Mobile VersionDhammachai Kathina, 2011 at Wat Phra Dhammakaya
Proud beyond land and sea limits
Complied from the Inner Dreams Kindergarten
The old Chinese proverb stated that, “To meet each other is destiny.” However, the Dhammakaya news reporter would say, “To go and make a Kathina this year is even a more fulfilled destiny.” This is because this year’s Kathina came from a series of unexpected events because there were an enormous amount of people from both abroad and inside Thailand that came to make a Kathina. These people must pass through many difficult obstacles such as flooding. Another surprising event is that there has never been this huge number of people making Kathina at Wat Phra Dhammakaya before. All of the merit seekers at Wat Phra Dhammakaya can be spotted wearing white and meditating in the sitting area. No matter which direction you turned around, you can see many kind donors who invited the saffron robe sets. Some just smiled while they were walking, others were crying with happiness.
The Four Kathina Presidents in this year
The person who looks the proudest and shines the most radiance cannot be anyone else apart from the presidents of Kathina ceremony which were Kalayanamitra Prakamas Arjari, Kalayanamitra Puangpen Tityakorn, Kalayanamitra Pitsamai Saenghiran and Kalayanamitra Ratana Dunkim. These four kalayanamitras represent the symbols of creating everything. This is due to the reason that these four kalayanamitras are the greatest merit-makers since the beginning of Wat Phra Dhammmakaya’s construction. These four Dhammachai Kathina Presidents have stated that, “Having reached this old age, today is my proudest moment, because we never thought we would have a chance to become Kathina Presidents. Today is the day that all our wishes came true. Because of this reason, we would like to pay the highest respect to Phrarajbhavanavisudh (Luang Phaw Dhammajayo) who gave us this opportunity to invite the saffron robe sets, which enables us to remember all the different types of merits we have accumulated. Moreover, we were able to see various sceneries of the merit we have accumulated in our mind ever since building Wat Phra Dhammakaya. After having reminded ourselves of these merits, we became very pleased and proud with ourselves like we have never experienced before. Our feeling of happiness also has been intensified when Phrarajbhavanavisudh (Luang Phaw Dhammajayo) looked into our eyes in front of the parade. It was that moment that made us the proudest and happiest, in which we will treasure this memory forever.
Dr. Kidsada Jangjaimon and his wife, Kalayanamitra Tadsani Jangjaimon
Dr. Kidsada and his wife traveled by boat and then went on by 6-wheelers truck
Flood is not the obstacle for merit-seekers like us
For the Kathina President who have donated the entire floor construction cost to worship the Great Masters, such as Dr. K (Nature’s Gift), who is also known as Dr. Kidsada Jangjaimon, and his wife, Kalayanamitra Tadsani Jangjaimon have came to make a Kathina at Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Even though there has been a height of 60 cm. of flood in front of their company, this huge obstacle does not prevent them to come to Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Even more, there is a huge flood of 1.5 meters high on the road in front of their company, but Dr. Kisada Jangjaimon didn’t give up easily. Instead he and his wife used a row boat to come out of their house at 3 am in the morning. Afterwards, they have continued their journey with a 6-wheelers truck through the high flooding water. This 6-wheelers truck is a property of Khun Apichart Jiwatcharanukul, who is donating two and a halve rooms toward creating a building for our Great Masters. These two families had travelled together until they have reached Rama 2 road, in which they changed their vehicle, and continued their journey on the bus instead. But after the bus had travelled to Thanyaburi through the flood, its engines stopped working completely, and therefore the journey cannot be continued. But since Dr. Kisada is a very determined person, who doesn’t like giving up easily, he stood up in the flood waving for a pick-up truck to ask for a ride to Wat Phra Dhammakaya. Luckily enough, he arrived in time for the 9:00 am ceremony. Dr. Kisada Jangjaimon told us that, “To make a Kathina this year creates even more merit than every other year combined together because it requires a greater determination and courage to travel to Wat Phra Dhammakaya through the flooding. After making the merit, the amount of joy and happiness when one is pleased with oneself increased tenfold.”
Kalayanamitra Apichart Jiwatcaranukul and his family
Now, let’s talk about Kalayanamitra Vanida Srilavat, a great merit-maker of Pichit province. She told us that, “Ever since I was born, I had never travelled to make a Kathina with this great joy and at this extremely long distance. This is because when I have watched Luang Phaw announced from the DMC channel for everyone to come early, I decided to travel from my house beforehand 3 days with my own pick-up truck. I travelled out of the Pichit province before noon. Before reaching Bangphra-in, it was already night time. However the vehicle’s engines completely stopped working due to the heavy flooding. I didn’t know what to do except watch the flooding water with increasing anxiety at the each moment. I was so anxious that I wasn’t able to fall asleep and stay awake until daytime.
Kalayanamitra Vanida Srilavat
In the morning, I decided to leave my car at the place where the engines died and tried to beg the taxi driver to drive me to Wat Phra Dhammakaya even thought it was flooding. However, when the taxi driver had reached the entrance 8 at the back of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the car’s engines completely stopped working. Therefore, I decided to rush through flood water and begged the motorcyclists to take me to the Wat Phra Dhammakaya. After I have reached the temple, I was in an exhausted condition. I sat down and began to bow the floor of the Wat while yelling at the same time that I have now reached the temple. The reason I was unable to refrain myself from yelling was because I normally able to reach the temple from Pichit province in just 3 hours. But this time, it took 2 days longer. During this flood natural disaster, the travelling duration to Wat Phra Dhammakaya from Pichit by vehicles is approximately the same as the traveling duration from Bangkok to the United States by plane. As I reminded myself of the difficulties and obstacles that I have faced during my travel, it made me so proud and pleased with myself because now I am the winner.
Kalayanamitra Nikhom Khamnok from Chantaburi
Now, let’s talk about the travelling routes to make a Kathina at Wat Phra Dhammakaya for the Chantaburi residents. A representative from Chantaburi stated that, “Right after listening to Luang Phaw on DMC channel, we have realized that this Kathina Dhammachai is the most important Kathina-making event of all. This is because if we would like to achieve enlightenment, small obstacles such as flooding should not be a problem for us.” After the Chantaburi residents have heard this, they all became alerted. Normally, each year, there are at most a maximum of 765 people who travelled to make a Kathina at Wat Phra Dhammakaya. However, even though a flooding natural disaster strikes this year, the amount of people who travelled to make a Kathina increased to at least 1,000 people. On the day of the journey, another unexpected event occurred as there was 1 bus driver out of the 17 buses drivers who became afraid of the flooding so he refused to deliver the people. This caused the 57 Chantaburi residents to have no choice but to travel on the 10-wheelers truck with happiness instead.
Even though the natural disaster such as flooding has been causing many troubles for all the Thai citizens, these obstacles would not prevent them to traveling to make a huge merit (make a Kathina) at Wat Phra Dhammakaya. The Kathina event occurred only once a year, which is held to preserve Thai culture and tradition. Everyone is still very determined to travel to make a Kathina at Wat Phra Dhammakaya to continue to preserve the Buddhism tradition. This merit will help save the Thai people to overcome the obstacles at doing good deeds.Translated by Pichayapa Suenghataiphorn
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