ABOUT BMSM
Among others, the objectives of BMSM are:
to propagate and promote the teaching of the Buddha;
to print Buddhist literatures and organize religious lectures;
to render spiritual assistance and
to acquire immovable property for the use of the Society for achieving its aims and objectives.
Our Motto: Service · Purity · Wisdom
Individually, Service, Purity and Wisdom are the three pillars of strength that underpin the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia as a national organisation dedicated to the propagation of the Buddha Dhamma
Together, like three rays of light coming into focus, Service, Purity, and Wisdom shine brightly on Dhammaduta that encompasses the whole spectrum from Dhamma outreach to nurturing messengers or envoys of the Dhamma.
As aspirational ideals of our founding fathers in the formative days of BMSM in the 1960s, Service, Purity and Wisdom have served well as the guiding principles shaping the growth through more than five decades.
Like the quintessential compass, Service, Purity, and Wisdom have steered BMSM, giving us the fortitude to withstand the test of time and the challenges of existence. Admittedly, Service, Purity, and Wisdom in form has changed through time, but not in its essence and its relevance. BMSM is a testimony of this today. And it will still be tomorrow and beyond.
Service
Service by and in BMSM has been rooted in Dhammaduta outreach through:
- publishing and distributing Dhamma publications, which was the primary Dhammaduta activity in the early years;
- Dhamma talks, seminars, workshops and conferences;
- Dhamma discussions;
- youth leadership training and Dhamma camps for youths; and
- welfare and compassion-in-action activities.
In facilitating service, BMSM has also been organising its membership nation-wide into formal structures of branches. Branches to date are BMSM Kajang, BMSM Shah Alam, BMSM Sabah and BMSM Putrajaya. More are in the pipeline for an eventual network linking every State and connecting members in every corner of the country.
BMSM Sections namely Youth, Ladies, Welfare and Meditation have either been reactivated or realigned their activities and focus for better Dhammaduta outreach in contemporary times.
Purity
Drawing inspiration from the lotus that springs pure from the bed of mud, BMSM endeavours to inculcate and achieve purity through its service and everything it does -- from intentions to actions.
Recognising that this is an ideal that cannot be ideally achieved equally across the board, BMSM strives and perseveres through the practice of sila (virtue or morality), which the Buddha identified as Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood in the Noble Eightfold Path. The credo of Patience, Tolerance, Understanding that our Founder, the late Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, espoused and emphasised are virtues that BMSM embraces to be immersed in purity.
Wisdom
Service and with purity can be one of the means for the cultivation of wisdom. But BMSM does not stop at that. BMSM applies the principles of Pariyatti (learning of theory), Patipati (practice of the theory), and Pativedha (realisation or insight) for Right Understanding and Right Thought in the Noble Eightfold Path for Dhamma to unfold for wisdom to be developed.
BMSM activities like Buddhism 101, Buddhism 102, Dhamma Tea, meditation retreats to name a few are formulated for study, contemplation and meditation to lead to the attainment of wisdom.
Dhammaduta Centres
Buddhist Maha Vihara
BMSM, together with the Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society (SAWS), played an active role in raising funds for the development of the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Their efforts have culminated in the completion of the buildings such as International Buddhist Pagoda, Wisma Sri Dhamma, Wisma Dhamma Annex, and the new Sunday school building known as Wisma Dharma Cakra.
Samadhi Vihara
Samadhi Vihara is distinct with its iconic lotus-top Shrine Hall. Since its completion in 2012, Samadhi Vihara serves a premier dhammaduta centre for Buddhists in the south western part of Klang Valley.
As the only Theravadan-based vihara in the vicinity of Klang and Shah Alam, it has grown in popularity with its regular Dhamma programme and activities. It is envisoned to be the Dhammaduta centre of excellence for Service, Purity and Wisdom.
BMSM Kajang Dhammaduta Centre
A rather unique Dhammaduta Centre that maintained the sloping floor and seats of the old cinema-hall, this BMSM Kajang Dhammaduta Centre at Jalan Reko, Kajang was renovated in 2014. The old cinema was transformed with the floor levelled to provide a spacious shrine hall, an office, a marriage registration room and a monks room.
In a new phase of renovation, an annexe of 2-storey building was constructed. Enhanced with new facilities that include ten classrooms, activity and meditation area, kitchen, toilets, BMSM Kajang Dhammaduta Centre is poised to offer more and improved Dhammaduta programmes and activities to cater for Buddhists in the south eastern Klang Valley.
Dhammavijaya Meditation Centre (DMC)
Dhammavijaya Meditation Centre was established in collaboration with Pa Auk Forest Monastery, Myanmar in 2005 for the practice of mental cultivation. The centre is privileged to have Sayadaw U Agganna specifically assigned by the most respected Pa Auk Sayadawgyi, as the principal teacher. With the guidance of the much sought after meditation teacher with many years of meditation teaching experience, meditation programmes and retreats for beginners and advanced students have been held for the past 11 years. The centre has grown to be conducive place for devotees to cultivate paramis and acquire merits through the practice of Dana, Sila and Samadhi.
Pusat Buddhis Dhammaduta Malaysia
Located in Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia, this new addition of a BMSM Dhammaduta Centre can be likened as a national Buddhist centre.
To be built on a 0.67-acre land parcel in the Precinct 20 enclave reserved by the Government for centres of major faiths practised in this country, the two-level building with a built-up area of about 20,000 sq ft and a garden rooftop will house a resource centre, an education centre that will be available for the public as well as training facilities for the Sangha.
Inter-Faith
Beyond Buddhism
BMSM has gone beyond Buddhism as evident by its pioneering efforts in fostering religious harmony. Very much through the exemplary efforts of the late Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, BMSM became a key organisation in the founding of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST). MCCBCHST was formed in 1983 to promote inter-religious harmony in Malaysia.
BMSM is also actively in Inter-Spiritual Fellowship (INSaF), an organisation formed to promote greater understanding amongst the major religions in Malaysia, as well as in the Friendship Group Inter-religious Services (FGIS), an interfaith organisation of youths of different faiths.
BMSM is also represented in the National Interfaith Committee of Malaysia (JKMPKA) since its establishment in 2010. This is a Cabinet-appointed working committee to promote religious mutual understanding and harmony among adherents.
Beyond Malaysia
BMSM is also increasingly recognised for its involvement and contributions in the spread and development of Buddhism in the international arena
BMSM is a member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) and World Fellowship of Buddhists Youth (WFBY)
Following the example shown by the late Ven K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, BMSM Presidents and leaders have actively participated in the activities and conferences organised by The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) since its inception in 1950. WFB was founded on May 25, B.E. 2439 (1950) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with the objectives to bring Buddhists of the world closer together; exchange news and views about the conditions of Buddhists in different countries; and discuss ways and means for the attainment of peace and happiness. Presently, there are 135 Regional Centres in 137 countries and on every continent of the world, of various schools of Buddhism: Mahayana; Theravada and Vajrayana.
BMSM is actively involved via WFB Selangor Regional Centre formed in 1969, and officially became a member of WFB in 2002 and WFBY member in 2012.