“Volunteering and practicing meditation by keeping precepts are doing good deeds or Dhamma. But most of the people here cannot volunteer and meditate fully. That’s why we should do more, not only for us but also for the old and sick people. In this way, they can be safe under the protection of Dhamma or doing good deeds. The power of the coronavirus is really powerful to destroy many things and to kill many people. We are also doing good deeds and practicing meditation here in this center. Many people are working together here. That’s why the power of volunteering and doing good deeds is really strong in this center. Until now, we continue to do good deeds. If the power of doing good deeds which concerned with this center is weak, we are sure to be destroyed by the virus.

The virus is really powerful to do many bad things, destroy the activities and kill human beings. We are here in this center, helping people, protecting people, volunteering in many things. We are saving life. We are keeping precepts. We are practicing meditation. Many people are concerned with this center. That’s why the good deeds power of Thabarwa center is very strong, if not we cannot survive. There are many difficulties and problems in this center but we are dutiful in doing good deeds. That’s why we can survive until now. Now we have to face with the virus. If we cannot do good deeds stronger than the power of the virus, we are sure to be destroyed by it. Because the virus destroys many things and many people, especially old and sick people, here we are protecting the old and sick people by doing good deeds. That’s why many old and sick people can survive here. Now not only this center but also other Thabarwa centers in the country and around the world are continuing to do good deeds like this. They are also trying to protect from the virus by doing good deeds together at the other Thabarwa centers. Now you are still free to go here and there in this center. But in the future, if the virus is here in Thanlyin or this center, we may not be free like this.

We are trying not to have the virus here in our center by doing good deeds also. Some people have already arranged to ordain here as a monk or nun and to meditate. What they are doing is good, so we still accept it and we fulfill their needs. On the other side, we are in danger of the virus. If they are not doing good deeds like this, we will not accept to come and stay here. But they will volunteer and meditate here, that means they are donating merits, good deeds to this center in this dangerous situation, what they are doing is stronger than the danger of the virus… If we don’t accept, there may be no danger of the virus because of them. But if we accept, we can save more good deeds. But the virus can affect us because of them also. So we need to be careful when we do good deeds together with them, not to be affected by the virus.

An officer came here to meet me. He has been here and there. That’s why the virus may be in his body. More and more people are taking care of the center as much as they can, because of many old and sick people here in this center. He came here to support us as much as he can. But on the other hand, the virus may be in his body. So when we do good deeds, whatever we do, we should not forget the virus. Not knowing about the truth of the virus and attachment on someone or something are the causes of the virus. That’s why we should try to know more and more about the virus and we should try to detach from it.

In these days, the virus is strongly attached by most of the people. That is not good. We should try to detach, but we must be careful, not rejecting. We must try to accept the spreading of the virus in this center, but we should not attach to it. Nothing is sure, the safety of this center is not sure, so also the danger of this center is not sure. That’s why we should accept the truth that this center is dangerous, but we should try to detach. We should not attach to this happening. Many people can accept this center is really dangerous from the virus, but they cannot detach. They strongly attach to this happening. They cannot detach for sure. That’s why it is dangerous, so we should try to detach from that happening. That’s why we are together, we should try to detach. We can accept the danger of the virus in this center. This is not to reject. We cannot be safe for sure. That’s why not to reject, we can accept. We are dangerous from the virus, but on the other hand, to be free from the virus we should try to detach. So if the power of detachment is stronger than the attachment of the danger of the center, we can be safe.

This is the way I use to solve the problems. We see from the side of the Truth and the mind. Seeing-only from the side of the material is not enough. We have both body and mind. If we have only the body, we should see only from the side of the material. But we also have the mind, that’s why if we cannot rely on the body, we should try to rely on the mind and the truth. We can see, we can hear and we can think. That’s why we can rely on seeing, listening and thinking. If we cannot see, we can rely on listening. We should rely on the Truth and the mind, not only for us but also for the old and sick people here. This is the way we use here to help the old and sick people.

It is the same for the international volunteers in thí center. Many people believe foreigners are dangerous. That’s why not to reject, I have to accept that view, but I try to detach. If I cannot detach, the foreigners will be dangerous. If we can detach, we can be safe. The mind is more important than the body or material. This is the way we use to solve the problems of danger. But in the society, most people cannot detach, that’s why they may stay away from the foreigners. For us, we will see the international volunteers as human beings; as impermanent nature; just cause and effect. In this way, we are together, we are the same. The belief in this truth should be stronger than the belief about dangers of the foreigners. In this way, we are safe.

This is the same for the dogs. Stacey always complains about the dogs. She believed that we cannot solve the problems of the dogs. She strongly believed in it but I try to detach. If I can detach fully, this problem will be solved. If you believe the dogs here are not safe, they will not be safe because of your belief. Not only you, many people believe like this, but for me, I don’t believe like this. We are doing good deeds not only for the dogs but also for all living beings. That’s why like the old and sick people, the dogs can be safe at the right time. So you should change your mind, it is better. Because you are greedy for the dogs, that’s why you are never satisfied with them. “