“I’m Simon. I’m 25 years old from Taiwan. Before I came here I was an accountant. I was working in my family’s company. I graduated in University since 2020. Since then I was working in my family’s company.
Regarding his inspiration to look within: 3 years ago I saw a story of a master in China. This master was alive 1500 years ago. The words he spoke when he enlightened inspired me. Since then I had a thought that I want to be a monk. In English it is budhi has no forms. Budhi which describes our nature. The mirror is not a mirror. There was originally nothing. Where are the dirt coming from?” It inspired me from outside to inside. I had just changed my major to philosophy. I was still in University. I wanted to know what the meaning of life was. So I tried to search in philosophy and after I read this poem I read that the path towards the meaning of life must be inwards.
Regarding coming to this program, “There was a temple in Bangkok and they have an office in Taipei. I went to the office and they said they don’t host an ordination program this year but they can introduce me to a temple in Chiangmai. So it’s here. After I graduated my family didn’t agree with my decision so I waited until this year in April and they finally can understand and respect my decision.”
Monk Simon’s father passed away at age 6. “My father’s death was a stamp in my heart. It bothered me until I was 21. After I read the poem from the master the stamp disappeared. I felt so relieved. It’s like I figured out a new land.” He felt the monk life was the best way to look within.
Regarding his grieving process. “I tried to heal. The feeling of loneliness is always in my mind, my heart. I tried to figure out the cure from the outside. For 10 years no cure. For 15 years no cure. Then finally Buddhism appears in my life and I figured out the cure is inside.”
Regarding the cure, “when I read the poem from the master I realized it’s like a relationship. When the other person is gone the target of my emotional attachment is missing. I need to find the other thing to focus on to make the emptiness go away. We just focus on the emotional attachment itself, transform, and go back, retrack to the original point then nothing really bothers us.
Monk Simon found “the energy and warmth in meditation. I feel very happy meditating.”
He has been meditating for 3 years. “I tried different style for 3 years. But since I started meditating I never got sick. Not even a tiny fever. Very healthy right now. Before I was sick every year when seasons change. But not anymore.”
Regarding his ordination experience, “I’ve been feeling more relaxed everyday. I feel happier everyday. In society too many tiny things coming around and I cannot really focus or go really deep. When I come here all the habits in old life was given up. And all the relationships were given up. In the beginning it was hard to adjust but right now everything is fine.” His meditation is “going deeper. Much deeper than before.”
Regarding the teachers “Every monk is nice. The monks here only focus on their own practice. They don’t judge others. I think this is a very good vibe.”
If he were to give advice to someone who might want to ordain, “they need to figure out what their motivation is. Some people they seek for something such as a feeling of belonging or a feeling of security. But if the original motivation is not really connected to the life of a monk you need to reconsider.”
Regarding a final message, “I always follow a rule. Whatever I’ve done to other people, other animals, living beings is my practice. Whatever other people have done to me is my karma. So just don’t take it seriously. Focus on your mind. Keep practicing until attaining Nirvana. That’s my goal.”
“Accept it and treat everyone like your family.”