March 5, 2016

By the way, the name of the refectory is Master Nun Chandra Khonnokyoong's Refectory.  I learnt that she was the founder of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.  She was one of the leading pupils of the famous monk, Phramonkolthepmuni, whose memorial hall is located at the entrance of the temple.

During the food-offering ceremony, I learnt that the presiding monk was the Vice-Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.  He was most often referred to as Venerable Father Dattajeevo.  The first time I saw the Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya was on a TV screen during a Dhamma program broadcasted via satellite to every corner of the world through the DMC Channel.  The Abbot was often referred to as Venerable Father Dhammajayo.  I was struck by his good looks, youthfulness, radiant complexion, beautiful smiles, noble deportment and his lovely but manly voice.  I was in awe of what he was teaching as well.  My sister recommended that I had a satellite dish installed specifically to receive the signals from the DMC Channel.  I did as recommended right away.  Since the DMC Channel broadcasted Dhamma programs 24 hours a day, I was overjoyed that I had all the opportunity to learn as much as I could about the Buddha's teachings right here in my own home.

My most favorite program and I believe every DMC audience's most favorite program is called the Inner Dreams Kindergarten.  It is taught by Venerable Father Dhammajayo.  This program is on air live from around 7 pm to 10 pm Monday to Saturday.  Rerun of the program in the following morning is from 9 am to 11 am.  Unlike sermons in general, this program is highly interesting and entertaining.  It is chock full of Dhamma knowledge and yet the delivery is interspersed and at times emphasized using animations, Dhamma songs, secular songs, etc.  Within a month, I felt as though all of the questions about life and its working mechanism which had for so long puzzled me were answered.  I became a believer of the Buddha's teachings.  Almost twelve years have now gone past and my faith in the Buddha's teachings, in Venerable Father Dhammajayo (the Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya) and Venerable Dattajeevo (the Vice Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya) can only deepen further and further.

As I attended the Inner Dreams Kindergarten nightly and Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple every Sunday, my life began to change for the better.  I came to truly realize the value of my life because for the first time in my life, I knew why I was here, what I was here to do and where I would go after I die.  Now, every second of my life is meaningful.  I feel grounded, purposeful and inspired in a way that I never knew I could be.

Venerable Father Dhammajayo is an extremely gifted teacher of the Buddha's teachings (called the Dhamma).  His words are always very precise and concise; yet, they are lovely from  beginning to end.  Words about the Dhamma come to him readily as witness by the smooth delivery of each Dhamma lesson, a sure sign of his incomparable Dhamma knowledge.  It is a great joy just to watch him and listen to him.

I had never practiced meditation before I came to Wat Phra Dhammakaya and before I listened to the Buddha's teachings from Venerable Father Dhammajayo, .  I had read about it, how it was practiced by some but I found it impossible to understand and much as I wanted to try it, I could not. I simply did not know how.  But at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the first priority is given to meditation practice.  I vaguely remember learning about Buddhism sometime during the first four years of primary school.  And the one thing that stuck to me was the concept of Nibbana (Nirvana), it being a place which is devoid of all suffering.  I remember learning that the Buddha attained Nibbana after His passing and so did His Perfected Disciples (called Arahats).  However, I remember nothing about how to attain Nibbana but I was under the impression that it was no longer attainable by anyone.  I loved the idea of attaining Nibbana and the end of all suffering but what use was Nibbana to me if I could not get there.  But through Venerable Father Dhammajayo, I learn that the Path and Fruit of Nibbana can still be attained and the method by which to attain it is still available.