Karuna Buddhist Society

10/17/2026

🎓 HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. PRANAYAN CHAKMA! 🎓

It is with immense joy and pride that we celebrate another remarkable academic milestone achieved by Dr. Pranayan Chakma, who has successfully earned his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Healthcare Management and Leadership from California Intercontinental University (Crestmont University).

Having previously earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from Nova Southeastern University, Florida, this second doctoral degree marks another outstanding achievement in his academic and professional journey, reflecting his dedication, perseverance, and lifelong passion for learning.

His remarkable accomplishment is not only a source of pride for his family and our community but also an inspiration to younger generations to pursue their dreams through education and determination.

On behalf of all the members of Karuna Buddhist Society (KBS), we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Pranayan Chakma on this wonderful achievement!

May his knowledge and expertise continue to benefit society and inspire others. We are truly proud of him and wish him continued success, happiness, and fulfillment in all his future endeavors.

With heartfelt congratulations and best wishes,
Karuna Buddhist Society (KBS)
Highland, California

08/31/2026

08/24/2026

In the Cundī Sutta (AN 5.32), Princess Cundi approached the Buddha and said that, according to her brother, those taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha and adhering to the Five Precepts will be reborn only in a good destination after death.

Among all sentient beings, the Buddha is considered supreme because he uprooted all defilements and cultivated the highest virtues. He achieved excellent mental skills, perfect wisdom, and supernormal powers.

The Noble Eightfold Path leading to Nibbana is foremost as it encourages perfect behaviour, and is good in the beginning, middle and end.

The Sangha awakened from the first stage onwards, is the best field of merit for the world and the most worthy.

Those who have confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha have confidence in the foremost, and those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.

08/23/2026

Be careful where you place your faith.

Sometimes we become deeply devoted to a famous monk, teacher, or spiritual guru because of the way they speak, teach, or inspire us. There is nothing wrong with respecting and learning from good teachers. But our faith should not depend entirely upon any particular person.

Why? Because every individual is still an individual. A respected teacher, or someone closely associated with that teacher, may one day say or do something that disappoints us. If our whole spiritual confidence has been built around that person, their failure can become our spiritual crisis. We may begin to doubt not only the teacher, but even the path itself.

That is why a Buddhist should establish faith on a deeper and more reliable foundation: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha—the Triple Gem.

Teachers can guide us toward the Dhamma, but they are not the Dhamma itself. A person’s mistake cannot make the Buddha’s teaching false. Human shortcomings cannot diminish the truth of impermanence, compassion, wisdom, the Noble Eightfold Path, or the way leading to freedom from suffering.

So appreciate worthy teachers. Respect them, learn from them, and be grateful for their guidance—but do not let your faith stand or fall with a personality.

Let your faith be rooted in the Triple Gem.

When faith is rooted in people, it may change when people change.
When faith is rooted in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, it has a foundation far deeper than any individual.

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

Truly, the Buddha is holy, fully enlightened, perfect in
knowledge and conduct, a welfarer, world-knower, the
incomparable leader of men to be tamed, teacher of gods
and mankind, the Awakened and Exalted One.

[Itipi so bhagavā araham sammāsambuddho vijjā-caranasampanno sugato lokavidu anuttaro purisadamma sārathi satthā devamanussānam buddho bhagavā]