Vivekavana Sanctuary Grove Visit

This afternoon, six of us (myself, Amy, Uncle Lim, Peter, Mr Lee and Ah Chin) went up the Berapit Hill to Vivekavana Sanctuary Grove (VSG) to meet the Sayadaw of VSG.

This trip is organised by Uncle Lim to discuss matter regarding next week BMBMC 2nd Vipassana Meditation Retreat that will be conducted by Sayadaw U Ukkhamsa.

As this is the first time, Amy and I will be doing a retreat at Vivekavana, we decided to follow Uncle Lim there.
We parked our car at No 33 which is a house at the foot of the hill.
Both Amy and I decided to climb up the hill while the others took pillion on motorbikes.
We took 30 minutes to reach the Sanctuary.
This the second time we had climb up the hill. The first time it rained before we reach the place.
Today it was drizzling and it rained as soon as we reached the Sanctuary.

After paying our respects to the Sayadaws, we went round the Sanctuary to know the place.

Finally at about 4.00 pm, we left the VSG. This time all six of us walked down the hill.

We then proceed to Berapit Hawker Center for a quick and refreshing cendol and ice kacang for tea.

Saddha

Saddha or faith is important to Buddhists especially if one is practising vipassana meditation, Sayadaw U Sumana pointed it out in tonight's Dhamma Talk at BMBMC.

It had been raining heavily just before the talk in Bukit Mertajam, and just a handful of us turned up in the centre.

There are 7 wholesome mental states that one should cultivate at all time. These wholesome mental states will suppress the unwholesome mental states from arises in our mind.

The 7 wholesome mental states are

1. Saddha
2. Sila
3. Sutta
4. Caga
5. Panna
6. Hiri
7. Otapa

Like quality ruby that shines in the dark and dispel dust in the water, so is Saddha that will give us clarity in our believe of the Triple Gem and the Law of Kamma and Vipaka,

There are 3 kinds of Saddha, namely

1. Ordinary Saddha
2. Strong Saddha
3. Blind Saddha

A yogi will be able to build up the strong Saddha when he/she experiences the joy or rapture in his meditation. Strong Saddha will act as our friend that will lead one to better realm like heaven or better to the Path of Enlightenment.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu

Chanting

Chanting, an act that is not really important in the practice of Buddhism, said Sayadaw U Sumana in tonight Wesak talk.

Chanting cannot let a Buddhist attains Nibbana, only by bhavana can one achieved the highest goal in the Buddha

However, if one chants and practiced what is being chanted, then there are some benefits from this action of chanting.

Chanting at the right time and place is important. Doing the chanting correctly can become a form of Samatha meditation. This can lead to higher goal.

In certain cases, chanting in proper manner can enable one to gain the protection of the Deva. This is shown in the story of Nandamata who had practised chanting and gain the protection from a Deva from Catumaharajika Heaven. The Deva is impressed with the chanting of this disciple of the Buddha that praise the virtues of the Buddha

Lastly, Sayadaw advises the members to practice chanting with understanding for the benefits of chanting.

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu

Wesak at BMBMC 2010

Today is Wesak Day. Both of us arrived at BMBMC at 9 am, an hour earlier than last year. Not many people yet.

At 930 the pindapada begins. Not many devotees turn up for the pindapatta, maybe they do not know aboat it as there was none. There are six bhikkhus in this occassion and it lasted in less than half an hour. Everybody proceeds to the dining cum lecture hall to listen to a Dhamma talk given by Sayadaw U Sumana.

Amy and I are busy at the counter with request from the devotees wanting to make the offering of the robes and bowls. By 10.30, many devotees begins to turn up and the hall were full of people.


Tonight there will be a Dhamma talk and Metta chanting. If we go early, we may have the chance to do some meditation.

Sadhu to all, Happy Wesak.

Hope that Ah Hooi will be able to join us in full health in the next year Wesak Day, his absence this time is truly felt.

Wesak Eve

Happy Wesak to all Buddhists.

In conjunction to this auspicious day of the year, tonight Dhamma talk by Sayadaw U Sumana is about the messges of the Buddha.

What are the messages of the Buddha to us as the Buddha's devotees? asked Sayadaw U Sumana.

Not by just looking at the Buddha and admiring His appearance, but by practicing the Dhamma.

Seeing the Dhamma through personal knowledge

Practice with mindfulness

These are the messages of the Buddha to us.

Noble 8 fold Path

Tonight at BMBMC, a Dhamma talk about the Noble Eightfold Path is given by Sayalay. The Noble Eightfold Path is essence of what a person practicing Vipassana Meditation should have.

The Noble Eightfold Path comprises of

1. Samma Ditthi
2. Samma Sankappa
3. Samma Vaca
4. Samma Kammanta
5. Samma Ajiva
6. Samma Vayama
7. Samma Sati
8. Samma Samadhi
   

Let it go

After many weeks not attending the Meditation class cum Dhamma talk at BMBMC, it is delight to be able to hear this Dhamma talk given by Sayadaw U Sumana on Kamatanha.

It not uncommon for us to cling to sensual pleasure, said Sayadaw U Sumana. "This clinging is like a glue that sticked one object to another. Sometimes, the objects are stuck to one another that it is difficult for us to separate them."

As meditators, we must try to practice how to minimize our clinging to sensual pleasure. Coming to night for a two-hour meditation class helps to minimize our clinging to sensual pleasure. Otherwise, we will be at home enjoying ourselves by watching the television's programs.

May he be well and happy again

Ah Hooi and I at Wat Sam Naht Song, Kpg Song

Today Amy and I follow a group of BMBMC members to Gleneagle Hospital to visit Ah Hooi, BMBMC secretary who met with a serious road accident ten days ago. Ah Hooi is still in coma but had been put in the High Dependency Unit.

Seeing him in his present condition allow me to reflect on how fragile is our life, one second I see him healthy and well, and now he is unconscious and weak. Life is suffering as we are subjected to death, old age and illness as long as we are still in the cycle of Samsara.

But I believe that Ah Hooi as a good Upasaka with many good deeds done, will be able to overcome this suffering and will be well and healthy again.

If readers of this blog know Ah Hooi (a.k.a Ah Chai) and want to help be it in kind or deeds please contact Uncle Lim at BMBMC.

Let us radiate the our metta to Ah Hooi, may he be well and happy again.