Hello, friends!

The saying "April showers bring May flowers" perfectly describes the vibrant wildlife here at MABA. We’ve been enjoying the rain and the beautiful blossoms that follow.

On April 13th, we hosted our annual Qing Ming Blessing Ceremony, honoring those who have passed. This ceremony is a heartfelt way to express filial piety, respect, and gratitude. A big thank you to everyone who joined us! If you missed this year’s event, you’re more than welcome to visit us next year—or attend a similar gathering sooner. Check our calendar for upcoming events if you’re interested!

Speaking of upcoming events, mark your calendars for May 18th—Vesak Day! Buddhist monasteries worldwide celebrate this day, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. We’d love for you to join us and would greatly appreciate volunteers to help with setup (May 17th), event support, and cleanup (May 18th). Let us know if you can lend a hand!

Additionally, our Beginners’ Retreat is coming soon! Whether you’re new to Buddhism or looking to deepen your understanding of the Dharma, join us on June 28th and 29th for a meaningful experience.

We hope to see you soon. Stay safe and well!

We hope to see you all soon. Stay safe!

2025 Upcoming Events

1. Vesak Preparation Day

Date: Saturday, May 17th

Time: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Lunch provided)

- Join us as we prepare for Vesak Day! Volunteers are needed for:

- Setting up tents, tables, and chairs

- Preparing the Meditation Hall

- Placing parking signs

- Assisting in the kitchen

- Cleaning the grounds (parking lot, porch, and stairs)

Your help ensures a smooth and beautiful celebration. Sign up today!

2. Vesak Day Celebration

Date: Sunday, May 18th

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

- Hosted by MABA & the Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis

Celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha with chanting, offerings, and blessings. All are welcome!

9:00 am-9:15 am Welcoming Speech

9:15 am-9:30 am Blessing Chants led by the Monastics

9:30 am-9:45 am Bathing of the Buddha

9:45 am-10:15 am Dharma Talk (Chan Hall - Meditation Hall)— Master Jiru

10:15 am-11:15 am Exploring Different Buddhist Cultures

11:20 am-11:30 am Guided Meditation in the Chan Hall led by Dr. Will Holcomb

11:30 am-11:35 am Dedication of Merit by Dr Kongsak

11:45 am Vegetarian Lunch

3. Beginners’ Retreat

Date: Saturday & Sunday, June 28th–29th

- "Introduction to the Three Higher Trainings (Morality, Meditation, Wisdom)"

Perfect for those new to Buddhism or looking to deepen their practice. Register for the retreat here!

Our Online Buddhist Studies Program

Deepen Your Buddhist Knowledge with Our Online Buddhist Studies Program

The Diploma in Buddhist Studies (DBS) Program offers a wonderful opportunity, whether you're new to Buddhism or looking to deepen your understanding, to explore the Buddhist teachings and apply them in daily life.

Now Accepting Applications for 2025–2027!

Interested? Visit our website to learn more about the DBS program and other flexible study options. Whether you thrive in a structured curriculum or prefer to learn at your own pace, we have a path that suits you.

This photo catptures our students during one of their online learning sessions.

Click here to Learn more

Sunday Morning

We hope to see you at MABA! Whether you’re looking for spiritual growth or opportunities for community engagement, we invite you to join us on Sunday mornings or participate in our various service activities.

On April 13, MABA welcomed the Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) group, who visited to learn more about Buddhism. Ven. Kongyan introduced MABA’s history and facilities, gave an overview of Buddhist teachings, and guided a short meditation. It was a delightful visit with meaningful exchanges.

On April 6th, Dr. Torbitzky's class from Lindenwood University participated in our Sunday Morning service and later joined Xianzhi Katty and Xianji Lee for the Sunday Dharma Tea Sharing before lunch.

Sunday Dharma Tea Sharing with Master Jì Rú.

Dharma Discussion topics after Sunday lunch include:

Huayan Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra)
Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Teaching of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
Five Aggregates
Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom)
How to use The Four Foundations in Meditation

For more details or to sign up for the discussion, please visit our website or scan the barcode above.

You are also welcome to bring your questions about Dharma and practice to the discussion session.

Donate at our Website

Myanmar Earthquake

We are deeply saddened by the immense damage and suffering occurring in Myanmar due to the earthquake. The destruction is profound, and help is needed right now. Jìrú Shífù hopes we can all put our compassion into action by aiding our friends in Myanmar. Please give as generously as you can to emergency aid services such as the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders.

MABA is collecting funds for future use in Myanmar to help them rebuild their temples and monasteries. Thousands of their cultural and religious sites have been destroyed. Temples and monasteries will be rebuilt once the emergency has ended. Please aid in rebuilding the places to study and practice the Dharma in Myanmar at the link to the left. Select "Relief Fund" under Paypal donations.

Volunteers at MABA

Loi and Susan are visiting from Chicago to help MABA with roof and gutter repairs, as well as gardening work. During their visit, they also took time to learn and practice the Dharma with the Master.

Kirt, MABA's good friend, a skillful professional plumber, helped fix the hot water tank.

We want you to be part of our team! If you'd like to make a difference, please reach out to us about some exciting upcoming opportunities to volunteer. We’re gearing up for gardening, grounds cleanup, and Vesak Day preparations on May 17th, and we need enthusiastic volunteers like you! There are many ways to get involved, from setting up tents and parking signs to assisting in the kitchen. Join us for a rewarding experience where you'll meet new people and impact our community!

Volunteer Work Opportunities at MABA

You are welcome to volunteer any day and at any time from Monday to Saturday during the following hours:

- 9:30 AM to 11:20 AM

- 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Master Jì Rú will offer half an hour of meditation instruction whenever he is available at MABA.

Volunteer tasks include:

- Garden and ground maintenance

- Mowing

- Weed trimming

- Cleaning the porch of the Chan Hall

- Reorganizing the garden around the Standing Buddha

- Paint MABA's signboard

- Kitchen assistance

and other works as needed.

Buddha's Teaching of the Month

“We are but guests visiting this world, though most do not know this. Those who see the real situation, no longer feel inclined to quarrel.” “You too shall pass away. Knowing this, how can you quarrel?” (Dhammpada 1:6)

“The Dhammapada is the best known and most widely esteemed text in the Pali Tipitaka, the sacred scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. … This slim anthology of verses constitutes a perfect compendium of the Buddha’s teaching, comprising between its covers all the essential principles elaborated at length in the forty-odd volumes of the Pali Canon.” (Acharya Buddharakkhita)

Readings:

Right View Quarterly

Daily Sutta Reading

Suttas (Buddha's Teachings)

Videos of the Month

The Ten Stages of Trust has just been published! This is Xiankuan Don’s third book on Buddhism. The Ten Stages of Trust is for Bodhisattvas and those interested in the Bodhisattva Path. This is the first commentary in English on the beginning of the Bodhisattva’s 52 Stages.

To acquire books:

All proceeds go to MABA. If you are local to St. Louis, you can arrange to stop by Xiankuan Don's office on a Friday or Saturday afternoon and get a copy. Please contact Don's office to reserve a time.

If you are not local to St. Louis, you can acquire this book through our website: (https://maba-usa.org/dharma-books ) or through the author.

All $40 goes to MABA ($34 for book, $6 for shipping). Amazon has the book also, but MABA only gets 10%.

Further Description:

The Ten Stages of Trust should interest Chan, Zen, Huayan, and Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. This text can be especially useful for those who have taken the Bodhisattva Vows or are considering this step. The 350 pages include translations of selected passages from the original sutras, commentaries on the essential meanings, as well as commentaries on verses from the Map of the Ten Buffalo (Zen Ox Pictures), Sengcan’s Trust in Mind Inscription, and Farong’s Mind Inscription. At the end of each chapter, there is a suggested meditation for each stage.

DONATE HERE

Internet Upgrade Expenses Donation Link

Dana

Dana signifies the virtue of giving. The monastic community relies heavily on the support of the lay community. Currently, MABA depends almost entirely on the support of the traditional Asian community. It is very important for us to assist the Western community in developing the six paramitas (perfections), the first of which is the virtue of giving. The significance of practicing Dana lies in its ability to help overcome lower fetters, such as greed and ignorance, as well as in its role in accumulating merits that support meditation practice. Without making preliminary efforts to establish virtuous actions, meditation can often become fruitless. We encourage everyone to seize any opportunity to develop this virtue.

At MABA, we have greatly integrated the use of the internet into our routines. This technology allows us to host online teachings and create presentations for our Sunday services. However, our internet provider is discontinuing their unlimited business plans, and transitioning to a usage-based plan will increase our rate from $599.95 per month to $799.95 per month.

We are asking our community for help to bridge this gap! If you can, please support our cause. Every contribution counts! To donate, click the button to the left. Under "General Donation," select "Donate." This will redirect you to the donation page; once there, use the dropdown menu to select "Internet Upgrade Expenses."

Thank you for your ongoing support!

It is time once again for the annual food drive. The collection will be shared with our Community Outdoor Food Pantry as well as the two local pantries.

Interfaith

MABA accepts invitations from schools, educational institutes and other religious organizations to introduce Buddhism and mindfulness practice, as well as to join interfaith dialogues that promote mutual understanding between practices.

Learn more

Lanterns

For our Dharma friends and supporters who wish to make a dedicated lantern offering. We will engave a tablet in your name (or any name you wish) and place it at the Guanyin Pavilion.

Lantern offerings

Funeral Services

Reservation of the niches, ordering the urns, placing the urns, relocating the urns, chanting services, placement of name tablet of ancestors, and visiting dying patients.

Request a service

MABA Website: https://maba-usa.org