Faith & Atonement

I'll go with the two definitions of atonement and move on from there:

1. Amends or reparations made for an injury or wrong; 2. Reconciliations or an instance of reconciliation between God and humanity.

When I first read it, I zoomed into the part of reconciliation between God and humanity. Throughout history, humans have worshipped and prayed to multitudes of God(s). However, Buddhist do not have a belief in creator God(s). Hence, there is no concept to receive reconciliation between God and humanity. Some may posit that Buddhists merely replace "God" with "Buddha" and draw arbitrary delineations to differentiate themselves. Consequently, some think that Buddhists worship Buddha and seek forgiveness from him, in order to not incur his wrath. In fact, it cannot be further from the truth.

We may perhaps first examine how wrong or injury can occur. It can occur if . . . → Read More: Righting a Wrong: Faith & Atonement]]> There is an EIF dialogue session on Saturday, 23rd October 2010 and I was invited to participate.  Unfortunately, I am unable to attend the dialogue, so I decided to pen down my thoughts in relation to the suggested discussion points and share them with the participants and on this blog. 

Faith & Atonement

I'll go with the two definitions of atonement and move on from there:

1. Amends or reparations made for an injury or wrong;
2. Reconciliations or an instance of reconciliation between God and humanity.

When I first read it, I zoomed into the part of reconciliation between God and humanity.
Throughout history, humans have worshipped and prayed to multitudes of God(s). However, Buddhist do not have a belief in creator God(s). Hence, there is no concept to receive reconciliation between God and humanity. Some may posit that Buddhists merely replace "God" with "Buddha" and draw arbitrary delineations to differentiate themselves. Consequently, some think that Buddhists worship Buddha and seek forgiveness from him, in order to not incur his wrath. In fact, it cannot be further from the truth.

We may perhaps first examine how wrong or injury can occur. It can occur if say, harm or injury were inflicted or it could occur if certain rules are broken. Many times, the two coincide, other times, they diverge.

eg, it is illegal to park along the road at certain hours or not at all. No one may be harmed in a sense, but a breach of the law has occurred.

Another example I like to share is wearing of seat belts. Some people dislike seat belts and wear them only when absolutely needed, and takes them off whenever they can. As some say in Singapore (or worldwide?), "just don't get caught". The funny thing about this rule is that, even if you don't get caught by the traffic police, getting caught in an accident would result in harm nonetheless.

So we can see that sometimes rules and harm coincide and sometimes don't.

In Buddhism, if you harmed someone, the best thing to do is to seek forgiveness from the person or group we harmed. We have a joke about asking Buddha for forgiveness after slapping someone. Nope, not gonna work. Apologising to the person involved is the most direct way of atonement and of gaining closure on the matter.

In the case of a breach of Buddhist precepts, it is not a breach against the Buddha, but against ourselves. Consequently, Buddhists in a way do not really apologise to the Buddha. Let's take a look at Buddhist precepts to understand better.

Buddhist precepts are training rules taken up voluntarily to help us change and become better. It is like a person with high blood pressure prescribed a 'precept' of not taking too much salt and oil. If he take a lot of salt and oil, would the doctor be angry? Would he need to apologise to the doctor? I think the doctor would not be angry (ok, some may!), but may feel sorry for the patient, for the patient is the one who is being harmed, and not the doctor. Out of compassion, the doctor may rebuke him and suggest for ways that the patient may adopt a healthier diet, but in the end, it is still up to the patient to adopt the diet, and to follow through with it.

So when Buddhist did something against the precepts, they are really doing something against themselves and others (where their actions also harm others), and not the Buddha. Just like the doctor in the above analogy, the Buddha do not get angry with people for doing wrong things. Instead, He feels compassion for us, for He sees clearly the harm that we do to ourselves and others by breaching the precepts.

Hence 'atonement' is not so much an apology or seeking reconciliation from the Buddha, but 'atonement' refers more towards the steps we take to right the wrong.
This consist of (1) confession 忏, (2) repentance 悔 and (3) aspiration 发愿. (Some communities may develop this further and hence be more comprehensive).

In Buddhism, if we do some wrong, the first step is to (1) confess the deed, (2) recognise that our deed was (2a) harmful, was wrong, ignoble, blame-worthy, unworthy, and hence, should be (2b) abandoned, removed, eradicated etc. We should, having recognised the wrong, then (3) make a firm resolve not to repeat it. But easier said than done. So, within the Buddhist text, there are very comprehensive teachings, outlining how the human psyche ticks and what triggering factors lead to others that inclines towards harmful actions that are driven by greed, anger and delusion.

Follow-up Steps
We then (1) practise distancing from triggering factors while (2) applying reflections, contemplations and other practices that transform our perception of the triggering factors so that future contact with it do not lead to the same actions. Meanwhile, we also (3) strengthen mindfulness so that if (1) fails and we encounter the trigger before we have mastered (2), then mindfulness can kick in and prevent a repeat of our earlier actions. (4) Applying proper attention is also most useful while we distant ourselves. Why preoccupy ourselves with something that upsets us?

In modern day Buddhism, repentance puja (chants) are recited as part of a devotional practice that encompasses the above steps. These may be done infront of the Buddha's image as a reminder of our spiritual direction, towards this state of perfection, Nirvana, that is humanly possible and attained by the Buddha, the Arahants and Enlightened Bodhisattvas. Where possible, confession and repentance is also done with one's guidance teacher who knows our habits, both good and bad, and knows our tendencies and inclinations. In this way, done methodologically, it can lighten the emotional burden of wrong, while developing the mind so that we can practise restrain and not repeat our mistakes again and again.

These steps leading to an eradication of harmful actions is the full 'atonement' of that wrong, a full purification of that wrong.

Good news is that while difficult, it is humanly possible.

Happy thoughts! ^_^

Someone recently asked me about divinity lots found in KMSPKS:

Dear Venerable, I have a question about the divine sticks (qiu qian) at the old hall at Kong Meng San. Devotees will beg for divine advice from the three Buddhas and a piece of paper can be collected outside. Who are we communicating with? The message could sometimes be very clear, but some people will say that it is not Buddhism and mere superstition. I remember a story about Lord Buddha putting His bowl on the river; if the river flows upstream, he will strive to gain Enlightenment. So is this divine advice real? How do we make it real?

Here's my short reply:

There is this belief that the Bodhisattvas or Dharma guardian help give guidance on worldly matters.  Having some help in this way can be similar to asking an experienced friend or mentor for guidance, it can certainly be helpful.

Having said that, the Dharma (teachings) ultimately help us transcend the worldly gains and loss, such that we can still be happy amidst life's greatest difficulties or trivial nuances.

Sui hontu! ^_^

Weekly Group Practice Venue: Buddhist Library, 2-4 Geylang Lor 24A Date: Every Wednesday Time: 7:30pm ~ 9:30pm

Programme:

My point to my sisters (mothers of my experiments) is that kids these days are too conditioned towards instant gratification.  My count down approach is what I think would train them to learn to wait.  Interestingly, my niece J would wait patiently, even when I sometimes delay the count down with 2.5, 2.75 etc … she (four years old now) would giggle and know that I am playing with her.  My nephew R started off being rather haughty, refusing to open his mouth when I start the countdown.  Granted, he is 1+ years younger than J, so perhaps he is slowly developing patience.  Furthermore, the mental development of boys and girls are known to start at different ages.

Today, I read an interesting article about just that.

Don’t! – The secret of self-control. . . . → Read More: One, … Two, … Three …. Yum! or learning to wait]]> For a while now, whenever I am invited for a meal at my parents’ place, I would play a little game with my niece and nephews.  I would give them a cookie or bread or something, but before I give them, I would hover infront of their mouth and count to them “One, … Two, … Three … ” before they get their treat.

My point to my sisters (mothers of my experiments) is that kids these days are too conditioned towards instant gratification.  My count down approach is what I think would train them to learn to wait.  Interestingly, my niece J would wait patiently, even when I sometimes delay the count down with 2.5, 2.75 etc … she (four years old now) would giggle and know that I am playing with her.  My nephew R started off being rather haughty, refusing to open his mouth when I start the countdown.  Granted, he is 1+ years younger than J, so perhaps he is slowly developing patience.  Furthermore, the mental development of boys and girls are known to start at different ages.

Today, I read an interesting article about just that.

Don’t! – The secret of self-control. by Jonah Lehrer

In the article, there is mention of a marshmallow experiment conducted to study how kids delay gratification.  An interesting concept highlighted is “metacognition” in which one is knows one’s knowing or thinking.  The ability to be aware of one’s thinking or way of thinking, its implications and to think of ways to deal with it.

“Their desire (for marshmallow) wasn’t defeated—it was merely forgotten. “If you’re thinking about the marshmallow and how delicious it is, then you’re going to eat it,” Mischel says. “The key is to avoid thinking about it in the first place.”

Mental Redirection

The above example is what in Buddhism is commonly known as “轉依所緣境”, or “to change one’s mental focus”.  In meditation, we do that all the time.  When the mind wanders away, or it becomes distracted, we direct it away from the distraction and back to the object of meditation.  In the Mahasi tradition, one do not redirect, but instead channels one’s mindfulness onto the process of distraction, and not the distraction itself.  So, instead of thinking of something, we become mindful of the thinking; instead of pondering about a sound or cough, as to who is the one coughing, why is he coughing, we direct mindfulness to hearing itself.  So this is in a way, still a change in focus, from the subject to the process, from the content to the mechanism.

In 念佛法門, Buddha-nama recitation school, when one’s mind wanders away, we basically redirect the mind back to the Buddha-nama recitation.  Again, it is a redirection.  In the Contemplation of Fouliness, the mind is directed away from sensual visible datum towards the foul aspects of the body, as a direct counter for sense desire.  This is not just redirection, but redirection towards the opposite of the original object.  Such redirection makes use of another characteristic of the mind: that the mind cannot be in opposite states simultaneously.  If the mind is filled with love, it cannot hate; if filled with foul contemplation, lust cannot arise; filled with generosity, one cannot stinge; filled with wholesome, unwholesome thoughts naturally cease.  Hence, the various Buddhist practice of metta-bhavana, foul contemplation, practice of dana and wholesome aspirations.

Mental Transformation & Direct Seeing

Another technique mentioned in the article that resounds with standard practices in Buddhism is to modify the perception or conditioning the kids have of the marshmallow or candy.

But Mischel has found a shortcut. When he and his colleagues taught children a simple set of mental tricks—such as pretending that the candy is only a picture, surrounded by an imaginary frame—he dramatically improved their self-control. The kids who hadn’t been able to wait sixty seconds could now wait fifteen minutes. “All I’ve done is given them some tips from their mental user manual,” Mischel says. “Once you realize that will power is just a matter of learning how to control your attention and thoughts, you can really begin to increase it.”

In the Diamond Sutra, chapter 32, the Buddha said “一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀” “All conditioned phenomena, is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, an image (or shadow); like a dew and like a flash of lightning, thus should one reflect and observe”.  The Buddhist technique is broader in ways of application and differs at the later stage.  At the earlier stage, one may not have seen how that is possible, but may adopt the teachings as a new way (Mental Transformation) to look at things, thereby reducing attachment, whereas at the later more developed stage, one truly see (Direct Seeing) that all conditioned phenomena is indeed like a dream, an illusion etc, at which point attachment and craving naturally falls away.

Awareness of Mental Drift

The above list out various techniques that one can develop and use should one’s mind stray away.  Prior to that, it is also important to develop mindfulness so that when the mind should stray or drift, we can know that it has, and not simply be swept along for the ride.

The names may differ, but the act of labelling or mental noting found in the Mahasi tradition, anapanasati (meditation) tradition, Zen meditation tradition or 念佛 Buddha-namanusati method all trains the mind to be aware of the present state.  The object of focus and precise technique may differ, but they all lead to mindfulness of the present state of the mind.  Through these techniques, when the mind wanders away, one is then able to more effectively ‘detect’ the wandering and then apply the appropriate mental counter-measures.  Initially, one’s mind simply get sweep away by the torrents of mental proliferation, but slowly, the mental noting or awareness of this wandering becomes stronger and one’s attention and awareness builds up.  It takes time and practice, but it does get better as one proceed.

Application to daily affairs

We often think about our family at work and about work when we are with our family.  We know that it is not helpful in both cases, but we cannot help it.  Well, we can.  Using the two techniques mentioned above, 1. Awareness of Mental Drift 2. Mental Redirection, we should train ourselves to be mindful of whatever we are doing at the present moment, the conversation we are having, the person we are talking to etc.  When there is Mental Drift, we should be aware of it.  We may note it quickly and redirect our mind towards our present activity.  Do this often enough, and it becomes a mental habit to refocus, to redirect.  Over time, we can become more attentive and “in the moment”, instead of “worrying about the future, or clinging onto the past.”

With this mindfulness, one can in time, observe and see directly, the common characteristics, anicca (Impermanence), dukkha (Suffering), anatta (No-self).

Learning to Wait

Instead of succumbing to our thoughts and emotions, we can live a more wholesome and meaningful life through the practice of Buddhism.  We can slowly learn to master and manage our emotions instead of letting it run and ruin our life.

“We should say, ‘You see this marshmallow? You don’t have to eat it. You can wait. Here’s how.’ ”

Next time we desire something like the kid for the marshmallow, maybe we should say that to ourselves:

“You see this INSERT_YOUR_CRAVING? You don’t have to have it immediately.  You can wait.  Here’s how.”

Tried it before?  Tell us how it work or not work for you.

References:

Life sized statue of the Buddha from the Tang Dynasty period (618-906 AD)

應以何身得度者，即現何身而為說法 does not translate to “Teach the Dharma in the local language”.  The Chinese text would translate loosely to “Depending on the need of the audience, (one) shall manifest in whatever form/appearance to teach the (Buddha) Dharma”.  This is the crux of the teachings in “妙法蓮花經 觀世音菩薩 普門品” Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra, chapter on Samantamukhaparivarto nāmāvalokiteṡvara-vikurvaṇa-nirdeṡa.

Confused yet?  Ya, thought so.  For those of us who are do not read sanskrit or Chinese, the above lines might as well have been written in greek or an alien language, which brings me to the earlier statement, that one shall manifest in whatever form/appearance to teach the Dharma, depending on the need of the audience.  That should include adopting whatever language is appropriate for conveying the message.  The language is but a medium, a tool while style and prose just an expression of that medium.  The intended message is what is important.  And because of that, language, style and prose should be chosen to encourage communication.  . . . → Read More: 應以何身得度者，即現何身而為說法 Teach the Dharma in the local language]]>

Life sized statue of the Buddha from the Tang Dynasty period (618-906 AD)

應以何身得度者，即現何身而為說法 does not translate to “Teach the Dharma in the local language”.  The Chinese text would translate loosely to “Depending on the need of the audience, (one) shall manifest in whatever form/appearance to teach the (Buddha) Dharma”.  This is the crux of the teachings in “妙法蓮花經 觀世音菩薩 普門品” Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra, chapter on Samantamukhaparivarto nāmāvalokiteṡvara-vikurvaṇa-nirdeṡa.

Confused yet?  Ya, thought so.  For those of us who are do not read sanskrit or Chinese, the above lines might as well have been written in greek or an alien language, which brings me to the earlier statement, that one shall manifest in whatever form/appearance to teach the Dharma, depending on the need of the audience.  That should include adopting whatever language is appropriate for conveying the message.  The language is but a medium, a tool while style and prose just an expression of that medium.  The intended message is what is important.  And because of that, language, style and prose should be chosen to encourage communication.  The communication of the message, of the idea, rises above previous trio in importance.

Today, I read an interesting article about a westerner who finds that developer community can only grow when the local language is used.  He quotes a Jeff Atwood’s question “Shouldn’t every software developer understand English?” and describes how his own experience with building up a developer community in China gave him insight into language considerations.

Mandarin Chinese programmer communities

http://odwks.com/2009/03/mandarin-chinese-programmer-communites/

His clients wanted all the documentation and programs to be in English so that the Chinese developers would be forced to learn English and learn they did.  However, when he later started grassroots movements and started organising conferences, he found that when the conferences started using the Mandarin language, interactions and exchange of knowledge went “faster and more in-depth”.

Embracing Translation Projects

This reminded me of how language can be a tool or a barrier, depending on how it is being utilised, and led to this blog entry.  In my previous post “Wacana Conference 2008“, I highlighted in my paper that language is a crucial factor for communication.  Used rightly, we can exchange ideas, views and arrive at agreements, if not better mutual understanding.  Buddhism, therefore, need to embrace translation projects if the teachings of the Buddha is to be transmitted beyond the shores of present buddhist communities.

Chinese Mahayana Buddhism

In particular, Chinese Mahayana Buddhism need to embrace translation projects more earnestly.  For a long time, Chinese Mahayana Buddhism has remain closed to non-mandarin-speaking communities.  With the rare exception of a few Buddhist groups from Taiwan, most Chinese Mahayana Buddhist community remain mostly stuck in Chinatowns in foreign countries.  When these monasteries establish themselves in foreign land, they bring along with them the Chinese culture, including language, food, art, architecture and customs.  It may be intriguing initially, but beyond a casual interest, such a setup very often mean that the monastery or Buddhism do not become integrated into the local community.  The monastery, and consequently Buddhism, remains a foreign artefact, the tourist attraction, a chance to get a whiff of the orient, but never quite something one embrace as one’s faith or way of life.

This presents to Chinese Mahayana Buddhism, and perhaps to all Buddhist traditions, not an obstacle, but an opportunity to improve upon itself. Instead of clinging onto the Mandarin language and Chinese customs, we should adopt the native language of the adopted country where our temples and monasteries are established, so that we may share the essence of Buddhism wherever it can be of benefit.  While it may not be immediately feasible to introduce a 100% western-chinese Mahayana Buddhism, it may be of help to begin with the language and let the local four-fold community grow and develop from there.

Mindset

To begin, we should change the mindset that the Truth and Dharma can only be presented in a certain language, be it sanskrit, pali, mandarin / chinese, sinhalese, thai, myanmar, tibetan etc.  If we hold onto that, we will never be truthful or earnest in adopting another language as a medium for teaching.  While we may not get it right 100% at the onset, we should start somewhere.  Translations of indian Buddhist teachings into the Chinese language weren’t easy as well.  But because of the work of many monks and laity, we have the very comprehensive Chinese tripitaka canon today.  If it is to be relevant to people today and not be relegated to being worshipped in a bookself or altar, it must be accessible to people, both physically and literally.

Culture

It is normal and understandable to wish to retain one’s culture and tradition.  There is nothing that wrong altogether.  However, if that means retaining an artificial barrier just so that the tradition live on while Buddhist teachings become stagnated, then we may have to rethink our priorities.

At the heart of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism is the Bodhisattva ideal, wherein one learns and practises the Buddha-Dharma so that one may benefit oneself and others in attaining Buddhahood.  Buddhahood is seen as a means for benefitting others so that they may, as well, attain to cessation of suffering, and where possible attain Buddhahood.  The bodhisattva ideal plays a central role in one’s learnings and strivings.  In this light, the importance of culture as opposed to the Buddha Dharma pales in comparison.

Granted, if culture and tradition is not a barrier, it should also not be discarded frivolously as well.  Striking a balance, and maintaining a healthy dosage of tradition and integrating with new local culture is much needed.

Skillset

Skilful means should naturally extend to include usage of languages.  Here, we come back to the quotation at the start of the articles, “應以何身得度者，即現何身而為說法”.  If a foreign language is needed, then we should learn the foreign language so that we can help bridge the gap and aide in the understanding.  If the Indian and Chinese monks were able to learn foreign languages in those early days, I don’t see why we living in this day and age, with so much technology on our hands, should be deterred.

Language aside, we should also consider the mode of practice that is all too prevalent in Chinese Mahayana Buddhist communities today.  Long chanting sessions are common and has become de facto modus operandi.  While there are benefits from such practices, one should consider other practices that are available in Buddhism and not carve a narrow trail in the wide highway on the bodhisattva path.

When Chinese Mahayana Buddhism is able to discern and adapt to the culture of foreign land, we would be able to more successfully welcome all sentient beings onboard, regardless of language, creed, gender or race etc.  Then can we be worthy of the name Mahayana, the Greater Vehicle!

In this HowTo series, we explore the Pureland Practice. The contents herein is set at level 100 ~ 200, meaning it’s targeted at introductory to beginners’ level.

100 – Introductory 200 – Beginner 300 – Intermediate 400 – Advanced

This article was first drafted in 2007 and intended for publication on this blog. It was later revised and published in the December issue of Vaidurya 2008. It is now published here for public reading.

Introduction

Pureland Buddhism is ubiquitous in Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. Throughout most, if not all, Chinese temples and monasteries in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hongkong, China, worldwide, pureland practise is more well known than perhaps meditation practises like anapanasati (breathing meditation) and satipatthana (Four foundations of mindfulness). In certain cases, a Buddhist may even know only to chant “Amituofo” and nothing about the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold path. Sometimes this is due to the literacy level in the audience and other times, due to the level of the sangha community. Try explaining the Four Noble Truth and Eightfold path to an 80 year old granny who can barely understand you or try getting . . . → Read More: How To: Pureland Practice (100 ~ 200)]]> How To: Pureland Practice (100 ~ 200)

The above is an interesting article about functional programming and why it fail to catch on.

Every introduction to a programming language shows you the recursive method to calculate Fibonacci numbers. It’s abstract, many people do not relate to it very well, but it’s only a single example. However, the documentation for FP languages seem to consist solely of these kinds of highly mathematically inspired examples. No ‘Address’ class to be found there. Hasn’t anyone written a functional equivalent of the Pet Store application to demonstrate the power of FP for the regular work that most of us do?

This is sometimes the challenge I hear from people, that they find it too theoretical to apply certain religious concepts (be it Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or the religion you dig!) in their every day life.  While some faith’s tenets and ideals are meant to be other-worldly, Buddhist teachings are meant for daily applications.

When we attend Dharma classes, we need to relate it to our daily experiences and reflect upon how our life can be further improved.  Is there anything we could have done or said differently?  . . . → Read More: Getting real]]> http://confusion.tweakblogs.net/blog/1418/why-functional-programming-doesnt-catch-on.html

The above is an interesting article about functional programming and why it fail to catch on.

Every introduction to a programming language shows you the recursive method to calculate Fibonacci numbers. It’s abstract, many people do not relate to it very well, but it’s only a single example. However, the documentation for FP languages seem to consist solely of these kinds of highly mathematically inspired examples. No ‘Address’ class to be found there. Hasn’t anyone written a functional equivalent of the Pet Store application to demonstrate the power of FP for the regular work that most of us do?

This is sometimes the challenge I hear from people, that they find it too theoretical to apply certain religious concepts (be it Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or the religion you dig!) in their every day life.  While some faith’s tenets and ideals are meant to be other-worldly, Buddhist teachings are meant for daily applications.

When we attend Dharma classes, we need to relate it to our daily experiences and reflect upon how our life can be further improved.  Is there anything we could have done or said differently?  What can we do in future to be more considerate towards others?  Was there relevance at all?

People that want to improve the world often overlook one fundamental problem: you cannot improve the world just by being right. You need to convince others of that fact if you want to exert influence. If you cannot convince them, find out why you cannot convince them. I think there is a bright future ahead for functional programming, as soon as someone stands up to convince the masses.

We need to be convinced for ourselves that the teachings really do work out.  We need to try it out and see for ourselves.  The Dharma is meant to be explored and experienced, not merely for recitation.

So start now, see if you can pick something about your day that you can change about.  And see if you can apply the Buddhist teachings, then share your findings here.

Here’s the web site for the Singapore Buddhist Federation http://www.buddhist.org.sg/sbf/

A snippet here:

English Dharma Course (Info on Chinese Dharma Course is available at the site above)

Objective: To develop participants’ understanding in basic Buddhist teachings for life enrichment.

Contents: Lectures and panel discussions on the life of Buddha, a brief history Buddhism, Buddhist teachings, application of Buddhist teaching in daily life.

Entry Qualifications: Age above 16 and fluent in written and spoken English. Duration of Course: 3 years with 2 semesters per year. Date: Every Friday from 6th of March 2009 Time:8.00pm – 9.30pm Venue:Singapore Buddhist Federation 59 Lorong 24A Geylang, Singapore 398583 Tel: 6744 4635 Fax: 6747 3618

Registration Fee: Adult $50; Student $25 Certificate of Completion: Certificate of completion of the course will be issued to each participant who has satisfied the set criteria Registration: 1. Photocopy of NRIC or Passport; 2. One recent passport sizes photo. 3. Registration at: Buddhist Federation,59 Lorong 24A Geylang, Singapore 398583 Tel: 6744 4635 Fax: 6747 3618 Off hours: 0900 am to 5.00 pm Mon to Fri; 0900 am to 100 pm Sat

* Registration form is available for download at the above site.