A letter.

A letter dated July 15,2003 from Prof.Dipak Kumar Barua, former University professor and head of the Dept. of Pali, U. of Calcutta, Director, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda.

Date : Fri, 17 Oct 2003

Venerable Chatsumarn Kabilsingh,

I trust this would find you in good health and serenity. At the very outset I must congratulate you for publishing a learned article on Mahapajapati : the Great Theris with a very rare photograph of Mahapajapati Gotami mahatheri in the last issue (Vol.19/4 July-Sept.2003) of the Yasodhara : Newsletter on International Buddhist Women's Activities ably edited by your serene and holy self. Indeed your Newsletter is a great source of information about the activities of Buddhist women in Thailand and other countries. I fervently believe that under your learned guidance the Bhikkhuni Sangha would be firmly established in East Asia with multifaceted activities. Spiritually I am always with you in such difficult Dhamma movement.

Dear Venerable Dhammananda,

Only by your message in English I understood that also another devoted pioneer buddhist woman, your own Venerable Mother left this world, almost at the same time as Ria did.

It is difficult to put this great loss for you in words, silence may be better.

On the other hand, I have a strong feeling that your Mother has reached her ultimate goal. She was willing to stay on this earth a very long time, not for her own fun, but to build a safe and sound foundation for a new buddhist women-sangha. So I think she reached even a double goal : her own nirvana and a growing female sangha in Thailand.

To walk the buddha's path : the middle way will be accessable to many more people, especially women when there's a balance male-female in the institutions that teach the path. Your Ven.Mother did, and You following her pioneers footsteps, work hard in creating that balance.

The whole world is in great need of that, there is no better goal to work for. So I think your Venerable Mother did not spoil a minute of her long life and great blessings will follow. We only need to be patient and steadily go foreward to experience these blessings.

I hope to meet you in January and wish you great blessings for your work in this new situation.

That this will double compensate the loss !

Joke van de Horst 

Date : Sun, 19 Oct 2003

Dear Dhammananda,

By way of Joke van de Horst from the Netherlands I heard that your mother has passed away. I send you my condolences, and I'm thinking of you, of how so many will miss her, of the important place she had by her courage, insights and uncompromisability, of the huge impact of your mother for Buddhism and emancipation and women in Thailand and around the world.... I heard that 800 people have attended to the funeral service, which shows how many have loved her and will keep carrying her in their hearts. My memory is quite vivid, of December last year, how you mother was laying in her glassroom on first floor, looking upon a statue of Guan Yin and Virgin Mary, just a few meters away from the meditation hall, always resonating with the sutra singing sounds, and always near to you....

I hope the huge appreciation for your mother will help you to carry the loss of her presence in this life and I wish you so well to carry the flame further, as you have done already for such a time, with so much inspiration and dignity!

It is quite some time ago, and also when you don't hear from me for sometime, I do think of you and the sisters at Songdhammakalyani! I hope, apart from the passing away of your mother that you are well, in good health. By way of the website I keep in touch : reading your interview with CNN, with a Korean woman: studying the program, with just before (10-10) end of Vassa....

From this afternoon on I will join with Jotika in a 6 days Vipassana retreat, I'm very much looking forward. You may have heard from Joke that Ria Kloppenborg, very good friend and professor in Buddhism has passed away recently. Jotika celebrated an impressive service for her at the cremation.

Dear Dhammananda. my best wishes go with you, and in the next meditation days I'll be with you. and your mother, in my meditations.

With metta and much love,

Dr. Adeline Van Waning

June 29,2003

Plum Village, France

Dhamma Greetings,

With the physical departure of the Ven.Grandma, I would like to express my warm thoughts to her. Yesterday evening, the new Sangha at the Plum Village meditated and conveyed a beautiful energy to her.

   She changed but only her physical form,
   But she is forever present, everywhere,
   She is much greater than the limitation of her body,
   She continues on in every cell of her daughter,
   In the Ven.Dhammananda who keeps the dhamma lineage alive
   The path she had paved for the beauty of Thai women
   Still continues and nurtures
   In every step she lives,
   In every smile she is alve
   In the strength of the members
   Of songdhammakalyani temple.
   She is still walking the path with us,
   We can feel her presence in our own breath,
   To celebrate and nurture
   The lives of ordained women in Thailand.

Bhikkhuni Niramisa

(Free translation from an original Thai version)

Dear Luang Pi, *

I am sending my love, gratitude and respect to Luang Ya as soon as I was informed about her passing away.

I also want to let you know that for me she is still alive living through your spirit and you know that.

I will be with the peace force group whom we will train for one month to do peace work in Sri Lanka. I will come down to the temple in August when I finish the training.

In peace and love,

Ouyporn

* Venerable elder sister

My dear Ven Bhikkhuni Dhammananda,

My thoughts are with you at this moment. Your Mother left you after handing over to you full rights to continue the services she rendered all her life. She is a great woman born in the 20th century paving the way for us to continue the revival of Bhikkhuni Order which she fought and received years ago. Also giving birth to a great daughter like you who is dedicated to the cause with determination.

It is my fortune the I met you mother in the year 1991 and then to join you in the revival of the Bhikkhuni Order.

May she attain Nibbana.

Yours sincerely with love

Dhamma sister

Ranjani de Silva

My dear Venerable Sister Dhammananda,

So long in reply ~ it is now the first day of Vacation here at Un Mun Sangha University, South Korea, and I write to you from amidst the dragonflies and falling saffron trumpet flowers of the season.

My deepest and most heartfelt appreciation to your most Venerable Bhikkhuni Mother, for her life, her work, her great spirit and renunciation, and for her raising you, her daughter. And to you.

Amidst the Theris of Old we stand together in the shower of blessings, theirs and ours, a single taste, indistinquishable, but for Dhamma.

Ah, May we realize the Way,

And utterly Unbound 

Abide in Peace,

Love, Compassion and all best wishes,

Bhikkhuni Yeo Kwang