lotus Journal of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara Issue No.42 W INter 2014

Dr Rewata Dhamma 1929-2004 cover photograph: In this tenth year anniversary of the death of Dr Rewata Dhamma it is fitting to recollect him and all that he did to establish our Centre. OPPORTUNITY FOR MERITORIOUS ACT

PAGODA ROOF REPAIRS APPEAL CONTENTS URGENT REPAIRS NEEDED Calendar of Activities 2 Anattā 3/4 (£8070 needed - £1480 donated so far) by Nathabandu Kottegoda Sultanganj Buddha - In Birmingham for another 150 years 5 See p.7 (Vihara News) for details of necessary work to by Adam Jaffer and Keith Munnings be done and progress so far. The Buddha, Anattā and Non Self 6 by Duncan Fyfe Please offer as much or as little as you can afford to Vihara News 7/8 help us maintain this beautiful building for the future (address details on p.8). 2559 BE/2015 EVENTS CALENDAR RETREATS T BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST VIHARA 10-Day Insight Retreat T DHAMMATALAKA PEACE PAGODA 21-30 Aug (experienced) T BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST ACADEMY Led by Dr Ottaranyana Designed to enable meditators to experience the FESTIVALS characteristic of impermanence and nature of non-selfhood Buddha Day (Birmingham Museum & Art as part of the process of insight meditation. Gallery) 17 May 12:45pm Mahasi Insight Retrea t 13 December (suitable for all) Buddha Day (Visaka) Led by Bhikkhu Bodhidhamma Dr Rewata Dhamma’s Memorial Service Classic Mahasi insight technique specifically designed for the 3 May 10:30am western mind and taught in a popular dynamic fashion. Dhammacakka Day & Pagoda Anniversary 26 July 10:30am CHILDREN’S CLASSES Abhidhamma & Pavarana Day Sunday class 28 Oct. 7:00pm from 1pm - 3pm Every Sunday except when it falls on Christmas Day and New Kathina Year’s Day. 1st Nov. 10:30am Suitable for 5 + years, but all welcome with or without children. COURSES OF STUDY For further details please contact Ellen on her mobile: 07814 972 460 Abhidhamma or email her at: (Higher Buddhist Philosophy) [email protected] Led by Dr. Ottaranyana Summer Course for Children Vibhanga (the Book of Analysis) (31st July to 2nd Aug.) together with its commentary: ‘The Dispeller of Please bring your children to the Vihara to stay here and learn Delusion’ about Buddhism. This three day course will include a Buddhist Every Thursday 2pm to 4pm film as well as enjoyable teachings. Accommodation will be available in our Vihara and we look forward to our first ever Buddhist Diploma Course children’s course. For information about these classes go to our For details please contact Dr Nagasana: website: [email protected] birminghambuddhistacademy.org. MEDITATION CLASSES FULL MOON Beginners: Chanting in the Pagoda at 7:30pm except on Thurs. 7:30pm festival days. Advanced: 4 Jan., 3 Feb., 4 Mar., Mon. 7:30pm 3 April, 2 May, 1June, 1/31 July, 30 Aug., 28 Sept. PAGODA OPENING 28 Oct., 26 Nov., 26 Dec. Summer 9am – 7pm Winter 9am – 5pm DEVOTEE DAYS The Pagoda is open most days but to avoid disappointment An opportunity for devotees to offer dana lunch please call or e-mail first to ensure there will be someone to the resident monks of the vihara. After lunch available to welcome you and show you around. everyone may take part in a short meditation session followed by a Dhamma talk. The event Phone: 0121 454 6591 or email: will take place on the first Sunday of each month. birminghambuddhistacademy.org. For further details please contact: For school visit contact: Dr Nagasena or Bill Strongman [email protected]

2 Anattā

Nathabandu Kottegoda gives us examples of how Not-Self, anattā, is as realizable today as when taught by Lord Buddha

n a Sunday morning 30 years ago James Austin, full range of feelings from pleasant to painful that we an American neurologist, was waiting for a train encounter. It is the manner in which one experiences O in London. Dr Austin had come to spend his things. The aggregate of perception, sañña , gives identifi - sabbatical year in England. He glanced aw ay from the cation or recognition. It apprehends objects. The aggregate tracks towards the river Thames. He saw nothing extraor - of mental fabrications or volitional formations, sankhāra , dinary: the gr imy Under ground st ation, a few dingy build - constitutes, for the most part, the will as a forerunner of ings and a pale grey sky. He was thinking about the Zen thoughts, speech and actions that determine our kamma . Buddhist retreat he was headed toward. Suddenly he felt The fifth aggregate is consciousness, viññaṇa . It is the act a sense of enlightenment unlike anything he had experi - of knowing; that is, awareness of what is happening enced before. His sense of individual existence, of sepa - around us. All five aggregates occur so closely interrelated rateness from the physical world around him, evapo rated that they give rise to the delusion of a self. The purpose of ‘like morning mist in a bright dawn.’ He saw things ‘as the teaching was to expose and dispel this misconception, they really are’, he recalls. The sense of ‘I, me, mine’ dis - which Lord Buddha called the most fundamental of appeared. ‘Time was not present,’ he said, ‘I had a sense wrong views. The Buddha presented the aggregates to the of eternity. My old yearnings, loathing, disciples in question-and-answer mode. fear of death and insinuations of sel f- He directed them to apply each aggre - hood vanished. I had been graced by a ‘This is not mine, this is gate to their own experiences and comp rehension of the ultimate nature thereby develop arguments for contem - of things.’ ( Religion and the Brain : not what I am, plation. Firstly, they confirmed that an Newsweek magazine of 7th May 2001. aggregate does not follow any type of Dr James Austin is the author of Zen this is not my self.’ command that may be given. For exam - and the Brain , MIT Press, Mass., USA, ple, ‘Let my body be healthy and not 844pp.) lend itself to disease. Let my feelings be The neuropsychologist Paul Broks thus. Let my feelings not be thus.’ Such wrote in his book Into the Silent Land (Atlantic Books, Lon - orders are disobeyed inevitably. Thus under scrutiny the don, 2004, pages 51,52): ‘The brain has evolved systems aggregates do not constitute a self because they are not dedicated to social cognition and action. It constructs a under the control of a master or self. A second set of ques - model of the organism of which it is a part and, beyond tions and answers on the aggregates followed. The focus this, representation of that organism’s place to other sim - now shifted to their three inter connected general charac - ilar organisms: people. As part of the process it assembles teristics, or marks of existence, of impermanence, anicca , a ‘self,’ which can be thought of as the device we employ unsatisfactoriness, dukkha , and non-selfhood, anattā . They as a means of negotiating the social environment. The idea agreed that each aggregate is subject to impermanence, of a narrative self has a long history with roots in Buddhist which means the cessation of what has come into being. teaching…... There is no central core or ego.’ The Scottish Hence this conditionality leads to dukkha. It arises from the philosopher David Hume had taken exactly the same line intrinsic inability of the aggregates to deliver lasting hap - in the eighteenth century. He said that it was a fiction to piness when one keeps on clinging to conditioned things. expand self beyond any momentary expressions. Further - The disciples came to the conclusion that because all the more, Daniel Dennett, a contemporary American philoso - aggregates are impermanent, subject to unsatisfactoriness pher, says in agreement that the self is ‘an abstract centre and liable to change, they do not constitute a self. This re - of narrative gravity.’ inforced their initial acceptance of anattā , non-selfhood, The second sermon of Lord Buddha, Anatta­lakkhaṇa- because there is no evidence of any type of mastery over sutta , the discourse on the non-existence of self, was given the aggregates. With this reasoning an aggregate cannot 2,500 years ago to the five disciples ( Kondañña,­Bhaddiya, be considered as ‘This is mine, this is what I am, this is my Vappa,­Mahānāma­and­­Assaji ) he addressed five days earlier self.’ By way of contemplation, all varieties of the five ag - in his first sermon, (in which he converted them to his gregates were viewed from different perspectives: past, path) at the same Game Refuge in Sarnath, thirteen km. future or present, subtle or gross, internal or external, northeast of Varanasi. As established before, one’s sense common or sublime and far or near. Thus, for example, of personal identity is made up of components of physical any consciousness must be seen as it actually is, with dis - and mental phenomena called the five aggregates, pañca cernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not what I am, this is khandha . The first aggregate is physical, rūpa . It relates to not my self.’ one’s body. The others pertain to the mental side of exis - By this sermon on anattā , that there is no enduring tence, nāma . The aggregate of feeling, vedanā , includes the self, Lord Buddha contradicted the prevailing beliefs in 3 Brahmanism, what was later to become Hinduism proper, cipating the slaves and uniting the country (in that order) based on the ātman or soul. For instance, the late Indian were more important than himself. leader Mohandas Gandhi is reverentially referred to as The April 1992 special issue of Physics Today had on Mahātmā : a great soul. its cover a man swinging a golf club. The late John One hundred and fifty years ago Charles Darwin, and Bardeen who was shown was not a professional golfer. He Alfred Wallace independently, brought forward com - was the joint winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 pelling evidence on biological evolution through natural for his work that led to the invention of the transistor and selection. More recently, the Irish-born philosopher again in 1972 for his achievements in superconductivity. Bertrand Russell asked in consequence, ‘In the long No other person has been awarded this prize for physics process of evolution from the amoeba, a single cell organ - more than once. To his family and colleagues at Bell Lab - ism (going back a billion years) to Homo sapiens: modern oratories and at the University of Illinois, Bardeen was a man (80,000 to 200,000 years ago) at what stage did the quiet and humble person. It was only after his death that soul come in?’ his golf partner for many years knew that he had been Francis Crick, the Nobel prize-winning scientist, co- playing with a two-time Nobel Prize winner. Some of the discovered the DNA double helix with James Watson in neighbours whom he had often hosted were also unaware. 1953. He stated in his book The Astonishing Hypothesis - the There was no egoism in John Bardeen. Scientific Search for the Soul , (New York, Simon and Schus - Sometimes self-consciousness can become an imped - ter, 1994) that ‘The astonishing hypothesis is that you, iment in life. At a meditation retreat from 21-25 September your joys and sorrows, your memories and your ambi - 2012 in the Amaravati Buddhist monastery in Hemel tions, your sense of personal identity and free will are in Hempstead, England, Venerable Ajahn Gandhasilo, an fact no more than the behaviour of a vast assembly of English monk of the Thai tradition, related how, as a nerve cells and their associated molecules…. There is no school boy, he had practised Mozart’s violin concerto in soul.’ [As Lewis Carol’s Alice (in Wonderland) might have A minor in preparation for a public concert. He had been phrased it, ‘You’re nothing but a pack of neurons.’] making many mistakes repeatedly, in front of an audience, The ability to suffer insults with equanimity is an in - until he realized that he was held back by self-conscious - dication of whether you have transcended the notion of ness. He decided to keep the self out of the practice. This self-hood with clear comprehension. For instance, there turned out to be highly successful and the final perform - may be times when you are left out of a conversation, or ance was much appreciated. He had a similar experience you may be ignored when trying to recognise someone in an archery contest. Once he eliminated the interference you know by waving or other means, or you may be sub - of self-hood and aimed at the target, he scored a perfect ject to abuse of some form or another. Can you cope with bull’s-eye as seen later on a paper posted on the board. such situations without causing any ill will? If one looks Lord Buddha taught how to transcend the self by around, for example at the workplace, people who are means of Insight Meditation, Vipassanā . The objective is to most likely to be successful are those who can smile gen - understand the true nature of reality, yathā-bhūta . The uinely in such circumstances and not harbour any practice comes after comprehensive understanding of the grudges: they understand the frailties of human nature Four Noble Truths and continuous adherence to the Noble and make allowances for any shortcomings; those who Eightfold Path of the first sermon of the Buddha. (In the react with self-assertion tend to be forgot ten in time. The Theravāda tradition calming meditation, Samatha , is often Christian Desert Fathers who practised in Egypt around used as a preparation.) We focus on mind and body ob - the third century AD had, it is said, a unique preliminary jects, nāma rūpa , with mindfulness as they arise and pass entrance examination for the University of Alexandria. away in the present moment, apprehending them with our The prerequisite was the ability to sufficiently withstand consciousness . As the meditation progresses we gain ex - insults hurled at each prospective student by someone at periential wisdom on the three characteristics of life, or the gate. marks of existence: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and In one of the biographies of Abraham Lincoln, the non-selfhood, anicca, dukkha and anattā . Firstly, we realise 16th US president, an act of insubordination is describ ed how mental images and sensations arise and pass away. and how the President coped with it. Concerned about the Clear comprehension of their impermanence comes to us. progress in the Civil War in the early 1860s, Mr Lincoln Secondly, we become aware of a persistent sense of went one night in the company of William Henry Seward, dissatis faction, whether we have pleasant or unpleasant the Secretary of State, and his young aid John Hayton to experiences. Consequently, we find no personal char a c - the home of General George McClellan who was then in teristics that can be considered to be a self: there is no ‘me’ charge of the Union Army. When told that the General or ‘mine.’ When the experiential wisdom tends to matu - was out they waited in the parlour for almost one hour. rity, we become disenchanted with the conditioned world. When McClellan arrived the porter told him that the Pres - Those who proceed further with complete disenchant - ident was waiting but the General passed by the parlour ment will be able to reach a dispass ionate state in which and climbed the stairs to his quarters. After another 30 craving and clinging no longer exist. This was the experi - minutes Lincoln again sent word only to be informed that ence of Lord Buddha’s disciples after his second sermon. McClellan had gone to sleep. Then they left. There were Once we understand anattā , the burden of life will be more insults to follow and many calls for the General’s lifted, the late Thai monk Ajahn Chah told us. We com - dismissal but the President persevered with him until No - mence to relive Dr James Austin’s moment at the London vember 1862. For Abraham Lincoln his mission of eman - Underground station. n 4 Sultanganj in Birmingham for another Buddha 150 years

n Saturday 4th October and Sabapathy CBE, and one of the Deputy Wednesday 8th October 2014 two Lord Lieutenants. Curators from the British Overy memorable events took place Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. were present, as was a representative from The celebrations were in recognition that the British Council. A number of different 150 years ago the Buddha statue holding contributions were made by members of the central place in the City’s art gallery had local Buddhist community all expressing been given to Birmingham, uncovered as what the Sultanganj Buddha meant to them. engineers from Birmingham built the East The monks chanted for the West Midlands India rail line from Calcutta. The seventh to be blessed with the presence of Sultan - century statue had been part of a large ganj Buddha for at least another 150 years. Buddhist Vihara in Northern India and it is A realisation of the significance of the thought that it had been buried to protect Sultanganj Buddha statue has grown over a it from those invading the area around the number of years, not least through the art town of Sultanganj. world recognising its uniqueness as the On Saturday the public were invited to largest surviving metal standing Buddha of a display of work going on in the Midlands Indian origin. For the Midlands Buddhist carried out by different Buddhist groups – community, the statue has helped awaken a including educational and care work devotional quality through it being the through prison and hospital chaplaincy. focus of annual Buddha Day gatherings in There were also chanting and meditation the museum. sessions conducted by different Buddhist It is to the great credit of both the groups. Finally Buddhist monks, led by Museum’s generosity and the Buddhist Venerable Kassapa and Dr Ottara Nyana community’s willingness to work together chanted for the well-being of all in the City. that a rare event like this took place. Wednesday’s event was a more formal commemoration and included speeches Adam Jaffer , Curator of World Cultures and from the Deputy Lord Mayor, HM Lord Keith Munnings , West Midlands Buddhist Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Paul Community

5 n the Buddha’s second discourse ( Anattā­- without identifying with them. And in so doing, the lakkhaṇa-sutta ), he describes the fundamental five followers achieved enlightenment - the ultimate components which make up a human being. goal of Buddhism - a mind completely free of greed, Throughout his teaching, the Buddha gave a hatred and delusion. range of descriptions (all mutually consistent In Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation, the term ‘no self’ but with different degrees of complexity) to describe does not appear. The Buddha explicitly states that the these components. On this first self cannot be found in any of occasion, he talked of five aggre - these five aggregates, and further, gates ( khandhas in Pāli ) which were: by viewing them as non self, one phy sical form ( rūpa ), feeli ng can achieve the necessary dis - (vedanā ), perception ( sannā ), men - The Buddha, tance in order to see them as they tal factors ( sankhāra ) and con - really are – impermanent, con - sciousness ( vinnaṇa ). Everything Anattā stantly changing and leading to that it means to be human is said suffering. And this insight can to be contained within these five and ultimately lead to liberation. One aggregates. could argue the teaching is a form In the Anattā­lakkhaṇa-sutta , the Non Self of skilful means, i.e. it is a very Buddha examines each of these particular way of looking at five aggregates in detail. Nowhere things, which can cause insight to is there found an actual self, the so- Duncan Fyfe occur, and its objective truth is called essence of a human being, largely irrelevant. However, the and from this follows the Buddhist teaching must be put into practice theory of anattā or the illusion of self, referred to in this – it must be experienced in order to be useful. As a discourse as ‘non self’. The Buddha’s argument for non source of metaphysical speculation along the lines of self is threefold. ‘thoughts without a thinker’ it may be intellectually fas - Firstly, there is the implicit issue that in defining a cinating but is not ultimately illuminating. person as being composed of five fundamental compo - The concept of me, I or self is certainly necessary nents, no one individual component stands out as the in normal life (perhaps alongside an awareness of the essence or self-hood of the person in isolation from the concept of non self). For instance, there is a certain other four. irony in the sentence above ‘one can achieve the neces - The second point is one of control, or rather lack of sary distance from the aggregates.’ If all the fundamen - it. Looking at each of the five aggregates, the Buddha tal components of a human being are experienced as says e.g. ‘Consciousness is non self. For if, bhikkhus, ‘non self’, then who or what is the ‘one’ that is distanced consciousness were self, this consciousness would not from the aggregates? Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses this with lead to affliction, and it would be possible to say of Robert Wright in the Coursera Course Buddhism and consciousness: ‘let my consciousness be thus, let my Modern Psychology (see: www.coursera.com). He talks consciousness not be thus’.’ To paraphrase, how can we of the Buddha’s stress on non self as a means to over - call something, e.g. consciousness, the core of our being come the primary obstacle to enlightenment which is if it is largely out of our own control? the clinging to the mental and physical components of The third argument centres on the lack of perma - our being as a ‘self’. Within the framework of contem - nence of each of these aggregates, e.g. the Buddha asks plative insight, the Buddha teaches not that there is ‘Is feeling permanent or impermanent?’ The disciples ‘no self’ but rather that each of the aggregates, the answer ‘Impermanent, Venerable Sir.’ ‘Is what is imper - objects of clinging, are non self. However, in other manent suffering or happiness?’ Answer ‘Suffering, contexts, f or example ethical actions, kamma and its venerable sir.’ ‘Is what is impermanent, suffering, and fruits, the Buddha does use the language of self quite subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, conventionally. this I am, this is my self’?’ Answer ‘No, Venerable Sir.’ Peter Harvey, the Buddhist teacher, sums up the Again to paraphrase, how can we call something our Buddha’s approach to non self beautifully: fundamental essence if it is impermanent, constantly ‘A philosophical denial is just a view, a theory… It changing and leads to suffering? does not get one actually to examine all the things that The discourse goes on to describe how, having one really does identify with… as ‘self’ or ‘I’. This ex - heard these arguments of non self, the five followers amination, in a calm meditative context, is what the non were able to view their body, feelings, perceptions, self teaching aims at. It is not so much a theory to be mental factors and consciousness dispassionately and thought about as to be done.’ n 6 VIHARA NEWS Birmingham Buddhist Vihara Spiritual Director: Dr Ottaranyana v DR OTTARANYANA During­this­period­too­a­ten-day­retreat­was fungi­cide­and­varnishing­to­protect­from­the The­Higher­Abhidhamma­class­is­taught­by­Dr led­by­Dr­Ottaranyana­between­15-24­August, elements.­In­addition,­one­double­glazed­win - Ottaranyana­from­2pm­to­4pm­every­Thursday. attended­by­fifteen­meditators.­In­addition­there dow­has­to­be­replaced,­as­do­the­downpipes­and Bhante­has­seven­students­taking­the­class,­which was­evening­study­of­the­ Sakkapanha Sutta from guttering.­The­cost­estimate­is­£8,070.­We­offer may­be­completed­in­May­2015. the­ Digha Nikaya .­ you­this­meritorious­opportunity­to­contribute­to Bhante­attended­a­meeting­of­the­Birmingham On­21­September­the­Sitagu­International­Mis - maintaining­the­Pagoda­for­many­years­to­come. Faith­Leaders’­Group­on­28­August,­when­they sionary­Association­was­able­to­make­a­presen - Refurbishment­starts­on­November­17­and­will discussed­the­Museum­of­World­Reli gions.­Birm - tation­of­their­provision­of­free­optical­treatment take­two­weeks­to­complete.­We­are­grateful­to ingham­premises­for this­are­presently­being­pur - throughout­Myanmar.­It­was­concluded­by­a Ranbir­Lal­for­recommending­a­builder­to­us. chased.­The­leaders­later­attended­a­ceremony­in Dhamma­talk­by­U­Tikkha­Nyana­from the­Peace­G ardens­commemorating­the­9/11 the­USA.­ tragedy,­and­watered­a­peace­tree­together. Other Ceremonies Between­24­to­28­September­Bhante­visited Mr­Ronal­and­Mrs­Katharine­Myint Brno,­second­city­of­the­Czech­Republic,­to­lead Kyaw­from­Oslo­stayed­in­our­Vihara his­annual­Metta­Retreat. from­24­July­to­6­August­to­engage­in On­19­October­Bhante­was­among­the­monks study­of­the­Dhamma.­On­26­July­Mr attending­the­Kathina­ceremony­in­Birmingham Myint­Kyaw­and­two­sons­took­the Buddhist­Mahavihara­along­with­Mar­Mar robe.­They­were­followed­on­3­Septem - Lwin.­Also­there­was­a­group­from­the­Ahma­- ber­by­Dr­Sai­S­Hyine,­who­ordained diyya­African­Association.­This­year’s­was­a for­five­days.­During­this­time­dana quieter­occasion,­since­refurbishment­of­the was­offered­by­Dr­Mya­Mya­Aye. building­is­due­to­start­shortly­and­the­work­will On­25­October­the­wedding­took take­up­to­a­year­to­complete. place­between­Pyi­Thein­Htun­(son­of Bhante­leaves­for­Myanmar­on­26­November, Dr­Kway­Thin­and­Daw­Thay­Htay Ordinations returning­on­21­January­2015.­As­well­as­his from­Lesotho)­and­Thu­Mon­Aung­(daughter­of We­offer­our­thanks­to­the­following­donors involve­ment­with­both­secular­and­religious Dr­Aung­Myint­Kyaw­and­Daw­Mya­Mya­Aye who­have­contributed­to­this­repair­work.­We education,­he­will­engage­in­personal­activities from­Wolverhampton)­at­the­Pagoda. such­as­the­Secondary­School­opening­ceremony appreciate­their­support. in­Dr­Rewata­Dhamma’s­native­village,­and­the School Visits opening­of­a­new­Dhamma­Hall­in­his­own The­number­of­school­visits­to­the­Pagoda­is 1.­ Dr.­Kyaw­Myint­Oo­and­Daw­Than­Than­ native­village. consistently­high­and­continues­to­provide­an Ywe­family­from­Wakefield­ £1000.00 invaluable­experience­for­both­students­and 2.­ K­M­Parker­­­­­­­­­­­ £40.00 v PAGODA NEWS other­groups­to­hear­about­the­Buddha­and­his 3.­ Dr­Myat­So­Aung­,­Dr­Thi­Thi­Oo­ Ceremonies teachings,­to­meet­Buddhist­monks­and­to­expe - and­Thalin­Hninsi £100.00 On­25­May­we­combined­the­celebration­of rience­the­peace­of­our­monastery.­We­receive 4.­ Dr­Wunna­+­Dr­Babra­Wunna­family­ Buddha­Day­with­a­special­remembrance­of­the regular­positive­feedback­and­are­grateful­to £100.00 tenth­anniversary­of­the­passing­away­of­our Robert­Black­for­the­provision­of­this­excellent 5. Dr.­Peter­So­Win £50.00 founder­and­teache r Aggamahapandit a Rewata service­to­education­and­the­community. 6.­ U.­Kyi­Myint,­Daw­Khin­Thin­ Dhamma. Supporters­also­took­the­opportunity In­addition,­Dr­Nagasena­has­taken­over­direc - and­family £50.00 to­honour­Dr­Nagasena,­who­recently­obtained tion­of­the­Buddhist­segment­of­the­Ladywood 7. Daw­Yin­May,­France £40.00 his­Doctorate­from­London­University.­The­day Interfaith­Education­Project.­Ramona­Kauth, 8. Dr­Aung­Myint­Kyaw,­Daw closed­with­a­short­ceremony­of­respect­for­our whose­initiative­this­was­initially,­has­now Mya­Mya­Aye­and­family £100.00 senior­members.­Food­and­drink­were­sponsored moved­to­Devon­to­live­nearer­her­daughter­and In­addition,­the­two­lions­that­give­joy­to­so by­Mr­Bala­and­Mrs­Moira­Zeyya,­for­their grandchildren.­She­reports­that­she­has­just many­children­on­their­visits,­have­suffered­wear daughter­Ms­Thitar’s­birthday.­ moved­into­her­new­home­on­the­edge­of­Dart - and­tear,­and­will­now­be­repainted­at­the­expense moor. On­July­13­we­celebrated­the­Pagoda’s­six - of­Dr­Maung­Maung­Kyi,­Daw­Tin­Tin­Ohne­and teenth­anniversary­jointly­with­offering­Wassa Repairs their­family. robes­before­the­Rains­Retreat.­Burmese,­Sri Due­to­severe­weather­conditions­our­Pagoda’s Volunteers Lankan­and­Indian­monks­attended,­together wooden­decorations­are­suffering­wear­and­tear. We­wish­to­give­thanks,­as­always,­to­our­reg - with­our­resident­monks­and­supporters­from They­require­removal,­cleaning,­treating­with­a across­the­UK.­It­was­a­beautiful­summer’s ular­volunteers­at­the­Vihara:­Kyaw­Min­Lwin, day­enjoyed­by­all.­Dhamma­talks­were Abhidhamma and Pavarana Day sponsors Chit­Nyo,­Thiha­and­his­friends­from given­by­Dr.­Kassapa,­OBE­and­U­Kusala London. from­London­Buddhist­Vihara.­The­spon - Thanks­also­to­the­stalwarts­who sors­were­Ms­Aye­Mya­Khin­and­family keep­our­gardens­looking­neat­and from­London­and­Dr­Mar­Mar­Lwin­from bright­during­the­seasons:­Alan­and Birmingham. Eleanor­Hewson­and­Mariya. On­8­October­we­celebrated­Abhid - hamma­and­Pavarana­Day­by­lighting­the v BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST Pagoda­with­hundreds­of­candles.­The ACADEMY Kathina­cerem ony­followed­on­the­12t h, Our­Buddhist­Academy­w as attended­by­over­two­hundred­supporters. launched­successfully­on­31­August, The­main­sponsors­for­the­day­were­Dr. fulfilling­Dr­Rewata­Dhamma’s­wish Aung­Thein,­Daw­Than­Than­and­family for­a­Buddhist­study­centre­in­the­UK. from­London;­Dr­Kyi­Toe,­Daw­Cho­Cho An­online­Dip­loma­course­in­Buddhist Swe­and­family­from­Milton­Keynes;­Dr Studies­has­now­been­laun­ch­ed­there. Myat­Soe­Aung,­Dr­Thi­Thi­Oo­and­family Students­are­taking­regular­classes from­Tewksbury;­Dr­Okkar­and­Dr­Thin every­week­end.­On­10­October­happy Thin­Aung­and­family,­from­Plymouth.­ students­celebrated­the­end­of­a­one- 7