Virtual Chan practice: Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia Offers its First Online Beginner’s Meditation Class

Updated March 23, 2022

Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia held its first online beginners' meditation class on February 27 and March 7. Led by Venerables Yan Feng and Yan Ming and accompanied by 20 volunteers, 60 participants learned the concepts and methods of Chan practice based on the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism.

During the first day's ice-breaker, members of each group enthusiastically shared why they came for this class and what they expected to learn. The Venerables praised the participants for their good karmic roots in happily sparing two days to learn how to calm the body and mind. Considering the still ongoing pandemic that reflects the impermanent nature of worldly phenomena, the concepts and methods of Chan practice can best be utilized to prevent our mind from being affected by circumstances. Furthermore, these practices enable our body and mind to calmly abide in the here and now regardless of how the environment changes. Buddhist sutras also remind us how rare and extraordinary it is to be born human and hear the Buddha's teaching of Dharma. This is analogous to a blind turtle swimming in an ocean who only comes up to the surface once every 100 years and happens to pop its head through the hole of a piece of wooden plank randomly floating by. The chances of this happening are simply infinitesimal. Therefore, the Venerable urged participants to cherish this opportunity and make the most of the two-day course.

The meditation class provides beginners with a comprehensive road map for learning Chan practice. The Venerable first introduced the basic required concepts, mindset, functional aspects, and tools, and then guided participants to practice sitting  meditation, experience relaxation, feel the ease of breathing, and prostrate to the Buddha using the Chan practice method. Towards the end of the course, participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to join this virtual learning activity. With the abundant course content and monastic guidance, participants devotedly engaged in practicing the methods and fully enjoyed the process. Finally, during the sharing session, participants all agreed that the end of this class is just the beginning of their Dharma practice. In addition, they aspired to continually participate in DDM's virtual practice activities, to learn and grow together.

Text: Shu-ching Wang (王書卿)
Photos: Pei-fu Yang (楊培福), Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia 
Translation: Vicky Wei (韋徵儀)
Editing: Chia-cheng Chang (張家誠), Keith Brown