Dhamma Earth 法域

Malaysia Dhamma Society (MDS) is pleased to inform you that the Kathina Ceremony of Tusita Hermitage (Tusita) will be held on October 12, 2014 (Sunday). We highly appreciate your participation in the ceremony. Let’s perform the wholesome and meritorious deeds together.

In the Buddhist Calendar, the Kathina ceremony is held, within one month of the end of Vassa (three month rainy season meditation retreat) for the monastic order. It is the time of the year, the laity gathers to make formal offerings of robes and requisites to support and to show their gratitude to the Sangha.

This year, there are about 30 over monastic at Tusita for Vassa. Venerable U Mangala and about 11 Bhantes and 19 Sayalays will be attending the Kathina Ceremony.

Please see below the Kathina Ceremony’s events on the eve and Kathina Day:

Below is a Sutta in Samyutta Nikaya, Deva Samyutta-Devas, SN1.42, Kindada Sutta :

[Giver of What]

A certain deva of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Monastery, approached the the Buddha. He paid homage to the Buddha, stood one side and asked:

Tusita Hermitage is a place in which you can plant the seeds of happiness. You are free to give not only material things such as donations, food, buildings, but also your service, time,  love, respect, knowledge, care, talent and effort. You are most welcome to offer your service, visit our web site www.tusitainternational.net or contact 019-8582666 for more information.

The Spirit of Giving

Six factors will be developed by the action of giving :

1) selfless heart, 2) magnanimous mind, 3) gratitude, 4) wisdom, 5) Harmony, 6) humility.

Therefore, to celebrate these beautiful virtues, the theme for our Kathina Celebration this year is “The Spirit Of Giving”. To tie up with this spirit, other than our offering Sanghati, robes and four requisites to Sangha， for the first time we will be having a mass food offering to all by providing local delicacies from various states and culture. We have Kulim Rojak, Taiping coffee, local dishes, Sri Lankan cakes and rice, Japanese Sushi, Durian ice cream and many more. Do come and join us on Kathina Day.

Items for Offering

You may contribute to any of followings that are meaningful to you:

In addition to the robes and four requisites, you may also contribute to item with REF # K2 to K10. Please refer “Donation Item Information” below on the item for more information.

Please be informed that, donor may collect the robes and item Ref # K1 to K10 (in form of simple ‘model’) from our donation counter for offering on Kathina Day.

If you are interested to contribute any of the above items, please kindly bank in to the bank accounts as appended below, i.e.

Please EMAIL the bank in slip to Sister Doris (016-8849179) at dorizzhung@gmail.com or Sis.Chai Chew (019-8582666) for ease of bank reconciliation purpose.  Kindly be informed that the OFFICIAL RECEIPT will be sent to the donor upon request only.

Gratefulness

To express our gratitude to all donors, we have prepared a simple Tusita Progress Report.  Please refer “Tusita Progress Report” below for more information.

On behalf of MDS, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to Sangha and Sayalays for their unconditionally to practice meditation, spreading dhamma in Tusita Hermitage, Kuching.

May the merits of performing this meritorious deed through supporting the Buddha Sasana be a good condition for the attainment of Nibbana.

By the speaking of the truth, may the Triple-Gem protect you and your family!

Donation Item Information

1. Land and Building Fund Information
   This fund is meant to purchase nearby land and to build more building to accommodate more meditators. It will be used for retreat by the meditators, to learn dhamma and practice meditation.
2. General Fund Information
   This fund is meant to support the daily and monthly expenses of the society and the monastery. They are the electric and water supply, the salary for dhamma workers, cooks, general worker and English Tuition Teachers, transportation, medication fees, monastery maintenance and etc.
3. Tusita Van Information
   The collection of this donation will be use to purchase a van (at least to accommodate 10 people) which meant to ease our transportation arrangement. For example-: will be use to send the monastic member for alms round at the respective wet markets on every Sunday, to pick up volunteers that need transport whenever we have events and etc.
4. New Pindapat Hall and Kitchen Information
   We planned to build a new pindapat hall and kitchen at Tusita 3 which is far from the female monastic kutis and the meditation hall. By shifting the pindapat hall and kitchen, Tusita 1 will have a better environment for the female monastic to practice meditation.
5. Tusita Sentral Information
   Tusita Sental is a bigger building for more activities such as dhamma talk and others events. May the dhamma spread widely and more beings benefited from the dhamma.
6. Sayang Fund Information
   This Fund is still in the initial stage of the development, one of the objective is to reduce sufferings and promote true happiness in the society, especially among those disadvantaged one by working to let them help themselves through means that unveil and develop their potentials.
7. Old Folks Training Centre Information
   The objective of this training centre is to guide old folks towards having a rich, steady and auspicious life. The project is in the pilot run stage, 3 parents of our monastic members are staying in the training centre.  They have the opportunity to listen to the dhamma, keeping the 5 precept, dana and chanting. In future, there will be a pleasant, relaxing and healthy space for them to carry out their activities, to interact with each other and will spend their old ages with the Dhamma.
8. Dhamma Publication Fund
   The publication fund will be used to publish or reprint dhamma books. Tusita only allow distributing dhamma books and CDs approved by the Sangha. One new book is to be publishing soon; more books will be translated in the future.  May the dhamma last long in the world.

Tusita Progress Report

Greetings from Tusita Hermitage!

It has been an exciting few years for Tusita Hermitage. There have been lots of developments in Tusita, thanks to all of your generous donations and continuous support over the years. Let’s have a brief run through here on what we have done over the years with all of your donations.

Land and Building Development

The majority of our donations are used in acquiring land surrounding our hermitage. Due to the rapid development of our surroundings by developers and the threat of urbanisation and a surge in land prices, it’s imperative for us to acquire more land to create a buffer around Tusita Hermitage to preserve the quietness, serenity and conducive environment for meditation. As this is an on-going process and we are constantly short of funds, we hope we are able to raise enough funds to secure a wider area to create a better sanctuary for the monastic member and all to practise. Below is a land map of Tusita Hermitage for your reference.

Tusita Hermitage Land Map

In addition to the general running cost of the society, the hermitage and the daily support for the Sangha and yogis, another substantial part of your donations are also used in constructing kutis for our Monastic Sanghas, Sima Hall, Multi Purpose Hall, Sayadaw kuti, pergola, longhouse, and Tusita 3 activity Centre. All these constructions are necessary to meet the increasing number of devotees, yogis and monastic monks and nuns. Please refer to the pictures below for all of our developments. For further details, you may refer to the appendix.

Community Welfare

Free English Tuition Class

In 2013, we started giving free English Tuition for the primary and secondary school students around our vicinity who are illiterate in English. We employed professional English teachers to teach them and so far the response for our primary school enrolment has been overwhelming. We hope to be able to sustain these classes and continue to provide free classes for them.

 Mangala Wellness Programme

In recent months, Mangala wellness programme team has developed a unique healthy programme which combine unblocking blockages, stretching exercise and meditation. This wellness programme is designed to unblock the blockages in our body, enhance body blood circulation, enhance mental alertness, reduce fatique and correct our spine structure. The exercise helps to maintain our physical and mental wellness and it is especially useful for meditators. It’s benefits have been attested by many of our sangha members, sayalays, yogis and devotees who have been practicing it regularly. We will conduct the first introductory class to the public on Sept 20^th (class full) and another(simplified version) on Kathina Eve. Please come and join us on Kathina Eve from 3-5pm.

Dhamma Publication Team

Started from this year (2014), we have an editorial team that supports this Dhamma Publication Arm of MDS. We have published many dhamma related books and CDs in recent years and one more book is in the pipe line. Translations of Dhamma books are also in progress and there will be more exciting news rolling out from our team to benefit those who are non bilingual. We also hope through this Dhamma publication, we can help spread the Dhamma far and wide to benefit more people.

Dhamma Development Team (DDT)

In January 2014, we have set up a Dhamma Development Team to train full time and part time Dhamma workers in our hermitage. The mission of the team is to share the Dhamma with various groups and communities by applying timeless methods and innovative approaches for the happiness of all beings. They will be trained and exposed in various dhamma organisation and leadership skills that is congruent to the Dhamma and Vinaya. Anyone who is interested is welcome to join us.

Appendix

Tusita Hermitage’s Development and progress over the years

In conjunction with Mother’s Day and Pre Wesak Day, we cordially invite you to Tusita Hermitage for a Pindapata and Family Day event on May 11 (Sunday). You and your family are most welcome to come to offer alms to the whole Sangha and Sayalay community at Tusita as well as visit Tusita’s various sites and exhibition booths on that day. There will also be a blood donation drive and free Chinese physician consultation on that day.

In adddition to that, on Wesak Day itself (May 13, Tuesday), we will also have puja, lamp lighting offerings, Buddha bathing ceremony and dhamma talk on that day. Bhante Buddharakkhita and 9 Bhantes and 15 Sayalays will be attending the Wesak Day Celebration. There will be dana (contribution) through lamp lighting, for any individual/personal contribution (RM20 each), family contribution (RM50 each) and free will contribution (Any Amount).

On this auspicious day, you have also the opportunity to contribute to our land and building fund. Tusita owns 11 acres of land currently. All are contributed by our passionate devotees. The current facilities are inclusive of meditation halls, Sangha’s kutis, Children and Youth Activity Centre and Canteen.  With sufficient fund in the future, Tusita shall expand our development plan to include old folk home, home for the disabled and a multipurpose hall.   Contribution to this land development is meritorious deed as it will provide our Sangha and meditators with a peaceful and conducive environment, a place for them to practice meditation and to realize nibbana.

If you are interested to contribute any of the above mentioned, please kindly channel your donations to the following bank:

Name of Bank : Hong Leong Bank Berhad

Beneficiary       : Persatuan Dhamma Malaysia

Account No     : 017-0018-3673

Bank Address  : No: 42, Jalan Pending, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak.

Bank’s Swift Code: HLBBMYKL

*Please notify us at tusita.treasury@gmail.com and attach your bank in slip attention to Sister Ling and Sister Siew Fang.  We rejoice in your generosity!

Please refer to the full programme and pindapata routes below.  Please bring your friends and family members. We hope to see all of you there on these two auspicious days’ celebrations.

May the merits of performing these meritorious deeds through supporting the Buddha Sasana be a good condition for the attainment of Nibbana.

May you be well, happy and peaceful.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Gawai Meditation Retreat*

Retreat period                                           Meditation Teacher

Batch 1  ~   31 May – 15 Jun                      Bhante Buddharakkhita

Batch 2  ~   31 May – 29 Jun                      Bhante Buddharakkhita

Closing date for retreat application:       30 April 2014

*Conditions:-

1.  All yogis are required to attend full duration of either Batch 1 or Batch 2 or at least 8 days of the retreat period.

2.  All yogis are to check-in on the first day and check-out on the last day of the retreat period.  If you can only attend 8 days of retreat, you are kindly requested to check-in on Saturday and check-out on the next Saturday of the above retreat period.

3.  Please strictly abide by the stipulated deadline.  Late submission of application will not be entertained.