Search Buddhist Channel
Despite presence of guards, monk prays for his safety
by WASSANA NANUAM, Bangkok Post, July 25, 2005
Narathiwat, Thailand -- Even with the protection of armed troops, a Buddhist monk confesses he prays for his own safety during his daily round of alms-taking.
``While collecting alms from villagers, I have to pray for my safety despite being accompanied by soldiers. I still have to be alert,'' said Phra Samruay Thanachitto, 60, a monk at Wat Urairattanaram in Bacho district.
Phra Samruay came to stay at Wat Urairattanaram in June after Phra Mool Suwanno was seriously wounded as he took alms under the protection of an armed marine late in May. He had once stayed at the temple for a while before moving back to a temple in Trat province.
On learning there was no monk at the temple after Phra Mool had been wounded and then treated in hospital, Phra Samruay decided to return.
``I couldn't bear to see the temple abandoned like that. I have a great deal of sympathy for Buddhists here as they had no one to turn to when they were in need of moral support,'' the monk said.
Phra Samruay returned to Wat Urairattanaram and sent a request to the Royal Household Bureau for monks under Her Majesty the Queen's patronage to be posted at the temple. He also asked Phra Pithak Phuthayano, 67, of Wat Thongthammachart in Trat's Laem Ngop district, to accompany him to Narathiwat.
``I'm a little afraid, but not much, probably because we have soldiers to protect us. As a monk, we should not be afraid of death but perform our duties to preserve Buddhism and give moral support to Buddhist villagers now living in fear. Their way of seeking relief from suffering is to make merit,'' Phra Pithak said.
Apart from Phra Samruay and Phra Pithak, the Royal Household Bureau sent monks to Wat Urairattanaram. Sixty-three monk volunteers under the Queen's patronage have arrived in Narathiwat to stay separately at various temples which only had one or two monks left.
Wat Urairattanaram is where the marines set up an operational base. Over the past year it has been attacked 15 times by militants. Most recently, on June 25, a number of militants fired 20 shots into the temple while monks were praying in the chapel. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.
Dear Friends in the Dharma,
We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.
Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:
One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.
How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.
Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.
Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.
Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.
Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.
Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!
May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,
With deepest gratitude,
Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team
Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau
We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.
If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv