“We don’t have our own car belonging to Thabarwa center because it is expensive to have a car in Singapore. We have to rely on volunteers and donors for alms round. That’s why for a big group like us, over 100 people, it is difficult to go together. Singapore is small so there are problems with accommodations and halls to set up Dhamma talks. This country is different from others, therefore visitors like us will encounter a lot of problems. We need to endure a lot. Every time visiting here we have met difficulties of doing good deeds here. For the past 2 years we established a center here, doing good deeds has become easier. This Thabarwa center in Singapore opened one year ago. Last year, we all were together over 100 people to stay one night and conduct a meditation retreat in St John island. This year, we arrange another retreat in Nivarna Memorial garden. Due to the coronavirus situation, the retreat has been canceled. We have no other choice to conduct it here. For me, practicing meditation or keeping mind stable and pure not only for us but also for others is the most important of all. That’s why I will never give up doing good deeds including meditation like this. That’s why I decided to continue this trip to experience near coronavirus [at that time, Singapore is the 2nd country about the Covid-19 patient in the world, only less than China].

That is what we are used to doing all the time. For Thabarwa center, we have been doing good deeds in battlefields between the opposite armies. We’ve also practiced meditation and kept doing good deeds among natural disasters, political crises… This is relying on doing good deeds in any condition at any time. This is right to do. In this way Thabarwa center can survive in any condition, good or bad. This is also testing the power of doing good deeds whether powerful or not. If not powerful enough, we are sure to get in trouble. I want Thabarwa center to rely fully on doing good deeds every moment. Now TNC Singapore is running against coronavirus. We are doing the best we can do; that’s why we don’t need to give up actions of doing good deeds, just continue. As long as we are doing good deeds like this, we are sure to survive and develop more and more. Now we have a chance to learn how to overcome coronavirus, this is a rare opportunity. The virus is a public concerned, many people in the world know about the virus. We are traveling with the virus probably around. We do all kinds of good deeds together, we all rely on Dhamma concerning Buddha, Dhamma, and Shanga.

We have been doing good deeds like this since 2007 together. We will continue doing this in Myanmar also. Now in Myanmar, people are thinking more about the virus although there has not been any proof of the incident so far. Some cases have been suspected and the government has warned people not to go to public areas and gather into groups. Buddha, Dhamma, and Shanga are complete therefore we just need to continue doing good deeds like this. The more we do, the more we understand about the power of doing good deeds or Dhamma. If we stop doing good deeds, we are not sure to be safe. As long as doing good deeds like this, we are sure to be safe. I have been teaching based on my experiences for many years, you all should try to have your own experiences. In this way, you will be satisfied with doing good deeds together without limit. Here we are facing difficulties in sleeping, not eating or meditating, or doing good deeds together. We can do nothing, just endure. Time will solve the problem for sure. Nothing is impermanent. When there is the time to fly back to Myanmar, this problem will be solved. All problems are the same, we do nothing and it needs time to end itself. We just need to emphasize doing good deeds continuously by enduring all difficulties. For those yogis in TNC Thanlyin, this kind of problem is natural from the beginning of TNC, 2008 we experienced the same difficulty of sleeping. The people in need from society come and stay in TNC Thanlyin led the center full crowd all the time. But we never gave up by continuing to do good deeds, building new buildings to make TNC Thanlyin a better place.

Not giving up doing good deeds is the most important of all, this is relying on Dhamma. We did the best we could. So we need nothing to do, just continuously do good deeds if we have a chance to do. It is good for new experiences in Singapore thus when you come to Thanlyin, you may not get difficulty in accommodations. Not because of enough facilities all the time but your endurance is increasing to be free from difficulty for accommodations. This is better not to take a shower, not to sleep, not to eat every day as there are not enough toilets, showers, and sleep places. We should try to stay silent as much as possible. The more we are active, the more we are in trouble. We should practice mindfulness and detachment which is mostly concerned with the mind. This is the best solution to overcome all difficulties. If most people here can do good deeds like this, we are sure not to get into trouble in next year’s retreat in Singapore. If we are able to do what we should do we are sure to get what we want. Doing what we should do is fulfilling the need of Thabarwa center. Doing what we want makes we are the same all the time and cannot develop very well. “