Page 24 - EH69

22 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

my monastic brother Ven. Kai Yin (開印法師) advised
that it was best to be ordained sooner rather than
later. Secondly, it was not easy to persuade my teacher
Venerable Wen Jian (文建長老) to ordain me because I
had not been living in AngHuk Temple (洪福寺). There
was not a precedent of ordaining someone who had
not spent time in the temple. He even discussed this
matter with each monastic brothers and sent Ven. Kai
Ti (開諦法師) to Sabah to meet my family so that my
background can be thoroughly examined. Ven. Kai Yin
also helped explain to my mother what I would be doing Dharma talk in Tuaran 2
as a monastic and that being ordained as a monk did not
mean I would cut off my contact with them. Eventually,
she was relieved and became supportive of my decision,
though many tears were shed.

What are your main methods of practicing the
Dharma? Are you particularly adept at any of the
sūtras or shastras?

I am more comfortable with Ānāpānasati meditation
and counting my breath. I also do loving kindness
meditation (mettā) sometimes. I have recently Retreatants were doing walking meditation at Santavana
learnt about the four foundations of mindfulness
(satipaṭṭhāna) and I am starting to observe the four
How do you practice the Dharma in your busy daily
elements (earth, water, fire and wind) as well as my
life?
feelings and mind.

I mainly try to establish and maintain right awareness
I would not say that I am an expert in any sūtra or
and right mindfulness throughout the day. To help me
shastra but I do have deep interests in The Treatise
adjust to this busy schedule, I always clear my diary
on the Great Perfection of Wisdom by Nagarjuna and
for three days during the week so that I could do some
discourses in the Saṃyukta Āgama. I also enjoy studying
meditation practice and clear my mind. This helps
books written by Ven. Yin Shun (印順導師).
to prevent my mind from constantly seeking out and
What is your biggest reward while teaching in causing disturbance and restlessness.
Buddhist Institutes?
How do you deal with your negative emotions?

Being a teacher, I think I reaped more benefits as
I am only an ordinary monk. Therefore, it is very
compared to when I was a student because I needed
normal to encounter negative emotions in my daily life.
to thoroughly understand the teachings before
However, if I compare myself to the time before I was
commenting and interpreting them. With in-depth
ordained, my ability to sense and become aware of these
thinking and comprehension, I translate the ancient
negative emotions has improved massively. I am able to
words of the Buddha and Buddhist scholars into words
conquer and tame my negative emotions more rapidly.
that the students can easily understand. This makes me
appreciate the Dharma even more.
It is very important to build resilience during the