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It was amazing to see such huge numbers of monks and nuns, besides the laity, turning
up night after night to pay their respects to her. Some groups such as the Selangor
Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Society and the Buddhist Wisdom Centre, Selangor
combined forces to do the chanting together to save the limited time available. Aunty
Tan was fortunate that on the day of her passing, Sayadaw Jnanapurnik and Guruma
Maechi Chini of Nepal happened to be around. They together with Venerables Nayako
th.
and Gavesi paid their respects on the evening of the 28 once her body was brought back
to the family home. The wakes felt more like a celebration rather than being a sorrowful
or mournful affair like most others. A Dato’ Seri was overheard saying that we were all
gathering to celebrate her life (and the good deeds she had done), which was fantastic.
Aunty Tan must have been sent by the Devas, he said.

The lady with a golden heart, the ever ready smile and willing pair of hands is how some
of us will remember her. No wonder, even people from Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, etc.
know about her and many of them have benefitted from her fund-raising efforts. I was
told that a Rinpoche from Sikkim had called in and said his monastery would chant for
Aunty Tan for 49 days. Aunty Tan was truly a national and international inspiration. Soft-
spoken and unassuming, her secret weapon was the “ice-kacang” making machine (hand-
operated ice-shaver). Just imagine, thousands of people from various parts of Asia and
possibly elsewhere have benefitted from her selfless efforts using this simple machine
and her willingness to dish out delicious food for sale in the name of charity. We wonder
now whether the assam laksa in Tavatimsa Devaloka would taste better.

My wife will always remember how thoughtful Aunty Tan was when my son was
delivered almost two decades ago. Aunty had brought along suitable home-cooked food
for my wife to eat during a visit. She was treated like Aunty’s own daughter. I suppose
that’s how Aunty treats everyone who is much younger than her – like a daughter or son.

May Aunty Tan always be well and happy wherever she may be and may she attain the
bliss of Nibbana soon. Likewise, may all beings be well and happy and attain the bliss of
Nibbana as soon as possible.
Rasika Quek EH