| The
Vihara |
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Introduction
Vihara Buddha Gotama is a 15-acres forest
monastery founded in 1998 mainly for the
study, teaching, and practice of the Buddha's discourses
(suttas), monastic discipline (vinaya),
and meditation, according to the original
teachings of the Buddha.
It is open to monks and nuns (maechees or
anagarinis), and also laymen and laywomen.
This Vihara caters mainly to the residential
community of monks and nuns, and those training
to be monks and nuns. Thus, the daily schedule
includes about 4 hours of group meditation,
2 hours of work, and 1 hour of Dhamma-Vinaya
study and discussion.
Since the Vihara is not a meditation centre
tailored to the needs of lay people, it
is not run on a weekly retreat basis. Rather,
perhaps one could say that it is run on
an everyday retreat basis.
All residents, permanent and visitors, are
normally expected to take part in all the
daily activities of the Vihara, unless they
are unwell or have some other valid reason.
Visiting hours are from 9:30 am to 12:30
pm daily, and guests should call up beforehand
if they wish to visit outside these hours
to ensure it is convenient and the gates
are opened.
Consultation/discussion with the abbot is
from 11:30-12:30 p.m. daily, unless he is
otherwise engaged.
Vihara
Daily Routine From 1 April 2007
The daily routine (subject to change)
of the Vihara is typically as follows:
3:30am
Rise & Shine!
4:30-6:30am
Group Meditation
7:00am
Breakfast
7:30-9:30am
Work
10:30am-12:30pm Lunch &
Clean-up
12:30-5:30pm Individual
Study / Practice
5:30-7:30pm Group
Meditation
8:00-9:30pm
Chanting & Dhamma/Vinaya Study
9:30pm
Rest
Facilities of
Vihara
With the completion of an additional
kuti in Sept. 2005, the Vihara now has
9 kutis (huts), including the abbot's.
One of the kutis is used as the Sangha
library cum coffee room cum sewing room. Another is used as a Sangha Store.
Hence, there are 7 kutis available for
monks. Most of the kutis have attached
bathroom/toilet. Each kuti is about 4.5m
x 4.5m.
The multi-purpose building (sala) was
completed in October 2004. The upper floor
has 4 dormitories which can accommodate
about twenty five women, and office, library,
Sangha store. All the daily activities
of meditation, Dhamma-Vinaya study, eating,
etc. are carried out on the ground floor
which can also accommodate about twenty five
lay men.
Rules and Regulations
of Vihara
Anyone wishing to come to the Vihara to
stay should first call up (+6012-4697483)
, or write
in, to ensure availability of accommodation.
However, anyone who has not stayed before
will be required to speak to the abbot
- either personally, by way of letter,
or via a phone call. This is to ensure
that one's reasons for coming to stay
are compatible with what this Vihara can
provide.
Intending residents are advised to bring their own
work shoes, pillow-case, bed sheet, torchlight,
alarm clock and, if convenient, pillow.
While staying in the Vihara, lay residents
are normally required to uphold the 8
precepts, unless an exeption has been allowed by the the abbot.
The 8 precepts are:
+ To refrain from intentionally killing
any living being.
+ To refrain from taking what is not given
(e.g. books, meditation cushion, etc..)
+ To refrain from sexual conduct.
+ To refrain from lying (and carrying tales, coarse speech, idle gossip).
+ To refrain from taking liquor, drugs,
and similar intoxicants
+ To refrain from eating from 1 p.m. (when
the sun is at the highest point in Malaysia)
until the next dawn (about 7 a.m.). However,
certain medicinal allowances according to the Thai forest tradition are permitted.
+ To refrain from dancing, singing, seeing
shows, hearing music, using garlands,
cosmetics, or perfumes, etc..
+ To refrain from using a luxurious bed
Residents and visitors should be properly dressed and
covered. Smoking, talking loudly and other disruptive behaviour are not permitted.
No food is allowed inside a dwelling. Only medical allowances are permitted.
The harmony of the Vihara is very important,
and residents should remember the advice
given in the Majjhima Nikaya Sutta 31 on
how to live "in concord, with mutual
appreciation, without disputing, blending
like milk and water, viewing each other
with kindly eyes."
Retreat
There is no scheduled weekly retreats
like some meditation centres since this
Vihara caters mainly to the resident community
of monks and nuns, as well as those training
to be monks and nuns.
Anyone wishing to come to stay and follow
the daily schedule of meditation, work,
and Dhamma-Vinaya study, are welcome to
contact the Vihara for permission.
Road Map and Transportation
The Vihara is located about 2 km
north of Temoh town, and 9 km south of
Kampar, in Perak state. From Kuala Lumpur,
it is a 2 hours drive northwards, and
from Penang it is a 3 hours drive southwards.
- Click
here to open map
From Kuala Lumpur, it is also convenient
to travel by bus. Catch the Edaran Express or Parit Express
bus from Puduraya Bus Terminal (costs
about RM15), and it will bring you to
Bidor and Tapah before arriving at Temoh.
You can then ask for directions from either
Lee Huat Grocery Shop, or Sin Chuan Bee
Coffeeshop. (nos. 74 and 121 Main Road
respectively) or call the Vihara (012-4697483).
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| The
Sangha Foundation |
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Introduction
The Sangha Foundation was registered in
1999 with the following objectives:
+ To foster the teaching, practice and understanding
of the Buddha Dhamma - i.e. the teachings
of the Buddha, with special emphasis on
the Theravada tradition - for the Buddhist
community.
+ To participate in social and welfare activities
for the benefit of mankind.
+ To do all such acts and things as are
in the opinion of the Foundation necessary
for the attainment of the aforesaid objectives.
The Sangha Foundation is the first of its
kind in Malaysia with a Board of Trustees
who are elected from the monastic members
(i.e. monks, nuns, and novices). When the
monastic disrobes, he or she immediately
ceases to be a Trustee. Lay members are
elected to committees to take care of the
finances, monastery maintenance, etc..
The Vihara belongs to the Foundation, which
provides all the necessary facilities, support,
and protection to the Sangha. Everything
in the Vihara, including its land, belongs
to the Foundation, not to any individual.
Therefore, any offering to the Vihara/Foundation
is an offering to the Sangha.
Donation
The Vihara is run entirely on donations
received from well-wishers, and there are
no charges for residing in the Vihara, or
for food, drinks, meditation, and teaching
instructions.
While the access road, multi-purpose building
and 9 kutis (huts) have been built, donations
are welcomed for further development, e.g.
workshop/store, nuns' quarters, meditators'
quarters, and additional kutis.
Monetary donations to the Vihara should
be made out to the "Sangha
Foundation a/c 721-108548-8",
OCBC Bank (M)
Berhad. As the Vihara does not employ
office staff, receipts are generally not
issued unless requested by the donor. We
appreciate those who wish to offer food
for the Vihara's residents. Lunch offerings
should arrive before 10:30 a.m. There
are other items which are useful to the
Vihara. But, kindly consult the Abbot
concerning this if you wish to donate,
in order that you donate what is really
useful to the Vihara.
Download
the Donation Form (224KB)
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| The
Abbot |
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Biodata
The founder abbot of the Vihara is Venerable
Dhammavuddho Thero, a Malaysian of Chinese
descent. As a layman he worked as an Electrical
Engineer with the Public Works Department
for 12 years before renouncing the home
life. His interest in religion led him to
study the world's major religions for a
few years before meeting the Buddha's teachings
in 1976.
In 1983, he went forth into the homeless
life in the Mahayana tradition. Three years
later, he was reordained in the Theravada
tradition in Thailand. Thereafter, he spent
about 10 years living the solitary lifestyle
in quiet places.
He has written numerous booklets on Buddhism,
e.g. Return to the Original Buddha's Teachings,
Message of the Buddha, Buddhist Monk's Precepts,
Liberation: Relevance of Sutta-Vinaya, and
Only We Can Help Ourselves.
In 1998, through donations collected by
his supporters, a 15-acre piece of land
outside Temoh, in Perak, was purchased to
establish the Vihara Buddha Gotama.
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