Page 93 - YBAM 50th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine
P. 93

talks were held across the country!  things about Malaysian Buddhists is they   rural areas refused to organise the event   old and could not climb the stairs to
    are not concerned  with the speakers’   due to many considerations, such as   clean the Sangha’s Kuti on the second
 Since 2010, speakers have been invited   background and fame, as long as they are   logistic arrangement. In rural areas, there   floor. This  was  heartrending! These

 for Dharma talk series across the country   the Dharma speakers arranged by YBAM,   are no young people, only the elderly and   situations are also the hidden concerns
 annually. It is indeed a very challenging   everyone will give the speakers a warm   children  are  one  of  the  most  common   of many Buddhist organisations. What
 and meticulous task in coordinating the   welcome. Since everyone trusts  YBAM,   problems.  There  was  once  I  need  to   are the consequences of urbanisation to
 series for all 13 states in the country. The   the DPC is very careful in selecting   leave a mountainous area after a talk,   Buddhist organisations in rural areas? It is

 workflow  started  from  inviting  speaker,   and inviting speakers. The committee   a couple from  a Buddhist organisation   a challenge of the great era that has been
 setting a date, along with the coordination   pays great attention to the speaker’s   of another town drove an old car to pick   evolving rapidly!
 of the State Liaison Committee and   knowledge and disciplinary precepts, and   me up. Unfortunately, the car broke down
 member organisations to the finalisation   not celebrity status.  on the road and the elderly couple was   ‘STATE DHARMA PROPAGATION TEAM

 of the itinerary, constant adjustments must   not familiar with GPS, so they took some   LEADER EXCHANGE MEETING’
 be made to fit each other’s schedules.   Recently, during  a dialogue  session  in   time to locate the Buddhist organisation.   COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION
 This coordinating work is based on   Perak, the former Chairperson  of the   During  the return trip, they told me that
 everyone’s piecemeal time while they are   Perak State Liaison  Committee,  Choy   they were not usually  driving  because   ‘Dharma Dew’ has been halted for a long

 occupied with work and family. Although it   Seong  Keong shared  that the speakers   their children are worried. But, the couple,   time, so in the first few years, DPC also
 is complicated and meticulous, everyone   arranged  by  YBAM ‘Dharma  Dew’   who could easily be my  parents’  age,   organised the ‘State Dharma Propagation
 tries their best to coordinate the Dharma   series  are  ‘clean’!  I was touched  and   drove me to their Buddhist organisation to   Team Leader Exchange Meeting’ in
 talks as it is not merely an event, but   moved by such a comment. The solemn   give Dharma talk. It touched me, and I was   various  states.  It  was  hoped  that  by

 an opportunity for Buddhists to listen to   responsibility  of  ‘Turning  the  Wheel   grateful from the bottom of my heart, they   communicating directly with  MOs,  DPC
 Dharma. Therefore, all the coordinations   of Dharma for  The Sake of  All Beings’   are the children’s treasures at home, and   can better understand the challenges and
 are ‘Turning the Wheel of Dharma for The   must  be strictly  governed; speakers’   they become guardian Bodhisattvas   dilemmas  faced by states and  MOs in
 Sake of All Beings’!  qualifications need to be carefully verified.   when they are in Buddhist organisation!  coordinating the Dharma talk series. The

 The Buddhist says: ‘We should  rather                            meeting also created greater awareness
 THE SOLEMN DUTY OF DPC  enter the hell than use the Dharma to win   The  major  concerns  of  Buddhist   of  the State  Liaison Committees (SLC)

 CAREFUL SELECTION OF SPEAKERS  favours with people!’ I hope that YBAM will   organisations in the rural area are always   on their role and mission in aligning the
 continue to uphold the spirit of protecting   the attendance and older audience. In   objectives and direction between the

 To implement the works of Dharma   the Dharma and Buddhism to safeguard   fact, the speakers agree to go to rural   DPC and MOs! Moreover, it allowed
 education in all parts of the country,   the Buddhists’ wisdom of more than 200   areas for Dharma talk usually and   the Dharma propagation team leads
 including rural areas to have access to   MOs nationwide!  won’t mind the attendance numbers. I   of  Buddhist  organisations  to  gain  a
 the Dharma, YBAM has been working   remember going to a place where there   better understanding of the Dharma talk

 untiringly  to arrange Dharma talks no   DHARMA TALK SERIES - ‘THE LAY BUDDHIST   was no Dharma talk held for three years   series workflow and to achieve effective
 matter how remote the area is. Speakers   TURNS THE WHEEL OF CAR, THE SANGHA   consecutively. At first, I heard that it was   coordination  of the activity. Besides,
 were arranged to  the states that they   TURNS THE WHEEL OF DHARMA’  because the organisation worried that   the DPC also collected and shared the
 have never been to, with the hope that all   no one would attend the Dharma talk.   success stories and problems of each

 will have had the opportunity to listen to   When coordinating the Dharma talk   When I asked further, I found that it was   state in arranging the Dharma talk series,
 different speakers. One of the impressive   series at an early stage, some MOs in   because the committee members were   hoping  that the states can learn  from
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                     50 YEARS OF DHARMA PRO PA GATION     CO NTINUING THE MIS SION IN THE 5G ER A
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