John D Hughes Dhamma Cetiya - Official Opening

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Chan Academy Australia is a registered trading name
of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
33 Brooking Street, Upwey 3158 Victoria. Australia
A.C.N. 005 701 806 A.B.N. 42 611 496 488
e-mail: chanacademy@bdcu.org.au
website: www.bdcu.org.au

Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists
Associated Institution of the World Buddhist University
Member of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (Aust)

NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA

JOHN D. HUGHES DHAMMA CETIYA
MEDITATION HALL & LIBRARY

Official Opening - Sunday 9th September 2007

SPEECH BY

MRS ANITA CARTER, ABBOTT & SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
BUDDHIST DISCUSSION CENTRE (UPWEY) LTD.

John D. Hughes Dhamma cetiya, Meditation Hall and Library Opening Ceremony Speech by Anita Carter to be given on Sunday, 9th September 2007.

Most Venerable Members of the Buddha Sangha, The Honourable James Merlino MP, Mr Jason Wood MP, the Mayor of the Shire of Yarra Ranges Councillor Tim Heanen, Councillor Noel Cliff, Honourable Members and friends, the Heavenly Assembly and the Deva of Australia.

Welcome to the John D. Hughes Dhamma Cetiya Mediation Hall and Library Opening Ceremony.

Today we celebrate this hall.

We recognise the significance of what is taking place here, we announce what will take place here in the future and we take account of the past effort and causes made by many beings in bringing this hall into existence.

We shine light on this rare wholesome activity and declare it to the three realms, calling all beings to share in our joy and merits.

We give thanks with volition, using offerings of flowers, incense and merits, to the many beings who have helped in all the various stages, so that their actions may form a seed, generating causes for their future enlightenment activity.

This hall is the labour of many beings, a result of millions of known and un-known actions. I thank every single being, human and heavenly, for their contribution, no matter how small.

I express my gratitude and appreciation to all past members, students and friends who worked to establish and operate this Centre over the last 29 years.

I express my gratitude to all Venerable Sangha members who have blessed this hall through all the various building stages, from the foundation stone laying ceremony in 1989 to this present day. Thank You.

I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the members of the Sangha, in particular, Venerable Peo Liv, Venerable Master Ru Sun and Venerable Wimmalanda, who supported and guided us through the difficult time during and after our Teacher's passing away. Thank you for your guidance and assistance.

We know that all Buddha Dhamma activity arises ultimately through the might of the Buddha, who turned the Wheel of the Dhamma teaching period two and a half thousand years ago.

I express my gratitude and appreciation for all of you attending here today.

I bow to this most wonderful assembly of the Buddha's Sangha here today, for blessing us with their presence. Thank You.

I express my appreciation to the Honourable Minister James Merlino MP, Mr Jason Wood, MP the Mayor of the Shire of Yarra Ranges, Councillor Tim Heanan and Councillor Noel Cliff. Thank you, for honouring us with your presence.

I express my thanks to the Shire of Yarra Ranges, in particular, Councillor Noel Cliff for helping us in the process of obtaining the planning permit to commence this hall. As a result, we have been able to renovate the inside of the house to provide bedrooms for my three children. Thank You.

I express my gratitude to all the Founding Benefactors who made it financially and materially possible to build this hall with their donations of money and building materials. Please see the Founding Benefactor's register. Thank You.

I express my gratitude and deepest appreciation to all our members and friends who did the hard work, and built this hall. In particular, I thank our official builders, Mr George Costas, and Mr Jeff Radford, our unofficial but very hardworking builders, Mr Frank Carter, Mr Julian Bamford, Mr Alec Sloman, Mr Adam Richards, Ms Kate Ryan, Mr John Taylor, Mrs Donna Taylor, Mr Bruce Carter, Miss Lainie Smallwood, Mrs Helen Costas, Mr Paul Tyrrell, Mrs Leonie Scott and Mr David Halls, our project manager, Mr Frank Carter. Thank You.

I express my appreciation and gratitude to June Young and Melba Nielsen for assisting in re-furbishing our Padmasammbhava image. Thank You.

I express my appreciation and gratitude to Melba Nielsen, Leanne Eames and Helen Costas for their effort and determination in completing a History of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd 1978 to 2007. A copy is included in your Gift packs. Thank You.

I express my greatest appreciation to my husband Mr Frank Carter, Ms Lainie Smallwood and Mrs Helen Costas who have worked night and day to organise this event for all of us here. Thank You.

And finally, I express my Thanks to Mr Julian Bamford, for being the Master of Ceremonies today. Thank You Julian.

As a tribute to our Founder and Teacher Master John D. Hughes, this meditation hall as been named after him to commemorate his Buddha Dhamma activity, his love for all beings, his power, energy and determination in fulfilling his goal "that the Buddha Dhamma be taught".

I would like to read from the Dhammacetiya Sutta, to explain why we have named the hall a 'Dhammacetiya'. John often referred to our Centre as a Dhammacetiya – that means the monuments to the Dhamma, which are the results seen of practicing the Dhamma:

Thus I have heard on one occasion the great King Pasenadi visited the Buddha at a park in the town of Medalumpa. The Buddha inquired of the King, “ Great King, what reason do you see for doing such supreme honour to this body and for showing such friendship?”

“ Venerable Sir, Kings quarrel with Kings, nobles with nobles, brahmins with brahmins, householders with householders, mother quarrels with child, child with Mother, father with child, child with father; brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend.

But here I see Bhikkus (Monks) living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk with water, viewing each other with kindly eyes. I do not see any other assembly elsewhere with such concord. This too, is why I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One; “ The Blessed one is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the blessed One's disciples is practising the good way.”

: Again, Venerable sir, being a head – anointed noble King, I am able to have executed those who should be executed, to fine those who should be fined, to exile those who should be exiled. Yet when I am sitting in council, they break in and interrupt me. Though I say: Gentlemen do not break in and interrupt me when I am sitting in council; wait til the end of my speech; still they break in and interrupt me.

But here I see Bhikkhus while the Blessed one is teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers and then there is not even the sound of a disciple of the Blessed One coughing or clearing his throat. Once the Blessed One was teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers and a disciple of his cleared his throat. Thereupon, one of his companions in the holy life nudged him with his knee to indicate ' Be quiet, Venerable Sir, make no noise, the Blessed One, the Teacher, is teaching us the Dhamma.'

I thought: ' It is wonderful, it is marvellous how an assembly can be so well disciplined without force or weapon!' Indeed, I do not see any other assembly elsewhere so well disciplined. This too Venerable Sir is why I infer according to the Dhamma about the Blessed One: 'The Blessed One in fully enlightened, The Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciple is practising the good way.'

The King continued and gave other examples and then left.

Soon after the King had left, the Buddha addressed the Bhikkhus thus: 'Bhikkhus before arising from his seat and departing, this King pasanadi uttered monuments to the Dhamma. Learn the monuments to the Dhamma, Bhikkhus, master the monuments to the Dhamma; remember the monuments to the Dhamma....”

We have placed a copy of this Sutta in your gift packs so you can read the entire sutta.

So that is why we have named the hall the John D. Hughes Dhamma Cetiya because it is a place where monuments to Dhamma can be learnt and seen. It is not really referring to the physical building; but the behaviour of the people within, it is the Dhamma in the hearts of the people.

May this John D. Hughes Dhamma Cetiya Meditation Hall and Library be a place where the Buddha Dhamma is taught, where the Buddha Dhamma is preserved, where the Buddha Dhamma is practiced and where the Buddha Dhamma is realised now, and for at least, the next 500 years.

May you all be well and happy.

May all beings be well and happy.

May You Be Well and Happy

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