Develop Wisdom, Cultivate Merits

With the thrice-blessed day of Vesak approaching, it is a good time to bring to mind Bhante Mahinda’s recent exhortations to cultivate wisdom and merits.

In his Dhamma talks just before he returned to Sydney, Bhante Mahinda repeatedly underlined the importance of developing wisdom and cultivating our merit field especially in such times of dramatic change.

“Cultivating wisdom will help us to be able to cope and confront change at all levels,” he said, adding that the wisdom to cultivate revolves around the core teachings of the Buddha – the Four Noble Truths.

Bhante advised that we contemplate, understand and have greater realisation of the Four Noble Truths and realise what dukkha is about. See and recognise the cause of dukkha. Have an understanding that there is an end to suffering. Even though you may not realise it, you must have faith that there is an end. And practise the eight path factors (Noble Eightfold Path)."

Elaborating on this, Bhante said when we hear of, read of, or see calamities, we need to bring to mind that this is dukkha. And then contemplate that there is a cause. What is the cause? It is our grasping of desires, our attachment.

The suffering outside is reflected in the manifestation of suffering internally. "There's a time bomb inside waiting to explode. The sooner we identify this, the better. We must take steps every moment of life to overcome our attachments and cravings."

Now is the time to step up our commitment to the Dhamma's path. Now is the time to be vigilant in the practice of the eight path factors and cleanse our minds of the 'junk' that has clouded our minds."

In his emphasis on cultivating merits, he said that merits are needed to support our wisdom to grow. Cultivate our merit field. Make good use of your life to perform merits," he said, reminding those who have participated in Aloka Foundation's Novitiate Programmes in the four Buddhist holy sites from 2007 to 2010 that they have acquired much merits and it was of great importance that they do not waste the opportunity to build on these merits.

How to cultivate our merit field? Contemplate and commit yourself more and more to the Dhamma. Bhante then prescribed the four contemplations, namely:

• contemplation on the virtues of the Buddha – to develop one’s faith and devotion and strengthen one’s mind
• contemplation on metta – to reduce anger and aversion
• contemplation on loathsomeness of the body – to reduce excessive attachment to body or form
• conntemplation on death – to generate the urgency to purify our minds

Train the mind to be more and more in the present. Contemplate and commit yourself to be more and more in the Dhamma.

Dhammo have rakkathi dhamma cari

One who lives by Dhamma, the Dhamma protects

MARK THESE DATES

Mark 31 December 2011 and 1 January 2012 as important dates on your calendar.

Something's happening and it involves you!!!

Watch this space for more on this.

A HISTORIC NOVITIATE IN THE MAKING!

The Aloka Novitiate 2010, Kushinara will be historic! Just in terms of numbers, it will be history in making for the following:

• the highest number of participants,
• the biggest and widest geographical representation,
  
• the record number shaving, and
  
• the longest land distance covered by a Novitiate

320 participants are taking part in this year's Novitiate; outstripping the 118 in Lumbini in 2007, 309 in Bodhgaya in 2008 and 150 in Sarnath last year.

The 320 are made up of 4 Sangha members, 98 samaneras, 152 upsasikas, 9 anagarikas, 31 pilgrims, and 26 helpers.

At 98 and 152, the number of samaneras and upasikas respectively are the highest ever.

The number shaving is also a record at 166 -- 61 upasikas, 5 anagarikas and 2 helpers in addition to the 98 samaneras -- overtaking the previous record of 130 in Bodhgaya.

The Aloka Novitiate has traditionally been drawing participation from Malaysia, Singapore and Australia but this year, there is greater diversity in terms of geographical representation with participants coming from Indonesia, France and Switzerland as well.

Unlike previous years, the Novitiate programme this year will traverse locations in northern India and Nepal. After 10 days in Kushinara, the Novitiate programme will continue in Sravasti and then proceed to Lumbini, Nepal -- covering an unprecedented land distance!

It also brings to full circle a Novitiate programme that Bhante Mahinda started in 2007 after conducting 32 years of Novitiate programme in the Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields, Malaysia as a commitment to his late teacher Ven K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera

Bhante mooted the idea of Novitiate in the Buddha's holy sites to provide the opportunity for the lay devotees to establish themselves deeper in the Dhamma and grow in faith and confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. It also serves to strengthen the commitment to walk the Noble Path as well as entrench the support for the Buddha Sasana and work for the welfare and happiness of the many.

A CHANCE NOT TO BE MISSED!

The Aloka Novitiate 2010 will start in 37 days and you don't have that many days left to book the offering of lights at three Buddha's holy sites!

Share with your friends and relatives that they have this rare opportunity to offer lights at Kushinara, Sravasti and Lumbini as more than 2,000 lights will be offered each of the 15 nights during the Novitiate.

Make the right effort to kindle the light of wisdom and dispel the darkness of ignorance!

An opportunity to perform dana also presents itself during the Novitiate. You can sponsor:

• Breakfast, minimum at RM50 per day (16 days)
• Lunch, minimum at RM100 per day (16 days)
• Requisites of Samaneras & Upasikas at RM250 (or above) OR
• You may contribute any amount towards the cost of organizing this programme

Please call the Aloka Foundation office at 03.7842.7001 to offer lights or dana.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

38 MORE DAYS

The countdown begins! It's 38 more days to the Aloka Novitiate 2010 which will start in Kushinara and proceed to Sravasti before ending in Lumbini.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

Some tips to prepare yourself for the Novitiate Programme:

• Don't overwork yourselves to the eve of the departure date. Phase out your work as early as possible so that you don't exhaust yourself prior to the trip
• Sleep early and wake up early
• Cut down on food intake in the evening
• Get accustomed to sitting long period on the floor. Start sitting cross legged on floor or flat seat when watching TV or reading
• Exercise more and be healthy
• Learn chanting and meditation. Start to meditate at least 30 minutes a day
• Talk less. Cut down on idle chatter
• Acquaint yourself with wearing sarong at home

Some other things to note:

• Upasikas who are shaving must get permission from spouse or parents
• Upasikas shaving must cut hair short -- recommended above shoulder length for easy and speedier shaving in India
• Samaneras and upasikas must bring one set of white attire (top & pants) for shaving & ordination ceremony
• Samaneras can choose their sponsors who will present robes to them. Inform Aloka office otherwise, sponsors will be appointed for you
  

Connect Communicate Commune

Connect with the Triple Gem. Connect with spiritual friends

Communicate with one another to stay informed

Commune for the communal support and be self sustaining

Bhante Mahinda advocates keeping in mind these 3Cs – not the Cs of cash, credit card, condo – to be able to realise, accept and surmount the Big C of Change that always confronts us.

Speaking to past and iintending participants of the Aloka Novitiate at Aloka House on Saturday, (24 July 2010) Bhante reminded everyone that “as we live in this time of change, it is important to learn how to cope and accept things as they change”.

He quoted the Buddha (in Dhammapada Verse 277):

Sabbe sankhara anicca'ti
Yada pannaya passati
Atha nibbindati dukkhe
Esa maggo vissuddhiya

Sabbe sankhara anicca'ti; All component things are subject to change

Yada pannaya passati: When one sees with wisdom. Sees what? Sees that all component things are subject to change

Atha nibbindati dukkhe: One becomes detached from suffering

Esa maggo vissuddhiya: This is the path of purification

Bhante said many can say that they understand the word “change” but really, they do not realise the phenomena of change.

“If one realises the phenomena of change, one would have realised the Truth. One would experience the bliss and a certain marked transformation would have taken place. The more one experiences and realises change, the more things will change in one. One’s perception will change and the way of life will change. When one experiences change, one will accept things as they come without reacting (negatively).”

Bhante said the Aloka Novitiate in the holy sacred sites in India created opportunities for participants to connect with the Buddha. Through that, one would then see the Dhamma clearer and be closer to Sangha.

Through the Novitiate experience, the participants knew how to live in peace and harmony in one place. Albeit, living in refugee style but still peacefully. Peaceful atmosphere and great harmony, added Bhante, is the kind of environment that is conducive to support spiritual growth.

“That is why the Buddha instituted the Sangha community; to facilitate the development and purification of the mind.”

Bhante called upon the Aloka Novitiate participants to stay connected with the Triple Gem and create their own Sangha – their own spiritual community.

He advised that the affinity of coming together in the Aloka Novitiate be nurtured by maintaining communication to be informed. And build this up to commune with compassionate love.

In the context of commune and communal support, Bhante said the sensible thing to do in such times of change is to invest in something that will sustain life.

Action Plan

The following are the decisions made in the mini workshop that deliberated on Bhante’s advice of connect, communicate and commune:

• Maintain Aloka Connect, groups of five or more that will stay connected and do things together like having fellowships as well as attending Dhamma discussions and Metta Bhavana sessions in Aloka House
• Stay connected via Friends of Aloka Facebook
• Communicate to inform of prayer support needed in times of sickness or bereavement involving loved ones
• Connect each Friday at 8.30 pm to radiate metta and make aspirations for a safe journey in the forthcoming Aloka Novitiate in Kushinara
• Set up eco-farm to commune, pick up skills on organic farming, produce organic vegetables, be self-sustaining and have refuge place in times of crisis

Footnote: Bhante emphasised that he called for the gathering of past participants as well as intending participants of Aloka Novitiate as it was easier to group people with one such commonality to start with to provide guidance so as to be able to steer the course of spiritual life. It should not be construed as to exclude others.

Dr Upali passes on

It is with sadness that we received news that Dr. Upali de Tissera, one of the pioneering supporters of Aloka and the Australian Buddhist Mission, passed away early this morning.

Bro John Cheah, current president of ABM, wrote this to us: Dr Upali has been a key member of the Australian Buddhist Mission serving as Vice President for 6 years, from 1987 – 1994, and as President for 7½ years, from April 1999 to September 2006.

His participation in the committee has spanned two critical phases in the history of Aloka and ABM : the setting up of the Aloka Meditation Centre in 1999 and the construction and opening of the Aloka Stupa in 2005.

In 2006, he was able to hand over to the next generation of leaders, although he continued to be involved in ABM in an advisory capacity. He was also a founding Life Member of the Dhammaduta Foundation Inc.

As a doctor, he personally looked after the health and well-being of Venerable Mahinda and Sister Sumitra, residents of Aloka as well as those from Malaysia and Singapore who were in Aloka Meditation Centre for long retreats. That is his brand care, compassion and love.

Bro John Cheah also related this: Bhante has been with Dr Upali right up to the last days of his illness, postponing his travel to Malaysia. Dr Upali very faithfully received Bhante’s instructions and guidance, maintaining his steadfast devotion to the Dhamma.

Bhante has this short message to share with us:

“In the last week when Dr Upali was in hospital, I asked him 3 questions.

‘Do you have any fear?’ He said ‘No’.

‘Do you have any worries?’ He said ‘No’.

‘Do you have any attachment?’ He said ‘No’.

From this I understood he was well-prepared to face death. I visited him on several occasions to remind him, even in his final moments, to take the opportunity to apply and realise the Dhamma, which he did. Despite his physical pain and discomfort, I was able to see him get into deep levels of calmness and peace."

Dr Upali briefly stopped over in Kuala Lumpur enroute to Sri Lanka to provide relief work after the tsunami of 2004 and it was a privilege for some of us to meet him. Dr Upali came across as a soft spoken, humble and above all, a selfless man.

Let us dedicate all the merits for Dr Upali's spiritual well being. May he continue to give blessings, guidance and protection to all his family members and loved ones, as well as to all the members and devotees of Aloka.