Nalanda Buddhist Society opens JB outreach centre

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WALK THE WALK: An organisation which believes in holistic education is doing its bit for underprivileged schoolchildren by offering free tuition classes

JOHOR BARU, Malaysia -- THE Nalanda experience has found its way to Johor with the opening of the Nalanda Education & Outreach (NEO) Centre in Taman Johor Jaya here recently.

<< Dr Tan Ho Soon gives dhamma talk to devotees at the shrine hall of the Nalanda Education & Outreach (right) in Taman Johor Jaya. Pix by Chuah Bee Kim

The event also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Nalanda Buddhist Society founded in 2003 by Dr Tan Ho Soon.

NEO chairman David Yap said that the non-governmental organisation believes in giving knowledge and wisdom to achieve integral human development.

Yap said the centre is recruiting volunteers to tutor children in their school subjects.

"The children who can come here for tuition are from poor families regardless of race or religion," Yap said.

"At our centre in Taman Sri Serdang, Selangor, volunteers of different faiths tutor children from primary and secondary schools in various subjects for free," Yap said.

Tan, who was also present, said that the society had helped 1,200 students to-date.

"Nalanda introduces something new every two years. In 2005, we started the Nalanda Dharma School to provide knowledge, skills and values to teens aged 13 to 18.

"In 2007, the Nalanda Institute was established to offer courses on Buddhism and leadership training. More than 8,000 people have attended the free courses.

"Two years later, we opened the Nalanda Centre in Taman Sri Serdang, followed by the Pustaka Nalanda (Nalanda Library) in 2011.

"It is believed to be the only computerised Buddhist library where members can source books online.

"It has a collection of over 3,000 titles comprising Pali scriptures, Buddhist encyclopaedias and reference books," Tan said.

Nalanda has become one of several acknowledged centres of Buddhist education of the Theravada tradition in the country.

The NEO centre at 30, Jalan Dedap 26, Taman Johor Jaya, is open from 9am to 11am daily, with chanting sessions on Sunday mornings. For details, call 07-350-3870 or visit www.nalanda.org.my.

The two-storey venue offers accommodation to visiting monks, and has a library, shrine hall, meditation room and training rooms for volunteers.

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Global Vipassana Pagoda opens in Mumbai

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96.12 metre pagoda is dubbed as "Wonder of the new millennium"

Mumbai, India -- Asia’s tallest stone structure rises majestically in the sky against the blue background of the Arabian Sea. Located in the southwest of Mumbai on the Essel Plateau near Gorai and covering an area of about 15.5 acres, the Global Vipassana Pagoda is a 21st century architectural wonder.

Surrounded by important ancient Buddhist heritage sites like Kanheri, Mahakali and others, it stands close to Sopara, the ancient harbour city of Shurparak or Supparaka blessed by the holy footprints of  Buddha’s disciples, reminding us of the rich heritage of Buddhism in Mumbai.

Inspired by the great Vipassana meditation master Acharya S N Goenka, this glorious monument symbolizes humanity’s deep reverence to Gautama Buddha, his teaching (the Dhamma) and his followers (the Sangha). It also stands there as an expression of India’s heartfelt gratitude towards Emperor Ashoka and the chain of Buddhist masters starting from his teacher Moggaliputta Tissa up to the present day’s Burmese Vipassana masters like Ledi Sayadaw, Saya Thetgyi and Sayagi U Ba Khin for protecting, preserving and spreading the Buddha’s teachings in India and abroad.

In order to appreciate Burma’s contribution in preserving the technique of Vipassana meditation in its pristine purity, the Global Vipassana Pagoda is built on the lines of the famous Shwedegon Pagoda of Yangon, where the hair relic of the Buddha is enshrined.

The word ‘Pagoda’ - meaning a Buddhist shrine - is a Portuguese mispronunciation of the word ‘Dagoba’. The Sinhalese word  ‘Dagoba’ is a rendering of the Pali word ‘Dhatugabbha’ meaning a cell housing the relic of the Buddha. The Global Vipassana Pagoda houses genuine bone relics of Buddha.

Some of these relics were found by the archaeology department of the imperial British government in the ruins of a ‘stupa’ in Bhattiprolu in southern India before the Second World War. They were then kept in the Museum of London and were returned to the Mahabodhi Society of India after the war.

The Society presented them to Acharya Goenka to place in the Global Vipassana Pagoda for the benefit of the countless faithful who come here to meditate. Another portion of the relics enshrined in the Pagoda was received from the prime minister of Sri Lanka.

The main dome of the Global Vipassana Pagoda was inaugurated on October 29, 2006. On the same day, the sacred bone relics of the Buddha were enshrined in the Pagoda on top of the first dome above the Dhamma Wheel.

The final construction of the Global Vipassana Pagoda was completed in November 2008. The formal inauguration ceremony of the Pagoda took place on February 8, 2009 in the presence of the then President of India, dignitaries, guests, monks and thousands of
Buddha’s followers.

It has taken almost 11 years and 3.87 million man days to complete this colossal monument, which was started in October 1997 with the laying down of the foundation stone. Its construction has been made possible by the generous donations received from various quarters in terms of land for the Pagoda, money and material.

The Structure

The Global Vipassana Pagoda is a three-storied huge hollow stone structure painted in a shining Thai golden paint. It is the world’s largest pillar-less dome especially designed for meditation. For this very reason, it is called the Vipassana Pagoda. Keeping in view
the convenience of those who wish to meditate, the relics are enshrined in the centre of the middle dome and a revolving stage is created in the centre of the main dome at the ground level so that meditation can be done around it while listening to the sermons.

It has the capacity of accommodating over 8,000 meditating people at a time. Meanwhile, efforts are on to improve the acoustic design of the Pagoda in such a way that the echo disturbance can be kept at its minimum.

The Pagoda exhibits the excellence of ancient Indian architecture combined with modern construction technology. Many research organisations, including IIT Mumbai, were consulted for this purpose. It is a 325 foot i.e. 96.12 metre tall monument with an octagonal base. Externally it has a circular bell shape rising towards a pointed pinnacle adorned with a crystal that is covered by a steel umbrella and a Dhammadhvaja (flag of Dhamma) on the top. The interior of the Pagoda has three domes located over one another. The first
dome at the ground level has an inner height of 86.29 feet i.e. 26.3 metres and 280 feet i.e. 85.15 metres in diameter with a total carpet area of 65,000 square feet.

<< Inner view of the main dome

The second dome housing the relics is 105.25 feet i.e. 32.081 metres in height and 105 feet i.e. 32 metres in diameter. The third, which is the topmost dome, has a height of 73 feet i.e. 22.19 metres and is 26.6 feet i.e. 8.13 metres in diameter. It is twice the size of the previously largest masonry structure, the Gol Gumbaz (130 feet in diameter i.e. 39.64 metres) in Bijapur in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

The circumambulatory path is 70 feet wide. About eight to ten thousand people can walk over it at any given time.

The foundation and the Pagoda up to the base level are built with black basalt stones. The average depth of the foundation is 30 feet with about 20 feet width. The construction of the inner dome and the outside serrations of the Pagoda are made up of the famous Jodhpur stone, weighing 2.5 million tonnes and brought from Rajasthan at a distance of around 1,200 kms. The stones are skillfully cut and manually fixed into the grooves using an interlocking system and cemented with lime mortar.

The initial plan was to build the Pagoda in RCC and mild steel. But since the aim of the construction was to build a structure that could last for a thousand years or more, it was decided to use the basic stone interlocking system and lime mortar to ensure strength
and longevity of the structure.

The architect and temple consultant (late) Mr Chandubhai Sompura suggested and demonstrated this technique with the help of a model made of soap bars. Stones here are cut in such a way that each stone has grooves cut both in horizontal and vertical direction so that it holds and grips other stones in both directions.

This unique interlocking system is so amazing that it can hold massive stones without any support.

The top key stone depicting the Dhamma Wheel suspended over our head at a height of 90 feet weighs almost 4 tonnes. Besides the main Pagoda there are two smaller Pagodas that are 60 feet high built on both sides in the north and south.

The northern Pagoda has a meditation hall used for teaching Anapana meditation to the general public whereas the southern Pagoda contains 108 meditation cells. A grand Ashoka pillar with the Dhamma Wheel similar in shape and size to the original pillar in Sarnath has been constructed to the east of the Global Vipassana Pagoda.

The entrance to the west of the Pagoda is a replica of the Burma Gate at Dhammagiri Vipassana Centre at Igatpuri with two lion images on both its sides. An information centre and a bookstore are being constructed near this gate. The stairway at this side of the
Pagoda rises straight up to the circumambulatory path above the basement. Climbing up the staircase one can see two pedestals on its each side with a huge bell from Burma weighing 11 tonnes installed on the left hand side and a gong set up on the right.

The Facilities

The Pagoda complex also houses a Vipassana centre called ‘Dhammapattana’ to the southwest of the main Pagoda at the basement level where 10 day long courses have been conducted regularly since October 2007. The centre is well-equipped with 100 air-conditioned rooms and a meditation hall. Recently a research centre devoted to the study of Pali language and Buddha’s teachings has been established near it. A 60-tonne Buddha statue in white marble located near the research centre provides a fitting ambience to this entire area.

From the north to the south and through the west there is a two-storied C-shaped basement area housing service facilities. On the first floor of the basement one can discover many facts about Vipassana and the inspiring life and teachings of Buddha in a wonderful exhibition gallery displaying 123 paintings.

There is also an audio-visual centre and a gallery of wall mounts and photographs adjacent to a book and souvenir shop. Besides these, there is a library and two auditoriums under construction. Service facilities such as rest-rooms, offices, quarters and a food court are located on the ground floor of the basement area. A three-storied guesthouse is being built outside the Pagoda premises in the northwest direction.

Getting there

From the Western Express Highway, head north towards Dahisar/Borivali/Ahmedabad.Cross the Dahisar toll booth and keep going straight.When you reach the Mira-Bhayandar crossing, turn left towards Mira-Bhayandar. The crossing has a statue of Shivaji Maharaj positioned at the centre.Keep going straight till you reach the Golden Nest Circle. Take a left turn and stay on the main road.Keep going straight till you take a hard right turn at the end of the road. This point will come after Maxus Mall, which comes on your right. After this take a left at the T-point junction.Keep following directions to Essel World or the Global Vipassana Pagoda from this point forward.When you reach the Essel World parking lot, go ahead a few metres and take a right turn towards Essel World. Tell the guard at the security post that you want to go to the Pagoda.Keep going straight till you reach the helipad. At the Helipad, take a right turn to the Global Pagoda road through the Sanchi Arch.The Pagoda is about 42 kms from the domestic airport terminal in Mumbai.

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Largest Buddhist temple in Europe opens in Rome

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Rome, Italy -- While much of the international focus was on Pope Francis delivering his first Urbi et Orbi Easter Sunday address in Piazza S. Pietro, another significant religious event was taking place in the suburbs to the east of the capital.

The largest Buddhist temple in Europe was inaugurated in Rome on 31 March in the presence of the city's mayor Gianni Alemanno, thousands of members of the capital's Chinese community, and Tibetan monks.

Located between warehouses on Via Omo in the Tor Tre Teste area, the “Hua Yi Si” temple is designed in the style of a pagoda.

It was funded by the city's Chinese community which Alemanno described as growing "in peace and harmony with the rest of Rome".

Alemanno hailed the temple as "another record of religious tolerance in our city. We already have the largest mosque in Europe and now this Buddhist temple."

The Chinese community living in the city and province of Rome is estimated to number between 5,000 and 7,000 people, with most of them coming from a specific area of ??the Zhejiang province in southern China.

In 2005 the first Chinese Buddhist temple in Europe opened on Via Ferruccio 8, near Piazza Vittorio in the Esquilino area of the city.

The Mosque of Rome is located in the Acqua Acetosa area, at the foot of the Monti Parioli, and it is also the seat of the Italian Islamic Cultural Centre. Designed by Italian architect Paolo Portoghesi, the project was financed by 23 Muslim countries including its main sponsor Saudi Arabia, and was inaugurated in 1995.

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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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"Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan" opens in New York

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NEW YORK, NY (USA) -- A groundbreaking exhibition that unites masterpieces of Chinese sculpture from the famed sixth century cave temples at Xiangtangshan with the first ever digitized reconstructions of their original setting opened on September 11, 2012, at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University (ISAW).

<< Standing Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin), Xiangtangshan: Southern Group of Caves, Attributed to Cave 2, 565-577 ce. Limestone freestanding sculpture with lacquerlike coating, 74 x 20 1/16 x 14 9/16 in. (188 x 51 x 37 cm). University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Purchased from C.T. Loo, 1916 (C113).

Based on the most recent scholarship and utilizing advanced imaging technology, the installation provides new insights into the history and original appearance of one of China's most remarkable Buddhist devotional sites. The majestic temples at Xiangtangshan - carved into mountains in northern China and lavishly decorated with sculpted images of Buddha and other celestial beings - were damaged during the early twentieth century, when many of the carvings were removed.

Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan brings together twelve of the finest of these temple sculptures, on loan from American and British museums, and features a full scale, digital, 3D reconstruction of the interior of one of the site's most impressive caves.

The exhibition is the result of a ten year research project on the Xiangtangshan temples and their carvings by an international team of scholars based at the University of Chicago's Center for the Art of East Asia. Echoes of the Past remains on view through January 6, 2013. ISAW Exhibitions Director and Chief Curator Jennifer Chi states: "While the sculptures from Xiangtangshan can - as indeed they have for many years - stand alone as powerfully impressive works of art, this exhibition is a rare and tremendously exciting opportunity to experience the carvings in their original context and to better understand the sacred meanings they were meant to convey."

Echoes of the Past is a superb example of the enormous potential of digital technology in the public presentation of ancient sites and objects. Carved into the limestone mountains of Hebei province in northern China, the Buddhist cave temples of Xiangtangshan (which translates as "Mountain of Echoing Halls") were the crowning cultural achievement of the Northern Qi dynasty (550-577 C.E.), whose rulers established Buddhism as the official religion of their realm.

The interiors of these vast, multistoried structures, intended as replications of paradise itself, were lavishly decorated with hundreds of carved and painted images of Buddhist deities, disciples, and crouching monsters.

Notwithstanding the enormous scale of the project, the carvings are among the most artistically refined surviving examples of Chinese medieval sculpture. Collectively, they are considered fundamental to our understanding of the history of Chinese Buddhist style and iconography. Unfortunately, during the early twentieth century, the outstanding quality and remote location of the temple carvings made them an attractive target for removal.

Heads and hands of figures, as well as freestanding sculptures, were removed.

Exhibition Overview Echoes of the Past reunites twelve of the sculptures that are representative of the imagery, iconography, style, and scale of the sculptural program at Xiangtangshan. Of supreme importance were the images of Buddha, in his many and varied manifestations. A magnificent head of Buddha, measuring nearly three feet high, likely belonged to a colossal seated figure of Prabhutaratna, Buddha of the Past, that is still in situ in the caves.

Gently smiling, with downcast eyes, the head exudes an aura of serenity and calm. A smaller, exquisitely carved freestanding figure of a seated Buddha was apparently removed intact, and even retains its large and elaborately worked halo of floral and vegetal motifs.

The exhibition also reunites the left and right hands of a colossal Maitreya, Buddha of the Future; although only fragments, the hands are highly expressive, with the creases in the flesh and such details as the fingernails all finely observed. Also on view are several superb examples of the bodhisattvas and pratyekabuddhas (enlightened spiritual beings worshipped as deities) that abounded in the sculptural program of the caves.

A life size head of the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, with its symmetrical but sensitively carved features, exemplifies the wonderful balance of abstraction and naturalism that characterizes the finest Xiangtangshan sculptures. The figure of a standing pratyekabuddha, his mouth slightly open, as if reciting a prayer, has been hailed as one of the most majestic Chinese sculptures of any period. In contrast to the serenely elegant Buddhist deities are the grotesque and grimacing monsters found in the caves, probably representing evil spirits vanquished by Buddhist wisdom.

The exhibition's example is a fearsome creature, with a leonine head, curving horns, and wings rising from a corpulent humanoid body. The exhibition also includes rubbings of the sacred inscriptions that were a distinctive feature of the complex at Xiangtangshan. In addition, visitors to the exhibition have the unprecedented opportunity to virtually walk through one of the caves, experiencing it as it might have appeared in the sixth century, thanks to an enveloping media installation that layers 3D laser scans of dispersed sculptures onto digitized scans of the existing temple walls and ceiling.

More Information: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=57679#.UFCZcK7fu3Y[/url]

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3rd World Buddhist Forum opens in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong, China -- The Third World Buddhist Forum, the largest international Buddhist conference ever held in Hong Kong, opened on April 26, 2012.

At the beginning of the opening ceremony, led by President of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association Kok Kwong, President of the Buddhist Association of China Chuan Yin, the 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, all the participants, together with thousands of monks and Buddhist believers, bowed three times to the statue of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha and chanted the Heart Sutra, one of the most well - known Buddhist scripture.

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, one of the two most senior living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, delivered a keynote speech at the forum.

"The virtuous Buddha compassionately and skillfully opened the door to the Dharma, pointing out for us the way to choose between wholesome and unwholesome acts," said the 22-year-old Panchen Lama.

China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin congratulated the opening of the forum in a letter which was read out to the attendees by Zhu Weiqun, deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

During the two-day event, eminent monks, well-known scholars from home and abroad, including the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Australia, the United States and Europe, will participate in seven sub-forums and several TV forums to discuss the propagation of Dharma teachings and the protection of Buddhist scriptures, and exchange ideas on the development of Buddhist education and the promotion of Buddhist charitable efforts..

A rare piece of the parietal bone of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, was flown to Hong Kong from east China's Jiangsu province on Wednesday for public worship. This is the first time the sacred remains is worshipped outside the Chinese mainland since it was unearthed in June 2010 in Jiangsu.

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The International Buddhist Film Festival Opens in London

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London, UK -- Say Namaste to this year’s Omtastic movies, which include the story of Buddha, a monastery Film Noir- if you will- and the adventure of a Buddhist nun named Karma, as this years annual International Buddhist Film Festival kicks off today.

The five-day film festival runs until April 15 at the Apollo Piccadillly Circus and is sponsored by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation.

The festival starts on a high note with the showing of “The Buddha,” which explores the life of the 6th century prince who found enlightenment and inspires Buddhists followers to this day.  Also, Richard Gere, who has been a Buddhist since a 1978 visit to Nepal, narrates the film.  “The Buddha” is shot on location in India, the United States as well as Nepal and features animations to add color to the story of the spiritual teacher.

On Thursday, the film, “Mindfulness and and Murder” takes us to the back alleys of Bangkok as we follow an ex-detective turned Buddhist monk trying to solve the mystery of a homeless corpse that was left in front of his monastery.

Among the notable films to be featured at this year’s festival is “Karma,” the story of a Buddhist nun searching for funds for her leaders death.  The film also gives viewers a rare glimpse into the lives of Tibetan nuns.

The festival is a treat for western viewers.  Most of the films will be debuts in the Western sphere.  For more information, Check out the festival’s website for a full list and synopsis of each of the films.

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Louisiana's first Thai Buddhist temple opens in Algiers

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Algiers, Louisiana (USA) -- Accompanied by monks in their saffron robes, and with traditional music and dancing, hundreds of Thai Buddhist families gathered in Algiers on Sunday to celebrate the opening of the first Thai Buddhist temple in the state.

<< ELIOT KAMENITZ / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE. Wat Wimuttayaram, the first and only Thai Buddhist Temple in Louisiana has its grand opening on the holy day called Phra Srisakaya Vimuttinyana which is a ceremony honoring Budda's image which has been placed in the new temple on Sunday, August 14, 2011.

The opening of Wat Wimuttayaram brought guests like Pranee Shelton from as far away as Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Sudjai Satonpan, a restaurateur, from Slidell.

They were among more than 200 who assembled at an obscure piece of property still surrounded by dense forest and undergrowth just off Stanton Road, a narrow gravel road in largely undeveloped Lower Coast Algiers.

Surrounded, as it were by jungle, the site was decorated Sunday with hundreds of small Thai flags. Local Thai restaurants donated tables filled with food. Thai music filled the still, humid air.

Shortly before noon, more than a dozen robed monks passed along a line of tables with their alms baskets, receiving from the people donations of food, their sole subsistence.

Most were visitors invited to help bless the event. Longer term, about five monks will live at the temple, said Phrakhrupalad Wutthichai Phothachai, or "Monk Wutti, " the abbot of Wat Wimuttayaram.

From now on, the temple will become the social and spiritual center for about 100 Thai families living throughout metropolitan New Orleans, Monk Wutti said.

Monks in residence will give instruction in chant and meditation to members of the Buddhist community and teach Thai to the children and grandchildren of local members, Monk Wutti said.

Many Thais in the New Orleans area are professionals who have remained in the country after their education. Owing to Thailand's political stability, almost none are political refugees, like their Vietnamese neighbors.

Many, like Shelton, are wives of American men they met during military or corporate service in Thailand.

Until now, Monk Wutti and others said, local Thai Buddhists gathered regularly at members' homes, often on the West Bank. Now, however, the temple will provide their new center to keep in touch with each other, meet once a month or so, and seek instruction from the resident monks.

Sunday's celebration is the end of a process that began almost three years ago when the local community founded the organization that would build the temple.

Monk Wutti, a missionary monk living at a Laotian Buddhist temple in Mobile, Ala., agreed to come to New Orleans to help build a new temple on newly acquired land in Lower Coast Algiers.

A native of northern Thailand, Monk Wutti, 31, entered a Buddhist monastery at 12, and was ordained at 21.

Like that of other monks, his hair is close-cropped, almost shaved. He wears orange robes. He owns nothing, eats nothing after noontime, and subsists on what members bring him and other monks.

He is celibate. Indeed, his pursuit of asceticism is such that he does not even touch a woman.

"We dedicate our lives to avoiding desire," he said.

That said, Monk Wutti laughs easily and often. He appreciates irony, not least that he manages the temple's email and handles an iPhone.

The major building on the site is a raised cottage of ordinary Western appearance. Inside are small sleeping cells for the monks, and a great room dominated at one end by a large bronze Buddha.

On Sunday, a traditional holiday celebrating the image of the Buddha, the statue was terraced with ornamentation in the form of candles, flowers and other decorations. Believers entered the room, prayed quietly before the Buddha and wrote out their intentions on small gold cards of metal foil.

The cards will be rolled tightly and deposited inside the statue, Monk Wutti said.

Monk Wutti and those at the site are practitioners of Theravada Buddhism, one of the older and most conservative schools in that tradition. Theravada predominates in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos -- though not in Vietnam, where another tradition, Mahayana Buddhism prevails.

That is the tradition of the nearby Bo De Buddhist Temple, just a few miles away in Lower Coast Algiers. Despite their differences, members from the Bo De Temple helped the Thai community set down roots as neighbors, Monk Wutti said.

Wat Wimuttayaram is the only Thai Buddhist temple in Louisiana; the nearest other one is in Navarre, Fla., Monk Wutti said.

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President opens Buddha Mandiraya in Ratmalana

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Colombo, Sri Lanka -- The newly built Buddha Mandiraya in Kothalawalapura Samadhi Buddhist Centre, Ratmalana was opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday.

The Buddha Mandiraya built on the instructions of the Chief Sanghanayake of the Hinidumapaththuwe Galu Korale and Samadhi Buddhist Centre Chief Incumbent Mapalagama Budasiri Nayake Thera, was opened to mark the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi. The President also launched a web site.

The construction of this Buddha Mandira was the brain child of President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was the Opposition Leader.

Samadhi Buddha Mandiraya in Ratmalana Kothalawalapura was constructed with donations of local and foreign devotees.

Nayake Theras also participated in this opening ceremony.

Ministers Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Senior Minister A H M Fowzie and a number of politicians participated. An alms giving to 100 members of the Maha Sangha was also held.

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