Upcoming INCOVAR Camp

...Upcoming INCOVAR Camp. Coming soon in Nov/Dec 2009. Watch out for the continuity of 31IDC. All 31IDC participants are encouraged to join in the upcoming activity of INCOVAR in Nov/Dec 2009. Watch this space and you will regret if you missed it...

Dhamma Talks to commemorate late Chief Venerable K Sri Dhammananda's 53 years of Dhammaduta work

In the month of August, BGF will be presenting a series of talks to commemorate our late Chief Venerable K Sri Dhammananda's 53 years of Dhammaduta work.

The talk series will cover 4 major phases of his legacy. All talks will start at 8.15pm with Puja, on every Thursday in the month of August.

[6 Aug] Bro. Benny Liow
Talk 1: Propagating the Dhamma with laughter
Our late Chief Reverend used to deliver dhamma talks with a lot of funny stories and jokes which makes people laugh and seldom falls asleep. With these, people easily absorbs the gist of the teaching. However, there are some who does not remember much but just the laughters.In this talk, the emphasis of happiness through listening the dhamma is important and also the teachings from the laughter.

[13 Aug] Dr. Chan Kah Yein
Talk 2: Listening and continuing the legacy
Chief Reverend has always used inspirational and motivating ideas to deliver his talks and this talk will re-live the moments when he enlightens the public and highlighting his mothodologies for propagation in his 53 years.

[20 Aug] Bro. MV Nathan
Talk 3 : K Sri Dhammananda Rhapsody
This talk will emphasize the harmonization between dhamma and music. A historical and chronological account of how music was introduced in Buddhism and then how Buddhism is introduced through music. Inspirational words and songs.

[27 Aug] Uncle Vijaya
Talk 4: Revisiting the past for now and the future
This talk will be a chronological and biographic account from the time when Martin Garmage was born, ordained as K. Sri. Dhammananda, then to becoming the chief rev of malaysia & singapore. This talk will emphasize his words of wisdom and his journey of propagating the buddha dhamma in malaysia and singapore.

INSPIRING THE FUTURE
Buddhist Gem Fellowship
w : http://www.bgf.org.my e : bgf_moderator@yahoo.com
BGF Centre : 60A Jalan 19/3, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Say I Do? Say 'Marriage Education Program'

The Marriage Education Program conducted by the BGF Counseling Unit (BGFCU) provides a realistic view of matrimony and enable couples to develop strategies to resolve challenging situations they may encounter in their marriage. At the same time, it aims to create an awareness that there are avenues to get assistance in any area of concerns that they may encounter.

The next or the 9th Marriage Education Program is scheduled as follows >
Date: 22 to 23 August 2009
Time: 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily
Venue: BGF Centre, Petaling Jaya
Fee: Free but RM 50 per couple to purchase a set of course materials
Closing Date: 15 August 2009

The BGFCU has successfully conducted 8 of these courses in the past. The last course was held on 21 to 22 February 2009 with 20 couples attending. This program is tailored for those who are getting married soon or who are recently married or registered (less than 5 years). Course participants will have the opportunity to grapple with topics such as Importance of Family Unit, Discovering Our Expectations, Building Sexual Intimacy Effective Communications, Resolving Conflicts & Challenges, Finance & The Family and Ethical & Spiritual Aspects.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development, registration is opened to all Non-Muslims and is essentially FREE. Meals (lunch and 2 teabreaks per day) will be provided. Each couple will however need to purchase the “Smart Start Program” manual at RM50 per couple. Feel free to contact Sis. Tan Hooi Eng (016-293 0684) or Sis. Iris Goh (016-302 5792) for further info.

So are you taking the plunge to say I do?

Did you miss out on the last 2 Musical Puja at BGF?

Well... try to make it the next round on 7th July, Friday! :)

~*~
On a beautiful Sunday evening on 7th June - Full Moon Musical Puja >>
We were privileged to have Tashi & Dechen from Ladakh presenting their sharing entitled "From Ladakh (Himalayas) to Kuala Lumpur" with a slideshow preview of the extreme cold winter in Zanskar. We were proud to have musical performance by a big group of singers from the BISDS choir "OneVoice One Melody", they wowed the crowd with a few renditions of Malay and English songs. It was indeed a full house!

Then on Tuesday, 23rd June - New Moon Musical Puja >>
What a wonderful evening celebrating New Moon with offerings, puja, music and a Dharma talk by Ven. S Pemaratana Thero (entitled "Healing the Body through Meditation"). We started with offerings to the Buddha, followed by an inspiring puja led by Bro Mun Yee & Bro Nee Sern. Next, accompanied by Bro Nee Sern on the guitar, Bro Daniel & Sis Jing Pei of igemz sang a couple of uplifting hymns, after which Ven Pemaratana began his talk to a crowd of 40+ people.

BUDDHIST TEACHINGS CLASSICAL QIGONG & MEDITATION

BUDDHIST TEACHINGS CLASSICAL QIGONG & MEDITATION with
Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje
Principal of the Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

>>Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje, the Founder of Palyul Nyingmapa Tibetan Buddhist Association in the UK, Greece and Australia, and a Master Teacher of Buddhist Qigong will visit Malaysia in July to give Dharma Teaching and Masterclass Seminars on Classical Qigong & Meditation.

Friday, 3rd July :: 8.30 pm - 10.30 pm
Buddhist Teaching: Buddhist Medicine & Healing
Venue: Buddhist Gem Fellowship, 60A, Jln 19/3, P. J.

Saturday 4th July 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Masterclass Seminar: Buddhist Tranquil Meditation
Venue: Function room 13.5, 13th floor, Wisma MCA, Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Sunday 5th July 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Masterclass Seminar: Classical Medical Qigong
Venue: Function room 13.3, 13th floor, Wisma MCA, Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Sunday 5th July 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Public Talk: Buddhist View On Health & Well-Being
Venue: Function room at Xiao En Centre, No 1, Jln Kuali, Cheras, K.L

Monday 6th July 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Buddhist Teaching: Four Noble Truths
Venue: Blk A-206, Phileo Damansara 1, Jln Damansara 16/11, P.J.

Tuesday 7th July 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Buddhist Teaching: How To Be A Buddhist In A Modern World
Venue: Sukhi Hotu, D9-6-1, Blk D9, Dana 1 Commercial Centre, Jln PJU 1A/46, PJ

For further information contact Dawa on 019-3134988 or email: katandental@hotmail.com
For more information on Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje, please visit: http://www.pathgate.org/

New Moon Puja & Dhamma Talk by Ven. S. Pemaratana

Don't miss out on this 2-in-1 new moon puja, which will start early at 8.00pm first with PUJA followed by a couple of hymns before the talk.

Date : 23-June 2009 (Tuesday)
Time : 8.00pm - 10.30pm
Talk : "Healing the Body through Meditation"
Speaker : Ven. S. Pemaratana from USA

Ven. S. Pemaratana is a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka. He was ordained at the age of 10 in 1986 and received higher ordination in 1997. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Buddhist Studies from University of Peradeniya and a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the National University of Singapore. He has lectured at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and Buddhist and Pali College of Singapore. Currently he is the resident teacher at the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, USA.

From Ladakh to Kuala Lumpur :: Full Moon Musical Puja

Don't miss out for this Sunday very interesting new moon musical puja >>


Date : 7-June 2009 (Sunday)
Time : 8.30pm - 10.30pm
Talk : "From Ladakh (Himalayas) to Kuala Lumpur"
Speaker for Talk by : Tashi & Dechen (students of Taylor's College)
Musical Performance by : B.I.S.D.S Choir

Check out presentation about the land where Tashi and Dechen came from -- the most remote high mountains of Zanskar in Ladakh. They will share their experiences living in the harshes land of the Himalayas.

Zanskar is surrounded by high mountains on all sides, it can only be accessed over high passes. The one and only motor road into the ancient Kingdom is from the north, across Pensi La from Suru valley. In winter, however, the Zanskar Chu is the only access route. The water freezes thick on the river and it becomes a route known as the mythic Chadar Road. Situated at about 3500m, Zanskar is a high altitude semi-desert lying on the Northern flank of the Great Himalayan Range.

Catch the B.I.S.D.S Choir showcase for the first time at BGF!
INSPIRING THE FUTURE
Buddhist Gem Fellowship
w: http://www.bgf.org.my e: bgf_moderator@yahoo.com
BGF Centre : 60A Jalan 19/3, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

31INCOVAR Dhamma Camp

...LAST CALL TO REGISTER FOR 31st INCOVAR Dhamma Camp...

Please help find adopters for the Pulau Ketam dogs

Dear INCOVARIANs and compassionate hearts,

I write to enlist your help in finding adopters to adopt the rescued dogs from the Pulau Ketam Tragedy.

I have spent time with the dogs. The ones who have been discharged from the pet hospital have been vaccinated, de-wormed, had blood tests taken, treated for wounds, etc, and they are also micro-chipped. They will be spayed (sterilised) once they are well enough to go through the operation (probably in a few weeks' time). So far, ALL are female.

Where are the males and the other females? Still trapped on Hell Island - they can be heard howling at night, and it will break your heart.

The dogs are eating well now, but greatly in need of the human touch of love and compassion. If you have the time, please visit SPCA (bungalow at the back of the shelter) and spend some time to talk with them, be near them, feed them by hand, pat them, and let them trust humans again. A few are still severely traumatised and very afraid. None are aggressive. They are badly in need of metta.

Alternatively, please try to find homes for them. As more dogs come in (hopefully), there is not enough space to house them.

Please help these dogs find good and loving homes. They have literally been through "hell". They deserve better. From my limited experience, rescued pets make the most loyal and faithful pets.
My friends and I (through the kindness of SJBA) raised funds for the dogs on Wesak Day and we have now sponsored the medical treatment of the first eight rescued dogs. SPCA gave us the honour of giving them Buddhist names.

SPCA Selangor.
Address, Jalan Kerja Air Lama, 68000 Ampang, Selangor.
Tel, 03-42565312, 42535179. Fax, 03-42528382.

Please help find homes for them.

Metta in action, not just in word.

Thank you.

With metta,
kahyein

P.S. Besides the dogs abandoned on the two hell islands, there are still many, many dogs currently living on Pulau Ketam. They too need to be rehomed so that they would not be subject to the same horrible fate as their abandoned friends in future. They also need to be sterilised and that is another project my friends and I are working on. Details later.


--
Embrace simplicity. Travel light in life.
http://tiny.cc/cky
http://tiny.cc/paws

Dhamma Talk by Bhante Kumara >> 18 May 2009

Topic : Striving with Calm and Insight in One's Own Mind and Body
Date : Monday, 18 May 2009
Time : 8:30pm - 10:30pm
Location : BGF Centre

Talk Sypnosis
We cannot create happiness—not the kind that is stably founded upon wisdom. Then again, we don't have to. To be happy, all we have to do is the remove the causes of suffering. In this talk, Bhante Kumara shall share the Buddha's teachings on how to do that through stabilising the mind and cultivating understanding. He shall show how you can gain insight into the causes and effects of mental phenomena as you live your life. The more you can see as it really is how suffering arises, the more suffering loses its grasp. Listeners may gain more understanding if they read Madhupindika (Honeyball) Sutta in Majjhima Nikaya (Sutta No.18). It is however not required to understand the talk.

Profile of Ven Kumāra Bhikkhu

Ven Kumāra Bhikkhu was ordained in 1999 at the age of 27 by Sayadaw U Revata at Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. Currently, he resides in Sāsanārakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (www.sasanarakkha. org), and serves as Ven Aggacitta Mahāthera’s personal assistant.The venerable graduated with a degree in education (Teaching English as a Second Language) from the University of Malaya. It was during his studies there that he became enthusiastic about the Buddha's teachings and decided that he wanted to live this life as a monk. Since then, with his training in education, he has been sharing the Dhamma in various ways and in several languages (mainly English, Mandarin and Hokkien) with Buddhists of various traditions and non-Buddhists too. Ven Kumāra is interested in any spiritual teaching that shows how to cultivate wisdom and remove the causes of suffering. Having discovered happiness through this, he is happy to help others do so too. Besides learning and practising the DhammaVinaya, he practises intuitive energyworks to promote health and healing.