NEWS

2552nd Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK

Essay Competition

2551st Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK

Nanapunnika (Jnanapurnik) Mahasthavira in UK

Passing away of Reverend Gyosei Handa

One day Meditation retreat in Slough 26-8-07

2549th Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK

His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to UK (2004)

Second World Buddhist Summit in Lumbini (November 30 – 2 December, 2004)

Essay competition

An essay competition was held in February 2007 in collaboration with Buddhist Youth Group of Kathmandu, Nepal to mark the Society’s 10^th anniversary on

 following two subjects

1).        Importance of Dana, Sila and Samadhi in daily life

2).        Buddha Dharma and Human rights

Following were declared first, second and third:

A.        Importance of Dana, Sila and Samadhi in daily life:

1st       Luis Maharjan

2nd      Pranesh Shakya   

3rd       Shaker Maharjan

B.        Buddha Dharma and Hunman rights:

1st       Dr. Kabindra Bajracharya  

2nd      Sunita Manandhar

3rd       Anita Buddhacharya

The prize giving ceremony was organised in June 2007 in Nepal which was well attended and successful. Venerable Bhikkhu Aswaghosha and other Bhikkhus also attended the ceremony. This event was kindly sponsored by Greenwich London College. We intend to hold similar essay competition in future.

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2551st Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK

Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) celebrated 2551st Buddha Jayanti (Buddha Day) on Sunday, 13th May 2007 at the Priory Community Centre, Acton, London. The celebration started with Buddha Puja by devotees followed by blessing from Venerable Bhikkhu Sujan, chanting according to Tibetan tradition by Venerable Lodro Thaye and administration of Panĉa Sila. Mr. Amrit Sthapit, founder President, gave brief explanation on two types of respect we can show to the Buddha (Amisa Puja, by offerings and Pratipatti Puja, practising the Dharma). Mr. Dipendra Bista, Chargé d’affaires, Nepalese Embassy, London emphasized the importance of Buddha Purnima. He told the audience that the Buddha spent his whole life in teaching truth of suffering, cause of the suffering and the way out of the suffering – the noble eight fold path. He also emphasised the necessity of practising ahimsa for the world peace and gave the example of the greatest proponent of peace in our time the Mahatma Gandhi. Observing and practising Panĉa Sila is also necessary especially by our leaders if we are to achieve lasting peace.

2551st Buddha Jayanti (Buddha Day) was celebrated in Nepal on 2^nd May 2007 (Full moon day). In Nepal people enjoy national holiday to celebrate this day. In United Nation’s headquarter in New York, it is celebrated as Vesak Day (Buddha Day) and Buddhists get day off to celebrate this auspicious event.

During the occasion Venerable Ajahn Metta from Amaravati Buddhist Monastery conducted guided meditation. Her calm, gentle and serene way of conducting this session had a deep effect on the people. She emphasised to sit comfortably in compassionate way and not to force it. Meditation practice even for 10 minutes every day will make a difference in our life especially when we are experiencing difficulties. Venerable Bhikkhu Sujan gave a brief account in Nepali on ‘Buddha Dharma in present day Nepal’. Dharma Shakya presented ‘Lumbini and its environs’ using slides from Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya, Director of Nagarjun Institute which he presented to an International Conference held in Hawaii a few years ago. Many people were surprised to learn that there were so many beautiful things to see in Lumbini. After seeing these beautiful slides some people expressed their desire to visit Lumbini in near future.

To mark the occasion, the society’s publication LUMBINI magazine was released. Mr. Madan Thapa and Mr. Pabitra Man Shakya played Mangal Dhoon and sang  devotional songs in between the talks. Mr. Krishna Chakhun and Mr. Binod Shrestha accompanied them with musical instruments.

Miss Smrita Sthapit thanked every one for their help and for attending the celebration and Mr. Ram Babu Thapaliya conducted the programme professionally with comments in English and Nepali where appropriate.

The hall was decorated appropriately with Buddhist flags for the occasion. About 150 people from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Britain, Germany, Poland and France attended the ceremony despite the bad weather condition. People from the press and coordinator of Nepali Samaj UK took notes and photos for their respective publications. Sujan and Ujwal Shakya provided an excellent sound system. After the formal programme every one enjoyed the traditional Nepali refreshment ‘Kheer’ generously provided by members and well-wishers of the society.

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Nanapunnika (Jnanapurnik) Mahasthavira in UK

One of the senior monks of Nepal Nanapunnika (Jnanapurnik) Mahasthavira who was trained in Burma and Chini Guruma are currently visiting UK to spend Vassa (Rain retreat) in Birmingham Buddhist Vihara for three months. They will be in UK until the end of October 2007.

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Passing away of Reverend Gyosei Handa

Reverend Gyosei Handa of Nipponzan Myohoji Monastery in Milton Keynes passed away on 21 August 2007 in an accident while cutting lawns at his temple (Peace Pagoda). He was killed while using ride-on lawnmower. He was the chief monk at Peace Pagoda in Willen in Milton Keynes.

He had devoted his whole life in working to promote peace all over the world. His funeral was held on Sunday 26 August 2007.

The Nipponzan Myohoji temple in Willen, Milton Keynes was built in 1980 and was the home to the first Buddhist Peace Pagoda built in the West. 

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One day Meditation retreat in Slough 26-8-07

A day long meditation was held in slough led by Venerable Ajahn Metta from Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, Hemel Hempstead and visiting Sister Santussika from USA. Twenty people participated in this day long meditation. Meditation started with taking five precepts followed by introduction to meditation and guided sitting and walking meditation sessions with ample time for questions. The retreat finished with Punnanumodana at about 4.30 PM

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2549^th Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK

Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) celebrated 2549th Buddha Jayanti (Buddha Day) on Sunday, 22nd May 2005 at the Priory Community Centre, Acton, London. The celebration started with Buddha Puja followed by music from Ghyaling, a traditional Tibetan musical instrument played by Sano Lama. Venerable Bhikkhu Bandula from London Buddhist Vihara administered five precepts (Panĉa Sila). His Excellency Prabal S. J. B. Rana, the ambassador of Nepal and Mr. Nima Lama, president of Yet Nepalese Association in the UK spoke about the importance of remembering Buddha’s teaching. His Excellency emphasized the importance of remembering various suffering human beings have to endure from the time of birth until we die. He told the gathering that Buddha’s teaching is more important today than ever before. Mr. Nima Lama also emphasized the importance of Buddha’s teaching and expressed his happiness that Yeti is able to cooperate with Lumbini Nepalese Buddha dharma society (UK) in this celebration.

This day is celebrated all over the world to mark the birth, enlightenment and death (parinirvana) of Buddha. It was 2549 years ago that Siddhartha Gautama Buddha passed away in Kusinagar in India. In Nepal people enjoy national holiday to celebrate this day. In United Nation’s headquarter; it is celebrated as Vesak Day (Buddha Day).

During the occasion Venerable Bhikkhu Bandula spoke on “Only we can help ourselves.” Buddha’s last word to his disciples was ‘Be your own island’. Be self-reliant. Do not depend on external forces. Venerable Sumana spoke on “Buddha as a teacher”. Buddha always pitched his teaching to suit the audience. He could equally teach kings as well as ordinary people, wealthy as well as paupers. Every one found his teachings easy to understand. That is why Buddha is regarded as one of the greatest teacher in the world. Mr. Hari Singh Thapa, Chairman of Nepali Literary Development Council (UK), recited a poem suitable for the occasion. Venerable Bhikkhu Sujan, who is in UK for a short visit from Thailand, spoke in Nepali and explained two types of meditation -Samatha (Tranquility) and Vipassana (Insight). After this he led the audience to a brief practice in meditation. The whole audience was absolutely quiet during this brief meditation practice.

The hall was decorated with Buddhist flags appropriate for the occasion. The arrangement of the dais itself gave religious atmosphere with Buddha Murti and venerable monks between the trees. About 150 devotees including presidents, general secretaries, members of various Nepalese organisations attended the ceremony. The editor of Nepali Sandesh and coordinator of Nepali Samaj UK took notes and photos for their respective publications. Mr. Amrit Ratna Sthapit, founder president of the society and master of the ceremony for the day provided appropriate commentary in Nepali and Mrs. Reema Pradhan, executive committee member thanked every one for attending and making the celebration a success. Sujan Shakya and Prayas band provided an excellent sound system. After the formal programme every one enjoyed the traditional Nepali refreshment generously provided by members and well-wishers of the society.

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 His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to UK (2004)

After five years His Holiness Dalai Lama visited UK again at the request of Dharma Network - an organisation formed by coming together of various Buddhist organisations in UK for the purpose of inviting His Holiness. This year most of the talks and teaching took place in Scotland.

On Saturday, 29 May 2004 His Holiness gave public talk on “Inner Peace, Outer Harmony” to an audience gathered at Scottish exhibition and conference centre in Glasgow. The centre has a sitting capacity for 10,000 people and tickets were sold out months in advance. The public talk was given in English. At the start of the public talk he told the gathering that some of you may be Buddhist and would like to know more about Buddhism, others may be from different faiths but would like to learn about Buddhism, others still may have come because they are curious. All are welcome but do not expect miracle from him. If you are expecting miracle you will be disappointed because he is just a simple Buddhist monk with the same aspiration like all of us i.e. to be happy and peaceful. If you find today’s teaching beneficial then practise in your daily life if not forget it. He also told the gathering that it was not only the Buddha, who taught his followers how to be happy but also teachers of all major religions practised at present have the same message for their followers. So one does not have to be a Buddhist to be happy, it is not a monopoly of Buddhist only. But as far as he is concerned Buddhist way is the only way because he has been learning and practising it all his life.

Public talk on Saturday was followed by three days of teachings on Kamalashila’s middle stages of meditation, Mitrukpa (Karunamaya – the goddess of compassion) initiation etc. Between 4500 and 5500 people listened attentively to his teaching on 30 May, 31^st May and 1 June 2004 at the same conference centre. Again at the start of the teachings, he told the gathering that if you are a Buddhist practise what you learn in next three days. I found it beneficial to me and hence I hope you also will find the teachings beneficial. If you are of different faiths or of no faith, I am not asking you to leave your faith and become Buddhist but contemplate on what you have learned from these teachings and practise it if you feel it is right for you. You will certainly become a better person in the society. Although these teachings were delivered in Tibetan language, an interpreter provided an excellent translation. Every one in the audience expressed their deep appreciation on the last day of teachings regarding his excellent service and depth of knowledge. Every one departed with the sense of achieving some thing very useful and feeling very happy.

Before the main event in Glasgow, His Holiness visited Liverpool John Moores University on 27 May 2004 to receive an Honorary Fellowship and gave a talk entitled 'Secular Ethics' at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. On 28 May 2004 His Holiness gave 2004 L M Singhvi-Tremenos Interfaith Lecture at Central Hall Westminster, London. Tickets for these talks also were sold out well in advance.

After the programme in Glasgow His Holiness visited Edinburgh and Dunfermline. He addressed the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh on 2 June 2004 on the subject of “Compassion, wisdom, justice and integrity”- the words featured on parliament’s mace. He urged the politicians to live up to their parliament’s founding principles. He told the parliament that there are some similarities between Scotland and Tibet on their concern for preservation of culture, identity and spirituality. He felt he can lean from the Scottish experience. In his short speech he told the parliament members that he greatly admired democratic system. He believes each individual has the unique potential to create a better world, a better family.

On the final day of his visit to Scotland on 3 June 2004 thousands of people waited in rain to hear Dalai Lama speak and spread the message of world peace at Dunfermline Abbey. Leaders of Scotland’s main religious groups welcomed His Holiness before he went on to address 4,000 people gathered at the neighbouring Pettencrieff Park. He later returned to Edinburgh to speak to 2,200 people at the city’s Usher Hall.

His Holiness will be visiting Zurich, Switzerland from 5 August to 12 august 2005. His Holiness will be teaching on two of his favourite texts- Living the Bodhisattva Way of Life and Kamalashila’s Middle stages of Meditation. His Holiness will comment on how to develop positive ways to overcome afflictive emotions and to lead a life that is happy and peaceful. Details of the programme can be down loaded by visiting www.TheDalailama2005.ch.

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Second World Buddhist Summit in Lumbini (November 30 – 2 December, 2004)

The second world Buddhist Summit was held in Lumbini, Nepal from November 30 to December 2, 2004. The summit opened on Tuesday, 30^th November prayers, a peace rally and presentation of papers.

His Majesty King Gyanendra formally inaugurated the summit on Wednesday, 1 December 2004. Thousands of people including more than 140 delegates from 28 countries which included VIPs, observers, ministers, monks, nuns and heads of diplomatic missions attended the summit. It ended on Thursday, 2 December 2004 issuing a 10 point Lumbini Declaration. Some of the points were, to declare Lumbini World Peace City, to promote and develop other holy sites namely Kapilvastu, Devdaha and Ramgram, and to respectfully urge that all efforts be made to resolve the existing situation in Nepal in the spirit of the Buddhist peace vision involving all the parties in conflict. (Please see full text of declaration on page 17).

The participants decided to hold the summit once every four years. The first summit was held in 1998 at Lumbini. Similar summit was held in Yangon, Myanmar in December 2004.

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