Venerable Karma Lekshe Tsomo teaches Buddhism and World Religions at the University of San Diego. She is an ordained American bhikshuni of German descent. She is the president of Sakyadhita: International Association of Buddhist Women and has helped organized nine national and international Sakyadhita conferences since 1987. She is one of the founders of eight education programmes for women in the Indian Himalayas. She has written a number of books, amongst them is “Living and Dying in Buddhist Cultures” with David W. Chappell.

Yew Lye Hin: Could you tell me about the Buddhist organization you are from?

Early at 8.30am on 10 January 2006, a large group of staff and volunteers gathered at the Hall of Great Compassion (Dai Bei Dian) to listen to a short talk by Venerable Wei Wu before the great spring cleaning of the year got underway. Venerable Wei Wu said that although it was traditional to do a big cleaning once a year, he advised everyone to do cleaning throughout the year so that not much dirt and rubbish would accumulate; else it would be a tough job in doing the spring cleaning.

Early on the morning of Wednesday, 7 December 2005, Bro. Chooi Shee Hoong, Vice-President of Tham Wah Wan Temple, Kuala Lumpur, took Venerable Wei Wu, Venerable Zhen Xin, Venerable Fa Yun, Venerable Tian Wen, two female Buddhist laity and me to the Palace of Golden Horses for the Opening Ceremony of the 8 th General Conference of World Buddhist Sangha Council.

A guest lecturer, Dr. Peter Della Santina, was invited to give a course in “Mahayana Buddhism: Basic Doctrines” at International Buddhist College (IBC) in Thung Mo Subdistrict of Khuan Sato, Songkhla. This was part of IBC's concept of offering its students an in-depth study of Buddhism; in this case, from the Mahayana Tradition point of view.

Dr. Peter Della Santina

Yang Berhormat Ir. Mansur Hj. Musa arrived shortly after 6.00pm on 17 December 2005 to officiate a dialogue session between the residents of Halaman Mayang and Than Hsiang. This dialogue was held at the field next to Than Hsiang Temple.

The Honorary Secretary of the Residents' Association of Halaman Mayang (Persatuan Penduduk Halaman Mayang), Encik Mohamad Nasir, said that the reason for calling this dialogue, was to enable Than Hsiang and the residents come to a better understanding of each other.

Venerable Wei Wu, Venerable Zhen Xin, Bro. Yong, and I journeyed down to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 6 December 2005. Bro. Yong and I took turns to drive the Toyota Unser and we stopped at Sungei Perak for a packed vegetarian lunch. We reached Tham Wah Wan in Old Klang Road around 4.30pm, when Bro. Yong bid us farewell as he was keen to go home.

Registration for the 100 Million Mani Mantra Recitation Dharma Assembly began at 9.00am on Saturday, 10 December 2005. A total of 171 persons had signed up as Full Session Participants and 368 had signed up as Part Session Participants at the end of registration at 1.30pm. Full Session Participants had to participate in all the five sessions of chanting per day for nine days. Part Session Participants, as the name implies, could attend one or more sessions on any one or more days.

Early in June this year, there was a Youth Camp and in December, Than Hsiang Sunday School organized A Children's Camp for children of ten to twelve years of age. More than two hundred children participated in this camp held from 2 nd to 4 th December 2005.

The aim of this camp was to create a helpful, harmonious and loving society by teaching the children good moral values. Activities included morning and evening chanting. Venerable Zhen Xin taught the children the physical aspects of performing the religious ceremony like how to bow and prostrate properly.