Happy Birth Day Dear Bhante

The Oil Anointing ceremony at the Vihara to celebrate Sri Lankan New Year

The most important date in Sri Lanka 's cultural calendar happened to be the same for Sri Lankans living in Scotland on Saturday the 14th April, 1007.

All Sri Lankans; Sinhalese, Tamils and Musilms got together at the Scotland¢s Buddhist Vihara on the New Year to perform religious rites to receive the blessings of the priest during nonagathaya.
It was so fascinating to witness the sight of a group of white pilgrims walking up from Glasgow Buddhist Centre,Sauchiehall Street, stopping to chant Dhamma at intervals on their way to the Vihara to join this ceremony with their Sri Lankan brothers and sisters.
The Sri Lankan New Year began to Scotland too with the lighting of hearth. Kiribath(Milk rice) was prepared at the Vihara itself and Sri Lankan family members enjoyed the first meal of this New Year at the Vihara. Scottish visitors were welcomed by the aroma of traditional Sri Lankan savoury dishes and plied with traditional sweetmeats.

Children then offered betel to their parents and elders as a token of love and gratitude and in return blessed. Elders too exchanged betel with each other transacting ganudenu and wishing good health and wealth in the New Year.

The festivities came to an end with the anointing of the oil ceremony. Venerable Rewatha and Dr Prem Sirisena anointed the gathering with herbal oil giving blessings for the New Year. A veteran Sinahala Media journalist Ms. Sumana Nellampitiya came all the way from Sri Lanka to capture this great event and was on air on 15th of April on SLRC in main News bulletin and on SLBC as well.

Sri Lankan community in Scotland had a memorable time being together, celebrating Avurudu, truly a celebration of life!

Announcement

Scotland Buddhist Vihara would like to wish everyone a happy and peaceful new year .Venerable K.Sri Rewatha Thera conducted a special blessing ceremony today at 11.30 am at the Vihara to wish everyone happiness and prosperity for 2007.
He mentioned that last year was one of the most successful years for the Vihara.

The Ven. Rewatha is visiting Sri Lanka upon the invitation of the Hikkaduwa Relief Fund
to declare open an “Arts Creation Centre “ at Hikkaduwa, in Southern Sri Lanka.
In addition , he will be making tours of inspection of five Tsunami rehabilitation projects in Matara in the Southern Province,which he is leading.

During Ven Rewatha’s absence a guest monk will be resident at the Vihara
.The meditation classes will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays only from 6.30pm to 7.30pm Under the
circumstances ,during this brief period of Ven Rewatha’s absence the meditation students
are requested to continue with the meditation instruction given to them by Ven. Rewata
upto this point in time. If there is any pressing need on the part of the students for advice in this regard they may approach the guest monk for assistance.

Upon Ven Rewatha’s return the Mindfulness based “stress reduction” classes will recommence from 6th February 2007 onwards.

May you all be Well and Happy!

Mindfulness Meditation Courses and Events-2007

Courses and Events-2007
The first course will run from 06 February-27 March 2007 at the following times:
Mindfulness of Breathing
Drop-in Classes

Every Tuesday
At 5.00-600.pm
At 6.30-7.30pm

Mindfulness based stress reduction 8 week course
Tuesday
At 6.30-7.30pm
6 Feb-27 March ( Group 1)
3 April- 22 May (Group 2)
29 May-17 July (Group 3
24July-Sep 18 (Group 4)
25 Sep-13 Nov (Group 5)

Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness(8 week Course)
Wednesday
At 5.00-6.00pm
At 6.30-7.30pm
7 Feb-28 March (Group 1)
4 Apr-23 May (Group 2)
30 May-18 July (Group 3)
25 July-12 Sep (Group 4)
19 Sep-7 Nov (Group 5)

Mindfulness Based Stress Therapy for Cancer Patients and carers (Drop-in Class)
Thursday
At 5.00-6.00pm

Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness(8 week Course for Cancer Patients and carers

Thursday
At 6.00-7.30pm
8 Feb-29 March ( Group 1)
5 Apr-24 May (Group 2)
31 May-19 July (Group 3)
26 July-13 Sep (Group 4)
20 Sep-8 Nov (Group 5)

Mindfulness meditation
For young people
Friday
At 3.00-4.00pm

Mindfulness Meditation
Advance Practice

Friday
At 6.30-7.30pm

In order to ensure your place on this course please email your interest to info@tsbv.org.uk as places will be limited.
Daytime and Individual Classes available on request.

Culture Minister unveils new Statue of Buddha on 2nd Anniversary of Tsunami

Culture Minister unveils New Statue of Buddha on
2nd Anniversary of Tsunami


Patricia Ferguson, MSP, Scottish Minister for Culture Tourism and Sports was invited to unveil newly carved sculpture of Buddha to commemorate the second anniversary of the Asian tsunami at Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara. The Buddha, believed to be the biggest in Europe was carved in situ in the Temple in Maryhill. It was commissioned to celebrate the Vihara moving into new premises at 1 Caldercuilt Road, Maryhill, Glasgow. The Buddha was carved by S. L. Senehedheera, a Sri Lankan artist, well known in Sri Lanka (where he was Art Director and programme producer) and U.K.

Despite being held on Boxing Day nearly hundred people gathered for the ceremony. Representatives of Christian, Ba’hai, Sikh and Hindu faiths took part in the traditional Buddhist ceremony held at the new premises.

There are currently five projects being developed in Sri Lanka funded by the generosity of the Scottish people and the Venerable K. Rewatha Thera, the Head Monk of the Vihara, thanked everyone who had contributed towards these projects. He will be visiting Sri Lanka in the New Year to ensure their progress

Invitation to the Commemoration of the Second Anniversary of the South East Asia Tsunami Disaster.

On the 26th of December 2004, the world was shocked to hear that south-east
Asia had been devastated by a tsunami. At least 230,000 people died and many more are still affected by the disaster.

To mark the 2nd anniversary of the tsunami, you are cordially invited to attend a commemoration service at Scotland’s new Buddhist Vihara in Maryhill, to be conducted by Venerable K. Sri Rewatha Thero at 3 p.m.- 4 p.m. on 26th December 2006.

After the service, Venerable Rewatha will give a brief report on relief projects in Sri Lanka which were made possible by the generosity of the people of Scotland.

Also on this day the new statue of the Buddha will be unveiled and blessed. This beautiful statue, the largest of its type in the U.K., was carved by a Sri Lankan artist at the new Vihara premises. This auspicious ritual will be completed according to Sri Lankan Theravada tradition.

Announcement

Meditation classes on 20th and 22nd of December are cancelled because Venerable Rewatha has to go London for the late Dr.Venerable Medagama Vajiragnana Theros funaral service.Meditation classes will resume as normal on Tuesday 2nd January 2007.