17th Anniversary

February 6, 2018

It seems like that time has come up again. Time surely does happen and so does my anniversary. Now it is 17 years! As usual, for the disclaimer, I am only 11 Vassa in official years. But Wow! Now it is finally starting to seem like a long time!

I have been blessed with a wonderful adult life. I worked as a professional for only about six years, got paid like a doctor, and felt relaxed and at ease the majority of the time that I worked. Then I took a one and half year extended backpacking tour of the world and then renounced the world and ordained. Life has been a good ride so far, and I am still eager to continue to ride on the Bhikkhu train.

I have finished my Diploma at The International Theravāda Buddhist Missionary University, and I have finally succeeded in memorizing the Pātimokkha (after 17 years of failing). It is is considered a landmark accomplishment, usually by someone who has less than five years. However, better late than never, right? I performed the Pātimokkha in front of Pa-Auk Sayadawgyi and 143 other monks this past January and I did it in 55 minutes this time which is slow but much faster than before. I have recently been the little engine that could. So what’s next?

Kauai Revisited

I have a plane ticket with no confirmed plans, but my friend in Kauai told me not to worry and to just get on the plane. I did that last time and everything worked out, even though there was a change in the lodging just two weeks before we came. So we will see what happens. I have a one way ticket this time and I will go alone to scout out the island first before inviting another monk.

So the current plan is to go to Thailand for three weeks in March and then off to Honolulu and Kauai in April. We will see what happens next.

What happened in Kauai last 2015?

Have you missed out on or forgotten what I did in Kauai in 2015?

Here are some of my favorite links to give you.

If you have an hour to watch a boring lecture, this explains most of it.

Propagation in Kauai Pt 1 &2

https://americanmonk.org/2016/07/18/kauai-propagation-presentation/

If you have an hour to listen to an interesting radio interview this explains half of it.

https://americanmonk.org/2015/11/22/oasis-radio-show-archive/

If you have 15 minutes to see a slide-show with all of the pretty pictures, this is what you want to see.

https://americanmonk.org/2016/03/18/704/

If you have 20 minutes to read a nice story about how monks fight with Buddhist haters, this is your link