Meeting with Luang Por Dattajevo : หน้า 44/164

Meeting #6 June 8, 2009 - Ashram I did not see Luang Por for several months after our last chat. I left the Peace Revolution after helping them re-organize and re-imagine the project for the coming year, and was back in New York before I could even think about it. It all seemed to happen so quickly. But, before I could think about it anymore, I was on my way back to Bangkok to help them organize it for 2010. I must have some good boon working for me somewhere. Perhaps in some past life, I was connected to Thailand or Buddhism... I am not sure which. At any rate, I did not go immediately to see Luang Por when I arrived back into Bangkok in May of 2009. It was some time before I did get to see him, and that was because, for some reason, the people at the Wat decided that I was a good English writer and editor, and thus decided to use my talents. This also meant that before long, I was asked to look at another project they were undertaking comprising a series of books about the Dhamma teachings of Luang Por Dhammajayo, the Abbot. The project was being coordinated by a woman named Pi Dang, who has known Luang Por since their university days together. But after two meetings, we all realized that we needed some pertinent questions answered about the Buddha's life, and this, then, led us to this meeting with Luang Por Dattajevo. So, here we are, late one night, in his Ashram. There are several of us at the meeting this time, because the Peace Revolution team has some questions for him, and then the writing team has additional questions for him about the Buddha. I, therefore, know that it will probably last several hours. The questions from the Peace Revolution take about an hour, and then the writer's team has their turn. I am only the observer here and I feel lucky to be that. Everyone in the room is Thai, so the questions are in Thai, the answers are in Thai, and one of the monks is translating for me. Here goes: Pi Dang begins, "We want to write a book about the life of the Lord Buddha and combine that with the Unknown Factor. We want to raise the issue of where do we come from,