Aggācāra International Theravāda Education and Meditation Centre (Aggācāra International College)

Levels of Understanding Student: I t is said that you cannot understand the Four noble truths by reading or by listening or by discussion but you can only understand them by experiencing them by yourself in meditation. Why is this? Venerable: There are three types of knowledge. The first one is suta-maya-ñāṇa – the knowledge you get from hearsay or the knowledge you get from learning, like when you read a book. Or when you hear from somebody, like now. This is the easiest, just by reading about them you get some understanding of the four noble truths.. The second is cinta-maya-ñāṇa, the knowledge you get from thinking by yourself.  And then the third knowledge is bhavana, which means meditation, the knowledge you get from realization. So you were talking about this third knowledge, so it is not the only way to understand the four noble truths. But to get the third knowledge you still have to go through number one and number two. Before you practice meditation you must know...

Historical Buddhism Student : Where are the pilgrimage places for Buddhists? Venerable: Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha. It’s one of the most important pilgrimage places for Buddhists. In the texts,     it is said, for a faithful person to visit the pilgrimage places and to die there, we can go to good places like heaven . There are a few important pilgrimage places: 1) Lumbini, the birth place of the Buddha;  2) Bodhgaya, the place of Enlightenment;  3) Sarnath, where the Buddha preached His very first Teachings, that is turning of the Wheel of the Dhamma, or Dhammacakka;  4) Kushinagar, the place where the Buddha passed away. It is important for Buddhists to go to such places to know that the Buddha did exist. He was a real person. Archeology, actual sites and findings on these sites are more reliable sources than getting information from word of mouth, or by hearsay. There are many Asokan pillars with inscriptions, erected b...

Dhamma question Venerable Sayalays.  Any tips on how to subdue anger whenever encounter external sorce or stimulant?  In real life experience, being total silent can be a temporal measures but for long run it might explode if the external source still persist. Answer 1) ask yourself,  why are you angry?  are you expecting the opposite thing? 2) normally people get angry when facing unpleasant objects, like bad visible sight, unpleasant sound etc.. so, you have to be mindful when the objects coming to your sense doors. the best way is practising insight meditation. you have to be aware of objects coming to your 6 sense doors. 3) Sometimes it is good to train yourself by explosing to bad objects so that you can tolerate them. like for some yogis, they train themselves to see decomposed corpses as it is very ugly.

Finished one month missionary work (Aug to Sep 2017) in Malaysia Aug 20 to 23 August Aggacara Education Centre (Opening ceremony, and meditation retreat in Chinese/English)             * this is a branch under my Aggacara Yangon centre.              Contact person: Bro Goh (+60149417178) 24 to 28 August Youth camp, Mettananda Penang  (Chinese)             Dhamma talk at 8pm (Chinese)              5 days meditation retreat (Chinese/English) 30 Aug to Sep 5  Dhamma talk (7.45pm) 31 Aug to Sep 3 Meditation retreat (English)                        Dhammacakka Buddhist Vihara, Bukit Rambai, Melaka Sep 6 to Sep 12 Stay in Johor Bahru Sep 8 To Sep 10 Basic Abhidhamma in Mettalodge, 26, JLN. RENGAS, MELODIES GARDEN, 80250 JOHOR BAHRU. Sep 10 , 8pm Meditation sitting and discussion ...

5 kinds of benefits of learning dhamma 1. You hear dhammas what you never heard before 2.You could clear with wisdom by listening dhamma  again and again. 3.You are clear and free from doubts on dhammas 4.You have right view and confidence on triple Gem. 5.You have purifed mind forever. These are 5 kinds of benefits in learning the pure dhamma. 《5种学习法的好处》 你听到以前从未听过的佛法 你可以用智慧来了解通过一次又一次地聆听。 你是清楚的，没有怀疑教法 你对三宝有正确的看法和信心。 你永远清净了心灵。 这是在学习纯法中的5种好处。

Yesterday, I have discussion with few people on how meditation can help depressed people. Meditation is mind training. 1. We train the mind to stay in the present moment without let them wanders to the past and future. 2. We guard the 6 sense doors from being disturbed by bad objects, like bad thoughts at mind door. 3. We change the bad objects to good objects. how to do it? by changing to good environment. so, to keep the mind happy, we should go to exercise, walk in the garden, or peaceful and quiet place like meditation centre. 昨天，我和一些人讨论如何通过禅修可以帮助失落的人。禅修是心的培育。 我们训练心留在现在，而不让他们走向过去和未来。 我们确保6根门不被坏的事物所打扰，如头脑中的坏想法。 我们将不良事物改为好的事物。怎么做？通过转变到良好的环境。所以要保持心的快乐，我们应该去锻炼，走在花园里，或者和平安宁,一个地方就像是个一间禅修中心 what is the simple way to improve the mind in the house, especially for old people like our old parents who cannot come out from house? 1.put in more green plants that require little maintenance. 2. grow plants out of seeds. it is a joy to see the sapling come out from the seeds. The young ...

Ten gratitude persons that we should respect to: 1. sammasambuddha:fully enlightenment buddha 2. pacceka Buddha: individual enlightened Buddha 3. arahant 4, aggasavaka:great chief disciples 5. Mata: mother 6. pitu:father 7.guru:respected person 8. sattha: teacher 9. dhammadesaka: dhamma preacher 10. dayaka: supporter of 4 requisites. In the past lives, we might make mistakes towards them. By paying respect to these 10 types of person, we can clear bad kammas. We can also have more confidence in the mind, and easy to practice meditation.

On 20th August 2017. we invited 4 bhantes from Nandaka Meditation centre to attend our ceremony and also performed the consecration of the Buddha image.

Sukhihontu,  we would like to invite you to opening ceremony of Aggacara Education Centre which will take place in NO.1308,Taman Serai Wangi II Padang Serai at 20th August 2017 (Sunday). For any more details or questions please contact to Bro Goh (014-9417178). Aggacara education centre aims to give dhamma education to the children, the spiritual and meditation opportunity for elderly people. our occasional projects will be. 1. children and youth camp 2. Adult meditation Retreat 3. Teenagers and Children dhamma class 4. Weekly meditation class 5. Learning based Activities we believe by giving suitable education to children, youth and adult,  we will empower them to take care themselves happily and peacefully. In this way, they also can take care others. our motto is "Talk the walk, walk the talk"= we practise what we think and believe.

Seasonal children program with help from the volunteers.

Here is an interesting question. in Christianity, the God controls the people life and destiny. in Buddhism, the kamma plays an important role to determine destiny, future life and good and bad. So, can we say God =Kamma? let us continue to go in this direction of thought. let us assume Kamma =God. what is the role of the Buddha then? is the Buddha less powerful than Kamma? Answer: In Christianity, the God controls the people life and destiny. In Buddhism, the kamma plays an important role to determine destiny, future life and good and bad. so, can we say God =Kamma?" In Buddhism, there is no almighty, all controller God. so, this God does not exist, but kamma does exist. so God does not equal to Kamma. Kamma is considered as non material, so it is a kind of power or condition according to the 24 conditions (patthana). Kamma happens to all sentient beings, including the Buddha. Once someone become a Buddha and also arahant, because of no defilements, the actions ...

What to do when the mind is very boring? 1. Observe the state of boredom 2. Observe the mind is looking for external stimulation 3. Observe it makes this 'I' or self crazy with boredom, and trying desperately to escape from it. What kind of knowledge can we get from these observations? Because of tanha and upadana,  craving and clinging one cannot stay quiet,  but crave for sensual objects. When one contemplates the boring mind, one can see it is a kind of thought,  or a kind of mental feeling. This arises and passes away, and follows by another thought/feeling. By Vipassana practice, one can get wearied of this boredom, and get to know the impermanent nature of this boredom. What other knowledge can we get when seeing the mind bored with boredom? One can see suffering, the boring mind is a suffering by itself. One can see anatta or non-self, the boring mind comes even when this self or i does not want it, this proves that this I or self does not exist at...

 Dhamma objects means things to do with Dhamma. 1. Buddha image is Dhamma sight. 2.Chanting and dhamma talks are Dhamma sound. 3. Incense for the Buddha image is Dhamma smell. 4. Food offered to the Buddha statue, or food offered by others are good Dhamma taste. 5. Sitting cushion, robes or yogi clothes  is Dhamma touch. when our minds come to contact with Dhamma objects, so our minds are more attune to Dhamma.This will reduce the attraction to sensual objects. Whatever meditation that you take, whether samatha or vipassana, try to build some level of concentration until you can gain some calm and peacefulness. this will let your mind be free from kilesa/defilements fora short time.

Cittanupassana, contemplation of the mind? Have you checked your own mind today? Ask yourself? 1. What make you happy? 2. What make you sad? 3. Do you need good happy sensual objects to have a happy mind? 4. Can you renounce these good objects to have a happy mind? 5. How to renounce the sensual objects to be happy? What are these sensual objects? These are good sight, pleasant sound, fragrance, good food and drink, and sweet and good thoughts. 6. There are few methods to renounce the sensual objects. A. Try to see the impermanence of them. B. substitute them with Dhamma objects.

We are now starting the foundation to build  three- storey building with   1. the first level is kitchen and dining hall , 2. the second level is classrooms. 3. the third storey is a sleeping place. Thank you to the support from devotees from  Malaysian devotees. Sadhu sadhu sadhu .