20th Birthday Celebration of SJBA

Subang Jaya Buddhist Association celebrated its 20th anniversary with a get-together dinner on 22nd November 2008 at the hall of Chee Wen School in USJ1.

The theme of the event was Through The Years reflecting on how SJBA has grown in the last two decades. The dinner was a 9-course one and we paid RM40 per pax.

As we celebrated, we recalled the history of SJBA. The idea of forming Subang Jaya Buddhist Association was first mooted by Bro. Cheah Seak Loon in 1987, with the objective of applying for a piece of land in Subang Jaya to build a Buddhist Temple to cater for the Buddhist community in the township. There were already a mosque, a Hindu temple and a church in Subang Jaya but no Buddhist temple. So, a protem committee was formed and Subang Jaya Buddhist Association was registered on 23rd November 1988.

Activities started at a rented premises and the early members contributed to the initial rental of RM650 and other expenses. With limited knowledge and experience but with good teamwork, they began to organise many Dhamma talks, meditation classes and retreats, community service and fellowship activities. Many more residents in Subang Jaya joined the newly formed Association and it became a community and spiritual centre for many Buddhists in and around Subang Jaya.

Realising the importance of providing Dhamma education for the younger generation, the Sunday Dhamma School was formed in 1989 headed by Sis. Gin Geng. In 1990, Sis. Teh Seok Im took over the responsibility of Sunday School Headmistress and had worked diligently to build a strong team of volunteers to expand the Dhamma school by leaps and bounds.

By 2003 the enrolment of the Sunday Dhamma School reached about 1,000 students in 4 sessions with about 70 dedicated volunteer teachers.

There was also a need to cater to the youths. Hence in 1993 the Youth Section was formed. In that year too the Association defined its mission to build a Centre of Excellence for the teaching of Buddha Dhamma and the Buddhist way of life.

Eventually, SJBA successfully obtained a half acre piece of land for a token sum of RM300 from the Selangor State Government to build the temple. The temple was completed in 1997 at a cost of about RM1.75million.

Assembly of monks for the robes giving ceremony at Subang Jaya Buddhist Association on Nov.9

The rains retreat of the monks ends on the full moon day of October. During this Vassana retreat that lasts for 3 months, the monks would have served the community of followers in various ways such as giving sermons, teaching Dhamma and meditation, counseling and serving in many other ways. After this rains retreat the monks are free to leave the place where the retreat was held.

Before they leave, it is the custom of the devotees to hold a farewell ceremony for the monks. This is called the Kathina Ceremony or robes giving ceremony. During this ceremony many gifts are offered to the monks for their use as well as for the upkeep of the monastery.

Red lanterns light up the night

Lanterns on display during the Mooncake Festival. It is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival where mooncakes and pomeloes are served under the moonlight.