A tribute to all the Mummies and Daddies of the World

Song "Brahma of my heart" performed by i-Gemz, The Buddhist Channel, May 29, 2008

It was in January of 2002, that songwriter Khoo Nee Wern invited Daniel Kwok to join him and his friends from BGF's Incovar to form the band known as i.gemz. The name of the band was coined as a spin-off from members of Incovar who enjoy singing, songwriting, dancing and performing original musical works. Back then, there were no plans to record an album. The i.gemz was a group of Kalyana Mittas who shared the love for good music and the passion to push the boundaries for more meaningful and contemporary Buddhist music.

As a result of i.gemz's growing popularity, the band of singers and performers was soon joined by
talented songwriters Toh Anson and Khoo Nee Sern. Together, fresh new songs were written and played during camps, the musical Pujas and other Buddhist concerts. By 2003, they have started to perform in many Buddhist temples by invitation with a simple minus-one recording for 5 of their more popular songs. Many Buddhist youths and fans had already memorised the simple lyrics and catchy tunes of i.gemz, and sang these songs during their camps and youth meetings. Everyone asked i.gemz the same question, "You guys are like the new Wayfarers. So, when is i.gemz coming up with your own album?"

By 2004, i.gemz have compiled enough songs for 2 albums. With the encouragement and backing from BGF's President, Datuk Dr Victor Wee, the band recorded their first demo album on a cassette. With the noisy demo tape during their free time, they searched high and low for a suitable sound engineer to produce their album. During this time, i.gemz also searched for new singers by conducting auditions at BGF.

It took i.gemz nearly 18 months to record their debut album, "Cradled In Buddha's Arms". In December 2005, i.gemz launched their album to an overwhelming crowd at BGF hall. Since then the group has been performing in various local Buddhist gatherings, and recently at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok Thailand during the International Buddhist Conference on Wesak Day 2006; and also at Malacca's Wisma SKH in April 2006 during Echoes of Buddhism #1 there.

The i.gemz team regularly meet for practices and continues to experiment and write new songs. They continue to live up to their motto, "We Inspire Through Music", by performing and singing from their hearts as regularly as they can. And what they received in return is even more important: ... the inspiration and gratitude from their fans and the Buddhist Community in Malaysia and around the world.

For pictorial stories on the adventures of the i.gemz, please visit their blog @ http://igemz.blogspot.com.

Retreat Camp 2008

As mentioned in one of the previous post, there would be a retreat camp on 5th and 6th July 2008.

Well, the venue has been confirmed and YES, we are going to DENGKIL...

As for the rest of the details, nothing have been finalized yet.

Watch this place for more updates...

During Wesak Day 2008...

It has been a while since Wesak Day and finally, and I do mean finally, dat I am able to get these photographs uploaded here...

Sorry for those who have been waiting for these photographs to be uploaded... I was kinda busy last week...

With metta,

Bro Wei Han

Everyone when we began...

Our promotional board

Rachel and Jessy

Shin Ling and Leoni

Jack and Leonard

Rachel yawning...

Rachel doing the Scary Movie post...

Touching stories emerge of brave children

The Star, Thursday May 22, 2008

CHENGDU: Some of the most touching stories which have emerged from the Sichuan earthquake are from children who have acted bravely in times of adversity.

One was that of nine-year-old Lin Hou who saved two of his classmates by carrying them out of their classroom when the earthquake struck last Monday.

“I was not hurt then but only got myself hurt when I carried them piggyback,” he said.

The three then trekked on mountain roads to get out of the ruined area, he added.

What was more amazing was that Hou has yet to find his parents and does not even know whether they are still alive.

Another was that of a little boy who told rescuers to go ahead to save others first because he was “not scared.”

And there was a girl who was trapped in the rubble who shouted at rescuers: “Danger! Go out quickly!”

Despite all these bravery, experts believe that the children have been traumatised by the entire disaster.

Psychologists and therapists have been sent to the worst affected areas to take care of survivors.

Tales of unsung heroes in China quake aftermath

The Star, 21 May 2008

CHENGDU: Although she lost 10 family members, including her mother and two-year-old daughter, in the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake, a Pengzhou police officer has remained on duty as part of rescue operations in the affected areas.

“It’s unbearable to see the survivors suffering and I want to help them,” said Jiang Min, 28.

The sight of injured children is unbearable to her, but she has had little time to grieve, instead making every effort to help in rescue operations and earning the respect of many.

The state television station also broadcast news of a soldier who had to leave his pregnant wife in a roadside shelter without food to report for duty in rescue operations.

Later, he left a message in an earthquake relief and assistance forum for help to find his spouse, and members of the public and the media responded.

“The soldiers and other relief workers have helped us tremendously.

“We want to do our part to help them in return as they can’t take care of their own families for the time being,” said a member of the public.

It was reported that about 200 rescuers were buried in rubble when aftershocks struck again. One of them survived 178 hours in the rubble before being rescued.

Earlier, the Sichuan Provincial Government’s website ran a statement by the Sichuan Seismological Bureau informing residents to prepare for possible aftershocks.

Our hotel distributed leaflets late at night informing guests of the announcement and asked us to take precautions. A car park at ground level is serving as a temporary rest area for hotel guests.

The whole city looks like a campsite, with tents and makeshift shelters at every corner.

Since the main earthquake, there have been more than 7,000 tremors, big and small.

Experts have stressed that buildings here are earthquake-safe and people should remain calm.

The weather forecast was for heavy rain and thunderstorm in the quake zone last night, and there were Internet postings of another sighting of thousands of toads and frogs on Monday.

Some claimed this may not be a sign of another earthquake, while others argued that the sighting of thousands of toads in Mianyang on the eve of the Wenchuan earthquake was a warning.

Many residents here were as gloomy as the grey skies of Chengdu on Tuesday.

Youth seek new path on Wesak Day

^ The Venerable Chief Reverend K. Sri Dhammaratana Maha Nayaka Thera wants the Buddhist community to adopt the percepts of Buddhism.

By Chai Mei Ling, The New Straits Times, May 19, 2008

It has been 2,552 years since Lord Buddha passed away and what used to be a day to commemorate his birthday, enlightenment and passing away, has been turned into a festival of sorts. Chief High Priest of Malaysia, the Venerable Chief Reverend K. Sri Dhammaratana Maha Nayaka Thera, tells CHAI MEI LING of the balance between staying true to the meaning of Wesak Day and keeping up with the times.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Today, children no longer go to temples merely for the sake of accompanying their parents who are practising Buddhists.

"Those days, children used to follow their grandparents and parents to the temple, take a joss stick and pray, without understanding the meaning behind it all," says Chief High Priest of Malaysia, the Venerable Chief Reverend K. Sri Dhammaratana Maha Nayaka Thera.

"But children today want to know why popo (grandmother) is praying, which is why we must educate them.

"Our Buddhist leaders did not prepare activities in line with society's changing needs. Most organisations follow just the traditional way."

Sri Dhammaratana says these activities need not even be religious to start with.

For example, the Maha Vihara temple in Brickfields is inviting dancers from some 10 countries to perform during Wesak.

"The dance has nothing to do with Buddhism, but everything to do with culture. If we want to introduce religion to the people, it must go through culture and tradition."

The temple's Sunday Dhamma School also tries to engage children through art competitions, Wesak Day preparations and fund raising activities for their school.

It has thus far reached out to 2,000 students.

Wesak, being the most important day for the Buddhist community, presents the best opportunity to remind the younger generation of their culture and tradition.

Despite the need to tune religious outreach programmes to modern needs, it is also pertinent to ensure one doesn't sway from the true meaning of Wesak and Buddhism.

Sri Dhammaratana remembers a time when the Buddhist community throughout the world used to "commemorate" instead of "celebrate" Wesak.

It used to be, he says, more or less a religious day when Buddhists observed the eight precepts, meditated, discussed Buddha's teachings, and remembered his service to humankind.

It has now, of course, turned into a carnival.

For the second year now, Maha Vihara will observe a 15 to 30 minute silence every hour on Wesak Day for people to reflect on Buddha's teachings.

And on that day, people should not ask for favours from the Buddha, says Sri Dhammaratana.

"You pay respect to the Buddha, his teachings and his disciples.

"Blessings will come when you have strong faith, and the monk recites Buddha's virtues in correct pronunciation and with a compassionate heart."

The Chief Reverend encourages Buddhists to gradually adopt the precepts of Buddhism.

He says no matter what religion one adopts, it should be applied to daily life.

"All religions preach good things. Unfortunately, most people don't apply the teachings to real life. When they are out of the temple, church or mosque, they become normal beings who are emotional."

Malaysia, he says, will remain a beautiful country if leaders of all religions can come together and work as a family.

"Don't segregate based on religion, race and party."

Little Arnold's all excited

AT 11, Arnold Ang is already a "veteran" of Wesak Day processions.

He has been participating in processions since he was 9-years-old, and although tomorrow will be the third time he takes part, he is just as excited as he was two years ago.

"I'm very excited. I'll be going with my friends again this year," said Arnold.

Besides participating in Wesak Day activities, he also enjoys helping his parents, Lydia Chow and Richard Ang, to prepare food on the eve of the celebration.

Chow has been busy preparing nyonya acar (spicy mixed vegetable pickle) for monks and the people who visit the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields - a two-decade-old tradition that she has faithfully kept.

"It's my grandmother's recipe, passed down to us.

"At first it was just my husband, my sister and me who were handling the preparation of the acar," said Chow, a housewife.

"But now, my friends and relatives have begun helping out. Now we can make larger portions.

"This year, we will prepare about 15-20kg of acar. It will be served to the monks and public when they pay homage to Buddha at the temple."

Chow said the little act of giving food to others is seen as practising generosity as taught in Buddhism.

"Wesak Day marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha and we are taught to do good, avoid evil and purify the mind.

"There will be many activities too.

"We hope people will come and experience the meaning of Wesak Day."

Wesak International Film Festival

While working in KCBA yesterday during Wesak Day Celebration, I came across a poster showing Wesak International Film Festival (WIFF).

It is really interesting even though this is not really the first time I have seen a Buddhist Film Festival and I managed to copy down the website...

So, here is the website that I would like to share with you.

www.wiff.org.my

For your information, here is the list of movies that is going to be screen...

• Qixia Temple 1937
• Angulimala
• 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama
• Peace is every Step
• Buddha's Lost Children
• Milarepa
• The Lion's Roar
• Amongst White Clouds
• Refuge in the Three Jewels
• Fearless Mountain
• Oseam (Animation)
• Through the Eyes of a Little Monk

For more information, please visit the website at www.wiff.org.my.

By Bro. Wei Han

Happy Wesak Day

Happy Wesak Day

Unravelling meaning of life through Buddhism

by Ajahn Brahmavamso, The Buddhist Channel, May 19, 2008

A Wesak reflection on the basics of the Buddha's teachings

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Today, Buddhism continues to gain ever-wider acceptance in many lands far beyond its original home. The Buddhist Teaching of the Law of Kamma offers our society a just and incorruptible foundation and reason for the practice of a moral life. It is easy to see how a wider embracing of the Law of Kamma would lead any country towards a stronger, more caring and virtuous society.

The Teaching of Rebirth places this present short lifetime of ours in a broader perspective, giving more meaning to the vital events of birth and death. The understanding of rebirth removes so much of the tragedy and grief surrounding death and turns one's attention to the quality of a lifetime, rather than its mere length.

From the very beginning, the practice of meditation has been at the very heart of the Buddhist Way. Today, meditation grows increasingly popular as the proven benefits to both mental and physical well being become more widely known. When stress is shown to be such a major cause of human suffering, the quieting practice of meditation becomes ever more valued.

Today's world is too small and vulnerable to live angry and alone, thus the need for tolerance, love and compassion is important. These qualities of mind essential for happiness are formally developed in Buddhist meditation and then diligently put into practice in everyday life.

Forgiveness and gentle tolerance, harmlessness and peaceful compassion are well known trademarks of Buddhism, they are given freely and broadly to all kinds of beings, including animals of course, and also, most importantly, to oneself. There is no place for dwelling in guilt or self-hatred in Buddhism, not even a place for feeling guilty about feeling guilty!

Teachings and practices such as these are what bring about qualities of gentle kindness and unshakeable serenity, identified with the Buddhist religion for 25 centuries and sorely needed in today's world. In all its long history, no war has ever been fought in the name of Buddhism. It is this peace and this tolerance, growing out of a profound yet reasonable philosophy, which makes Buddhism so vitally relevant to today's world.

What is Kamma?

Kamma means 'action'. The Law of Kamma means that there are inescapable results of our actions. There are deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' harm, one's own harm, or to the harm of both. Such deeds are called bad (or 'unwholesome') Kamma. They are usually motivated by greed, hatred or delusion. Because they bring painful results, they should not be done.

There are also deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' well being, one's own wellbeing, or to the wellbeing of both. Such deeds are called good (or 'wholesome') Kamma. They are usually motivated by generosity, compassion or wisdom. Because they bring happy results, they should be done as often as possible.

Thus much of what one experiences is the result of one's own previous Kamma. When misfortune occurs, instead of blaming someone else, one can look for any fault in one's own past conduct. If a fault is found, the experience of its consequences will make one more careful in the future. When happiness occurs, instead of taking it for granted, one can look to see if it is the result of good Kamma. If so, the experience of its pleasant results will encourage more good Kamma in the future.

The Buddha pointed out that no being whatsoever, divine or otherwise, has any power to stop the consequences of good and bad Kamma. The fact that one reaps just what one sows gives to the Buddhist a greater incentive to avoid all forms of bad Kamma while doing as much good Kamma as possible. Though one cannot escape the results of bad Kamma, one can lessen their effect. A spoon of salt mixed in a glass of pure water makes the whole very salty, whereas the same spoon of salt mixed in a freshwater lake hardly changes the taste of the water. Similarly, the result of a bad Kamma in a person habitually doing only a small amount of good Kamma is painful indeed, whereas the result of the same bad Kamma in a person habitually doing a great deal of good Kamma is only mildly felt.

This natural Law of Kamma becomes the force behind, and reason for, the practice of morality and compassion in our society.

Teaching of Rebirth

The Buddha remembered clearly many of His past lives. Even today, many Buddhist monks, nuns and others also remember their past lives. Such a strong memory is a result of deep meditation. For those who remember their past life, Rebirth is an established act which puts this life in a meaningful perspective.

The Law of Kamma can only be understood in the framework of many lifetimes, because it sometimes takes this long for Kamma to bear its fruit. Thus Kamma and Rebirth offer a plausible explanation to the obvious inequalities of birth; why some are born into great wealth whereas others are born into pathetic poverty; why some children enter this world healthy and full-limbed whereas others enter deformed and diseased. The fruits of bad Kamma are not regarded as a punishment for evil deeds but as lessons from which to learn, for example, how better to learn about the need for generosity than to be reborn among the poor!

Rebirth takes place not only within this human realm. The Buddha pointed out that the realm of human beings is but one among many. There are many separate heavenly realms and grim lower realms too, realms of the animals and realms of the ghosts. Not only can human beings go to any of these realms in the next life, but also we can come from any of these realms into our present life. This explains a common objection against Rebirth that argues "How can there be Rebirth when there are 10 times as many people alive today than there were 50 years ago?" The answer is that people alive today have come from many different realms.

Understanding that we can come and go between these different realms gives us more respect and compassion for the beings in these realms. It is unlikely, for example, that one would exploit animals when one has seen the link of Rebirth that connects them with us.

No Creator God

The Buddha pointed out that no God or priest nor any other kind of being has the power to interfere in the working out of someone else's Kamma. Buddhism, therefore, teaches the individual to take full responsibility for themselves.

For example, if you want to be wealthy then be trustworthy, diligent and frugal, or if you want to live in a heavenly realm then always be kind to others. There is no God to ask favours from, or to put it another way, there is no corruption possible in the workings of Kamma.

Do Buddhists believe that a Supreme Being created the universe? Buddhists would first ask which universe do you mean? This present universe from the moment of the 'Big Bang' up to now is but one among countless millions in Buddhist cosmology. The Buddha gave an estimate of the age of a single universe-cycle of around 37,000 million years, which is quite plausible when compared to modern astrophysics. After one universe-cycle ends another begins, again and again, according to impersonal law. A Creator God is redundant in this scheme.

No being is a Supreme Saviour, according to the Buddha, because whether God, human, animal or whatever, all are subject to the Law of Kamma. Even the Buddha had no power to save. He could only point out the Truth so that the wise could see it for themselves. Everyone must take responsibility for their own future well being, and it is dangerous to give that responsibility to another.

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Ajahn Brahmavamso is the Abbot of Bodhiyana Buddhist Monastery & Spiritual Director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, Perth. www.bswa.org.

Buddha’s teachings significant in troubled times: UN Chief - Vesak messages

The Sunday Times, May 18, 2008

New York -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his Vesak Day message said the Buddha’s timeless teachings of peace, compassion and love for all living beings should inspire the efforts to address the broader challenges confronting our world -- in peace and security, in development and in the protection of our environment.

“In these areas, we have to rise above our perceived narrow self-interests, and think and act as members of one global community. This is the path to enlightenment, and it is the foundation of a better world for all,” he said.

The Secretary General recalled that this year, the observance of Vesak falls at a time of profound loss.“Cyclone ‘Nargis’ has devastated Myanmar, while a massive earthquake has ripped through southwest China. Both natural disasters have resulted in untold suffering -- tens of thousands have died; many more have lost their families, homes and livelihoods,” the UN Secretary General said.

He said that in the shadow of these enormous tragedies, the Buddha’s message of peace, compassion and love for all living beings brings added urgency.

“It tells us to open our hearts and embrace our fellow human beings, especially those in need. It asks us to recognize our essential oneness, and to place the well-being of our communities and of all humanity at par with our own,” he said.

The Secretary General added that these timeless teachings must guide the international community’s response to the situation in Myanmar.

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The UN Secretary-General's Vesak Day message 2008

UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moonThe Day of Vesak is a joyous occasion marking the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. On this day millions of people, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, take time to reflect on the life and teachings of the Buddha, and to receive guidance from them.

This year, the observance of Vesak falls at a time of profound and painful loss. Cyclone Nargis has devastated Myanmar, while a massive earthquake has ripped through Southwest China. Both natural disasters have resulted in untold suffering -- tens of thousands have died; many more have lost their families, homes and livelihoods.

In the shadow of these enormous tragedies, the Buddha’s message of peace, compassion and love for all living beings brings added urgency. It tells us to open our hearts and embrace our fellow human beings, especially those in need. It asks us to recognize our essential oneness, and to place the well-being of our communities and of all humanity at par with our own.

These timeless teachings must guide the international community’s response to the situation in Myanmar. They should also inspire our efforts to address the broader challenges confronting our world -- in peace and security, in development and in the protection of our environment. In each of these areas, we have to rise above our perceived narrow self-interests, and think and act as members of one global community. This is the path to enlightenment, and it is the foundation of a better world for all.

On this Day of Vesak, let us affirm our essential interdependence. Let us pledge to work together for the common good, and for the betterment of all humankind. I thank you for your commitment to these ideals, and wish you all an enriching celebration.