Earth-Shattering Speaker

Courtesy from http://www.dhammakid.com/

I couldn't exactly recall how I got started listening to Ajahn Kovit Anekachai's dhamma talks (also known as Khemananda).  I guess it was because his name came up when I was searching for Luangpor Teean's teachings in English, in preparation for a Wat Pa Sukato English website, and Ajahn Kovit did some of these translations.  From the name Khemananda, I thought he was a monk, which in fact he was for 10+ years and later disrobed.  Then I saw his name again through interviews that Khun Vijak Panich did and posted it on Facebook.

I was curious to see what kind of works Ajahn Kovit has done.  So I googled him and found some recordings of his talks and many books which are mostly dictations of his talks.  Turned out that he is an acclaimed author and a well-known scholar.  He won some sort of a writer award.  As a monk, he worked for Luangpor Buddhadasa on artworks at Suan Moke.  Then Ajahn Kovit came to learn dhamma practice with Luangpor Teean.

What I found deeply interesting and refreshing in this guy is that he's able to infuse history, linguistics, art appreciation and his own great respect to Buddha into dhamma talks.  And he's such a good story teller!  Never did Buddha and his disciples come alive to me like when Ajahn Kovit said it.  Usually when I heard stories about Buddha (mostly coming from the Pali Canon), I felt distant, as if they were fictional characters, and not once-alive human beings.

And he makes me become interested in Tibetan and Zen Buddhism (Mahayan).  His analogy was that Mahayan and Dheravadan Buddhism are like two parts of a jade heart that was broken in two.  One part is better understood with the other.   

He also brought up my interest in studying the Pali Canon.  He said if we love someone, don't we want to learn about them?  And it's also our job as a practicing Buddhist to know about it.   I don't have that much time but I subscribe to this learning Tipitaka mailing list that mails out a short lesson on the Pali Canon every week.   Hopefully, I'll become more educated on this subject.

Though Ajahn Kovit is a layperson, until his health prohibits (I was told he has Parkinson's disease which makes him shaking uncontrollably), he constantly gave dhamma talks.  Coincidentally, I've been wondering if a monastic life that necessary in realizing dhamma.  What's challenging about lay's life is there are so many kilesa-inducing events.  Just driving in Bangkok can easily arouse one's anger.  It's like your enemy forces you to become stronger.  (Or else, you are dead...).

When I stuck my neck out to do a dhamma yatra web, initially, I was like, why am I bringing this burden upon myself?  But of course, it got more fun as it progressed, not to mention the benefits of the outcome itself and the learning experience.  I also got to observe how my ego came into play.  I was desperately waiting for responses from the Dhamma Yatra staff, but I've got NONE from them but one from my very own friend whom I forwarded her the URL.

Then I asked myself, does being noticed or not matter to my actions?  Like, can I do a charitable act anonymously?  Since I'm not a Bodhisattva, of course, I like to be buttered up.  But I guess having observed myself being so needy of praise and appreciation is the beginning of perhaps letting that desire go... I hope.

Well, anyhow, I sort of want to volunteer to redo the Wat Pa Sukato web.  There are so many things that can be done with it.  But someone else is working on it.  Hopefully, she gets it done soon.