Dear Piya, Bh Santi, John and friends,

Happy new year.

Thanks for the question, Piya. However, I am not able to make any
recommendations. I also can't vouch for any Australian monk. I guess
your student has to settle down in Melbourne first, and then make
enquiries himself. He may consider Bh Santi and John's suggestions.
He may also like to consult the directory on BuddhaNet:
http://www.buddhanet.net/aus_buds.htm

In Australia, it is always easier to obtain information using the web
and email, than phone. Word-of-mouth is another source of
information, but credibility is not warranted.

I also can't comment about Bodhikusuma, just visited its website, and
may have done so once previously. Otherwise, I know nothing about it.
However, I may just share some thoughts.

Your student's daughter is a very typical case. It may be her excuse
that she `could not meet any "warm" person`, rather than being
outright rebellion to her father! I think she has already developed
some keen interest in Christianity, and like to explore more of the
religion.

While this has saddened you, I hope it has not saddened your student
(laugh). He would be better off thinking how to maintain a good
relationship with his daughter, or changing the host family, because
things can turn really bad (such as a family crisis) if mismanaged. I
have always stay on my own in Australia, home-staying with a family
is very much dearer, and from feedback by overseas students in
Brisbane, it is a waste of their parents' money. I also understand
the food they cater is (usually) not good.

Anyway, religion is a very personal matter. Just like there are many
shades of color, there are different flavors of religions to suit
different personalities. Buddhists have long understood that. The 18
main schools of sectarian Buddhism, the three streams of Mahayana,
Vajrayana, the 10 major schools in China, the local variations in
different Asian countries, and now "Western Buddhism". I wonder
what's next. (Have you ever imagined what Indian Buddhism would be
like without the Muslim invasion?)

On the other hand, it took the Christians one and a half millenia,
and the suffering of generations, to realise that. (Thank God for
Martin Luther) And personally, I don't think they are doing any
better (than Buddhists), besides financially stronger.

Sometimes, the mind has to learn things for itself. It can be very
hard. I have seen people hopping, like kangaroos, from church to
church, searching for the right flavor. There are many who gave up
and left eventually.

Usually, in such discussions, I have to mention that the fastest
growing Christian denomination in Australia is Pentecostal. In my
area, the Brisbane City Church holds a grand concert every weekend!
(laugh) I think there are mini concerts throughout the week too. And,
I believe there is no lack of "warm" and "luke-warm" people there
too. (laugh) Anyway, that nicely tie in with the point that I am a
non-believer about "spiritual development" or "spiritual growth". Be
it sitting, singing, chanting, praying, dancing, even the crazy idea
of talking in tongues, I don't consider the psychological effects
these activities have on an individual as "spiritual growth". It is a
mere gimmick term used by the people marketing such activities.

I would only acknowledge that meditation is beneficial to the
development of the mind.

Finally, I can only wish the best for both of your students and their
families, and hope they realise that religion, even though it is
important to some, is nevertheless just one part of life.


metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Piya Tan wrote:

One of the students in my meditation classes will be going to
Melbourne next month for further studies (Engineering,
microelectronics) and is keen to meet meditation teachers. I
recommended that he meet one of Ajahn Chah's disciples, possibly
Ajahn Brahm or Ajahn Sujato to build up his practice as he is still a
beginner.

On a sadder level, another friend (a devout Buddhist retiree) only
last week told me that his daughter (new to Buddhism), after visiting
Bodhikusuma in Australia, could not meet any "warm" person, there and
by the grace of her Presbyterian host, is seriously considering to
join the latter. This deeply saddens me (thanks, but I do not need
comforting.)

I think meeting the right teacher at the right time is so vital to
spiritual growth.

Could you (or anyone) let me know where in Melbourne, one could meet
a practising monk?