” Now because of the virus, most of the meditation centers are closed. Because the government announced to reduce ceremonies. The government is also working together with the UNICEF. Therefore many organizations stopped working, meditation retreats were cancelled. Especially in April, the Water Festival was cancelled. Nearly all meditation centers open for the Water Festival. Many people go to meditation retreats at that time. But in this year, because of the COVID19 virus, the most well-known meditation centers in this country have cancelled the retreats one after another, to avoid spreading the virus in the retreats. But Thabawa Center is a full-time meditation center. It started in 2008 and never closed. Because of the old and sick people who are staying here for till the end of their life. So it is really very difficult to send them to somewhere. That is the main reason for not closing the Thabawa Center. That’s why many people worry because of accepting anyone good or bad, old healthy or sick. But we are not relying on ourselves. Compare with other organizations, Thabawa Center is the opposite. Most of the people are old and sick. That’s why we don’t have much chance to rely on ourselves. Therefore, we have more chance to rely on doing good deeds. We emphasize keeping precepts, helping each other, charity work and practicing meditation, controlling the mind to be stable and pure. We emphasize doing good deeds at every present moment. That is the most important of all. It is suitable for us.

We started from nothing, just land, no tree, no building, no water, no electricity, no road. Therefore, when we stay here, we have nothing to rely on except doing good deeds. That is a great chance for us. We try to rely on doing good deeds every time, every present moment. There was a government coup in the former year. There are natural disasters, earthquakes, floods… Most of the problems are concerned with the government. A lot of complaints about this center, about the people here to the government, because we cannot do it legally in the former government. But we are not doing for ourselves, we are doing for all especially for the most needed one in society. That’s why if we close the center, many people in the center will be in trouble. Besides many people in society will not have the chance to support us, to donate us. That’s why we never try to close the center intentionally. If everyone left the center, this center will be closed naturally. If people are staying here, no need to close. In my side, I’m the leader, that’s why I’ll never close the center. I establish this center naturally, not deliberately. Because of the need of the people in the country, I tried to find the solution and finally, I have a chance to use this place for the people who are the most needed in the society.

Doing good deeds continuously is the real creation of this Thabawa Center. That’s why if we continue doing good deeds, this center can survive long-term. If the power of doing good deed is weaker than the power of doing evil, this center will be closed for sure. But from 2014, the power of doing good deeds in this place became stronger than the power of doing bad things. There is competition good and bad, right and wrong all the time. But we are doing good deeds our best and we also allow the people who want to do good deeds. You’re foreigner, foreigners are free to do good deeds here. Because of the freedom in this place, many people are satisfied to do good deeds here. That’s why in the long term, the power of merits became stronger than the power of demerits. That’s why this center developed quickly from 2014. We have been doing small mistakes, no big mistake. That’s why we can survive in this condition.

This is new for Myanmar, for this country. In the past, maybe 100 years ago, there were viruses like this in this country. I don’t know whether it had happened in the world or only in this country. Many people died. At that time, I was not born. For me I have never experienced this condition but I have experienced may bad things, difficulties, problems hopeless are common to Thabawa Center. Thabawa Center can survive in many conditions for sure because of the doing good deeds continuously together. Here in this condition, there is a witness about the virus in this country yesterday night. Therefore many people in this country worry about the virus. So they are buying food in the supermarket, they are also going to the bank to retrieve cash in their hand in case of emergency they need money to buy. That is why at the bank, many people are drawing their savings today. But for us, we can continuous doing good deeds especially in our own Thabawa Center.

We are free to go to one center to another center in our own car. So we can continue doing good deeds by ourselves within Thabarwa center around the country. We may have difficulty to go to other countries. This kind of experience already happened in TNC in other countries, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the US and Italy. Italy is the worst. We don’t have TNC in China but we have TNC in both northern and southern Italy. Northern Italy is really bad now. At the present time, there are 25 persons in the Northern Italy TNC center. They cannot go out and so also the others cannot come to the center. Only the person who is in charge, she has authorized permission so she can go back to her house; and also she can go to the center. She can go out to buy the food. The condition is really bad but for us we are not doing business that’s why not much different for TNC. We don’t lose. Just a little, not much support, not many activities in the public but we can do good deeds in our own Thabarwa center. We can survive for sure.

But here in this center over 3000 people and also in Goodwill village, over 10 thousand people are staying there both are concerned with Thabarwa organization but we have been still like this and doing good deeds like this. Thabawa center Thanlyin started in 2008, Good Will village it started in 2012. We already experienced many problems and difficulties but we can survive. So we don’t need to worry because we are doing good deeds we are not the same as the people in the society, we are working for all, we are working for the Truth, we are sure to get good results. Now you’re here still remain here in this center, you may also have a chance to do good deeds together with us. For me, I don’t have much chance to go out for teaching. Most of the public teaching already cancelled by the donors. Now I don’t have many appointments. I will only go to other Thabarwa Centers and I will remain in this center for most of the time. Then I can emphasize teaching to the foreigners and also Myanmar people. The government knows about the condition of this center. That’s why they don’t force us not to accept the foreigners and also local people. We can accept but we must take medical check-up if they are sick or healthy. If needed we need to make quarantine in separate places for 2 weeks. Two foreigners came from abroad, so when the local authorized person knows that they will go to Thabarwa center, they guide us to separate them for 2 weeks and now already finished, no witness of the virus.

[…] But in this condition, you should emphasize to practice meditation more and more. If not, you cannot endure. Many people are worried about the virus. So if you don’t emphasize the meditation, you may feel worried and you may go out of the center. Some people afraid, they think staying at home is safe. They don’t think staying here is safe because many people that’s why it is possible to suffer by the virus. But we are doing good deeds, all the time, we are under the shadow of Dhamma, of doing good deeds. Doing good deeds protect us, protect Thabarwa Center. That’s why no need to worry. Even if the virus spreads in this center, it will not spread the whole center for sure. Some people worry if the virus occurs in this center, many people will suffer from the virus and then Thanlyin will also be affected by the virus because of Thabarwa Center. Because this is the most crowded place at Thanlyin. Some people worry about this especially they complain about foreigners, because nearly in most countries, the virus already attached so they are afraid of foreigners. There are many foreigners here. But for us, the mind is the most important. For some of the local people, they may worry because they don’t have much experience with doing good deeds like us. You should not go out, the virus is in the country now so they may worry especially to the foreigners. Now 2 Burmese people from the United States and the UK are suffering from the virus, but they are in good condition, not much need to worry. That’s why the government also worry especially for those who come back from other countries. For those who are staying in the country for long-term, not much need to worry. But in this condition, the government already announced not to visit if it is not important to reduce going somewhere, doing something, just stay at home, the center and then do good deeds by ourselves, especially meditation.

Meditation is we have to be mindful of ourselves. So we don’t connect with others if we are mindful. So if we are mindful of ourselves, we will not be mindful of the others and then the mind will be stable and pure. If our mind is stable and pure, our life will also be stable and pure. If our mind is unstable and greedy, angry and ignorant; our mind is not safe. The life will not be stable because of the unstable and impure mind. It is right understanding which is cause and effect. We already overcome many difficulties by this method, it really works. Now you have a chance to apply this theory in your daily life. If you rely on yourself, you’re sure not to be safe. We heard about a male nurse who works in the United States, he was taking care of the Corvid 19 patient. Now he’s already suffering from the virus. He may know about the virus but cannot prevent it by himself. So if we are doing good deeds, we will be meeting with people who are doing good deeds. In this way, we are safe. If we are not doing good deeds, we will be dealing with the people who are not doing good deeds. In this way, we are not safe. This is cause and effect. That’s why we need to do good deeds continuously in this condition, situation. In this way, we will not be dealing with the people who are not fortunate.

Now you all are volunteering, meditating, that’s why you can stay in this center, a meditation center. If you’re not volunteering and meditating, you will not be able to stay in a meditation center, you will not meet me. I’ve been guiding for many people from many countries how to overcome the difficulties so I have many experiences. I myself have many difficulties because of establishing Thabawa Center. Even if necessary, you should not go out in a group. In this condition, you should be careful to stay remain in the center as long as possible and continue doing good deeds all the time. We should not think about what is bad, just think about what is good. In this way, you can be safe. We are busy doing good deeds. That’s why our mind is healthy and wealthy. That’s why no need to worry. Even if something bad happened, we can endure for sure. […]”