A Joy to Give Back
Bhikkhu Mokkhita harbored a profound affection and reverence for Myanmar, its culture, and its people, deeply influenced by the country's rich Buddhist traditions and the genuine warmth of its inhabitants. As he discussed on our podcast, he was drawn to Myanmar initially for Dhamma practice and meditation, which quickly evolved into a heartfelt commitment to serving its communities. Through his work, he sought to integrate his spiritual practice with social service, embodying the principles of compassion and empathy. Bhikkhu Mokkhita's connection with the Burmese people was rooted in mutual respect and a shared spiritual lineage, inspiring him to contribute positively by enhancing educational opportunities and overall well-being, reflecting his deep spiritual and emotional bond with the land and its people.
“There were moments when I cried often, enough that tears ran down my face just being inspired by these people with such beautiful hearts giving everything they had to support the Sangha and the monks. ”
There were moments when I cried often, enough that tears ran down my face just being inspired by these people with such beautiful hearts giving everything they had to support the Sangha and the monks.
Wherever I went, people were so friendly and good-hearted and invited me for tea at their place, and there I was, sitting around and giving them some blessings. This symbiosis is a beautiful thing I experienced in the Buddhist culture and Burmese cultures. And I always thought, after years of support, how can I give back something to them? An opportunity came to me in this monastic school, and it gave me so much joy to give something back to that country and the children of this beautiful country.
For me, since the beginning, this has always been an ideal symbiosis of practicing meditation, going deeper in my meditation practice, and Samadhi on the one hand, and on the other hand, sharing and doing service; this, for me, was the perfect symbiosis. In the monastery, I gave the monks treatments, massages, and injections, deleted the pain memory, and gave them Thai massages and some Chinese practices such as acupuncture.
Giving service was something that would enhance my practice, make me incredibly happy, and support my meditation as well. I could bring this all together with the Mudita Foundation. I had this project where I could teach meditation and yoga and focus on the Dhamma. Also, many volunteers were very interested in the meditation and yoga practice, so they could share this Dhamma and bring this into this holistic lifestyle where we were making our own food, cooking together, building our houses and materials, and sharing a beautiful life living there with the teachers the children and the villages. Getting closer to the culture has just been a beautiful time and year of my life.