“Today some of the government officers came to this center because they worry about this center, for the old and sick people. The government officer from Thanlyin, they will cooperate with us to control going out and coming in freely. They also know about Thabarwa, we accept those who are the most needed in the society. If we cannot accept, there will be no place for them. So they allow us to accept for the most needed people but they want us to be careful to quarantine for 2 weeks but it is especially for those who came back from the other countries and for those who are sick. For those who are from the other part of this country not much need to quarantine but most people think anyone who is away from the house may need to quarantine, so they said that is not necessary. If they want to do it, they should do it at home by themselves. For the government shelter, they may not allow for the people who came from the other part of the country. If that part is, most of the places are not affected by the virus. If the virus attacks Thabarwa center, they worry it will spread to this town also. So we need to be careful to stay in our place, at our hostel. They suggest at least 2 or 3 weeks to stay at our place, not to go out, not to accept the others. Only for those who are in the most needed situation, we should accept it. They are not disturbing what we are doing here, they want to cooperate as much as they can.
We started moving to other Thabarwa centers from today. 119 hall will be emptied within 1 or 2 days. That place will be used for those who recently arrived at the center. Not very serious for the local people who are not coming back from the other countries and who are from the village, they may not need quarantine but we should watch and see for a few days, not seriously. Their suggestion is it is better not to accept the newcomers, not to go out as much as possible. We showed them to use the Buddha college to quarantine. Because of the guidance of the government, most of the people may not go out, most of the people may not accept the visitor also. We know about ourselves very well. That’s why we should choose the most suitable way for this center. We may need to lock down the center but not at all. There will be side effects if we do like this but if we reject locking down the center, people may worry. People from the outside, they may worry. In the city, at the present moment, more and more people stay at home, more and more shops closed, the price of the gas is down, lowering down more and more. Everything’s more and more silent, quiet so it is suitable to practice meditation more seriously. That’s why we are using the way to be doing only, not doing only. That is useful in any condition. In some of the centers or organizations, there is a limit. So they are eager to close the center. But in Thabarwa center, we cannot do either close or open. We should do both, open for people who are in most need and close for those who have a choice to stay in another place. So, more and more people in the center will stay only at their place. They may not want to go out. We should wait at least 2 weeks or 3 weeks seriously. Many people believe this is the best we can do to prevent the virus.”
Question: Sayadaw, I Just have a question. Is it possible to hire more professional nurses to take care of the patients? We could find the funds for them. I think local professional nurses are better than us volunteers. Thank you!
– “I will not choose to hire professional paid nurses. I don’t want to choose, I will do it only if there is no choice, if there is a choice, I will choose to do it with volunteers only because it is easy to hire the professional nurses because most of the people are doing like this. There will be side effects. That is not much goodwill if we choose to replace volunteers with professional nurses. But what I understand is that most nurses will not work here because at the hospital, there is discipline and there are limits but here not much discipline, no limits so they cannot endure that, they are not safe here, they are safe at the hospital. The system is different from the hospital and Thabarwa. Besides, this is concerned with Dhamma or doing good deeds. Most of the nurses are not dealing with Dhamma or doing good deeds, they don’t understand about doing good deeds. So most of the nurses don’t want to work here. That’s why it is very difficult to create such a different organization like this. Very difficult. ”
Question: Sayadaw, I would like to know what exactly is the requirement of the government for Thabarwa?
– “We need to be the same [as in the society] to cooperate with them. There are famous pagodas concerned with the government, they closed the pagoda. There are also government pools or markets that are closed. So they want no activities, no going here and there. They are trying to control the whole country, even to the village, their message arrived in the village. So nearly the whole country is working together to be like this. That’s why we need to cooperate. In the past we were free. We had not much connection with the government. That’s why we could do it by ourselves. In this way Thabarwa is a private place not like other organizations. Now we have more connections with the government. There will be side effects, there will also be good points. In the future, we can work together more and more. We are not creating it to be like this but it is the time to be together with the government.”
Question: But the monks, they keep going to alms round!
– “I need to make a decision. I know in the worst situation, we won’t be able to go alms-round. We will have to stop alms-round but in this current condition, we need only to reduce so that only a few monks wearing the mask can go. We need to not be harmful especially to the mind, we need to be careful of the mind, we need to be careful of the worry, fear more than of the virus. Virus is not very dangerous here in this country but worry and fear, suspicion are very dangerous. So we are trying to solve the more obvious problem. Virus is not very important for us. Because we are not working for us, so we can lose our belongings, our lives, that’s why viruses are not much of a problem for us but greed, anger and delusion are the real problem for us. That is the difference between the meditators and normal laypeople.”
Question: Sayadaw, would you like us to suspend our patient-related activities like visiting patients, exercise and other activities?
– “That is nature, so depends on the present situation, we should emphasize on practicing meditation. About 2 or 3 weeks we should talk only for emergency cases, we should wait for treatment or exercise because some of the government staff will be here to cooperate with us. Now many people emphasize on this center that’s why this center is the most active organization, the most active center. That’s why now activity is dangerous so we need to be quiet, silent, we need to be alone ourselves. So this is the best we can do. The situation changed because of the virus and because of the time, the most dangerous time for Myanmar. Therefore it is better to be mindful of ourselves. In case, only for those emergency cases, we should make treatment. Because if someone is not doing this, there may be problems with each other. Not to quarrel, this is what we all should do. If we can do it, we can be safe for both body and mind. Now the center is safe but the mind concern with this center is not safe. That’s why we want to solve the problems of the mind. Not because of the virus but because of the mind about this center.”
Question: You are surrendering to the fear of the people. No one is sick here. Why can’t we continue doing physiotherapy as usual? What is the problem?
– “In the beginning, this center was not emphasized by the government. Now the government emphasizes this center because of the presence of foreigners and old age, if there is a virus in this center there will be many deaths for sure. Most of the people in the society, in the big city, nearly stopped. Only Thabarwa is active by going alms round, by Dhamma talk, treatments. They are not from this center, they cannot see from inside, they can see from outside. Therefore we need to be together with them. This is teamwork. If we continue doing this, there will be problems between Thabarwa and the government officers. That’s why we don’t want to quarrel, we should work together. If they are not coming to this center, we are free but now they emphasize the center seriously. That’s why some of the government officers are coming this week.”
Question: Sayadaw, do you think it is possible to speak with the government and explain the benefit of the volunteer’s work with patients which is very valuable and that if we stop patients may decline.
– “Yes, I wanted to do so for a long time already but I didn’t have a chance. They are not very interested in that, they are busy with themselves. Now we have a chance to cooperate, in this way, we can explain to them about the benefits of the international volunteers’ treatment. Today they are interested in Vietnamese physiotherapy. So they went and saw. They ask me whether the physicians are staying here or not so I explain they stay here, they do good deeds here, that is not usual. They may be satisfied. Nothing like this in society, no such activities in the society. Most of the people are working for money. That’s why there are side effects in their mind.”
Question: I’m concerned about the spitting of the people, I mean Myanmar people should better not chew the betel and spit it because it is the way to spread the virus. I’m afraid of all these people spitting on the street. Can we ask monks and nuns to tell people to stop spitting? I would like to know your opinion about that!
– “(laughing) That’s a good suggestion but that’s also a really strong habit, and has been for a long time. Difficult to stop but we will try. I try to solve the problem by doing good deeds, more more. This is safe, no side effects. If we control no to allow spitting, alcohol, there will be discipline but if we too seriously try to stop making mistakes, there will be side effects for sure. Some of the people cannot endure, they may go away. In this way, we may not have a chance to solve this problem by doing good deeds continuously. Now we have been doing good deeds, to emphasize doing good deeds more and more. We don’t need to emphasize the mistakes of the others. But that is the way to solve the problem, to solve all the problems by doing good deeds. It will take time but the result is excellent.”