Accepting the mission of propagating Buddhism
“‘One minute of well practiced stage performance requires 10 years of diligent practice.’ Only with long and assiduous practice can monks develop mastery.” Hui Xian explains that in order to develop the “right stuff” in his charges, he must subject them to rigorous training.
Every morning the students must practice chanting the sutras. Then they must go to practice martial arts on the lawn. After breakfast, they must individually perform their assigned chores. When the bell rings for morning study, they reenter the space where they ate and use what had been their dining tables as desks.
The curriculum at the school is extremely diverse and includes learning Buddhist theory and how to strike the “singing bell” and “wooden fish” (ritual percussion instruments) during Buddhist rites. It also includes Chinese, English, Hindi, Pali, math, science, art, yoga, martial arts, Indian music and so forth.
In order to improve their Chinese and English skills, they are, for example, quizzed on fruits and vegetables even while eating.
Master Hui Xian says that after a few years these young novices will go to Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan to study. They will certainly need a strong foundation in Chinese, and if they don’t have sufficiently deep understandings of math and science, they will not be able to integrate Buddhist doctrines with the realities of secular life. That deficiency would impede their attempts to spread Buddhist teachings. Consequently, the school is very demanding.
With regard to the pace of learning required by the school’s curriculum, 14-year-old Cheng Fa (name-in-religion) has his own unique take on things.
Witty, lively and quick to laugh, he looks a little like Ikkyu, the monk in the Japanese cartoon of the same name. He is a diligent student, and as soon as he hits a concept or vocabulary word that he doesn’t understand, he makes certain to ask questions until he gains a thorough understanding that he can commit to memory.
For instance, a volunteer teacher mentioned that the great Zen Buddhist master Hui Neng once said that he had decided to become a Buddhist monk after he heard someone reciting The Diamond Sutra: “To use one’s mind spontaneously and naturally, without being constrained by preconceived notions arising from the senses.” Cheng Fa immediately copied down the characters and softly began to recite them to himself.
What’s more, two hours and 40 minutes every week are allotted to watching television or a movie, with the idea that the novices will get a feel for popular culture, so that they won’t be at a loss when dealing with lay people.
“Can you imagine? When only a short time every week is given over to watching movies or reading books of your own choosing, a single book from the Harry Potter series can take two and a half months to finish,” says Cheng Fa, scratching his head.
Cheng Fa, who is mischievous on occasion, then shifts to a serious tone and says that Buddhist teachings are a door to happiness for the people. There are so many people in India who are destitute: If they all get an opportunity to hear Buddhist teachings, they can leave their misery behind to have happy futures.
Samanera’s varied curriculum, which includes music, martial arts, and calligraphy, prepares students well for spreading the good word of Buddhism.