Earth Quack

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    Behind Bundle of Browon Slab-sugar Packs

    . . .

    Bylaisaitai

    July 14, 2011Posted in: , () . . .

    Bundle of sugar packs

    Brother, Sukhamin, I had a plan to participate your birthday. But I missed it. When Iwas planning to go there, my temple was shaken. It just happened I was having a talk

    with my devotees at twenty five past 8 on 24 of March after a stop of my teaching. It was

    a tremor that had shaken my temple. Novices tried to hold tight of jars of flowers not to

    let them fall down. And telephone in my temple kept ringing through the night. They

    called me to find out if my temple was damaged and if I injure myself. They wanted toknow where exactly it caused damage to in Keng Tung. At 2 oclock, a powerful

    earthquake again occurred in Talay, where it caused a huge damage and result in loss ofmany lives. Since telephone continued to ring at night, I lost my sleep that I woke up late

    in the next morning. Early in the morning, divisional commander telephoned me to ask if

    I was going to Talay. I told him I would go there after lunch. Then, with Ko Thun Kyain ,I went to Dhammodhaya in a car in order to offer him a ride. With three empty cars in

    case to use in an emergency, we set off for Talay. We saw an unexpected scene, when we

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    arrived in Merng Phaert. People left their home and built small camps on both of the

    road. They did not dare to have some sleep but sat in group. Every village on the road did

    the same thing. Brother, Sukhamin, before we reached Talay, we saw a grave first, if youset off from Keng Tung. As soon as we reached there, we saw people burning the dead.

    They had burnt five but there left long line of the dead to be done so.

    Fissures of earth from Mekongs river basin and people burning of the deads.

    When we arrived at god house, we saw a big scary fissure across it. Houses at camp of

    BPG did not stand straight in its position. Beside the read, there stood buses of passenger

    as they could not pass over due to damage caused by the earthquake. From there on,

    houses were damaged and the deads were lined in camps beside the road; It was a shockscene. Brother, there were two aftershocks occurring while discussing with the divisional

    commander at Sein Pan Ni Ni, a shop, where we used to go. Trucks and buses could not

    cross bridge of Taly. We only saw people walking on their foot crossing it. There was ahuge fissure at the end of the bridge. Rescue team was being busy. Police, soldiers and

    fire fighters spaced quickly in searching for survivors under rubble. Rescue camp was

    opened at 316.

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    Fissures in a road in Talay

    When my adopted son, commander Kyaw Zin Lin (chief commander of 245) who had

    just come back from front line run up to me at once when he saw me. I asked Are you

    here. Yes, I am. I could not even have a sleep last night he told me. As I was comingfor chief abbot of Dhammodhaya, I was worried that my journey to pick him was

    interrupted by serial earthquake. Consequently, I went to Mahamyartmuni. I got there

    only found out that the abbot and chief abbot of Dhammodhaya were not there as he did

    not come back from Mong Nai yet. He was there for birthday of an abbot of Mong Nai.There in Tachileik, people were staying in complex where they used to listen to Dhamma

    talk. The rich also did not stay in their house. Instead, they built a small camp in front oftheir homes. The cakes my grandmother was in Mae Hsai. I thought of Ko Bho Lay, a

    member of border committee, in getting them (the cakes). I telephoned him and he told

    me he would come to see me at Mahamyartmuni in ten minutes. But then, I thought that

    he would busy and I called Ko Zaw Myint. When Ko Zaw Myint met me, he was a bitupset. He told that me that the quake was big and his children cried all night. We then set

    off to Mae Hsai. It was nearly 3Pm when we reached gate of bridge. His mobile rang and

    he was told that there would be an aftershock at 3pm. Will we go back he asked. I toldhim that I would be happy to die doing a merit encouraging him while gently hitting his

    shoulder. When we arrived at Export Company, my grandmother called me anddemanded that I went back to Keng Tung and not to stay in Tachileik as there would bean aftershock at 3 pm.

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    I told her I was coming for the cakes and I was near the Export Company; I would only

    go back when I got the cakes. Brother, Sukhamin, we saw Ko Bho Lay coming to receivedonation made by a Thai minister in the middle of bridge on our way back. When we

    were in Tachileik, we took Wai Wai noodles collected by Ko Htun Kyain. We donatedthem at Talay rescue camp and went back to Keng Tung. On our way, Ko Htun Kyainreminded me that the accident was similar to that ofThe Ye Thait (police sand castle). In

    fact, the poem would be published after water festival. Then I recited it in my mind:

    Sandy Castle by Vaciibait Sayadaw

    There is nothing.Only a dream as if a sandy castle built on the beach.

    Its eliminated, left nothing,

    By a breaking wave committing furious breach.

    Oh! Poor sandy castle, you resemble my life.

    Breeze of the sea, dont laugh drily.

    I am coming from long distance,Building sandy castles constantly,

    Under delusions circumstance.

    Am I happy? If asked.

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    Yes, I am.

    Am I tired? If asked.

    Yes, I am.Are you aware of it? If asked.

    Yes, I am.

    The waves will swallow them.

    While building castles sandy,

    Taste of hope plus dream,But, I am completely dreamy.

    Sandy castle is sandy castle.

    Realising it will be eliminated,

    Im building them.

    I am hoping,

    I build more beautiful castle,

    In life coming.

    () . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . () . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . () . . . . . .

    . . . . . . () . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .()

    Vacibeit as a chief

    Brother Sukhmin, I smiled when I remembered a joke told by brother, Mala; One day, a

    monk passed away. His friends thought of giving title. He was not a dhamma preacher.He did not receive Aggamahapandita, and Aggamahasadhammajotikadhaja. He did not

    get a degree. And he did not complete dhammacariya. When they were thinking about it,

    one of them came up with an idea. He told them that he was a chief about four or threeyears ago. They then gave him a title: formal chief. Brother Sukhamin, I did not know if I

    would be given the same title when I passed away. Then, I would be called Ven Kovida

    (vacipait saysadaw) and formal chief of alms cafeteria. I thought to myself what I could

    help. There were many victims. I then thought of affected monks. Because devotees andauthorities helped the victims and they were very tired that I could not cook for monks.

    After all I made a decision to be a chief to all. In the following day, I went to Tachileik

    again in order to discuss chief abbot of Mahamyartmuni and Ko Aung Than Thut. But I

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    met up with Ko Aung Than Thut in Talay. We discussed and he gave me any necessary

    help. Talay was crowded; rescue team, donors, observers, and camera men were there.

    Aftershock still occurred. When I met chief abbot of Mahamyartmuni, I gave anexplanation that I wanted to become a chief. In reply, he told me it would be better to go

    to Mern Learn as there were many temples damaged. Besides, people were suffered that

    monks had difficulty regarding alms. He assured me to beg for his help if I needed. I thendiscussed Won Jang Keinn, an assistant of the chief abbot, about this matter. He told me

    there was his village in Merng Learn. I went with chief abbot of Dhammodhaya and

    Mahamyartmuni when there was an enshrine ceremony of stupa. The stupa was notdamaged. There, only few people lost their lives. The water was good. He told me he

    would call for devotees to help me.For this reason, I decided to go there. Then I informed

    two chiefs abbot of my decision. And I had to went back into ordination hall again to

    discuss Ko Zaw Myaint (attendant of monk) Ko Bho Lay (border committee), Ko Lao Al(attendant of monk) Sai Su Sein ( attendant of chief abbot, shan cultural and literary

    association) Sai Pee ( adopted son) and Ko Ar Mein (attendant of monk). This group was

    reliable. They had worked together in helping victims of Cyclone Nargis. The group

    would be stronger with Ko Myint Han and Ko Zaw Win (official ministry ofconstruction). Those who had experienced cyclone nargis regrouped. Brother, there was

    no time to lose. In the next morning, we set off with four cars carrying food andequipment for camp. There I became a chief. Not soon after we reached Wan Long, there

    was a huge aftershock. This made us not to stay in ordination hall but in a camp built by

    ourselves in front of it. In the following morning, Long Jarm invited people to come for a

    warm breakfast, which he said it was donated by brothers and sisters of Keng Tung. Hisvoice was echoed on high ways of Talay and Merng Learn. People of Nar Kkam were

    skill in cooking. They had learnt it from devotees of Mern Bein at enshrine ceremony of

    stupa at Suwannasiam and Aung Tan Khun. It just took them twenty minutes to get a potof rice done. They had cooked for Lar Hu and Le Saw who lived around Suwannasiam

    for five days and nights in a row. The cooks were Mae Nyo, Daw La Thein, Mi Aye, Mae

    Nyein, Mae Vo, and Mae Pha. However, chefs in temple and local helped them. Whatsmore, they did not have time to cook as they were busy with repairing their house

    damaged by the earthquake, which meant they also came for the meal done by us.

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    Vacibeit Sayadaw as a chef

    With three cars, we went to donate our meals. In morning, we made donation to twenty

    one temples. One went into east direction while the second went westward. The third one

    went across Talay and donated it to temples beyond it. But I remained behind. At highschool of Talay, there waiting Red Cross, and fire fighter, who would delivered our meal.

    When was there, I made a donation of meal to educational service personnel, doctors,

    nurses and their patients. 245 Burmese Army encamped by hospital to help the victims

    of earthquake. As soon as we got back to our camp, we went out again with three cars todelivers our meal. Then, we prepared lunch for the sangha and people and then dinner for

    the people. We were so busy with cooking. It required 15 bags of rice and 50 kiloes of

    meat and fish. In addition to this, people in Tachileik sent us vegetable, meat and fish.The divisional commander with his spouse also sent us meat and fish. Those who were in

    charge of cooking cooked while other delivered it by their cars. Commander of 245, Soe

    Thu Ya with his nine followers looked so tired with sweat running over their facesstanding near stove. He was in charge of delivering our donation in one direction while a

    police officer, Myo Myint Maung was responsible for one. And I also took one.

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    Chef, Vacibeit

    Brother Sukhamin, regarding this disaster earthquake, I composed a poem entitled..

    Mr, chef on earthquake line

    Experience of life cannot be bought

    Only action of yourself accumulates it

    By the cause of powerful earthquake,

    With my merit, I cannot be dead.

    But, my heart excitingly pounds

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    Not in a month, a year or a life,

    This very merit I acquire.

    Why I became a chef?

    My warm loving kindness permeates warm rice.

    My warm curry also consists of it.

    May all sadden look be bright!

    Not me a sakka, however,

    I cant give money or gold,

    Only loving kindness is mine.

    Whatever happens,

    I am with you on this earthquake line.

    Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta.

    From where I came?

    The earth is quaking.

    I am cooking.

    Dear all, smell of my curry is drifting in this ceaselessly moving world.

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    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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    Brother Sukhamin, I travelled to see big fissure which devotees informed of in fieldwhere water came out from the bottom of it. Head village with his secretary of Wan Long

    accompanied to there. I was so scary when I was there to see a big line of earth raised upits surface. Some parts of the field was sung down slightly.

    Fissures in a field

    On that day, Ko Phon Shwe arrived there with geographical experts. In the following day,

    the experts explained me about the fissures in that field, which I came to realize a bitabout them. The geographical experts group consisted of U Than Myaint, chairman of

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    earthquake committee, U Nyaint They, member of geographical science of Myanmar, U

    Sao Thu Ya Thun, secretary of earthquake committee, and other members. Brother

    Sukhamin, we just survived from the disaster under three characteristic, anicca, dukhaand anatta, in which the Buddha taught that everything is changing ceaselessly. In west of

    India, the mount, Everest is higher and china is often damaged by earthquake. Obvious

    one was the quake in Yunan, which resulted in thousands of lives loss. Brother,Sukhamin, no one knew that there would be an earthquake in Talay. It should be said

    that it was due to our weakness in study. I noticed a shape of index-finger-like-curve of

    Myanmar map where I came to draw the part of Kent Larp and Pa Lae. According togeographical experts, Mae Kong River flowed straightly. Due to earthquake line under it,

    it became an index-finger-like-shape. Next to Loi Mwe, there is a village called Yang

    Kha.

    There is also earthquake line follows alongside Mae Kong River just in the west directionof Loi Mwe. The nearest lines to that of Talay are in Lao, and Mae Kaen, between Mae

    Sai and Chaein Rai. Brother Sukhamin, the central quake in Talay was at Loi Ci Merng.

    The nearest village to it is Kyar Ku Ni. In this village, twenty one people lost their lives,55 people were injured and 147 building were damaged. The quake left big fissures roadto the village. Brother Sukhamin, 22 temples in Talay and Merng Lern were destroyed.

    A Bhikkhu at damaged Ceti temple

    According to engineers, (1) buildings were built on change course (2) They were only

    built with thin blocks of bricks but not with strong concretes. (3) Foundations of theirhouses were not laid. Wooden houses just placed their piles on big stone flats.

    Consequently, their houses could not stand on the quake. (4) As they did not have

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    knowledge of earthquake, they did not examine place where they built their houses on.

    Brother Sukhamin, it is so painful to narrate story of Talay. By telling accidents, I would

    be able to publish a book. Ages parent were left while their children lost their lives. Itwas summer holiday, schools were closed that some people took their sons to temple and

    ordinate them, and they lost their sons in the earthquake. What more sadden is when I

    heard of a story of a son running in damaged house to save his father, but only to see thathis father put his arms around him and left him. And son died in his fathers arms. There

    are many more sadden accidents, brother. As I delivered our donation every day, I saw

    aged mothers came to receive our donation with plastic bags. I told them to bring a bigbasin. You know what they said to me? They told me they had nothing left. For this

    reason, I had collected plates as well as basins and gave them. In Talay, a dayika came

    and received our donation every day. Before, it was us that made donation to you. But

    now we have to come and receive donation make by yourself she told with tearful eyes.Brother Sukhmin, story of another dayika was more saddening. With the purpose to

    transplant merit to her dead husband, she made a donation of a temple in Mak Ang

    Kharng. To celebrate her donation the following day, she went to the village and stayed

    there. But, she did not make it; she lost her life. The temple which she was intent todonate to sangha was also damaged to pieces. There are many more stories if we talk

    about this matter, brother.

    Struggle for life under damaged building

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    Brother Sukhamin, Ko Phon Shwe with his men arrived in Talay. People who know him

    well call him Dri Phon. Why? Because you see him where there is problem and people

    suffer. I worked with him in helping victims of Cyclone Nargis. The Talay people alreadyknew him. With his calm, he always solves problems. It was encouraging for the people

    to see him. He patiently gave an explanation of reconstruction. Brother Sukhamin, I had

    learnt that governmental buildings would be build using fund of ministries in which thebuilding related to. 9 churches, 21 Buddhist temples and 368 houses were destroyed. In

    this matter, government would provide any necessary basic equipment such as galvanized

    iron sheet, cement, and strong timber in building their houses. For Buddhist temples,temporary camp would be built before rainy season on advice of chief abbot of Naga Na

    Kaung. And the fissured in field would be refilled with earth before rainy season. Khain

    Mar Daw Pan Dai Company accepted responsibility to build 60 houses in total.

    Mae Kong River as in index finger-like- shape

    Brother Sukhamin, by collective donation, Talay and Merng Learn would gradually berestored to normal. Brother, the earth victims were gradually relieved and devotees of

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    Keng Tung had to go back to their works. Before we left them, Wan Long led group of

    people in giving me respect. They were looking sad as had been lived as we were the

    same family cooking together for the victims for several days. They brought me a bundleof brown slab-sugar packs and home-grown coconut. The people of Wan Long and Nar

    Kham as well as soldier of 245 were saddened by our leave. With tearful eyes, we left

    them waving our hands to them while they waved back. It was due to the fact that we hadlived as a family. We all were silent on our way back. Brother, just consider that it was

    easy to receive a pack of brown slab-sugar.

    Brother, may you, living in northern shan state, live up to more than 100 years and be

    able to propagate the Buddha Sasana!

    With Metta

    Brother, Vacipait Sayadaw

    In respect to accident, Vacipait will publish a book, for which would be sold to help theearthquake victims.