Dhammakaya Temple's works for over 40 years

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Dhammakaya Temple’s works for over 40 years

For 40 years ago, Dhammakaya Temple has built the temple as well as develop people which is to cultivate the monks to be the true monks for keeping the Buddhism including develop the morality in people’s mind, all genders and ages, by arranging many morality development projects. These projects are following the first concept since building the temple – building the temple to be the real temple, to develop the monks to be the real monks and to cultivate people to be the good people.

Moreover, the temple has extended some projects and programs to the foreign countries to disseminate Buddhism to the world to have a good chance to learn the Lord Buddha’s teachings, know how to mediate and the real goal of life which is to make merit and pursue the perfections. This is not only to improve their living and minds; it also restores the world morality which will really bring the world peace.

The following are some projects held within 40 years of Dhammakaya Temple

To develop the monks to be the real monks

The congratulation ceremony for the novices and monks

Who graduate the highest Buddhist educational degree

This ceremony has been arranged every year since 1988. From 1988 – 2010, there were over 1,000 total monks and novices participating in this ceremony.

The Dhamma Scholarship for 100,000 novices and monks
And the “Real Monks” Path of Progress Dhamma Contest

These projects had been launched on April 22nd, 1999 and the second time was held on April 22nd, 2001. There were over 200,000 total monks taking the contests.

The Kalayanamitra Monk Seminar

This seminar has been arranged since 2000. There are over 10,000 total monks nationwide participating in this program.

The Indefinitely Alms Offering to the monks
From 1,000/2,000/3,000/10,000/20,000/30,000 temples

These projects have been arranged since 2002 to collect money and alms to the monks and novices and open the chance to the Buddhists to make the big merit with the monks across the monastic kingdom.

The Indefinitely Alms Offering to the monks
From 266 temples in four unrest Southern provinces
And dedicate the merit to the victims of this situation.

To encourage the monks and novices who trouble from the unrest situation in four Southern provinces, this project has been performed since June 2005 and arranged every month since then. The temple has performed this project for over seven years and will keep doing until it becomes peaceful. This is to encourage the monks being steadfast in keeping Buddhism in these areas.

The World–PEC for Monk

The contest held in the first time on July 18th, 2009 to encourage the monks to study Dhamma actively. When they study more and more, they will cultivate and develop themselves to be the real monks and realize their roles as the world peace leaders. They will spread the Lord Buddha’s teaching and be the morality models to the world to follow them for the further peaceful world. The first time of this contest, there were about 30,000 teams, 3 total monks or novices each team, or about 100,000 total monks and novices taking the contest.

The 222 Main Buddha Images Offering to the temples in Sri Lanka

The first main Buddha image had been given to the president, H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the other 221 images were given to the temples in Sri Lanka. This is to restore Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government performed the Main Buddha Image Celebration Ceremony on June 13th, 2008 at Matale. Later on Magha Puja Day, February 9th, 2009, H.E. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, travelled to Dhammakaya Temple to offer the Thankful Shield to the Most Ven. Phrarajbhavanavisudh (Dhammajayo Bhikkhu).

The Kathina Offerings to all temples whose Kathina were unoccupied in Thailand

This project is to encourage the V–Star children to be the Kathina presidents in the temples where their Kathina were unoccupied around the country. It removes this unsatisfied event and encouraged the monks and novices to keep their temple from being the abandon ones and turn their temple to be flourishing again. When the temples are not abandoned, they will restore the morality prosperity back to our country. This project held in the first time at Nongkhruatapao Temple in Saraburi province on November 7th, 2008.

The 7,000-monk 7,000-subdistrict Mass Ordination Nationwide Project

This project was held during August 22nd – September 11th, 2009 to restore the ordination tradition flourishing again in Thai society and to produce the religious successors to keep the Buddhism further. There were 10,685 monks in this project which was more than the established goal. After this project, many monks still love to be in monkhood and decided to go to live in other abandoned temples and develop their temples further. It is the good symbol of the golden time of Buddhism in Thailand.

The 100,000-monk Mass Ordination Nationwide Project

The temple co-operated with the monks around the country as well as the Committee on Religion, Art, and Culture, the House of Parliament and over 25 organizations to arrange this project because of the success of the 7,000-monk 7,000-subdistrict Mass Ordination Nationwide Project. This project was held during January 19th – March 8th, 2010. The ordination ceremony was held at Dhammakaya Temple but they would be trained and lived in many temples in Thailand. The amount of the ordained ones has been recorded that it is the highest number in the history of Thailand. The most important is many monks still believe and would like to be in the monkhood to keep the Buddhism, so it is an important project which produced a lot of monks in the monastic kingdom as well.

The Morning Alms–Round Offering to 500,000 monks 76 provinces across Thailand
And the Morning Alms–Round Offering to 1,000,000 monks 76 provinces across Thailand

These are the morality restoration projects and to restore the morning alms round offering tradition to be flourishing again and to summon the Buddhists to express their goodwill to support the monks and novices in 266 temples in four unrest Southern provinces, the local residents and the monks, novices and the victims from disasters such as the flood etc. This is to encourage them to live and be steadfast in keeping Buddhism in those areas. The project has been arranged since February 2008 and arranged in all 76 provinces and now it has been extended to offer to 1,000,000 monks.

Develop people to be the good people : in the country

The Dhammadayada Mass Ordination Projects

There are three levels:

The university level: Began in 1972, to develop people to be the good and smart graduates. The temple opens the chance for the male students to be ordained as the monks during the summer holidays.
The secondary school level
The primary school level

The Female Dhammadayada Summer Mass Training

There are two levels:

The university level: for the female students

The high school level

These trainings have supported to develop morality to a lot of female youths to be the good and smart youths for Thai societies. The total amount since 1972 till now is more than 100,000.

The Path of Progress Ethics Contest

This contest was held in the first time in 1982. It is to encourage the children, from the kindergarten to the university, as well as the students of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and the teachers to study Dhamma and apply in their daily life. H.M. King Bhumiphol has kindly given the Honorable Shields for the national winners every year. This project has been supported well from many involved organizations because they realize that if the youths are good people, the future world will be good as well. These caused the youths, about 5,000,000 persons each year, to take this contest for over 20 years. So this contest has cultivated the morality to about 10 million Thai youths. In April 2000, this contest was chosen to be one of the Culture of Peace and Non-violence projects from UNESCO.

The V–Star Children for the World Morality Restoration

This is the project to cultivate the morality to the children’s mind and teach them to be responsible to themselves and public as the good and smart children. They will be the hope of their family, society and nation and will be the morality model of the future world.

Dhammakaya Temple evaluated the morality standard and had the Buddhist Customs Contest and the Rewards award to the domestic academies for four times. The first time was held on May 19th, 2008 at the Meditation Square around Dhammakaya Cetiya. There were hundred–thousands of V–Star children participating in this activity each time.

The Personal Training for Public and Private Sections

In addition to the youth training, Dhammakaya Temple also has the Dhamma Dissemination projects to the personals in the public and private sections. This is to develop morality to the working adults to know how to apply Dhamma in their works and daily life happily.

The Crystal Novice Ordination

There were 13,842 novices ordained and invited “the Great Lord Buddha” to be installed in the Dhammakaya Cetiya on February 8th, 1998.

The Crystal Upasika Mass Training

Over 140,000 Upasika, or laywomen, were ordained during August 7th – 9th, 1998 and humbly dedicated this merit to H.M. the Queen since the Queen’s Birthday Anniversary.

The Crystal Layman Training

Over 200,000 laymen were ordained during January 29th – 31st, 1999 to humbly dedicate their merit to H.M. the King.

The 100,000/500,000/1,000,000–Crystal Upasika Mass Training

The 100,000–Crystal Upasika Mass Training was held during March 8th – 15th, 2010. This was to open the chance for women to do good deeds and cultivate morality and the Buddhist ideal into their hearts which would results in the stability of Buddhism and flourish the world morality since then. The feedback of this project was very good, so the project team held this project again during April 16th – 29th, 2010 and extended the number of laywomen from 100,000 to be 500,000.

Develop people to be the good people: For the foreigners

The International Dhammadayada Ordination

This program was launched in 2003. The 7 time of this program was held in 2009 and there were 83 foreigners from 16 countries including Thai men living in the oversea travelling to be ordained at Dhammakaya Temple. The languages using in this program were Chinese and English.

The World–PEC Contest

The World–PEC Contest has been held simultaneously in many countries to encourage people around the world to study Dhamma for their right livings. This would cause them to have the warm families and reduce the social problems which lead the world to be peaceful and the real world peace. The first time of this contest was held on February 18th, 2007 and the second time was held on January 20th, 2008 and the third time was arranged on January 18th, 2009. There were 72 nationalities from all over the world taking this contest and there were 13 languages in this contest. The Winner Award Ceremony was held at Dhammakaya Temple on Magha Puja Day. (Thai people in Thailand can take this contest as well.)

The Vesak Lantern Lighting to Worship the Lord Buddha in Mongolia

Dhammakaya Temple launched the Vesak Lantern Lighting to Worship the Lord Buddha in Mongolia on Vesak Day – May 19th, 2008. This was to restore Buddhism in Mongolia. Almost newspapers in Mongolia gave this news as the headline. It is the great start of Buddhism restoration in Mongolia. On the Vesak Day in 2009, the temple held this ceremony again as the second time.

The Vesak Day event in Singapore

This event was held during May 17th – 19th, 2008 to spread Buddhism to Singapore people. There were the model presentations about the important three events on Vesak Day – the Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. We also displayed the exhibition of the Lord Buddha’s biography, taught how to meditate, lit the Vesak lanterns and circumambulated clockwise.

The Vesak Day event in Indonesia

This event was held on May 9th, 2009 to restore Buddhism in Indonesia. The important activities were the lighting lanterns and floating lanterns ceremonies and the clockwise circumambulation around the Borobudur stupa to worship the Lord Buddha.

World Support

Cyclone Nargis Victim Relief in Myanmar

Dhammakaya Foundation brought the relief bags containing totally over 2 ton of requisites to help the victims from Cyclone Nargis disaster in Myanmar for 5 times on May 8th, 20th, 21st, and June 9th, 18th, 2008.

The Fire Victim Relief in USA

We gave the things to help the fire victims in California to relieve their troubles on November 9th and 19th, 2007.

Teacher Support Project for teachers in four unrest Southern provinces

In addition to help the monks, novices, soldiers and police working in the risk areas, Dhammakaya Foundation also support the public teachers in four unrest Southern provinces. The foundation has given the monthly support fund since January 2008.

The Received Awards

Many projects of Dhammakaya Temple have been accepted internationally enough to receive the honorable awards from many organizations. The followings are some of them which the Most Ven. Phrarajbhavanavisudh (Dhammajayo Bhikkhu), the abbot of Dhammakaya Temple and Dhammakaya Foundation received.

The Mahatama Gandhi medal for peace From Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj

This award has been received since April 22nd, 2005 from the dedication to develop youths over 40 years.

World No Tobacco Day Award 2004 From WHO organization

This award has been received since May 31st, 2004 because we made the campaign for Thai youth and people not to smoke and held the No Tobacco No Alcohol activity continuously.

Universal Peace Award from the Buddhist leaders from many countries

Participating in the 3rd WBSY Conference in Sri Lanka

This award has been received since March 3rd, 2007 due to the outstanding leadership of Buddhism dissemination in the world.

The Honorable Shield from four victim provinces

On December 3rd, 2006, the missions from four flooded provinces, which were Ayutthaya, Angthong, Sing Buri, and Chainat provinces, agreed to bestow the Honorable Shields and provincial souvenirs to the Most Ven. Phrarajbhavanavisudh, the president of Dhammakaya Foundation, due to his kindness in helping the victims in these provinces. The foundation also sent the relief bags and mobile medical care services for months. Moreover, on January 7th, 2007, the representatives from the Ministry of Education and many organizations from another 4 flooded provinces which were Pathum Thani, Suphan Buri, Nonthaburi, and Nakhon Pathom provinces agreed to bestow the Honorable Shields and provincial souvenirs. The total received award was 41 which 3 of them came from the Ministry of Education, 18 of them came from Pathum Thani province, 7 of them came from Suphan Buri province, 11 of them came from Nakhon Pathom province and 2 of them came from Nonthaburi province.

The Outstanding TV Channel Award in Buddhism Support
From the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand

This award has been received since May 22nd, 2008 because of the Dhamma media productions broadcasting on DMC. The productions have been created since 2002 and broadcasting 24 hours a day to the world. There are English and Chinese translations as well.

The 28th Telly Awards from USA

These awards have been received since September 26th, 2007 because of the Dhamma media production. The temple has got 12 awards.

The Honorable Shield of the Senate

This award has been received since February 23rd, 2005 because the temple had supported the merit dedication and mourning ceremonies to the Tsunami victims and relieved their relatives’ minds in Phuket on January 5th, 2005 and in Takuapa district, Pangnga on January 19th, 2005.

Meditation: The practice that everyone should do

Meditation is one of the most important activities that Dhammakaya Temple realizes and put it in every project mentioned above. This practice is the most important for the human resource development and is the main factor in personal development of Dhammakaya Temple. Mediation is the most important thing of life. Luang Phaw Dhammajayo gave the sermon that

“Mediation is the most important thing for life. It is more important than the air we breathe because if we have no air, we will only pass away from this world, but if we have no Dhamma, we will pass away from goodness and everything.”

In addition, meditation is one of ten ways to make merit and the merit derived from meditation is much more than the donation and precept keeping because it can lead the practitioners to reach Nirvana directly.

From these reasons, Dhammakaya Temple has encouraged everybody to meditate since the time of building the temple. The temple teaches how to meditate every morning and afternoon on Sundays at the International Dhammakaya Meditation Hall and at 9.45 p.m. on Monday – Saturday in the Inner Dream Kindergarten TV program. The temple also arranges many projects to support the meditation.

The Weekend Pilgrimage at Dhammakaya Temple

The temple has arranged the Weekend Pilgrimage on every Friday–Sunday. For more information, please call 02–831–1820–3, 089–485–7039

The One–Week Mediation Retreat at Panawat Garden Resort

Panawat Garden Resort is established on the mountain, 1,100 meters high, in Hod district, Chiang Mai. The weather is fresh and cool almost the year and the resort is surrounding with the beautiful woods and mountains.

The meditation building is perfect and there are the facilities fully in each house. For more information, please contact the Dok Mai Ban Special Meditation Program by call 02–831–1130–2, 083–540–4636 or visit www.dokmaiban.com.

The One–Week Mediation Retreat at Himawan Forest Garden Resort

The Himawan Forest Garden Resort is established among the fog sea and the blooming flowers in Phu Rua district, Loei. Its meditation building is suitable for practicing the meditation.

As well as “Ban Rung Nok” or the personal house for everybody who would like to have a rest far from the busy world. For more information, please contact the Dok Mai Ban Special Meditation Program by call 02–831–1130–2, 083–540–4636 or visit www.dokmaiban.com.

The Middle Way Meditation Retreat

This retreat is the special program for foreigners who are interested in meditation. We have the teaching monks teaching the basic meditation in English by the simple ways. We also have the peace agents or advisers to look after you friendly and warmly. The houses are simple but peaceful which the participants will get the peace from meditation and the surrounding environment. It will be one of the best experiences in your life. For application, please visit www.meditationthai.org.

In addition to the domestic meditation support, Dhammakaya Temple has established the oversea branches to spread the Lord Buddha’s teaching to the world to meet the light of life and know that everyone has something special inside – they have the Dhammakaya inside although they are far away of the land of Buddhism. Now there are 53 branches around the world.

Merit is the real factor behind the happiness and success of life. Since the time of building the temple till now, Dhammakaya Temple has the strong willing to disseminate Buddhism to encourage the morality and ethics to people thoroughly by following the Lord Buddha’s teachings in development the human’s mind – stop doing bad deeds, doing good deeds and making their mind clear and happy. The temple also encourages people to give, keep the five precepts and meditate regularly. If someone always does like that, they will be happy, successful in life and overcome the obstacles easier because all happiness and success in life come from “merit”.

Translated by Chadawee Chaipooripat