MESSAGE FROM
The CHIEF PRIEST of the NEW YORK BUDDHIST VIHARA
in QUEENS, NEW YORK
Ven. Pandith KURUNEGODA PIYATISSA Nayake Thero

Buddhists use the term ‘TRIPLE GEM’ to denote the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. The Buddha is the Fully Enlightened One. One who is the incomparable guide and teacher to all  beings. The Dhamma is the wonderful teaching, glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle and glorious in the end. The Sangha  is the order of monks, descendants of a rich tradition of  Disciples, Arahats and Holy Sages  of countless generations who have devoted their lives to the cultivation of virtue, compassion and wisdom.

The Order of the Sangha provides opportunity for those who are willing to devote their lives not only to their own spiritual and intellectual development, but also to the service of others. An ordinary layman cannot be expected to devote his whole life to the service of others. A Buddhist monk, who has no family responsibilities or other worldly ties, is in a position to devote his whole life for the good and happiness of the many. This is how in the course of history, Buddhist Vihara, the monastery became not only a spiritual center, but also a center of learning and cultural aspect of life. I am confident that the Staten Island Buddhist Vihara will be able to serve as a center of spiritual and cultural enhancement and learning not only for Sri Lankans but also for all others.

May all beings be happy !

MESSAGE FROM
THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
STATEN ISLAND BUDDHIST VIHARA
Venerable HEENBUNNE KONDANNA Thera
heenko@sibv.org

The Buddhist Vihara in Staten Island provides another place of worship and religious observance for the large number of Buddhists of all ethnicities living in the Greater New York City area. It is conveniently located in an easily accessible place in a quiet and peaceful surrounding. However the greater significance is the opportunity it affords to Buddhist children to receive a truly Buddhist education and training. Most of our children attend very good schools for their education where they acquire knowledge and skills.  But the education and training for the spiritual development of children is also an important aspect of character building. We have organized a DHAMMA SCHOOL at the temple to achieve this objective. Buddha’s aim in teaching the Dhamma was not to help in the accumulation of knowledge but to bring about transformation of character. The principal objective of the DHAMMA SCHOOL is not to merely impart knowledge. Children’s life is already burdened with a variety of information and skills to be mastered in their schools, so that we need not complicate their lives with the mere acquisition of volumes of Tripitaka centered knowledge. It is our endeavor to impart life centered, behavior related teachings of the Buddha Dhamma. Every discourse of the Buddha had been taught in response to a life situation. The implication of this is that in the DHAMMA SCHOOL we do not treat it as any other knowledge subject in the school curriculum, but as a value system worthy of being followed as guidelines in their conduct and behavior in relation to others. This is the only way we can bring up Buddhist children to be worthy of membership within the larger human society.

May All Beings be Happy !