The first beginners’ chanting class at DDM Singapore
To promote the understanding of dharma and to introduce Buddhist concepts to recruit new members of the Buddha-name Recitation Group, DDM Singapore held its first beginners’ chanting class on August 6th, with ten two-hour sessions held on every following Saturday afternoon.
The course was developed and taught by core volunteers of the Buddha-name Recitation Group. The course content included an introduction to handling dharma instruments such as the wooden fish, hand-chime, bell and drum, repentance chanting, Buddha-name recitation and proper demeanors and etiquette in the Buddha hall.
The core volunteers not only served as teachers in the class, but also acted as senior leaders to guide junior ones. All the thirty-three students were divided into five small groups, each guided by two seniors. After each session of instruction, the seniors of every subgroup would take their team members respectively for further explanation and hands-on practice on the use of dharma instruments and chanting.
To encourage students to learn more diligently, those who attended at least seven classes were presented a certificate of completion as well as a gift. In the last session, students also watched a film about their learning complete with a soundtrack edited by the core volunteers. There were in total twenty-two students who had completed this session!
Although the first beginners’ chanting class has ended, DDM hopes these active and diligent students will become new members of the Buddha-name Recitation Group through continual participation and practice, and hopefully play a part in further group practice and dharma service in the near future.
Text by Show-Mei Sun (孫秀美)
Photo by Tien-Chen Liang (梁添城)
Edited by DDM Australian Translating and Editing Team