Offering to the Three Jewels.

On Tuesday 27 May, Nalanda held an Uposātha evening service in conjunction with the new-moon day of the month Jeṭṭha, marking the beginning of the 2025 Gimhāna Retreat for all Nalanda members and devotees.  The evening service featured chanting, meditation and a Dhamma talk by Sis. Nandini Tan.  Tracing the origin of Nalanda’s Gimhāna Retreat to 2012, Sis. Nandini reminded us of the purpose of Gimhāna Retreat – a 7-week intensive self-practice programme based on Five Daily Practices aimed at knowing and understanding oneself better, and deepening one’s understanding and practice of the Dhamma.

Sis. Nandini highlighted how negative emotions such as greed, anger, jealousy, and delusion may arise unknowingly through our six senses, staining the mind even while we are trying to live virtuously.  Thus, mindfulness is essential to catch and halt the accumulation of these defilements.  She encouraged everyone to cultivate the practice of meditation to train the mind not to grasp so that we can eventually be free from defilements.

Chanting is one of the 5 Daily Practices.

The training of mind through meditation.

Sis. Nandini encouraging devotees to train the mind.

Sis. Nandini emphasised that transformation does not occur through wishing alone but through consistent and persistent practice anchored in mindfulness, wise reflection ( yoniso manasikāra ), and right effort.  Like a plant that requires the right conditions of soil, water, air, sunlight, and fertiliser to thrive, our spiritual growth depends on the right causes and conditions.  She encouraged patience, reminding us that although progress may not be immediately visible, gradual transformation is happening with each mindful moment. Through right effort and with consistent and persistent practice, our cultivation deepens and defilements will be gradually removed.

To support personal development and cultivation during this Gimhāna Retreat, Nalanda will be offering a series of Dhamma talks based on the Bhavana Sutta ( AN 7.71 ), covering: –

1) The Four Kinds of Mindfulness Meditation

2) The Four Right Efforts

3) The Four Bases of Power

4) The Five Faculties

5) The Five Powers

6) The Seven Awakening Factors

7) The Noble Eightfold Path.

We warmly welcome your active participation in the Gimhāna Retreat programmes and may you progress steadily in your Dhamma practice.  For more resources related to the Five Daily Practices, please visit https://gimhana.nalanda.org.my/.

Fellow devotees listening attentively.

An evening well-spent with like-minded friends.