[Welcome Tea] The path to Wholesome Living

University life can feel like a rollercoaster - some days, we’re having the time of our life, while other times, we spend our days stressing over anything under the sun. This experience can be very unsatisfactory. Amidst all this, how can we better navigate life with more wholesomeness?

Start off the new academic year with our two-part welcome tea on what is unwholesome and what is wholesome! You’ll find a warm and inclusive community in SMU Dhamma Circle and also learn about fundamental Buddhist concepts which are key in the path towards happy and wholesome living.


~Click HERE to register and redeem a welcome pack~

*Limited slots & welcome packs available*

📆 17 & 24 August 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

We look forward to seeing you! 😊


SMUDC will be participating in Vivace on 10 & 11 August 2023.

Come visit us at our booth opposite Marmalade Pantry in Basement 1 to find out more about our community and activities!

[VIVACE 2023 - Ask Me Anything]

Always had burning questions about Buddhism, SMUDC, etc., but not sure when to ask? This is your chance!

SMUDC will be answering any queries posted to us today. Simply head over to our Instagram story to type in all your questions! 🥰

Instagram: https://instagram.com/smudhammacircle?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[Week 3] Unboxing Buddhism with Sis Sylvia Bay

🎶 Ehipassiko, come and see you’ll know 🎶

Just as purity of gold is ascertained by melting or rubbing on a touchstone, likewise the Dhamma should be accepted only after very close scrutiny (Jnanasara-samuccaya). Come and see the Dhamma by joining us for a Q&A session with Sis Sylvia Bay, who is a Buddhist scholar, author, and prominent speaker of the Buddhist doctrine, Buddhist history and the practical applications of the Buddha’s teachings in our daily life.

No matter if you’re someone who’s curious to know more about Buddhism, or an avid practitioner who has a burning question to be addressed - come and unbox Buddhism through this Q&A session!

Sis Sylvia will also be starting the session with a short guided meditation.

~ Click HERE to register ~

*Limited slots available*

📆 31 August 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm (p.s. registration starts at 7:15 pm)
🏢 SMU SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3


Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! 😊

[Week 4] Multiple Traditions, Common Goal

🌟 Embark on a Journey of Discovery 🌟

As we navigate through the intricate world of Buddhism, we invite you to uncover its multiple traditions, all converging on a shared goal: inner peace and liberation. Much like different facets of a precious gem, Buddhism reveals its depth as we explore these traditions.

Join us this Thursday for an illuminating discussion where we emphasize the universal essence of Buddhist practices. We'll introduce you to the concepts of "dharma doors" and "skillful means," underscoring how Buddhism offers multiple paths for self-improvement, nurtures compassion, encourages personal growth, and extends a caring hand to those in need.

📆 7 September 2023
🕖 7:20 pm – 9.30pm (meditation starts at 7:20 pm)
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! For external guests and alumni, please inform us by Monday 2359 if you are coming.

[Week 5] This too shall pass: Contemplations on life and death

We are all subject to impermanence and the unceasing passage of time. Our possessions will not be with us forever, we move onto different experiences, we lose in touch with former friends. And yet, impermanence is a constant truth that often escapes our awareness. We become attached to all things frivolous while failing to appreciate what we already have.

For this upcoming sharing, we will reflect upon impermanence with the Five Remembrances, teaching us that our greatest gift is our ability to mould our own actions and thoughts. It is through an understanding of life's impermanence that we are able to navigate life with equanimity and compassion.

📆 14 September 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9.30pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! For external guests and alumni, please inform us by Sunday 2359 if you are coming.

[Week 6] Managing expectations, preventing burnout

There’s so much we want to do, so much we want to achieve. Yet, we sometimes reach a point where we are simply exhausted, both physically and emotionally, causing us to withdraw from our commitments or the people around us.

Join us for a sharing by Brother Heng Xuan who will share about how we can better manage our expectations and prevent the arising of burnout in our ambitious lives.

Brother Heng Xuan is a Cambridge graduate who works as a senior associate in an investment firm. He is also the co-founder of DAYWA, a community for young Buddhist working adults in Singapore, & Handful Of Leaves, a popular Buddhist media platform which publishes insightful articles and a podcast series.

~ Click HERE to register ~

*Limited slots available*

📆 21 September 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm (p.s. registration starts at 7:15 pm)
🏢 SMU SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3


Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! :D

[Recess Week: Temple Tour]

Looking to kick off your recess week on a high note?

Join us on a short tour of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum, Singapore’s most prominent Buddhist temple with Buddhist art and history that tell stories of culture over thousands of years old 🖼

We’ll visit iconic displays like
- the Hundred Dragons Hall
- the Bodhisattvas of the World Museum
- the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda
- the Sacred Buddha Relics Chamber
and more! 🐉🪷

We’ll then end off with a delicious vegetarian lunch at the temple, free-of-charge! 😊🥢

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for our Temple Tour today! Limited slots available.

📆 1 Oct 2023, Sunday
🕖 9:45AM - 1:00PM
🏯 288 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058840

*Link updated

[Week 7] Guided Meditation Session

In the blink of an eye, we're almost halfway through the semester!

Amidst all your commitments, have you given any thought to your physical and mental well-being?

Join us for a guided meditation session this coming Thursday to give your mind a well-deserved break.

See you there :)

📆 28 September 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 8.30pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! For external guests and alumni, please inform us by Sunday 2359 if you are coming.

Hi everyone, we have one more free ticket to watch Tukdam: Between Worlds, courtesy of Amitabha Buddhist Centre, today
4:10PM at Shaw Theatres Lido.

Date: 23 Sep (Sat) 4.10pm
Location: Shaw Theatres Lido
Film classification: NC16
Film length: 1 hour 31 mins

About the movie: Tukdam is about the scientific research into the phenomenon of Tukdam, where the bodies of advanced meditators who are pronounced clinically dead stay fresh without decay for days or even weeks https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21945758/

Do PM @Russellkyq asap if you would like to go!

Temple tour happening this Sunday! Don’t miss out on a chance to tour the iconic Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum and to enjoy a free vegetarian lunch on us 😊🙏🍴🏯

Don’t wait any longer! Sign up now!

Link: https://smudhammacircle.wixsite.com/smudc/event-details/smudc-temple-tour-buddha-tooth-relic-temple

[Week 10] Optimism in Buddhism

At first glance, the declaration of the first noble truth "There is suffering" might lead one to perceive Buddhism as a pessimistic religion. Yet, this interpretation merely skims the surface of Buddhist teachings. In fact, Buddhism exudes optimism by showing a path to true happiness through the cultivation of wisdom, morality and stillness.

Join us this Thursday for a Dhamma Talk by Phra Goh Chun Kiang who will share on the topic of optimism and Buddhism. A Singaporean Monastic ordained in the Theravada Tradition, Phra Goh has given many dhamma talks across Singapore and currently resides at Palelai Temple. He is a member of the Inter-Religious Organisation Youth, and also the spiritual advisor of Buddhist Youth Network and Singapore Polytechnic Buddhist Society.

~ Click HERE to register ~

*Limited slots available*

📆 19 October 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9pm (registration starts at 7:15 pm)
🏢 SMU SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3


Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! :D

[Week 11] Human Library: Lives Touched by the Dhamma

All of us come in touch with the Dhamma in different ways. Some of us follow our parents to temples on various occasions, while others stumble upon thought-provoking books or videos that change the way we see the world.

No matter our starting point, for those of us practicing, the Dhamma becomes a big part of our lives, like a friend who holds our hand through life’s countless challenges.

Join us this Thursday for SMUDC’s inaugural human library where a couple of our members will share how the Dhamma has touched their lives.

📆 26 October 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you! For external guests and alumni, please inform us by Sunday 2359 if you are coming.

[Week 12] Ancient Wisdom: Modern Evidence

"Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought."

— Dhammapada 1

2500 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama set out on a journey to discover the cure to suffering: The 4 Noble Truths, which illustrates how suffering, the mind and the self are interrelated. He became the Buddha.

However, with the Buddha having done so in a time long before modern science, it is natural to ask whether what he has discovered can stand up to modern scientific scrutiny.

Join us next Thursday as we aim to scientifically investigate the Buddha's teachings and attempt to answer these questions: What does modern psychology say about Buddhist teachings? How can we use Buddhist practices to help us pursue a more wholesome mental state? 🧠 Let's put on our thinking cap and explore!

📆 2 November 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you!

[Week 13] End-of-Sem Mindfulness Session

It’s the end of the semester! Let’s pause and give ourselves a pat on the back for coming this far 😄🙌🏽

Before diving right into finals’ preparation, SMUDC invites everybody to join us for a calming and relaxing mindfulness session to build stress resilience and reduce anxiety. There’ll be some light stretches and meditation sessions as we practice mindfulness both in movement and in stillness 🍃

Do sign up soon as slots are limited. See you there!

~ Click HERE to register ~

📆 9 November 2023
🕖 7:30 pm – 9pm (registration starts at 7:15 pm)
🏢 SMU SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you :D

[Week 1] SMUDC Reconnect: Goals & Aspirations

The basic desire in everyone is for happiness. Our desires come in different forms. Do you crave for delicious meals? Do you sought after a certain GPA? These are all desires. However, desires are not all bad. In the Buddhist teachings, there are skilful and unskillful desires. We can choose how to achieve our goals!

To kickstart this new semester, SMUDC warmly invites you to join us this Thursday to discuss the different types of desires and how we can navigate them to set skillful goals and aspirations for the new year!

📆 11 January 2024
🕖 7:30 pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you :D
For external guests and alumni, please inform us by Sunday 2359 if you are coming

[Week 2] Befriending Kamma: A Life Shaped by Choices

The concept of Kamma, or Karma, often evokes feelings of fear due to its association with a universal system of punishment and reward. However, when explored through the teachings of the Buddha, Kamma takes on a profound meaning—one that emphasizes the pivotal role of our intentions in shaping our destinies.

Contrary to common misconceptions, Kamma isn't a system of cosmic retribution; rather, it serves as a powerful reminder that our lives are influenced by the intentions behind our actions in body, speech and mind. There is no force of predetermined fate as our mindful choices have the transformative potential to reshape our lives.

Join us this Thursday as we explore this teaching and how we can break free from negative patterns in our lives.

📆 18 January 2024
🕖 7:30pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you :D

[Week 3] Transforming Poison into Nectar: Buddhism & Regret

Regret & guilt are universal emotions that we are bound to feel in different parts of our lives. They can form a source of strength to propel us towards self-improvement or they can form paralysing stumbling blocks that hinder rather than aid our life journey. More often than not, these feelings can be more negative than positive in our journey for self-improvement.

Given that such emotions are experienced universally, the Buddha certainly talked about them in his teachings, exploring the role they serve in our life’s journey. Join us this Thursday as we explore ideas on regret & guilt, and see how we can effectively transmute them from the poison of regret into the nectar of self-improvement & reflection.

📆 25 January 2024
🕖 7:30pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

PS: Registration is not required. Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you :D

[Week 4] Weaving Prayer Beads with SMUDC

Are you finding something to help ground yourself during meditation? Or perhaps you're sick of staring at your laptop screen for hours on end and itching to do something with your hands that doesn't involve typing?

Join us next Thursday as we learn the ancient art of creating mala beads, a type of Buddhist rosary that traces its origins to thousands of years ago. Not only are they beautiful adornments, mala beads help us concentrate our minds during meditation and spiritual practice, and often serve as useful reminders of the need for continual progress in our lives.

All participants get to make and bring home their own mala bead bracelet. No sign ups required. See you there!

📆 1 February 2024
🕖 7:30pm – 9pm
🏢 SOE/SCIS2 Classroom 3-3

Everyone is welcome, we look forward to seeing you :D