Dear members of BUBS, friends.

It’s the start of another new year, which naturally prompts us to look into the future and anticipate what experiences it holds for us.  2006 looks set to be an exciting year for BUBS.  Over the last few months we have been successful in obtaining the many approvals from the various authorities to build our center.  If all goes well, we shall be able to submit our building plans to the local council for its approval in early 2006.   Hopefully, with the collective kamma of our members and our sincere aspirations, the road ahead will be smooth. 

Many of our members, imbued with the spirit for sharing the Dhamma have taken up the shared responsibilities of running and managing the Society, However with the anticipated growth in activities, we could use many more volunteers to assist us in our programs.  We need more members to step up to leadership roles in the Society.  If you have been reading our past Newsletters, you would have noted this is a recurring request.  Many of our members are among the most talented and skilled in this country and would be able to make a significant impact upon the direction and strength of the Society.

Together with this Newsletter you would also receive a letter of appeal from the President and Treasurer. We wish you to give this letter your careful consideration and trust that you would respond in a true spirit of Dana. With your continued support and participation, BUBS is poised to make great strides in the fulfillment of its objectives and the promotion of the Buddha Dhamma.

We wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year and may you continue to be richly blessed by the Three Jewels.

1. Society Matters

1.1 Changes in the EXCO
Ananda Fong resigned from his position as the President in July. The EXCO has accepted his resignation with regrets and wishes to thank him for his past contribution to the Society.

To fill this vacancy, the EXCO elected Lee Yu Ban into the position as President. He also continues to manage the portfolio of Publications.  The EXCO also co-opted Lau Poh Liew as an EXCO member and as the Principal of the Dhamma School. She brings to this position a wealth of experience from her work in the Education Division of a private institution.

1.2 BUBS Land – Update
Our applications to the various authorities have been moving well. We expect out architect to submit the Building Plans Submission at the end of February 2006.  Approval for this could take between 3 to 6 months.  If our plans do not encounter any obstacles, construction may start as early as the middle of this year. We have budgeted the cost of construction at  RM 4.0 million.  At the moment we have about RM 0.8 million in our Building Fund. So once we receive the approval we would apply for tax-exempt status for donations to pave the way for our fund raising efforts.

1.3 Membership subscription

Members are reminded to pay your 2006 subscription.  Annual subscription is RM30. But we would appreciate if you may spare us the administrative work and upgrade your membership to a one time life membership of RM300.  Please remember that only paid members will be entitled to vote at the forthcoming AGM scheduled to be held in March.

2. Regular Activities update

2.1 Dhamma School

Our Society sees the provision of Dhamma education to all who wish to learn as one of its primary missions. That prompted us to rent the adjoining house despite the burden of having to incur substantial additional cost. Thus, in September and again in December, we organized new intakes for students who were on the waiting list of the Dhamma School.  They first attended orientation classes for 4 consecutive Sundays before being placed in the regular classes.

With the number of Sunday School students at the current record high, the EXCO felt it was timely to enhance the services of the Music Division of the Dhamma School. We have incorporated a session of singing for all Dhamma School students and have invested more than RM3,000 in upgrades to the instruments and sound system equipment.  This has made the singing sessions more enriching and enjoyable for the students of the Dhamma School.

Just before the Dhamma School closed for the months of November and December 2005 to coincide with the public school holidays, we held an Open Day on 30 October 2005 (Sunday) to show the Society’s appreciation to the Dhamma school staff and parents. The program on that day included performances by the school children and interactive sessions between parents and teachers.

There will also be some changes to the schedule of the Dhamma School. Please note the following:

Teen Quest class for 2006 - will be in Session 1 at 9.00 a.m.
Re-registration of existing students – If you have not re-registered your child for the current year, please do so immediately. Contact Patricia Soong (Admin & Reg) at 0162917211 or Poh Liew (Principal) at 016-2019268.
School will reopen on Sunday, January 8 2006
The classes are Assaji 1 and 2 - 6 to 7 years old, Bakkula 1 and 2 - 8 years old, Cunda 1 and 2 - 9 years old, Dhammika 1 and 2 - 10 years old, Kassapa 1 and 2 - 11 years old, Mogallana 1 and 2 - 12 years old, Nanda 1 and 2 - 13 and 14 years old and Teenquest - 15 to 18 years old.
Session 1 is from 9.00 a.m to 10.15 am and Session 2 from 10.45 a.m to 12 noon.
The Dhamma School also has plans to visit the Ci-Hang Cempaka Old Folks Home on 19 February 2006.  It also plans to form a choir, which will be under the direction of Sis Pooi Wah (Co-curricular), 012-3872968

2.2 Fellowship Lunches

In an effort to promote greater fellowship among our members we introduced a potluck lunch on the first Sunday of every month. Well, the food was good, as usual, but we found that the attendees consisted very much of the regulars and the event failed to pull in our less-visible members.  So now, we are giving this event a re-think and may introduce something else in 2006. If anyone has any ideas how we can get our members together in a spirit of friendship and fellowship, please feel welcome to bring your suggestions to Dr Oon Hong Geok at 012-3131617.

2.3 Visits by Monastics

During the last 6 months we had the honour to host the visit of Ajahn Karuniko, Ven U Nanda and Ven Sanghsena.

Ajahn Karuniko is a disciple of Ajahn Sumedho of Amaravati and practices in the Thai forest tradition. He helped to establish the monasteries in his tradition in England and in New Zealand from 1988 to 1992. The Ajahn spent 3 nights in BUBS.

Ven U Nanda is an ethnic Burmese but an Indian national as he has spent most of his adult life as a Dhammaduta monk in India. He is currently the abbot the Burmese Vihara in Sankasia, the place where, according to tradition, the Buddha descended to earth after teaching the Abhidhamma in the heavens.  Teoh Chiang Khai sponsored his trip to Malaysia and e stayed for about a week in our Center.

Venerable Sanghasena has visited BUBS once before where he presented a slide show on his social and educational work in Ladakh, India.  As the founder of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) in Ladakh, he has worked tirelessly to put the Buddha’s teachings on loving kindness and compassion into action through multifarious charitable humanitarian services which are being carried out in the 250 acre campus of MIMC.  On this trip, Ven Sanghasena updated us on his work and showed us a video on MIMC.

2.4 New Moon and Full Moon Pujas

Members and friends can now sponsor the lighting of the oil lamp on every New and Full Moon days for Year 2006. Sponsorship of oil lamps is a traditional way to make merit for oneself or may also be done in memory of loved ones. You can make the sponsorship for either the whole year or on certain selected days. The sponsorship is RM 5.00 per name per day. The amount for the whole year is RM 110.00. This amount does not include Chinese New Day and Wesak Day for which separate collection will be made. All proceeds from this will be channeled to the BUBS Building Fund. For further details, please contact Robert Yap at 012-312 7122 or Chiam at 012-329 0183.

3. Special Events & News

3.1 “Buddhism for Beginners” Course

It was felt that it would be appropriate to hold a structured course to teach the tenets of Buddhism in a systematic manner to those who are new to Buddhism. In response to this we held a “Buddhism for Beginners” Course from the end of July till mid October.  Held for one and a half hours, once a week, the course guided participants towards an understanding of the basic and essential tenets of Buddhist teachings. Topics covered include the 3 Jewels, Kamma, 5 Precepts, Buddhist Apologetics etc.  About 60 participants attended the course, which was facilitated by Uncle Vijaya, Charlie Chia, Tan Buck Soon, Robert Yap, Ananda Fong, Lee Yu Ban, and Lee Lee Kim.  From our feedback forms all the participants liked the course and many expressed interest to attend a follow-up course,

3.2 Special Sutta recitation and Blessing for examinations

On our national day, 31 August 2005 we held a Special Puja, which was organized and dedicated towards the success of members' children in the coming examinations ("UPSR, PMR, SPM").  Monks from the Sri Lanka Vihara, Sentul were invited to attend and the recited Parittas, protective suttas for removing obstacles and reinforcing the confidence and well-being of students.  There was a very strong turnout and the shrine hall was packed with parents and children.  This has been an annual tradition and the good turnout suggests that perhaps news that this Puja has been helpful and efficacious has spread.

3.3 Book Reprints
In the 2^nd half of 2006, we printed another 1000 copies of Why Worry, (wholly sponsored by Alex Chan), 3,000 copies of Good Question Good Answer (wholly sponsored by Teh Chi Chang) and a further 2,000 copies of How to Develop Happiness in Daily Living.  This makes 2006 our most productive year yet in terms of numbers of books printed, a total of 16,000 books.

3.4 Fellowship Trip to Melaka

Members, friends and children got together to make a trip to Melaka in two coaches. The event was more to foster fellowship, as everybody was already quite familiar with this destination.  It was a very enjoyable trip, with some sightseeing, good food and interesting shopping excursions.  However, the highlights of the trip are surely the visit to Seck Kia Eenh, the venerable and illustrious temple there and the visit to the Melaka HQ of the Tzu Chi Buddhist Welfare Organisation.  At Seck Kia Eenh, we participated in their interesting Sunday Puja and had the good opportunity to listen to an inspiring Dhamma talk by Bro Oh Kim Leng. Bro Oh who is a quadriplegic, related his moving personal experience and how the Dhamma came to his rescue during a dark period of his life. At Tzu Chi, we were treated to an insight into the efficient organizational machinery of this Taiwan-based organisation and watched an awe-inspiring video of their welfare and social work that showcased the deep commitment and outreach of their members.

3.5 Special Talks