Words of loving kindness
By Dr Ma Tin Win
The New light of Myanmar
Sunday, 27 May, 2001
I have already presented in my article that during my flight to Siam (Thailand), I ate the meal served by the Siamese (Thais) only after dispensing metta to the Siamese (Thai) King and his subjects. After dispensing metta, I saw everything through the loving kindness which is the metta. As a history lover, the visit to Siam was an excellent one for me. The pagoda under the title of "Nakorn Pathom" was located at the place which was said to be the first region to embrace Buddhism in Siam. The host made an arrangement for me to visit the pagoda, as I had made a request. I learned that the names of the donors were recorded on glaze tiles. So, as a Myanmar and with the belief that Buddhism everywhere was the same, I made donations to the pagoda with full generosity.
After leaving the pagoda, I paid obeisance to a standing Buddha image under the title Buddha Muhton in a large and pleasant garden thriving with various species of trees, plants and flowers. The Buddha image was sublime. The position of the image's foot was making a step forward and its hand was the Abhaya Mudra (indicating free from all dangers). I was pleased to have made the request to visit the Buddha image during my return trip from the pagoda. I took many photographs at the religious edifices.I also bought three bronze replicas of the standing Buddha image. I was happy during my visit to Siam as I was able to visit pagodas and study ancient edifices there. I even forgot that I was on an official trip.
I felt more happy during the trip to Pitsanulok. There was not so much stress like in Bangkok as it was situated in the countryside. Besides, the countryside is more hospitable in every country. It was a great pleasure for me to get the opportunity to pay obeisance to a renowned Buddha image in Pitsanulok. But there was one thing. As I was specially interested in history, I also saw Pitsanulok as "Pithalok". Thus, my interest in this matter was further enhanced.
Pitsanulok was the town of Naresuan. Thus, there was the Naresuan Memorial University. The history professor at the university was much cordial to Myanmars. With pleasure, he recounted his experiences of paper reading session on King Bayintnaung in Myanmar. It was a wonder. I was wondering why the Siamese who wanted to create problems with Myanmar had much respect for our King Bayintnaung who conquered their country and at the same time, Naresuan (Byanarazi) was so ungrateful to the King who was his foster father. Then, I was thinking that Siam was a real puzzle. How much would the King be deeply affected by the consequences occurred due to the bad Byanarazi had he known about them?
After our happy expedition, our team visited a school. When we entered the meeting hall, we met with the headmistress. She was pretty and had excessively beautified herself. We were seated on her left side of the table and on the other side were the teachers. When I smiled at the teachers, they all grinned at me except one teacher. She was not smiling, and I thought that I was the only person who noticed her stern face. Only when the professor of our team said to me that her face was so stern, did I realize that I was not the only person who noticed her stern face. I was always criticizing myself for my extreme sensitivity. But this time my observation was not wrong.
Only afterwards, did we know that she was not a teacher from the school; that she was a university faculty and a younger sister of one of the teachers of the school; that the teacher brought her younger sister to the meeting as the headmistress asked her teachers to find a person who could speak English well; and that she was also a doctorate like us. With the grim face, she told us that we might ask questions if we found any of her clarifications difficult to understand. She then explained facts about the school. Every time she asked "Understand?" I felt as if I was back in the primary class. When she was about to finish her clarification, she asked " Any questions?"
A fat and short woman, dressed in an unfashionable style, and with a clear and calm face showing no anger or stress, or could be said a woman in a dull look, from our team stood up. She was no other person, but myself. Then I politely made a request. "Give me the microphone please." I said the word "please" in Siamese (Thai). This was one of the only two Siamese (Thai) words I had learned. At that moment, she showed interest and asked me with eagerness "You speak Siamese (Thai)?" I told her that I knew only two Siamese words. Then, she asked, "Any incomprehensible matters?" I answered, " No, no. Not because of any incomprehensible matter, but because of my wish to speak about the words of " loving kindness"."
While looking at the logo of the school on the head of a paper, I told them their similarities with Myanmar. Because the logo held the picture of the Svarasvati (the goddess believed to be responsible for looking after the Tipitakas). Referring to the ancient buildings and customs which were based on Buddhism, which I had studied during the visit, I told them that the basic foundation of Myanmar and Siam were much similar; that the territories of both countries were contiguous; that the two countries had much similar climate, trees, fruits and flowers; and that it would be in accord with the Buddha's teaching if the two similar countries shared the loving kindness between each other. In reality, I made a long speech. I also told them about myself being lost in thoughts every time I saw the donation of lotus flowers to the Buddha in Siam. In conclusion, I wished them to be cool as water and fragrant like a flower, saying that, it was a Myanmar way of wishing others.
I was so happy to see her stern face turned to a sweet smile at the end of my talk. When we were preparing to leave the school after enjoying meals together with the host, she came to me and talked. She was quite young. She would be about the age of my daughter or would be a little older than my daughter. She was wearing a gown, with a modest design sewn from a locally-made cloth. She looked fair when the sternness disappeared. She got the doctorate degree from Ohio University in the United States. "Where did you get your doctorate degree, from the US too?" I smiled at her and answered "From the country which was opposite to the US. From Russia during the time it was the Soviet Union." It seemed that she looked somewhat embarrassing when she heard my answer.At that moment, I happened to say " Regardless of whichever country we get our doctorate degree, the friendship between Siam and Myanmar depends on the citizens of both nations." I said these words with full belief and she also heartily agreed with me. While we were waiting for our flight to Bangkok at the airport, she came to us together with her sister and gave us the photographs taken in the morning. At that time, a thought came into my mind with joy. " We are from the education sector, but we can also be the goodwill delegation which can solve the politically related problems. In reality, the basic nature of the Siamese people are not discourteous."
If Siam has the real wish to find a solution to the problem with Myanmar, it does not need to invite its masters from abroad for help. The problem can be solved between both parties. But there is one thing. Only if Siam, the transgressor in this incident, is not childish and does not make complaints.
Besides, the more I studied about Siam, the more I knew about its sufferings caused by the colonialists" dominations. Because of the colonialists" actions a significant degree of damage has been caused to its political and social characters such as territory, dignity, history and culture. I was wondering why the Siamese were still relying on the colonialists and it was because they failed to study their history. Let's study the history of Siam in a general way.
Author :Dr Ma Tin Win ( Institute of Education )