Dhamma USA

Saturday Dhamma School

Lankarama Buddhist Institute

Age Group: 5-15

Open for Enrollment

Dear Parents,

Do you want your child to be enriched with the spiritual education according to Buddhism?
Do you want them to follow the path of your parents & grand parents?
Do you live closer to La Puente city, California?

This may be a great opportunity for your child

What we cover:

Life of the Buddha
Jataka Tales
Dhammapada stories
Buddhist role models
Buddhist chantings
Buddhist Cultural heritage
History of Buddhism
Core teachings of Buddhism

Contact:

Lankarama Buddhist Institute

398 Giano Ave

La Puente

CA 91744

Phone: 626-913-0775

Useful Resources for you kids:
The Story of the Buddha
Lord Buddha stories for Kids
Legend of Buddha - Kids animated movie
What is Buddhism
Introduction: Teaching your kids Buddhist values
Facts about Buddhism
Basic Buddhism: Facts about Buddhism for kids
Six new Buddhist books for kids
Buddhism and the Buddha for kids
Useful Buddhist Books for kids

Nikini Full Moon Day

One Day Retreat (Free)

August 31, 2019

Lankarama Buddhist Institute

Schedule:

Morning

08:30 AM - Observing Eight Precepts & Buddha Vandanā
09:00 AM - Dhamma Talk by Venerable Dhammaratana
10:00 AM - Mettā Meditation by Venerable Rakkhita
11:00 AM - Buddha Vandanā
11:30 AM - Offering of Lunch

Afternoon

12:30 PM - Walking Meditation
01:30 PM - Ānāpānasati Meditation by Venerable Sumitta
02:30 PM - Tea Break
03:00 PM - Dhamma Discussion by Chandana Gamalath
04:00 PM - Releasing of Eight Precepts

Evening

06:30 PM - Bodhi Vandanā
07:00 PM - 28 Buddha Vandanā
08:30 PM - Refreshments

Lankarama Buddhist Institute

398 Giano Ave

La Puente - CA91744

Tel: 626-913-0775

Singing Little Star

This is a 5 year old little girl from Vietnam and she proves that she's much capable of what she's doing. It was impressive the way she was so much focused on her singing when others kept coming to reward her with some flowers and gifts. We wish her the best for a wonderful future!

Buddhist Meditation Article Series - 3

Mindfulness of the Breath - Ānāpānasati

by Venerable U Paññānanda (Intagaw-Pa Auk)

What is Samatha?

The word samatha (serenity) is a general term for concentration. The word is almost synonymous with concentration (samadhi).
Samatha = Samādhi

Samādhi

Before we start to discuss about Samatha practice, we should know first what the concentration is. We can say that it is the mental ability to direct all your effort and attention on one thing without thinking of other things. It is the head of non-distraction(1). In texts, it is mentioned as 'mental one-pointedness' (One pointedness of the mind - cittassa ekaggatā)(2), so, Samatha meditation is to develop strong and deep concentration (one-pointedness) on one object.

It is because a meditator has to develop deep and stable concentration by focusing on one meditation object that a meditator should determine to practice one meditation subject only. So, we would normally suggest leaving aside all other old practices while practicing the currently chosen meditation subject.

Actually concentration is of many sorts (bahuvidho) and has various aspects. We shall confine ourselves to the kind intended here, calling the concentration profitable unification of mind (kusalacittekaggatā samadhi). Its function is to eliminate distraction.

====

(1) ...avikkhepasisañca samādhi. (paṭisambhidāmagga pāli. a) mahāvaggo, b) Ñānakathā, 35. Samasīsaṭṭhañāṇaniddeso)
(2) "Cittassa ekaggatā" is rendered as 'unification of mind' in the sense of harmony of consciousness and its concomitants in focusing on a single object. It is also rendered as 'one-pointedness of mind' in that sense, or in the sense of the focusing of a searchlight. This term is a synonym for samādhi (samatha = samādhi).

Sources:

A Companion Volume to Brief Discussion on Ānapānasati (Mindfulness of the breath) by Venerable U Paññānanda (Intagaw-Pa Auk)
Image taken at Lankarama Buddhist Institute, La Puente, California.

Rains Retreat 2019

Lankarama Buddhist Institute

398 Giano Ave, La Puente, CA 91744

Weekend Program

All are welcome to join us in a series of events during this Vassāna Season (Rains Retreat) at Lankarama Buddhist temple. Rains retreat is the most active season in the Buddhist calendar considering the number of spiritual care activities taken place to benefit both the resident monks and the lay devotees. In the past, there have been numerous evidences to prove that the most number of Arahanta bhikkhus and bhkkhunis have appeared in the world during this particular season as the Buddha prescribed his Sangha members to focus more on their own personal spiritual achievement during the rains retreat. Due to heavy rains in India during this period, the Sangha members had a golden opportunity to practice to improve their own spiritual achievement. More often the monks and nuns have determined themselves to be serious in their practices and they have been duly rewarded subsequently. This observation of vassa (rains retreat) dates back to the Buddha's life time and the tradition has been well taken care of by the Buddhist community ever since.

During the Rains Retreat 2019 at Lankarama, the resident monks and the devotees community have organized a series of spiritual care events to benefit both parties. Here follows the schedule of the Saturday event which is free and open to all those enthusiastic individuals:

May All Beings be Well & Happy!!!

August 10, 2019 (Saturday)
4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:30 pm - Bodhi Puja conducted by Venerable Devananda
7:30 pm - 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

August 10, 2019 (Saturday)

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on Hatthigamaka Sutta by Venerable Dhammaratana
7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja conducted by Venerable Devananda to invoke blessings on Dr. Walter Jayasinghe's Birthday
7:30 pm - 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

August 24, 2019 (Saturday)

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "5 Factors that one should always remember." Thana Sutta by Venerable Nagita නිතර මෙනෙහි කලයුතු කරුණු 5ක් - ඨාන සූත්‍රය - අංගුත්තර නිකාය-පංචක වග්ග. Click here for ඨාන සූත්‍රය
7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja
7:30 pm - 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

August 31, 2019 (Saturday) - Nikini Full Moon Day Schedule:

Morning

08:30 AM - Observing Eight Precepts & Buddha Vandanā
09:00 AM - Dhamma Talk by Venerable Dhammaratana
10:00 AM - Mettā Meditation by Venerable Rakkhita
11:00 AM - Buddha Vandanā
11:30 AM - Offering of Lunch

Afternoon

12:30 PM - Walking Meditation
01:30 PM - Ānāpānasati Meditation by Venerable Sumitta
02:30 PM - Tea Break
03:00 PM - Dhamma Discussion by Chandana Gamalath
04:00 PM - Releasing of Eight Precepts

Evening

06:30 PM - Bodhi Vandanā
07:00 PM - 28 Buddha Vandanā
08:30 PM - Refreshments

September 7, 2019 (Saturday)

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "Layman's Code of Discipline" Sigālovāda Sutta - Discourse to Sigāla (Dīgha Nikāya 31) by Venerable Unaliye Sirinanda. Click here for Sigālovāda Sutta.
7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting & Deva Pūjā
conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

September 14, 2019 (Saturday)

2:00 pm - Saturday Dhamma School - Orientation
4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "Buddhist Concept of Prosperity & Welfare" Vyagghapajja Sutta" -
Discourse to Sigāla (Dīgha Nikāya 31) by Venerable Rakkhita
Click here for Vyagghapajja Sutta.
7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting & Deva Pūjā
conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

September 21, 2019 (Saturday)

2:00 pm - Saturday Dhamma School - Orientation
4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale
5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta
6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "Seven Conditions of Welfare" Satta Aparihaniya Dhamma -
by Venerable Sumitta
   Click here for Satta Aparihaniya Dhamma.
7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting &  Deva Pūjā
conducted by the resident monks
8:30 pm - Refreshments

September 28, 2019 (Saturday) -
Binara Full Moon Day Schedule:

Morning

08:30 AM - Observing Eight Precepts & Buddha Vandanā
09:00 AM - Dhamma Talk by Venerable Dhammaratana
Sponsored by Sunila Weerasuriya
10:00 AM - Mettā Meditation by Venerable Rakkhita
11:00 AM - Buddha Vandanā
11:30 AM - Offering of Lunch to the practitioners
Sponsored by Pushpa Rajapaksha

Afternoon

12:30 PM - Walking Meditation
01:00 PM - Ānāpānasati Meditation by Venerable Sumitta
Sponsored by Parakrama Amarasinghe
02:00 PM - Tea Break
02:15 PM - Dhamma Talk on VATTHUPAMA SUTTA by Venerable Dhammapiti
Sponsored by Michael De Silva
check HERE for Vatthupama Sutta (Simile of Cloth)
03:15 PM - Dhamma Discussion on TILAKKHANA by Chandana Gamalath
04:30 PM - Releasing of Eight Precepts

Evening

06:00 PM - Dhamma Talk on PARABHAVA SUTTA by Venerable Rakkhita

Click HERE for Parabhava Sutta (Downfall) translated by Narada Thera
07:15 PM - Special Bodhi Vandanā conducted by Venerable Sumitta
08:00 PM - 28 Buddha Vandanā
08:45 PM - Special Deva Puja conducted by Venerable Nagita
09:15 PM - Refreshments

Sponsors:

Pushpa Rajapaksha

Batepola Jayaratne

Jagath Jayaratne

Premasiri Kahaduwa

Chandana Gamalath

October 5, 2019 (Saturday)

2:00 pm - Pali Class by Venerable Sumitta

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale

5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta

6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "Chaḷābhijāti Sutta" -

by Venerable Vamsananda

Click here for Chaḷābhijāti Sutta.

7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks

8:30 pm - Deva Pūjā by Venerable Nagita

9:00 pm - Refreshments

October 12, 2019 (Saturday)

2:00 pm - Saturday Dhamma School

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale

5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta

6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "The Discourse on the Seven Matted-haired Ascetics" Satta Jatila Sutta - by Venerable Anuruddha

Click here for Satta Jatila Sutta.

7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks

8:30 pm - Deva Puja by Venerable Nagita

9:00 pm - Refreshments

Sponsors:

Sanjiv Gunasekara

Manil Gunasekara

Harshi Gunasekara

Manjula Geekiyanage

Aruni Geekiyanage

Janaka & Vineetha Serasinghe

Manoj & Sarupa Wickramasinghe

October 19, 2019 (Saturday)

2:00 pm - Saturday Pali Class

4:00 pm - Yoga Class conducted by Mark Ragsdale

5:00 pm - Meditation Session conducted by Venerable Sumitta

6:00 pm - Dhamma Talk on "The Discourse of Five Faculties" Pance Indriya Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya 48.10; PTS: S v 197; CDB ii 1671) -

7:00 pm - Bodhi Puja, 28 Buddha Puja and Paritta Chanting conducted by the resident monks

8:30 pm - Deva Puja by Venerable Nagita

by Venerable Dr. Khemananda.

Click here for Panca Indriya Sutta.

9:00 pm - Refreshments

Sponsors:

Dino & Hemamali De Silva

Prasanna & Sumudu Silva

Ophelia & Bernard Peiris

Shiran & Harshi Anthony

Chitra Ekanayake

Anicca Vata Sankhara (Impermanent, in deed, are all formations)

Late Venerable Aluthnuwara Sumanatissa Nayaka Thero

Lankarama Buddhist Institute is organizing a series of meritorious events to transfer merits to the late Nayaka Thero who founded three beautiful temples - two in Sri Lanka and one in America. Venerable Nayaka Thero has served the Buddhist communities both in Sri Lanka and USA to a greater extent and he will be remembered and respected by the communities for a long time to come. He was a very compassionate and happy monk who helped the community for a long time. His service to his motherland was very well remembered when he led his community to build nearly 40 houses to the homeless people who were devastated by the deadly tsunami in 2004 in Sri Lanka. He founded Lankarama Buddhist Institute in 1991, which is one of the most beautiful temples in USA. His leadership was duly proved by the way he rebuilt the once dilapidated two temples in Sri Lanka -

Gangatilaka Viharaya, Iyyamporuwa &
Vijayasundararamaya, Erewwala.

Today these two temples are rendering a great Dhamma service to many thousands in Sri Lanka thanks to the Nayaka Thero. Lankarama Buddhist Institute, La Puente, California was venerable Thero's Head Quarters from where he operated many of his religious and social welfare activities. Ever since this temple was established, numerous individuals in the area have been benefited due to various spiritual care activities that are conducted daily, weekly, monthly and annually.

When he untimely passed away three months ago in a Sri Lankan hospital, the community in both USA and Sri Lanka grieved profoundly. Lankarama Buddhist Institute is organizing a series of events to commemorate the late Nayaka Thero in order to transfer merits to him and to showcase their gratitude for his invaluable service to the community and to the Buddha Sasana. For more info on Nayaka Thero's service read this article.

May Venerable Aluthnuwara Sumanatissa Nayaka Thero attain supreme bliss of Nibbana!