Unlike West Malaysian towns, Sibu is relatively quiet on Wesak Day. Most of the Chinese perhaps I speculate 90% are Christians while the rest are agnostics, Taoists or Buddhists.
main altar: Sibu Tua Pek Kong temple
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To commemorate Wesak day, mylongkang posts the The Sutra of Amitabha’s Purity, Equality and Understanding
” Wherever the Buddha’s teachings have been received,
either in cities or countrysides,
people would gain inconceivable benefits.
The land and people would be enveloped in peace.
The sun and moon will shine clear and bright.
Wind and rain would appear accordingly, and there will be no disasters.
Nations would be prosperous and there would be no use for soldiers or weapons.
People would abide by morality and accord with laws.
They would be courteous and humble, and everyone would be content without injustices.
There would be no thefts or violence.
The strong would not dominate the weak and everyone would be settled at their proper place in history. “
Wesak day comes once a year and this year it is on the 1st of May. In most Buddhist temples all over the world, believers will gather to remember Prince Siddhatha. About 2,550 years ago, Prince Siddhatha was born in Lumbini, India during a full moon in the month of Wesak (Vesakha).
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VATICAN CITY through Archbishop Angelo Amato, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has made clear its stand on gay marriage and abortion. In a no-holds-barred statement he denounced gay marriage as evil and abortion as terrorism with a human face. The statement is probably a reaction to a highly controversial law that would give unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples some form of legal recognition as Italy considers giving more rights to gays. He called abortion clinics “slaughterhouses of human beings”.
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The Buddhists of Petaling Jaya and all surrounding areas had a rare honor when Tulku Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, four years old, came to town. He is revered across the world and many believe him to be the reincarnation of the late Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchong, a highly revered Buddhist master of the 20th century who died in 2001.
He was found after an exhaustive search for the reincarnated Geshe Lama Konchog which ended in a remote valley of the Himalayas. His reincarnation was officially recognised last year and he was ordained in India by the 14th Dalai Lama.
The devotees caught a glimpse of him during a public lecture entitled The Tradition of Reincarnation, at the Losang Dragpa Buddhist Centre here. He was carried by a monk and blessed all present.
Pic courtesy of The Star
The Noah’s Ark that purportedly was supposedly to sail off with its followers to safety when the great floods came will be demolished. The cult’s leader, the late Sulaiman Mohd Said claimed to be Jesus and had dreams of creating a global Islamic enterprise. His followers have long since disbanded and only two geese guard the entrance to this ‘folly of mankind’ structure.
The Selangor state government now wants to tear down the building. The state government decided in August last year to wipe out any memory of the deviant Ajaran Sulaiman or Ajaran Bahtera Noah.
The Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday rejected a motion “to debate the interference of the executive in the judiciary in directing the Attorney-General to determine the religious status of the late Anthony Rayappan.”
Earlier, Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) had tabled the matter to be discussed as it was specific in nature and of public importance. Read more »
Rayappan’s family to sue MAIS and JAIS
In Kuala Lumpur, the family of A. Rayappan on Monday withdrew its suit against Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) and the government, but planned to sue the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS).
Lawyer M. Manoharan said the widow and family of Rayappan, a 71-year-old van driver, will seek general and aggravated damages for the trauma and duress caused by the authorities during their nine-day “tussle” for his body.
Besides MAIS and JAIS, the suit, which will be filed on Friday, will name other parties.
Relating the case to Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution on the jurisdiction of the Civil and Syariah courts, lawyer Sivanesan said the government has to make amendments as there are many grey areas that had to be ironed out.
This was confirmed by lawyer A. Sivanesan, who had aided the family in their bid to gain custody of his body in a nine-day tussle with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS).
The body of Anthony Rayappan, 71, was cremated in a traditional pyre in Sentul at about 11.30am today, a day earlier than scheduled because the condition of his body was deteriorating and decomposing rapidly.
The family had claimed the body at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary at 7.25pm yesterday, shortly after MAIS dropped its bid to give Rayappan a Muslim burial.
Said Sivanesan: “He was a 71-year-old man and unlike a young man, his body’s condition has turned from bad to worse after being kept in the mortuary for so many days.”
Sivanesan said a prayer session in memory of Rayappan would continue to be held at 10am today at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Setapak.
SHAH ALAM, Dec 7 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) has decided not to claim the body of A. Rayappan for burial according to Islamic rites.
Mais chairman Datuk Mohamed Adzib Mohd Isa said all the information gathered before showed that Rayappan was a Muslim, but the evidence pointing that he was not a Muslim was overwhelming.
