One day in 1997 on Sunday afternoon, I keep in mind when nobody was at home apart from me. I was doing my homework. Suddenly, an old man walked into my home when I was thoughtful an arithmetic problem. I did not know that old man at all and his purpose in coming because I had never seen him before. At that time I was only tenth, and that old man looked like about eighty years old. He wore his hair in a bun and wore a set of grey patched clothes. He sat on my bed and said to me with a kind and pleasant countenance, “My lovely little boy, I want to tell you something.
Ponnagyun town is the nearest of our village, the district of Sittwe, in Rakhaing Sate .There is a Buddhist temple in urban the town Ponnagyun. A moderately educated Buddhist abbot just established in that temple; his Buddhist name is Indavamsa. He is fourth -three years old now and he is an extraordinary monk in Buddhist studies. He has noble character and high prestige. His knowledge and cultivation are excellent. He will be in the care of Buddhistic an education for the poor and Arakanese young generation, novices and monks as well as he can. I wish you can agree with me a request, you must become a Buddhist novice and you should try hard to learn from Indavamsa in the future. At that time that old man insisted that I grant his the demand. In fact, I did not fully understand that old man’s remarks because I was still very young at that time. That old man was sincere and firm in making the demand. In order to not cause his grief, I gave him my promise and acceded to his request. I then developed a profound interest in Indavamsa and wanted to be acquainted with him. I kept this episode my own secret and had not told it to anyone before I became a student in Parami Buddhist Institute of Indavamsa. Even my parents did not know about it. This was one of reasons why I chose to become a Buddhist monk.
Including my grandfather, grandmother and my parents are Buddhists in my family. I was only one of my parents. My mother had never been to school, but she had a good memory and could recite some Buddhist sutras. She believed deeply in Buddhism. Although my mother had not studied Buddha’s teaching for just a few years, she persisted in reciting Buddhist scriptures and worshipping Buddha every day. My mother was a devout Buddhist. My mother’s teaching by her personal example as well as verbal instruction had a definite impact on my decision to follow the Buddha’s path. There was much suffering in the family. My mother thought that only Buddha’s teaching could help all human beings get rid of their sufferings. For the sake of my true peace and happiness, my mother advised me to take the Buddhist road. What she said made a lot of sense to me; likewise, I did not want to act against my mother’s wishes. This was another reason why I chose to become a Buddhist monk.
I went to a temple in urban of Ponnagyun the Buddhistic Temple of Parami. It happened that Venerable Indavamsa was giving Dhamma teachings to many followers. By chance, I listened to his teachings on Pali literature of Buddhism. Some Pali words could not understand what Venerable Indavamsa said, but I try to understand his teaching well. Then I heard Buddhist chanting of Venerable Indavamsa and others. Both Pali and Myanmar were two languages about Buddhism. His teaching was so clearly and beautiful when I can catch on the teaching of him. In those days, I got special treatment from some Buddhist monks and novices. They asked about me, and let me have my meals and shared time with them. They gave me three books on Abhidhammattha Sanghaha Pali, Pali Grammar and Vinaya Pali. In addition, they had encouraged me to be a Buddhist Monks and novices like them. I was curious about all these young Buddhist monks and novices. I had some good opinions of them. Gradually, the idea of becoming Buddhist novice grew in me. I had fulfilled my wish and others’ wish to become a regular Buddhist novice. I try to learn about Tipitaka which is mainly used to teach in that Temple, Parami. This was the third reason why I chose to become a Buddhist monk.
There are three reasons above but now I have purpose by becoming a Buddhist monk as I deeply understood now why I become a Buddhist monk. I have three main purpose because of it is getting an experience.
Firstly, to manage welfare of the people to be good, secondly, to mange welfare of our community to develop, thirdly to manage myself to live the meaningful life, I became a Buddhist monk.
In fact, the first purpose is to give the knowledge and an experience from studying in various schools, monasteries, colleges and universities, when I had finished my studies. There are many teachers, professors with abundant teaching experience who teach me lots of new knowledge and help me to solve the problems in facing.
With their help, I can learn a lot of useful basic and professional knowledge which is very helpful for my future work. After I had finished my studies in college or university, I am sure to go to work in the society or community and contribute to the different fields.
The second purpose is to help my village how to develop their lives such as social, economic, education, and good behavior. It is very sure for me to do because I was born in that village. This is very important ambition too for me to work and life in the future.
The third purpose is to have an opportunity in my life to live meaningful. This is very certain for all, because we are own our master so that we have to manage our life to be useful.
All in all, we not only can live to be good alone, but also can share much more necessary experience such as arrange the good life and how to cooperate with other people. It is very important for living human life and for our future work and life.
By
Varabuddhi
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