Since the BPS402 Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies Course started in early July, students had been diligently attending lectures and completing their personal and group assignments. On Saturday 22 November, they were ready to sit for the course examination at Nalanda Centre. Students came early to prepare themselves and settled in with a short meditation session to calm their minds. Tutor Bro. Ananda Fong was present to offer some words of encouragement.
Read moreOn Saturday 15 November, students of BPS402 – Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies Course were at Nalanda Centre to present their group assignments. Seven groups were formed among the participants and the topic was ‘Expansion of Buddhism in South-east Asia’.
Read moreOn Saturday 8 November, two of Nalanda Institute’s distinguished lecturers, Achariya Vijaya Samarawickrama and Achariya Tan Siang Chye delivered the lecture on ‘Buddhist Arts & Culture’. Students eagerly attended this last lecture of the 5-month BPS402 – Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies course.
Read moreOn 11 October, students of BPS402 Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies attended Lecture 8 after returning from a fruitful and enjoyable study tour to Bujang Valley a week before. Achariya Tan Siang Chye explained the Indian social context and political structures that existed during the Buddha’s time.
Read moreOn Saturday 18 October, Lecture 9 of the on-going BPS402 – Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies was held at Nalanda Centre, Sri Serdang. Bro. Ananda Fong delivered the lecture on ‘Buddhist Polity & Economics’. Bro. Ananda Fong discussed several suttas which mentioned the cycles of expansion and contraction of the World, the duties of a monarch/government, and the conditions leading to a nation’s welfare.
Read moreOn 27 and 28 September, Semester 2 of the Mandarin Buddhist Studies Course offered by Nalanda Institute continued at NEO Centre Johor Bahru, after the first semester ended in mid-July. Participants were enthusiastic and eager to learn as Sis. Nandinī Tan covered the topic of ‘Ten Wholesome and Unwholesome Deeds’.
Read moreOn Saturday 27 September, Nalanda Institute’s BPS402 Higher Certificate Course participants attended Lecture 7 on “The Buddha’s Mission”. The session was conducted by Achariya Tan Siang Chye, the Director of Nalanda Institute. He gave a great account of the early development of Buddha-Sasana and the Buddha’s own lifetime. The next session of this 5-month course is scheduled on Saturday, 11 October.
Read moreNalanda Institute’s BPS402 Higher Certificate Course participants have recently advanced into Module 2 of the programme covering the “Historical Development of Buddhism”. On Saturday 6 September, Achariya Vijaya Samarawickrama conducted Lecture 6 on the subject of “Pre-Buddhist Indian Religious Thoughts”.
Read moreParticipants of Nalanda Institute’s BPS402 Higher Certificate Course recently had the privilege of attending a lecture on the “Historical Development of Buddhism in Southeast Asia” by Nalanda Founder Bro. Tan on Saturday, 30 August. Bro. Tan, an acknowledged expert on Buddhist history in Southeast Asia, gave the expected ‘virtuoso performance’ on his pet subject. Participants were mesmerized by broad historical vistas and insightful views on Buddhist expansion across Southeast Asian polities over a span of 1,500 years!
Read moreOn Saturday 5 July, 46 registered participants attended the first lecture of the much-anticipated BPS 402 – Higher Certificate in Buddhist Studies – offered by Nalanda Institute Malaysia. A similar course (BPS 401) was last organised 5 years ago, also by Nalanda Institute’s Department of Buddhist & Pāli Studies, from July to December 2009.
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