama gāminam 191
He who sees with right Knowledge the four Noble Truths;
Sorrow, the Cause of Sorrow, the Transcending of Sorrow
and The Noble Eightfold Path which leads to the Cessation
of Sorrow.
– Verse 191 – The Dhammapada
A
ggidatta was the head priest during the time of King
Maha Kosala, father of King Pasenadi. After the
death of King Maha Kosala, Aggidatta gave away
his property and left home to become an ascetic. He
lived with his followers near the border of the three kingdoms
of Anga, Magadha and Kuru, near the dwelling place of a
powerful naga. To his followers and the people of these three
kingdoms, Aggidatta used to exhort: ‘Pay homage to forests,
mountains, parks and gardens, and trees; by doing so, you will
be liberated from all ills of life.’
One day, the Buddha saw Aggidatta and his followers in his
vision and knew that the time was ripe for them to attain
arahanthood, so he sent Venerable Moggallana to expound
the Dhamma to them. He would soon follow. Moggallana
made his way there and inquired whether he could spend
the night with them. At first they refused, but finally they
directed him to the dwelling place of the naga. The naga
was very antagonistic. A duel started between the naga and
Moggallana. However, in the end, the naga was subdued.
He coiled himself and raised his head spreading it out like an
umbrella over Moggallana, showing respect for him. Expecting
to find moggallana dead in the early morning, Aggidatta and
his followers were astounded, when they found him alive and
well with the naga subdued, so they paid him their respects.
Just then, the Buddha arrived and Moggallana got up from his
seat and paid homage to Him, proclaiming ‘This is my Teacher,
the Supreme Buddha, and I am but a humble pupil of this
great Teacher!’ On hearing him, the ascetics, who had been
impressed by the power of Moggallana, were awed by the
greater power of his Teacher. The Buddha then admonished
him: ‘Aggidatta, people go to mountains, forests, gardens and
parks, and trees for refuge when they are threatened with
danger, but these things cannot offer them real protection.
Only those who take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and
the Sangha are liberated from worldly suffering.’
At the end of the discourse, Aggidatta and all his followers
attained arahanthood and were admitted to the Order of
the Bhikkhus. That day, when the disciples of Aggidatta from
Anga, Magadha and Kuru came to pay their respects to him,
they were puzzled and wondered, ‘Who is more powerful?
Our teacher or Gotama? Our teacher must be more powerful
because Gotama has come to our teacher.’ Aggidatta also felt
that he had to make things clear, so, he paid homage to the
Buddha and proclaimed, ‘Venerable Sir! You are my Teacher; I
am but a disciple of yours.’ Thus, the audience came to realize
the supremacy of the Buddha.
A Dhamma class student
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