| The
Vihara |
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Introduction
Vihara Buddha Gotama is a 15-acres forest monastery founded in 1998 mainly for the study, teaching, practice and propagation of the Buddha's discourses (suttas),
monastic discipline (vinaya), and meditation, according to the original teachings of the Buddha.
It is open to monks (bhikkhus and samaneras), 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 2 hours 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 8:00 am to 1:00 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 15 August 2011
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
7:45-9:45am
Monastery Work
10:30-12:00 Lunch & Clean-Up (Mon - Fri)
11:00-12:30 Lunch & Clean-Up (Sat - Sun)
12:00-2:00pm Individual
Study / Practice
2:00-3:00pm Optional Group Meditation
4:00-4:20pm Chanting
4:30-6:30pm Group
Meditation
7:00-9:00pm
Optional Group Meditation or Dhamma-Vinaya Study.*
*Only during 3 months vassa.
9:30pm
Rest (Lights out)
Facilities of
Vihara
With the completion of an additional dwelling/kuti in Dec. 2009, the Vihara now has 9 kutis for monks, including the abbot's. Most of the kutis have attached bathroom/toilet.
Each kuti is about 4.5m x 4.5m. Renovation work on kuti no. 5 to convert the roof to a concrete flat roof was completed in July 2009, and kuti 4 roof in Feb 2010.
Renovation of kuti 2 roof was completed in Dec 2010, kuti 3 roof in July 2011.
A 2-room building houses the Sangha Library and Sangha Store (completed 2005). Work on the new entrance gate and fencing was completed in May 2010.
The multi-purpose building (sala) was completed in October 2004. The upper floor has 4 dormitories which can accommodate about 30 men, and office, general library, Sangha room.
All the daily activities of meditation, Dhamma-Vinaya study, eating, etc. are carried out on the ground floor.
The 2-storey building housing women's quarters was completed in July 2008.
All the 8 rooms, measuring 3m x 4.5m each, have attached bathrooms. When necessary each room can accommodate up to 4 ladies.
Rules and Regulations
of Vihara
Anyone wishing to come to the Vihara to stay should first call up (Mobile Telephone:+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, sleeping bag, torchlight,
alarm clock. While staying in the Vihara, lay residents are normally required to uphold the 8 precepts, unless an exception has been allowed by the abbot.
The 8 precepts are:
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 medicinal allowances are permitted.
Monks (bhikkhus, samaneras) are not allowed to possess money, so laypersons should not offer money to them.
Monetary donations should only be made to the Sangha Foundation.
The Vihara employs only minimum number of workers and all residents are expected to shoulder the daily maintenance workload.
This is different from certain Meditation Centres which run regular retreats where retreatants (¡®yogis¡¯) are expected to meditate all the time and not do any work.
The food in the Vihara is mostly obtained from alms round, while some are offered at the Vihara.
Those with specific food needs may face difficulty with what the Vihara can offer.
The Vihara being a forest monastery is remote from major towns and so has limited access to medical facilities.
Intending residents who need regular medical treatment may find the Vihara unsuitable.
Those who are on medication are strongly advised to bring along sufficient prescription for the duration of their stay in the Vihara.
The use of internet within the Vihara is allowable only for the Vihara¡¯s administrative purposes.
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.
Monastics intending to reside in the Vihara, but are unknown to the Vihara's Sangha are required to bring a letter of recommendation on their conduct,
and also a duly completed Application to Reside Form (Click here for blank form).
Those intending to apply to ordain as temporary samanera are required to submit a duly completed Application to Ordain as Temporary Samanera.
Minimum duration of a Temporary Samanera is one month, and minimum age is fifteen.
(Click here for blank form).
Intending residents should arrive between 8am - 1pm, otherwise the gate may not be open.
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. ( VBG's GPS Coordinates: N 4¡ã 15' 27.7", E 101¡ã 11' 52.4" )
- Click
here to open map
From Kuala Lumpur, it is also convenient to travel by bus. Catch the express bus from Puduraya Bus Terminal to Kampar (drop off 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 (Mobile Telephone:+6012-4697483).
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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.
While the access road, multi-purpose building (Sala), Sangha Library, Sangha Store, Women's quarters, and 9 kutis (huts) have been built,
donations are welcomed for further development, maintenance, and the continuing work of the Vihara.
Monetary donations to the Vihara should
be made out to the "Sangha
Foundation a/c 721-108548-8",
OCBC Bank (M)
Berhad, Ipoh. As the Vihara does not employ
office staff, receipts are generally not
issued unless requested by the donor. Donations to Sangha Foundation are tax-exempt as from Mar. 2008.
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 DhammavuddhoThero, a Malaysian of Chinese descent.
As a layman he graduated from the University Malaya in 1971, and 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, Only We Can Help Ourselves, etc.
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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