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In May 2011 I was invited to Bangkok, Thailand to receive a prize
in honor of my activities in teaching Vipassana meditation and Buddhism in the world.
Naturally, during my stay in Thailand I met Ajarn Tong and invited him to come to Israel
to open the temple and the new meditation center that we are beginning to establish in Israel.
The blessing I have just chanted is the one that we monks and nuns usually chant.
It means: We praise the qualities of our teacher Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo,
we send a blessing for his good health and long life.
Ajarn Tong is our Monastery Head Master.
He lives and teaches in Chom Tong, near Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.
He is one of the senior most monks in Thailand and is in charge of Vipassana in the north of Thailand.
Some of the Thai people consider him to be an enlightened human being.
Ajarn Tong has the quality of a person rarely found in today's world
a person who is pure in his mind,
behaves and lives in the manner that is a living example of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha
Bringing such a person to Israel, we view as having great merit and a rare event.
The Buddha said that there are two types of people that are difficult to find:
those who give whole heartedly without expecting anything in return,
and those who can receive and know how to appreciate it greatly.
The Thai people and Ajarn Tong at their head, gave me a great present.
I always thought about how I can repay the Thais for the gift of the new life they gave me.
I am very happy that I have the opportunity to give them this present
so they can feel they have a home in Israel where they can carry out their religious and cultural life.
An entourage of monks arrived together with Ajarn and I appreciate this very much.
One of them is Ven. Somedj Phra Buddha Chinawons (Phra Phrommoli),
a highly respected senior monk in Bangkok, central Thailand
Personally, I appreciate very much his generosity and good will in coming,
giving a hand and supporting what has been done in Israel.
This is certainly not something to be taken for granted.
Ajarn's assistants also came; Ven. Phra Chai and Tu Pamuan.
Phra Sid also came from Germany.
Maechee Manu came and lent a helping hand with sympathetic joy.
I take this opportunity to thank the Ambassadors of Thailand and Sri Lanka.
It's a great honor to co-operate and work together.
It's most important to note the support,
encouragement and help of the Israeli and German communities
Kalyana Mitta, good friends in the Dhamma.
I thank both of them and think it's significant that they work so well together
in love and unity, what we call Samakhi (unity).
As far as I know, it's the first time from the time of the Buddha until today,
that a home for monks and a Sangha has been created in Israel and the Middle East
It's wonderful to see the seed we are sowing beginning to grow, in the hope that it will
develop into a real temple so that more monks can be invited.
Till today it's been difficult for Israeli Buddhist monks to come and
stay in Israel, near their families, for lack of a suitable place to stay.
Ofer's mother: "I never thought Ofer would return"
Many people ask us how the place manages to make ends meet.
In Pali, the Buddha's language, there is a term called "Dana".
Dana is giving: material things such as money, things, medications, and a place to stay.
I take this opportunity to express thanks and appreciation to all the members of the Newman Society
who undertook to invite and bring me here, and to support
the special way of a monk's life that I have undertaken.
Also, to hold Vipassana meditation courses.
Vipassana is to develop mindfulness, awareness, and to clear
one's mind to make us better people, both to ourselves and to others.
I hope many people will be able to taste what's called the nectar of the Dhamma.
As I understand with Ajarn Tong's land in Israel we have already done a great thing.
His coming to Yavne'el is a great merit.
With Ajarn opening this place and held a seven or nine day course, we have done a great thing.
And creating a local Israeli Sangha of monks and nuns will be a great merit for us.
I am happy that we succeeded in doing all these things.
I take this opportunity to bless all the people who donate time, money and effort.
I am surrounded by many angels who support and extend help in the way of Dhamma.
On this occasion I want to bless you all: "Cattaro Dhamma Vaddhanti Ayu Vanno Sukham Balam".
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!