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32 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

FIVE ADVANTAGES

OF LISTENING TO

THE DHAMMA

By Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu

Āyasmā Kumāra Bhikkhu was born in 1972. He was ordained a Buddhist
monk in 1999 at the age of 27 by Sayadaw U Revata at Subang Jaya Buddhist
Association. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in education (Teaching
English as a Second Language) from the University of Malaya. It was during
his studies there that he became enthusiastic about the Buddha’s teachings
and decided that he wanted to live this life as a monk. Since then, with his
training in education, he has been sharing the Dhamma in various ways and
in several languages (mainly English, Mandarin and Hokkien) with Buddhists
of various traditions and non-Buddhists too. Inspired by Sayadaw U Tejaniya
(www.sayadawutejaniya.org), his main meditation teacher, he is interested in
cultivating wisdom that removes the causes of suffering. He is also influenced
by Āyasmā Aggacitta to be open to Dhamma teachings beyond orthodoxy and
tradition, so long as they work towards the ending of suffering. Having found his
way, he is happy to help others do so too. Currently, he resides in Sāsanārakkha
Buddhist Sanctuary (www.sasanarakkha.org), Taiping, Perak.

Many of you have listened to many Today I would like to highlight the five
Dhamma talks. I suppose you see the advantages of listening to the Dhamma
benefits of doing this, otherwise you based on the Dhammassavana Sutta (AN
wouldn’t be listening to them. It is also 5.202).
mentioned in the Mangala Sutta (Khp
5) that timely listening to the Dhamma Learn new things......
is one of the highest blessings. When
we find something good, especially On each occasion that a person listens to
something that benefits us spiritually, it the Dhamma, he is likely to be exposed
is good to share or introduce it to others. to new information and knowledge.
Doing so would also be to our own This is especially so for a new student
benefit. of Buddhism. But even for those who
may have heard the subject before,
listening to it again can bring about a
new perceptive and perhaps even deeper
understanding.