Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
SMALL BUT BIG INSPIRATION
Why would a boy not yet ten make a choice to leave the comfort of his home and spend weeks in a near spartan living conditions in India for three successive years?
Accommodation has been very bare rooms with just nailed together wooden beds and thin mattresses. Water is cold. If there water heater, it does not often work. The pipes too do not work well. Electricity supply is erratic with power outages common day and night.
The air is always filled with dust and the streets, everywhere is dirty.
Food is simple. No fancy fare. Days on end, it can be cauliflower and cabbage. And it is also just two meals a day, no dinner.
Strict discipline and regiment have also be followed, like waking up as early as 5 am and being out and about by 5.45 am for daily morning chanting.
Any boy that age would not want to make such a sacrifice of his school holidays which would mean endless hours of fun, playing online games, watching movies or TV etc etc etc. But not Samita Lee Kah Peng (left in top picture with Ven Sumedha, the High Priest of Mulaghanda Kuty Vihara and fellow samanera Vajira Nanda).
It is astounding that he chose this, not for one year but so far three in a row! Why is he a picture of contentment and happiness without TV, Internet and the luxuries and comfort of modern living?
I don't have the answer and my guess is that Samita doesn't exactly know either. He just likes it. He will probably know later in age when the purpose of life unfolds for him.
Samita first made his choice in 2007 when he was seven to join the Aloka Novitiate in Lumbini as a pilgrim. I learnt that he wanted to celebrate his birthday at the place where the Buddha was born.
Accompanied by his mother, Samita was just an observer of the goings-on at the Novitiate programme. This cute little boy was resplendent and princely looking in his special white attire on his birthday. He was personally coached by Bhante Mahinda on how to make birthday wishes as well as taught to recite in Pali and English, the first three highest blessings of the Mangala Sutta.
Samita must have been inspiration on his return home that year. The following year, he came to the Aloka Novitiate in Bodhgaya not just with his mother but also grand parents. In his princely white, he participated in the programme, observing the Eight Precepts.
He made up his mind in Bodhgaya that he would be in Sarnath the following year and he would be a samanera, this time observing the Ten Precepts.
This year, Samita went to Sarnath not just with his mother and grand parents but also his father and aunt in tow. Father Lee Siew Kee joined as a samanera while the rest of the family members were pilgrims.
Samita wowed many by keeping to the discipline and regiment -- donning the robes, being mindful as much as he could in his actions and also delivering a speech at the closing ceremony where he recited what he had learnt in Pali for all three Novitiate programmes.
Small as he may be, but he is indeed big in inspiration!
YOUNG INSPIRATION
I want to improve my spiritual development
I want to train myself not to eat at night
I like to experience life in Sarnath
I want to continue my practice this year because I have been studying for UPSR this whole year
I am inspired by Samita because he is a samanera
I want to practice noble silence/less talk
I want to walk the right path to Nibbana
I want to develop contentment. No 'I'. No 'My'
I want to plant the seed of Enlightenment
I want to get your guidance the next 3 weeks
Lee Ji Wen or Vajira Nanda, who was going on 12, wrote this on why he wanted to be a samanera and why he should be accepted as a last minute entrant of the Aloka Novitiate Programme in Sarnath.
Wen (centre in photo with grandpa Lee Kim Hiang and sister Yu Feng)had arrived in Sarnath on Nov 10 to be a helper in this Aloka Novitiate 2009 but nine-year-old Lee Kah Peng aka Samita was an inspiration for him to want to switch to be a samanera.
He approached Sister Sumitra to seek permission and was asked to give 10 reasons. He wrote the above and with those reasons, he could not be denied even though the organisers had not come prepared with robes of his size. But it was meant to be for him. The Mahabodhi Society of India which operates the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara had just the robes for him. Never mind that the colour was brighter saffron rather than the darker shade that the others adorn.
This was not his first novitiate. As a nine year old, he had joined the Aloka Novitiate 2007 in Lumbini with his father, Lee Ming Tzyy. If I am not mistaken, he had also participated, at a much younger age, in the novitiate programme conducted in the Sri Jayanti Vihara in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.
Little Wen has been an inspiration for me even at the age of four. He left an idelible imprint in my mind with his acts of dana at my first novitiate at the Buddhist Maha Vihara at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur then.
I can recall with clarity this little boy who would come around the lunch table to distribute chocolates to the samaneras and upasikas. I was moved by his act of generosity -- wouldn't any four year old want to keep the chocolates for himself than give them away! Each time, I would keep the chocolates to give it to him after lunch. I was not the only one with the same thought and Wen always ended up with lots and lots of chocolates. It was instant rewards. Wen learnt about dana and the benefits of giving!
Well exposed to the Dhamma, Wen with his two sisters are a familiar sight at the Buddhist Maha Vihara. They can be a riotous bunch but wouldn't carefree kids be! What impressed me were their independence and this is what gave confidence to their parents to allow 15-year-old Yu Feng and Wen to be in India just by themselves to be helpers.
I must admit that I didn't share their confidence. I recalled telling their father who had come to send us off at the airport that I would take them to see Sister Sumitra if they were mischevious. I did not have to. They taught me not to type cast. In their own way, they taught me precious lessons.
Indeed, I am very proud of them, both of them.
I want to train myself not to eat at night
I like to experience life in Sarnath
I want to continue my practice this year because I have been studying for UPSR this whole year
I am inspired by Samita because he is a samanera
I want to practice noble silence/less talk
I want to walk the right path to Nibbana
I want to develop contentment. No 'I'. No 'My'
I want to plant the seed of Enlightenment
I want to get your guidance the next 3 weeks
Lee Ji Wen or Vajira Nanda, who was going on 12, wrote this on why he wanted to be a samanera and why he should be accepted as a last minute entrant of the Aloka Novitiate Programme in Sarnath.
Wen (centre in photo with grandpa Lee Kim Hiang and sister Yu Feng)had arrived in Sarnath on Nov 10 to be a helper in this Aloka Novitiate 2009 but nine-year-old Lee Kah Peng aka Samita was an inspiration for him to want to switch to be a samanera.
He approached Sister Sumitra to seek permission and was asked to give 10 reasons. He wrote the above and with those reasons, he could not be denied even though the organisers had not come prepared with robes of his size. But it was meant to be for him. The Mahabodhi Society of India which operates the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara had just the robes for him. Never mind that the colour was brighter saffron rather than the darker shade that the others adorn.
This was not his first novitiate. As a nine year old, he had joined the Aloka Novitiate 2007 in Lumbini with his father, Lee Ming Tzyy. If I am not mistaken, he had also participated, at a much younger age, in the novitiate programme conducted in the Sri Jayanti Vihara in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.
Little Wen has been an inspiration for me even at the age of four. He left an idelible imprint in my mind with his acts of dana at my first novitiate at the Buddhist Maha Vihara at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur then.
I can recall with clarity this little boy who would come around the lunch table to distribute chocolates to the samaneras and upasikas. I was moved by his act of generosity -- wouldn't any four year old want to keep the chocolates for himself than give them away! Each time, I would keep the chocolates to give it to him after lunch. I was not the only one with the same thought and Wen always ended up with lots and lots of chocolates. It was instant rewards. Wen learnt about dana and the benefits of giving!
Well exposed to the Dhamma, Wen with his two sisters are a familiar sight at the Buddhist Maha Vihara. They can be a riotous bunch but wouldn't carefree kids be! What impressed me were their independence and this is what gave confidence to their parents to allow 15-year-old Yu Feng and Wen to be in India just by themselves to be helpers.
I must admit that I didn't share their confidence. I recalled telling their father who had come to send us off at the airport that I would take them to see Sister Sumitra if they were mischevious. I did not have to. They taught me not to type cast. In their own way, they taught me precious lessons.
Indeed, I am very proud of them, both of them.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
BLESSED NOVITIATE
Samaneras, Anagarikas, Upasikas, Sangha members, Pilgrims & Helpers of the Aloka Novitiate 2009 at the Dhamekh Stupa
"Recall to mind that you are in the vicinity of the sacred site where the Buddha preached the first sermon..." Bhante Mahinda guided all at the Aloka Novitiate 2009 in Sarnath, India in this contemplation daily.
"Rejoice with the merits that have brought you to this sacred site... and have a sense of gratitude for your parents, teachers and all those who have made it possible for you to be here..."
This constant reminder and guidance enabled us to -- slowly and surely -- connect with this sacred land, one of the four that the Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana sutta exhorted all pious persons to visit and look upon with feelings of reverence after his Mahaparinibbana.
To be up close and personal to the very site where the Buddha preached the Dhammacakkapvatana Sutta and turned the wheel of Dhamma was indeed a blessed experience. Day by day in the two-week stay -- some three weeks being in the advance preparation team -- one can feel enveloped by the blissful serenity that this holy land exudes.
Without a care in the world as to how the next meal will be coming, what food will be on the table, what to wear, whether you are colour co-ordinated, etc etc etc. Meal times are fixed. 7.30 for breakfast and 11.30 for lunch. Attire is also fixed. Just the simple saffron robes for samaneras and whites for anagarikas and upasikas.
No worries. No handphones to answer. No emails to reply. No deadlines to meet. Just be focussed, experience the bliss of monastic life. Drink in the air of serenity and peace as one calms and feels the quietness of the mind.
In brief, this surmises what the 32 samaneras, 11 anagarikas, 76 upasikas went through in the Aloka Novitiate from Dec 14-29 -- the third in a series of Novitiate Programmes that Bhante Mahinda is conducting in the Buddha's holy places.
"Rejoice with the merits that have brought you to this sacred site... and have a sense of gratitude for your parents, teachers and all those who have made it possible for you to be here..."
This constant reminder and guidance enabled us to -- slowly and surely -- connect with this sacred land, one of the four that the Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana sutta exhorted all pious persons to visit and look upon with feelings of reverence after his Mahaparinibbana.
To be up close and personal to the very site where the Buddha preached the Dhammacakkapvatana Sutta and turned the wheel of Dhamma was indeed a blessed experience. Day by day in the two-week stay -- some three weeks being in the advance preparation team -- one can feel enveloped by the blissful serenity that this holy land exudes.
Without a care in the world as to how the next meal will be coming, what food will be on the table, what to wear, whether you are colour co-ordinated, etc etc etc. Meal times are fixed. 7.30 for breakfast and 11.30 for lunch. Attire is also fixed. Just the simple saffron robes for samaneras and whites for anagarikas and upasikas.
No worries. No handphones to answer. No emails to reply. No deadlines to meet. Just be focussed, experience the bliss of monastic life. Drink in the air of serenity and peace as one calms and feels the quietness of the mind.
In brief, this surmises what the 32 samaneras, 11 anagarikas, 76 upasikas went through in the Aloka Novitiate from Dec 14-29 -- the third in a series of Novitiate Programmes that Bhante Mahinda is conducting in the Buddha's holy places.
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