A letter from Cambodia.

February 2005

Dear Friends,

There is a story of the Buddha which reportedly comes out of Nepal. It goes something like this ...

A bandit meets the Buddha in the forest and threatens to kill him. The Buddha says, "May I first ask you to do two things for me before you do so." The Bandit puffs out his chest and roars, "Of course, I am so mighty and powerful that I can do anything you ask,"

The Buddha says, "Please cut off the lower branch of the tree over there," which the bandit does with one sweep of his huge sword. He is clearly pleased with his strength and power. He asks, "What is your second request?" Quietly and respectfully the Buddha says, "My second request is that you now put the branch back on the tree."

"You must be crazy!" explodes the bandit. "No," says the Buddha, "you are the one who is crazy, because the mighty and the powerful are those who know to build, create and heal."

Like so many teachings of our ancient spiritual masters, modern man just doesn't seem to get it. Or we have this primordial need to repeat the errors of the generations past while ignoring the wisdom of the ages Cambodia proved the Buddha's teachings correct during it's 30 years of war. Violence never ceases by violence. More acutely this parable is being played out daily in the current worldwide war on terrorism. Power is defined by our ability to destroy, kill with pre-emptive strikes, when it's pre-emptive nonviolence, compassion and wisdom which are called for on all sides.

"1,000 is a symbol," says Kamla Bhasin, one of the coordinators of the 1,000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005 Project*. "It is a symbol of saying: Peace is not a dramatic activity but is done bit by bit. Peace is not an individual act. You cannot make peace alone." A Khmer woman whose name has been placed in nomination to be one of the 'symbolic 1,000' is Vann SyVorn, the Dhammayietra volunteer who has been the prime mover of the annual peace walks here since 1999. What is less well know about SyVorn is her year round grassroots work in the rural countryside teaching meditation and nonviolence to primary school children, conflict resolution skills to village leaders, morality to prisoners, caring for and teaching prevention of AIDS, etc. If she's accepted to one of the 1,000 or not, she remains might powerful to us by the Buddha's definition.

"The miracle is to walk on earth, says Zen Master Lin Chi. As Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, whose writings are a favorite in the Peacemakers Reading Program says, "The Miracle is not to walk on thin air or water, but to walk on the good earth and know it." Well, wherever the miracle lies, Dhammayietra XV is being billed as 'A Walk on Water'. A first for the Dhammayietra, the walkers will journey along the southern shores of the Tonle Sap. It will be a time for the participants to look and listen to the fisher folks living along this great natural resource as well as a call for all to reflect on the interdependent nature of our existence with the environment. If you would like to share in the miracle, look for details within.

"The reality is, I don't feel the least like a king," says the newly crowned King of Cambodia. "I feel just like an ordinary human being ... whose duty is to serve all the people." 1 During his three day coronation ceremony held at the end of October, King Norodom Sinhamoni granted pardon to 88 prisoners. Walking in his father's footsteps, within three weeks of his crowning he became the spokesperson for the Cambodian Campaign to Ban Landmines. Those who have met King Sihamoni find him kind, gentle, clearly concerned for his people, seemingly without attachment to the trappings of wealth or power. He appears to have an innate understanding of where true power lies. Deeply Buddhist, genuinely compassionate, some are quietly beginning to wonder if this leader is the Preah Bat Dhammik that the Buddhist holy man prophesized.

For those of you far from the Cambodian scene who might be wondering what happened to King Norodom Sihanouk, he is very much amongst us. He celebrated his 82nd birthday at the end of his son's coronation. 'Twice King' 'Twice Abdicated' King Sihanouk has played a most unique role and influence in his country's history. Citing age, poor health and a desire to live out his final days in peace, Narodom Sihanouk has been threatening abdicating for a long time now. Political insiders note that in retiring this way he assured that the monarchy would continue as well as choosing his successor. "King Sihanouk is great politician", as Kek Galabru, founder of the human rights group LICAHDO, has stated. Now Sihanouk remains one of his son's closest advisors in the palace.

"It was here, in 1994, in this Center of the Dove, that four of us, formerly soldiers in four different Cambodian armies begged the world to stop making mines, to stop laying mines, to clear the landmines and to help the victims so that we can rebuild ourselves, our families, our villages and our country again." The words are Tun Channareth's Ambassador of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. He was speaking at the launching of ICBL's 2004 landmine Monitor Report in November. A victim of the 'mighty' it has made him powerful. From this suffering has come great compassion ... and wisdom. 'From Khao I Dang to Nairobi' describes how others have made a similar dhammayietra journey out of suffering.

"The destiny of any nation, at any given time, depends on the opinions its young people under twenty-five (years of age)," the German philosopher Goethe once wrote. Here too lies the hope for Cambodia. The latest seminar in the Dhammayietra Peacemakers Reading Program is on the life and times of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar's woman of hope. Being led by one of Cambodia's women of hope, Sek Sarom and companions invite you into their temple within the temple. Once you visit you'll understand why Aung San Suu Kyi said, "The future belongs to the young and it is wonderful that it should be so."

In her biography I Dare, Kiran Bede, the first woman to be appointed director of the infamous Tihar prison in India says, "It is the quality of the time spent in jail which can offer opportunities to prisoners to at least have options for converting themselves." She's been credited with helping transform Tihar from a hell hole of a prison into an ashram. This charismatic leader did it by offering educational training opportunities as well as Vipassana meditation to inmates and staff. Please join Yoem Cham Nab, our newest Dhammayietra volunteer as he strives to help Battambang prison transform itself into a village, in his way.

2005 promises to be a year of building, creating and healing for the Dhammayietras Peacemakers Walking in Communities with AIDS in Mongkol Borei. For the first time anti-retroviral therapy has been made available in the province. AIDS is no longer the death sentence it has been. While remaining sensitive to the needs of the spirit the DYMB team is helping to explore creative new ways to support those living with HIV/AIDS. 'Planting Hope' describes how this Dhammayietra is building hope and peace in the community, slowly step-by-step.

Moses led his people out of slavery into a desert. Buddha and his followers walked into fields of conflict with a word of peace. Gandhi walked to the sea on his great Salt March. M.L. King marched with his people to the Freedom land. Maha Ghosananda traversed some of the most mine-full regions of heart and soil on his Dhammayietras. The Nipponzan Myohoji nuns and monks spend their lives chanting and walking for peace all over the globe. Enclosed, a word from our own 'barang chakuit' somewhere out there on the roads of Cambodia. If you see him, give him a ride home, will ya.

In this Update of 7,000 words, only one word is necessary, only one is called for. That word is thanks. We hope you'll hear that word in each of the stories you read within, as we feel it in every step we take. We can only walk as we do because of the support of so many of you. We truly know we never walk alone. Perhaps our deepest gratitude is expressed in the words, "The walk continues." Please walk with us.

"The world is our house," Maha Ghosa nanda says, "and all human beings are our brothers and sisters. To love them, to serve them is our duty and our religion." Simple and wise, a word to the poor and the powerful ...

To offer assistance, for more info. Contact Bob Maat, P.O. Box, BungthongLang P.O. Bangkok 10242, Thailand

Bob Bob Maat Mail to:

CPR Spokesperson

PO Box 60

Bungtong Lang Post Office

Bangkok 10242

Thailand

Coalition for Peace and Reconciliation, c/o Dhammayietra Center

PO Box 144 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

For donations, please use the Bangkok, Thailand address

1. The Man Who Would (Rather Not) Be King, an interview with James Pringle of International Harald Tribune, reprinted in the Cambodia Daily, January 14, 2005