Samadhi Vihara opens in the capital of Selangor

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Opening made in conjunction of the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia's (BMSM) 50th anniversary.

Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The traditional Malay gong was hit three times by VIPs, an occasion witnessed by a host of monks, and a 200 strong audience. They had gathered inside the lotus sculptured hall, and together rejoiced at the official opening of the Samadhi Vihara in Bukit Raja, Shah Alam, Selangor.

<< Samadhi Vihara in Shah Alam, Selangor. A project 20 years in the making is finally realized on March 17, 2013. Pic courtesy of Mok Medha.

For many old timers from the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM), the road to realising Samadhi Vihara had been a long and arduous one. Twenty years to be exact.

Construction of Samadhi Vihara began sometime in the 1990s, on a piece of land allocated by the Selangor State Government.

On Sunday, 17 March 2013, the launching fulfills a lifelong dream for many and the centre is well placed to serve the growing Buddhist population within the Klang Valley.

This launching also coincided with the eve of the birthday of the late Chief Ven. Dr. K Sri Dhammananda, who founded Buddhist Missionary Society in 1962.

At the launching, speeches were made by Dato Chee Peck Kiat,  President of BMSM, Dato Ang Choo Hong, Lay Advisor of BMSM, and Venerable Mahinda, the Spiritual Advisor.

The opening was officiated by YB Dato' Teng Chang Khim, Speaker of Selangor State Assembly, representing YAB Tan Sri Dato Seri' Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Selangor. He gave a contribution of RM10,000 in addition to RM50,000 allocated by the State Government.

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Ancient Buddhist Vihara found in Munshiganj

The discovery was made during an excavation conducted jointly by Agrasar Bikrampur Foundation, a local socio-cultural organisation, and Archaeology Department of Jahangirnagar University (JU).

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs financed the project.

The excavation is the result of four years of hectic effort of the team.

Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, Director of the Archaeological Excavation and Research in Bikrampur region, confirmed reporters from the site about over a 1,000-year-old Buddhist Vihara being spotted.

Lenin, also a Presidium member of the ruling Awami League, said it was believed the monastery had been built about 1,100 years ago.

He said over 100 precious idols and sculptures have so far been discovered from the region.

Project researcher Prof Dr Sufi Mostafizur Rahman, a teacher of the Archaeology Department at JU, said it was believed that the monastery was related to Atish Dipankar Srigyan, a child prodigy like the Lord Buddha, who was born in Bikrampur region during the regime of King Dharmapala (820 AD).

It is said that some 8,000 students and professors came to the Buddhism education centre in Bikrampur from as far as China, Tibet, Nepal and Thailand during the period and Atish Dipankar was the Chancellor of the centre.

The friendly people of China had constructed a mausoleum at his village, Bojrojogini, in Bikrampur.

Through Atish, the teachings of Lord Buddha reached the world.

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Katina Pinkama at the Berlin Vihara

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Berlin, Germany -- A Katina Pinkama was held at Das Buddhistische Haus (Berlin Vihara) on November 4, 2012 and in the preceding Vassa period special Dhamma activities including Dhamma discussions, lectures, meditation classes and retreats were conducted at the Berlin Vihara.

The participants at this Kathina Pinkama included Germans, Thais and Sri Lankans, among others. The programme for the day comprised a Buddha Puja, Sangha Dana and Kathina Chivara Puja.

Nine Buddhist Monks participated in the Katina ceremony. They were – Ven. Dr. Wijayarajapura Seelawansa Nayaka Thera (Nyanaponika Dhammazentrum Lecturer, Vienna University, Austria), Ven.Godauda Ariyadhamma Thera from Sri Lanka, Ven. Dodampahala Rahula from Sri Lanka, Ven. Pujapitiye Santhusitha Thera from Sri Lanka, Bhante Anusak from Thailand, Ven.Lediyangala Sudassi Thera (Chief Incumbent Sri Lanka Vihara, St. Gallen, Switzerland), Ven. Thalpawila Kusalagnana Thera, M.A. (Hamburg Buddhist Centre, Germany) , Ven. Kongaspitiye Santharakkhltha Thera, M.A., Das Buddhistische Haus (Berlin Vihara), and Ven . Badalkubure Dhammasiri Thera (Buddhist Temple, Milan, Italy)

The Berlin Vihara also known as ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ was built in 1924 by Dr. Paul Dahlke, German Philosopher and a pioneer of Buddhism in Germany. The German Dharmaduta Society founded by Asoka Weeraratna in 1952, purchased the premises from the heirs of Dr. Dahlke in 1957 and converted it into a Buddhist Vihara with resident Buddhist monks on a long term footing. It is the oldest Theravada Buddhist Centre in Europe.

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Letter: On the situation in Berlin Vihara

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The story told there is indeed a heart-warming one and german Buddhists still hold Asoka Weeraratna's memory in high esteem. So far, nothing in this story is untrue - though I really would not subscribe to the notion, that  the Berlin Vihara "to date remains the centre of Theravada Buddhism in Germany and continental Europe". In my opinion not even in Berlin, to be frank. Alas the story of the Berlin Vihara has a sequel untold in this article - a very sad one.

Please read this paper about the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Vihara by Dr. Sudath Thenuware, a respected Sri Lankan citizen living in Berlin:
http://www.buddhist-forum.net/media/pdf/BERLIN%20VIHARA%2050TH%20ANNIVERSARY%20OR%20AN%20IMPENDING%20DISASTER.pdf

Check out the Website http://www.buddhist-forum.net/ for more background information. The deeper you go into it, the more depressing it gets.

You may be aware that the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Vihara was in 2007 - but in the last 5 years things have changed only for the worse. Today the Berlin Vihara is almost in ruins; it is now a Vihara where no monks reside any more.

This is all that remains of Asoka Weeraratne's legacy in Germany.

The DBU (German Buddhist Union), umbrella organization of German Buddhists and Buddhist organizations, feels deeply troubled by the decay of this eminent place in the history of Buddhism in Germany. In 2009 the Berlin Vihara was barred from
the DBU - it had become unavoidable.

The purpose of this letter is not to slander anyone or to gossip. But many German Buddhists have been hoping for years that the German Dharmadhuta Society would eventually intervene to make the Berlin Vihara 'Das Buddhistische Haus' again a true "centre of Theravada Buddhism in Germany and continental Europe".

The problem is not money - German Buddhists and the German monument protection service were more than willing to help. It's a problem that only the German Dharmadhuta Society in Sri Lanka can solve. Maybe that letter helps a bit - though I don't have much hope left.

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