DSG Session: movie screening based on love and friendship

Dear Everyone...In this coming Wednesday DSG Session, we will behaving a movie screening based on love and friendship.The details are as below:

Date: 30/11/2005
Time: 8 p.m
Venue: CR1025

Hope to see everyone there.

P/S: Refreshment will be provided....

Regards,
MMU DSG

Forum - "Education, Development, Propagation - The Buddhist Approach"

"Education, Development, Propagation - The Buddhist Approach"

An Intellectual Discussion With Ven. Dr. H. Gunaratana

Date : 3rd December 2005, Saturday

Time : 2.30 pm - 6.00 pm

Venue : Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple, Sentul

Objectives : - To clarify doubts on certain doctrinal aspects of Buddhism

- To discuss trends in the development of Dhamma teaching

- To discuss and exchange ideas on Dhamma propagation

The target group for this forum is existing and aspiring Dhamma speakers, Sunday School teachers, facilitators, educationists, intermediate to advanced level students of Buddhism, students of higher institutes of learning, and Buddhist community leaders.

Admission to the forum is FREE but subject to prior registration. If interested, please contact Bee Hui (YM! bhcheah23) at bhcheah23@yahoo.com

Sukhihotu

-MMU DSG-

Offering of Robes by MMU DSG and CyBH

Kathina Day in Nalanda Buddhist Society (20th Nov 2005)

before offering of robes

during offering

A Sangha member giving a short sermon

Lunch Dana to the Sangha members

*please click on image for enlarge version

May we all rejoice in this meritorious deed.
May the merits accrued through this Sanghika Dana be shared/dedicated to all.

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu!

Together we serve the Buddha-Sasana

-MMU DSG-

MMU DSG Mandarin Dhamma Class "Junior Level"

When we hear what is your religion, so naturally for Chinese, we will answer them "WE ARE BUDDHIST" if we are not a Christian. We will do the same thing when we fill in any kind of form on the field of Religion. We will insert "Buddhist" again if you are not a Christian for Chinese.

However, when there are people asking us what is Buddhism or what a Buddhist do, what should we tell them? Buddhist are just praying? Light the Jolt Stick and do Chanting? How much do we know about Buddhism?

Now, we are so fortunate that MMUDSG is going to held a "Junior Level Mandarin Dhamma Class". This will help all our fellow Buddhist and fellow friends that are interested in learning the essence of Dhamma to come forward and join. The class will start on this Thursday 24/11/05 8.00pm - 10.00pm

Date: 24th Nov, 2005 (Thursday)
Time: 8.00pm – 10.00pm
Venue: CR1028

For more details please contact:
(I) Tan Yaw Han 012-6868 038 Y! cless85
(II) Siew Jun Han 012-2673 660 Y! jaesiew
(III) Chan Wai Chin 016-5941 754 Y! waichinc826

Hope to hear from you soon, See you there!

Regards,

MMU DSG

多媒体大学佛学分享小组第一届"初级华文佛学班" MMU DSG Mandarin Dhamma Class "Junior Level"

当别人问我们是来自什么宗教信仰,
我们都会答:＂我是佛教徒＂．
当我们填写表格时，
我们都会好自然的写：＂Religion: Buddhist（佛教徒）”.
当其他人问到：＂什么是佛教徒？＂
我们又会如何回答他们呢？
佛教徒只是拜拜？烧烧香而已吗？
到低我们对佛教有多认识呢？

所谓机会难逢，这一次，ＭＭＵＤＳＧ（多媒体大学佛学分享小组）举办第一界"初级华文佛学班"，以让各位佛友们都能达到更深一层对佛法的认识与了解．这就在每个星期四，8.00pm -10.00pm，从 24/11/05（星期四）起．

Date : 24th Nov, 2005 （星期四）
Time : 8.00pm – 10.00pm
Venue : CR1028

详情可联络：
(I) Tan Yaw Han 012-6868 038 Y! cless85
(II) Siew Jun Han 012-2673 660 Y! jaesiew
(III) Chan Wai Chin 016-5941 754 Y! waichinc826

希望能见到你的到来，约定你！
　

A talk on "All About Love - Friendship & Relationship" 23/11 8pm CR1025

Dear brothers and sisters of the Dhamma,

你了解"爱"吗?
"爱",有人可随手可得,有人却追寻了一辈子也找不到.

或许你曾否想过:
"为什么他/她永远不会了解我,体谅我?"
"为什么我每次诚心诚意的付出,却换来一次又一次的伤心欲绝?"
"为什么每年2月14日，元宵节时；我总是得一个人过？"

而”友情”, 在你心中又是扮演着什么样的角色?
朋友的选择, 曾是否让你感到苦恼?

"爱" 与 “友情”, 可让人幸福与开心,也让人烦恼. 你觉得是吗?
这个星期三晚上8点,让我们一起听听有关”爱”与 “友情” 这个课题的讲座。 ;)

Do u understand "love"?
"love", there's someone who could own it easily but there's someone who could spend their whole life to seek for their life partner.

What about friendship?
How do make the right choices in our friendship?
The Maha-mangala Sutta (The Great Discourse of Blessing) states the highest blessing comes from avoiding fools and associating with the wise. [asevana ca balanam, panditanan ca sevana]

How does selection of friends and companion affect our spiritual progress??

"love" and "friendship", can bring people happiness and unhappiness, do u agree?
This coming Wednesday at 8pm, let us listen to a talk entitled "All about love - Friendship & Relationship"

Date : 23rd Nov, 2005 (Wed)
Time : 8.00pm – 10.00pm
Venue : CR1025 (Foe Building)

* Conduct in mandarin.

See ya there!!

Sukhi-Hotu
May you be well and happy

Regards,
MMU Dhamma Sharing Group (DSG)

Priceless Dhamma

Treasuring the Free but Priceless Dharma

Nobody has patented rights to the Dharma in the sense that even the Buddha is still sharing the Dharma with countless beings for free elsewhere. The Dharma is priceless, yet it is given away free nowadays. (Unless of course, there is a nominal charge to cover costs.) Like many free things we get these days, they are usually taken for granted and thus undervalued.

If one is observant, one would notice that in our material consumer driven society, one finds fewer people enjoying a carefree Saturday afternoon in a free public park or meditating in an open temple, as compared with the majority crowding in the town centre's shopping malls. However, this situation is not unique to modern times. Throughout human history, the proportion of people practising their faith tends to dwindle in materially better times and booms in harder times - when the call for spirituality suddenly becomes urgent.

In the history of the Mahayana tradition, many Chinese monks braved the long journey to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures. Many Indian monks also did the same, travelling the opposite direction to China, so as to share the Buddha's teachings. It was recorded in Chinese history that only 1 in 10 who travelled to the west (to India) returned, the rest pressumed having perished along the difficult journey. Despite each expedition being life-endangering, what motivated the monks was the quest for the ultimate Dharma.

Cited in the sutras and widely believed, this might be the period of the decline of the Dharma. This means we should buck up, not give up in learning and practising the Dharma. Let's hold back the Dharma-ending age as long as we can. Ironically, when information and communication is more instananeously free-flowing than ever in recorded history, the fervour and thirst for Dharma understanding seems to pale - in comparison to the days of the journey to the west?

People tend to overpay to own pricey and relatively useless material things, as they take useful free gifts for granted. Until one had realised the absurdity of this, one will not see the importance of spiritual cultivation and living according to the Eightfold Path, Five Precepts and other aspects of the Buddha's teachings.

When asked if they had studied the sutras in depth, many lay-Buddhists often say they have "no time". Busy people tend to defer realising the truth, or seeking answers to their life's problems - until it is too late. If this situation prevails, we will indeed see the real "ending" of the Dharma. It would not mainly be due to demonic interference, but due to the general lack of diligence and faith of the majority in practising the Dharma. Thus, individual Buddhists should work steadfastly to understand the sutras, which would enable them to actualise the Dharma in their daily lives. However, note that experienced teachers might be needed to guide us to understanding the scriptures, lest we misinterpret them or do not understand.

As one comfortably reads the sutras surrounded by material comforts, one should never forget the hardship of those who had journeyed to the west. Practising and realising the Dharma in the sutras would be the best way to honour them. Now is always the best time to get motivated and practise the Dharma - this most priceless free gift to us all, from noneother than the Buddha Himself!

- Alan Cheong (Edited by Shen Shi'an)
http://www.thedailyenlightenment.com/

Public Seminar :"Finding Anchorage in a Volatile Sea: Developing Peace and Purpose in Life"

For your information, Nalanda Buddhist Society is organizing a Public Seminar this December. The details are as follows:

Date of activity: 4th December 2005
Time: 9am - 4.30pm
Address: Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya
Contact: 03-8948-8055
Seminar Title:"Finding Anchorage in a Volatile Sea: Developing Peace and Purpose in Life"
Honarable Speaker: Ven. Dr. H. Gunaratana
Fees: RM60 (Inclusive lunch, tea break, seminar material)

Visit http://www.nalanda.org.my/ for more information on the seminar and register online today!

Closing date is 27th November 2005 (subject to earlier closing as seats are limited).
Registration form is also available at Nalanda Dharma Center (3356, 1st Floor, Jalan 18/31, Taman Sri Serdang, 43300 Seri Kembangan.), BGF and SJBA.

Contact Bro. Tan (012-3089212), Sis. Veronica (012-2683891), Chee Onn (013-3445545), Nalanda Dharma Center (03-89488055) for more enquiries.

Sukhihotu!

About the speaker:

Venerable Henepola Gunaratana was ordained as a novice monk at the age of twelve in Malandeniya Village, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. Upon reaching twenty in 1947, he was given the higher ordination in Kandy. He received education from various institutions including the Vidyasekhara Pirivena in Gampaha, Vidyalankara College in Kelaniya, and the Buddhist Missionary College in Colombo.

After graduating, his reverence spent five years in India , engaging in missionary work with the Mahabodhi Society. He served the religious needs of the “Harijana” (untouchable) communities in Sanchi, Delhi and Bombay. The venerable also spent ten years in Malaysia (1958-1968), serving as Religious Advisor to the Sasana Abhivurdhiwardhana Society and the Buddhist Missionary Society (BMS).

At the invitation of Sasana Sevaka Society, Ven. Gunaratana traveled to the United States in 1968, where he has remained since. His reverence served as the Secretary, and later President, of the Buddhist Vihara of Washington. He is currently the Founder-President of Bhavana Society in West Virginia.

The venerable earned a B.A., an M.A., and Ph.D. in Philosophy from The American University. He taught courses at Maryland, Bucknell, American and Georgetown universities. His books and articles have been widely published in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, and the USA. Ven. Gunaratana conducts meditation retreats and lectures widely throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

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Together we serve the Buddha-Sasana
-MMU DSG-