Dear Friends,

Once again we find ourselves at the end of one year and the beginning of another. I should like to take this opportunity to reflect on the main events of the past year. I think our main programmes went very well. Vesak, Poson, Esala, Founder’s Day and Kathina Day all went off successfully. A lot of people attended each of these festivals, with hundreds of people observing eight precepts and participating actively in the day’s programmes. Dayakas gave generous support in providing dana for all these events and this is a main reason for their success.

All of our monks have worked hard, conducting classes and teaching in the Sunday Dhamma School, and assisting everyone to carry out their religious and social obligations.

Speaking personally, I am very happy with the way the year passed. We also played our part in the wider community in what was a very special year for the United Kingdom. There was the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. I attended the State Ceremony and we held a special blessing ceremony for her at the Vihara. Later in the year we had the Olympic and Paralympic Games, where I was privileged to offer my services as the Buddhist chaplain.

None of our achievements would be possible without the active participation and support of our co-ordinators, our dayakas, the Vihara Management Committee and the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust in Colombo. I wish to express my since thanks and punyanumodana to all theese bodies for their invaluable support.

Looking ahead to the New Year, I know it is customary to make New Year resolutions about what we plan to do in the year ahead. Sadly, our society has many problems and it is beyond our power to solve them all. However, I should like to suggest that we should all dedicate ourselves to being beacons of loving-kindness in our local communities. Let us do whatever we can to show our neighbours that we Buddhists are dedicated to living our lives in peace and harmony with the wider community. Let us show boundless loving-kindness to all our neighbours, whoever they may be and whatever faith they embrace.

I wish you all a very happy, successful and peaceful New Year 2013. May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you. May you, your children and families enjoy good health and protection from all dangers. May you be well and happy.

With Metta,

Ven. Seelawimala
Head of Vihara

THE LONDON BUDDHIST VIHARA
(ANAGARIKA DHARMAPALA TRUST)
Dharmapala Building, The Avenue, Chiswick, London W4 1UD
Tel: (020) 8995 9493 Fax:(020) 8994 8130
Email: london.vihara@virgin.net
Website:www.londonbuddhistvihara.org