The La Pa festival originated in the ancient agro-based society of China, The month of December designated for its celebration was not fixed then. Traditionally, the festival was meant to appease the deities concerned for granting a good harvest for the year. It gradually developed into a ritual for praying for safety and to ward off evil spirits and calamities.

The aspiration to liberate sentient beings from suffering and from endless round of rebirth due to ignorance has led the compassionate Buddha to spend 45 years preaching the Dharma.

With the CNY just about a month away, we are beginning to catch on with the atmosphere of the festive season with the evergreen Chinese New Year songs in the air. To usher in the new lunar year, the annual temple spring cleaning was scheduled on the Thursday, 10th of January, which is also a rest day for those who observe Awal Muharam as a public holiday. As in previous years, staff and volunteers gathered at 8 in the morning in the Great Compassion Hall to chant and listen to the dharma lecture by Shifu before we began the actual cleaning at 9 am.

Venerable Wei Wu, in his address, thanked everyone for their continuous support of the Than Hsiang Foundation and the Mitra Welfare Centre. Since its inception in 1990, Than Hsiang Foundation had been at the forefront in the promotion of spiritual cultivation, education and welfare endeavours.

Than Hsiang kindy centers’ year-end school holiday follow the gazetted government school holiday stretching from 16th Nov 2007 to 2nd Jan 2008.

His Eminence Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche(1921-2007), dissolved his body-mandala into the great expanse of the Dharmakaya in Singapore on Christmas day at around 10 pm. Born in Drikung, Tibet, he entered Drikung Thil Monastery and studied Buddhist philosophy at Drikung Nyima Changra Buddhist Institute.He became the disciple of one of the foremost contemporary retreat masters of Drikung linage, Drubwang Pachung Rinpoche (1901- 1988) after graduation. The Most Venerable Drubwang Rinpoche underwent many year of retreat under the guidance of Drubwang Pachung Rinpoche.

Once again, young and old devotees came from all over Malaysia to participate in Than Hsiang Temple's Seven Day Amitabha Recitation Retreat (Fo Qi). Some even came a day earlier to have a taste of monastery life in Than Hsiang Temple; such is the enthusiasm of these devotees for this annual event in Than Hsiang.

(Translated from Chinese Ezine Issue No. 108)

(Translated from the Chinese Ezine Issue No. 109)

Weeks before the Ninth Lunar Month, a lot of preparation for the Vegetarian Food Festival was in place. Meetings were held, orders for special vegetarian cakes/biscuits and extra supply of vegetables were placed, volunteers were called in, and at Lebuhraya Batu Lanchang, a long row of covered walkway was erected for the stalls that would be set up there. There was even piped in water for washing the plates and dishes.