Can we protect the dharma like him?

• Spnw07

  1 Feb 08, 09:28

  

  The above is a Thai monk who rescues abandoned orphans and teaches them Muay Thai.

  This was taken from Sunday Times, 27 January - 7th instalment of New Asian Heroes, an eight-part series on Asians who lead inspiring lives. The article was penned by reporter Mr Wong Kim Hoh in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

  _______________________________________________________

  Excerpts from the article:

  1. Before he became a monk, Phra Kru Ba Neua Chai, 45, was a lethal muay thai fighter who lost only three fights in a 15 year professional boxing career. He also studied law at Ramkhamkheng University in Bangkok, and was married to a petty trader who bore him two children.

  His son, 21 is a soldier and national boxer. His daughter, 19, also a muay thai exponent, is an undergraduate at an agricultural university in Chiang Rai

  2. For the last 17 years, the charismatic man has devoted his life to spreading the Dharma. He's turned what was once dry, uninhabited forest land into a conservation with paddocks and pens for scores of Thai horses and magnificent fighting cocks.

  It has also become a home for many young boys from various hill tribes who have been orphaned, abandoned or made homeless by ruthless drug guerillas who traffic heroin, opium and methamphetamines in the area, known to the outside world as The Golden Triangle.

  In the monastery, these boys are ordained as novice monks and learn how to read and write. The abbott also teaches them Buddhist scriptures, horse-riding and muay thai.

  3. He smiles when asked if cock fighting is a cruel sport. "They're born warriors. They were born to fight and will fight regardless. "Like these creatures, we all have to fight - for freedom, independence, to be who we want to be. They are the best boxing masters one could have. They have no toolos, you learn a lot just by observing how they move."

  4. Although there were no major upheavals in his life, he was dogged by questions on human suffering. "Maybe it's predestined that I study law so  that I can compare the laws of man and the laws of karma," he says.

  A visit to the university's forensic department made him reflect on his life. "If I had 40 years left, I'd spend 20 years sleeping and another 10 working, eating and socialising. If I'm lucky, I'd live out the rest of my life right. If not, my life would have been a total waste."

  5. At 29, he told his wife of eight years he wanted to get ordained. He left for Chiang Rai, where he sat on a rock in the forest and meditated for 15 days.

  To show he has been reborn to devote his life to the Buddha, several monks spent four days and nights tattooing his body with scripture signifying that he'll never give up his vows.

  He told his wife that he has found peace and detachment from earthly desires, and that both of them should start life anew.

  6. There are now more than 100 horses in the temple. He teaches his novice monks how to care for the animals and in the process, imparts values such as responsibility and loyalty. Yet other devotees offered money to build big temples.

  "Monks have no need for money, we also cannot have debt," he says. He offered them alternatives: "Why not give to build schools so that they can have an education? Why not use it for salaries for teachers to teach these children?"

  7. His work earned him the backing of the Thai army. It also won the approval of a revered chief monk in Bangkok who encourage him to help the hill tribes. The war between various drug lords has left in its wake a host of problems such as drug addiction, kidnapping and prostitution.

  8. Many of the people who come to see him want to seek peace and happiness. He smiles and say gently: "Everyone wants to look for peace and happiness. Maybe they should first try to achieve some understanding."

  "It's impossible for the whole world to understand one person. Why don't we try to understand the whole world instead, starting with ourselves?"

  ________________________________________________________

  I wonder if we can protect the dharma like him.

   

• Wings088

  2 Feb 08, 13:48

  Why protect the Dharma? How many per cent of living beings is interested in the Dharma? What is true Dharma? ( there are many corrupt Dharma)eg.those advertise in newspaper,fo kuang hung,etc. It is also very very diffcult to meet the Dharma,especially now,the power of money.(blind in the eyes by many) You need fate,good merit,good karma to meet the Dharma.It is a very personal thing.If deep inside you,you really need it badly,you will go searching for it. If not,when it appears infront of you,you are not interested and take it for nothing. Dharma is a way,a method,a map to show you out of suffering.
• Wings088

  2 Feb 08, 13:54

  Dont worry.With this photo very soon people will start praying to it.Seeking for fortune,wealth,safety,etc.Maybe already in one of the shop at Fu Lu Shou. Look at Thai Buddhism,how many per cent is correct Buddhism.They are very good at Buddha amulet.
• potstop163

  3 Feb 08, 00:18

  Do good and refrain from evil , that is still the core teachings.The money from amulets sales n donations hav got on to build schools ,roads ,bridges,temples...that is definitely good n it gives layman a chance to give.

  The teachings is there for those who r ready to learn,different people take to different teachings.Only when people come in contact with Buddhism (even if it may be to pray for things at first) will they hav the chance to understand what its all about.Even if they dun attain englightenment in this lifetime but at least the seeds are planted.

• An Eternal Now

  3 Feb 08, 00:34

  Originally posted by Wings088:

  Dont worry.With this photo very soon people will start praying to it.Seeking for fortune,wealth,safety,etc.Maybe already in one of the shop at Fu Lu Shou.
  Look at Thai Buddhism,how many per cent is correct Buddhism.They are very good at Buddha amulet.

  Yeah I must say quite a lot of corruption of dharma exist in Thai Buddhism, as well as others Buddhisms.

  Though, their Thai Forest Tradition is quite good...

  p.s. though we do not know about this Thai monk, it is best not to comment. How do you know of his practices?

• An Eternal Now

  3 Feb 08, 01:11

  Originally posted by potstop163:

  Do good and refrain from evil , that is still the core teachings.

  Not commenting on your other part of the post, just on this part alone.

  诸�莫�,众善奉行 ,自净其�，是诸佛教

  Many people say 'do good, avoid evil' is Buddhism. But if you 诸�莫�,众善奉行 (avoid all evil, do all good) but never 自净其� (purify your mind), then what you are cultivating is merely worldly blessings of human and devas... not different from other religions.

  
  Please note that Not every religion/teaching that teaches "Do good, avoid evil" is considered Buddhism. In Buddhism other than "do good, avoid evil", what is essential is "purify our mind".
  
  Do good, avoid evil, is merely prevent bad karma and make good karma, the highest is rebirth in heaven, but not liberation nor enlightenment.

  Please read:

  
  唯佛宗世界人乘佛教：净化人心
  www.rencheng.com
  Ven Shen Kai
  
  圣开导师说：“学佛修行è¦�净化人心，唯有人 心净化，人类æ‰�有幸ç¦�，世间æ‰�有快ä¹�。”
  
  因此圣开导师æ��倡“é�©å¿ƒ”，所谓é�©å¿ƒå°±æ˜¯æ”¹ 造自己的心，净化自己的心。
  
  人 人都有心，我们的心是å�ƒå�˜ä¸‡åŒ–的，上天堂， 下地狱，在六é�“里转轮回，都是人心所造出æ�¥ 的。人心善则有善的感应；人心æ�¶åŒ–了，自然 感应ç§�ç§�苦æ�¼ä¸�如æ„�。就因 为当今世界人心趋å�‘æ�¶åŒ–，有了贪嗔痴等无明 愚痴的心念，æ�€ç›—淫等一切ä¸�好的事情就产生 的，人类的幸ç¦�é€�æ¸�å‡�少，而六é�“轮回也是因 人心的æ�¶åŒ–å½¢æˆ�的。世间许 多人类的ä¸�幸，就是因为å�ƒå�ƒä¸‡ä¸‡çš„ä¸�善业所 感。而人身体所å�šçš„行为，å�£æ‰€è¯´çš„言语，都 是å�‘之于“æ„�”，æ„�就是心念，人类就是因为 没有智慧觉照，常常被自己 的心所欺骗，ä¸�明因果，ä¸�知所å�šçš„事，对自 己或他人有利或有害，因愚痴而造æ�¶ä¸šï¼Œæ‰€ä»¥ ä¸�幸与痛苦也就跟ç�€æ�¥äº†ã€‚
  
  许多宗教都是教人è¦�行善，ä¸�è¦�å�šæ�¶ï¼Œå”¯ç‹¬ä½› 教除了教人“诸æ�¶èŽ«ä½œï¼Œä¼—善奉行”之外，还 教人è¦�“自净其æ„�”，æ„�念清净了，自然就没 有贪嗔痴，也就没有一切ä¸�好的行为。
  
  很多人以为行善就是净化人心，以为诸�莫作 ，众善奉行，就是清净，其实这样还�够，� 把�也净了，把���觉，�是清净。��� 到自净其�，就是净化人心。
  
  心有污染的时候，我们就�净化自己，用佛的 甘露�把心洗干净，常常观心，�让自己的无 明生起。如果我们的心净化了，家庭�一个人 也净化了，这个社会也就净化了，�使�个社 会都净化了，人类统统都净化了，那么我们这 个世间就�为人间净土了。

• january

  3 Feb 08, 02:38

  buddhism cannot escape the forces of money as people will want to take a share of the money pie by selling all kind of buddhism merchandise and gather donations.

   

  Of course not people are like that though. Atheism is not that popular, and it does not have those amulets or protective stuff, so there is little chance of money making. welcome to atheism.

• An Eternal Now

  3 Feb 08, 02:53

  Originally posted by january:

  buddhism cannot escape the forces of money as people will want to take a share of the money pie by selling all kind of buddhism merchandise and gather donations.

   

  Of course not people are like that though. Atheism is not that popular, and it does not have those amulets or protective stuff, so there is little chance of money making. welcome to atheism.

  Just because a chestbox is full of dust and dirt on the outside, doesn't mean it didnt have any real gold to offer inside.

  So my suggestion is, do not judge a book by it's cover. It can be misleading. (i.e. corruptions of Buddhism that only happens in certain places but NOT all, giving false appearances) 

  Learn the Buddhist teachings and see yourself.

• justdoit77

  3 Feb 08, 07:41

  This world always has bad people and those people who claimed themselves to be buddhist yet doing unwholesome deeds, if because of that we stop spreading dharma, then we can only spread dharma in pureland already, which is very wrong.

  As for if we can protect the dharma like him, protecting the dharma is the responsibilities of all buddhist, bu it is not practical for everyone to do the same way as him as we all have different karmic affinity. We should based on our own unique situation to apply our wisdom and compassion into action. Some people good in talking, whereby some very are more creative, resourceful, wider network. We should cherish our current moment and make good use of it.

• Spnw07

  3 Feb 08, 11:32

  Originally posted by justdoit77:

  This world always has bad people and those people who claimed themselves to be buddhist yet doing unwholesome deeds, if because of that we stop spreading dharma, then we can only spread dharma in pureland already, which is very wrong.

  As for if we can protect the dharma like him, protecting the dharma is the responsibilities of all buddhist, bu it is not practical for everyone to do the same way as him as we all have different karmic affinity. We should based on our own unique situation to apply our wisdom and compassion into action. Some people good in talking, whereby some very are more creative, resourceful, wider network. We should cherish our current moment and make good use of it.

  Hmm, I see your point. The purpose of my post is not to tell people to follow EXACTLY what this monk has been doing. Like you have said, we all have different karmic affinity and we should consider our own unique situation first with wisdom and compassion before taking any concrete action.

  The main point of this post is to consider the good point or deeds of others, to develop the right intentions for any good deed. Whether to follow or how to follow is really up to the individual and the unique circumstances at a particular point of time.

   

• potstop163

  16 Feb 08, 01:19

   So very true AEN , about purifying our minds .Thank you

   

• dragon_stone

  16 Feb 08, 10:27

  Why still talk about his past glories and his family now? He still has worldly ties and cannot let go, how to be a good protector and a good monk? I doubt it...