A Light in Every Corner -- Updated x2

Wow. Let's take a short journey to a continent far away from our usual bailiwick. If you can’t muster some inspiration from the following, I don’t know what to do for you. This is light years (kinda literally) from the days of Idi Amin, no? Buddhism in Uganda – my stars. Can you guess what part of the first video made me cry?

Thanks to Wisdom Publications’ ‘Go Beyond Words’ blog for the find.

Update: My eldest sister, a long-time Africa hand, in a bit of serendipity stumbled upon this directory of Buddhist centers in Africa. Who knew? I notice that Rev. Ilukpitiye Pannasekara has dubbed himself "The Chief Monk for the African Continent." Quite a title. Come to think of it, when I was in Dharamsala, India, in 1991 I met a Kenyan nun who had been ordained by the Dalai Lama. I wonder whatever became of her?

Update II: Did you notice? Ashin Sopaka points out in the comments that the Buddha statue in the shrine was specially commissioned with African facial features. Very cool.

And speaking of Buddhists in far-flung places, Shambhala SunSpace introduces us to Buddhist in Nebraska. We’re a little late to the party. A young woman named Monica (self-described as “...a normal white girl from a conservative Christian family who found herself to be a liberal, vegetarian, treehugging Buddhist in the middle of beef country”) has been authoring it since 2006. Her very first post begins like this...

“I don’t keep track of dates well, so I have to think back to events. I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in August 2004 just before beginning my first year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Also that August, just before moving, I made my first trip to Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado. It was both better and worse than I had ever thought it could be. I loved the mountain center. I hated meditation.”

...and concludes:

“It is hard being a Buddhist in Nebraska.”

The original poem she just published entitled 'The Sea' is so lovely I would have blogrolled her just for that.

Comments

[Ashin Sopaka]

"Can you guess what part of the first video made me cry?"

Has to be the speech, which was given at the 2007 UN Vesakha Day Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand to literally thousands of Buddhist luminaries from around the world. That bit comes at the end of the talk, one filled with passion and devotion, inspiring everyone in the room. You are not alone in the weepy eye department - I still get goosebumps when I think about it!

[Konchog]

Good guess, Venerable, but that wasn't it. Were you there?

[Steve Ford]

No trains, pickup trucks, cheatin, or barstools in the video, so it had to be mom that made you cry.

[Konchog]

Stevie-baby, you know my heart. A Ugandan Buddhist monk ordaining his own mother? Man, I flipped.

[caroline]

thanks, Konchog. wonderful links. Monica's poem is wonderful.

[Go Beyond Words]

Thanks for posting this Konchog. It really is an amazing story.

[Northmoon]

Re Buddhist in Nebraska - you mean to tell me that you don't have to sit in meditation for hours every day and you can still be a Buddhist? I may look into this Buddhism thing a little more seriously. Or at least read her blog some more!

Pretty powerful poetry too.

[Northmoon]

Oh, and I knew it had to be the mom thing too! Very sweet.

[Ashin Sopaka]

Bhante, yes, and it's perhaps the emotional energy from the room that carries over until today when seeing/thinking about that moment that brings a tear to the eye. For my part, I am almost always moved to tears of joy when someone ordains.

Ah yes, wanted to make a special mention of the bronze Buddha image in the video - he specially designed and commissioned that image. If one looks closely, one can see the African facial features - truly wonderful!

[Konchog]

Ashin-la: That's exactly what I thought I was noticing on that Buddha! It's startling and marvelous.

[Sangye]

Just so beautiful-- thanks for sharing, Konchog. Having lived in Africa, I've thought a lot about how natural a fit Buddhism is for people who experience so much suffering. May all those seeds flourish!