Resounding cheers for a day of superb learning and a deep sense of spiritual comradeship.

Three months after the awesome Dhamma-Living Camp for Young Adults in Genting Highlands, Nalanda Youth Centre invited former participants back for a hearty reunion.  60 young campers, including some who travelled all the way from Kedah, returned for the reunion at Nalanda Centre on 8 October.  The purpose of this ‘Reunion Day’ was to reconnect with spiritual friends, and to rejoice in each other’s learning experiences since the camp.

Bro. Tan reprised his role as teacher to give campers further Dhamma teachings and guidance in meditation.  He first spoke about the importance of having good friends – friends that are not just good to you, but are good for you.  According to Buddha’s teaching, good friends are virtuous people themselves.  Hence, they are able to bring out the good in you.

Campers welcoming Bro. Tan back for the Reunion Day.

In his second talk, Bro. Tan made clear what is the true meaning of ‘success’.  In worldly terms, success means ‘getting what you want’.  If you were ‘successful’, would you certainly be happy?  The answer is ‘not necessarily’.  It is obvious from our own experience and observations that getting what we want may not always bring about happiness.

Bro. Tan giving teachings about how to rightly view ‘success’ and ‘failures’ in life.

Bro. Tan went on to say that many people live in fear of failure because they hold a negative attitude towards it.  People tend to think of failure and success in absolute terms, not knowing they are merely part of a ‘process’.  We often overlook the learning which we can gain from failures.

Participants feeling much joy in learning Dhamma together, just like during the camp in July.

It was a great ‘Reunion Day’ for everyone with superb learning and a deep sense of spiritual comradeship.  Before dispersing, the campers promised each other that this reunion would definitely not be their last!  Sadhu anumodana.