Class Trip!

Hey Guys!
There would be a class trip to The Taman Megah Home's For Handicapped And Disabled Children.

The reason we choosed this place is:
a)to bring joy and love to the occupants of the home
b)to help them in every way that is possible.

The committees are as follows:
Chairperson: Lim Yee Wan
Assistant Chairperson: Fam Kai-Cong
Treasurer: Hayden Cheang
Transport Manager: Bryan Fong/Tay Kee Ren/Tay Kee Zet
Reporter: Tan Hop Kins/Alison Tan
Entertainment Manager: John Wong
Photographer: Shuen

The programs are as follows:
1.Dana
2.Singing and dancing activities
3.Games
4.Bonding Time
5.Chant a few verses from the chanting book


The mode of transport there is by going there with our parents.If possible, try to get your parents to come along,so that the transportation problem can be solved.
The reason we would like to have our parents to come along is because we would like them to come and experience with us as there are not many class trips that we could go with them.

We would be having our class trip either on the 5th or 12th of July. If anyone have any problems or any suggestions, please feel free to come and contact any of us.

Hope everyone can make it!
Sadhu. YeeWan.

Class Outing

Dear Students

We're going to have a class outing sometime after the mid-term June hols. It will b on a Sun morning in place of the usual Sun cls.

Objectives of outing - provide :

1. An alternative form of experiential learning.
2. Students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills via organizing the outing.
3. An opportunity to put Dhamma into practice e.g. rendering service by helping the needy.

Students are to suggest the venue for the outing. When wishing to suggest the venue consider the objectives of visiting the proposed venue. Be guided by what the Buddha taught i.e. Right Intention/Thought - how is it going to benefit others & ourselves. You may start proposing the venue with immediate effect on the blog under the comments section for easy reference.

Organizing committee - preferably made up of Form 4 studs so that the SPM & STPM studs probably only need to join in the outing. Form 4 studs may volunteer to be the organizing chair person & we'll go from there.

We will discuss further this Sun.

From T1,
W Metta Always

P.S – For T1 for the late posting as I forgot to do it and was quite busy.

Lessons from Master Oogway

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."

2 Wolves in Us all

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, 'My son, the battle is between 'two wolves' inside us all.
'One is Evil.  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.'

'The other is Good.  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, 'Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

From T1,
W Metta Always

BISDS CHOIR RECORDINGS

The recording of the BISDS choir is scheduled to be done after Wesak.
TQ

rgds
T2

Mogallanna 1 Lesson T2-4 5th Mar 09

Thanks to teacher Catherine for her assistance with this session. I had a sore throat and bad cough. Nevertheless, we had an interesting session watching and discussing the video "The Root Of All Evil? The God Delusion" by the Oxford scientist Richard Dawkins.

We have sorted most of you into the various groups for the Wesak project. (Please note the updated post of the previous lesson.)

Thanks to KaiCong and Bryan for assisting with the Puja as the M.C.

Reminders:
Come on time for class, be attired in the BISDS T-Shirt and always wear your name tags.
All students are reminded to submit their parents email. The school is in the midst of updating its online presence to better serve you. Also check the school blog.
Bring empty 1.5L drinks bottles to BISDS. We are reusing them as candle holders for our Wesak procession.

rgds wMetta
LidSine

Mogallanna 1 Lesson T2-3 22 Mar 09

The 4 Brahma Viharas
(This will be part of Wesak Day project/exhibition/display)
As discussed, we will need students to be in charge of the displays. Students to explain to the public what the display is all about. For this, we have selected Aaron Tay to be incharged.

There will be eight groups* of students headed by
1) Prime working on Metta
2) SeeToh on Karuna (Kee Zet, Hop Kins, Wee Hann)
3) YeeWan on Mudita (Sze Mei, Sue Yii, Sue Ann, Ai Ling, Amy Lim, Shi Shuen)
4) Sherin on Upekkha (Lynn, Jia Qun, Wei Ting, Shu Xian, Shu Mei)
5) Bryan on Hatred (Yu Ming, Kevin, Yan Leng, Sue Lyn, Sue San, Zhen Whei)
6) John on Cruelty (Justin, Xin Yi, Wei Gin, Mellisa)
7) KahYenn on Jealousy
8) KaiYuan on delusion, dullness, agitation

* (Team members in brackets)
Please, the rest of you, join into a group and let me or Bryan know so we can keep everyone updated. Sorry, Sui Lun and Elaine, I'm not sure which group you belong to. TQ

Each group will present a design to illustrate the respective topic on an A4 size ARTBLOCK paper. You may choose to use any colour medium you like. Coloured pencils, crayons, etc.

Some of the points we discussed pertaining to the 4 Brahma Viharas are as follows :-

Metta - Loving Kindness as an antidote to Hatred
Karuna - Compassion as an antidote to Cruelty
Mudita - Appreciative Joy as an antidote to Jealousy
Upekkha - Equanimity as an antidote to delusion, agitation.

We learned the meaning of the words
Brahma - Divine or godlike
Viharas - Place, abode, dwelling
It's where we should park our mind in constantly. According to the Metta sutta, a person who practise the 4BV will be reborn in the Divine abodes ie heavens.
We also learnt that these 4BV are also term illimitables or unlimited. We can cultivate it continuosly.

We talked about how to practise it. Mindfully at first. From the Digha Nikaya 13

I.

Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

II.

Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with compassion, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with compassion, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

III.

Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

IV.

Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with equanimity, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with equanimity, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.

We talked about contemplation of Metta as we have practise during Puja. May I be well and Happy, applying it to oneself, wishing oneself well, and then to others nearby, and so on to all beings in the world, and to all beings in all universes. Similarly we practice radiation of the other three. eg May I be compassionate, applying it to oneself, wishing oneself well, and then to others nearby, and so on to all beings in the world, and to all beings in all universes.

With the exception of Mudita (Symphatetic Joy) where it is not sensible to radiate towards oneself.