OUTREACH
A bi-monthly newsletter of the Buddhist Gem Fellowship
November - December 2019
Issue No. 164
GAZING AT THE GIANT RECLINING BUDDHA IN CENTRAL ASIA
In August this year, I travelled to Tajikistan
in Central Asia to view the largest reclining
Buddha statue found in Central Asia. The
massive 12.85 metre (42 feet) statue of the
reclining Buddha was discovered in the early
1960s at the Ajina-Tepe Buddhist monastery
located in Vakhsh Valley in southern Tajikistan.
The monastery complex existed from the
7th to 8th century when Buddhism was
practised in Central Asia for 1000 years.
Tajikistan was part of the Kushan Empire,
which encompassed Bactria, a state found
by the descendants of soldiers left behind
by Alexander the Great. The monastery was
destroyed and deserted during the Arab
conquest of this territory during 737-50 CE.
The Ajina-Tepe monastery was a large
complex measuring 50 by 100 metres and
P R O F . DAT U K SERI DR . VI C T OR WEE
consisted of two parts: the temple premises
and the monks’ living quarters. The locals
call the mound that covered the abandoned
monastery “Ajina-Tepe”, which translates as
“Devil’s Hill”, possibly because of the murals
of Dhamma protectors to scare off malevolent
spirits.
The archaeological excavations, which started
in 1961 and finished in 1966, came up with
a large amount of artefacts: sculptures of
Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and devas and wall
painting fragments. The most impressive part
of the discovery was a massive clay statue of
the reclining Buddha, where only the bottom
part of the figure, from the waist to the
soles was intact, while the upper part of the
sculpture was badly damaged and had to be
restored.
OUTREACH 1
The reclining Buddha and artefacts are
relocated and exhibited at the Tajikistan
National Museum of Antiquity at the capital
city of Dushanbe. Some of the artefacts found
their way to the Hermitage Museum in St.
Petersburg, Russia, which has a large wing for
Buddhist art, statues and religious objects.

A N N O UN CEMEN TS

We wish to inform members that with We appeal to members who have yet to pay
effect from 1st January 2020, BGF annual their outstanding renewal membership fee
membership fees will be increased to to please pay before December 2019. To
RM60.00 per year. This is in accordance with check your membership status you may send
the BGF Constitution which was approved a WhatsApp message to: +6018-6635730
and adopted at the AGM in April 2019 and <Membership>: <Your name per IC > <NRIC
officially approved by Registrar of Society No.>
(ROS) in May 2019. However, Life Membership
remains unchanged at RM1,000.00 per one
time payment and administration fee is still at 9 Nov
RM10.00 for new membership. 3 N o v & 26-2
21-2 pm
9am - 5 ing
We would also like to remind members who C o o k ies Mak gkit)
CNY t Kuih Ban
r o o
g Arrow
have not renewed their membership for over 2 und
years, that their membership will automatically (Penan a in t e nance F
M
be terminated. Any new payment after the 2 for BGF w er Grou
nd
F L o
@BG Seng
years will be considered as a new application c t B r o . Chee
Cont a
for membership. 0 5354
010-40

2 OUTREACH
19-DEC-2019 (Thu)
8pm - 10pm @ BGF KSDAH (Level 2)

Dhamma in Daily Life Challenges

Night Talk @ BGF
No registration required

20-DEC-2019 (Fri)
2pm - 4pm @ BGF KSDAH (Level 2)

Sutta Class : Ratana Sutta

Register ONLINE at:
https://tiny.cc/ABRatana19

20-DEC-2019 (Fri)
8pm - 10pm @ BGF KSDAH (Level 2)

A Session with Youth:

Hard Talk with Ajahn Brahm
Open to all youths between 15 to 35 years old

21-DEC-2019 (Sat)
9am - 5pm @ BGF KSDAH (Level 2)

A Day with Ajahn Brahm:

Transforming from an Ugly
Duckling to a Graceful Swan.
Register ONLINE at:
https://bgf.org.my/registration

BUDDHIST GEM FELLOWSHIP For enquiries kindly contact:

Growing People, Inspiring the Future BGF Admin (+6018-6635730)
w : www.bgf.org.my f : Buddhist Gem Fellowship
Lai Kim Looi (+6012-2102519)
DHAMMA MINDERS 5 - BUILDING & INSPIRING FUTURE
GENERATIONS OF BUDDHISTS!
Congratulations to all graduates of the recently
concluded Dhamma Minders (DM) 5 training
program, which ran from June to October
2019. A total of 23 participants received their
Certificates of Completion, and another 17
their Certificates of Attendance. The course
is aimed at enhancing facilitation skills and
to allow Dhamma school facilitators to learn,
unlearn and relearn effective approaches to
teaching Buddhism to Gen-Z students.
The organizers would like to thank the following
awesome and inspiring trainers:
Uncle Vijaya, Dr. Tan Ho Soon, Dr. Bugs Tan,
Dr. Khoo Boon Hock, Bro. Ronnie Leong, Sis.
K.C. Chiang, Sis. Woo Sau Mun, Sis. Tay Siok
Eian, Sis. Thang Mee Yuen, Bro. Daniel Kwok,
Sis. Michelle Yap and of course, Bro. Tee Chee
Seng (who is also the head of BGF Buddhist
Education).
Here are some testimonials from the
representatives of the various Dhamma
centres:
“I am currently a new Dhamma teacher
assisting in a class of seven year-old children.
After a few months of teaching, I feel the need
to learn how to handle the following:
• Classroom management
• Students’ short attention spans
• Hyperactivity behavior
• Difficult children
• Set up positive learning environment
• Anger management
4 OUTREACH
SI S. QU EK MEI J OON
I asked myself: How can I make kids learn
Buddhism in a fun, interesting and simple
way? There is a saying: When the student is
ready, the teacher will appear. Here comes the
‘2019 Dhamma Minders 5’ with the aim to get
new and current Dhamma teachers to learn,
unlearn and relearn effective approaches to
teaching Buddhism to the younger generation.
It couldn’t have been more timely, so I signed
up immediately.
While going through this 40-hour training
course from June to October, I applied and
tried out what I was learning, for example:
• Setting up classroom rules of the do’s and
don’t’s together with the students. Before each
lesson, the class would read the rules aloud.
• Doing a short meditation prior to lesson (e.g
the growing seeds) to calm down and secure
the concentration of the students.
• Shifting the teaching methodology to activity-
based lesson plans whereby the teacher plays
the role of facilitator, encouraging the students
to give opinions and ask questions instead of
the teacher talking and the students listening.
• Designing interesting lesson plans suitable
for 7-year-olds featuring art & craft, games,
drama, etc.
After applying what I have learned, I began to
see the light at the end of the tunnel when the
students started making progress in learning.
To me, the DM course is indeed a springboard
to effective teaching.
I wish to highlight two topics from the course
which I found most impactful:
(1) Art and Craft
I noticed my students are particularly fond
of lessons with art and craft which seems to
solve problems with difficult and hyperactive
children, and those with short attention spans.
So, there are actually no problematic students,
only that the teacher needs to find ways to
interest them in the subject.
(2) Anger Management
Bro. Tee shared the phrases ‘Would you get
angry?’ vs ‘Do you have to get angry?’ Since
then, I’ve used ‘Do I have to get angry?’ as my
‘coolant’ to nip my anger in the bud, be it in the
classroom or anywhere else. Words do have
the power!
I am grateful to have attended Dhamma
Minders 5 which has made me a better
Dhamma teacher. A big THANK YOU to all who
are involved! To the new and old dhamma
teachers, I strongly recommend you to go for
the next Dhamma Minders training!”
Sis. Chew Seok Chen,
Subang Jaya Buddhist Association
“Just completed the DM course organized by
BGF. Found it to be a great course for all Sunday
School Teachers. It was fun as each facilitator
walked us through all kinds of situations and
scenarios that teachers frequently face in
reality. Classes included theoretical as well as
practical techniques on handling students -
from the quiet and unresponsive ones to the
mischievous and hyper-active ones.
Each of the facilitators is a reputable
professional in their own right. We have child
psychologists, inventors, doctors, and highly
respectable Dhamma teachers, amongst
others, sharing their skills on how we can bring
out the best in each child through the Dhamma
platform. I would strongly recommend DM to
all Sunday school teachers for their personal
benefit as well as for that of their students.”
Sis. Angief Ng,
Maha Satipatthana Buddhist Society
“Through my participation in DM 5, I have
learned and gained useful knowledge in
becoming a good quality Dhamma teacher.
The invited speakers in this course are
definitely well experienced and the sharing
sessions were marvelous.
I salute BGF for the initiative in organizing
this course which is already in its 5th run. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank
course coordinator, Bro. Chee Seng and the
secretariat for a job well done in handling the
course smoothly. My appreciation also goes to
all participants from other Dhamma Schools
for their kind co-operation and note sharing
throughout the course. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!”
Bro. Tee Boon Tuan,
Seck Kia Eenh Dhamma School, Melaka.
“This DM 5 was a professional and fruitful
program. Everything was taught step and step
and all of the speakers shared their thoughts
OUTREACH 5
 and skills. They always answered questions
with good advice and recommendation. It was
indeed a useful program for me to enhance not
only my Dhamma knowledge but also essential
classroom management skills.
As a Dhamma teacher in Chempaka Buddhist
Lodge, I have implemented skills and knowledge
learnt from this program and the results are
amazing. I would highly recommend this
program to everyone. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!”
Bro. Jack Kam,
Chempaka Buddhist Lodge
“I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to
the BGF co-ordinators of DM 5 for the successful
conclusion of the programme. It has been an
invaluable experience, thanks to the amiable
speakers who generously shared their wealth
of knowlege, experience and skills, especially
with regards to parenting skills, traits of the
younger generation who will be our potential
Dhamma students, and creative activities to
add zest to the teaching and learning of the
Dhamma. Most of all, we had fun trying out
the skills and techniques that we learned.
A big Thank You to Bro. Tee Chee Seng for
making the graduation a memorable one!
Appreciate the care, thought, effort and
humour! Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.”
Sis. Tang Quai Sim,
Bandar Utama Dhamma School
“I would like to thank Dhamma Minders
for bringing so many speakers to teach and
guide us. I especially liked the circle time, and
mindful class. I still remember the last speaker,
Bro. Tan, advising us to become great teachers
by living according to the Dhamma and setting
a good example for our students and the
community.”
Bro. Eddy Gan Khai Liat,
Bandar Utama Buddhist Society

GEMKIDS & GEMTEENS

2020 INTAKE

IS NOW OPEN !
~~ Open to 4 - 17 years old ~~

Classes are held on two Sundays a month* from 9:00am - 12:30pm

at BGF Centre, Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Scan the QR code —>

or go to https://forms.gle/tdxfrCNCtGKmDziy5
for ONLINE REGISTRATION

*Classes Schedule will be provided by 5 January 2020

For more information, kindly contact :

Sis. Syenie Sis. Mei Joon
Tel: 016-208 6192 OR Tel: 012-351 7615
Email: syenie@gmail.com Email: mei.joon.quek@gmail.com
CLASS OUTING TO ESCAPE ROOM – DID WE ESCAPE?
On 22nd Sept 2019, Gem Kids from Sila
class and Gem Teens from Suta class went
to the Escape room organised by Teacher
Lynette. Leia and I were really excited,
underestimating the level of difficulty in the
Escape room.
We did the ‘Mysterious Room’ first. Since
the difficulty level was only 4/5 stars, we
thought that with a team like ours, we
could breeze through. Too bad, we were
absolutely wrong.
We came out of the “Mysterious Room”
very frustrated. We couldn’t even make it to
the second room. We replenished ourselves
with snacks and went to our second room
42ND INCOVAR DHAMMA CAMP - 13 TO 16 SEPTEMBER
“The 42nd Incovar Dhamma Camp was a really
eye-opening and humbling experience for me.
Really learnt a lot as to how to deal with our
emotions and thoughts with Dhamma values
and made me think from another perspective
in difficult situations. Also had a really fun time
being able to make new friends to bond with
and make fond memories together in a few
days.” - Participant Sis. Dana Kan
“When I was introduced to Incovar, I was
immediately interested to join as I would like
to learn how to handle stress and my emotions
better. During the camp, not only did I make
tons of new good friends, I also learned how
SI S. L EI A & SI S. SAR A K WOK
“Space Voyager”.
“Space Voyager” was the hardest one,
according to the staff. But to our surprise,
we made it into the third room. We were
almost done when time ran out.
We were terribly dejected. But we still
learned to work together as teammates
instead of tearing off each others’ socks in
frustration. It was a cool human bonding
experience.
I really wish that BGF Gem Kids would
organise another incredible outing that will
not only give us thrills but also teach us
valuable lessons.
to love myself a little more, how to love
others without losing myself and how to look
at negative things in a more positive way. A
very big thank you to Incovar and everyone
who made the camp possible and gave us
an opportunity to learn in a fun and safe
environment. I can’t wait for the next camp!”
- Participant Sis. Elyna Chang
“A camp organized by a group of dedicated
individuals about how to focus on inner core
or self-development in a deeper way. It’s not
a normal leadership camp. Beneficial talks,
OUTREACH 7
supportive community of participants, a bit
of meditation, self-reflection on what we do
in life, methods to ease inner conflict and be
happier in life.” - Participants Pun Hong Liang
“This whole camp truly means so much to
me. I started off reluctant to join the camp,
but ended up laughing, crying and learning
with the other INCOVARians. Hats off to the
committee for organising this camp, and
helping me on this journey of self-love. It’s still
hard, but I believe that I’ve learnt a bit more on
how to love myself through this camp and I’m
eternally grateful.” - Participant Sis. Melissa
“I spent a good one year working with the
committee to make this camp a success.
Planning the programmes with the team was
challenging as we needed to come up with a
suitable camp concept, formulate objectives,
and make sure the programmes achieve
specific objectives in a seamless flow centering
around the teachings of the Buddha.
Self-love is a common theme, yet putting self-
love into practice, with Right Understanding,
takes months of reflection. Even as we
planned the activities, we got to deepen our
8 OUTREACH
own understanding of what loving ourselves
means, and what happiness is. I would like to
express our gratitude to our spiritual advisor,
Bhante Kumara, for reviewing our camp
concept and straightening our views on this
simple yet profound theme of self-love.
It was a long journey of self-love not only for
the participants but also for us committee
members. Despite all the challenges, it was
truly heartening to see the participants
forming meaningful friendships with one
another as the camp went on. We even
heard that the participants formed their own
Whatsapp group and continued to keep in
touch in various outings!
As for being on the committee, I highly
recommend fellow Kalyana Mittas (spiritual
friends) to be involved in this meritorious deed
of giving service to efforts towards spreading
the Dhamma. With this, I’d like to share a
lesson learnt during the course of planning
this camp – ‘Self-love isn’t really a journey. A
journey involves heading towards a certain
goal. Self-love is here and now.’ May you be
well and happy.” - Committee Bro. Lim Sui Lun
 Free Career
Assessment
This workshop:
* Helps students identify their interests and enable them to explore viable education
and career options.
* Equips parents with suggestions on how they can guide their children and
positively engage with them.
Trainers’ Profile
Conducted by registered counsellors who are experienced in
helping students explore their education and career pathways.
Date : 30th November 2019 (Saturday)
Time : 9am to 12:30pm
Venue : Buddhist Gem Fellowship, Ara Damansara, PJ
Target : Parents and Teenagers (15 – 17 years old)

Registration fee:
RM20 per pax - includes 1 tea break Register online :
(at least 1 parent per family must participate} https://tinyurl.com/bgfcucareer
Direct Transfer to: Buddhist Gem Fellowship
2019
Public Bank Berhad (PBB)
Closing date: 25th Nov 2019
Account No.: 310 967 0729
*Limited to 30 pax
For enquiries or send bank in slip:
*Open to Non-Muslims only
Email: bearguinchs9298@gmail.com
Whatsapp: Hui Sian (017-291 0199)

BGF Counseling Unit

f : BGF.Counseling.Unit
e : bgf.counselingunit@gmail.com
 HIGHLIGHTS OF BGF COUNSELING UNIT (BGFCU)
1. 27th BGF Counseling Course Level 1 start-
ed on 29 September 2019
The 27th Counseling Course Level 1 started
with a bang with Bro Keek Seng Bee’s pre-
sentation entitled ‘In Pursuit of Happiness’.
There were 41 registrants in total with 39 of
them turning up for the first lesson.
2. ‘Suicide: What We All Need To Know’ talk
at Sam Poh Tong on 25 August 2019
For the first time, BGFCU organized a talk in
Mandarin on this all-important topic at Sam
Poh Tong temple. Here’s the report from
speaker Bro Quek Ser Pin from Xiao En Coun-
seling:
Thanks for the invitation to what was the first
Mandarin public talk by the BGFCU. Couldn’t
agree more with this initiative to enter and
benefit the community. On a rainy Sunday
morning, I did wonder how many people
would leave their warm beds and attend a
two-hour talk. However, the attendance ac-
tually exceeded expectations. In addition to
those who registered in advance, there were
many walk-in registrations. Seeing the par-
ticipants paying close attention and asking
questions really touched me and made me
realize that more and more people are will-
ing to learn about the issues and do their part
in suicide prevention.
10 OUTREACH
B R O. L I M C HEN Y AM
3. Outreach Visit to Pelita Counseling Centre
on 21 September 2019
BGFCU had a successful learning visit to the
Pelita Counseling Centre at the YBAM. A full-
er account by Bro. Moi Pak Kheong is on page
12 of this issue.
4. Advanced Counseling Skills Workshop on
12 October 2019
As part of our ongoing training to upgrade
the skills of our Para-Counselors (PCs), this
workshop was conducted by Sis Siew Yin
Heng, BGFCU’s registered counselor and at-
tended by 20 PCs. As reported by Sis Phaik
Sim:
Building on the fundamental skills of the PCs,
the workshop taught additional techniques
to strengthen rapport with PINs or Persons-
in-need. The PIN needs to feel “heard and
understood” in order to have a deeper con-
versation voluntarily. PCs can help PINs to fo-
cus on the most pressing issues, self-examine
and view their issues from a new perspec-
tive. Calms down over-anxious PINs by help-
ing them realize they’re not abnormal. At
the same time, the PCs also learn to protect
themselves and maintain a professional rela-
tionship at all times.
5. World Mental Health Day Fun Run on 12
October 2019 at Ecohill, Semenyih
BGFCU was invited to participate in the Men-
tal Health Awareness booth at this event.
A fuller report by Sis Wong Chung Heong is
elsewhere in this issue.
6. Mindful Parenting Workshop on 19 Octo-
ber 2019
As reported by Sis. Mun Teng:
The Mindful Parenting Workshop was held
on 19 October 2019 (Saturday). Sis. May Liu,
a clinical psychologist and certified mindful
parenting trainer, conducted the workshop.
There were a total of 17 participants. The
main focus of the event was to strengthen
the family structure through mindfulness
practice. The speaker talked about automatic
parenting, mindful parenting and mindful
communication with participants. Interactive
activities were also carried out to enhance
the understanding of participants. The work-
shop received positive feedback and provid-
ed parents/future parents with good insights
into their parenting journey.
7. Education and Career Guidance Work-
shop on 30 November 2019
The target participants for this workshop are
teenagers 15 to 17 years to be accompanied
by at least one of their parents. Further de-
tails are in the poster somewhere in this is-
sue.
8. The 2019 Para-Counselors Training (PCT)
for the telephone helplines
The 2019 PCT which started on 9 March 2019
ended on 14 September 2019. The 8 volun-
teers who completed the program were giv-
en certificates at the graduation ceremony
followed by dinner to celebrate the occasion.
A big thank you to our departing Sis. Siew Yin
Heng, the training coordinator who started
the program. Thanks are also due to the fa-
cilitators, Sis. Wong Chung Heong, Sis. Iris
Goh, Sis. Ke Xian and Sis. Wan Yue, as well
as our external trainers, Sis. Sook Ping, Bro.
Chee Wei and Sis. Ellie. Five of the graduates
have been selected to be Para-Counselors
and will serve the counseling helplines for a
minimum of 2 years.
9. Changes to BGFCU Exco
Sis. Yeoh Phaik Sim has been appointed the
new Deputy Main Coordinator to help Sis.
Wong Chung Heong to run and manage the
unit.
10. Additional Operating Times for Tele-
phone Counseling Service
With the addition of 5 PCs, the Telephone
Counseling Service (Tel: 03-78599610 and
03-78599682) will have additional operating
times from November 2019 onwards:
Monday - Friday 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Wednesday - Friday 2.00pm to 4.00pm
BGFCU is taking steps to offer a limited
helpline services in Mandarin in addition to
English. Sis Wong Chung Heong and Sis Koo
Yoon Kin have started the process by under-
going a counseling course in Mandarin con-
ducted by PELITA of YBAM.
OUTREACH 11
 VISIT TO PELITA COUNSELING CENTRE ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2019
On 21 September 2019, a group of us from
the BGF Counselling Unit made a study visit
to the PELITA Psychological Guidance Unit
set up by the Young Buddhist Association of
Malaysia (YBAM) with local Buddhism as its
foundation.
Sister Ellie, the head of PELITA, who invited us
to the sharing session, started by explaining
that PELITA has chosen to use the term
“psychological guidance unit” instead of
“counseling unit” because of the concern
that usage of the term “counseling” may
contravene the rules and regulations enforced
by Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia.
PELITA’s “psychological guidance” is delivered
over the phone, via email and face-to-face
sessions using mainly Mandarin as the
working language. A total of 18 helpers man
the phone helplines. Some of them (including
2 registered counselors) are also authorized
to do face-to-face sessions. Persons asking
for help through email are attended to by
2 helpers with a response time of not more
than 7 days.
PELITA’s helpers are required to undergo 3
levels of training. Level 1 is spread out over 4
full days with an emphasis on self-discovery.
Level 2 takes 6 days and is divided into Part
A which involves basic counseling skills and
Part B which involves a 2-day-1-night retreat
to impart basic knowledge of Buddhism.
Participants have to pay a fee for both levels.
Level 3 is delivered over 8 days and covers
counseling theories and role plays. Each
12 OUTREACH
BRO. MOI PAK K HEONG
participant has to play the role of a counselor
6 times within the group, and has to call other
counseling centres role-playing as a person-
in-need. Additional training is also given to
handle email services.
Helpers are also required to clock a specified
minimum number of hours of calls in live
situations. Only calls with a minimum duration
of 20 minutes are taken into account.
Firstly, the trainee helpers have to fulfill a
minimum of 30 hours of listening-in to calls
as a junior, observing how the seniors answer
calls and learning effective practical ways
to handle various types of callers. Then the
trainee helpers progress to where they are
required to clock a minimum of 50 hours of
answering calls under supervision.
After that, the trainee helpers can move on to
becoming full-fledged helpers answering calls
independently. They must clock a minimum
of 100 hours and “homework” before
progressing to become junior supervisors. As
junior supervisors, they must clock a minimum
of another 100 hours and “homework” to
become supervisors.
Sister Ellie shared some statistics on calls
received by PELITA. The helpline was started
on 7 June 2007. In that calendar year, PELITA
received 36 calls. The calls received increased
over the years to 247 in 2017. In 2018,
they received 205 calls. On average, PELITA
receives slightly more than 1 call per day up
to a maximum of 5. PELITA’s helplines have
a capacity to take a maximum of 6 to 7 calls
per shift. The calls are from all over Malaysia.
The service receives much support from the
parent body, YBAM which is itself a national
organization with branches all over the
country.
To encourage repeat calls and create rapport
between callers and helpers, helpers are
scheduled to be on duty every week at the
same day and time. Six helpers man the
helplines every day. A debriefing on each
case is done immediately at the end of each
duty shift. Unsurprisingly, the majority of
calls involve repeat callers with psychological
issues. However, PELITA rarely receives
complicated cases that require referral to
more competent bodies.
PELITA shared with us the facilities employed
to deliver the phone helpline services
including the rooms used by the helpers. They
use one phone number with 3 hunting lines
connected via a PBX system similar to those
currently used by Life Line and Than Hsiang.
The system cost RM5,000 and comes with a
perpetual license of 20 seats.
Each helper sits in a dedicated small room
with soundproofing. The PBX ACR call-
recording system can record 3 incoming calls
at any one time and allows a supervisor to
listen in to the conversations via headsets
outside the rooms by selecting any active
line. Supervisors do not interrupt the
sessions handled by the helpers. The
recordings are used to impart learning to
helpers and also to replay to callers at their
request. The recordings are deleted from
the system after 7 years.
To maintain confidentiality, all call records or
notes recorded during the phone sessions
are not allowed to be taken out from PELITA.
They are discarded accordingly when no
longer required. Each helper has a personal
file to keep track of their case notes.
The study visit ended with an appreciation of
gratitude to PELITA. PELITA responded with
a declaration that it is open to collaboration
with BGFCU to leverage on each other’s
language skills and strengths.
OUTREACH 13
 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY FUN RUN ON 12 OCTOBER 2019 AT
ECOHILL, SEMENYIH
The Malaysian Medics International (MMI)
was established in 2013 to connect, educate
and cultivate medical awareness among
Malaysian medical students worldwide.
On 12 October 2019, MMI in collaboration
with Hospital Kajang’s Psychiatric & Mental
Health Department organized a Fun Run in
conjunction with World Mental Health Day.
BGFCU was invited to participate in their
Mental Health Awareness event through Sis
Hui Sian, a BGFCU Exco member who is also
a Registered Counselor. This year, the World
Health Organisation
(WHO) has themed
the World Mental
Health Day to focus
on suicide prevention,
#reachoutbreakstigma
to help those in need
and to spread mental
health awareness.
TRIP TO LUANG PRABANG, LAOS FROM 27 TO 30 SEPTEMBER
The 4 day-3 night trip to Luang Prabang proved
to be a worthwhile, enjoyable and relaxing trip,
thanks to the beauty of its natural setting and
majestic temples. A UNESCO World Heritage
city, Luang Prabang is situated on the Mekong
River and both traditional Laos and European
influences can be seen in its architecture.
We had the opportunity to participate in alms
offering at 6 am, joining the locals in lines by
the roadside waiting for group after group of
14 OUTREACH
SI S. WONG C HU NG HEONG
Besides the fun run and awareness booths,
the event also included health talks and
recreational activities for children. YB Hannah
Yeoh, the Deputy Minister of Women, Family
and Community Development was the Guest
of Honor who conducted the official opening.
Our booth was able to generate considerable
interest among participants and visitors
with regard to our BGFCU helplines. They
have also kindly offered to help disseminate
information about our services to their
friends.
SI S. L AU L ENG HEOH
monks to come along and collect rice and
food from the laymen. Joy arose in many
of us when we received blessings from the
monks after the offering.
We took a morning walk through town to the
open air market. It was a beautiful sight –
French Colonial style houses lining the streets
along with thriving open air markets, and
people walking around serenely looking out
to the waters of the Mekong River.
We enjoyed the city tours to Wat Mai,
the National museum (formerly the Royal
Palace), and Wat Xieng Thedong, one of the
most charming temples in Laos.
We visited the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall,
Bear Sanctuary Centre. We climbed up to
the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable
exploration of the sacred gilded stupa as
well as to see the beautiful view of the city,
the Mekong River and to watch the beautiful
sunset.
We managed to visit some of the beautiful
temples, including some which are UNESCO
sites. We had the honour to offer lunch dana
at Na Luang Temple.
We enjoyed a cruise upstream on the
Mekong River to see the beautiful view of
the tranquil countryside. There was also an
interesting visit to the mysterious Pak Ou
Caves with thousands of gold lacquered
Buddha Statues of various shapes and sizes.
We enjoyed the Lao local food. Best of all, we
enjoyed bargain-hunting and buying things at
the night market (which starts daily at 5pm
and ends at about 9.30pm).
Finally, despite Luang Prabang’s serene
vibes, it’s worth noting that Laos is the “most
bombed country” in the world, and the
effects of the war bombing can still be felt
to this day. The Luang Prabang Unexploded
Ordinance (UXO) museum is a grisly reminder
of the country’s war-torn past. We visited the
museum and it was a shock to me that the
people of Laos are still living in fear of the
effects of unexploded bombs.
In conclusion, although it is a short trip, it
is an eyeopener for me to learn all about a
traditional Buddhist country with its war-torn
past. This has not only been a relaxing and
enjoyable trip, it has been an educational one
for me as well.
OUTREACH 15
 Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma
The Teacher

Dr. Mehm Tin Mon is a Professor at the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University, Yangon.
He has been teaching Buddha Abhidhamma, Buddhist meditation and giving public lectures on Buddhism
for many years. He was awarded the distinguished religious title of ‘Mahasaddhamma Jotikadaja’ in 2003
by the Myanmar government for his outstanding contribution to the propagation of Buddhism in
Myanmar and abroad. He is also the past President of the International Pa Auk Forest Sasana Centres.

Course Outline

This course will be discussing the Abhidhamma teachings of

KL venue 2nd – 11th Dec. the Buddha, one of the three baskets in the Buddha Tipitaka of
Theravada Buddhism. Topics include:

1. Introduction – two Kinds of Realities and Truth

Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) 2. Consciousness (Citta)
3. Mental factors (Cetasikas)
Block D-G-2, Block D 4. Cognitive Series (Vithi)
5. Planes of Existence (Vithimut)
Jalan PJU 1A/3K, 5. Materiality (Rupa)
6. Ultimate Realities (Samuccaya)
Taipan 1, Ara Damansara, 7. Causes or Conditions (Paccaya)
8. Meditation Subjects (Kammathana)
47500 Petaling Jaya.
* Course topics subject to change

6 - 7pm: Light dinner

7 - 10pm: Lecture

Register online at
http://bit.ly/2LCHjAo
or scan here

BMSM-Pa Auk Dhammavijaya Meditation Centre (DMC)

Lot 850, Jalan Besar, Kg. Sg Buah Luar, 43800 Dengkil, Selangor.
Fb: dhammavijaya.dengkil | Email: dhammavijaya.dengkil@gmail.com | Mobile: +6013-2886706

16 OUTREACH
CALLING A SPADE A SPADE, IN SPADES
Spoiler alert: Still on cloud nine and not quite
back down to earth, I may sound like blowing
my own trumpet when I say that I made the
wisest decision ever in my rudderless retiree
life when I joined the 33rd Effective Speaking
Course 2019 on August 3. Superlatives
and cliches abound in this summary of my
two-month cathartic saga with 24 other
adventurous participants, age ranging from 20
to 83 — whereby my last-ditch effort speech
unexpectedly snagged the first runner-up
trophy at the nail-biting grand finale on
September 28. To top it all, as gorgeous
fondant icing on the cake, I was shock-notice-ly
appointed class representative and delivered
the graduation speech on behalf of my course
mates. Now, I am going to have my cake and
eat it, and in the process, spill a good share of
beans and crumpets for all and sundry.
Sneak peek: Whatever the goals of my fellow
participants or the hidden agenda of the
organisers and mentors were, mine was single-
mindedly, and pathetically, to win. When I
found out on Day One that the judges would
be the final day unknown audience with the
power to vote, my innards shrivelled up. Gone
were my safe and familiar public speaking
ground rules with the expert panel of judges
learned in diction and imperial British English.
My sense of purpose whimpered as reality
bit and I had to bite the bullet and face the
double-pronged menace of “Amazing Race”
and “Fear Factor”.
SI S. C AT HERI NE SI OW
Cloak-and-dagger: This was my most
unforgettable and fun part of the course i.e.
use of exhibits. For that class, it was mandatory
to bring at least one exhibit and give a
persuasive speech which would hypnotise
the audience to our call for action (grin: vote
for us). We came armed to the teeth with our
cute little hand-made drawings and photos,
etc. Then the guest speaker was sprung
on us: a pale-looking past participant who
came with a humongous sword akin (growl:
pun intended) to the Justice Bao era. I don’t
think many of us remembered his speech
but we sure surrendered when this one-man
army lunged out his battle cry and drew out
the sword. After this “zing!” experience, we
learnt to supersize our exhibits and joust
with one another with our sleight-of-hand
phalanx of ingenious “weapons” to win over
the “unknown factor”, whoever or whatever
it might be.
Cliff-hanger: Ultimately, whoever and
whatever might the true winner be? Can you
guess? If not,
why not join
the next ESC
to find out?
OUTREACH 17
 BGF MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL & MALAYSIA DAY 2019
The BGF Mid Autumn Festival & Malaysia
Day celebration was successfully held on 8th
September 2019 with 130 members/friends
of BGF, and fourteen elderly guests from the
Siri Jayanti Metta Care Centre. Everyone from
1 to 90 years old was ready for a moonlit
night of good food and lots of a fun!
SI S. QU EK MEI J OON
posing on stage. When igemz came on stage
first with their acoustic version of Negaraku,
the feeling was calm, patriotic and blissful as
everyone rose to sing together to the slow
rhythm. Seeing igemz performing Malaysian
folk songs was fun and the crowd cheered
and sang along.

At the lower ground floor, nyonya chef Lucy
Chew and family who came all the way
from Melaka, demonstrated how to cook
Apam Bakwa which was so authentic and
yummy! The potluck buffet spread looked
like a sumptuous Malaysian food fiesta
with members bringing nasi lemak, satay,
assorted nyonya kueh and curry puffs. If
only the space had been big enough for
everybody to sit down and have their meal
altogether!
Before the night was over, we had a surprise
Malaysian guest artist who performed 2
Chinese songs and a patriotic song. Lastly
Bro. Tee Chee Seng announced the winner
of the Treasure Hunt. It was a day filled with
joy and wonderful memories. On behalf of
BGF, the organizers would like to thank each
and everyone who came and supported the
event, directly or indirectly.

On the ground floor, the children had the

opportunity to learn how to make balloon
sculptures, and play traditional games
such as congkak. Came twilight, families
with little children lit up their lanterns and
paraded around the block, holding brightly
lit lanterns and some wearing their fancy
dress costumes.

The night program featured a Fancy Dress

Contest with 20 contestants, all smiles and

18 OUTREACH
NEW L I FE M E M B ERS N EW OR D INAR Y MEMB ER S
1. Sis. Siew Yin Heng 1. Sis. Yeo Yip Jui
2. Sis. Ng Yin Chin 2. Bro. Ng Kien Seong
3. Sis. Pan Jue Hoong
4. Sis. Chong Thiam Kua, Cindy
5. Bro. Ang Toon Aun
6. Sis. Chew Pooi Wan

R E G ULA R & WEEKLY A C TIV ITIES

The BGF Telephone Counseling Service now operates on Mondays to Fridays from
7.30pm - 9.30pm and Wednesday to Friday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. It is manned by
volunteers who are trained para-counselors from the BGF Counseling Unit and have been
in service since 1992. Please share this service with your family and friends who may
need a listening ear as they face life’s problems and challenges. Please call 603-7859-9682
or 603-7859-9610.

Metta Meditation : Wednesdays : 8:30pm - 10:30pm

Guided by Prof. Datuk Seri Dr. Victor Wee, this meditation on metta (loving kindness) to all
sentient beings is excellent for mental cultivation and stress relief. Suitable for beginners
as well as experienced meditators. Please be punctual in order not to disturb the sitting.
For details, please contact Sis. Elaine Low at 013-352 7662.

Qi Gong Class : Thursdays : 8:30pm - 10:30pm

You’ll be guided personally, stage by stage. Any queries, kindly contact Bro. Chan Yin
Hoong at 03-5519 2455 Ext. 211 or 012 – 328 6256.

Origin Point Therapy (OPT) : Saturdays : 10.00am - 12.00pm

Free Origin Point Therapy is available on Saturday 10am to 12pm. Please
wear soft cotton t-shirt and soft track bottom. Kindly bring along a bath and a
hand towel for hygiene purpose. Contact Bro. Lai Kim Looi 012-2102519, Sis.
Lee Wun Yin 019-2181259 or Bro. Steven Tan 012-2898133.

Patchwork Handicraft Class: Sundays : 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Guided by Sis. Jae Tan, learn to sew patchwork such as blankets, bags, quilts and even
dresses for kids. Starter pack will be provided at a fee. Contact Sis. Dolly Teoh 019-356
8879.

Article / Feedback for Outreach : If you have attended any talks or events
organised by BGF and would like to share your experience, please write
to us. Email to the editor at info@bgf.org.my. Articles will be edited for
brevity and subjected to space availability. We welcome feedback or
suggestions for constant improvement.

Articles edited by Sis. Kit Lum. Layout by Sis. Quek Mei Joon.
Published by Buddhist Gem Fellowship, D-G-2, Block D, Jalan PJU 1A/3K,
Taipan 1, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Contact: BGF Office 03-7734 7960 | BGF Administrator 018-663 5730
Website: www.bgf.org.my
O U T R E A C H 19
 A C T IVIT IES A T A G LANCE
2 November 2019, Saturday 1 December 2019, Sunday

d ec emb er
n ovemb er

8.30am - 1.00pm 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Maha Sanghika Dana & Requisites 27th Counseling Course Level 1
Offering
8 December 2019, Sunday
3 November 2019, Sunday 2.30pm - 5.30pm
9.00am - 12.30pm 27th Counseling Course Level 1
Gem Kids & Gem Teens Last Class
2.30pm - 5.30pm 2 - 11 December 2019
27th Counseling Course Level 1 6.00pm - 10.00pm
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon Lecture Series - Essense of
7 November 2019, Thursday Buddha Abhidhamma @BGF Centre
8.00pm - 10.00pm
Evening Talk by Bhante Kovida 19 December 2019, Thursday
“Understanding the Nature of Fear and 8.00pm - 10.00pm
Insecurity” Talk by Ajahm Brahm “Dhamma in Daily Life
Challenges”
16 November 2019, Saturday
1.30pm - 5.30pm 20 December 2019, Friday
Lecture by Sis. Caroline Lee on 2.00pm - 4.00pm
“Paṭiccasamuppāda” & “Paṭṭhana” Sutta Class with Ajahn Brahm “Ratana Sutta”
8.00pm - 10.00pm
17 November 2019, Sunday “Hard Talk with Ajahn Brahm”
9.00am - 11.30am A Session with Youth
Sunday@BGF with Ven. Dr. Karma Tashi
Choedron “Journeying into Our True 21 December 2019, Saturday
Nature of Mind ” 9.00am - 5.00pm
9.00am - 12.00pm A Day with Ajahn Brahm “Transforming from
Gem Kids & Gem Teens Year End an Ugly Duckling to a Graceful Swan”
Graduation Concert
(light refreshment will be served) 28 December 2019, Saturday
1.30pm - 5.30pm 1.00pm - 1.00pm (BGF slot)
Lecture by Sis. Caroline Lee on 24-Hour Metta Chanting@ Samadhi Vihara
“Paṭiccasamuppāda” & “Paṭṭhana” Contact Bro. Chee Seng 010-400 5354
2.30pm - 5.30pm
27th Counseling Course Level 1 31 December 2019, Tuesday
8.30pm - 12.00am
21-23 & 26-29 November Aspiration Night | New Year Eve 2020 @BGF
9.00am - 5.00pm (Puja, Meditation, Aspiration, Sing-a-long,
CNY Cookies Making @BGF LG Children activities, Refreshment, New Year Eve
Celebration)
30 November 2019, Saturday
9.00am - 12.30pm
Education and Career Guidance Workshop
Teens
30 November - 2 December 2019, Gem Kids & Gem year
Saturday - Monday @Broga Bliss Classes for the ce on
m en
Bridging Minds, Joining Hearts 2020 will com y!
A Transformative Parent-Teen Camp 12 Januar

20 OUTREACH