#lamrim class

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愿我修持佛陀之正法  违缘消除顺缘皆完备

嗡答瑞度答瑞度瑞娑哈……

念108遍《度母咒》加上进行广供、赞《供曼达》是我们班今天6月28日上课的前奏。班员们个个以虔诚恭敬的赤子之心祈请师长、三宝加持及摄受。祝愿吉祥宝聚寺破除障碍，速速顺利取得入伙证（TOP），也祈愿其讲说事业恒常尽有际，佛教广流十方吉祥来。

11广012C 庄桂凤笔

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修习妙乐善行的一天

我们北区广论研讨班（16广003C）在6月的第三个星期日（18/6/17）主办户外活动。在班长的安排下我们应邀到陈美玲同学刚搬迁的公寓做客。一行人浩浩荡荡来到坐落于海军部地铁附近的住宅楼宇，并邀请本闻法师和道慈法师带领我们进行洒净及主持广大供养。我们有机会进行这些事项，又能斋僧、用斋，对我们而言的确能够产生净罪集资及成佛资粮的作用。

美玲同学、她的家人，以及在场的同学与法师们一起持诵，进行洒净仪式。大家怀着清净之心，希望随着心和行皆得清净，周围的环境就会自然地流露出祥和的气氛及磁场。

接下来是进行广大供养，虽然我班还未读到广论109页第6 行所提到的“随念大恩恒勤修供养”的进度，但是从班长等的引导，我们略知报三宝恩的10大供养事：1） 供养身，2） 供养塔 ，3） 现前供养，4）不现前供养，5）自作供养，6）教他供养，7）财敬供养，8）广大供养，9）非染汙供养，10）正行供养。而我们正在进行的就是第8项的广大供养，若能随力修妙供养，就能够获得如广论告诉我们的：“能起无量广大果利，圆满众多资粮”。真是太妙了！

斋僧也是积功累德的一种方便——佛法二宝有赖于僧宝扶持，佛陀已经涅磐了，如果没有僧人说法，法就不能流布人间，人们的善根就无处培植。因此僧人继承与传递佛法的功德无可限量，所以能够服务僧人用斋是一种布施；另外自己用斋也是一种修行——为自他祈福能够修习感恩、惜福、慈悲的心，借此内观自省，策发我们珍惜眼前拥有的一切。可见佛法与生活本来就是一体，随时随处皆是我们修行的胜缘。

最后，我们和法师合照做为记念，大家也齐心帮忙收拾、善后。这一堂户外广论研讨课对我们的收获真是好多好多啊！

16广003班干部 杨美仪笔

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殊胜吉日造共业

6月24日，适逢农历六月初一，我们班（16广002C）约二十八位学员，怀着一颗虔诚至敬的心来造一份共业——举办广供。这次广供的目的是希望《TOP》文件能速速取得。

随喜学员们各自准备干粮，手中拿着仪轨，认真念诵，至诚恳切祈求师长、三宝、护法善神速速前来护佑，让吉祥宝聚寺快快成办，饶益更多有情众生。

16广002C班

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身心灵提升@Sembawang Park

2017年6月3日（星期六）蓝天课室搬迁，而吉祥宝聚寺又还未取得《TOP》入伙证，所以整个6月份我们16广003C班没上课。

上个星期日（6月11日），我们这一班，一行人穿着轻便的运动装，以一颗满满的欢喜心和感恩心一起来到Sembawang Park晨运兼联谊。安立好意乐后，大家虔诚念《心经》，还学习静坐及瑜伽，让心静下来，一起度过一个非常愉悦的时光。

我们在广论班里学习是为了提升心灵、建立佛法的正知见。师父传递给我们种种的善巧方法，目的是要引导我们得到究竟的快乐。多作运动，注意身体健康，是一种学佛的助缘，以提高学习的专注力和持久力。不过在我们的生命里，最强的缓助力当然还是来自师长！我们有机会学习《菩提道次第广论》，在心续里建立正念、正知，让这个业力延续到下一生去，就该以无比的感恩心来领纳师长的加持。

诚意祈求兀兰寺院在7月开始启用，我们能够正式在新寺院里上课，继续北区学佛之旅。

16广003班干部杨美仪笔

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Meeting with Venerable Ben Si on 9/6/2017

The meeting with Venerable Ben Si added depth to our Friday Dharma sessions. 

With his friendly and calm composure, the Venerable started off with his personal sharing on our teachers’ hard work, meticulous planning and their foresight in transforming the once humble Buddhist group into a monastery for all students, family and friends to learn, contemplate and practice Buddhism.

There are more and more Buddhist Scholars who do excellent translation work nowadays. Hence, many Buddhist's lengthy Sutras were translated into accessible reading materials, which create more awareness on the great work done by the Great Buddha.

Venerable Ben Si also talked about the significance of Buddhist Retreat. He said it will be a great way to trigger personal exploration and re-connection with Buddhism.

In addition, the Venerable also talked about the importance of having a good teacher. A good teacher is one who not only teaches and explains but most of all, inspires all sentient beings to cultivate wisdom and compassion. He reiterated that the Buddha's teachings are at all time tested and universally applicable, even in this modern world. It is through that constant cultivation of wisdom and compassion that we will stay happy at all times regardless of external unfavourable factors. 

The attentive audience also field their questions. The Venerable shared his insights on the significance of Buddhism, the theory of Impermanence and the importance of the Triple Gems.

The sharing from Venerable has left everyone a night of contemplation, that is towards a better and enriching life. 

By Glenda Tan

(Monitor of Class 16A008E)

[bwmonastery]

有师长的学子最幸福！

自从净远法师出远门之后，“家里"就好像少了一位家长似的。幸好法师派了"大师兄们"来关怀我们。5月23日（星期二），慈悲的道慈法师突然出现在我们班上。他亲切的话语温暖了我们每一个人的心窝。法师还把他亲近净远法师的修行经验细细地与我们分享，让我们更清楚地了解面对师长的时候，内心应如何如理调伏，下手处又在哪里……又应如何依师、念师恩等。

法师的分享非常贴切人心，弟子们听了又欢喜，又感动。法师一举手一投足，说法的过程无间断地由内心散发出无法言喻的欢喜，感染了我们，从而体会到真正的法喜。

感恩净远法师派风派雨对弟子们嘘寒问暖。感谢法师们不辞劳苦地来慰问我们。此刻的我心中突然现起一个念头：有师长的眷顾真好！有师长的学子最幸福！

新14广002C全体同学向法师们顶礼至敬

[bwmonastery]

祝诗颖21岁生日快乐

可爱美丽小莲花   二八年华达狮城

具足善根师摄受   进入11广011班

学习广论不缺课   余时精勤当义工

得姑姐爱护照顾   得班同修互关怀

父母的掌上明珠   佛菩萨盼座上莲

祝您速修证菩提   成为师长心中莲

祝福诗颖   生日快乐

身体健康   福慧双修

班级：11广011C

[bwmonastery]

An Unusual Class Gathering – Part 1

Last Sunday, 30th April, instead of having the usual Lamrim lesson, our class decided to gather at brother Boon Ping’s house for a vast offering. To our surprise, on the request of brother Xavier, Venerable Dao Ci was able to join us and led us in offering the 35 Buddhas-Repentance prayer as well as the vast offering. On this auspicious occasion, Venerable also shared with us some of his personal experiences, his journey towards monkhood and answered some questions posed by fellow classmates.

Journey towards monkhood

Venerable shared that when he attended his first Lamrim lesson about six years ago, he did not request for the Lamrim text. However, when he went home that same day, he immediately dreamt of Master Jih-Chang, requesting that he should study the Lamrim text. Over the years, although his work as a photographer was very demanding and hectic, he somehow found time to attend Lamrim classes by putting in effort to re-organize his meetings. His phone that rang incessantly before, somehow stopped buzzing during his lesson time. This was attributed to all the virtuous deeds that he had done in the past, so his Dharma learning process now could be smooth. These deeds included taking good care of his family, being respectful towards the elders, fellow virtuous brothers and sisters and just about anyone.

Venerable’s primary motivation for renunciation and become a monk was to help more people.  He saw various forms of suffering when he was still a layperson. After sharing his desire to join the Sangha with his class monitor, he was advised to speak to Venerable Jing Yuan. At first, he wondered how he could actually meet Venerable Jing Yuan in person.  However, the meeting occurred sooner than expected.

It took place one day, when he was walking down the staircase in the Citiraya Centre and coincidentally, Venerable Jing Yuan was in the opposite direction coming up the stairs. Venerable Dao Ci expressed his intent to Venerable Jing Yuan there and then, and the rest as they say, is history. However, just before leaving for Prince Edward Island in Canada for his ordination, he met with a serious car accident. The whole ordination ceremony was, however, not delayed. Although in pain, Venerable Dao Ci mentioned that he was clearly focused on chanting Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sha (Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva). He kept on chanting for as long as possible from the time he was put onto the ambulance and throughout the time spent at the hospital. Also, his main concern was the newlywed whose wedding car was involved in the accident.

Venerable also shared that his ordained name was decided by Venerable Jing Yuan. Dao – meaning the path, signifies his internal focus which is to continue to learn the teachings and keep on this path towards Buddhahood, Ci – refers to compassion. This strongly relates to his personality – unconditional care and concern for others, which is his distinctive trait even before joining the Sangha.

Sharing of some practical tips

No matter what roles we are now playing in the mundane world, such as a father, son, daughter, mother etc, play it to the best we can.

When heading out with family members or friends who are non-vegetarian, remember that they are the ones trying to accommodate us and not the other way around.

Whatever we do, act with pure sincerity and good intention.

We can save an ant from death by not stepping or pressing on it, but the next minute someone else may step on it. If so, rejoice in your own intent and act, but do not dwell on the fact that the other person has killed the ant for that is the karma of the ant and the other person.

In the Lamrim class, we dedicate merits to those who have passed on or have become unwell. These acts are not to be belittled as the fruits of this virtuous karma would surface through various forms of help rendered to us at a later time. This was what Venerable had experienced himself.

By Leow Pei Shan (15G023E)

Do look out for Part 2 – Some Advice from Venerable Dao Ci, which will be published tomorrow (11 May 2017)