A devout disciple of Buddha; indeed, a loyal friend | Daily News

A devout disciple of Buddha; indeed, a loyal friend

Prejudices and preconceptions that I had with the “yellow robe” seem to be fading away. We expect Buddhist monks to be so timid and tight-lipped persons, whereas the words they utter cannot even be heard by the listener, they look down while walking, and so on. The myth seems to be debunked.

As I have learnt and heard, the main purpose of a monk is to learn, practice and share. The bridge that connected me and the devoted loyal monk friend was the purpose of learning, practising and sharing.

Since I hail from a middle-class family, I have received a sound education with sophisticated English. Literature is my fiancé. I would say that I was privileged to enter a local university to follow an English degree.

I am a nerd but not by all means, I would say that my “disorder” to do everything perfectly was acting advantageous to enter a university. Therefore, I excelled in my studies most of the time.

The devoted disciple of Buddha, which I bow my head with no second thoughts (in an era where actions of monks demote their positions), was so keen to acquire the Queen’s Language.

To be honest, I looked up to him. According to our readings, a monk should spend a very low-key life. The desire of acquiring the Queen’s language had a controversy with my reading. It clouded me with the thought that “he is going to be clinging more with worldly affairs”, but I was gravely mistaken.

I was ashamed to learn that his desire was to learn, practice and share. His intention was to spread Buddha’s words not only locally, but also internationally. It was enough to send fireworks down my face.

My mind, as well as my body, has its own way of hustling and bustling. At the mouth of a mid-exam at university, I went on a mini-break and missed a few of my lessons. A social benefactor, the monk used to record lessons for the benefit of “uni-student-kind”.

By all means, I had to contact him as my “nerd” personality wanted the monk’s help. That is when I first contacted him. Revisiting my past, literally, I had the worst experiences with the “yellow robes”. Therefore, I decided to maintain my distance. However, now and here, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he is Buddha’s disciple. He has become my mentor, counsellor and loyal friend.

Unfortunately, the pandemic only allowed around three weeks at the university premises. I barely have seen the monk seated in the first row, but I have not directed my special attention. It was only once that I had spoken with him in person, waiting outside a lecture hall near a staircase until the “already-in” students were coming out.

I see myself as a mess. I miss things, I misunderstand things very often, and screw things; but he became the light at the end of the tunnel. I kept marvelling at his kindness, vision, and understanding.

Reading my character is a quagmire task, which he excelled in not more than in a few weeks. What mattered for me after all were not my grades, but his grades that elevated his dream of learning, practising and sharing.

He often says that he has a myriad of things to learn from me, and vice versa. I wonder about his intelligence, his maturity; indubitably, he is Buddha’s disciple.

The “Yellow Robe” itself has its own duties and responsibilities that are bonded with it: endless almsgivings, poojas, funerals, and many more. Had he ever complained about any of those? He challenges the day.

The “Yellow Robe” does not mean that they have purified all defilements. We need a rotation in our ideologies which would help us to reduce disappointments that come with the “Yellow Robe”. Broader the understanding, easier the living.

After all, aiding an intention that accompanies the way out of Sansara will not be mumbo jumbo. Expanding hopes, I say college degrees and subject-verb agreements are not always necessary to serve our kind: humankind. It only takes a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.

I was more alive than I had ever been, serving a divine human course. Triumph adores the relentless.


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