Sunday, October 14, 2012

Taking Refuge in Triple Gems

Buddhists are people who believes in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, Kamma and Kamma-vipaka.
We need to try to become real Buddhist by having faith in Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, Kamma & Kamma-vipaka.
We must strengthened our Saddha. One of the way is to take the triple Gem everyday. We can take the triple gem at home but it is better we take our triple from the Sangha. This way will make us remember the Sangha.
Anathapindika a staunch supporter of the Buddha. He encouraged a lot of his friends to go to the temple. However when the Buddha left the temple, some devotees also left their faith of the Buddha.
By praying to the Buddha one cannot be free from dangers can avoid physical and mental dangers.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Buddho I Should Say

It is for the Buddha to appear in this world.
To meet the time of Buddha's appearance is difficult. But we are lucky to be able to hear the Buddha's teaching. If we can understand this we can get the benefits, said Sayadaw Vimala in today's Dhamma Talk at BMBMC.

The world cycles are very long. This world will last a long time. So, it is going to difficult to be born during the Buddha's time. It is not even easy to hear the word Buddha. So is to say the word Buddha is also very difficult. For example the Thai people repeated tr word Buddho almost every day even in meditation as this habitual repetition is beneficial.

Even to be born as a human being is rare.

I believe what Sayadaw intends to teach us is that we have to strengthen our faith in the Triple Gem. We tend to be lazy to follow the Buddha's teaching as our tanha is great.

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Repeated Encouragement to Do Good

I heard Sayadaw U Vimala talked about doing good deeds. We are very lazy to do good deeds.
To do one good deeds is very difficult. For example, pouring water during Dana is found by Sayadaw to be difficult to do by the devotees.
There are many examples of good deeds that people will not do even though Sayadaw mentioned the good deeds for many many times.
Every one has their own duty to do. So we must do our duty. For e g if we are monks we must have qualities and characteristics. the same with the laypersons. For example, one of the duty of the layperson is to take care if the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha most of the time the layperson will give the excuse of being busy when doing good deeds. Sayadaw said this shows that we are lack of saddha to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
We should learn about the Buddha's saddha and duties.
The Buddha do 5 duties a day that are morning, afternoon, first watch night , middle watch night and last watch night duties. The Buddha only sleeps 2 hours a day.
Sadhu sadhu sadhu

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Right Thought

Believing in bdskv is important because according to Sayasaq U Vimala this will shape your character or behavior. We must practice morality Sila as we take the precepts.
By practicing Sila, we do not caused harm to other people. For example stealing will happens when one does not practice sila.
Having Right Thought forms the basis of our behavior or action.
For example when we come to this centre we must have right thought in the BDSKV.
If we think doing Dana is good then w had thought about Kamma. Then we have think about getting good results later, we are thinking about Kamma Vipaka. Right Thought must be cultivated every moments.
By chanting virtues of the Buddha. We are free from internal and external enemies.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Patidana

For this patidana we are fortunate to have 4 bhikkhus.
Sayadaw U Vimala give a Dhamma talk followed by the Dana.
Chinese people believe that ghosts came from hell.
Buddha's teaching said there are no ghosts in hell. The ghosts live in this world.
The beings in the hall suffered I the hell. These beings cannot came to our world.
We do Dana and share merits with our departed beings who may be petas or hungry ghosts.
The petas are unhappy beings because they do not have food, shelter, clothing and other things. They also drink our spit or eating our phlegm.
Even they come to our house they cannot live with people who has strong morals.
But if we do not have good Kamma the petas that enter their house can harm them, causing sickness or unhappiness.
If they harm us then we have to chant special Sutta. Otherwise we cannot look for the answer to our unhappiness.
This is the way of the Buddha's teaching.
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Wandering Female Ascetic

The jealousy and worry of a group of heretics towards the Buddha causes the heretics to ask Ascetic Sundari, a female ascetic and a supporter of the heretics to accuse the Buddha of wrongdoing.
After she had accused the Buddha, the evil heretics ordered her to be killled. Then the heretics accused the Buddha and disciples of wrongdoing and murdered Sundari.
The Buddha said. Those who lie or commit evil deeds will end up in hell
By listening to these two stanzas, many people become Noble persons. Why? Sayadaw said that this is because these people had practiced enough meditation and had fulfilled their Paramis.
Observing Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta, one can then attains Enlightenment
As the story goes the king knows the truth and the heretics are caught and punished by telling people the truth.
Buddha was also accused if wrongdoings. So even we do good now we can encounter bad things because we had done bad deeds on the past. Buddha to be did accuse a Pacekka Buddha of wring doing in the past.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Momentum To Do Good

"We need momentum to do good deeds",said Sayadaw U Vimala in tonight's Dhamma talk - the first talk in this year's Vasa.

During the time of the Buddha, there are 30 friends; all of them are good looking and also had good momentum to do good. However at the time of the Buddha these men had forgotten how to do good. One night, these men took their wives to the forest for drinks and other enjoyments. One of the men brought a courtesan. After their merriments, they fell a sleep and the courtesan steals their things. When they wake up and realized that their things had been stolen they go looking for the thieving woman. They met the Buddha and asked the Buddha whether the Buddha had seen the woman.

The Buddha replied by asking them back with the question. Which I'd better to seek the woman or to seek your own self? The 30 men and their spouses replied that seeking oneself is better.

Lord Buddha then gave them a Dhamma Talk about the topics of Dana, Sila, of deva, about Magga, about bad results and five senses and about freedom from samsara and nibbana.

In Dana we must do as much as we can. Doing good deeds may enable us to be not poor if we are poor we cannot even approach the monks because we are shy or busy taking care of ourselves. Therefore, Sayadaw advises us to do lots of Dana. Giving food to the monks, to the people and also to the animals. Besides that when one gives or do Dana then one can develop metta or karuna. Doing Dana is seeking good for ourselves.

Next, we must have morality, said Sayadaw. This is because without Sila, one cannot gains Magga phala nibbana even though they practice meditation. They have healthy and long life.

In short, the other 4 topics can be surmarised to these: we must reduce the five senses, aspiring to be reborn in the deva world that is good as these places give us peace from hunger, disease and less suffering. Lastly, we must practice meditation.

These topics are always found in the Buddha's Teaching. We have to note t these and understand them. The 20 men gained Ariya States after listening. to the Buddha.


Sunday, July 22, 2012

Buddha Rupa Installation Ceremony

Today Amy and I attended the Buddha Rupa Installation Ceremony at BMBMC.
The new Buddha Rupa (donated by Sayadaw U Sumana)
A simple but yet meaningful ceremony was conducted to mark this auspicious event.

Bhante U Kovida gave a Dhamma Talk followed by chanting of Udana verses by six Bhikkhus.
A Sanghikadana was held after the chanting of the verses.
Amy performing dana
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Vesakha Day

Today, both Amy and I arrived at BMBMC at 9:30 am. We did not participate in the pindapata held in the Sungai Rambai Market.

Bhante Javana gave a Dhamma talk at 10:00

By 10:30, we could see many members and devotees had seated in the main hall and outside of it listening to the Dhamma talk

Lunch dana starts at 11:00 and this year we are fortunate to have 2 Bhikkhus to receive our offering of food and robes.

Tonight there will be a Dhamma talk by Brother Foong (actually a continuance of the previous Saturday talk titled the Significance of Wesak Day).

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Bhante Suvanno's 5th Memorial Service

Today, Amy and I attended Bhante Suvanno's Memorial Service (5th) at BMBMC. We arrived at 8:35 am. There were many people there and Amy helped in the robes counter.
At 9:20 am, pindapata begins with 5 Bhikkhus.
A simple ceremony was held at the Bhante Suvanno's Library after the pindapata.
Sayadaw U Sumana gave a Dhamma talk at 10:20 am
This is then followed by a Lunch Sanghikadana.
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