Authorities in Thailand today took the drastic action of closing a popular island in the Andaman Sea to tourists. Known for its pristine beaches and fabulous diving, Koh Tachai is part of the Similan Archipelago not far from Phuket. It has been designated a national park. Below is a citation from a CNN news article:
Read moreIn archaeology, every brick or stone seems to tell a story. And so it was when well-known Nepali archaeologist Dr. Basanta Bidari took to the podium and delivered a special lecture at Nalanda Centre on Thursday, 5 May. Dr. Basanta shared his recent discoveries in the last two years at the ancient site of Kapilavatthu – the hometown of Siddhatha Gotama, who later became the Buddha.
Read moreToday, we again celebrate Teacher’s Day in Malaysia. For the development of a happy community and successful nation, good teachers are truly indispensable. They are the ones who can directly shape the culture and attitude of future citizens.
Read moreOn Thursday 28 April, the Universiti Putra Malaysia Buddhist Society (PBUPM) meditation course came to a close for this semester. With the upcoming university examinations and long holidays after that, the weekly meditation sessions will only resume when school reopens in August.
Read moreNalandians who attended the welcoming ceremony for the arrival of the Bamiyan Gandhāri manuscripts to Malaysia on 2 May also took the opportunity to visit another exposition held at the same venue. The “Awakening Force” exhibition is being held at Samadhi Vihara Shah Alam in conjunction with this Wesak month. The exhibition is organized by the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM), and will run until Wesak ‘Buddha Day’.
Read moreOn Monday 2 May, Malaysian Buddhists had a rare glimpse of the Norwegian Schøyen collection of Gandhāri texts from Bamiyan. The world-famous collection was on a special exhibition tour of ASEAN countries, facilitated by the international affairs department of the Sangha Council of Thailand. The Malaysian leg was hosted at the Samadhi Vihara in Shah Alam.
Read moreThe International Buddhist Flag was adopted as the universal symbol of Buddhist faith more than half a century ago. In Malaysia, this vibrant, multi-coloured symbol of peace is ubiquitous in temples and Buddhist centres during Wesak celebrations, but is barely visible for the rest of the year. As such, Nalanda Buddhist Society and the Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia are currently running a campaign aimed at educating the community on the meaning and symbolism of the flag, and to encourage Buddhists to fly the flag at home during Wesak month.
Read moreOn Sunday 1 May, Nalandians from near and far happily gathered at Nalanda Centre Sri Serdang to celebrate the Society’s 13th anniversary, also known to us as ‘Nalanda Day’. The day’s programme started with breakfast dāna at 7am, followed by meditation and chanting at 9am.
Read moreOn 30 April and 1 May, sixty Nalanda leaders from Sri Serdang and the branches in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Sungai Petani made full use of the long Labour Day weekend to attend the inaugural leadership conference at Nalanda Centre. The meeting was aimed at unifying hearts and sharing ideas on the Society’s way forward.
Read moreToday, Nalandians and devotees celebrated Mother’s Day in a special way to show our gratitude to all wonderful mothers who have sacrificed for their children out of compassion. There is no comparison to the dedication borne of maternal love. As children, we shall always remember our mothers’ unconditional love, and be filial to them.
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