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6 EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE

We build medical centre, and it is compassion in action. have a pre-school and a primary school, and we are
We are translating Buddhist teaching into society action. planning to build a secondary school and nunnery
within the area. We would then eat in silence and
How do you adapt Buddhist teachings to resonate mindfulness from 11-12.
with African traditions and values?
I try to maintain mindfulness in my daily life, whether
The teaching on dependent origination is unique to I am standing or walking, seated or lying down. I
Buddhism. It is the universal law. In Samyutta Nikaya, would normally fit M&M (minute meditation) into my
the Buddha taught that “when this exists, that comes to schedule. From time to time on Sundays, there will
be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does be special programme where I give Dharma talks and
not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation meditate with others.
of this, that ceases.” In African culture, there is the
Ubuntu philosophy, which means “I am because we are”. Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals
It embodies compassion, generosity, gentleness and for the Uganda Buddhist Centre and the broader
kindness. It is a very deep African wisdom which teaches Buddhist community in Africa?
us to be a human. Another example would be Buddhist
teaching on generosity, the Africans talk about no person My vision is very simple: education. Education is the
is too poor to give, and no person to too rich to receive. way forward. Now, we have a pre-school and a primary
school, and we are planning to build a secondary school.
We have recently made a documentary ‘Lion’s Roar, In the future, I envision a Buddhist university being built,
Africa’ to present our effort in propagating Dharma in and then we would have a complete system from primary
Africa and the ways in which the Dharma serves the school up to university to ordain monks and nuns, as well
local community. After the screening in Uganda and as training lay person to be Dharma teachers.
Singapore, I am hoping that the documentary can be
screened in Malaysia in the near future. How do the educational programs at the Buddhist
Peace School address both academic and spiritual
Can you tell us about the various social and needs of the students?
community projects at Uganda Buddhist Centre?
Our education programme follows the Ugandan national
We have projects on providing safe and clean water to curriculum. Alongside, the children are also taught 5Hs:
the community. Whenever there is fire or disaster, we
help organise resources to give food to people. There • Heads, where they are trained develop intellect and
are also projects empowering women in the community knowledge.
and loading them with skills. All these humanitarian, • Hands, where skillsets such as using computers,
women and youth empowerment projects are aimed to sewing machines and cultivating garden are taught.
uplift the people’s economic standards, but they also • Heart, or mind. Everyone at school meditate on
improve our visibility, and people get to understand us Fridays before school at the temple, and we would
through these channels. start school with mindfulness. On Sundays, the
students would come to the temple for meditation
Can you describe a typical day in your life at the and Dharma practice.
Uganda Buddhist Centre? • Health, where students are taught to keep a healthy

lifestyle. There are also environmental health
I would normally start the day with meditation practice programmes.
from 5-6 am. There are different projects ongoing at • Happiness, where students are taught to maintain
the centre and I need to oversee and supervise some both physical and mental happiness through the
construction projects in the monastery. We currently practice of mental development (meditation).