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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 9

At 19, I declared myself an agnostic. But I continued In the early 1990s I found that I was ‘struggling’ for time
my spiritual search until my university days. I read to cope with family matters, my job as a school teacher,
widely on the various world religions, Western and missionary work at the then newly established Lower
Eastern philosophy, Psychology, the Humanities, and Perak Buddhist Association, and my own spiritual self-
Science. But it was only when I began my career as a development. Deep down I realized that what mattered
teacher in the early 1970s in Kelantan that I came to ultimately was one’s karma and spiritual realization.
understand and appreciate Buddhism through books I then quit my job as a teacher to dedicate more time
and talks by Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda. That was for Dharma practice and missionary work. As I had a
the turning point. My mind brightened and there was deep love for teaching, I continued teaching classes
an inner joy because all the questions I had asked on Buddhism besides doing outreach work at the
for years were soon beautifully answered. I started association. I found this voluntary service meaningful
pursuing the Dharma ardently by reading more books and fulfilling. It was during this period that I met a
on Buddhism, taking Buddhist Correspondence courses, Vajrayāna Buddhist monk who came to give Dharma
and attending talks and discussions. However, it was talks at the association. After some discussions, he
mostly ‘intellectual Dharma’ until our local Buddhist inspired me with six lines of Dharma teaching for
Association in Teluk Intan started in 1987 when my real reflection. I will never forget what he told me:
learning, study, and practice of the Dharma began. • Life is uncertain.
• Death is certain
I understand that you quit your job as a teacher in • The point of death is uncertain
your mid-40s to spend time taking care of your aged • The mode of death is uncertain
parents and dedicating more time for missionary • What is ENOUGH?
work with the newly established Lower Perak • When is ENOUGH really ENOUGH?
Buddhist Association. What motivated you to make
such a noble decision in the prime of your career? I was truly motivated to opt out early in my career as
a teacher but as I was then only 44 years old, I had to