A day before Ah Lek’s departure for Sweden he, accompanied by Pauline, Irene and yours truly paid a visit to the Nandaka Vihara Meditation Society which is situated on a 4.5-acre piece of land, near the Cherok Tokun Recreational Forest. Pauline doubled up as tour guide and she did a fairly good job with it too. Her detailed narration and nuggets of background info pertaining to this place reveals that it wasn’t her first visit there. One important fact she pointed out made us proud to be ex-BMHS boys and girls. Apparently, one of our ex-schoolmates by the name of Lau Chi Chang played an active role in setting up the monastery together with five other philanthropists.
I was pleasantly surprised by its location as I had many a time gone for a walk at the nearby recreational park but been ignorant of its existence thus far. Information sourced from their website explains that the monastery is set up for meditation practice not only for monastics but also for lay-men and lay-women. Surrounded by orchards and forest reserve land, the quiet environment makes it suitable for the practice of meditation. Furthermore, the location is secluded, yet not far from Bukit Mertajam town and off the Bukit Mertajam-Kulim trunk road which is only a few minutes' drive away.
Cash and building materials were donated generously while architects, engineers, workmen, carpenters and landscape artists designed and constructed the buildings scattered around the complex for free. Although the primary purpose is for meditation practice, all are welcome to participate in other activities such as the regular Dhamma talks, Dana, Dhamma discussions and chanting sessions. To pique the interest of those not into these things, there are always the scenic walks and a large silo shaped wooden building nestled on the hillside where some historical Buddhist relics are displayed. In addition, the cool, peaceful and beautifully landscaped surroundings is simply perfect for everyone to relax and take the pressures off their daily lives.
The monastery is currently seeking more cash donations to help them acquire a neighbouring piece of land to further their expansion and I am posting this write up as a small contribution on my part. More information about the monastery can be obtained by following the link below:
Nandaka Vihara Meditation Society Bukit Mertajam
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1 comment:
Hi Lau Choy,
Was informed by Lay Bee that you have posted a video on the Cherok Tekun trip.
A good write up. Imagining myself reading an article from the Star; the all too familiar flair of writing.
The background music blends in very well with the subject of this documentary clip and Pauline's narrating.
Thank you
Cheers,
Hong
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