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CONTENTS on the COVER Editor's Note Being a non-profit publication without any affiliation to any organisation, For You Information continues to rely Editor’s Note on support from contributors and benefactors for our publication needs. Thus, we hope that we can continue The month of October continues to be filled with many sacred to receive support in propagating the Dharma. Founder: Venerable Guang Chao and meaningful Buddhist events such the Avalokitesvara Bo- dhisattva birthday celebrations as well as Dharma assemblies CONTENTS in many temples. We would also like to extend our hearti- 53-55 Buddhist Activities est congratulations to The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and 56-57 Finding Inner Peace In The Midst Of Chaos Museum for the appointment of their 2nd Abbot and Kwan 58 What Are You Practising Mindfulness For? Yin Chan Lin Zen Meditation Centre Singapore on their 26th 59 Living Mindfully Anniversary and annual KYCL Zen Conference. 60-63 Khuddaka Nikya (Part 3i) 64 Dialogue With Rebecca On Hope In this November issue, we continue revisit the fundamen- 65 Dhammapada tal teachings of how to live mindfully, peacefully and hap- 66 Selected Buddhist Poems pily not according to secular concepts but according to the Buddha’s teachings for guidance in living life as a Buddhist. ON THE COVER We feature the insightful sharing from the talks by Buddhist Cover Photography: Courtesy of Ms Ruiwu teachers and scholars such as Venerable Ajahn Brahm and Venerable Kanugolle Rathanasara, and Budhhist works by On the cover is the beautiful and in- Thanissaro Bhikku and Benjamin F C Teng. As Buddhists, tricate statue of the Samantabhadra (Pu Xian) Bodhisattva, one of the it is also important for us to ask ourselves why we practise eight Zodiac Protectors in first level mindfulness from Shen Shi’an’s article, ‘What Are You Prac- hall of the Buddha Tooth Relic Tem- tising Mindfulness For?’ and how to live life with hope from ple and Museum (BTRTM). Dr. Jeffrey Po’s ‘Dialogue With Rebecca On Hope’. These are good starting grounds for us to truly be more introspective BTRTM was founded by Vener- and also, we hope the illustration below can help in remind- able Shi Fa Zhao in 2001 and it is dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha, ing us to realign our understanding of living life mindfully. which means ‘The Compassionate One’ and also known as ‘The Future Buddha’, and BTRTM’s mission is to promote Lastly, may the light of the Buddha continue to shine and be and impart the Teachings of the Buddha. a lamp upon all sentient beings. The history of BTRTM goes back to the Golden Pagoda Bud- dhist Temple where Ven. Shi Fa Zhao founded the Golden Pagoda Temple at 798 Tampines Road (now 83, Tampines Link), a precursor that led to him being approached by Sin- gapore Tourism Board (STB) in early 1997 to develop a pro- posal for a temple at Sago Lane (half of the vacant site) and followed by another proposal in 1998 for the entire site that has to include a traditional Chinese temple and Opera stage. And then on 4 August 2002, Ven. Cakkapala decided to hand over the Sacred Buddha Toot Relic to Ven. Shi Fa Zhao and exhorted that the new guardian, should the opportunity arise, have the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic made accessible to Bud- dhists from everywhere to gather in Singapore to venerate. Thus, Ven. Shi Fa Zhao found himself tested and decided to go on a one-year Dharma Lotus Blossom Retreat. And it Mind precedes all mental states. was during the retreat, thanks to the blessings from the Triple Gems, Ven. Shi Fa Zhao conceived not only the name “Bud- Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. dha Relic Tooth Temple (Singapore)”, but also an architectur- If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts al style based on the Buddhist mandala that is integrated with suffering follows him like the wheel that the arts and culture of Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty. follows the foot of the draught ox. Then eventually, Ven. Shi Fa Zhao managed to secure the va- Gautama Buddha cant Sago Lane site and registered BTRTM on 20 February Dhammapada 2003 and after its completion, it was officially opened on 30 Yammakavagga: “The Pairs” (Verse 1) May 2007 by Singapore’s late former President S R Nathan. 38 BUDDHA TOOTH RELIC TEMPLE AND MUSEUM SINGAPORE APPOINTMENT OF 2nd ABBOT INVESTITURE CEREMONY Venerable Shi Fa Zhao, 1st Abbot of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum at the commencement of the 2nd Abbot Investiture Ceremony after careful succession planning and preparation for this transfer of abbotship to ensure smooth operation of BTRTM. He will be embarking on a three-year retreat from 13 March 2017 before returning to serve the Sangha and community. On the auspicious morning of 18 October, Venerable Shi Pu En, received the abbotship of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum Singapore (BTRTM) from Venerable Shi Fa Zhao, its 1st Abbot and Founder. Ven. Shi Fa Zhao has led BTRTM from its initial concep- tion in 2003 to its building completion and opening in 2007, and now an established temple known not only for its systematic and authentic Dharma propagation but also its preserva- tion of Buddhist and Chinese culture. BTRTM is not only a temple popular with the locals but also one known internationally where its earnest grandeur has attracted many Buddhists and people from all walks of life from different countries. This is indeed a testatment of Ven. Shi Fa Zhao’s decade-long efforts to fulfill his aspiration of creating a Buddhist space for all to converge and learn more about Buddhism and venerate the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic. Thus, present at the investiture ceremony were also dignitaries from the Embassies and High Commissions: Royal Embassy of Cambodia, H.E. Mr Cheth Naren; Sri Lanka High Commission, H.E. Mr. Nimal Weeraratne; Vietnamese Embassy, H.E. Mr Nguyen Tien Venerable Shi Pu En, the newly-invested 2nd Abbot of Minh and Royal Thai Embassy, Mr. Chairat Sirivat, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission. 1 BTRTM waving the fly-whisk, one of the sacred items pre- Honourable Venerables from both overseas and local monasteries were also present to ex- sented to him as part of the ceremonial ritual to represent tend their congratulatory messages and gift sacred Dharma articles. the handover of the temple’s abbotship. Venerable Shi Pu En studied Buddhism in Yuan Kuang Buddhist College of Taiwan (台湾圆光佛学院) for 10 years and received his Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Buddhist Studies. He later completed his Masters studies in Yuan Kuang Institute for Buddhist Studies (台湾圆光佛 学研究) and fulfilled all prescribed conditions within three years by ordinance, regulations and resolution of the community. Upon his gradu- ation, Ven. Shi Pu En returned to Singapore to serve the less privileged in the local communities. He was appointed Executive Director of Metta Welfare Association (Metta) on January 2009. After serving eight years in Metta, Ven. Shi Pu En relinquished his role as the Executive Director and took on more responsibilities as the 1st Vice President on the Executive Management Committee of Metta on 25 September 2016. 1. Honourable Venerables: From overseas, they are: Venerable Phrapromsithi, Abbot of Wat Saket Temple (Bangkok); Venerable Galboda Gnanissara Thero, Chief Incumbent of Sri Lanka Gangaramaya Temple; Venerable Hui Xiong, Secretary-General of the World Buddhist Sangha Council and Abbot of Vihara Ma- havira Grahat Pusat (Indonesia Jakarta); Venerable Shi Cheng, Vice President of The Buddhist Association of Xiamen; Venerable Xing Shang, Abbot of Taoyuan Yuan Kwang Ch’an Monastery (Taiwan); Venerable Chuan Li, Abbot of Taichung Tianbao Jiangtang (Taiwan); Venerable Xian Ming, Abbot of Taiwan-Yilan Jiaoxi Pilu Monastery and many others. From Singapore, they are: President of Singapore Buddhist Federation, Venerable Kwang Phing, Venerable Chao Khun Phratep Siddhivides, Chief Monk of Wat Ananda Metyarama Thai Buddhist Temple; Venerable Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, Chief Prelate of Singapore, of the Malwatta Chapter of the Sri Lanka Siamese Sect; Venerable Huat Tat, President of Pu Ji Si Buddhist Research Centre; Venerable Kai Xiang, Abbot of Singapore Zu-Lin Temple Association; Vener- able Wai Yim, Abbot of Singapore Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery and many others. Photo courtesy of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum 39 如来足迹 普陀山位于中国浙江省舟山市，是观 普陀山——“第一人间清净地” 世音菩萨教化众生的道场，素有“海 天佛国” 、“ 南海圣境”之称。山中寺院 无论大小，都供奉着观世音菩萨。 普陀山四面环海，风光旖旎，幽幻独 特。山石林木、寺塔崖刻、梵音涛声， 皆充满着佛国神秘色彩。 照片提供：LG WORLD-TRAVEL PLANNERS（乐期世界） PEOPLE’S BUDDHISM STUDY SOCIETY DHAMMA TALK BY VEN. KANUGOLLE RATHANASARA On 7 October, People’s Buddhism Study Society (PBSS) held a Dhamma talk by Venerable Kanugolle Rathanasara titled “Why Do You Need Merits?”. Born in the south eastern Sri Lanka village of Bibile, he became a novice monk at an early age of 12 in 1984 and received higher ordination (Upasampada) in 1998 at the Malwatu Viharaya in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He later graduated from University of Kelaniya with a Bachelor of Arts (Special) degree (Mass Communications) and then with the Master of Arts (Buddhist Studies) and continued to prorogate the Dhamma. His noble aspirations to share his knowledge of Dhamma interna- tionally was fulfilled when he was subsequently selected in 2001 by the Sinhala Buddhist Association in Singapore, the adminis- tration of the Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple to be the Resident Monk where he continues to serve and lead right up till today. The Dhamma talk started with Metta Meditation before Ven. K. Rathanasara explained why people need merits. Merits are in fact meritorious deeds that actually form the basis for one’s condition(s) to enjoy the bliss of existence. In other words, merits are needed for one’s life to go smoothly, be surrounded by good and noble people where they can be guided and led to happiness, joyfulness and goodness and ultimately, Nibanna.
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