It feels like; a really nice morning has come out to greet all Universes--very

beautiful and what feels as if a natural speed of a marvel called life and its living can
be observed here at the Wat Nongbua. Their will be more likely than not some
absolutely super-nice people surrounding you. So my whole day is nicely filled with
this tremendously good energy from all around you.

No question (speaking almost third-person like) that traveling over to Thailand is a

most wonderful birthday present. The word “Happy Birthday” was imbued with the
flying/living in Thai cultural experience. (I had arrived at the Bangkok
Suvarnabhoomi airport on my thirty sixth birth-day.) I’m certainly, happy to be back
here. This has happened almost three decades after my family had checked it out here.
I must thank both my parents profusely for bringing me closer to this culture (deeply
influenced by ancient Hindu methodologies). I am almost ready to get something of a
bigger surprise as it gets closer to my ordaining as a monk in the Theravada tradition.
I will get a change of name—to a new Buddhistic type. This could get equally
enchanting? as my journey that’s up and coming for the next half year (from this point
on). I hope to be able to contribute towards, towards an initial goal of teaching monks
to speak better English. It feels like, with each passing day--I make newer friends and
greater bonding seems to be out everywhere. I have a systematic and real
understanding on how deeply I wanted to become a monk. But when the cooler waters
of monkshood will be tested by the heat of the moments that are going to un-erringly
happen (to me)—simply due to my advanced age of ordaining- I hope to be able to
ride them out. Was it a good idea to be in and around the people of the Buddhist
calendar adhering Thailand? For goodness’ sake, a BIG- Yes, I’d say!

I feel safe and almost secure. It can be amazing as some of the impressions of
your own people you carry into precise and concise gatherings such as conferences. I
have no doubt that all the people of Thailand support me in my quest as a post-
Ambedkarite (Buddhist). (For those of you who want to know--B.R. Ambedkar, PhD,
died in India and has a global following for his legacy of re-establishing (returning)
Buddhism in its land of origin. Inspired by his name all his followers are often
referred to as Ambedkarite(s)). Knowing full well that my stay (like, many others who
have been on their quest of monk-hood) would not benefit Thailand in any material
respect, and yet Thai people have had still given (every outsider) as a culture. Thai
people keep giving (sramaneras, novices and monks) with a deep heart filled with
heart-felt appreciation and faith in their Lordly Buddha (as my Buddha and yours
too!). I have never seen anything quite as deep-faith like as is seen here in Surin city.
Surin lies towards the east of Thailand. It is very close to Thailand’s border with
Cambodia and about 6 hours away from Laos. Here people speak Thai, Khmer, Lao
and Thai languages. This has to be an extremely diverse group just from looking at
these linguistically (and culturally) plural manners of existing.
Things that were/are from my heart and also in its immense love towards my
late father’s legacy as an Ambedkarite and then all the way up to my dear mother’s
immensely deep respect towards (Babasaheb) Ambedkar, have brought me to look at
my own responsibility—towards returning to my family, with a learning of Vinaya
and as a better man (if not as a monk).

In the past days, I have come to raise with Roeng- about the duration during
which time, I get conferred the honor of monk-hood and things are almost settled, at
the (this) moment. Dr. Roeng’s insistence on getting monkshood ceremonial matters
fixed was apparent and very quicksilver and earnest (Giving you an insight into his
lifestyle-functioning as a monk and a man). I must thank him deeply for his efforts
and consistent guidance. I believe, when in my time of need- any more guidance will
always be there, at least from monk Roeng. Roeng’s very busy, with some of the
administrative responsibilities as well as working responsibilities of Surin province’s
younger Sangha (in a few reasonably distant districts, here). This must be truly a big
honor for someone like him. I hope to be able to assist him as much and as long as is
possible for me to stay in Thailand. Today, I give myself a good month to live around
here at the Wat Nongbua. Then having finished my working responsibility of
monkshood, I want to travel thru Thailand. Today, as things are standing I might have
an additional sponsorship to cover my expenses. I am deeply grateful towards Phra
Dhammamoulei for this most wonderful gift. He straddles the earth like a teacher, a
guru- a support system to all future monks like, yours truly. Since the morning of May
9th, I’ve had traveled from temple to temple (Wat to Wat) and now in the evening, I
do feel quite tired and am ready to call it a day from the exhaustion.

These might just be the most eventful ten days of my life! Everything is aligning for
me to say Namo Buddha (To all people from Thailand). I am feeling quite satisfied
with the workings of my friendships (globally) and all my friends’ deeper trust in me.
I have just made some friendly inroads into the working friendships of the people at
the wAt. I am quite happy to be able to teach them whatever little English I am
capable of teaching as a second language. This improves my chances of staying on
here, slightly. On May 11, 2009 we have a good vibe from Ti, Non and Tem (from
this morning’s interactivity). Yesterday, as well we had a lot of fun. We had a pretty
full day. Another newer Wat’s consecration ceremony (over at Wat Sri Ratna ram in
the outskirts of the city) was filled once again with super chanting from all these
experienced monks and was something make you wonder. I also, remember that
during the morning Ben and Fon also showed real promise as a good double team
ESL(earner). It’s another day and another tiring body experience. I have not been
teaching English in the last thirty plus hours.

As things stand, I want to, at this point-quickly finish out the pre-ordained reality
of monks-hood. Anyway you look at it- it takes a very characteristic Buddha nature to
finish a day in a grateful spirit of the heart-mind. I hope that this be attained, and the
sooner the better for each one of us. At this point, let me thank Sister Yeshe
(Chodron)’s young and inspiring presence in our Indian lives. Like the song done by
Alanis Morrissette- “Thank you India”! Wherever she goes, may she always find
blessings of the Buddha. Thank her goodness.

I will steer for a bit--away from the topic to a newer invent of mine. Let’s say: (for
argument’s sake) all the Islamic Jihadists became Buddhists; then would such an
event bring an added sum quantum of total religiosity towards the world? I believe
such a good idea does exist, somewhere in the deep and utter confines of all the
universes. The universe within is the one that the Buddha conquest-ed and definitely
conquered. But how was this conquering of the human condition? Was it simply an
abstract ideal and once in a life-time phenomena (for all other human beings’ lives)?
Or was it something that each one of the peoples could again bring within their
genetic codes as an ancestor of the great Shakyamuni? I’d have to say the later of the
two possibilities appeals to me. The fruition of his labor plus the superhuman
exertions of meditation(s) that you can only but imagine—he went through for sure.
This is why when you look at the Buddha face, it instantly reminds of peace. This
expectation could probably be met even if a visually challenged person contoured the
face of a Buddha statue with their hands. The peace was not bought, it was not
sought—it just came after the hardest work imaginable. Most of us would be tempted
to break out and shout “oh! Lord”, but it’s also the actions that you have to put in.
Your actions are probably the one guarantor of your becoming a Buddha.

No amount of speaking words can match the central reality of your action to go
forth towards becoming the next Buddha. A century of Buddhistic upswing is
probably (and hopefully) what lies ahead of all us-the samsaric people. People from
the west and the traditional east are now looking at the optimism of the Buddha
teachings, as opposed to the linked topic of death that will always be present therein,
intrinsically speaking (and please don’t look for confirmation of such a fact by
reading the free press that operates in North America/Europe/Australia). This gives
them a better handle on picking up and sometimes studying books and meditating on
their own to better understand the (western-imbued) dogma from the reality Buddha
nature. Had it been that there were no books, I don’t presume to have learned very
much from my eastern Indian (Buddhist-atheist) parents.

It took a lot of learning personally (also experientially), to begin to call myself a

Buddhist. The reasons, I’ll go into detail lie within a complex web of challenging,
birth-related factors. Firstly, I am of Indian blood, to be precise, I am Desi. When you
describe yourself, as a Desi—it means just an Eastern Indian blood. My family took
care of the aspect of never forgetting our roots. I was raised in an Indian household
for close to two decades. As a dependent of my family for all my cultural bearings
and such things, I was never really interested in Buddhist study. In the city of Nagpur,
I had many Indian Buddhists to go form closer friendships and study the language of
Pali. But this never did cross my mind. It seems that somewhere during my teens, I
lost my way as a happy, well-adjusted kid (read: son) of my parents. That’s the
subject of a whole entire book, so I’ll leave it for another day. But in any case, my
declining life within the family structure and my increased anger and frustration were
never truly addressed by me. Later on, when I went back to my birth country of the
U.S (Fayetteville, AR.), these emotions (negative kind) came back to haunt me.

I think, having learned about the caste-basis of India, I got somewhere down the
lines very deeply resentful towards all of India. I thought that if my Buddhism (which
is based in conversion from a caste (Hindu)-to Buddhism) was underweighted by
Indian culture and society, then we don’t need each other. So, I had become Mr.
Untouchable. I had a low self-esteem, even to forge newer friendships. The people of
America, somehow always loved me through my struggling period from inside and
starting with-- within my own roots. I met and made so many friends those that were
American and international. But, I kept on being an angry young man of an ex-
untouchable caste. This led to a lot of internal self-resentment that never got healed or
even expressed. I feel this is the period of change within my spiritual life. I started
reading about the Buddha. I started getting led to read/practice more and more. I
became a late starter in my life as a Buddhist. But, it does not really matter, as long as
you keep hacking at the code! So anyway, that’s it for the day. It is raining here in
Surin city (Thailand). The monsoon is very tricky and sometimes even unpredictably
intermittent showers are known to come down (all over Thailand). This is my closing
paragraph for the evening on May 13, 2009.

There is an early start to the morning of the 14 th May. I have got ready. This
P P

ready-steady and become monk! Wow! I don’t really know what to expect. But I am
trying to learn here in the Thai tradition. It is really important to do that, since in India
there’s no real tradition worth going to. Therefore in your quest for the reality of
learning from tradition’s growth and ambient environment you must go find the one
that suits you and is meet-worthy globally. Let’s see how many days of this can really
be worked out as opposed to figured out. At this point, I’m playing things and newer
monkshood experiences by the ear. And have informed my bhikshu friend as this to
be the case. I’m now officially a monk. This happened in a huge big ceremony for
bhikshu-initiates. We are all now, with names. These names are Pali ones. My new
Buddhist (imprint) name is Kant-Hey-verro (Thai as well as Pali based,
linguistically). This does translate as: the brave one. We here at this Wat, would hope
to be able to live up to this new name. Let’s just say, I hope to live up to become a
better (human) Buddhist—with every passing day. I find myself quietly living up to
my target. I hope to learn to enough to get closer to Vinaya trainings/teachings, with
every passing day. In such a case (as this were to take place), then it will be good for
all. But mostly it is the good that can be attained from within for your self. It is a very
simple definitive stance taken towards Nirvana (by each Buddhist). So bowing to the
seeker of nirvana here in Thailand, I will sign off on the evening of May 14, 2009.

Just now, after playing with a feline, I got interested enough to observe its samasara.
I have wondered, if in each one of us the cat and dog fight from one end to the
circular other end is what we call as a samsara? So if you are a cat, you can safely
cling on to your hopes and aspirations on your end of the circle and if you’re a dog
then you migrate to the other end of the circle, living with the non-catty style of
living. I wonder if this analogy could ever do justice to the magnificent canonical
theses that have been produced in the Dhamma-pada.

I am trying real hard to understand the life of different cultures. It appears that this
is not an accurate way of presenting a lot many anthropological facets as they meet
each other in a sub-culture (within any country). One culture, two diverse individuals,
etc. can go live in from within. This also appears to be the beauty of human culture
probably as opposed to any animal or any other beings’ culture. I find that, our lives
are pretty darn crazy. It is now another morning and we are trying hard to see the sun,
here from inside the Wat’s main office. It feels very real, that my life as a monk won’t
get a long lease of life. But as did the Monty Python and so will the life of
Kantheyvweero go on. It is going to be a bit strange not having these many people
always surrounding me. I have to admit that going to another place inside (internally)
is probably what I need to do as opposed to my current plan to go away and then in a
few days—disrobing. This is the morning of May 16, 2009.