Tsunami spotlights Hillsboro community

by SOPHIA TAREEN, Oregon Live, January 06, 2005

Sri Lankans in Washington County help two monks at a new Buddhist temple in Hillsboro raise relief money

Hillsboro, OR (USA) -- The Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha stacks two plastic jars crammed with dollar bills and loose change into a white shopping bag.

Since a tsunami devastated the coast of his native Sri Lanka, the Buddhist monk has been making the rounds collecting money for a relief effort.

Later this month, a group of monks -- one from Hillsboro -- will travel to Sri Lanka to deliver the donations. Bodhiseeha estimates he's collected $500 so far.

For about three months, Bodhiseeha, 35, and another monk, the Venerable Galauda Palitha, 53, have been running the Oregon Buddhist Vihara, the only Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in the state.

The temple has drawn the small Sri Lankan community in Washington County together, especially since the tsunami.

As in their native country, Sri Lankan families in Hillsboro support the monks, who do not work. The families alternate taking them food and organize get-togethers at the temple.

They also give the monks rides and allow them to set up the fundraising jars in area convenience stores that they own and operate.

In Oregon, the Sri Lankan population is small and slowly growing -- 214 people, according to the 2000 Census. Half that population lives in Washington County.

Until a few months ago, they never had a place to worship locally.

"Normally, in our country, every village, every town has a temple," says Ranjith Fernando, a retired engineer and community leader who lives in Aloha. "That is the most important thing for the religious part of your life."

Sri Lanka is about 70 percent Buddhist.

Sri Lankan Buddhism follows a different school of thought from other Asian countries, so Sri Lankan Buddhists don't usually attend any of the other temples in the Portland metro area.

Fernando hopes the small Hillsboro temple will become a gathering place and someday a school.

But in the meantime, there are bills and a mortgage.

"I'm sure they're going to struggle in Hillsboro," said Ruth Wilson, a Portland woman who befriended the monks when they first arrived. "They are very gracious. They are very inviting. They accept what is."

The monks' traditional bright orange robes attract attention in Hillsboro.

People ask:

"Are you the Dalai Lama?"

"Are you a Hare Krishna?"

"Are you from the jail?"

Since the tsunami, the monks' routine of prayer and meditation has been altered.

They can think only of what is happening in their home cities.

They've heard from family members: Everyone is safe.
We Need Your Help to Train the
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


TOP