Upcoming Events

OnGoing Event
7-July - Vassa commenced on this day. Chanting will be held at night. All are welcome.

Jul
28 & 29 Jul - (Cancelled due to Bhante is unwell) Dhamma Talks by Bhante Dr. Punnaji (please refer under Dhamma Talks label in this blog for details)

Aug
09 Aug (Sun) - Visit by Bodhi Lankaram Sunday Dhamma School, Taiping with their resident monk, Anandajoti Bhikkhu. Expected to come in two buses with about 60 participants and are planning to reach the temple by 9.30-10.00am. Hoping to stay till after the mid-day meal. Lunch to be arranged for them. Their Sunday School children aged from three to 13, will be presenting two or three programmes like Hymn Singing, Choral Speaking and Qi Gong during the Puja slot. (PIC : Sis Pei Chen - CPR team)

23 Aug - MSPS Holiday

29 & 30 Aug - National Drama Contest in KL (PIC : Sis Siew See) Anyone interested to join as helper, supporters, etc, please contact Michael Lim cydaniellim@yahoo.com, to reserve early.

31-Aug - MBES - Malaysian Buddhist Examination at 2:00 pm (Chief Invigilator : Sis Yeap Siew Har) Please contact Siew Har if you would like to volunteer your services as an Invigilator

Sep
TBD - Kindy Sports Event (PIC : Sis Lee Peck Yong, Mentor : Sis Lilian Sung)

12-Sep - 50 YEARS ANNIVERSARY DINNER for MSPS at Chew Kongsi, 33, Kimberley Street, Penang. 8 course dinner. Please reserve your table early. Tickets will be made available at RM30 per person. For MSPS students who are studying full time in schools, colleges or universities, we will provide a subsidised rate for your tickets at RM20 per person. MSPS student verification guideline would be the MSPS attendance list. Amplifier setup - Leonard and team, Slide presentation - Hsien Ming and team, Ticketing Head - Chin Nee & Chin Chin, Lucky Draw - TBD, Reception - TBD, Backdrop & Ticket Design - Kwei On.

13-Sep - Prize Giving Day (PIC : TBA)

20-Sep - Chanting Competition (PIC : Bro Yong Cheng)

Dhamma Sermons by Bhante Dr M Punnaji

Speaker’s Profile
Bhante Dr. M. Punnaji Maha Thera is a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka, of the Theravada tradition. He is a disciple of His Holiness the Madihe Paññasiha, the late Mahanayaka Thera of Vajirarama, Head of the Mihiripanne Dhammarakkhita Amarapura Nikaya. He was ordained at the Bhikkhu Training Centre, Maharagama, in his thirties.
He obtained his training in meditation at the Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa. He studied modern science and Western medicine in Sri Lanka, & he obtained two doctorates while in the United States, one in Western psychology, & another in Western philosophy & comparative religion.
He has made an in-depth research into the original teachings of the Buddha, which he thinks is different from all the modern schools of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, including Zen and Pure-land Buddhism. This research was not only academic but also experiential.
He also did research into the form of Buddhist Psychotherapy, which he thinks is the best way to introduce Buddhism to the modern world: As Buddhism, in its original form, was not a mere religion of faith and worship, but a psychological technique of growth and evolution of the human consciousness.

Schedule
28 Jul (Tue) 8:00 – 9:30 pm
Selected verses from the Mangala Sutta - The Sutta on blessings

29 Jul (Wed) 8:00 – 9:30 pm
Nibbana or Heaven

Venue
Lecture Hall
Mahindarama Buddhist Temple
2, Kampar Road
10460 Penang

Dhamma Talks by Bhante Nandawansa July 2009

Training Programs

19-July (Sun) - Dhamma Teachers' Training Program 2009 combined with Leadership Training Program 2009 - 9th Module - Thinking Out of the Box by Bro Poh (PIC : Sis Fern, Sis Margaret)

18 July (Sat) - Commencement of Buddhist Leadership Training Program 1st Module by Sis Lilin on Personality Development & Social Etiquette (Selected Saturday afternoons at 2 - 5 pm, open to teenagers and working adults) Participants from Mahindarama SPS, PFS Buddhist Society, Amata, MBMC, USM Nibong Tebal (PIC : Surya assisted by Bro Michael)

19-July (Sun) - Launch of a new training Program for MENTORS hand-picked from last year's Buddhist Leadership Training Program - participants from Mahindarama SPS & Than Hsiang Buddhist Temple (PIC : Surya assisted by Kai Li & Bee Hui)

Upcoming Events

OnGoing Event
7-July - Vassa commenced on this day. Chanting will be held at night. All are welcome.

Aug

09 Aug (Sun) - Visit by Bodhi Lankaram Sunday Dhamma School, Taiping with their resident monk, Anandajoti Bhikkhu. Expected to come in two buses with about 60 participants and are planning to reach the temple by 9.30-10.00am. Hoping to stay till after the mid-day meal. Lunch to be arranged for them. Their Sunday School children aged from three to 13, will be presenting two or three programmes like Hymn Singing, Choral Speaking and Qi Gong during the Puja slot. (PIC : Sis Pei Chen - CPR team)

23 Aug - MSPS Holiday

29 & 30 Aug - National Drama Contest in KL (PIC : Sis Siew See) Anyone interested to join as helper, supporters, etc, please contact Michael Lim <http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cydaniellim@yahoo.com>, to reserve early.

31-Aug - MBES - Malaysian Buddhist Examination at 2:00 pm (Chief Invigilator : Sis Yeap Siew Har) Please contact Siew Har if you would like to volunteer your services as an Invigilator

Sep
TBD - Kindy Sports Event (PIC : Sis Lee Peck Yong, Mentor : Sis Lilian Sung)

12-Sep - 50 YEARS ANNIVERSARY DINNER for MSPS at Chew Kongsi, 33, Kimberley Street, Penang. 8 course dinner. Please reserve your table early. Tickets will be made available at RM30 per person. Amplifier setup - Leonard and team, Slide presentation - Hsien Ming and team, Ticketing Head - Chin Nee, Lucky Draw - TBD, Reception - TBD, Backdrop & Ticket Design - Kwei On.

13-Sep - Prize Giving Day

20-Sep - Chanting Competition (PIC : Bro Yong Cheng)

Malaysian Buddhist Examination - Preliminary Stage Syllabus

•There will be ONE paper of ONE hour duration.
•The paper consists of 50 questions of the OBJECTIVE type.
•The questions will be set on the recommended test incorporating the Life of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha and Buddhist Practices.
1. The Life of the Buddha:
From His Birth to His Enlightenment.
2. The Dhamma and the Suttas:
A knowledge of:
· Tisarana (The Three Refuges).
· Vandana (Homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma ,and the Sangha).
A basic knowledge of:
· Panca Sila (The Five Precepts).
· Dasa kusala Kamma (The Ten Meritorious Actions).
3. The Sangha:
1.Brief biographies of the Arahants: Sariputta, Moggallana, Maha Kassapa, Angulimala, Rahula, Ananda.

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS
1.Buddhism for Beginners: Parts l to lll by Ven. Narada Thera.
The Way to the Buddha: By Ven. Pemaratana Nayaka Thera.

Basic MSPS Students & Parents Expectations

In The Temple

• Respect (Anjali – putting palms together) the members of the Sangha, teachers and elders


• Vandalism of temple and MSPS properties strictly prohibited and may result in being removed from the student record


• Pay homage to the Buddha image, Sima Hall, Buddha’s Relics in Stupa ( back of Sima Hall) and Bodhi tree & respect the peaceful and quiet environment in the Puja hall


• Parents/Guardians & students are to park vehicles in proper parking space for smooth traffic


• Take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) & Sangha(monks) and to practice & uphold the Panca-sila (5 precepts) and the Noble Eight-fold Path with key focus on Right Thoughts, Right Speech & Right Action.


• No fighting, quarrelling and use of foul languages are allowed


• Forbidden to bring comic books, video games, drugs, liquor, cigarettes, playing cards


• Maintain the cleanliness of the classroom, toilets and temple premise.

Management System

Organisation Chart 2009

Sunday School Class Classification

Class Entry Age
Kindergarten 1 5
Kindergarten 2 6
Level 1 7
Level 2 8
Level 3 9
Level 4 10
Level 5 11
Level 6 12
Preliminary Year 1 13
Preliminary Year 2 14
Junior 15~16
Senior 17~18
Adult 18 & above
Parental Compulsory for parents of new students
(12 weeks of Dhamma Fundamentals)
Note :
These levels are based on completion of the course and the promotion system.e.g. A child who has completed his/her Preliminary level at the age of 13 may be promoted to Junior level the subsequence year

The Making of MSPS & Where We Are Today

Mahindarama Sunday Pali School was the brainchild of Ven. Sri S.V. Pandit Pemaratana Nayaka Maha Thera in his effort to promote Buddhist Education on the 6th September, 1959.
The school is managed by a volunteer team of over 50 with an enrolment of approximately 60 students ranging from age 5 to adults in a total of 23 classes.

The main objectives of the Sunday School are :-

• to study and propagate Buddhism
• to encourage Buddhist youth activities
• to encourage, foster and develop the quality of truth compassion in the practice of the Buddha-Dhamma
• to render assistance to Buddhist organizations where necessary
• to render spiritual assistance / advice to members or any Buddhist in case of sickness and / or death,
• to encourage the study of the Pali language.