Mark and Jin were here to say goodbye yesterday.

They’re off to South Korea on Thursday, a new experience for Mark who hasn’t yet been to Asia and a new life for Jin who left home alone and returns now with Mark accompanying her. They’ve both been loyal and keen members of Warwick Uni Buddhist Society, they’ve both been on retreats at Bhavana Dhamma and Mark spent several months here helping and driving me. So we’ll miss them. I hope things will work out well for them, that they will continue to practise the Dhamma and above all that they will be happy.
They brought me a couple of farewell gifts, a colourful little model tortoise to add to my collection and a Chinese wall hanging (pictured). I asked a Chinese friend for a translation and this was his answer.
“The Chinese word says 清風高節, let’s have a word by word translation first:

清 -> Pure
風 -> Wind
高 -> High
節 -> Moral Integrity

The whole phrase is an allegory for someone who has a pure character and very high standard of moral integrity.”
So, a lovely present and we had just the right place for it in the room where we eat.

It’s six years since it was last done, so we decided that this year the Shrine Room really had to be painted and this week we finally got around to it. Tuesday afternoon and evening we did the preparation and painted the first half and Wednesday we did the rest.

The part that took the longest was before when we discussed and experimented and finally, eventually, decided on the colour scheme, a subtle shade of off white with a hint of gold, a special mix which I’m happy to say has turned out to be rather splendid but which the photographs don’t really do justice to.

It’s interesting, watching the thought associations and how your mind moves when you’re doing things, especially quiet and simple things. The first job on Tuesday that we all were involved in was the covering with newspapers and dust sheets what we didn’t want painted, the floor, the beams and skirting boards, and the big Buddha Rupa that cannot be moved. Hanging the newspaper over the beams and stapling it brought Hema, now an ex Warwick student,to mind. Why? Well Hema did a degree in psychology and was a student of John Pickering, and yonks ago when we first painted the Shrine Room it was John who invented this method of covering the beams. Spreading old newspaper to protect what we didn’t want spoilt reminded me too of when I was a student. At Drama Centre where I was in Group One, Yat, our great teacher who we all worshipped, knowing that I was pretty broke, asked me to work for him on a Saturday afternoon polishing his brass and silver and antique furniture. This was a tremendous honour and even more so when on the first day having sat me down and got me started he suddenly appeared with a tray of Earl Grey tea, toast and ginger marmalade for me and then sat chatting. I remember him looking at the newspaper that was spread out in front of me with the polish and bits and pieces on it and glancing at some snatches of old news he made some remark about the only time he read the newspaper being when he used it for something else like this. And there were we occasionally pausing for a quick read of some nonsense or other! A couple of times yesterday and today I had to remind those who were working with me that you begin at the top – cleaning, painting, whatever – and work down. And again my mind went back to my student days and one summer when to earn some money I worked for a domestic agency going out and cleaning people’s houses. I did a few sessions for an elderly Jewish lady in one of those big red brick blocks of flats in Marylebone and when I first went there I didn’t really know anything about cleaning and started with the floor and worked up, and she told me off. Perfectly logical really, gravity and all that but I had to be told. I remember too boasting to her that I never read the papers and she told me off about that too. It was the morning when the papers were full of the Great Train Robbery the night before!
Apart from these little mental journeys the painting did get done and well pleased we are with it.

On a balmy late summer’s evening at Springhill Open Prison in Buckinghamshire on September 9th we held our annual celebration at the Springhill Buddha Grove. It was grand to be there again in that very special place, although there were fewer guests this year and for the first time we were without Lord Avebury who was enjoying a well deserved break somewhere in France. Tim Newell, the former Governor conned by Sam Cutler into agreeing to the building of the Buddha Grove all those years ago, was there with his wife, and so was the present Governor, Peter Bennett, and Khun Bancha, the First Secretary from the Royal Thai Embassy. Dominic, an S.O. at Brixton Prison brought Venerable Sangthong Dhammacaro from Wat Buddhapadipa who teaches meditation at Brixton and two Thai monks came from the Oxford Buddhist Vihara. As usual we began at the Buddha Grove with some speeches and the chanting of the Parittas, which brought tears to the eyes of one of the prison officers on duty. Later a surprised inmate who had observed this phenomenon said to the officer that he thought they (officers) had no feelings. Well, just as I have to remind people sometimes that prisoners aren’t only prisoners, so prison officers are people too and we’re all in the same boat, spoilt with greed, aversion and delusion and having to struggle with our suffering one way or another. It’s that very omnipresent problem of suffering that Buddhism addresses head on. Once again I told the story of the building of the Buddha Grove way back in 1992 when Sam Cutler and his partner in time conceived and built it, Sam doing the organising, conning the Governor and getting other inmates with their numerous skills involved, while Ian shifted the concrete and managed the site. While we were enjoying our little ceremony at the Buddha Grove an army of Thai cooks and helpers were down at the kitchens perfecting the banquet they’d spent the afternoon preparing. So as soon as I’d shut up, down everyone trooped to the dining hall where the Thais were ready to feed the entire prison and guests. Everyone who spoke to me afterwards said how delicious the food was, and I’m sure it was with some of the best Thai restaurants in the country represented in that kitchen. Afterwards we returned to the Buddha Grove for the candlelit circumambulation, pictured above.
My thanks and appreciation to everyone who made the evening such a brilliant success. Anumodana!

The day before, at the Forest Hermitage, we’d had one of our quarterly Angulimala workshops for Buddhist Prison Chaplains. In the morning was Angulimala’s AGM, when we broke with tradition and successfully accepted the accounts. Then in the afternoon Phil Wheatley, the Director General of the Prison Service, (with me in the picture) kindly spent a couple of hours with us talking to about the current state of the prisons and answering questions and responding to what our Buddhist chaplains had to say. It was very kind of him indeed to give up a Saturday afternoon for us. It was much appreciated and we were deeply grateful.

First of all, I haven’t been out and about much lately because, although one or two kind people have helped with a drive or two, I don’t now have a regular driver. Which means that if there’s some reliable chap out there who’s not yet ready to be a monk but who would like to live in a monastic and disciplined setting, do a bit of practice, help out and drive, we’d love to hear from him. Failing that, just someone to drive, please.

Last Sunday, the nine day August retreat concluded with all the retreatants walking over from Bhavana Dhamma to see me and pay their respects, and for me to meet them. They were glowing and obviously had had a very good time of it.

Now we’re assessing the jobs that need to be done or finished. We’d like to alternate a week of doing jobs with a week of more formal practice. Whether that’ll really work out remains to be seen because there is so much to do to run a place like this and here it’s not like Thailand with a village of willing hands ready to come along and cheerfully help out when needed. Never mind, we will continue to do our best but we mustn’t lose sight of what we’re really here for.

Yesterday I set off early with Tom, Sister Khema and Elizabeth for Hylands Park near Chelmsford where the 21st World Scout Jamboree was being held. Actually it was my second visit. On Sunday we had gone there to celebrate Asalha Puja and yesterday we went again to join in the Scout movement’s centenary day, Sunrise Day. On Sunday I gave a short sermon in a gloomy, muddy tent about the significance of Asalha Puja and yesterday I spoke at length to a much larger audience gathered in the open air in brilliant sunshine about Buddhism and Scouting.
I am pictured here with Professor Yongyudh Vajaradul, Chairman of the World Buddhist Scout Brotherhood.
There are some more pictures here.

On July 29th, the Full Moon of the ancient Indian lunar month of Asalha, the skies over the Heart of England cleared, the torrential rain that had been soaking us for weeks abated, the sun shone forth and we had a wonderful day celebrating the Buddha’s very first sermon. It was the usual format that all our festivals follow: Dana, Sila, Bhavana – Giving, Virtue and Cultivation. People brought food to offer and share, and other requisites to help keep us going; they received and renewed their precepts; we all honoured the Triple Gem by circumambulating the temple three times with candles flowers and incense and then they listened while I explained that first important teaching of the Buddha’s. In the hope they would remember what they’d heard, to take with them and keep by them, I gave out a little card with on one side a finger pointing the way to happiness and on the other the Noble Eightfold Path which the Buddha had revealed in his first sermon to those five ascetics, his former companions.

While I had been away in Thailand I had decided that we should give Wood Cottage anew name more appropriate to its role as a place for Dhamma practice. I decided to call it Bhavana Dhamma and when I got back and we were planning our Asalha Puja celebration we felt that it would be a good idea to hold our renaming ceremony in the afternoon of Asalha Puja when we’d finished at The Forest Hermitage (Wat Pah Santidhamma). So that’s what we did. Some of us walked over and others went by car and when we’d all gathered we blessed the new sign over the door and then gathered inside for some refreshment and a chat.
We couldn’t linger too long however because we had to get off pretty smartish for Hylands Park near Chelmsford where thousands of scouts were camped and where I had to lead another Asalha Puja ceremony and give a short sermon. That’s in another post.

One morning in June, on my way back from my morning walk, I really felt I wanted a break. Other people around me seemed to be having one and I thought, why not me? Later, when I mentioned it encouraging noises were made and it began to seem a possibility. There had already been thoughts of me going to Thailand to help our Wood Cottage appeal and when it seemed like this break might actually happen these ideas resurfaced and began to be acted on. To cut a long story short, with some impressive organising and very little notice fund raising events were arranged, articles and notices appeared in the Thai papers and I was off.
So one morning early in July I checked in with Thai Airways at Heathrow and took a flight to Bangkok where I went straight to Khun Jung’s and stayed in the newly built kuti at their place. Matthew soon showed up to be with me for a couple of days and that afternoon we went to Buddha Montone. The next day I visited Ajahn Jundee’s wat in Chonburi and on the Monday, after another little trip out, I took the evening flight for Ubon and Wat Pah Nanachat. My stay there was pretty uneventful. I found it very hot and muggy and it was all I could do much of the time to stay awake. I went over to Peter and Tipawan’s for a cup of tea on the Tuesday and to Wat Pah Pong on the Wednesday. Thursday night, in the company of Ajahn Cittagutto who ordained at The Forest Hermitage fifteen years ago and who now stays at Wat Pah Nanachat, it was back to Bangkok where I had something to see to on the Friday afternoon followed by a gathering for meditation at Dhammaram in the evening. Most who attended that were well-known to me and several were former Warwick University students.
The next morning I had to go early to a posh hospital that looks more like a luxury hotel for a check-up and then back again after the meal for the results. Thankfully nothing awful was discovered so barring accidents I might be around for a little while yet. That day was an observance day when we have to hear Patimokkha and so we went out to Ajahn Jundee’s for that. In the evening when we returned, Professor Yongyudt, Chairman of the World Buddhist Scouts Brotherhood, came to see me about the forthcoming jamboree in Essex.
On the Sunday we went into the heart of Bangkok to Loketip Magazine’s Dhamma place for an event that they kindly hosted. Loketip gave this monastery considerable and generous support years ago when we were struggling to pay the mortgage on the Forest Hermitage and I used to go there every year. I hadn’t seen them for a few years and it was good to be back. The meal was offered, I gave a talk which was mostly translated and a lot of money was collected – 127,000 Baht. Anumodana!
In the afternoon it was the turn of my eyes to have a thorough examination and later new glasses were ordered.
Then early on Monday morning we sped off to a big school in Samut Pragahn. This was very special, all 1,600 pupils and staff turned out to greet me, to listen to me, to take the Refuges and Precepts and to make the formal offering of the 250,000 Baht that they had collected in a very short time. I had never before given the precepts to so many. It was a wonderful morning. Anumodana!
In the afternoon, when I’d got back to Khun Jung’s, my old friend Sathienpong Wannapok came to see me. His article in Matichon had given our fundraising a terrific boost.
The day after that was my 63rd birthday! I can’t quite believe the number and somehow feel those numerals should be the other way round and even then would be too many. Just across from where we were staying was Thawsi School, a Buddhist school for children from 5 to 11. It’s run by Khun Onn and her husband, Khun Witit. That morning I was invited over to the school to listen to the children recite morning chanting, then chat to them for a while (when I surprised a few people with my Thai, which sometimes isn’t all that bad) and then they put a little play on for me. It was based on the well-known chant about the Buddha’s wholesome victories and it was utterly delightful. One of the scenes showed the Angulimala story. This big lad came on with a sword and moustaches and quickly killed a couple of other lads before pursuing the Buddha around the stage, then shamelessly playing to the gallery he brought the house down by giving each of the ‘bodies’ another poke with his sword as he passed. The whole thing was done in a very formal Thai style with the Buddha represented by a child carrying a pole on which was suspended a banner with either an image of the Buddha walking or an image of him sitting. There are a couple of pictures in my album here and some more on the Thawsi School website, here. Afterwards they all sang Happy Birthday to me and then I was offered a lovely meal, some of which the children had cooked. That morning another 10,000 Baht was offered. Anumodana!
In the evening I gave a talk to about 150 people at Charn Issara Tower and another collection was made. This time 250,000 Baht. Anumodana!
Then it was back to pack and get ready and all too soon my little break was over and I was heading back to Blighty.

On July 15th the much talked of, long planned and vigorously debated, sponsored walk and meditation on Snowdon finally happened and was a great success. I missed it of course as I was in Thailand and that day involved in a rather less physically demanding approach to fund raising and merit making. From what I gather everyone pretty much enjoyed themselves, although the walk was longer than some had anticipated, and then of course there were the blisters! Never mind, it was a great effort and I am already hearing talk of another, the question is where next? I’m not sure how much was raised, partly because it’s still coming in but it’s well over £3,000. Anumodana!
I’ve posted a few pictures here.

Today was the official opening of a new Thai restaurant in West Bridgeford on the outskirts of Nottingham. Khun Ting and her husband, David, are the owners and I was invited to go there this morning for the blessing. I was joined by four monks from Wat Sanghathan in Birmingham. Khun Ting and David are well-known to us at The Forest Hermitage and have supported us for many years. This is their second restaurant and it was lovely to be with them on this very special day. In the picture, with Khun Ting and David looking on, I’m rather precariously make the marks of blessing over the sign ‘Siam House’.

Our Visakha Puja weekend marked an anniversary that I had meant to have made something of but then forgot all about. Thirty years ago the weekend of the 4th and 5th of June marked the beginning of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations and on June 4th I took Ajahn Chah to visit my parents. It was on the train to Portsmouth that I asked him if it would be all right for me to do some prison visits and he answered with one word, ‘Go!’
The following day, I remember it poured with rain and we went for a drive. That was when we called at the home of a relative and while everyone else was stuffing themselves with afternoon tea, he and I occupied a sofa at the end of the room. All of a sudden he dug me in the ribs and told me to ask these typical middle class English people if they suffered. I was just about to make some excuse and get out of it when the room went silent and I realised the chatter had stopped, the tea cups and buns were stilled and all eyes were on me as everyone waited to hear what the great man had said. I was trapped! Well you can imagine the embarrassed reaction when I translated his question. Eventually I told him that they didn’t understand and the teacups, the buns and the chatter resumed.
The picture is of us leaving my parent’s home for church that same evening. Ajahn Chah led us up the main aisle and seated, turned on his little tape recorder. The clergyman was as nervous as a kitten and his sermon was hopeless. Ajahn Chah understood not a word but realised it wasn’t very good and afterwards said that even I could have done better!