Brief Introduction

The number of Buddhist followers is increasing nowadays, but many Buddhist organisations either emphasise on teaching course content or are confined to the spreading of their own lineages, little is placed on the spread of integrated Chan (Zen) and Esoteric teachings, as such, beginners to Buddhism often do not know where to start learning. The establishment of our society is to spread the practice of integrated Chan (Zen) and Esoteric teachings, to provide the four groups of Buddhist followers a comprehensive practice system, in the hope that this will become a convenient practice method suitable for modern people and it will then become their ladders to future attainments.

Nalanda was ancient India’s top Buddhist University and Academic Center, it was also the world’s earliest International University. Nalanda – nalam in Sanskrit means lotus, da means to give, lotus is a symbol of knowledge in Indian Buddhism and thus the meaning of Nalanda is giver of knowledge. As the name implies, the set up of Nalanda Society is for the spread of systematic Buddhist knowledge, it is a society for both the transmission of Buddhist theory as well as actual practice.

Our society is founded by a group of professionals who have been learning Buddhist theory and practising the teachings under the tutelage of Vajra Supreme Master Yuan Fan for many years, we hope that the set up of our society will provide an efficient, progressive and systematic learning platform for aspirants to Buddhahood, to enable the continuation and widespread of the practice of integrated Chan (Zen) and Esoteric teachings in modern society to benefit the world.

President’s Message

As a result of everyone’s effort and the overcoming of all challenges, Nalanda Society is now officially set up.

Under the guidance of our Supreme Master Yuan Fan, our society is committed to develop into an organization that will propagate the dharma to benefit sentient beings and to help those who are determined to learn the real teachings of Buddha. Our practice platform places equal emphasis on theory and practice, it provides genuine learners an orthodox learning pipeline to learn about the Buddha’s teachings.

Nalanda Society’s practice system adheres to “Chan as the body and Tantra as the usage, fusion of Chan and Tantra” approach. It is a non-dualistic practice method for Buddhist practitioners of this age of dharma decline.

Our society is committed to spread the “Chan and Tantra” practice method, as well as to learn and propagate the right teachings of Buddha. Our teachings are non-denominational, and they are for all dharma learners regardless of regions. We hope to integrate Buddha’s teachings into a systematic and progressive actual practice system that can truly benefit genuine Buddhist learners of today.

Our society’s root lineage guru, Vajra Supreme Master Yuan Fan, spends his whole life to propagate the dharma to benefit sentient beings, he seeks neither worldly benefits nor fame; because of his great vow to save sentient beings, while at his lows he continues to advance vigorously, assuming all the responsibility of spreading the dharma.

We vow to strive together with our Supreme Master, to use modern technology like website preaching, online teaching, electronic media, and the like, to popularize and internationalize our guru’s work of propagating the dharma.

Wishing that all will be smooth and successful!

INTRODUCTION

A New Place for Practice

To intensify the spread of Buddha’s teachings and to delve deeper into the meaning of the sutras and sastras, Nalanda Society has set up a new place for practice as well as Maitreya Pancavidya Hall to deliver the teachings of Buddha to benefit the vast number of Buddhist learners.

  1. The courses conducted at Maitreya Pancavidya Hall include:
    Foundation Class: Buddhism for Beginners, History of Buddhism, Learning of Precepts and Basic Meditation
  2. Sravaka-yana True View Class
  3. Bodhisattva-yana True View Class
  4. Vajrayana True View Class: A Guide to the Preliminary Practices of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) by Longchen Nyingthig, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim Chenmo) and Nyingmapa’s Stages of the Nine Yanas
  5. Research Class: Sastras of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Vasubandhu Bodhisattva said, “Buddha’s teachings include both theory and practice; those who uphold the theory deliver only the teachings while those who uphold the practices do only the practices.”

Maitreya Pancavidya Hall has both theory and practice system in place. I hope that everyone will treasure this human body of leisure and opportunity, to make full use of this place of practice, to learn the real way to liberation and to enter the real great bodhi path.

I welcome all to come and benefit from Buddha’s teachings, and I wish that all sentient beings will leave suffering, gain happiness, and attain Buddhahood soon!

Jason Lim
President of Nalanda Society