Thousands of Buddhists turn up at blessing ceremony in Malaysia

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SHAH ALAM, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Chants and prayers filled the air at the Shah Alam Stadium as thousands of Buddhists took part in a mass blessing ceremony organised by the Malaysian chapter of the internationally-renowned Taiwan-based Mahayana Buddhist monastic order Fo Guang Shan.

<< It’s about faith: Ven Master Hsing Yun (front, with mini flag) being driven round the stadium during the blessing ceremony.

The order's founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, who also established the Buddha's Light International Association, presided at the gathering that was dubbed the Buddhist Cultural and Dharma Blessing ceremony last night.

Fo Guang Shan is the largest Buddhist monastry and one of the biggest charity organisations in Taiwan while the 85-year-old Hsing Yun is said to be one of the most influential Buddhist monks in the world.

He is on a five-day visit to Malaysia and had called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday and presented him with a Chinese calligraphy tilted Ji Xing Gao Zhao, which means “Auspicious Star Shining High Above.”

The evening's event, which started at around 7pm and ended about three hours later, was aimed at strengthening the faith of Buddhists and to propagate divine qualities taught by Buddha.

Graphic design graduate Angu Lim, 22, said just seeing the Master was a blessing.

“They say he won't come here again. I am lucky to have the opportunity to hear him speak,” she said.

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Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia organises "Contemporary Buddhist Seminar"

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Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The 2012 Contemporary Buddhist Seminar will be organized by the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) to discuss about various topics and issues that constantly concern Malaysian Buddhists. The seminar will invite prominent scholars and speakers from various countries, including the USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. The theme of this seminar is "The True Colours of Buddhism”. 

The seminar will be conducted in Mandarin and the details are as follows.

Date: 22nd to 23rd December 2012(Saturday, Sunday)
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00p.m.
Registration: 22nd December 2012, 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Venue: HOTEL ISTANA Kuala Lumpur

For more details, please goto:

You may download the brochure and registration form from the below links:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx8yY66wwQgGSGF1cjBTRW5rc1U/edit?pli=1
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx8yY66wwQgGbHJtaVVySVBfRW8/edit

On-line Registration:
http://cbs.ybam.org.my/regs/2012CBSRegistration.html

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India bars Tai Situ from attending World Buddhist Conference in Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- India has denied H.E. The 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche Pema Tönyö Nyinje a travel visa to attend the World Buddhist Conference (WBC), currently held in Kuala Lumpur. The Tai Situpa was scheduled to give a keynote address at the conference.  No reasons were given by Indian immigration why the visa was rejected.

<< H.E. The 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche, Pema Tönyö Nyinje, in his pre-recorded video address at the World Buddhist Conference in Kuala Lumpur

The theme for the conference is “Trancending Negative Emotions”, and speakers as well as participants are expected to exchange ideas and experiences in issues and ways to create happiness and well being in our lives.

In his pre-recorded video address, the Tai Situpa expressed his bewilderment why he was denied physical presence in Kuala Lumpur, as he said “I myself cannot understand why this is happening.”

The presence of Tai Situpa was the key highlight of this edition of the WBC, which was last held in 2010. In that edition, Ven. Thich Nhat Hahn gave the keynote address.

In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of tulkus (said to be reincarnated lamas) in the Kagyu school. The Tai Situpa is considered to be one of the highest ranking lamas of the Karma Kagyu lineage.

Expectations for the 2nd WBC were heightened as the present  12th Kenting Tai Situpa, H.E. Rinpoche Pema Tönyö Nyinje is a renowned Buddhist master. On a more personal level the present 12th Tai Situpa is a scholar, poet, calligrapher, artist, author, architect and geomancer.

The 12th Tai Situpa was instrumental in recognizing H.H. the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, one of the two candidates claimed to be the 17th Karmapa, whom he coronated at Tsurphu Monastery outside Lhasa in August 1992. He is the main Guru of Orgyen Trinlay in Mahamudra and training in turn the next generation of Buddhist masters.

In his video address, the Tai Situ advised the audience to learn "how to balance emotions, as negative emotions are the cause of suffering". He said that "if we cannot improve ourselves and find a balance to counter negative emotions, the world can only get worse”.

The Tai Situpa outlined the vast changes the world have undergone in the last 50 years and concluded that much is not good. The advent of overt greed, environmental degradation and unsustainable development are the result of mindsets grounded on being too selfish, greedy and overly aggressive in wealth accumulation.

He cautioned that hope for a better future in the next 50 years can only happen if we persist to make positive changes to our current mindsets and to take steps to improve existing difficulties.

This would include the development of different levels of awareness and values, driven by a change in simple personal attitude, which includes making the following as living principles in our lives, that is, to embed compassion, love, wisdom and care in the way we function day to day, moment to moment.

The Tai Situpa said that as human beings we have to keep faith in the ultimate goodness of human nature, and that our primordial essence has always been to do good.

The WBC has attracted speakers from Australia, the USA, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India. 500 participants are attending the two days conference from Nov 3-4, 2012.

Held bi-annually, the conference attracts renowned Dharma teachers from all over the world. It is co-organised by the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia, The Buddhist Gem Fellowship and The Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia. The conference is also supported by eight others Buddhist organizations.

More information on The 12th Tai Situpa
http://www.palpung.org/english/taisitupa/brief_brief.htm

The World Buddhist Conference on the web: www.wbc.my

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India: Visa on Arrival facility likely for Thailand, Malaysia

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New Delhi, India -- Government is planning to extend Visa-on-Arrival facility to nationals from countries having sizable Buddhist population such as Thailand and Malayasia.

Inaugurating a two-day International Buddhist Conclave in Varanasi on Saturday, Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said his Ministry had also decided to develop a Ghat in the temple town in the name of Lord Buddha on the bank of river Ganga.
"India, being the land of origin of Buddhism, is the main attraction for Buddhist tourists from across the globe. We are drawing up plans to attract more tourists from Buddhist countries like Thailand and Malayasia by providing them special facilities like Visa-on-Arrival (VoA)," Sahai said.

Currently, India extends VoA facility to 11 countries including Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Sahai said three circuits have been identified to be developed as part of Buddhist Circuits during the 12th Five Year Plan. The three circuits are (1) Dharmayatra or the sacred circuit, (2) retracing Buddha's footsteps and (3) heritage trails covering all Buddhist sites including Gaya, Varanasi, Kushinagar, Bodhagaya, Patna, Piparva, Dharamshala, Ladakh, Spiti and Lumbini.

Referring to Keep India Clean Mission, he said efforts are on to keep clean the cities, particularly tourist places, across the country to attract maximum tourists.

The conclave is being held with a view to showcasing and projecting the Buddhist heritage of India. The delegates at the conclave include the international Buddhist scholars and tour operators.

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