It was the second time visit to PUC accompanied by Venerable Saito Daiho, who’s the representative of CEP.
We talked over with the President Kol Pheng again, and held a meeting with volunteer students and monks.
1) Talking over with President Kol Pheng
The president took time for talking with us in spite of very busy having many visitor every day, it was much honor for us.
On entering the meeting room, he put off his shoes and kneel down to pray to Ven. Saito. We got much surprised of his behavior, and soon know he respect the monk very much.
<Summary of Ven. Saito’s talk>
*We’re all very happy to meet you. I’ve come here as representatives of CEP, and a Japanese monk. Also I’ve come here for appearing the Buddha’s infinite mercy at this moment.
* I respect Maha Gosananda very much since he lead the Peace March at the risk of his life during the Porpoto domination.
*There are some coincidence that I met one Japanese lady who translated Maha Gosananda’s book “STEP BY STEP”, and I could get the book from my colleague even though the book is out of print in Japan.
* I read the book and got much impressed with it. Especially the phrase “It is true that the sufferings of Cambodia is so deep, but the great mercy come into existence from this deep sorrow.”
<Summary of Dr. Kol Pheng’s talk>
*I studied in the United States during the period of civil war in Cambodia, and I respected
Maha Gosananda as my teacher at that time.
When the war over and considered about what I can do after come back to my country, I realized the most important task is education for restoration my home country and building the peace society. So I decided to make my way for education.
*I established PUC, Panna Sastra University in 2000, in order to convey the Buddha Teaching, because I have firmly belief that it can relieve people when they get suffering in their life.
* We have elementary, secondary, high school, and specialized school, university and graduate school in PUC at present, and put the Buddha teaching class in all the course of study. In 2005 we built specialized school of Buddhism that is to study Buddhism contributing my own budget. And moreover the International Buddhism School is under construction inviting monks from abroad.
* PUC’s educational philosophy as below;
1. Let the students to get a appropriate job after their graduated.
2. Bring up the gratitude mind.
3. Follow the Buddha Teaching.
4. Doing the actual activities for supporting poverty people using what they learned.
The 4thactivity is a voluntary work, but students are required to do it at least once while they enrolled university. When they see and hear about local people’s actual life and distress, they get mercy feeling naturally.
The next mission is to think about what they can do, and do any actual action to solve the problem. And then finally they make the report after the activity.
We promote to bring up the compassionate mind through these activities, so that they will be able to work for society in the future. It’s exactly the Buddha Teaching as well as the way for enlightenment.
* I made a program called “Gratitude” related to Maha Gosananda when I was young, and got marching walk from Siem Reap to my home town Takmao Province through Phnom Penh.
It was amazing and marvelous story what the President told us, we were much impressed with him. Then the time passed so fast.
Finally Ven. Daiho said that ‘It is definitely great arrangement of Maha Gosananda and Buddha, and the fruit of our deep relationship, we’re really appreciate all of this.’
And we finished the meeting after promise to cooperate and pray for each other.
2) The discussion meeting with PUC volunteers and monk
The meeting in the afternoon, unfortunately the President couldn’t attend, but 5 students of PUC volunteer team and 10 monks, 3 PUC stuffs, Miss.Mean Sreymao, the interpreter Mr.Sor Sorheng, and 3 members of CEP, total 23 people were joined the meeting.
After greetings and introduction VTR from PUC, the representatives of monk introduced about the group called “Way of Dharma”. They have continued to conduct Buddha Teaching to the public from 2000, their main activities are 1.Teaching the Sutra, 2.Teaching the five precepts of Buddhism, about gratitude and respect to their parents etc., 3.Lecture about how to able to work for society, and so on.
3 to 7days for each program, gathered 1,000 to 5,000 students, they held more than 70 programs up to the present.
They also go to the jail and talk with the prisoner as well as to make advice for youth who’s taking drugs.
Q1. What is your motive for doing the volunteer activity?
A: I’m myself from poor village, so I understand the problems and distress of poor people.
I was willing to join the activities when I know the university is doing the program.
I’m doing the activity not for my profit but just for children’s smile, and let them to have
a chance for education.
I’d like to teach them about taking care of their health.
We knew volunteers are doing their work with real compassionate motive, and it made us very glad even if the university promote these activities.
Q2. What is the real meaning of Dana, and how it’s connected with mercy and altruism?
At this topic, CEP member explain about the most important point when one’s doing Dana showing the reference material. And then there were some views and opinion.
A: I don’t expect any return or gain, just I feel glad that the children to smile and get happy.
It’s not just give something, but someone to be changed. Some people don’t respect their parents and do bad attitude, but if they get change it’s my pleasure and to be encourage by them.
Question from Ven. Daiho, ‘What do you do if the people don’t change even if you try someone to be changed?’
A: I wouldn’t give up and encourage them continuously.
I decide to do Dana without make any distinction, and its aim to reduce my desires and passions.
Q3. What is the human happiness, and do you think what situation and condition make people to be happy?
We didn’t have enough time to discuss about this question, but we talked that through the activities the experience and memories are remain to our mind, and we can have happy feeling longer than when we give just money or materials. And then all these steady effort lead us to the real happy in our life.
Finally we prayed each other and took the pictures for the memory and closed the meeting.
The meeting ended on a friendly note all the time, and it was very fruitful discussion. I felt that we become closer friend each other as well as able to share the quality time.
