Posted by Azlan in www.jeffooi.com
FAREWELL
AS a news reporter with The Malay Mail between 1994 and 2005, I
met Rev. Dhammananda several times - usually during Wesak Day
celebrations he led at the Buddhist Maha Vihara (temple) in
Brickfields and a few other occasions.
Every time I bumped into him, I only asked a few questions just
to get some quotes for my news report. Never did I have a proper
conversation with him. I regret that now.
I'd like to share what to me was a very special experience
during one of my meetings with him. It was on Christmas Day in 1998 when my Assistant News Editor assigned me to cover a Christmas party for some 200 underprivileged children. It was quite a news-worthy item to cover as it was held
at the vihara in Brickfields, organised by a group of Christians, the Santa Claus was a Hindu and the contributor for all the balloons adorning the party area was a Muslim!
But what I will remember of that day forever was what the Reverend said and did.
You see, Dec '98 was also the month of Ramadhan, where (many)
Muslims like me were fasting. By the time I arrived at the vihara,
it was 6.30pm and many children were already playing around, taking
photos with Santa and being entertained by a clown, among others.
Muslims like me were fasting. By the time I arrived at the vihara,
it was 6.30pm and many children were already playing around, taking
photos with Santa and being entertained by a clown, among others.
At about 15 minutes before 7-something pm (buka puasa time), I
was busy thinking of where to go for my dinner - either the nearby
Kentucky Fried Chicken or a roadside teh tarik stall, both within
walking distances from the vihara.
The Reverend, the vihara's religious advisor back then, must
have been observing me. He walked up to me and, as if he had read my
mind, calmly said: "Young man, don't think too much. You can buka puasa
here. I will accompany you."
was busy thinking of where to go for my dinner - either the nearby
Kentucky Fried Chicken or a roadside teh tarik stall, both within
walking distances from the vihara.
The Reverend, the vihara's religious advisor back then, must
have been observing me. He walked up to me and, as if he had read my
mind, calmly said: "Young man, don't think too much. You can buka puasa
here. I will accompany you."
I agreed in a split second. He solved my problem!
"Please forgive us. We only have vegetarian dishes here," he
humbly and smilingly added, while leading me to a dining table
somewhere in the vihara's premises.
I was speechless. He brought me right down to earth with those
few simple words. Even if there were only cookies served with lots of
plain water at the vihara, I'll be happy enough.
So, there we were, sitting at the dining table, together with a
few other priests in their saffron robes and a spread of vegetarian
dishes was laid out in front of us.
As I was making sure my wristwatch was accurate, the Reverend
took out a small pocket transistor radio from somewhere, turned it on
and tuned in to a Bahasa Malaysia radio station.
As scheduled, the muezzin recited the call for the evening
prayer through the little speaker, which also marked the moment to break
fast.
"Go ahead, Azlan," he told me to start first. Only after I had
my first gulp of water for the day, did he and the other priests start
eating. I was honoured and humbled at the same time.
The fact that I didn't go to KFC or the the tarik stall wasn't
because I didn't know how to turn down the Chief High Priest of
Malaysian and Singaporean Theravada Buddhists' dinner invitation.
It was buka puasa in a Buddhist temple for me, during a Christmas
party!
How cool was that, eh?
Seriously, the Reverend's humble gestures greatly raised my
respect and admiration for him. During that brief encounter with
him, my personal tolerance and understanding towards other people's faiths, beliefs and cultures was greatly altered, for the better. In less than an hour of dining together, his simple acts of humility made me a better person, more open-minded and drastically changed, for the better, my ways of looking at the world I live in.
It was a small but very refreshing respite for this one tired
reporter near the end of that very colourful and turbulent year -
street 'Reformasi' protests, KL Commonwealth Games, the horrible
smog and the Asian economic crisis, among many others.
To me, the Rev. Dhammananda was a great Buddhist and more
importantly, a great human being.
Malaysia and its Buddhist community have lost a very special
person.
With much sadness, I bid farewell to him.
reporter near the end of that very colourful and turbulent year -
street 'Reformasi' protests, KL Commonwealth Games, the horrible
smog and the Asian economic crisis, among many others.
To me, the Rev. Dhammananda was a great Buddhist and more
importantly, a great human being.
Malaysia and its Buddhist community have lost a very special
person.
With much sadness, I bid farewell to him.
__________________________________________________
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