I would like to share something about my relationship with the Buddhist community and Buddhism.  Being from Myanmar it is impossible for me not to be one with the Buddhist Community with all its cultural richness. It is inseparable and my relationship with Buddhism is tightly woven. The majority of people in Myanmar are Buddhist. In my own extended family, there are many devout Buddhists. Two Myanmar proverbs help us understand this close relationship.

“Reeds depend on alluvial land and alluvial land on reeds,”

and,

“The crow defers to the crow-pheasant, and crow-pheasant defers to the crow.”

The Gift of Family

From the time of birth to this day, I have been deeply committed to the Christian faith that has nourished me. My parents, particularly my mother, a devout Christian, gave me my early Christian faith formation. In primary school, as a teacher she made sure that all the students prayed before the start of the classes. She taught us catechism while my father was called to teach and accompany the children to pray according to Buddhist faith.

From my youth, I learned God is almighty, eternal and everywhere. I often recalled the icon of Sacred Heart picture on our small altar at home where we prayed together, praying the Rosary and other devotional prayers. During prayer time, we were told to concentrate and not to play up.

While Mother closed her eyes and prayed fervently, I started playing, looking up at the icon of Sacred Heart picture and fixing my eyes on Jesus’s eyes. Whenever I tilted my eye to the right or left, his eyes followed me. I could not escape his eyes. He was watching me and looking after me. That image has always remained with me.

On the other hand, my father who had embraced his Buddhist faith from his youth sat at the back. He did not know so many prayers as my mother did but quietly joined in by sitting at the back, just being one with the family. He believed in the teaching of the Lord Buddha, and guided us to live good lives. He encouraged us to have magnanimous hearts so we could understand, forgive and be generous.

“They are true disciples who have trained their hands, feet and speech to serve others. They meditate deeply, are at peace with themselves and live in joy” (sayings of the Lord Buddha from Dhammapada).

I feel I am blessed to be raised in these atmospheres of Christian and Buddhist faith cultures. There is a longing in me to deepen my understanding of traditional Myanmar Buddhism in my everyday relationships with Buddhists.

“Let us seek God always and everything! Yes, All for God.” (Euphrasie Barbier, 15 February 1883 – Community to Lyon)