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14 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

transferred out to another school when he was in Form this question: “Which is more important - my parents or
2 for a serious disciplinary offence. He was a source sitting for STPM?’ “Your parents of course,” I answered.
of immense worry to his parents. As he also attended He then said in a confused state, “Bro. Oh, yeah … I don’t
Sunday School, I remember him as one of the most want to sit for my STPM. The stress is killing me … is it
difficult students who would lie, cheat, steal, fight, and ok if I give up on my STPM?”
gamble. However, I never gave up on him and continued
to guide him with Buddhist values as I had confidence It was really difficult for me to tell him what to do. I
in the power of the Dharma in changing his character. could not ‘push’ him into taking STPM because it might
Positive changes started to happen when he was in my break him. On the other hand, I could not just tell him to
Form 4 Guidance class. After his SPM, he continued give up his STPM examination as he might regret later. I
his education to the tertiary level. Today he is a decided to counsel him using Dharma. Over a couple of
transformed man, successful in his career, and married weeks and a great number of hours, I shared with him
with a happy family. the sublime Dharma. I asked him to reflect on important
life questions: “What is the meaning and purpose of
Anxiety and Stress life? How do we develop the right view and attitude and
thereby strengthen the mind?”
In the late 1980s, I had a Form 6 student in my
community guidance class on Chemistry. He was a In September he told me, “Bro Oh, I have decided to sit
top student since primary school right till Form 5. for the STPM and try my best. I understand the Dharma
Coming from a typical Chinese Taoist background he you have shared with me.” “Excellent,” I told him. Today
had no knowledge of Buddhism at all. When he was in he is a very successful medical specialist.
Upper Sixth Form, his anxiety and stress level began
My Schizophrenic Friend
to build up. He was expecting to get 5As for his STPM
examination to realize his ambition of becoming a
doctor. This world is full of people afflicted with anxiety,
depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, neurosis, compulsive
One night in August, he came to see me with trouble and obsessive personality disorder and various other
stress written all over him. I remembered he asked me psychiatric illnesses. They have an inclination to go to