A united voice of concerned Malaysians is needed to rescue a heritage building under threat.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf Chairman P Waytha Moorthy said all Malaysians had a right to object to proposed re-development plans that could destroy the original facade of the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields.

In a statement issued today, he disagreed with a notice issued by DBKL stating that only neighbours within 200 metres of the Ashram could voice their objections.

According to Waytha, plans to change the structure of the building by constructing residential properties on the site was a matter of public interest and there is a need to safeguard and preserve our national treasure.

He said that based on Section 68 of the National Heritage Act 2005, any person can nominate a site as a heritage treasure and thus, DBKL had no right to restrict the public from voicing their objections.

Waytha noted that since the Vivekananda Ashram fits all the criteria required to be classified as a heritage site, the public should strive to protect and preserve the Ashram which he considered a national treasure.

He urged all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or creed to come forward and lend their support to save a slice of the citys vanishing heritage.

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Hindraf needs support from all to save Ashram

Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 12:30 am

Service to celebrate 125 years of Buddhism The Garden Island The Garden Island Newspaper |

The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii will celebrate 125 years of Shin Buddhism in Hawaii with two events for the Kauai District.

A free movie, Dolphin Tale, will start at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the West Kauai Hongwanji, Hanapepe Temple.

People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets or straw mats to sit on. Snacks will be provided.

The Kauai District Commemorative Service will be held at the Kapaa Hongwanji Mission on Nov. 16. The Affirmation Rites will be at 8 a.m., followed by the Commemorative Service at 10. Lunch follows at noon. The public is welcome.

Anyone interested in getting a Buddhist name should contact Rev. Kazunori Takahashi at the Lihue Hongwanji Mission at 245-6262.

Info: Elaine Saiki, 651-4089

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Posted in Local on Friday, October 31, 2014 12:30 am.

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Service to celebrate 125 years of Buddhism

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Boy George

Culture Club singer Boy George discussed his spirituality in an intimate interview published Wednesday.

The singer-songwriter was raised in the Catholic faith but says he embraced Buddhism a few years ago.

"I've been practising Nichiren Buddhism for about four years," he told Huffpost Live. "What it does is it gives me a period in the morning and in the evening to really focus on what I want to do, and how I want the day to go."

One of the main practices of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting mantras, primarily "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," or "I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra."

"One of the most important things about chanting is that you're constantly praying for peace, and you're praying for the happiness of other people even people that you're in conflict with," Boy George explained. "If there's anyone that you have a problem with, put them in your prayers. It's amazing what it does. It kind of dissipates any of that kind of negativity."

The Grammy Award-winner said that spiritual people have had a strong influence on his life through his 53 years.

"I've always been fascinated with spirituality, religion... I always say I'm Catholic in my complications, and Buddhist in my aspirations. I was raised a Catholic, so I have a Catholic sensibility..."

"Catholic guilt," host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani interjected.

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Boy George: I've always been fascinated with spirituality and religion

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday released a commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala, a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and writer, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The release of the commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala will contribute towards further strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka and bring the two nations closer," said President Mukherjee.

He was confident that the relations between the two countries will continue to further strengthen in the coming years to the mutual benefit of our two peoples.

"This stamp release on one of the apostles of Buddhism, once again reminds us to work relentlessly and collectively to ensure an era of peace, stability and friendly bilateral and multilateral ties in order to create an enabling environment for the rapid socio-economic development of the people," he added.

The President paid his humble homage to Anagarika Dharmapala on the occasion and congratulated the Department of Posts for bringing out the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala.

Anagarika Dharmapala was born on September 17, 1864 and died on April 29, 1933. He was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and writer. He was one of the founding contributors of non-violent Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism and Buddhism. He was also a pioneer in the revival of Buddhism in India after it had been virtually extinct there for several centuries, and he was the first Buddhist in modern times to preach the Dharma in three continents: Asia, North America, and Europe.

Along with Henry Steel Olcott and Helena Blavatsky, the creators of the Theosophical Society, he was a major reformer and revivalist of Ceylonese Buddhism and an important figure in its western transmission.

In the latter stages of his life, he entered the order of Buddhist monks and was known as the Venerable Sri Devamitta Dharmapala. He worked selflessly all his life with a missionary zeal to propagate Buddhist ideals and to restore the glory of Buddhism.

(Posted on 25-10-2014)

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Mukherjee releases stamp on Lanka Buddhist revivalist Angararika Dharmapala