" Do you Really Have Amity?"(Contin

[mg_myanmar@xxxxxxxxx]

Subject: " Do you Really Have Amity?"(Continuation of yesterday)

SOURCE:  Information  Sheet No.B-1201 (I)  31st December 1999
           MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE , YANGON

<<  Special Feature >>

>This office is presenting an article entitled " Do
>You Really Have Amity ? " written by Dr. Mya Mya Win
>which appeared in New Light of Myanmar (Volume VII,
>Number 257 of 31 December 1999) for your reading
>pleasure. (Continuation of yesterday)


 " Do you Really Have Amity?"

    At the inauguration ceremony of the Mahasantisukha
Buddhist Missionary  Centre, Patron of the Committee
for Organizing the Opening Ceremony of the Centre
Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt supplicated on religious matters. In his 
supplications, the Secretary-1 said '' It is learnt
that the sasana split into two sects, Mahayana
Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, when years passed
after the noble demise of the Buddha. Mahayana
Buddhism is flourishing in China, Korea and Japan
ect., and Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. '' As for me, living in
both countries, Myanmar and Japan, compared the
differences of the two sects without having in mind
the attitude - which one is better and more correct.

    In Myanmar we not only give due respects to and have
sympathy for our parents but also for all the aged
persons. I have read in the treatise that when Bodisat
was in the life of the parrot king, he had to pick up
grains with his beak to gather food for his old
parents (as a means to repay the debt of gratitude )
and to feed his children (as a means to disburse new
loans). We can find many persons in the entire nation
who are looking after and providing financial
assistance to their old parents. 

    But in Japan, the persons who are looking after their
aged parents are very rare. Let it be if it is said
that they (the old parents) do not need financial
assistance as they are living on their pension, but
they will surely need attendance at the old age and
dying moments. With the belief that the special care
must be given to the children as they are the ones who
will build and defend the nation in the future ,
Japanese are looking after their children with utmost
care and attention (the work of disbursing new loans).
With the thought that the aged persons are no more
useful, they are starting to call the elderly persons
'' Sodiagomi'' (garbage that is difficult discard).
The Japanese government which is taking the
responsibility of the aged persons is giving special
attention to the tasks of solving the problems
concerning the elderly persons who are called
Lojinmondai in Japanese. 

    In Japan, once every year, the 15th of September is
observed as '' the Day of Grand- parents''. With the
meaning that becoming aged is, auspicious
Omedetogozaimasu festivals are being held on that day.
It cannot be said that the remaining 364 days are the
same as that day. The aged also choose and make
preparations to stay at the homes for the aged or
hospitals which look after the disabled or those who
are not able to look after themselves. But the elderly
persons never have such sad feelings that they are
being cruelly neglected or that their children are not
worthy for them. As Japan is a very busy country, the
old parents with immense metta solve their own
problems by choosing a suitable place for them, making
a determination that they are not going to give any
trouble or anxiety to their children who are very busy
with their work round the clock. 

    I began to understand that the way of living differed
as they are based on the religion. I often gave talks
in Japan at various places. Sometimes my talks were
participated by a large number of aged persons. Based
on a Japanese folklore, I always told a story to the
aged persons. 

    The story was as follows: 

    Once upon a time, there was a hill called the place
where old parents were discarded. One day a man who
was 30 years old put his over 60-year-old father in a
basket and discarded him at the hill. The man's
10-year-old son accompanied him to the hill. After
discarding his old father, the man and his son
returned. On half way, the son said '' Father you have
forgotten the basket that you used in carrying
grandpa. Let's go back and take it.'' The man told his
son '' That basket is no more useful. We don't need to
take it back home. Let's continue our journey home.''
Then the son said ''  For you, this basket is no more
useful. But for me it is still useful. Because I have
to use it to discard you. '' The grandpas and grandmas
were tearful after they had listened to my story. They
told me '' We want our children to hear such stories.
If you come to our towns next time to tell this story,
we will send our children to you to listen to your
story.'' 

    At the meetings participated by a large number of
youths, I rarely gave such kind of talks. I showed
them the pictures of pagodas in Myanmar, telling them
the traditions and culture of Myanmar. I usually
concluded my talks, urging them to visit Myanmar.
Expressing the feelings of Myanmar people in
requesting assistance and investments was the main
item in my talks. Japan is included in the list of the
developed countries of the world. I thought that there
was no sufferings in Japan which is gaining material
development rapidly. But every year the number of
suicides in Japan is not few. I had heard that the
suicidal rate in Japan was three times more than that
of the previous year. Is it because of their failure
to find a place for mental refuge ? Following the
teachings of Buddha, we in Myanmar are always able to
find a place for mental refuge. I began to understand
that Mahasantisukha Buddhist Missionary Centre has
emerged to disseminate the invaluable Theravada
Buddhism in every part of the world. I really love the
traditions of Myanmar-giving due respects to the aged,
looking after and providing financial assistance to
parents and boldly facing the sufferings of the
mundane world.

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Mg Myanmar
A Myanmar citizen who loves Myanmar

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