Agathian Shelter

10+2 of the committee members of 14th KCBA English Dhamma Youth Camp went for a trip with the adult group to visit an orphanage in PJ. The orphanage, Agathian Shelter, currently has more than 30 children in their care.

What we do there mostly is to help them clean the place and to have fun with them.

Photos taken during the trip would be uploaded here soon....

Reclining Buddhas

By DAVID WILSON, The Star, August 15, 2009

Often vast, always mysterious, reclining Buddha statues sport enigmatic smiles. David Wilson digs around and discovers the secrets of these dazzling figures

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Strictly speaking, they should not exist. Reclining Buddha statues could be condemned as idolatry because the Buddha asked that no images be carved in his likeness. So, at first, after he slipped away, artistically inclined devotees only paid tribute to facets of his identity — footprints, the chair he sat on, among other relics.

“Eventually, the devotional impulse won out,’’ says Gary Gach, the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism. Good thing, too. Despite their languid pose, the statues cast a spell that few sights in Asia can rival.

Often to be seen glamorously draped across postcards, traditional reclining Buddhas have the left arm aligned along the body while the right serves as a pillow with the hand propping the head. Sometimes no longer than a grain of rice, the reclining Buddha is more often on the scale of a junk.

The icon appears mirage-like everywhere, from Penang and Bangkok to Yangon in Burma, along with Ayutthaya (old Thailand’s capital) and that Laos backpacker haunt, Vang Vieng. One even crops up in White Plains, New York. The reclining Buddha’s “home” may be a temple, grotto or fresco — anywhere with a touch of width and mystique.

The statue represents Shakyamuni Buddha — the historical Buddha — at his death at 80. It is said that when the Buddha knew the end was near, he asked his disciples to prepare a couch for him in a grove, then reclined on his right side, facing west, with his head propped on his hand.

On the last day of his life, instead of just turning ashen, he kept teaching. So, despite their decadent aura, the statues embody — as it turns out — the devotion to duty that the Buddha displayed at the last gasp.

But two puzzles remain.

The first is the smile that plays on the lips, which may seem odd especially to anyone familiar with the reality of death or Christian images of wretched saints and angels. The smile, it transpires, is simply meant to express “the supreme joy” that comes with enlightenment, Gach explains.

The Buddha knew that he was not destined for everyday death but “parinirvana” — a state defined as “the extinction of the endless round of illusion and needless suffering”.

The second puzzle is the typically extravagant size, which may seem outrageous to anyone familiar with Christian statues or the Buddhist emphasis on moderation. This time, the explanation is less simple, with roots in a legend that has a Freudian fairytale feel.

The legend centres on a giant called Asurindarahu, who had more pride than a NBA megastar. When confronted with an opportunity to meet the Buddha, the giant was torn. On one hand, he yearned to see the Buddha. On the other, because he was equipped with an ego on par with his epic proportions, he was loath to bow before him, the story goes.

So, while lying down, the Buddha engaged in magic, projecting an image of himself that dwarfed the giant. The Buddha then showed him the realm of heaven populated by a multitude of celestial figures that were smaller than the Buddha but, again, dwarfed the giant.

Just to rub it in, the Buddha commented that the giant was only a big fish in a small pond. Humiliated by the lecture and the awesome display of soft power, Asurindarahu duly kowtowed, even cringing “like a spider clinging to the hem of his robes”.

The size and splendour of reclining Buddha statues may make the traveller feel humbled, too. In particular, the reclining Buddha that graces Bangkok’s 8ha Wat Pho is tremendously imposing, all the more so because its feet and eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl.

Its fame amplified by its closeness to that backpacker hive, Khao San Road, the monumental Wat Pho statue exerts more allure than any other cultural attraction in Bangkok. The statue might be classified as one of the seven wonders of Asia, up there with the Taj Mahal. Or it could be viewed as a cliché — just another sight to see, revere and grab on your memory card before uploading to an inexhaustibly rich, people’s gallery like Flickr.

Either way, Gach is more impressed by the reclining Buddha on show at Shanghai’s Jade Buddha Temple, the best-known Buddhist temple in town. Aside from the fact that the Shanghai Jade Buddha assumes the classic position, Gach rates it highly because it is carved from a single chunk of jade nud­ging the 2m mark.

“In and of itself quite remarkable,” Gach says. “And the sculpture itself seems to possess a certain aura that speaks for itself — as does the Sphinx, Mona Lisa, etc,” he adds.

Another bewitching but spectacular reclining Buddha occupies Chaukh­tatgyi Temple in Burma’s capital, Yangon. Like Penang’s example of the breed, it boasts what resembles heavy makeup, a shimmering golden robe and feet the size of Langkawi. It is squeezed into an open-sided, steel-and-corrugated iron structure which, as one blogger notes, looks more suited to hosting a rock band than a religious seer.

In defiance of physics, still another giant reclining Buddha has gone missing altogether.

On the fringes of Asia, in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, the 200m monster that eluded the Taliban’s idol-busting orgy exists somewhere hidden under the earth, many scholars believe. Last year, encouragingly, a smaller version of the Bamiyan behemoth was discovered near the ruins of the two large standing Buddhas destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban.

If its big brother surfaces soon, it may briefly be the world’s largest — even more gigantic than Burma’s titans. The Burmese like their reclining Buddhas to be sensational. The hollow reclining one in Monywa, central Burma, which you can walk through, stretches 90m and is acclaimed as the world’s largest.

Still, both contenders look set to be eclipsed by an incomparably colossal Middle Kingdom effort. A stone reclining Buddha being carved in east China’s Jiangxi Province will reportedly stretch 416m — the length of an oil tanker.

However dazzled you may be by the grandeur and glamour, just remember one thing: do not to fall into the trap of referring to any reclining Buddha as “sleeping”. True, the Buddha, being human, took nightly downtime like anyone else. But his name means “The Awakened”.

Buddhism under siege from within

by Bhikkhu K. Tanchangya, The Buddhist Channel, July 17,

Kandy, Sri Lanka --The latest attempt to proselytize the Buddhist world comes in the form of a book entitled ‘Peoples of the Buddhist World: A Christian Prayer Guide’ by Hattaway Paul. Anthropologically speaking, the book deserves credit for its excellent well-researched materials as it deals with 238 distinct people-group profiles, photographs and maps of the Buddhist world – something that Buddhists are capable of producing, but are lazy to do so.

Make no mistake: this most conspicuous book is enterprisingly well done. But it has a hidden agenda: This book serves as a layout and roadmap of Christian evangelical interests and zeal. It is a precise blueprint, a battle plan drawn to craftily attack the peoples of the Buddhist world.

Educated and affluent Buddhists, however, should thank the author, an active evangelic leader for producing such an enlightening overview of the peoples of the Buddhist world because not many at all know about the majority of these 238 groups mentioned by him.

Indeed, many of these Buddhist communities are little-known and often forgotten. They are some of the most neglected peoples of the world. Much has been said on the evil intentions of the Christian evangelical missionaries for trying to ‘pray and touch the souls of ordinary people’ and bringing them into ‘the merciful rescue of God, the ruler of heaven’.

My intention here is neither to write a review of the book condemning it as anti-Buddhist nor to parrot the accusations labeled against such greedy evangelical missionaries but to urge my fellow educated and affluent Buddhist brothers and sisters of the civilized world to understand that the wisest solution to such proselytization of the Buddhist world.

It does not lie on how logically and convincingly we criticize such undertakings and how many anti-conversion laws we need to enact. The intention is to undertake an honest, objective re-examination of our own Buddhist system within.

It is often proudly claimed by us Buddhists that Buddhism has survived for 2550 years armed with its teachings of non-violence, tolerance, ability for different adaptation, and compassion. Perhaps we have forgotten the lost history of Buddhist lands of the entire Indian subcontinent.

We have lost Afghanistan and Pakistan (East and West) to Muslim invaders, India and Nepal to Hindus and far eastern regions of the Middle East to hard-line Muslims. Having lost so much, how much more are we waiting to lose? This is a question that every progressive Buddhist needs an answer to.

Despite having survived the historic onslaught of Islamic invaders, these unknown Buddhist lands face the grim reality of losing their communities to the onslaught of Christian evangelism. 20th century South Korea is an example of how easy it is indeed for Buddhism to fall prey to aggressive evangelism.

Historically speaking, the strength of Buddhist evolution centered on the members of its monastic - the Sangha. The Sangha institution became the backbone of the entire Buddhist community in any given social context, be it Theravada, Mahayana or Tibetan throughout its 2550 years of history.

The success of Buddhism is often measured by the strength of the Sangha. The traditional defenders of Buddhism have been and are still, the monks and nuns. As a natural consequence, Buddhist adherents tend to look up to the monastic Sangha for guidance. Unfortunately, this dependency has brought forth a devastating paralysis, especially at a time when the monastic priesthood is losing its pristine social and spiritual position as moral models and embodiments of love, compassion and wisdom.

For the last many decades the Buddhist monastic Sangha in every Buddhist country have not been faring well enough to retain its followers and attract new converts. Some monks have been busy filling up pockets while some others are poorly trained to cope with modern challenges. And yet some of these monks keep themselves busy by fighting for ecclesiastical ranking and power within the monastic system.

All these unsavoury activities leave behind great gaps, neglecting the development of promising and creative social and religious leadership within Buddhist circles. Christian evangelicals have been quick to fill up this "Sangha-lay followers" vacuum.

It is believed that private properties owned by the monastic sangha may well surpass the private properties owned by the government of any given Buddhist country. Enormous public generosity have produced some of the richest monks and temples ever seen in Buddhist history, while millions of Buddhists unknown to many of us have been left out on their own, neglected and forgotten.

Even the very existence of the small but distinct minority Buddhist communities such as the Chaungtha people of Burma, the Khamiyang tribe from India, the Huay tribe of Thailand, the Kutangs of Nepal, the Gtsang of Tibet and the Brokkats of Bhutan - to name but a few - are hardly ever known to more educated and affluent Buddhists.

The Buddhist communities from this part of the globe somehow managed to survive with the harshest realities of existence by sticking to their Buddhist identities under oppressive and unfriendly governments. Is it their karma? How long more do we expect them to continue under the banner of Buddhism faced with everyday realities? Can't Buddhism change their karma? Can't the call of Buddha give them a hope, and a chance to live with less poverty?

Any one claiming that even Buddha cannot alter the course of peoples’ living standard, say unto him that this is "utter nonsense". In any case, if Buddha cannot promise to help these desperate people who have been yearning for change and a better life, then why shouldn’t they look up to a foreign God who promises them immediate prosperity, wealth and change here and eternal heaven hereafter? Indeed, the ‘new God, new country’ – a phrase often utilized by missionaries to pinpoint modern Korea under Christianity – has been an enticing and eye-catching example of change brought about by Christian evangelism.

It is time for the progressive Buddhists to meditate on this.

Yes, these Buddhist communities are illiterate and poor. They are easy targets for evangelism. But they deserve education and material prosperity before they could think of religion. And evangelical missionaries are providing just that.

Why can't the richest monks, richest temples and richest Buddhist organizations of the affluent world mobilize work teams to visit and look into the grievances of these forgotten fellow Buddhists? Why are we just shouting at others who are helping them when we chose not to act ourselves?

The Buddhist teachings of karma, rebirth, suffering, selflessness, and contentment have all been part and partial of a deeper level of misunderstanding of Buddhism even among the most educated and affluent civilized Buddhists, and their misunderstanding has been a boon for the greedy missionaries to take advantage of these Buddhist teachings.

Maybe somebody is born poor because of his karma. And someone else out there is suffering and dying without proper hospice care. So what? He's got lots more rebirths coming up next. Somebody is poor but wants to have a better life. So instead of providing skills and opportunities, they are asked to "practice contentment". This is the unfortunate mentality of Buddhists towards those who are at the bottom rung of society.

No matter how openly they deny, sadly this has been proved to be the case over and over again. Highly spiritual monks and committed practicing lay Buddhists tend to overlook the necessity of material development.

But what these people forget to realize is that there cannot be spirituality where there is widespread hunger and poverty; and healthy spirituality cannot exist where there is widespread illiteracy, ignorance and superstitions. It is only in the very recent time that the affluent Buddhist world has felt the need to counter evangelism by establishing parallel institutions like schools, colleges, hospitals, aged homes and carry out relief works but the fact that this is largely to meet the needs of the local community, this is yet to affect the millions of forgotten Buddhists in unknown parts of the world.

And this raises the extreme Buddhist need to establish cohesive, well-financed, dedicated and inspired international Buddhist organizations to safeguard the very existence of the peoples of the Buddhist world through active participation on field.

But it is easier said than done. Believe it or not, Buddhists tend to be very proud and suspicious of fellow Buddhists. The powerful ecclesiastical monastic sangha of Thailand would not allow temples from other Buddhist countries to be built on its soil, while the building of aTheravada temple in the Korean soil is most likely to be seen as an attempt to Theravadize the Mahayanist Koreans. Such is the suspicion and pride among Buddhists of different countries.

Some other Buddhists yet take pride in promoting so-called inter-religious dialogues between Buddhists and Christians, between Buddhists and Muslims but the irony is that Buddhists of Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan seldom get along together.

Sadly there is hardly any effective contactsbetween and among these three major Buddhist dominations. Economically weak Theravada Buddhist temples and monks of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia have been struggling to cater the needs of their respective native followers living in the West. Meanwhile the economically stronger Mahayana Buddhist temples and monks of China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan have been struggling to expand their influences throughout the rich West. And despite having poured millions of dollars for building temples and universities there, yet Tibetan monks have been struggling to get fame and popularity to draw the attention of the world to their Tibetan issue.

All these trends have effectively left millions of native Buddhists forgotten and neglected. In their unknown lands, it is they who are in dire need of financial investments, education, creative leadership and social betterment more than the West.

It cannot be denied that the West needs promising monks and Buddhist leaders more than anyone else. The Western public is intelligent and affluent but it is we, the Asians, who have taught them the Dharma. But while we try to meet their spiritual needs with our limited spiritual Asian resources, we must also never never forget Buddhists from these unknown lands

They have been, and are our fellow Buddhists for centuries. We share identical Buddhist culture and history but are not getting what they deserve from their more fortunate and affluent fellow Buddhists.

So this being the case, how ethical correct are we to oppose anyone who goes to standby, help and live with these unwanted peoples of the Buddhist world? What Buddhist doctrine can we possibly use to justify and declare that such an action is immoral?

Even the most fanatic Buddhists among us would have to accept the fact that no matter with what ulterior motives the Evangelicals choose to help such forgotten and neglected peoples, the intrinsic goodness of their action is something that cannot be denied or downplayed.

And this only questions our inability and unwillingness to help our own fellow Buddhists.
Indeed, evangelical groups are proving to be very successful with their slogan - ‘believe in Jesus, he will be always with you’. Many things would change if we Buddhists could learn to say ‘we are your friends in your need’ and prove our say with our active social engagement. The kind of Humanistic Buddhism promoted by some creative and progressive Buddhists or Engaged Buddhism as promoted by some is not inclusive enough because it has effectively failed to address and respond to the acute needs of these forgotten Buddhist communities who are now the targets of Christian evangelism.

Indeed, the greatest challenge of sectarian Buddhist traditions and organizations is the unwillingness and hesitation to help those who are not following the form of Buddhism each of them follows.

There seems to be the demand of internal evangelization within and among various sectarian Buddhists before they could be considered fit for help. The most affluent Mahayana Buddhists of Korea and Taiwan, for example, might not be willing to go and help those neglected Buddhist ethnic groups scattered throughout the border areas of Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh and India who are followers of Theravada Buddhism, while the able Theravada Buddhists of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Burma might not be willing to come out for the ethnic minorities of the Himalayan regions who are mostly followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

This is certainly not the kind of mentality the Buddha would very much like his followers to have towards fellow Buddhists. The result is that this has effectively barred the interaction between and among the various sectarian groups of Buddhism.

Let’s not deny the historical fact that Buddha was the first and a successful leader of missionary activities hundreds of years before Christ got the smell of this earth. Let’s not pretend that we Buddhists do not convert followers. We do but the difference in us is that we love to target the most educated, the most affluent, and the most intelligent pundits of the world rather than taking advantage of peoples’ poverty and illiteracy.

We take peoples’ intelligence and wisdom to our advantage which is the uniqueness of Buddhist evangelism. Perhaps this very prospect is leading us to the other disadvantage: losing our fellow poor, neglected and illiterate Buddhists. And this only calls for the implementation of the much acclaimed Buddhist ‘Middle Way’.

The well established large monastic sanghas and lay Buddhist organizations of the known Buddhist world are effectively failing to perform their duties well enough due to unscrupulous remnants of corruption, misbehaviors, mismanagement and inefficiency within.

Some of these monastic sanghas need internal reformation to cope with modern challenges. The high rate of disrobing among the intelligent, educated, energetic and promising young clergy is indeed a headache for many of us. Yet despite all these weaknesses and shortcomings there are lots more that can be done, if we are only willing and are truly selfless – ‘for the welfare and happiness of many’, the slogan used by the Buddha himself to denote his kind of evangelism.

So how and when will these 238 or so people-groups of the Buddhist world fall as victims of Christian evangelism? Is there something that we - as informed Buddhists - can do, or should we just fold our arms and rant in our chests about these "evil evangelists"?

It is time for Buddhists to get our act together, look out for one another and redeem ourselves by rallying to Buddha's call to "go forth... for the good of many, for the benefit and well being of many." Failing which, predatory Christian groups will only be too happy to forage by the wayside, preying on our inaction.

And if we were to let this happen, then the only ones to blame will be us - the indifferent, indolent, complacent Buddhists.

Original article can be found here.

2009 Retreat Camp

Retreat Camp was over the weekend (11 - 12 July) and it was held in KCBA.

Have a look at what we did there... there is alot more but we must not reveal too much...

You wont believe what we do...

Having fun time!

Most of us there... A few went missing at this time...

P.S.: Some stuff are privilege of the committee members... you may see it elsewhere but you may not be part of it if you are not part of the committee members...

By
Bro Wei Han

The Angkor Wat of Malaysia

Translated by LIM LIY EE, Guang Ming Daily, July 4, 2009

Ulu Tiram, Johor (Malaysia) -- Large numbers of Singaporean faithfuls flock to Buddhist temples in Johor to pay homage, pray and make donations, and these donations have expedited the development of temples there.

Thanks to the contribution of a Singaporean collector who is also a devout Buddhist, thousands of ancient Buddha statues as well as time-honoured stone, wooded and copper statues have been placed at the Fa Yu Chan Si temple in Ulu Tiram.

These relics include 500 Luo Han statues, thousand-year-old stone tortoise statue, statues of Bodhidharma and the God of Mercy, among others. Such a rich collection has made the temple look like an ancient temples teeming with ancient ruins.

Penang in the northern part of the country, is renowned for its Kek Lok Si temple, and now in the country's southern gateway Johor, a garden-style temple with hundreds of stone, wooden and copper statues as well as epitaphs, the Fa Yu Chan Si temple is fast taking shape.

Built on a 3-acre site about 2km from the town of Ulu Tiram, the temple is currently abboted by Master Shi Zhen Guan. Construction work started around 2001 and its basic structure were completed only in 2007. The temple then decided to open for public worship. As the temple has been built in the woods, it offers an excellent haven for religious retreats.

Other than the Sakyamuni Valuable Palace, the God of Prosperity Temple, Di Zhan Dian Cinerarium Pavilion and the Hall of Spirit Tablets which have been completed within the compound of the Fa Yu Chan Si temple, the remaining buildings such as Buddhist Relics Hall, Cultural Relics Hall and the Bodhidharma Pavilion are under construction.

Rare collection

Even though Fa Yu Chan Si is still undergoing beautification, renovation and further development at this moment, once you step inside the temple, you will be able to find countless of stone statues of Buddha. Other than the most notable Big Buddha's Head and half-body Buddha statues, the most eye-catching relics are the Buddhist columns and pagoda. These masterfully crafted carvings have created an atmosphere of a thousand-year-old ancient temple.

Besides, rows of intricately carved Buddha statues have been neatly placed on both sides of the pagoda and Buddhist Columns.

The Cultural Relics Hall, meanwhile, looks like a relic site full of inscribed texts, stone statues of Buddha, etc, the most outstanding being the 500 Luo Han statues in different postures, costumes, and names. There are also relics from the Tang, Yuan and Han dynasties.

In an interview with Guang Ming Daily, the temple's admin secretary Ms Chen Yi Ping said there are currently many different kinds of relics in the temple, and the most notable include the Crystal Sarira Pagoda containing the sarira of Buddha and and other Buddhist masters, relief carved with the Heart Sutra, the dragon statue said to be the incarnation of Bu Dong Ming Wang, the thousand-year stone tortoise, the five hundred Luo Han, the statue of Bodhidharma made of thousand-year old Longan wood, Buddhist pagodas, etc.

She also disclosed that there is a special statue of the God of Mercy in the temple. Unfortunately, due to technical problems, the statue is not ready for public viewing.

Age of statues yet to be verified

Chen said many of the stone carvings in the temple have been inscribed with the years of manufacture, including the stone tortoise, which almost a thousand years old. According to findings, it is within the period of the Tang Dynasty and it contains thousands of years of history. However, she said as these relics have not been verified by specialists, the temple is unable to ascertain the authencity of these historical items.

She said since the historical backgrounds of these stone carvings have yet to be verified, she advised the public to view these carvings as works of art.

Devotee from land-scarce Singapore builds temple across the Causeway

Land is a scarce commodity in Singapore. Other than the existing temples, there isn't much land to build new temples in the city-state. As a result, Buddhist devotees and monks build their temples on the side of the Causeway, or contribute towards the expansion of the existing temples in Johor.

The abbot of the temple Master Shi Zhen Guan told Guan Ming Daily the thousands of Buddha statues and artworks in the temple have been contributed by a Singaporean Buddhist cum collector.

"By chance I came to know this collector. Originally I only intended to purchase the statues of Hua Yian Shan Shen (Three Sages), i.e. Buddha, Manjuri Bodhisattra and Pu Virtuous Bodhisattva for display at the Sakyamuni Valuable Palace for the purpose of veneration. I never expected that after knowing about my concept of developing the temple, he kindly contributed his collection to Fa Yu Chan Si."

"To me, these relics are invaluable, and their market value is not important to me because the owner's offering came when we were going through the toughest time building the temple. Nothing can replace his generosity and I truly appreciate his kind contribution."

Public viewing welcome

Master Shi Zhen Guan said that initially he felt that many devoted Buddhists gave up their faith when they got old. So he had a vision to build a this Buddhist enclave to provide a quiet retreat for these people.

"Although the temple has already been given a large number of cultural reliefs, due to insufficient funds, we have problem fulfilling the concept of a Buddhist enclave. However, it will remain the focus of our development in the future."

The Master said he hoped to develop the temple to something similar to the renowned Kek Lok Si temple in Penang. While encouraging Buddhist devotees to study the Doctrine and retreat, he also hoped to open the temple for public viewing so that more people could appreciate the relics of great artistic values.

Founder of Fa Yu Chan Si, 38-year-old Master Shi Zhen Guan became a monk when he was only 19. A Malaysian, he used to do his religious studies at Guan Yin Shan in Bukit Timah, Singapore. He moved back to Johor after he decided to build a Buddhist enclave.

He said, "We faced a lot of problems initially, such as the sudden suspension of work due to insufficient funds. Nevertheless, the public have given us their generous support and assistance so that the temple could eventually be completed."

As for the origins of the thousands of stone and wooden carvings in the temple, the Master said he could not be sure whether the collection included those which were hundred or thousand years old.

"The Singaporean collector who presented the relics to us did not reveal the origins of these carvings. Therefore I cannot confirm the values of these items"

Contact

Fa Yu Chan Temple
Lot 380, Jalan Sungai Tiram
Batu 133/4 Kampong Sungai Tiram
81800 Ulu Tiram, Johor, Malaysia
Contact: 016-717 9633 (Ms Chen Yi Ping)

Lighting the way

The Star, June 30, 2009

Malaysian director Ng Lid Sine’s films, The Oil Lamp and The Abbot & The Orphan, clinched awards at the Vesak 2009 International Buddhist Film Festival recently

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- TWO animated films produced by the Buddhist Institute Sunday Dhamma School (BISDS) at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, won awards at the recent inaugural Vesak 2009 International Buddhist Film Festival (May 9 to 15) in Sri Lanka.

Tale of devotional offering: Mara, the evil one, blowing with all its might to extinguish a tower of oil lamp offerings.

The Oil Lamp clinched the first prize in the International Short Film Competition while The Abbot & The Orphan – The Shrine, Ep 1 received a merit award (the only merit award given by the organising committee) as it exceeded the 12 minute restriction for each short film. Both films were by Malaysian director Ng Lid Sine.

Satoshi Hirayama took second prize for his entry entitled Heart Sutra, a video poetry of the sutra that depicts oneness with the universe. Another Japanese director, Kazuhiko Mizushina, won third prize for Sneakarma, a black comedy, which tells the story of a youth’s intense attachment to sneakers.

Organised jointly by Light of Asia Foundation, The National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the film festival received over 200 feature, documentary and short films based on Buddhist themes, of which 60 were international entries. Filmmakers from Japan, South Korea, the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Poland, Canada, Brazil, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka competed in the film festival.

Seven shortlisted entries for the International Short Film Competition were showcased on Sri Lanka’s national television during the duration of the film fest. It is hoped that the film fest will continue to grow annually culminating to a grand event in time for the celebration of 2,600 years of Buddhism in 2011.

Ng, 47, director of Cartoon Workshop, received the awards in a ceremony at the New Theatre of the National Film Corporation Sri Lanka in Colombo on June 16. The Oil Lamp tells the tale of a devotional offering of light to Buddha by an old beggar woman. Her devotion is so strong that even Mara, the evil one, is defeated.

“The animation was done some years ago, hence the retro feel to it,” Ng explained. “Characters were based on Indian comic styles with a bit of Asterix thrown in. It took us about three months to complete it,” says Ng.

“The moral behind this nine-minute animation is not how much you give but how you give it.”

The Oil Lamp, says Ng, has never been shown to the local Buddhist community but was presented once to the late Chief High Priest of Malaysia and Singapore, Ven Dr K. Sri Dhammananda.

“The BISDS is continuously searching for ways to propagate the Buddha Dhamma (the Buddha’s teachings) in line with its 80th anniversary theme, ‘Dhamma in Motion’. This animation will most likely be among the movies that BISDS will screen from time to time.”

Presently, Ng is working on a local animated television series and The Abbot & The Orphan animation series, which revolves around an orphan who is cared for by an old and blind abbot.

According to a press release, the Chief High Priest of Malaysia Ven K. Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera was instrumental in getting the films submitted for the competition. He was happy with the success of the BISDS’ first foray in film production and hoped that the BISDS will receive more support for future film productions.

The BISDS principal, Ven. K Sridhamma Thera, said: “The two animated films which were co-produced with Cartoon Workshop were projects undertaken by the BISDS to propagate the Dhamma in its outreach programmes.

“We hope to produce more contemporary productions to enable us to reach out and touch the young minds who have embraced the digital world.”

The BISDS was established in 1929 by Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society with the aim of educating children on the Buddhist teaching. It celebrated its 80th anniversary this year and is the oldest Buddhist Sunday School in the country.

The BISDS welcomes sponsors for the production of the The Abbot & The Orphan series as a novel way to disseminate the Buddha Dhamma. The Abbot & The Orphan DVD series which are in English and Mandarin are available from the Buddhist Maha Vihara (% 03-2274 1141).

For further enquiries, contact: Vineeta Serisena (tel: 012-2173 310), Catherine Heng (tel: 012-3921 683), Lau Kai Kong (tel: 012-6757 959) or Jackie Chong (tel: 012-3218 006).

Venerable Mahinda on teaching compassion

Video in TheStarOnline.tv (http://thestaronline.tv/v/3675)

The Gems of Life

14th KCBA English Dhamma Youth Camp

Theme: The Gems of Life
Date: 17th - 20th December 2009
Check in Time: 12.00 pm (on 17th December 2009)
Check out Time: 6.00 pm (on 20th December 2009)
Age Limit: 13 - 21 years old
Camp Fee: RM90 per pax

Buddhist Maha Vihara in Malaysia launches a fund for Sri Lankan IDP Orphans

by Sumanananda Premseri, Lanka Web, June 15, 2009

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- The Buddhist Maha Vihara Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur launched the Sri Lanka Aid fund to assist some 400 orphans in an Internal Displaced Camp in Northern Sri Lanka. These children are mentally affected by the conflict- traumatized, socially disoriented and psychologically vulnerable.

It is important to reach out to the children as they are the most vulnerable section of the population in any conflict. In a serious disorientation condition, they can be easily removed away from safety nets and trained to become child soldiers due to naivety, anger, etc or exploited by unscrupulous elements into child labor or prostitution. They are the most vulnerable section of the population in any domestic, localized or full scale conflict.

To help the children, the Buddhist Maha Vihara Brickfields is organizing a project to raise money to educate and provide assistance to these children. Launching the project was Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan who also pledged RM10,000 from the Ministry. The President of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, Datuk A. Vaithilingam and the Head of the Pure Life Society, Mother Mangalam and Datin Indrani Samy Vellu who is the wife of the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), Datuk Seri Samy Vellu also participated in the launching.

The MIC is the largest Indian based political party in Malaysia. The Hindu Sangam is the umbrella body of all the Hindu temples in Malaysia. Mother Mangalam, a socio-welfare activist has been closely associated and worked with the Buddhist Maha Vihara for decades to promote inter-faith fellowship and cooperation.

Joining them to launch the project was the Chief Incumbent of the Buddhist Maha Vihara and also the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Malaysia, Ven K Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera who will be going to the IDP Camp in Sri Lanka to distribute goods and educational aid to the children.

The Venerable is no stranger to helping orphans as he is also the founder and Spiritual Director of the Tiratana Welfare Society which runs an orphanage, old folks home, half-way home for runaways, welfare centers and a mobile clinic. The Tiratana Orphanage has more than a hundred and fifty children of whom, about 40 percent are Tamils. Some of these Tamil children from the Orphanage too came forward to participate and donate to the fund to alleviate sufferings of fellow children in another part of the world.

The Buddhist Maha Vihara has to date collected about RM30,000 for Sri Lanka Aid. A limited amount of donations in kind is being collected too.

In the period 2004-2005, the Buddhist Maha Vihara has helped Sri Lanka heavily too for Tsunami Relief sending container loads of aid by air and sea for immediate relief providing relief items such as ready to eat food, dried food, clothes, medicines, generators, etc which found its way to all parts of the country affected by the Tsunami including the Northern Region and the Eastern Province.

In Kalmunai, the Vihara funded the rebuilding of 2 Hindu temples destroyed by the Tsunami and sponsored a daily refugee feeding program. These projects were undertaken by the Triple Gem Society of USA led by Ven Y. Wimala. The Vihara also sponsored the building of the outpatient and specialist wing of the District hospital in Tangalle which was equipped later by AmeriCare of the USA.

Terminators ‘R’ Us?

by Shen Shi’an, The Buddhist Channel, June 16, 2009

Dharma Inspired Movie Review: http://terminatorsalvation.warnerbros.com

Singapore -- The Terminator saga, as most would know, is about the anthropomorphism and demonisation of high technology. It is a series of extreme cautionary tales on the potential danger of humans going overboard with unchecked technologisation.

Technology is meant to be a means for relieving human suffering, for bringing ease into our lives. However, technology for our convenience can conveniently overtake us if we are unskillful in handling it. Do we make machines to more efficiently help or harm us? ‘Good’ technology might be as easy to master as it is to manipulate, though machines are really intrinsically empty of any fixed characteristics; just as we are. We choose.

In the movie series, we see human rage against merciless machines. But since they were man-made, that humans ‘toyed’ with, terminators ‘r’ us; not really the machines per se! Inhumane robots made by imperfect humans in their own ‘image’! That said, the saga is indeed about the love-hate relationship humans have with machines. Can sentience enter machines? Machines in the future are supposed to have evolved self-awareness, that is slanted towards self-preservation and destruction of anyone against them. Sounds suspiciously like unenlightened human-nature, except that their Mara-like behaviour does not hint of any Buddha-nature. What irony that humans are forced to use more machines to fight machines, with both sides advancing their technologies. It’s no wonder that the saga will continue!

More than a man versus machine action thriller, ‘Terminator Salvation’ is also a terse study of the borderline similarities and differences between both, with the introduction of a cyborg character ambivalent of his true identity. Are we mere biological machines, just as robots are mechanical ones? If a robot simulates sentience, how would we tell if it’s real or not? If the mimicry is realistic, would it be inhumane to terminate one? Which is worthier – robots which simulate compassion, or hardened humans who seem void of compassion? Can a robot develop Buddha-nature? Does a robot have a case if it denies being mere machine? Even if it appears unsure, does this make it any less possibly sentient?

The cyborg who is half-machine chooses his human side to betray the machines. This is while some humans choose their inhumane side by betraying other fellow humans. With a heart of gold, he fights with a lot of heart, while some humans have devolved to become cold, heartless but calculated fighting ‘machines’ – the very enemies they were to fight. The worst thing that happens in war is not losing to the enemy, but to become the enemy by losing one’s humanity. The cyborg makes the ultimate act of sacrifice by donating his human heart for another human. Take heart! What make us human cannot be programmed – it is the strength of the human heart. Compassion is a strength that eventually wins. Our salvation must come from terminating our hate, along with other defilements.

Does becoming a cyborg make us a better human or just a better machine? Is it an upgrade or downgrade? With humans becoming increasingly connected to peripheral electronic devices, will we eventually have their nano versions implanted within us? At what point will we be more machine than human? The machines saw humans as threats as their makers could unmake them. Do we see technology as a possible threat then? Shouldn’t we – to some extent? As John Conner, leader of the human rebels said, ‘If you are listening to this, you are the resistance.’

Resist greed that demands ever more ‘supreme’ technology. In the future, when machines become more powerful and interconnected, they might become more united than humankind. Beware the ills of placing all our eggs in one basket called technology! Collective human wisdom must evolve faster than all its technologies combined!