Story by Lim Peng Theam / Photos by H.S. Seow

Than Hsiang Foundation - Annual Report 2011

I. Cultivation Activities

In the celebration of a prosperous Chinese New Year, Than Hsiang Jing Yuan in Sungai Petani organized 3 Chinese New Year activities, namely Chinese New Year Lamp-lighting, Chinese New Year Eve Chanting and Chinese New Year Day Noon Offering on the 22nd and 23rd of January 2012.

Story by Seow Heng Sun
Photos by Neoh Chee Jin & Ooi Chee Choon

The aixin family of Than Hsiang Sunday Dharma School (SDS) organized a half-day retreat on 31-07-2011 to enrich self-cultivation among its members. Our group of 33 comprising of teachers, aixin parents and children gathered and left for Guan Yin Si located at Mount Erskine before dawn at 6.30am as we wanted to prostrate our way up to the temple. Upon reaching the foothill of the temple, we quickly assembled into two rows and chanted the cleansing verses before we embarked on our 3-steps-1-prostration journey up to the temple.

Taking refuge means relying wholeheartedly on the Three Jewels of The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha to inspire and guide us toward a constructive and beneficial direction in our lives. On 3 July 2011, a Refuge Ceremony was conducted in The Great Compassion Hall (Da Bei Dian) for some 46 National Service students where 12 students formally took refuge. During the refuge ceremony, in addition to taking refuge in the Three Jewels, 4 of them voluntarily took the five precepts.

On 25th June 2011, Than Hsiang Kindergarten (Farlim) organized a half-day trip which was its first outdoor activity. A group of twenty-three children and seven teachers from the Kindergarten paid a visit to Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Temple and the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple located in the Pulau Tikus area.

We started our journey around 8.45 am. The children were very excited and happily singing the “Outing Song” along the way while enjoying the breakfast prepared for them.

An Interview with Venerable Wei Wu, Abbot of Than Hsiang Temple
by Bibek (a student of International Buddhist College)

Buddha Day (also known as Wesak Day) falls in the month of May and is considered to be one of the most important celebrations for Buddhists.

Sunday, 13/03/2011 will be reminisced as a memorable family day for our Sunday Dharma School (SDS) family. It was originally scheduled to be held at Sungai Batu beach in Teluk Kumbar but unfortunately 3 days prior to that, i.e. on 11/03/2011, a devastating earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan, forcing the organizers to consider either a cancellation of the activity or a change in venue. Desperate for time and mulling over safety issues and most importantly not to disappoint the big family, we were fortunate to be able to change the venue to Bodhi Heart Sanctuary (BHS).