The Buddhist Fellowship wishes all a happy and joyous

new year. May the blessings of the Triple Gems be with you. May all your

wishes and aspirations for the new year be fulfilled.

Newsletter of the Buddhist Fellowship • January - March 2010 Address: 9 Chwee Chian Road Singapore 117488 • Tel: 6278 0900 • Fax: 6278 0102 • Email: info@buddhistfellowship.org • www.buddhistfellowship.orgOffice Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am - 8pm, Sat-Sun: 10am - 5pm • Closed on Public Holidays FREE shuttle bus from Vivo City, check website for details.

MICA (P) 186/05/2009

Events30 Jan 2010 Interfaith Dialogue

13 Feb 2010 Lunar New Year Chanting

Sunday Talks31 Jan 2010 Theravadan Path by Ven Rathanasara

7 Feb 2010 Joy of Giving by Yap Kheng Guan

13 – 16 Feb 2010 BF Centre Closed for Lunar New Year

21 Feb 2010 TBA by Dr Ang Beng Choo

28 Feb 2010 Rebirth by Ven Rathanasara

7 Mar 2010 TBA by Ven Shi Chun Nian

14 Mar 2010 Saying Yes to Life - Even In Hard Times by Yap Kheng Guan

Wednesday Night Talks27 Jan 2010 Know and See by Richard Chia

3 Feb – 24 Mar 2010 *Introduction to Buddhism by Yap Kheng Guan * See page 13 for more information

7 Apr – 19 May 2010 Essence of the Path to Enlightenment by Ven Tenzin Palzang

Monthly Indonesian Service 28 Feb 2010 Movie and discussion by Vina

21 Mar 2010 Sutta discussion by Luis

Activities Tues, 7.30 - 9.30pm Sutta Discovery

Thurs, 2.30 - 4.30pm KKH Children Ward Entertainment

Fri, 2.15 - 4.30pm Visit to Ren Ci Nursing Home

Fri, 8 - 9pm Group Meditation

Sun, 11am - 12.30pm Rahula College

Sun, 1.30 - 5pm Sunday Youth Service 1st Thurs of the month Executive Club 7 - 9.30pm

4th Sat of the month Visit to Geylang East 3 - 6pm Home for the Aged

1st Sun of the month Club Meditation 6.45 - 8am at Fort Canning

2nd Sun of the month Family Club Meditation 9.15 - 10.30am 2nd Floor, Dharma Hall

Services Bedside Support Group • Ehipassiko Chanting GroupSingles Again Club • Counselling ServicesLegal Advisory Services • Marriage Solemnization

(Please refer to www.buddhistfellowship.org for more details)

Spiritual Patron: Ven. Ajahn Brahmavamso

Advisor Patron: Mr Low Teck Suan

Patrons: Dr. Ang Beng Choo Dr. Tan Choon Kim Mr Yeo Guat Kwang

HIGHLIGHTS

EXCO Members: President: Angie Monksfield • VP - Administration: Wong Tai Wee • VP - Members Affairs: Bita Seow • VP - Public Affairs: Yap Kheng Guan • VP - Resource Development: Jerry Ong • Hon Secretary: Poh Mui Hoon • Hon. Treasurer: Luar Ling Ling • Committee Members: Henry Baey, Jayson Goh Chor Hong, Lim Ai Ling, Lim Soon Huat, Poh Joo Tung, Matthew Rickard, Tikki Gee & Dr. Henry Yeo Peng Hock

General Manager: Wang Pei Chong • Centre Manager: Ho Eng Chin • Centre Administrator: Hoh Wai Ling • Executive, Community Programs: Skye Wee • Manager Programs Development & Public Relations: Albert Lee K. H

New Patron of Buddhist Fellowship

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang has been the Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC since 2001. He was the Member of Parliament for Cheng San GRC from 1997 to 2001. As a labour MP, he works closely with the tripartite social partners to improve and enhance the well-being of workers.

He has been elected as the President of Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) since 2002. During his term of office, he successfully lobbied for the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and implemented key initiatives to better protect the interest of the consumers including greater transparency of the hospital bills. He also serves as the Executive Secretary for the Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees.

Mr Yeo is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Manpower and the Ministry of Information and the Arts. He also serves as member of the Board of Director in Public Utilities Board and Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre Ltd.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (2nd Upper Honours) from National University of Singapore, and he also holds a Postgraduate-Diploma in Education (with Merit) from National Institute of Education. In 2002 he attended the Executive Programme in Strategic Leadership Institute, University of California LA. He was awarded the People’s Association Youth Movement Award in 1990 and 1992, and the People’s Action Party Youth Award in 1993.

Mr Yeo, 48, is married with 2 children.

News� News �

Launch Of New Logo and Membership Card

Talk by Ajahn Brahm:Overcoming Fear and Guilt by Evelyn Lim “Fear is about having a negative attitude towards the future, whereas guilt is about holding on to the past.” ---- Ajahn Brahm, “Overcoming Fear and Guilt”, Oct 21 2009.

There were many enlightening points gathered during the Ajahn Brahm’s talk on how best we can overcome fear and guilt. Here are some that he shared:

1. Karma Considerations Guilt is experienced when we find fault in ourselves. Guilt is totally unnecessary, because what may have transpired since the event may have turned out well. We have a tendency to view things that happened negatively, more so when a tragedy is involved. However, many are a result of karma. Because we do not have full control over external events, we cannot totally blame ourselves.

Ajahn Brahm recounted how he would not have become a monk if he was not previously dumped by a girl years ago, for instance. He also told the story of a man who was rescued during the tsunami. Two weeks after the rescue, the man got killed in a cash crash. Then, there was also the story of how Ajahn failed to answer a call for assistance from the wife of a brain-damaged man who had gone crazy. Ajahn did not experience guilt because he felt that it would be wrong to judge himself unfairly for an event which was probably due to karma.

2. Good IntentionsWhen we investigate into ourselves, we should look at the intent behind our action rather than the results of the outcome that has taken place. Good intentions is the ethical gold standard of Buddhism. With good intentions, we do our best. When things do not work out as expected, there is not much point in beating ourselves up. We learn to accept the situation as-it-is.

Ajahn Brahm shared about counseling the family of a 17-year old boy who had hung himself. Each member was in grief and shock over the incident. He explained that the intention to push the son to do well for examinations was not a bad one to begin with. Then again, a failure in examination did not mean that a person has failed in life either. Ajahn advised us to make the distinction between blaming and judging the person versus looking at the event, situation or action.

3. Forgiveness over Failures “Failures” are really opportunities to learn. Not to forget, we get countless opportunities to repeat an exam over many lifetimes! The experience of guilt is like giving ourselves a life sentence based on one mistake. Only in freedom, can we start to live freely. We need to take the punishment out from the guilt. Hence, to be free from guilt, try forgiveness instead!

Ajahn Brahm also pointed out laughingly that the Australian laws are very unfair to Buddhists. Apparently, the level of sentencing is depending on the level of remorse a person being sentenced shows. If a Buddhist displays no guilt, then it may well be that he or she gets a heavier punishment!!

Ajahn shared about how one Buddhist woman was held in disbelief by her counselor that she felt only forgiveness to her husband who had sexually abused her twins. The counselor felt that the woman was in denial of her pain. Ajahn had to write a letter to the counselor eventually to explain the Buddhist perspective of looking at things. What is interesting to note was that because their mother had not felt any ill feelings or the need for revenge, the twins suffered little trauma and grew up fine.

Ajahn shared about what to do in the experience of guilt by using the acronym AFL. AFL, conventionally known as Australian Football League, is to be translated as Acknowledge, Forgiveness, Learn.

4. Manifestations of Fears Fears create dysfunctional relationships. When we have fears, we start to manifest them physically. Hence, the fear of cancer creates cancer and the fear of death results in dying early. (I am reminded of a quote that I have often come across...”there is nothing to fear but fear itself”).

A suitable analogy is about learning how to ride a bicycle. When we first get started, we find ourselves falling many times. It is only when we learn to relax that things start to get really easy. With practice, we are eventually able to ride the bicycle smoothly.

We have all kinds of fears. There is the fear of change, the fear of seeing a problem as it is, etc. Take for instance, the fear of losing our titles. The fear of losing our titles can keep us stuck. However, if we stop to think about it, titles are really worth nothing. Only when we can put our political ambitions aside and be non-attached to titles can we be much happier people.

With a flourish, Ajahn ended his talk with a great advice: Be FEARLESS!

Appointment of General Manager in Buddhist FellowshipBuddhist Fellowship is pleased to announce the appointment of Wang Pei Chong as General Manager of Buddhist Fellowship. He has been with BF since May 2005 (as a volunteer website administrator) and Feb 2009 (as a full time staff managing Humanitarian and Community Programs). He was previously with Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) as an IT professional.

With the appointment of a GM, we now have an organisation with a structure, system and processes that will lay a foundation for continuity and growth of Buddhist Fellowship.

The launch of the new logo and membership card was done during the 21st Anniversary dinner held at Suntec City on 26th November 2009.

As we come of age, being 21 years old, our new maturity is

reflected in our new logo: the leaves represent the attributes of the Noble Eight-Fold Path. The bodhi tree symbolises our growth and the green, our freshness and dynamism.

Membership cards will also be issued to all members who have a valid 2 year membership or more for the first time in Buddhist Fellowship history. With the membership card, members will be entitled to discounts and selected vegetarian restaurants and other establishments.

The distribution of membership card will be as follows :

• Existing members with 2 years valid membership ormorewillget theircardstogetherwithnewsletterandAGMnotice

• Existingmemberswith2yearsvalidmembershipormore(andhadoptoutofnewsletter)willgettheircardswiththeAGMnotice

• Memberswhoareneworjustrenewedfor2yearsormorewillgettheircardstogetherwiththemembershipletter

Please do inform the office if you do not receive your card by end February or email to info@buddhistfellowship.org for any changes in mailing address. Thank you.

Front

Back

News� News �

Talk by Ajahn Brahm: Overcoming Anger in Problem Solving by Evelyn Lim

We are challenged by problems everyday – may it be work, home or school. However, when we are able to solving problems clouded by emotions, especially anger, we tend to end up with more problems. Relationships that mean a great deal can also be aversely affected.

Ajahn Brahm’s talk on November 24 offered excellent tips in overcoming our anger for better problem solving:

1. Practice Loving-KindnessAjahn Brahm exemplified a living example of how we could let go of anger and send loving kindness to our so-called “enemies”. He related how he was able to send loving thoughts to the monks who had opposed to the Bhikkhuni ordination that he recently performed in Australia. Instead of ill wishes, he had only positive feelings towards them.

The lesson is that there is no point in letting others control our happiness. If we get upset even by the taunting of others, we would have “lost”. It is more important to stay happy and present, no matter what unreasonable criticisms have been hurled at us. In fact, a better strategy is to wear others down through our gift of compassion.

2. Set Realistic Expectations One of the reasons that keep us stuck in anger is due to our unrealistic expectations. We forget that conflicts can arise from the close relationships we have formed; for example, as in a marriage. In a lot of ways, conflicts are to be expected when we are in physical and emotional proximity with someone else. We hold our partners, spouses or friends to high standards, when we are not even perfect ourselves.

So, let us stop complaining about life – there is really nothing wrong with it! If we can expect that there is nothing wrong with life, we are less prone to anger. Real insight is garnered from seeing life as it is. (If I may add, it is about making peace with each single moment.) Most certainly, insight is not acquired from spiritual experiences, such as the seeing of lights, alone!

3. Shift Mental Perspective A positive attitude can help us with a shift in mental perspective, thus reducing the level of anger that we feel. There are two aspects of anger: anger towards self and to others. It will be great if we can cultivate a positive attitude on both aspects.

Let’s take the situation of being passed over for a promotion at work. We feel that it is not fair, especially after all the hard work we have put in. And hence, we get angry and upset. What helps is to adopt the perspective that there can be good that comes up with having been sidelined. For one thing, we face less stress by not assuming more responsibilities that accompanies a job promotion. With less stress, we can also afford to spend more energy on buddhist activities, for instance! So a situation becomes not as bad as it first looks!

4. Focus on the NowAjahn Brahm illustrated the point on anger towards self with a personal example. He shared about his response to the question if he would have done things differently about the Bhikkhuni ordination

on “hindsight”. His answer was “I don’t do hindsight”. He felt that it was a ridiculous question to begin with!

Indeed, looking at the past to ask what may or may not have been or happened is a time-wasting activity. Doing so keeps us away from solving our current problems. It is far better stay focused on the now. Then, there can only be hope for the future.

5. Do Social ServiceDepression is anger towards self. A great way to overcome depression over the mistakes we have made is to do social service. We start to feel good about ourselves, when we know that we have positively contributed to society.

We cannot hope to solve our problems with anger. (This makes me remember of a useful advice that I often quote to others: we cannot solve problems at the level of consciousness that created them!) Practicing compassion as a way to problem solving elevates us while uplifting others!

6. Offer Friendship Ajahn Brahm presented many stories on how the offer of friendship to others can help make life easier for ourselves. My vote goes to an all-time favorite parable of the anger-eating demon. An emperor had shown friendship to a monster, thus causing it to eventually disappear. The monster had initially grown bigger, uglier, smellier, and more horrible with each unkind word lashed out by his ministers and guards upon its appearance at the palace. On the other hand, it grew smaller and smaller with each kind gesture of friendship by the emperor, after returning home.

Our relationships become more harmonious, when we offer a sign of friendship. With sincerity, we present a cup of tea or coffee to our superiors. With a generosity in spirit, our gestures can go a long way even in political circles; where issues discussed are often contentious.

7. Use Humor This tip did not come during the talk itself but was gathered from the Q&A that followed it. It was not offered directly as a tip even. On the contrary, I realized it as an underlying pattern in the manner of Ajahn’s responses.

So here is the tip: we can make light of the situation we are in by responding in good humor and grace. In short, learn to laugh at ourselves!

An awareness practice helps in seeing humor, of course! It comes as no surprise that one of the best teachers to guide us all is none other than our spiritual patron – Ajahn Brahm – a walking encyclopedia of Buddhist stories and witty jokes. Sadhu....sadhu...sadhu! • advertisemeNt •

Talk by Ajahn Brahm : Making Choices in Life

on 25th November by Fanny Foo

We make choices everyday. It could be simple choices like what to eat for lunch or life changing ones. To make a choice that may change our life be it a career change, marriage, divorce, not to have kids or have them, to terminate an abnormal foetus etc, many things would go through our minds. Ajahn Brahm has given us some guidelines to bear in mind when making our decisions.

Selfish DesireDo not make a decision out of selfish desire. Making a decision on what you want without considering other people or environment around you will lead you to lose friends and family. Be selfless rather than selfish. Use morality and ethics as a guide along your decision.

Ill WillTo harbour ill will will stress us and wear us out quickly. Making a decision based on ill will will bring us bad karma as illustrated by a story in the U.S. where a man caught a mouse in a mousetrap and decided to burn it in his garden bonfire. The mouse escaped the fire and ran into the house with a singed tail. The tail touched the curtains, the curtains caught fire and the house went up in smoke. This is also called instant karma !

Stupidity or IgnoranceFind out our options. Based on the information you have, use your wisdom to guide you for the best outcome. Put energy and effort and do your homework before deciding. He illustrated about finding a life partner and likening it to buying a car. Know the character and personality of the person just like you would consider the engine of a car and not just the physical aspects.

FearFear is an emotional reaction rather than an objective outlook. Making a decision based on fear for example staying in an abusive marriage will lead to more suffering. Be courageous when you have made your decision to stand by it. Be open to suggestions but consider them with your wisdom.Like the saying goes “ The only constant is change”. Situations are always changing, don’t wait to make a choice. Find the right moment and use your wisdom to guide you. It takes courage and responsibility to make a decision. When making a decision, consider in your heart if it was a good thing to do. When you have decided after considering all the options, stand your ground and be courageous. If you wait for someone else to decide, it might never happen !

News� News �

Back in August 2009, Pei Chong (PC) and myself decided we would make a 4 day trip to Chuang Gyi Village (in the Ayeyarwady Delta) which BF had adopted as part of the Project Nargis humanitarian efforts. The time would be spent on tracking the progress of various projects and to plan the next phase of supporting the community as it continues to be rebuilt. Having been to most of the humanitarian missions to Myanmar I did not expect too many surprises. However, staying in the village for a few days was an eye opener for me.

PC and I flew in to Yangon on a Wednesday morning and made our way into the city. Our usual route to the village was by bus and then a small boat, however with just the two of us we decided we would take a large boat across the Yangon River which cuts out about 2 hours of journey time. The boat, a huge old commercial vessel that had been converted to hold passengers, took only a few minutes as its glided to the other side of the bank about 500 meters away. Once on the other side we caught a taxi and then took a smaller boat to Chaung Gyi Village.

The boat journey took around 3 hours from Yangon and we arrived late afternoon. On entering the village, we were welcomed by a few inhabitants including the family that would host us for the stay. We were shown to one of the small houses that the locals lived in which was to be our home for the following 3 days.

The houses were basic, made of timber. Most are the size of a small 1-bed condo, and usually housed a family of 5 or 6. Our beds were a small space on the living room floor where they had kindly erected mosquito nets for us. The family had made us dinner, so as soon as we arrived they asked us to sit and eat with them. Burmese tradition is for the guests to eat first whilst the family sit around and watch. The food consisted of local dishes of rice, green vegetables and fried eggs. It was fairly basic but healthy and enjoyable. Later in our stay, after 3 days of the same food I found myself missing the variety of dishes available to us in Singapore.

We were up early the next day at 6am to visit the monastery and primary school nearby that was damaged during Cyclone Nargis. Before heading out, we were treated to the local’s shower, which consisted of a bowl and water that was poured over us while wearing a traditional Longyi (a piece of sarong). We were also given Longyi’s to wear throughout our trip. The school was a wooden building that the younger children used but had many holes in the floor. Plastic sheets were used as a roof since the structure was blown away. We were told that it would be quiet in the school as it was exam time. There were a few children around in their neatly pressed uniforms.

It never ceases to amaze me the dedication to education in Myanmar, even in these remote delta villages. It is not uncommon to find in the local’s houses, pictures of children at their college graduation. This may not sound unusual but when most families are very poor and are rice farmers, one realises the amount of hard work and dedication it took to put their children through an education.

PC and I spent most of the day speaking to one of the head teachers about the projects BF had been working on and also planning for our next project. Though neither PC nor I spoke the local language, we somehow managed to understand each other through a few words and hand gestures.

On the second day in the village, there was a meditation retreat which we were invited to. It was in a temple building and attended by ten locals, most of them older ladies. The monk led the meditation which the school teacher translated for us.

On the final day accompanied by two locals, we took a walk in the surrounding paddy fields to see how our donated ploughing machines have helped with their yield. Rice growing provides the main income for the village and having lost working cattle during the cyclone the yield was affected

Lovely padi fields filled with lots of smiles. Not to mention the wonderful scenery! A student getting ready for lunch break. The school bags were donated by fellow BF

members during the humanitarian trip in Jul 2009.

badly. It was encouraging to see the land green with rice and the crop apparently getting back to the expected yield. Not only was the trip productive for the next phase of humanitarian work, it was also an education for the two of us.

Living with the locals as one of them, we had a chance to understand the mechanics of village life and how the community supports itself. Farming is their livelihood and education a passion. Buddhism is also core to the culture with precepts making a solid grounding for the peaceful village environment. Returning to Singapore I was a little tired and needed a good shower. A few days away helped me appreciate the many luxuries we often took for granted. I was left with memories of the welcoming locals, in particular the family we stayed with, and the peacefulness of the village.

Project Step 5 was conducted from 15 to 17 Jan 2010. The objective was to conduct a ground-breaking ceremony for the primary school reconstruction in Chuang Gyi Village. More details will be available in the next issue of the newsletter.

Interiors of the current Primary School which Buddhist Fellowship is going to rebuild. Notice the roof that is temporarily patched up with tarpaulin (or canvas).

Practising with his guitar, Matt prepares to jam a few songs for the performance that evening.

Taking a dip in the pond is a great way to fend off the humid afternoon.

Back in Chuang

Gyi Village in

Myanmar Delta

by Matthew Rickard

News� News �

R e a c h i n g Out to Our Neighbours by Lok Yin Yin

On 1 November 2008, the PROs became BF’s goodwill Ambassadors in reaching out to

our neighbours in the Chwee Chian vicinity. This special mission is held annually to thank our neighbours for being kind and understanding as our activities some times attract crowds in the otherwise quiet neighbourhood, causing occasional congestions of both cars and people.

The event started with a detailed briefing conducted by Albert to arm the PROs with some know-how and on the do’s and don’ts when meeting with the neighbours. Bringing along newsletters and cookies (specially baked by Matthew Rickard), the PROs cheerfully walked around in pairs greeting our neighbours and sharing with them information on BF’s activities. The PROs were well-received and were glad that our neighbours also expressed

understanding of the car-parking situation when we had large turn outs for our activities.

The sizzling hot weather did not melt enthusiasm as there were much fun and camaraderie among the PROs. They were spurred on by curious questions from some of the neighbours and by acts of valour displayed by PROs who shielded their fairer counterparts from barking dogs. Despite being drenched after a 2-hour walk under the scorching sun, the team had a great time and shared much joy and laughter over refreshments at the end of their mission.

Much thanks goes to all who contributed to this year’s successful out-reach to our neighbours – to the PRO Group Leaders Linda, Winnie and Luki who did a wonderful job leading others in the project, all PROs who participated for their time and contributions, Jerry for the much needed nourishment after the sweaty walk-about, and not forgetting Matthew for baking those lovely cookies. Thanks to each one of you who made this annual out-reach a success again !

PROs in Loving Neighbours cookie distribution

Loving Neighbours, Pros Eddy Ang and

Linda Chiew with a neighbour

BF’s Executive Club Leading Effectively - Skills and Qualities that Matter a presentation by Ms Poh Mui Hoon (CEO of NETS) by Winnie Lim, Catherine Tham & Irene Tham

“Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. It is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen”

During the monthly Executive Club event, it was our privilege to be able to meet and attend Mui Hoon’s talk on “Leading Effectively” on 5th November ’09.

We learnt from her valuable tips on leadership not just in the workplace but at home. High-powered female professionals are taking time out of their careers to stay home with their children, but they are not leaving their leadership skills behind. In fact, home is perhaps the best place to practice and learn leadership skills.

Great leaders can be great mothers if they know how to integrate the skills they learn from their professional roles into their family responsibilities. Parenthood is also a leadership job and being good at our own job can also mould us to be a better parent. Skills and attitudes are important so that one can effect positive change, inspire and motivate others, provide opportunities for growth and learning, and acting as a saviour not a star performer.

Yes, a good leader should be able to give direction. At the same time, he should be able to listen to what others have to say, especially when confronted with something he isn’t familiar with. Being able to listen

to the concerns of others, as well as giving advice, is an essential part of being a great leader.

Leading effectively entails courage, care, optimism, self control and communication.

Showing leadership at home, work place or even voluntary work means that building high-trust, high-touch relationships is to cultivate bonding. Peak performing leaders remember that the little things are the big things when it comes to building members trust and loyalty. A strong leader keeps his promise and is punctual and respectful in major events to project a good role model. He is usually courteous, always remembering to say “please” and “thank you” at every reasonable opportunity and would generously show unconditional love and assistance in lending a hand and touching lives.

Mui Hoon elaborated further that leadership skills develops not only from different race/gender/seniority but also applies to worldwide leaders from both developed and non-developed countries as well.Good leadership skills can be nurtured in anyone, and are beneficial in academics and social situations. Teaching our children self esteem, problem solving, creative thinking and motivational skills builds the basic tool set that any leader needs.

Success and failure are part of the adventure of life, both requires skills and qualities which are great rewards for being a good leader. Rewards include a sense of satisfaction and a feeling of doing meaningful and significant tasks. We do not always have to win when we lead, but that it is alright as with some encouragement for stepping up and leading, no matter whether we succeed or fail.

In conclusion, the famous quotation from Mohandas Gandhi on Leadership applies to all of us in this present day:-

“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people”

Club MeditationOur teacher, Ajahn Brahm taught, “The goal of this meditation is the beautiful silence, stillness and clarity of mind.”

Meditation is the way to achieving peace and harmony. In meditation one lets go of the complex world outside in order to reach the serene world inside. The experience of this pure mind, released from the world, is very wonderful and blissful.

The effort is directed to seeing things as it is, letting go and to developing a mind so strong and undisturbed; thus allowing the blossoming of wisdom, joy, peace and harmony. One of the many simple but profound statements of the Lord Buddha is that “a meditator whose mind inclines to abandoning, easily achieves Sama- dhi“. What the Lord Buddha was saying was that the major cause for attaining deep meditation, for reaching these powerful states, is the willingness to abandon, to let go and to renounce.

As a lay-practitioner, many of us are often challenged or not entirely motivated to cultivating a diligent and consistent self-practice of meditation in our daily lives, even if we know how helpful and useful it can be. J We often hear excuses like, “no time”, “no company”, “no place”, “no determination”, etc..

Scientific evidence supports the idea that mediation with others is a powerful force and has far-reaching effects.

Precisely for this reason, Club Meditation (ClubMed - as it is fondly known) is founded to provide the supportive environment of group sittings as well as to celebrate the power of meditation.

So even if you are a solo practitioner, take some time now and then to participate in group meditations. And while you are doing your meditation alone, keep in mind that we are all connected by meditation, even across vast distances

ClubMed Family ClubMed Family is a unique session for parents & children to experience meditation together. In this guided practice, the session has enough meditation to benefit busy parents and give kids a fun learning experience. The session will be interspersed with ideas and tips to improve your family’s meditation practice and Dhamma knowledge. “Cookies & Cream” snack-time brings a beautiful start on a Sunday morning.

Family bonding has never been so fun. “Family” means 1–2 adults and kids aged 6 to 12.

Come, be part of the big spiritual family – a family that sits together, stays together!

Suitablefor: Everyone,alllevelsofpracticeWhen: **2ndSundayofeachmonth, 9.15amto10.30am(Please be on-time to benefit from the full program)Where: BFCentre,9,ChweeChianRoadBring: Pot-luckvegetarianbreakfastor

snackstoshare

ClubMed@Fort Canning

Be one with nature! Enjoy a pre-dawn outdoor meditation session every first Sunday of the month. Choose your preferred position – sit, lie down, or walk. Together, we will be enjoying 2 sessions of 30-minutes’ meditation, interspersed with group sharing. Ending with “Killiney kopi & roti” adds sparkle to a delightful & bright morning!

Come, experience this beautiful joyful peace and awaken your mind with the rising sun!

Suitablefor: Everyone,alllevelsofpracticeWhen: **1stSundayofeachmonth, 6.45amto8amWhere: FortCanningParkMeetingpoint: 6.30am, CanningWalk/Percival Road,

CarParkB.Wear: ComfortableclothesBring: A mat, cushion and insect repellent,

ifyouwish.Rain or Shine ~ we will be there!

ClubMed FridaysBlend your own meditation style amongst like-minded practitioners and develop greater awareness and confidence in this 60-minute session.

TGIF – Thank (Siddhattha) Gotama It’s Friday!

Suitablefor: Everyone,alllevelsofpracticeWhen: **EveryFriday,8pmto9pmWhere: BFCentre,9,ChweeChianRoad

Note : ** Please check BF’s website and bulletin board for changes.

lotus soup for the heart 11

Jhana Grove Meditation Retreat by Shixuan

(The 9-day retreat was conducted from 24 Oct 2009 to 1 Nov 2009. 5-Day retreatants came in on 28 Oct 2009)Upon graduation from college and joining the BF as a new member, I was amazed by the amount of love which was extended to me from the members and the monks of Jhana Grove Meditation Retreat Centre and Bodhinyana Monastary. It was one of the most heartfelt moments of my life; being surrounded by peace, bliss and satisfaction. I could not have asked for anything else.

I have never seen more contented faces than those I saw in Dana Hall on my first day of the retreat. Lay people have gathered at the monastery to provide the daily alms for the monks. I watched in quiet happiness as children played in the sun and housewives cradled their babies on the kitchen floor, kept cozy with a glowing fireplace. People from different backgrounds gathered in this warm setting with their food. There was no hint of discrimination and the place was filled with laughter and joy. I was incredibly uplifted and inspired. Perhaps this was what I have been searching in my life all along.

I suddenly felt I was home.

The retreat centre was built in the wild forest. I enjoyed trekking in the company of flocks of sheep, kangaroos, rabbits and insects every morning. Being so close to nature, I realized that we are no different from them. Not hurting any living beings made sense. Being kind and gentle to animals has a profound impact on leading a person to be caring and compassionate, thereby being able to carry these traits into their daily life and meditation practice. It is impossible to meditate without laying the foundations of virtue. Ajahn Brahmali has pointed out that meditation practice is an integrated path where morality supports your progress in meditation. It also allows us to investigate ourselves so that our weaker traits are eliminated and positive ones reinforced.

Hence what is the reward of one’s extreme virtue, kindness, gentleness, awareness and patience? It results to deep contentment in meditation of letting go into jhanas, which is bliss better than sex. Ajahn Brahm taught us that meditation is a natural process. In our spiritual practice, we are like a thousand petal-ed lotus flower where the sun is constantly warming on us. When the first ray of the morning sun warms the outermost layer of the delicate petals, they begin to unfold and this allows the sun to warm the next layer as well where they will start to open up in due time. This goes on to the very last layer which contains the prized jewel right in the centre of the lotus flower, Nibbana. In addition, Ajahn Brahm also mentioned that the people who can attain jhanas easily are the pure-hearted ones who have been extremely generous, kind, caring and very happy. When their practice bears the fruit one day, they will see the most brilliant nimittas which leads to the bliss of jhanas.

There is still so much to learn! As my meditation practice blossoms, I realize the importance of virtue, peace, compassion and wisdom.

Thank you Ajahn Brahm, for providing such a wonderful learning place filled with warm blankets, delicious food and excellent teachings. Your kindness, compassion, gentleness and patience surpass the field of merit!

News10

A survivor’s account of Tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka on26th December 2004By Ramya Panagoda

The east coast of Sri Lanka is known for its finest beaches in Asia. The area is renowned for its calm seas, snorkeling, fishing and boating. There are also two small coral islands known as the Pigeon Island and Bird Island .

My sister, Lakmali, and her family consisting of her Arjuna (husband), Yavin (son,16) and Suhendrani (daughter,13), my second sister, Sue and I were joined by another American family of 4 on our way to Trincomalee.

We departed Colombo heading to Trincomalee on Friday 24th December. We were to spend four days over Christmas at Nilaweli Beach Hotel.

It was raining when we arrived at Nilaweli Beach Hotel on the afternoon of the 24th December. However, Christmas day was warm and sunny. That morning, we noted dead fish on the beach and later in the day observed that the gangs of monkeys which frequented the hotel were nowhere to be seen.

On Sunday, 26th December 2004, I woke up at about 5:30am and went for a walk along the beach. The sea was calm but looked dark and mysterious. Later Lakmali , Sue and Yavin decided to go for a walk while I returned to my room as it was getting very hot. On their return,

I called Lakmali to wake her daughter who was still in bed. Our ground floor chalets were next to each other and only a few meters away from the beach. The main part of the hotel was behind our chalets. By then, the beach was full of tourists and lots of children were playing in the sand.

I was just outside by my chalet when I felt a small wave hitting my feet. I bent down to pick up a child’s paddling pool that was moving with the wave. I suddenly observed that the sea level had risen and knew that something was wrong. I couldn’t see Pigeon Island anymore, all I could see was water ! There was no beach. The sea rosed rapidly and I saw a huge wall of water come towards me. I rushed into my chalet. During that time, my sisters had already gone to their chalet and Yavin had stayed back on the beach contemplating whether to take a boat ride to Pigeon Island .

I got into the chalet and attempted to close the French windows which faced the beach. The water hit the chalet at that very moment shattering the windows. I ran towards the door and tried to open it. It would not open. In less than 3 minutes, the room filled up with water and the unbroken waves were roaring inside the room smashing everything inside . The waves kept on pushing the TV towards me. At this stage, the wardrobe fell on me. I screamed and looked for a way out.

Third tree from left indicates the place I was standing as the first wave came. Our chalets are on the right side of the photograph.

View from the room through the French windows.

lotus soup for the heart1� lotus soup for the heart 1�

Being an experienced swimmer, I instinctively took a deep breath and floated to the ceiling of the room to see if there was an air pocket but found that I was completely submerged . I was fighting for my life, pushing the TV away from me at the same time. I felt as if the waves were attacking me and I felt an indescribable feeling of loneliness. I was convinced that I was going to die. For a moment I wondered whether I would ever see my family again.

As a last resort, I banged the glass panel at the top of the door. The door vibrated and in a few seconds the large wave inside the room flushed me outside, together with the door. By now the main hotel lobby building was part of the ocean and I felt that I was in a large washing machine swirling around with furniture and other debris. The backwash took everything back to the ocean. Another powerful wave hit me and took me over a barbed wire fence to the next property. I surfaced near a tree and held onto it for dear life . The branch of the tree broke and I had to fight the current to find another tree. I looked around for my family members and saw that, except for Yavin, they had all managed to climb and hold onto trees. I also observed that the main hotel building had collapsed except for the restaurant area.

I was very concerned about Yavin who was nowhere to be seen. After the water receded, we were helped down from the trees by some Navy soldiers who came to the rescue . We informed them that Yavin had been on the beach earlier and that we had to look for him. Lakmali was hysterical and crying as her son had a slim chance of surviving. However, we were not allowed to go to the beach and were immediately evacuated to the Navy camp . We were determined to look for him as my sister insisted that we could not go back without him or his body . He was subsequently found some distance away from the hotel hanging onto a tree top very much alive. He was smiling and holding onto a large sea shell in one hand and a bottle of Martini (which he found floating) in the other.

Yavin narrated that he hadn’t seen the water rising but that some soldiers who were on the beach had shouted at him to run. He quickly glanced at it and started running. The water had lifted him off the ground onto the top of a wave and taken him inland where he had managed to hang onto a tree top. We were all badly bruised with cuts all over our bodies and were left only with what we were wearing and barefooted. The receding water had sucked everything into the sea as we had observed earlier all the furniture, refrigerators, luggage etc that went past us.

It was a sad and empty feeling to see the soldiers retrieving the

bodies of hotel guests one after another. I recognised the faces of some with whom I had exchanged pleasantries the previous day. The whole area was a total wreck and It was a strange sight to see some cars on tree tops.

Our American visitors survived too but the husband was badly injured with a cut hand and sprained leg. Whilst having breakfast, he had observed the phenomena where the sea had changed colour and started bubbling. Being in America for over thirty years he stated that they are regularly educated about such disasters and he had immediately put his son on his back and asked his wife to carry their daughter. They had been overtaken by the rushing sea water and as he tried to climb a wall he injured himself. He handed his son to a person who had managed to climb the wall and managed to save himself too . His wife had been helped up a tree by some hotel employees and thankfully all were saved .

We were then evacuated to a cemetery and at an Army Camp our wounds were dressed. We were given food, medicine and access to communication facilities . Local channels, CNN and BBC were showing the devastation that had taken place in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka . We later learnt through the media that at Nilaweli Beach Hotel, seven foreign tourists had died, eight local tourists including hotel employees and nearly a hundred and thirty were still missing . Only about 30 of us survived out of 180 guests at the resort that morning. In the town of Trincomalee, 700 people died.

We reached Colombo at about 5am on 27th December wearing the same clothes, some twenty hours after the tsunami and reached Sydney on the 29th December 2004.

On arrival in Sydney, I became an emotional wreck when I saw my husband and my children. My survivor’s guilt overwhelmed me. I was helped by many doctors, psychiatrist and psychologist. By using “Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing” (EMDR), the tsunami became an event in my mind. It taught me to distance myself emotionally from the actual event. I also had to tell my story in public as part of the healing process. I recalled one night feeling the young man from Nilaweli Hotel Reception standing in our room asking for help. This young man had helped me to get a telephone connection to Sydney on Christmas day to speak to my children. His body was one of those bodies that I saw stacked in a pile on the

I was seated under this tree an hour before the tsunami.

The swimming pool which was situated facing the beach.

beach. This was the recommencement of my spiritual journey. The dead needed my prayers and the survivors needed my help. To help the survivors, my husband and I, with a few others, set up AustraLanka which organised the collection of food, clothing, medicine etc to be dispatched to Sri Lanka.

It took me 2 months to regain my physical health as I had an infection under the skin caused by larvae. I became a showpiece for medical students at Royal North Shore Hospital. I took “Nheem” (kohomba) leaves baths to take the itch out of skin infections. After sometime the larvae decided to leave me. I also had “Globus Hystericus” where I would choke and felt suffocated. It was the same feeling I had experienced before I lost consciousness in the chalet. The medical advice was to relax and take a drink of water when it happened. My neck injury was a result of my head hitting the ceiling in the chalet. I learnt to live with these medical issues and not let it takeover my life..

In 2005, I returned to Sri Lanka where I was involved in therapeutic art classes for the children of tsunami. I also found that many young female survivors were subjected to sexual harassment and I initiated the purchase of a property to be used as a hostel for these children. The caretakers were two mothers who had lost their children to the Tsunami. The funding for this hostel was arranged through the expatriate community in New York and Sydney.

I am currently involved in two major fundraising activities involving the Tsunami Children’s charity and Project Cambodia, which involves helping poor people in remote villages in Cambodia with their basic needs and education so they can build a better future for themselves. This work has taken me to the world and different parts of Australia as a guest speaker. I am determined to make a terrifying experience into an empowering positive contribution that will make a difference for many other people. Maybe this is what I am meant to do as a survivor of the tsunami!

Introduction to Buddhism by BroYapKhengGuan

Starting3February2010EveryWednesday7.30pm–9pm@BFCentre,Level2

3February2010What Buddhism is and isn’t. Who is the Buddha? Significant events and milestones in Buddhism. The Buddha’s Life from birth to parinirvana.

10February2010What did the Buddha teach? The Middle Way. The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightflod paths. Ti-Sarana(3 Refuges)

17February2010Morality and ethics in Buddhist Practice. Right Speech • Right Action • Right Livelihood The 5 Precepts

24February2010Mental cultivation and development. Right Effort • Right Mindfulness. Right Concentration • Meditation

3March2010Wisdom, the heart of Budhist practice. Right Understanding • Right Thought

10March2010Dependent origination and Karma. Introduction to the tripitaka and sutta.

17March2010Buddhism today. The different schools of Buddhism. Monks, nuns and laypeople

24March2010Practices to help you deal with stress, anxieties and worries. Cultivating your foundation for a happy and meaning life.

youth 1�

Written by Foo Siew Fong, choreographer and instructor for the Youth dance item

“Celebration” at the 21st Anniversary Dinner on 26 November 2009If I was told to write about my feelings at the time when I embarked on the role of choreographer and instructor to a group of teenagers for my dance item, the first few adjectives that would spring to mind would be Excitement, Enthusiasm and Pride. But on the heels of these positive thoughts would also be Apprehension and Doubt. After all, I was dealing with teenagers, right? Would they be a rebellious lot? Can they dance? Would they cooperate? In the first place, do they even have a sense of rhythm?

In total, I went through about 8 sessions with 12 teenagers [not all can attend the rehearsals at any one time due to their school examinations] ranging from 12 to 20 years old, some of whom with no dance experience at all. Naturally, I anticipated opposition to difficult dance moves, sulking faces during extended practice sessions and possibly even “dropouts”. However, I couldn’t be more surprised at how things actually turned out. To begin with, this group of teenagers was polite and respectful. They practised the dance routine with no complaints, and even took it upon themselves to improve their dance moves with their own practice sessions (kudos to parents for bringing them up well and the Buddhist Fellowship for further instilling in them the right values). There was great camaraderie among them. It was because of this attitude that they were able to master new moves taught to them 2 days before the actual performance.

When they took to the stage that night and I watched how they shone in their performance and wowed the audience, no one (parents included) could be happier and prouder than I was of them. Working with these wonderful youths will always be one of my most fulfilling and memorable experience.

youth1�

BF Youth Camp 4th to 7th December 2009 by Rong Han

The BF Youth camp began in a rather unorthodox manner this year, where instead of immediately starting off with games, the campers were treated to a Dhamma movie, aptly named ‘Dhamma Brothers’, which was screened during the recent Buddhist Film Fest. Eyes glued, ears opened, the campers captured every moment of the amazing show. At the end of the movie, a summary was done, and that was when the real fun began. Since everyone was not well acquainted with each other, ice breaker games were played first. Amongst the games played were “Curtain Call” and “Whacko”, where thorough familiarisation of names was required in order to play them well. Campers participated in the games with much gusto, and there were happy faces everywhere. Soon, day tuned to night, and it was time for bed.

Waking up the following day, the campers got themselves mentally prepared for a day of running, because the Amazing Race, BF Youth style was planned for the second day.. Unfortunately, the weather decided to rain on their parade, and all the campers were forced to don their ponchos to escape from the watery onslaught. However, try as they might to stay dry, the rain somehow still managed to make them all wet. But the campers were in good spirits and even the heavy downpour and grey skies could not put a damper on their spirits. Still they went through all the grueling tests, from brain-splitting Sudoku puzzles to muscle-burning runs for checkpoints, finally ending the Amazing Race in Sentosa’s Palawan beach. There, beach games were played, swims in the ocean were made, and on the whole, a lot of fun was had by all. It was only at 9.30pm that everyone headed back to PES (in full) for the night.

The third day started rather lazily, with a talk by Angie Monksfield in the morning about the impor tance of p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d confidence. As stated in the Dhammapada, ‘He whose mind is n o t s t e a d f a s t , h e who knows not true doctrine, he whose confidence wavers – the wisdom of such a one will never be perfect’. And so, class began, firstly with the proper way of walking to exude confidence,

after which was how to dress properly in order to show youthfulness. Many walked away wiser than before, never knowing that even small actions had such a big impact on their own lives. Skit preparations were also done on that day, and everyone got busy thinking of what to do in order to catch the eyes and hearts of the judges. Finally, in the evening, night games were played, with many Dhamma elements included in the games in order for them not only to be fun, but to be enlightening as well.

The final day of camp had a rather interesting start, when the campers were pulled from “la la land” at 6.30am to witness the sunrise and to do a candle lighting ceremony of passing on the light, symbolically meaning the passing on of knowledge. Skits were performed after lunch and it finally came to saying goodbye to each other.

Apart from having enjoyed a meaningful and happy time each camper left having made new friends and learned many new things along the way.

The happy campers

L to R , Clarence, Wei Hong, Georgia (best camper award), Samantha, Metta & Perry.

Youths learning meditation

rahula college1�

My 5 Senses Is My Dhamma Wheel (By a lovely lady who prefers to remain anonymous)

With my eyes, I can see;My ears, I can hear.With my nose, I can smell;My fingers, I can touch.With my tongue, I can taste;My life, to two beings, I have to thank.

From a sperm & an egg, an “I” was born;“I” became the door through sense desires ashore. Rushed in presents of worldly things;Wrapped as adoring & disgusting scenes, Never once did I forget they were Karma party galore.

Yet, why, oh why, am I still frowning?Emptiness, loss and despair never stop crooning.

Futile life it will go all wasted,When I sit and wait to be tested.

What have I done to my gifts?What have I made of my life?

I hear the glistening on my way;A voice beacons me not to sway. I see the shades of alluring hue,Shadowed by death that prevails.

In love and light, I give,Sharing of hope and joy, from deep within. For I know that familiar path, A quiet loneliness of the past.Smiles brighten on the faces I touch; Deeply, and surely, I know that’s my magic touch.

“Why, stop now?” a voice asked.“Why shy from what others say,When you can light a torch in someone’s way?” “Why fear to be called a “show-off”,When Karma knows you are not. Bring on your gift, your Gift of Light.”

“In meditation,” the Lord Buddha said,“Keep your eyes, hands and legs closed.Take the Middle Path and you will be right.With a balanced mind, equanimity and kindness as your guides,See aversions & cravings in the eye.

Feeling sensations of the body;As a scene of the ocean, vast and wide,The ebbs and flows of the waves, just watch as it rises and falls.Observe it; then let it go.”

Anicca, anicca, aniccaAll is impermanent. I seed my future now in this present. Something becomes nothingness, Nothingness becomes brightness.Alas, “I” gained insight from the wisdom of my eyes inside, And, I know I can help ignite the Buddha’s Eyes in Your Life.

The Seven WondersBy Piya Tan

(1) It’s a wonder,Evenwithouteyes,toseewhatnakedeyesseenot:Closeyoureyestotrulysee.Theopeneyeoftenlookstothepast.Ourheartopenstheinnereyeopens,andlooksdeepIntoanother:asIamsoyouare;asyouare,soamI.

(2) It’s a wonder,Evenwithoutears,tolistentowhatpryingearsfailtohear:Don’tjusthear,butlistenlongTothesilenceofthewords,thestillnessbetweenthemusic.Fortherecanbenosensenormusicwithoutsilence.Aboveall,listentoyourheart,yearningtobefree.

(3) It’s a wonder,Evenwithoutanose,tosmellwhatpointednosesfailtosmell:Thetruefragranceoflovewithoutwalls,Lovingothersasyouwouldothersloveyou.Theypassusby,alllookingforlove,butnotknowinghow,Tilltheheartsmiles,andbeatsinyouroutstretchedhand.

(4) It’s a wonder,Evenwithoutatongue,totastewhatflattonguesfailtotaste:Thetasteoffreedomintruegoodness,FlowinglikegushingriversdownmountainsandvalleysIntotheminglingmightyocean,Wherewaterissimplycalledwater.

(5) It’s a wonder,Evenwithoutabody,tofeelwhatthesensualbodyfeelsnot:Thejoyofinnerstillness,whenthebodyhashaditsfill.Tobekindlyawareofyourownbodyislikecominghome,Awarmhomethatbreatheseverymomentforyou,Tillyouareonewithnirvana’sbreath.

(6) It’s a wonder,Evenwhentroubled,tolaughatoursufferingsandsilliness,Andtoteachothersnottofallwhereyouhavefallen.For,painisourfirstteacher,andthelast,Beforejoycomesgentlybutfirmlytoholdourhands:Wehaveneversufferedreally,onlywehavenotlookedhardenough.

(7) It’s a wonder,Evenwhenunloved,toshowlovetotheunloving;For,onlyingivinglove,doyouhavelove.Evenwhentheotherdoesnotrequiteyourlove,Itisnotyourfaultthatonelovesyounot.For,agreaterloveawaitsyou,butwhosetimeisyettocome.

Askmenotwhatthesewordsmean;Foronlyyourheartwilltellyou;LookdeepintothestillnessthereForwhatwordsfailtosay.

©PiyaTan2009

Tai Wee giving out Graduation Cert to Chloe Lee aged 6 yrs old who started with Rahula SS in the Year 2008.

Yew Thong with his niece Phoebe Liu aged 7yrs old and nephew Joebe Liu aged

4yrs old commenced Rahula SS in the Year 2009. Joane Wong proudly

sitting with little Joebe and enjoying Happy Graduation Event.

Rahula’s Graduation Day on 20th December 2009

Lukman Chow giving moral support for his 2 sons Michael Liman Chow

aged 9 yrs and Maxwell Jhotiko Chow aged 6 yrs for a job well done in

completing their term at Rahula SS. Angie thanking parents and children for their support

Rahula children on Graduation Day

Opening The Door Of Your Heart is available in Braille version

How blessed is it for many of us to have found the Buddha’s teachings – the Dhamma and the strong community in Buddhist Fellowship! We are blessed in many ways; our senses and hearts are moved by the multitude of good Dhamma teachings from the Sangha and many renowned leaders from all over the world. Our spiritual family and friends are beacons that help us keep our way. There are good texts, books and references that we are accessible to in the library, websites, through tapes and videos.

Yet, many of us remain “blind”, not by sight, but in our hearts and minds.

Dhamma is a true treasure. It is the one medicine for all our ills, unhappiness and suffering. Dhamma should flow like the ocean, reaching far and wide, to the “can see” and the “cannot see”. No longer limited to only those with access to sight and sound, the Dhamma is now accessible to all who can “read” Braille – the literacy code for the visually handicapped.

Rejoice ! The world’s 1st-ever Braille version of the record-selling book “Opening The Door Of Your Heart” is available now! Written by our spiritual patron, Ajahn Brahm, this book has touched many of our hearts. The Buddhist Fellowship is happy to launch this book in the language that is accessible to friends who read the Braille code and copies are available for loan at the libraries of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, Singapore Buddhist Fellowship, Buddhist Society of Western Australia, and many others. Interested parties who wish to purchase copies may also contact the Brahm Education Centre at Buddhist Fellowship.

feature1� feature 1�

Meet Our Member : James KhooJames came from a family of 7 siblings. His family led a simple, dignified life. Being the eldest in the family, he was very independent at a young age. By age 15, he was financially surviving on his own by giving tuition and working as an artisan carpenter during school holidays. By 17, he was helping out with family finances when his father passed away at age 53. He was 19 when he applied for the position of cadet pilot for the fun of it.

He now flies with Singapore’s major airline and is active in teaching the Rahula children and volunteering in Maitripals which visits HIV patients regularly.

1. How long have you been flying and what kind of aircraft? This is my 33th year as a pilot. I learned to flying on a two seater

propeller powered aircraft, the Cessna 150. I am too big a coward to fly that machine now. It feels much safer to have reliable and powerful jets under the wings. I started airline flying on the B707; she is the real man’s aircraft. The first love is the sweetest. I then got posted to the B747 Jumbo Jet because the B707 was too expensive to maintain, became a Captain on the Airbus A310, went to the B747 MegaTop and now the B777. It seems like it was just yesterday that I had my hands on the Cessna. Time flies.

2. How and when did you embrace Buddhism? Father and Mother are Taoist/Buddhist. Visiting the temple was

always to pray for something from the gods; be it for enough money for food plus a little extra or safe travel for the children or good grades during exam or health for an ill child…

The question of where we came from and where are we going has always intrigued me. Old age and death is the path that we all must take. How do we face this path with confidence and dignity?

What is happiness? How to seek happiness? I find in the teachings of the Buddha the direction and the great sense of comfort. I want to be good and I am walking the path, one step at a time, practicing practicing…heading there.

I owe my practice to Ajahn Brahm - a gem of a teacher. He practices well and he teaches well, he is a rare find. 2002 was the year I first heard Ajahn and I am greatly inspired, thank you Ajahn.

3. During your career as a pilot how has Buddhism or Dharma helped in moments of crisis?

The nature of the job requires sound technical knowledge, skilful handling of men and machines, good situational awareness, good communication, good judgment, good decision making and good leadership skills. Also, to have a mind that is focused at the present moment is of great importance. Just do it, have confidence that you have the knowledge and the skills to execute the mission safely and efficiently. A mind that keeps regretting the past and worrying about the future can lead to undesirable consequences.

4. How do you find time to practice meditation regularly despite your busy schedule flying, volunteering at Maitripals for HIV patients and teaching the Rahula kids during Sunday school?

Meditation is lots of fun. Work, sleep, play and exercise are physical activities. We need to spend some time each day taking care of our mind. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Somebody with a mind full of turmoil and agitation will go to sleep dreaming about the same pain. He will wake up the next day still feeling lousy. If someone says something nasty, we often keep repeating the hurt causing greater harm than what that person did. Meditation takes the mind off the thinking process. Train to a higher level and the thinking mind makes way for the knowing mind, the greater mind. Knowing arises, wisdom arises; peace and tranquillity will then arise.

Long haul flights are fun. To ensure safety, two sets of pilots are carried. So when a set is at the controls, the other set can take their rest. Meditation helps me switch off once I get into the bunk. If I can sleep, it is good. If I cannot sleep, I will just strap on the seat belt, cross the legs and close the eyes. It is easy to emerge from the bunk with a gentle smile on the face.

Volunteering is fun and so is teaching the kids. Busy having fun… heaven is here and now.

5. What motivated you to work with HIV patients and Rahula kids?

I started toying with ideas about what to do as the children were growing up. As they need more space and time for themselves and that in turn free up more space and time for me to pursuit activities that I have always wanted to do but found no time.

Giving up fishing was easy because taking life for the fun of it is no fun. Golf takes up too much time and it very often offers more pain than pleasure.

Being a volunteer is a whole new ball game. There is joy and happiness. I am like a little boy on a new adventure, it is wonderful. The spiritual friends that I made of fellow volunteers, they are full of kindness and compassion. They are people who give without expecting anything in return. I cannot forget the excitement of learning that people do benefit from our effort.

Having adult children is a new phase of my life. Everything in life ends, the end of one phase is the beginning of a new phase, a better phase.

James Khoo with eldest daughter, Shi Qi.

6. What is the best thing a person could do or say to a close friend or relative who has been diagnosed HIV positive?

Respect the person as another fellow human being.Leave the body to the professionals, the doctors and nurses. Help him take care of his mind, take him away from the constant regret of the pass and worry about the future. Singing, chanting or meditation are effective tools. All of us will die; spirituality offers answer and comfort to the process.

7. Would dealing with HIV patients be any different in dealing with patients with other terminal illnesses?

When the immunity system is low, the bugs start to attack. Somehow they seem to like the juicy parts of the body, the brain, the oesophagus, the mouth, the eye balls and the lungs. It is important to observe precautions and hygiene procedures so as not to transmit more bugs to the patients.

8. What is your favourite Buddhist teaching and why?

My favourite Buddhist Teacher - the Buddha.

My favourite Buddhist teaching - the Dhamma.

My favourite Buddhist teachers - the Sanga members who practice well.

My favourite Buddhist practice...Giving,

Morality, and Training of the mind.

Why? We all want to be good.

As I think about what good fortune I have to be here and now…

Today, I lead a comfortable material life. I am married to my best friend and we have 3 beautiful children. As for my career, I have always wanted to fly since when I was a little boy.

Today, flying is a hobby that yields an income.

Today as I chant the Mangala Sutta, I know that I must have done good in the past.

The concept of I, me, mine diminishes in the whole scheme of things.

I want to be of service, for others have given me more, a lot more.

Public Relations & Communications Executive (Buddhist Fellowship)

Responsible for the coordination and execution of all public relations and communications activities, such as publications, advertising, promotional programs and media relations, and all efforts required to effectively represent the society and events to members and general public.

Job Description• Developandmanagethesociety’spublications(e.g.newsletters)

andwebsite• Planandimplementmarketingandpromotionalprograms• Developandmanageadvertisingmaterialandrelated

communicationactivities• Assistinthehandlingandcoordinationofallmediarequestsand

enquiries• Developandcreatemediareleases,keymessages,mediaFAQs,

speeches,andpresentationswhererequired• DevelopandimplementapublicityandPRplantopromotethe

missionoftheBuddhistFellowship• Co-ordinateandmanagementofevents(e.g.YouthCamp)

asrequired

Requirements• DiplomainMarketingCommunications/Marketing/Business

relatedsubject• Goodinterpersonalandcommunicationskills• GoodcommandofwrittenandspokenEnglish• Initiative,eyefordetailsandateamplayer• Resourceful,flexibleandresponsiveindealingwithpeople• Abilitytoworkunderpressure,shortdeadlinesandextrahoursif

neededonassignments• Experienceinpublicationsproduction,marketingandPR

activities,andprojectmanagementareanadvantage• ComputerskillswithproficientinMSOffice,AdobePhotoshop&

AdobeIllustratorapplications• Freshgraduatesmayalsoapply

For all interested parties, please send in your C.V. to info@buddhistfellowship.org or contact us at 6278 0900 for more information. Please state current/last drawn pay, expected salary and availability to start work in your reply.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Job Opportunities

Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), one of

Thailand’s premier universities, has appointed Brahm Education

Centre (BEC) to offer a program in Buddhism and Management. Upon

completion, the graduate will be awarded with a Bachelor of Arts

Degree, Diploma or Certificate depending on the number of

modules completed. Conducted in Singapore, the course is aimed

at Buddhist practitioners and those seeking to make a positive difference in the business world.

BEC’s Buddhism and Management Program combines professional

management skills and knowledge in Buddhist principles, helping

to create a pool of talented and principled professionals to help take Buddhist organisations to

greater heights, enabling them to spread the Dhamma far and wide.

The program is designed with a progressive step-by-step

approach where the student will obtain a Certificate and Diploma

in Buddhism and Management after completing the 1st and 2nd year of the program respectively.

Upon completion of the entire program (4 years), the graduate will be awarded the Bachelor of

Arts Degree in Buddhism and Management. The flexibility

will enable students with different levels of commitment to

participate in this program. This will enable students to combine core business and management

functions with strong ethical principles, producing well-

rounded professionals who can meet the demands of today’s

business world.

On-going Courses Thursdays (7.45pm - 9.15pm) Yoga (Instructor: Helen Goh) Saturdays (10.30am-12.30pm) Meditation for Beginners (Instructor: Piya Tan) Saturdays (2pm-4pm) Tai Chi (Instructor: Yeo Wee Boon)

Other Courses English Enhancement Course (Instructor: Miranda Rowlands) Fridays 7.30pm - 9pm Starting from 26 Feb 2010 Buddhism and Management Program Duration: 1, 2 or 4 years (Certificate,DiplomaandBachelorofArts) Starting in May 2010

Please refer to www.brahmec.com or email (enquiry@brahmec.com) for more information on the above courses