The 2008 seven-day annual amitabha recitation retreat was held from 15th to 23rd of November 2008. The aims of the retreat are to:

The 9th of November 2008 was a day full of Dharma bliss because besides being the graduation day for the Sunday school students, it was also the birthday celebration for the old folks and the three refuges/five precepts/wisdom and ten skilful deeds induction ceremonies for the students, their parents, volunteers, and foster “ai xin” parents.

Tadika Than Hsiang and TASKA Than Hsiang 17th and 3rd Graduation cum Prize Giving Ceremony was held on the 2nd November 2008 at 2pm. Parents with their children and guests began arriving before noon, anticipating a memorable and joyful afternoon in witnessing the graduation and receiving of prizes of their love ones.

TASKA Than Hsiang Bukit Mertajam and TASKA Than Hsiang Simpang Ampat held its 1st. Graduation and Annual Concert at The Summit Hotel on the 19th of Oct. 2008.

The Ninth Lunar Vegetarian Festival is a much celebrated festival especially in Penang.

Mid-autumn night is traditionally regarded by the Chinese to be an auspicious and joyous night whereby family members travel home for family reunion.

Once again, Than Hsiang temple held its annual mass wedding jointly with the co-organisers, Than Hsiang Mitra line, Kwang Wah Daily and Photo Me studio on 7th September 2008( 8th day of 8th lunar month). Two couples participated in the ceremony fashioned in Buddhist tradition which began at 10.00am in the 5th floor multipurpose hall, witnessed by hundred of friends and relatives. The newly weds underwent the ritual of blessings of the triple jewel for a blissful and happy married life.

With the school examinations season approaching at the last quarter of the year, the candidates, as usual, found themselves in a state of exam phobia. The standard six students sat for their assessment on 9th September 2008. To ease and relieve their tension and calm their nerves for their final preparation before the exam, Than Hsiang Sunday school specially organized a simple yet meaningful blessing session on the morning of 31st August at 9.30am at Than Hsiang fifth floor multipurpose hall.

A total of 105 persons comprising of Sunday Dharma School students, Ai Xin Ba Ma and Than Qing members joined in the second outing of the year, visit to Ang Hock See Buddhist Temple (洪福寺). After gathering at Da Bei Dian at 8am, Ven Zhen Xin gave us a Dharma talk.

The first International Buddhist College( IBC) convocation, since its inception in2002, was convened on 20th August 2008 at 1pm in IBC Multipurpose hall The convocation attracted both local and foreign dignitaries in the Buddhist and academic fields to witness the event.
IBC is the realization of the vision of establishing an international institute of higher learning offering quality education within a spiritually dedicated, non-sectarian, modern and scholastic environment.