Page 33 - Little Stories of a Great Monk
P. 33

12th September 2006, Tuesday
 C
 e

 i
 e

 d
 a
 f
 h

 e
 y
 n
 v
 r
 e
 M
 W
 My Days With Chief Reverend
 h
 y
 t
 D
 s

 i
 R
 i
 a
 r

 t
 i
 a
 s
 r
 f
 m
 i
 D
 s
 f

 t
 e
 h
 r
 r
 n
 g
 i
 .
 r
 n
 D
 e
 r
 e
 n

 v
 d

 .
 d
 e
 S
 t

 R

 a
 e
 e
 K

 l
 a
 a
 e
 w
 C
 e

 n
 t
 h
 a
 e
 c

 h
 a

 n
 w
 d
 r
 s

 m
 h

 I
   Chief Reverend Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda was my teacher when I first started learning


 m
 y
 a
 n
 s
 e

 m

 o
 e
 h
 t



 y
 e
 a
 a
 t
 e

 w
 m

 y
 t
 w
 h
 h

 t
 e
 s
 d
 t
 w

 h
 .

 a
 m
 t
 h
 i
 H
 s

 l

 e
 B
 a

 s
 d
 l
 o
 h
 u
 d
 o
 a

 i
 g
 w
 s
 B
 H
 d
 i
 m
 .

 h
 Buddhism. He was the light that showed me the way to Buddhism. He was also my
 s
 u
 d

 w
 e
 e
 h

 u
 n
 e
 y
 l
 h
 t
 t
 a
 a
 s

 m
 m
 f
 y
 o
 y
 C

 p
 a
 “

 n
 r
 e


 a

 I
 e
 e
 a
 R
 v
 e
 l
 h
 e
 v
 n

 e
 r
 l
 a
 a
 i
 I
 .
 d
 .
 f

 g
 s

 ”
 e
 o
 s
 r

 c colleague for so many years.  I have always called him “Chief Reverend”. In the past, ,
 c
 d
 a
 i

 s

 o
 h

 l
 l
 M
 B
 d
 e

 e
 a
 a
 g

 n
 M
 ”
 S
 c
 e
 c
 o
 n

 e
 e
 l
 l
 f
 e

 d
 l
 r
 o
 e
 I
 o
 s

 H


 i
 n
 P
 h

 k
 C
 o


 o
 c
 n
 i
 b
 t
  he liked to call me “Uncle Choo Hong”, When I became the President of BMSM,
 m
 l
 U
 e
 h

 ,
 W

 e
 t
 e
 ,

 h
 “


 t
 m
 h
 h
 ”
 t

 a


 P
 e
 ,
 e
 d
 t then he called me “President”. Whenever he saw me, he always liked to use
 a

 o
 t
 i
 w
 h
 h
 W
 k
 n


 e
 l
 e
 l
 h
 d
 e
 a
 “

 .
 y
 e
 s

 l

 n
 e
 e
 w
 d
 e
 e
 r
 r
 s

 s
 v
 s

 a

 e
 l
 i
 e
 m
 h
 e
 m
 c
 e
 n
 u

 g
 t
 k
 Hokkien language to greet me, ,
 e


 m
 n
 k
 e
 g
 H
 a

 o
 l
 e
 r
 e
 u
 i
 o
 g

 n
 e
 a
 t
 “An Zhua Lu?”
 “An Zhua Lu?”
  (How are you?)
  (How are you?)
                                                        e

                                                               d
                                                       l
                                                                          o
                                                        s
                                                                    o
                                                                       r
                                                              n

                                                                    f
                                                                         t

                                                                 im

                                                    s
                                                          t
                                                                     f
                                                     c
                                                                      o
                                                      ip
                                                   d
                                                                h
                                                             e

                                                           o
                                                    i
                                                            s



               ief
                                          n
        e
              C
              h
                                   s
                                  a
                                 e
                             o
                  R
                                           t
                           n

                                           o
                                     e
           v
                            t


          e
                                     h

            r
                                        id

                                       d
                                   ,
           e
         n
                       n
                        d
                                                h

                                               e
      Whenever Chief Reverend went overseas, he did not like his disciples to send him off or to
                      e
                               r
                         w
                          e
                              v
                                                 s

                                                 i
                               e
       h
      W
                                             l
                   e
                    v

                                              k
                                s
                     r
                                             i
                    e
       e
                            e
                              im
      r
                             s
        e

         i
        c


                     a
     In 1972, I studied at University Technology Malaysia and I joined its Buddhist Society. I   In 1972, I studied at University Technology Malaysia and I joined its Buddhist Society. I   receive him at the airport. He simply did not like to trouble anybody.
                  h
                   e
                        r
                         t
                          .
                     ir
                       p
                        o

            h
             im
          v
          e
                           H

                 t


               a
                t
                                         i
                                         l
                                                      y

                                          e
                                          k

                                                       b

                                                       o
                                       t
                                      o
                                     n
                                                u
                                                o

                                                  l
                                                 b
                                                   e
                                               r
                                             o
                                                     n
                                            t
                                              t

                                                    a
                                 y

                                   d
                                                         y
                                p
                                                          .
                                 l
                                   id
                                                        d
 got to know Chief Reverend through this Society. The Buddhist Society always invited
 g o t   t o   k n o w   C h i e f   R e v e r e n d   t h r o u g h   t h i s   S o c i e t y .   T h e   B u d d h i s t   S o c i e t y   a l w a y s   i n v i t e d
 d
 e
 y
 t
 i
 t
 o
 u
 t

 s
 c
 a
 s
 u

 r
 e
 w
 t
 s
 y
 i
 h

 a
 m


 o
 s
 h
 o


 r
 t
 I
 a

 .
 t
 e

 f
 v
 D
 e
 i
 r
 h
 s
 r
 v
 l
 k

 m
 e

 a
 m
 U
 d

 n
 h
 a
 T
 e
 i
 a
 h
 R
 f
 i
 t
 r
 C Chief Reverend for Dhamma Talks in the University. I was attracted to his humorous yet         Since the completion of an ERL (mass rapid transit) service linking the KL Sentral (city)   Since the completion of an ERL (mass rapid transit) service linking the KL Sentral (city)
 e


 n
 n

 e
 o
                                    e


                                   r

 d
 n
                                                                    o
                                                        n
                                                   L
 e
 i
 k
 r
                                                        d
                    h
 f
 D
 .
 l
 s
                                ef
                        R

                                                       a
 e
                                  r
 r

 g
                                 e
 n
 t
 t

 i
 a
 y
                                                    t
 I
 u
                     ief
                                                                        y
 n
                                                     o
 enlightening Dhamma talks. I attended almost all his talks. During my first year semester     a and the airport, Chief Reverend preferred to ride on the ERL to and from the airport by
 n

 m

 m
               p
 e
 r

                                             n
 h
       n

                o
                                                                  ir
 m
                                               h
 e
 t
                                              t
                                                                      t
 s
                                          e
           e
             ir
          h
                                                                     r
 t
             a
                                         id

                                            o

        d
                                                                 a
 h
 a

                                        r
         t
 D
 t


 y
 e

                                                 E

 s
                   C
                                                                       b
 l
 i
 a
                                                  R
 t
                                    d
                r
 s
                                      t

                                                e
 m
                                       o
 g
 e
 a

                  ,


 r
 a
 e
                 t
 h


 s

                         v
 k
                           e
 o
 l
 s
 t
                                                              t
 d

 g
                            n
                                                                   p
 i
                              p
                                                           o
 m

                          e
 l
                                                           r
 a
 t
                                                            m
 s
                               r

 l
                           r
 a
                                                          f
 i
 l

 e
                             d
 a
                        e
                                                               h
 n
                                                                e
 .

                                                               n
                                          -
                                                                     p
 l
                                                 s
                  h
 e

                                                                       t
 d

                             s
                                                            e
 f
           f
                                     e
 o
                           a
 a
                                    e
                                         y
 i
                                                                    s

                          e

                                                                       t
                                                           e
             O
 a

 s
                                                            v


 o
 .
            .
                                                   o

                   t
 k

 v
 R
                                              y
 e
         s
              n
                                       h
 e
 e

 h

                                            i
 l
                                        t
 t
       im
                                             e
 b
                                                              e
                                            v

               e
      h
 r
                                                                 w

 break, I read all the books written by Chief Reverend.      himself. One night three years ago, the eighty-five years old Chief Reverend was spotted
                                      ig

                                                a
                                                                  a
                              a
                                                 r
 b
                                           f
                 ig
          l
 a
                                               e
                                                                      o
                            r
 ,
 k
 n
                n
                                                             r
          e
 I
 e
                                                    l
                                                                         d
                     t
 h
                                  t

                                                          R
 C
                                                       ief

                       e
 n
                                o
 r
 d

                        e
 i
 e
                                   h
                      h

                         y
 t
 b

                                 ,
                                                                        e

 e

 r
                                                     C
                      r
 y
 w

 r
                                                               d
                                                      h

                                                                   s
 e
                               g
                                                    d
 t

                                                      t
                                      o

                                                       o
                                 i
                                       r
                                  in
                                                                 s
       t
                            t
          in
                                          t
                                                            u
                                              o
                                     f
                                                                i
                                  t

                      e
                                                                     h
                                                                          a
                                                                 t
                                                             d
               o

                                             t

                                                                           a
                                                         h
      standing alone at the KL Sentral waiting for a taxi to go back to the Buddhist Maha Vihara.

                                                               h
                                a
                e
      s
               n
                                                                         h
                                                g
                                                                        i

                                                                      a
                             a
                             r
                                                  b
                                        a
                                                                            .
                        L
                                                                          r

                          e
                     h
                              l
                                           a
                               w
         n
                   t
                                                            B
                                                   a
         d
                                                    c

                    t
                                                        t
             a
                       K

                                                          e
                                    g

                                                                       V
                                           x
                                                                   M
              l
        a

                                                                    a


                                            i
                                                              d
                                                     k


            g
                           n

                         S
                                                 o
                  a
                                                       h
                                              v

                                             a
                                           s


                                                        e
          s
             e
        w


                            ;


              n
                       e
                                                              i
                                                                            e
                             t

                                                         h
       t
                                           i

         a
                                                                         m
                                                                     e

                     t

                                                  l
                                                  e
                                    e
                                                                       o
                                                                  t
                                                 b
                                         a

                                                               t
                           h
                                                    n
                                r
                                                                        r
                   in

            h

                        n
                                                                d
                                                    a
                                                                   e
                                                           d
                               e
                                   e
                                                                    r
                                                          a
                                                                          o


                                    r
                           t
                                                                      f
                                                l
                                          x
                                                a
                 t

                                               i
                                                                  h
               l
                                       o
                                        t
                                e
                a
                                                             a
                 e

                                                                           r

     When I was elected as the President of the University’s Buddhist Society, I always   When I was elected as the President of the University’s Buddhist Society, I always   I It was then late in the night; there were no taxis available and he had waited there for more
                                                               e
           t
                                                            w
                                      n
                                              a
                      h
                                  w
                              h
                         ig
                                                     d
             f

 i
 e

 f
 e

                                   h
                     O
                           e
                                     r
                                                                   h
                                      t
                         a
                 o
 R
                  u
 C
                                    e
                                                                  t
                          t
                    .

 invited Chief Reverend to deliver Dhamma talks. During that time, he was the only one     than half an hour. Only later, a kind-hearted person offered him a lift back to the Vihara. .
                                    a

                               k
                   r
                h
                       y
                             a

                            ,
              a
                                 d
 h


                         l
 i
                       l
                               in

                      n
                                                                    e
                           r
                                  -
                                       d

               n
                                       e

 o
 t
                                                         l
 h
                                                  e
 t
                                                                       h
 i
                                                                         a
 s
 m
 d


 a
                                                   d
 h
 a
                                                 e

                                                           t
 d

 o
 g
                                                          f
                                                 r
                                                         i
 m
 e

 t

 n
                                                     im
 i
                                                                t

 h
                                                                         r
 e
                                                                        a
 m
 e
 D

 v
 ,
 r

 h
 w
 t

 a

 a
 e

 e
 i
 v
 t
                                                        a
                                                    h
 l

 n
 r
                                           r
 a

 u


 r
                                              o
 i
          h
                                                             a
 v
 e
                                           s
        a
 k
 e
                                                              k
 D
                                            o
         n
                                                                     V
      t
 l
                                                              c
 e
                                             n
       h
 n

            l
 y
 s
                                                            b
 l
 n
 t
 .
 n
                                                f
 e
                                         p
                                                                 o
 o
                                                                      i

 d
                                               f
           a
 t

                                          e
 w h o   w o u l d   c o m e   t o   t h e   S o c i e t y   t o   d e l i v e r   D h a m m a   t a l k s .   I   c o u l d   s t i l l   r e m e m b e r   C h i e f
 who would come to the Society to deliver Dhamma talks. I could still remember Chief
 d
 a

 e
 l
 t
 u
 y

 o
 R Reverend coming to the University alone in a taxi and we would be waiting for him at the         After the incident, I felt bad. Thereafter, I sent e-mails to leaders of Buddhist   After the incident, I felt bad. Thereafter, I sent e-mails to leaders of Buddhist
 n
 e
 n
 n
 e

 c
 d
 w

 i
 a
 a
 o
 i
 m

 x
 a

 o

 w
 l

 g
 h
 U


 t
 t
 i
 e
 t
 n
 i
 n

 h
 h
 e

 r
 r
 n
 d
 t
 f
 o
 e
 e
 s
 e
 a

 t

 n

 g
 t
 b
 i
 o
 v

 m
 i
 i
 i


 e
 w
 r
 a
 v
                              w
                                              n
                                                                 r
                                           e

                                           v

 U n i v e r s i t y   g a t e   t o   r e c e i v e   h i m   a n d   l a t e r   s e n d i n g   h i m   o f f   a f t e r   p a y i n g   t h e   t a x i   d r i v e r .  organisations requesting that whenever Chief Reverend was invited to their organisations,
                                                              ir
                                          R
                                                                   a
                                              e
                                                             h
                                       ief
 University gate to receive him and later sending him off after paying the taxi driver.
                                            e
                                             r
                                                              e
                                                        d
                                                    in
                                   e
                                e
                                    r
                                                                o


                                  e
                                                      i
                                                       t
                                                     v
                                 n
                                  v
                                                       e
                                                                  g

                                     C

                                               d
                                      h
                                                            t
                                                 w
                                                          t
                                                   s

                                                  a
                                                          o
                               h

                                                                    n
                                                                         n
                                                                      a
            a
          n
                                                                        io
                                                                          s
                           h
                    u
             t
             io

                 r
        g
                     s
                    e
                          t
                        g
                                                                       t
         a
                s
           i
               n
                                                                     i
           s
                   q
                            t
                       in

                      t
                                                                           ,
                                                                     s
                  e
      o
       r
                            a

                                                                   j
                                                            d
      t

       h

                                      e
                                  t
                                             m

      they were obliged to send a representative to accompany Chief Reverend on his journey and
            r
                                          c
                                                                     r


          w
                  e
           e
                                                                    u
                                     v
                   d
                                         a
                                    i
                                   a
         y
                                                             o
        e
                     o
                                            o
                    t
                                                                 s
                                    t
                                                           n

                                           c
                                 n
                                                    ief
                                                                       y
                                                                         a
                                                        v

                              r

                               e
                                                         e

                                                   h
                                        o
                          a

                                                       e

                                                      R
                                       t
               b
                            e
              o
                            r
                                                                   o
                             p
                                                                h
                                                                           d
                        n
                                e
                                               a
                                                                 i
                                               n
                ig
                                                                      n
                                              p
                                                                          n
                      s
                                                          e
             e
                       e
                                                         r
                                                                       e
                                s


                                                  C
                                                              n
                l
                         d
                                                y

             h
             im
                                        p
                                         l

                                                                     b
                                                                  n
                                                                       o
                                                         m
                                                   v
                                                   e
                                                  R
                                                          e
                                               ief


                                                       d
                                                      e
                                                      n
                                                                         e

                                                    e

                                                     r
                                                                        r
                                              h
         o
                                                               d
         b
                                           e
          o
           k
                                          a
                                          n
                                                           t
                                             C
                                                           n
                                                                 o
                                                                          t
       o
                                            .


                                                                      ef
                                       ir
                        in
                                                                            a
                  t

                   h
                                    h
                               s
                          s

                                                                            t
                         e
                                     e
                               s

                      u

                     b

                                  f
                                   t
                       s
                    e
     In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, only Chief Reverend alone came to the various campuses in   In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, only Chief Reverend alone came to the various campuses in   t to book him on the business class of the airplane. Chief Reverend mentioned once before that
                                                                   c
                                 o
                                                              n
                                                                   e
                             l

                              a
                                                                           h
                                                               e
                                                            io

                             c
                                      a
                o
                 n

                           s
                                                               w
                                             h

                             m
                                                          c
                                 a
                                              e
                            a
                       t
                                                      n
                                 n
       e

                      l
                                                      t
                     l
                                                        s
                                                                a
                                                   e
                              m
      h

                                                             e
                         e

                                                 a
                                                                       ,
                                                    a


                                                         in
                               a
                           h
                                                  d
                                                                      d
                                                                    c
                          D
                                                   l

                                                                      l
                        h

                                                h
                                                                 s

                                                     r
                   r

             r


                                      t
                                           a
                                                           e
         o
                m

                                        s
                                         t
                                     u
                  b
           l

                  e
                                                                    h
                                                            h
          u
                                    S
                                          h
           d
                                      t
                e
              e
                                       a
              m
                     a

                                            t
                                                                     i
                                  d
         c

                                                                  a
 .
 a
 t

 d

 a
 o
 e
 t
 a
 s
 e
 ,
 u

 h

 K Kuala Lumpur to give Dhamma talks. Since then, he had attracted hundreds and thousands     he could remember all the Dhamma and Suttas that he had learnt since he was a child,
 h
 t
 l
 h
 t
 d
 u
 n
 a
 u
 t

 c
 L

 s
 u
 d
 r
 m
 e
 r
 n
 e
 a
 k
 p
 m
 h
 s
 d
 a
 l
 i
 t

 v

 c
 i
 s

 h
 n
 d
 u
 o

 n
 a
 g

 t
 m
 n
 S
 r
 D

 h

 a
 e
 e
 a
 a
 d
 r
 d
                                                             y
 i

 d
 t
 a
 of youngsters to learn Buddhism and also trained a lot of Buddhist leaders. That was the     h however when he got into a taxi, sometimes he forgets where he actually wanted to go. For
                                                          u
 s
                                                               w
                                                            l
                                                                           r

 l

 o

 o

 B
 a
                                                             l
 d
                                                         c
 f
 a
 e
                                                                a
                                                           a

                                                          t
 u
                                                                          o
 n


 a

 o
 n
                                                        a

                                                                          F
 t
 o
 l
              h
               e
                                       s


             w
                                        h

                                                                    t
                 h
                  e

 n
               n
                                      e
 t
 o
                                           o
          v
         e
       o
                                            r
        w
                                                                     o
           r
                                                                 t
                                         e
           e
                                           f
 u

                                    im


                               ,
 e
                                s
                        t
                         o
                          a
                             x
                            a
 t
                            t
                                                                   d
                              i

 s
 g
                    o
                                   e
                                   t

 s
                   g
                     t
                       in
                                 o

 r
                                                                  e

                                 m
                                             g
 d
                                                    r
 a

                                                    e
                                                                        o
 e
 d
 r
 B
 s
 e
 d
 u
                                                   e
 l
                                                                        .
                                                      h
 m
 h
                                                       e
 d
 f
 i
 t

 h

 s
 s
 i
 y
 a
                                               t
 l

 e
                                               s
 w
 s
 e

 o
 h

 t
                                              e


                                                                       g
 T
 .
                                                                n

                                                  h
 n
 a

 t
 a
                                                 w
 h
 r
                           t

                            o
                             t


                      y
                       m
                         n
                         a
                                  a

                                   l
                                    n
                                   o
                               a
                              r
                                v
                                 l
                                e
           o
          l
            w
              g
             in
        ,
       s

          l
         a
                   d
                   l
                    e
                      l
                     r
                a

                 n
                  e

                                     e
                                                    l
                                                   u
                                                     o

                                                   f
                                                e
                                                l
                                                  t
                                                 c
                                                      n
                                                            a
                                                           p
                                                             t
                                                             r

                                                        o

                                                          r
                                                         u
                                               g
                                          d
                                         l
                                           b

                                       w

                                        u
                                        o
                                            e
                                             n

                                              e

 f
 B
 v
 r
 e
 t
 e
 o

 e
 h
 f
 e
 i
 i
 R
 u
 d
 d

 r
 a
 p
 t

 e
 d
 l
 o
 o
 m
 d
 e
 e
 n
 n
 d

 w
 s
 v
 s
 b
 biggest contribution of Chief Reverend towards development of Buddhism in Malaysia.      u us, allowing an elderly man to travel alone would be neglectful on our part. .
 b
 i
 i
 i
 .

 u
 t
 g
 s
 o
 c

 t
 g
 r
 t
 e
 n
 f
 n

 M
 o
 i
 h
 m
 C


 s
 y
 o
 a
 i
 l
 a

 n
 a
 30                                                                        31
   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38