Once In a Man's Life

    In my past, I made some mistakes which caused my mother to cry. But when I desired to make a good thing for her, I decided to attain the summer ordination in year 1997 (B.E.2540). After leaving monkhood, I completely and abruptly turned myself away from the path to ruins and entirely changed my way of life by leaving my worldly degree and the good future in my career behind and heading towards the peaceful shade of yellow robe again in year 1999 (B.E.2542). Up to now, I have been Luang Phaw’s monastic son for 8 years.

In my childhood, I was close to death before the right age for 5-6 times. For example, once when I was 12 years old, I swam in a pond close to my house; the pond was man-made because the ground’s surface was dug out for sale. Its depth was 6 meters. I stood on its bank and jumped into the water. My 2 feet went straight down to the pond’s bottom and were stuck to the sticky mud. No matter how hard I struggled, I still could not free myself. At my last breath, I kicked my feet with all my might until I was released from the mud, and my life was saved just in time. .

Another time, at 15 years of age, while I, at wild age, was riding a motorcycle, a truck, driving after me, suddenly crashed the motorcycle I was riding. I and the motorcycle were thrown off in different directions. And then, another truck ran towards my spot at the middle of the road. At that moment, the truck was suddenly stopped with a loudly squeaky noise in the middle of the road only 2 meters away from me.

Even though I was close to death, I still did not know how to live a worthy life. Afterwards, at 16 years of age, while studying for a vocational certificate, I did not know how a wise one was like because I, back then, had only foolish friends who always asked me to go out at night and drink alcohol (without getting involved with any lady) until I was fond of them. Only if I could return back to that time, I would tell my friends who ask me to drink alcohol that….

Many times, my mother cried because of me, but it was her love that entirely changed my life.

The story is I went to my friend’s birthday party, and we celebrated his birthday in a restaurant. We, around 10s people, enjoyed drinking from 8 PM until 2 AM. We all were drunk. I was drunk as well and kept throwing up until I lost all my energy. My friends took my run-down body to sleep overnight at a friend’s house.

Recovering from drunkenness, I returned home in the morning. Arriving at home, I saw my mother looking fatigued as if she stayed awake the whole night. She told me “I was very worried about you until I could not sleep the whole night. Next time, I will be pleased if you sleep at home.” That hurt my heart, so I pondered “Today, I make you sad, but someday I will make you happy.”    

When I furthered education at Ramkhamhaeng University, I still acted silly like how I once did. But one day, I saw an advertising board written “Once in a man’s life”. The words drew my attention, “Yes, it is the good thing I will give mom.” I decided to attain the ordination retreat right away in year 1997 (B.E.2540).

That decision led me to the true happiness. It was the first time I understood that a Kalyanamitta (good friend) is more valuable than any precious gem. I, after leaving monkhood, started a new life, the life of a good person, by being the temple’s volunteer with my own will and decided to ordain again in year 1999 (B.E.2542), and I’m still in the monkhood until now because the monastic life is the great gift I can give to my mother, the person who gives me this life. I have an intention to stay in monkhood and pursue perfection with Luang Phaw for good.

During my 6th monastic year, in year 2004 (B.E.2547), I suffered from stomach cancer. The doctor said “It is in the 2nd period of cancer. In this period, cancer is developing. If you take good care of your health, it is possible that you will be completely healed.” The doctor also said that the cancer grew so fast. He gave me a surgery right away and cured me through radiation treatment. My body turned very weak. From 63 Kg, my weight was reduced down to 40s kg only.

Afterwards, when I had the chance to go for a retreat at Suksundose, I had a dream that Luang Phaw walked towards me with a blazing candle, and then put that candle on top of my dim, close-to-die candle. On the next day, my sickness got better amazingly. At the beginning of year 2006 (B.E.2549), the doctor diagnosed me and said that I was entirely healed from that cancer unbelievably fast even though I suffered from it for only less than 2 years.
    
My mother used to run a shrimp farming business with her relatives. At the beginning, our shrimps were so fleshy that they were high-priced until we could sell them wholly and earned much money. But afterwards, our shrimps kept dying in large amount until none was alive. With that incident, we lost the business and money, as well as, suffered with great debts. We became former rich people. Our path of life was no longer as smooth as silk.

Besides, the nature also aggravated our situation because in the rainy season of these last 7-8 years, my hometown, in Mueang District, Chanthaburi Province, usually suffers from flood through the greatly heavy rain which always submerges my house.

In some years, the flood tide in my house is about knee-high, but in some years, it is about waist-high. In the last year (A.D.2006 or B.E. 2549), the flood tide almost completely covered the first floor of my house. But when Dhammakaya foundation, under the leadership of Ven. Phrarajbhavanavisudh, gave us a flood relief, everybody from Chanthaburi deeply appreciated it and would like to say thank you to Luang Phaw for not letting us struggle solely with misery.

My father was a forest police officer. Actually, trees just stand still, but how come somebody can cut them down heartlessly. Therefore, my father became a policeman who protected the forest diligently. He was highly responsible and was much loved by his friends. But because he was still young, and his work place was far from the family, he violated almost every precept; especially, the 5th one.

Later, when he got older, he could quit drinking completely. His personal diseases were gout and heart enlargement. I visited him frequently, and he gave me some money to make merit with Luang Phaw every time. Until he suffered from severe stomachache for many days which looked abnormal to my mother, so she took him to a hospital in a rush. The doctor said “His appendix is ruptured. He needs to get surgery immediately.” After the surgery, his symptoms turned worse, and he finally passed away at 73 years of age.

Three days after my father passed away, around 8PM-9PM, my monk friends and I, 3 monks in total, were preparing the cremation ceremony on the crematory amidst the silent atmosphere of night, and then many dogs around that area howled shrilly. At that moment, we, 3 monks, had hair standing on end.

We could only looked at each other and hastily continued tightening the crematory-decorating cloth and arranging flowers until it was done real fast.

My grandfather was a diligent Chinese struggler. Even though he worked very hard, he was still not rich. Nonetheless, he lived happily with his family and descendants like normal Chinese people. He passed away via stomach cancer when he was 63 years old.
    
    About my grandmother, she was generous and never refused to make merit. No matter what temple ran a meritorious ceremony, she participated with it. She both donated money and alms and assisted temples’ works. Besides, she also taught her descendants to be good people and to make merit diligently. Even though she did not have much money, she made merit as best as she could with all her might. She passed away through gastritis at 83 years of age.

My 2 monk friends, though they were born in different families, have a wish to be siblings in the next lives. Whenever they receive money, they would divide it into 2 equal portions and give them to each other. And no matter what merit Luang Phaw informs us, they would ask each other to demolish their diagram of poorness by setting a meritorious portion about that merit. And many times, they amaze us--their monk friends--that they can complete their portion miraculously every time, no matter how big a portion is; especially, Kathina merit. It has been 4 years that they complete their Kathina portions.  

Now, they both take the job to propagate Vijja Dhammakaya throughout the whole world at Johannesburg, South Africa.