When a turning point in the passage of time arrives, just like the dawn of a New Year, we think and talk about new resolutions, of which “success” is an important segment. In fact, all our resolutions center on the very word “success.” On important days, we all renew our determination to achieve success.
In popular culture, however, the word “success” is a heavily misdefined and misinterpreted word so that achieving success is confusing and illusive to those who have embraced such views.
To be brief, the common belief in society is that your marriage, motherhood, fatherhood, or life in general is successful only if you portray yourselves as wealthy and popular people.
From a Buddhist perspective, this interpretation of success is a fallacious, as well as pernicious, view. A successful person, according to the Buddha, is the one who has found balance in life—and the one who is striving to find balance in life.
What is “balance,” actually? In brief, you should be striving to cover all the main bases of life if you are balancing your life. To put it all together in an organized way, I should separate the so-called main bases into four categories:

1. You should be striving for your physical and mental well-being, including your spirituality.
2. You should be striving for your worldly success—in your education, profession, business, and finances.
3. You should be strengthening your interpersonal and social relationships.
4. You should be supporting social progress and for the well-being of others.

Those who strive for success treat all these four aspects equally. That is the balance we all should strive to maintain in 2018—and for many, many years to come!

Vihara members and friends participated in the New Year blessing service on January 1 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Six Bhikkhus held Pujas and chanted in order to bless the supporters and participants for a peaceful and prosperous new year. A special Deva Puja was held by Bhante Nanda immediately after chanting.

Despite having freezing weather, a large crowd attended the ceremony, and many others visited the Vihara from the morning. Please see below some pictures of the service:

We begin the New Year of 2018 with another success story: renovation of the dining hall. Now the hall is more accommodated, elegant, convenient, and safe.

A few minor work still remains, but that is the work of only a couple of days.

Children’s Dhamma, Sinhala, music, and dancing classes will begin on January 7. We are requesting parents to make it a commitment to bring their children to these biweekly classes.

Please make sure that your children participate in the Puja, which begins at 8:30 a.m.

Sila program conducted by Ven. Upananda Nayaka Thero will be held Saturday, January 6. Your lunch will be provided by Vihara members. A separate message with details will follow.

From January 2018, the weekly meditation session held on Fridays has been moved to Saturdays. The first Saturday meditation program will be held on Jan. 6 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. It includes a 45-minute discussion as well.