Singapore Buddhist Mission (Youth)

Hello everyone, sorry for the long awaited Msia Wacana conference update.
Firstly, some pictures for all to enjoy.

Okay and now to the serious (and boring) part which i half expect majority to scroll back up or close the window......

During the trip, we got to interact with our fellow Buddhist Msians during meal time and back in their temple.

We had a chat during dinner on our first night with an experienced Buddhist camp organiser and found out many things about their camps.

They:

- Never repeat games

-get games from internet and improvise

-have their night time normally used for cultivation/dharma games

-have a time keeper, as well as a bell to ring every 15 and 5 minutes before meeting time

-have their meetings properly documented, but unique and special games are not documented and picture taking is not allowed during such “specialties”.

We:

-sometimes repeat games

-usually come out with games ourselves, not from the internet

-have our night time for "hiong" games.

-have no time keeper, and no bell to ring.

-don't have our meetings properly documented

-take pictures AND videos regardless of how special the game is anyway.

There are some pointers we can learn from the msians in this case. I would think the bell ringing is a good idea.

Moving on to Wacana:

Wacana 2008

Agenda: Leadership

• To understand how various organizations are run
• Qualities of leadership
• Learn how to expand the community’s capacity
• Share experiences

We had many speakers address to us on the topic of leadership, but i will only touch on the speeches/points that we find more significant.

Dr. Tan HS (Chairperson of Wacana 2008 Organising committee)

-Leadership requires Vision, Values and Vitality

-feels that they are lacking a united vision as a community

-Imperative to look beyond the present

-necessary to associate with people of noble character

-if we were to lead others, we ourselves have to be established in the noble traits, then only will we be able to lead others effectively and be respected.

-necessary to go beyond organizational leadership but intellectual, communal, and spiritual leadership as well.

Ven Punaji (In representation of Ven. K Sri. Dhammaratana)

-A leader is not a driver/boss

Analogy: To lead a cow, the person should not whip the cow but walk in front and let the cow follow. Apply this to our normal lives, eg. Father has to stop drinking/smoking if he wants his son to as well.

Afew meaningful quotes.

"A leader is not a person who follows a trail, but creates a trail for others to walk on"

“Your majesty, you must first set an example for your ministers and practice the dharma yourself, only then will they practice the dharma”

Sariputta: Is it okay if I don’t follow the vinaya rules?

Buddha: If you don’t follow, who will? You have to set an example. A leader is one who sets an example for others to follow.

Four steps to success:

• Intense desire

-If sense of value is not right, effort might be directed to robbing a bank. Thus such desire has to be accompanied by wisdom. There should be a strong desire to cultivate Sila (Morality), Samadhi(Concentration) and Panna(Wisdom).

• Vitality

-energy for appropriate and continuous actions. If unnecessary, efforts will be wasted
à resourcefulness
-If one way fails, it’s not a failure but a change to change and try to succeed. Buddha looked for more than one teacher.

-leaders should engage in lateral thinking.

• Vision

-believed that emotions were innate, but now it is found out that they are controlled by thoughts.

-calm thoughts: Rationality, wisdom and meritorious deeds

-self-centered thoughts: anger, jealously prevents the gain of final liberation

-emotions cannot be controlled by fighting, suppressing or exchange of harsh words, but by changing the mental image.

Venerable Chuan Guan

-Feels the need to encourage youths to take up leadership roles and to empower them to make decisions; trust the younger generation.

-Buddha trusted the task of ordination of new Bhikkhus to his Sangha communities.

-Buddha entrusted new leaders with work, but these new leaders have to earn this trust.

-New does not mean young.

-Trust that with the same vision, the process will be appropriately adapted.

-what’s important is not the leader, but the leadership, together with partnership, relationship, friendship, stewardship.

faith > wisdom: blind faith

wisdom> faith: cold rationalism

vigor> wisdom: mindless activities

wisdom > vigor: restlessness

That's about all the important parts. May everyone have a good and blessed day ahead!