Pindacara at BM market

Today, Amy and I followed Sayadaws and 20 samaneras for pindapatta at BM market. We left BMBMC at about 8 am and reaches our destination in 20 minutes.

Some of the devotees and helpers were already there waiting for our bus. We spent about 30 minutes there and after bagful of food stuff, all of us proceed back to BMBMC.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu to all involved, most of all the young samaneras who endured the whole process with patience and obedience.

Samanera programme in BMBMC

Lord Buddha once said in Dahara Sutta
"There are these four things, great king, that shouldn't be despised & disparaged for being young.

Which four? A noble warrior, great king, shouldn't be despised & disparaged for being young. A snake... A fire... And a monk shouldn't be despised & disparaged for being young. These are the four things that shouldn't be despised & disparaged for being young"

Today and for the next 10 days, twenty four young men decided to forgoes their school holidays to become samaneras in BMBMC under the guidance of Venerable Sayadaw U Vimala.
More pictures can be seen in this link.

Reverence to cetiyas

Should we Buddhists paid respect to cetiyas? Some of us may think that those who did are ignorant of Buddhist's practices. However, in yesterday Dhamma Talk, Venerable Sayadaw U Vimala said it is in accordance to the Teaching of The Buddha that one gains Kusala Kamma for respecting the cetiyas.

There are five types of cetiyas namely,

1. Paribhoga Cetiya- enshrined with requisites used by the Buddha
2. Uddissaka Cetiya- built or made in remembrance of the Buddha
3. Dhatu Cetiya- enshrined with the relics of the Buddha
4. Dhamma Cetiya
5. Pada Cetiya- foot prints of the Buddha

This means that as Buddhists, we should and can give our respect and offering to these cetiyas. For example, Buddha images are the Uddissaka Cetiya which we should be paying respect to whenever we enter a temple or Buddhist meditation centre. Even places that houses the Dhamma books should be respected.

Further interesting information on cetiyas can be obtained from these sites (1), (2), (3)

Worthy of A Stupa

Most Malaysian Buddhists do not view Buddhist stupas as significant to Buddhism although stupa is one of the objects of reverence in Buddhism.

In tonight Dhamma Talk, Sayadaw U Vimala teaches us the importance of stupas in Buddhism.

Stupas are used to house the remains of the Buddha. In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Buddha mentioned that there are 4 types of person worthy of being enshrined in a stupa. They are namely

1. A Samma Sambuddha
2. A Pacekka Buddha
3. An Arahanta
4. An universal monarch

Sayadaw said that reverence such as offerings of flowers or water can be made to a stupa and in the commentaries, such action can assists a person to be reborn as human or devas.

Sister Gin also mentioned about the great reverence of the stupa to the Burmese people during our retreat at Santarama BH.

But, in my opinion, Chinese Malaysians had the outmost extreme zeal in paying reverence to inanimate objects such as stones, idols etc. Right understanding in paying reverences to objects had to cultivated in the Buddhist practice so that ancestral practices of worshiping do not cloud the importance of paying respect in Buddhism.

Otherwise, we are going to have a real hard time in maintaining correct atmosphere in Buddhist places especially in meditation centers.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu.

The Theras

Titles may be trivial or petty matters but sometimes it may be important to us when we are addressing or make reference to a person.

Tonight before the Dhamma talk, Sayadaw mentioned that people here are ignorant of the terms nava, majjhima, thera and mahathera. Many people used wrong titles of Mahathera when refering to a bhikkhu even though the bhikkhu is only had one vassa. Here, Sayadaw taught us the proper usage of these 4 terms:

1. Nava bhikkhu refers to bhikkhu who has less than 5 vassas
2. Majjhima bhikkhu refers to bhikkhu who has 5 to 9 vassas
3. Thera bhikkhu refers to bhikkhu who has 20 or less than 20 vassas
4. MahaThera bhikkhu refers to bhikkhu who has more than 20 vassas

• Further clarification of these terms can be checked from this link.

Reverence to the title of Maha Thera must be done correctly, reflecting the seniority of the bhikkhu and not to the convenience of the devotees.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu.

Return from Balik Pulau #2

Some 'light' moments during the retreat.

Back from Balik Pulau #1

What a tiring day! A 12-hour meditation exercise (with 2 free meals) was tiring but interesting. Together with about another 30 yogis under the guardance of Sister Gavesini, Amy and I managed to complete our second retreat of the year. Both of us agreed that we had a better experience from this retreat due to regular daily practices prior to this retreat. I can even managed to do each of the sitting and walking meditation sessions for a full one hour-period (even though the five nirvaranas starts to their attack after lunch). A very big Maha Sadhu to Sis. Gin, Bro Kean Beng (where is my KFC), Sis Hong Bian and Bro Sunanda Lim of House of Inward Journey (for hosting this course) and not forgetting all the Dhamma dayakas (who sponsored and ensured that meals are provided for us during the retreat). Another retreat? Heeeheee

Vipassana Meditation Retreat at Santarama

Today, Amy and I will be staying at Santarama, Balik Pulau for 2-days-1-night vipassana meditation retreat as part of the meditation course that both of us joined for the past two months. This couse is conducted by a very experienced lay-teacher Sister Gavesini at House of Inward Journey. It must be a good year for me this year for having the opportunity of attending not one but two retreats for a year (after many many years of not attending any since the 1980s). Expectation none, as Bhante Suvanno had said, it not our mind that we can decide, just take it as it come. Let's see....