The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

Farmers plant seeds and cultivate things before they can harvest the good things.

When our Founder started out decades ago to assemble a decent Buddha Dhamma Reference library at Upwey, financial constraints compelled a limited view of the level of service that was feasible.

In 1977, our Founder searched a decade of records of the topics of postgraduate studies conducted in Australia and found there was only one doctorate in five hundred relating to Buddha Dhamma.

At that time, it did not seem likely that Buddha Dhamma expertise would be among the future vocation of Australian Scholars.

Our Founder posited that the cause of the lack of exploration by local scholars was there was no critical mass of library material available locally.

For this reason, our Founder's vision was to set out to design a heritage collection that could provide library references rising to the critical mass needed to service an audience of Australians scholars.

Gradually, his heritage goal extended to the notion of taking steps towards the democratisation of elite Buddha Dhamma knowledge is becoming possible.

To be affordable, he could see that meant he had to extend our e-library archives with a larger range of delivery systems to more types of persons.

Our use of current computer technology has improved distribution speed and market access for our publishable Buddha Dhamma knowledge. We plan information systems designed and built to allow both ease of access and processing of data into information/knowledge, improved internal communications systems, use of the Internet for fast external communication and for knowledge distribution through Web pages.

We lever the professional skills of our Members by automating or simplifying low skill tasks and then directing those Members towards high skill activities. Our quality output increases due to provision of the conditions for creative productivity by our Members.

Our vision is for multiple access to single entity resources.

We have been developing our systems to give more and more service to a wider range of persons, whilst protecting the integrity of the knowledge base supporting those services.

Other things, such as lending policies, become modified by experience.

In years past, we would lend some rare books to interstate scholars for references in postgraduate studies.

In those years, we were naive enough to believe that postgraduate scholars were persons who would borrow books in good faith and even if they shifted location overseas, they would return them.

The repeated accumulation in this library location of generosity (dana) and morality (sila) actions opens the Path leading to access and fruit of many wholesome mental states (cetasikas) in our students.

With a basis of cultivated wholesome cetasikas, the students' wisdom increases, enabling them to practise dana and sila actions with greater understanding, energy and precision.

As a consequence, the students display ever-increasing friendliness towards their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters and family friends.
Their relatives, seeing the improvements in the students' attitudes and circumstances in gratitude develop warm feelings towards this Centre and its Members.

This is the way we build Buddhist families in this country.

To improve our library environment, things need to be negotiated.

For example, at our three-day art exhibition, we consider it is not prudent to serve alcohol at a gathering. Care should be taken not to place a Buddha Image or representation in such a location where alcohol or drugs are available

It is not advisable to bring Buddhist Texts into such an environment.

If there are situations where laypersons gather at some social occasion and where intoxicants are being served, Buddhist Monks or Nuns should not be invited into such an area.

Be cause of adverse causes (Pali: akusala kamma ­ unskilful action) certain adverse results (Pali: akusala vipaka) appear at some future time. The main requirement is to preserve the Dhamma with skilful means in this Dhamma-Ending Age.

We have superior patrons of our Centre. One patron purchased and donated the full Tipitika in English translation from the Pali Text Society.

Ven. Viriyanando's first place of residence as his first location of the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple founded by him, was No.1 Head Street, Balwyn.

On the 12 February 1987, Ven. Viriyanando moved to the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple at the new location at 489 Elgar Road, Box Hill.

It is intended, however, that at some time in the future an even better, more permanent location will be found for the establishment of the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple. It is through their part in the maintaining, improving and use of this Temple established by the Venerable that many people have the opportunity to make great merit for their own Dhamma-Practice, and to bring great good to Australian society.

Many things are needed to understand the best output the library can give.

On the 27th and 28th December 1996, the Centre's Students examined the inter relationship of sense data, ear organ and ear consciousness, through discussion and guided meditation.

These three components of hearing were studied, according to The Surangama Sutra, (ref. The Surangama Sutra, translated by Charles Luk et. al.), published by Rider and Company, London, 1966, p59, p63, p113) which explains "that hearing and sound have no location and that both are false being neither causal nor conditioned nor self existent" ,

The library has many protectors. One is the local Dragon King.

THE DRAGON KING WAS AWAKENED AT PHILIP ISLAND 25th and 26th OCTOBER 1980 by our Teacher.

The Dragon King promised the Buddha he would help Buddhists in the difficult Kali Yuga in which we now live. On 26th October 1980, a Director of this Centre made a Chinese Dragon vase offering to the Dragon King near the ocean cliffs at the Nobbies, Philip Island. The Dragon Sutta was read at the Centre at the same time.

The vase had been on the Centre's altar for some years. About 18 months earlier, John Hughes painted the 'Dragon's Lair' at the Nobbies. On 1st January 1981 another member of this Centre repeated this reminder. A similar ceremony was conducted in the U.S.A. in recent years by the Buddhist Yogi, C.M. Chen, and it is noted that a photograph of the U.S.A. location, matches almost identically with the painting of the Nobbies.

The Dragon King protects local followers of the Middle Path in this Age.

Many teachings awaken the library helpers.
Some are like Chan koans (also known as Zen).
Here questions are to some purpose.
For example:"Where is Ajarn's Temple?"

The style of Ajarn's reply to that question is illuminating:

"I am too poor to own a temple. I have no work, no income, no job. Where would I get the money to own a temple? All I have is the Buddhist temple."

"Where is this?"

"This temple is anywhere a Monk can live, learn and practice the Dhamma, work for the Buddha sasana, and bring the teachings of the Lord Buddha to the people."

This is just like the Buddha. He had nothing.

Where can you see the Buddha temple?

Ajarn says he has never seen the Buddha's temple - but he has seen the Bodhi tree.

This was the Buddha's temple, and still exists in the world today.

Many, many countries say they have Buddhist temples, but who has ever heard of a Monks' temple.

"If you want to ask where I am living then I can tell you, but I can't answer your question."

The location of one of his Temples is inside Ajarn's body, which means he can carry this "Body Temple" throughout the world wherever he goes.

His other "Temples" are in the library text minds he carries within his "Body Temple".

The prime notion of having the library text mind inside the body is in accordance with the Teachings of Lord Buddha.

The outside environment is of secondary importance although a suitable location is helpful.

These notions are in accordance with the teaching of Lord Buddha. Ajarn services and maintains these "Temples" with very little food. Ajarn has no capital to invest to make money; no paid work to make a regular salary; nor a rich family to support him; nor owns stocks, shares, or property.

Ajarn reminds persons that the Lord Buddha had no Temple when he awakened at Versak with only the Bodhi tree for shade, he practised in the forest.

Since that time, over 2542 years ago, Lord Buddha permitted Temples to be built. The Lord Buddha specified in great detail what form his Temples should take and what is permitted. Over time Temples had libraries.

Some old Temples have been destroyed.

The story of the Buddha sasana is a long story and cannot be understood without the right effort. However, Ajarn explains that if you wish to know the Buddha sasana and you Practice to "wake up", then learn the Dhamma, then you will know anything you wish about such matters.

Ajarn approves of the scale on which we have developed and operate our Temple (Vihara) and library.

Many things have to be examined to develop library policy.

Among these are Determinants. Intention is the selection of a significance from the several significances and potentialities which arise from the manifestation, as Perception, of the distinctive signs and marks of the External Base.

As an example, the manifestation of the signs and marks of the External Base of a particular experience, may indicate, say, the Form of a table, and a 'table can have several significances, and potentialities, even though all of them may not be explicit - for example, one may keep something on it, or may move it to another location or may wish to wipe it clean if it is not clean.

Our Teacher has remarked that it may appear that the contrived neatness that he chose to present in this talk was arranged in three spheres of influence stages.

This is as if the world was ordered and was under an individual's control over when, where and in what location he or she decides to expend their merit to flow to beneficiaries.

In fact, over time, conditions arise so Members can assemble new or enhanced meanings, symbols, capacities and goods to share with non-Buddhist persons.

To secure and maintain such a stable and meaningful library identity an involved individual is faced with the difficulty of presenting consistent images to other people they must deal with.

As Wright (1993) has expressed it, any satisfactory process for the transmission of knowledge and information must enable the creator of that knowledge to distribute it widely in a form which is convenient and relatively cheap for others to acquire.

The process must also allow a potential user to search out and retrieve information needed years, or perhaps even centuries, after it was originally created.

The total information system must have effective components for knowledge creation, distribution, location, retrieval and preservation. It is recognised that users of the Centre want the ability to advance their understanding of particular topics at the time that understanding is needed.

Considerable thought was put into the selection of a site location of the Centre away from the city turmoil. This means it was possible to run our five day Courses on site.

The accumulation of over 20 years' experience in providing meditation Courses within the confines of a rain forest environs of the Centre ensures that suitable material, verbal, emotional and mental supplies of the "nutrients" required by meditators, are managed with a minimum of flurry and supplied with ease.

Our Founder is well content to be living in a Centre where good causes arise within the hearts of Members. These Members labour to sustain the necessary infrastructure conditions at this place to make it a suitable location for the Sangha to develop their Buddhist Practice during the Rainy Season.

We do not wish for our buildings to become too large within the next 20 years. We know it is good to keep the Centre's buildings in good repair and improve them. We can learn from history.

Before meeting to collate the True Idea and Discipline of the Lord Buddha after the Parinibanna, the Elders sought about repairing the dilapidated monasteries of Rajagaha, the location where the first council would gather.

After petitioning the king and securing the needed repairs, a cave was selected and a magnificent pavilion erected to provide a suitable location for the Council to convene.

We have insufficient land to make a large building. But large size does not mean a blessing for a library where data is electronically stored. A close analysis into the origins of the Mangala sutta is required to appreciate the full scope of the Buddha's exposition of the highest blessing.

What is the highest blessing?

Is it seen, or heard, or is the highest blessing apprehended by the senses? At the time of the Buddha, such speculation was the fashion throughout all of India, and soon spread throughout the ten thousand world-systems.

We know this much as heritage- that we are the oldest established Buddhist Hall of Assembly at one site in Victoria.

A general Buddhist rule is that having found a suitable site, it is not desirable to change location.

Our heritage as the oldest Dhamma Centre in Victoria that has stayed with our library located at the one SUITABLE location is important to conserve.

It is not advisable to move the location of libraries because items can be lost or damaged. Generally, the ancient Shrine of the Deva protectors of the library (the Deva of Learning) is destroyed when a new location is established.

The last three-da Convivium held within our Upwey Assembly Hall, has proved the Chan Academy's goal is to become a Centre of excellence of an international standard for Chan arts.

The 16 Monks who visited on 9 September 1999 agree we have created a peak suitable location for the practice and teaching of this rare and ancient tradition in Australia.

We are not alone. Others can see the advantage of setting up in the local Shire.

Sanghaloka Forest Hermitage has been established as a meditation and retreat centre for Buddhist Monks. The Hermitage's location in the Dandenong Mountains near Melbourne provides conditions of quietness and solitude for the benefit of the resident monks' meditation practice.

We see that Monks and Nuns training could be helped from a central location at Upwey via our Internet systems. We are marketing the notion that a portion of each future temple in the local area may be equipped with a workstation of considerable power.

As the cost of computing lowers, and viharas can communicate with one another with ease, it may be that Monks and Nuns actually do less travel and, therefore, do not suffer from disturbances associated with cultural shock.

Our Centre could provide Multiple teachings in real time could become commonplace because our multimedia technology becomes more and more affordable.

History was made on the 9 September 1999 when the proceedings were filmed on a borrowed $10,000 digital camera for the first time. The strength and affordability of such technology will produce some remarkable changes in the influence of smaller temples, such as ours, over larger temples. The same camera will be used next week to copy the images in a rare Sri Lankan book to digital form.

Multiple teachings in real time become commonplace because of multimedia technology becoming more and more affordable.

We need funds to help buy such a camera to bring new strength to our Centre.

We seek gifts to make affordable such digital technology so we can produce some remarkable changes in the influence of our temple.

As the most potent small temple in Australia we have more capability than many large temples when it comes to servicing visitors reading from the Internet site www.bdcu.org.au.

Quite often, superior Monks and Nuns prefer the atmosphere of small size viharas.

Without doubt, they would certainly have longer life in such a suitable environment and Teachers may live to be 120 to 140 years old or more.

Their teaching period may be multiplied by an equivalent time factor of more than 50,000 at least. This is a combination of an increased life span and the ability to guide 100 or more groups simultaneously.

We have several persons in training at present who either this life or next life can attain to this capacity.

Our Teacher remembers with affection the suitability of simpler vihara constructions in Bangladesh villages with superior Monks in attendance.

These Monks were trained in the Burmese traditions of practice and run their viharas accordingly. Within the temple grounds, an ancient Bodhi Tree stands and stupas hold the relics of four generations of Teachers in their tradition. It is evident that there must have been a series of viharas in that specific location going back to the 12th Century.

Were teaching to be conducted by the Abbot of such a temple by multimedia to a global audience, the project would be well suited for practitioners and affordable to maintain and operate.

When the operating costs of this small suitable vihara in Bangladesh are compared to the operating costs of some large establishments built in Western countries, the natural advantage of the Bangladesh vihara becomes evident.

Quality of guidance appears in different parts of the World because of past conditions and cannot be manufactured by wealth alone.

We have no concepts about sharing or resources equally. The main reason is that, in the human world, it not possible to share resources equally. In ancient times, the Chinese had by no means the same ideas as the Europeans who came to their shores on the subject of commerce.

Kouan-tse, a celebrated economist of the Celestial Empire, who lived more than two thousand years ago, expresses himself thus:

"The money which enters a kingdom by commerce only enriches it in the same proportion as that which goes out. There is no commerce permanently advantageous but the exchange of things useful and necessary. The trade in articles of pomp, elegance, or curiosity, whether carried on by exchange or by money payments, supposes the existence of luxury; now luxury, which is the abundance of what is superfluous among certain citizens, supposes the want of necessaries among others. The more horses the rich put to their chariots, the more people will have to walk on foot; the more their houses are vast and magnificent, the more those of the poor are small and miserable; the more their tables are covered with dainties, the more people there are reduced to eat only rice".

This notion has been left behind in modern times but it is evident that balance of trade must have some meaning.

There is an attractiveness in facilitating quality Teaching regardless of national boundaries.

It might be that economic rationalism of some sort would exclude high overhead temples from offering their services because their costs could be out of proportion to what is offered elsewhere.

At that point, the reputation and desirability of using Monks and Nuns to 'Show the Way' within the backdrop of their smaller viharas would be empathised with by many persons.

The energy of utilisation of a good resource regardless of its locality is a property of modern management.

As the global news service, CNN, has shown that it does not take that much energy to deliver visual images from anywhere in the World to anywhere else in the World.

The will to achieve such quality guidance ought to come from practitioners in the Western World who may not be content with the conventional wisdom that, the larger the organisation the higher the quality of the product.

Westerners will become more discriminating of what they wish within the 21st Century and this in turn will raise the discrimination level of traditional Buddhist countries.

Japan could become revitalised by the commercial exploitation of the new technology and the availability of suitable Teachers in many underdeveloped countries.

Since this represents a new World market for a product that will bless persons, it is feasible that any country in the World could exploit the obvious advantages of this path.

The author wishes that parts of Australia could generate the intention and raise the energy to reach this objective within the 21st Century.

The energy with which Westerners build their viharas is commendable, but not enough energy is poured into sustaining the structure after it is built. It is as if they do not wish for future generations to have anything to do!

They want to present a 'perfect' building as soon as possible. There is no patience in this practice and the only outcome is great wealth in a future life for the persons engaged in this type of building.

Buddha Dhamma does not limit a person to continue to develop the four qualities of the mental state of the Brahma World beyond a certain development.

A combination of a spreading of teachings by Ajarns and well written Dhamma literature to backup such teaching within the last two decades have demystified questions of why one should take refuge in the Triple Gem in at least one of the four possible ways.

Our Founder built a Buddhist Organisation and a Temple and small Hall of Assembly at Upwey, in the State of Victoria.

At the time, he had a good idea that if it could be well equipped it could last as the oldest operating Temple and Buddhist library that has remained in the same location in the State.

Our Centre is an active Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

We help persons to donate with skill.

Like it or not like it, because most lay persons have not perfected the skill of giving correctly (Pali: dana parami), few are able to give freely. This skill requires additional training.

This imperfection appears as a horizon bound conviction that were a person to donate goods or monies to an organisation, they expect some say in the projected direction of that organisation.

Accepting monies under these conditions can become a cause for future inconvenience.

Successors-in-training (as part of the set of futures users) need training in cause and effect so they avoid such risks during fund raising. As a general rule, having found a suitable site, it is not desirable to change location.

Within a Chan Buddha Dhamma framing, name and fame are compared to cheap calico of which the colour quickly fades in the bright sunlight.

Such events as praise and blame, honour and dishonour are pairs which when one comes the other may follow.

A major use of name or fame (when it occurs) is to use these items as a supporting factor for a Chan performance.

However, articulation is planned at a given time and place in a suitable location. The task is to not confuse the way of other persons who may wish to purify their minds. Not all persons are suitable for scholarship in any given life; because they cannot learn words by heart. For such persons, there are other Ways.

For example, in Lord Buddha's time, Panthaka the Younger, even after four months, could not learn four lines of verse written by his brother Panthaka the Elder who was a Monk. The Monk brother expelled his younger brother from the monastery as unfit for the religious life.

The Buddha said "no one is unfit for the religious life in my Order just because he (or she) cannot learn by heart". He gave the younger brother a piece of white cloth and told him to rub it between his hands and repeat "Dirt be removed!"

In time, the younger brother understood that greed is the real dirt, not dust; and the wise have shaken off this dirt.

You may say, this technique is akin to some of the better known, popular forms of Chan teaching.

For such persons, use of dilemma can be a relative Path to understanding Chan.

Members established the correct "habitat" at our Brooking Street Centre by chanting the "Habitat Blessing".

VANDAMI CETIYAM SABBAM

SABBA THANESU PATITTHITAM

SARIRIKA DHATU - MAHA BODHIM

BUDDHA - RUPAM SAKALAM - SADA.

I SALUTE EVERY CHETIYA (pagoda or shrine)

THAT MAY STAND IN ANY PLACE,

THE BODILY RELICS, THE GREAT BODHI, (tree)

AND ALL IMAGES OF THE BUDDHA.

These three main objects of veneration on site are the factors giving past and continuing stability to this Centre's suitable location. These three artifacts are "markers of performance" which verify a Centre as being suitable for teaching Dhamma.

--Students had a desire to take human rebirth in a suitable location to help propagate the Dhamma for self and others.

--Good omens appeared during the term of the Teachings.

To encourage our resident Dragon Protector to stay protecting our Centre for the next 500 years a new Dragon Altar was constructed on Saturday 6 March 1999, by John D. Hughes.

The reason for the new altar was that a change of location was needed because the view of the former altar was obstructed. The Dragon Protector approved of the change of location. This new Dragon altar is located near the Western Gate and is facing East. Members need Protectors and are therefore wise to make offerings to the altar.

his state is the outcome (resultant) of "Lack of thorough work of mind". The massive benefit of viewing great Chan Master's works in a suitable location is it impresses the viewer that this is the work of a developed and strong mind.

The extreme point of ignorance is not apparent so that one may say "Ignorance was not before; it has since come to be. .... Nevertheless, this thing is apparent: Ignorance is conditioned by this or that."

As Wainwright, 1993, has expressed it, any satisfactory process for the transmission of knowledge and information must enable the creator of that knowledge to distribute it widely in a form which is convenient and relatively cheap for others to acquire. The process must also allow a potential user to search out and retrieve information needed years, or perhaps even centuries, after it was originally created. The total information system must have effective components for knowledge creation, distribution, location, retrieval and preservation. It is recognised that users of the Centre want the ability to advance their understanding of particular topics at the time that understanding is needed.

The repeated accumulation in this location of dana and sila actions opens the Path leading to access and fruit of many wholesome cetasikas in our students. With a basis of cultivated wholesome cetasikas, the students' wisdom increases enabling them to practise dana and sila actions with greater understanding, energy and precision. As a consequence, the students display ever-increasing power.

Our policy of centralised acquisition means we store our library resources at one physical location.

We wish to thank the Sangha for their help on Founder's Day, 9 September 1999, in maintaining our Centre as a suitable location for the learning and the practice for the Buddha Dharma. We wish to thank our Teacher John D. Hughes for sustaining a vision of our Centre as a suitable location for the practice and for lasting the distance over the years. Thanks to Robin and Pia Prescott and to all the Bodhisattvas. Thanks to all Office Bearers, Members and Friends of our Centre who have contributed to make it a quality international working Buddhist Temple and library.

May you be well and happy.

This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes and Leanne Eames.

Disclaimer:

As we, the Chan Academy Australia, Chan Academy being a registered business name of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or another source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Chan Academy Australia (Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.)

This Radio Script is for Free Distribution. It contains Buddha Dhamma material and is provided for the purpose of research and study.

Permission is given to make printouts of this publication for FREE DISTRIBUTION ONLY. Please keep it in a clean place.

"The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts".

For more information, contact the Centre or better still, come and visit us.

© 2002. Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.