Date: 16 Dec 2016 (Fri)
Time: 7.30pm to 9pm
Venue: Buddhist Library, Level 2 Seminar Room
Fees: FOC
The Core of Buddhist Doctrines
Life as a human is very good fortune and precious. To encounter the Dhamma is even more so.
Depending on perspectives, the current Buddhists can be considered fortunate or unfortunate. We are fortunate because the Dhamma of only historically known Buddha is still available. But we are also unfortunate because many unrelated foreign elements have been introduced into the teachings over the past 2,500+ years.
Within a few more decades, all of us will pass away and will be reborn into our next lives. There is no guarantee if we have enough good supporting kamma to encounter the Dhamma again in our next lives.
From this perspective, studying the “correct” Dhamma becomes a very important, urgent but difficult task. For the serious student who hopes to make some progress, reading the Dhamma is no longer engaging in various metaphysical speculations, but to try to know and understand what exactly was taught by the Buddha and to try to make some progress before he passes away from his current life.
As of today, there are many Buddhist schools and just as many types of teachings. So exactly what was laid down by the Historical Buddha 2,500+ years ago? Based on what criteria can we use to assess if the teachings are authentic? And what is the correct approach to the Dhamma such that we have a reasonably good chance of actually seeing the authentic teachings and to understand it? This book made an honest attempt to address these issues. However, the readers have to judge by themselves if the attempt is successful.
The book makes conscious efforts to also study the history of the development of Buddhism to try ascertain the sources of Dhamma that are likely to be authentic. Of course, the conclusions are on a “most-likely” basis and there is no absolute guarantee that they are correct.
Nevertheless, there is one way of knowing if any one particular path is correct – will a person who follow the path meticulously be able to attain higher level of human states eventually? This is something that can only be answered by the wise, each for himself.
Join us in this interesting session and share your views on what is the core of Buddhist doctrines.
About the Author: Mr Ngan Ngiap Teng
Mr Ngan Ngiap Teng is a Buddhist practitioner who makes ardent efforts to trace down and identify authentic teachings from the Historical Buddha and to practise these teachings to the best of his ability. He has been ordained twice as temporary monk and he hopes to be a permanent monk eventually after he fulfill his layman duties to his family.