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As the Myanmar television audience knows, the German monk U Vivekânanda's answers in Myanmar to questions posed by the newscasters were broadcasted on the Myanmar television program "The Peaceful Shore; the Palace of Nibbâna". The words he said in Myanmar, "With the great many meditation centers in Myanmar, it is sad to see people who have not yet meditated," are still ringing in the ears and hearts of the Myanmar television audience. He is now even translating in English for Sayadaw and other teachers when they give Dhamma talks and interviews. It's inspiring, indeed.
I think I had to read it as a child in the fourth grade reader. It's the inspiration story of "Ma Pu Kywe and the Little Snail". The poor, unintelligent Ma Pu Kywe, greatly inspired by watching a little snail, strove in her studies and was able to achieve success. Another one was about an old monk, "U Kyi Pwe". Most Myanmar people know about this old monk U Kyi Pwe. He used to toss his toothbrush sticks from up in his room. Having tossed a great many out like this, there had come to be a huge pile of toothbrush sticks. Looking at it, he thought to himself, "If I start studying the Buddhist scriptures just a little each day, one day I could become a distinguished scholar." With that understanding, he worker hard. They say that later he really did become a distinguished scholar. The moral is, though one may old, if one does not slacken one's determination, one will progress in one's studies, indeed.
Sayadaw has spoken of the determination of the child who, though he falls down again and again, gets up again and again, trying to stand until he becomes able to. Though he falls down again and again from his standing position, again and again he takes steps, trying to walk until he becomes able to. His determination is an inspiration indeed. Motivated by these various inspirations, and with a unwavering attitude of doing it for the Sâsana, if I were to continue working hard on my English, without slackening my effort, perhaps I would have come to able to give Dhamma talks and interviews without a translator, in accord with Sayadaw's wishes. If Sayadaw were to have seen this happen, I fancy I would have seen him smile like a gardener.
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