Mourners turn out for car smash Buddhist monks’ service

[Ensapa]

This is a nice piece of news to share: it shows how many people are touched by the monks in their area, although it is a tragedy but from here we can see that many people do appreciate these monks.

Mourners turn out for car smash Buddhist monks’ service
The Scotsman, 2 January 2013
Edinburgh, Scotland (UK) -- HUNDREDS of mourners are expected to pay their respects to three Buddhist monks who died following a horrific car smash on Christmas Eve.

 Abbot Phramaha Pranom Thongphaiboon, 43, head of the Thai Buddhist community in Aberdeen, was killed in the head-on collision along with his colleagues Phramaha Kriangkrai ?Khamsamrong, 35, and Phramaha Chai Boonma, 36.
The three men, originally from Thailand, are thought to have been travelling to the Dhammapadipa Temple in Edinburgh when they were involved in the crash on the A68 near Pathhead, Midlothian.

A service for all three was due to take place at Oakvale Funeral Home in Whitehouse Loan today between 10am and 3.30pm. Mourners will be able to view the bodies, which will then be flown home to Thailand for the funerals. The Edinburgh service will include traditional Buddhist chanting.

Yongyut Suayngam, of the Thai Scottish Association, said: “The three men have offered their services to Scotland and the Thai community in the UK for the past four or five years. The whole of the UK is experiencing a big loss at their deaths.”

He added that around 200 people were due to attend the service.

Any florists or supermarkets which can provide white roses for mourners to place inside or beside the coffins at the service today should contact the Dhammapadipa Temple on 0131-443 1010.

[Aurore]

These monks must have sincerely done good deeds and services to the communities in UK. Whether it's monks or lay people, if one serves humanity and live to benefit others, people will feel the lost of these people because what they have done has affected their lives for the better.

To die doing good work is definitely meritorious. They lived their last breath serving others. That alone cannot be a tragedy. After all, death is only the beginning.

[bambi]

Sad to know the monks died in a car crash. Even though so,they were on the way to a temple. They must have done a lot while they were there for the past few years for so many mourners to turn up and pay respect. How wonderful to know that people remember you for the good deeds that you have done and they feel the lost. I would want to be remembered that way when I die.

[Big Uncle]

I am sure these great members of the Sangha will take a good rebirth. It is from their sincere upholding of the Vinaya and rendering great service to a Dharma center in a foreign land and having to cope with a different culture and different means by with one would have to convey the Dharma. I think this is admirable way of life. In today's world of materialism, finding practitioners who would go all the way with their practice and take on the Dharma is few and far in between.

Yes, we don't need to be a monk to be become attained but the very reasons that stop us to be a monastic is our attachment. And when we can't even let go of our attachments, how do we expect to receive attainments. Because of that, I have been told by a monk that's why my meagre spiritual practice does not derive me with any spiritual attainments and that's why I cannot be enlightened within 1 lifetime.

[WisdomBeing]

When you die people will always remember you for how you lived. I am sure these monks will be remembered fondly by their community in Aberdeen, despite such tragic circumstances of their death. At least they spent their lives in the ultimate service to the Dharma, as monks, which will create the causes for them to have good rebirths, especially with the 18 opportune conditions.

These 18 opportune conditions are the 10 endowments and the eight freedoms. The ten endowments are the ten qualities that characterise the perfect human rebirth. Born as a human, born in a place where there is Dharma, born with sound mental and physical faculties, born free of the five extreme actions, having faith in Buddha’s teachings, being born where a Buddha has descended, where the teachings have been revealed. Having the conditions necessary to practice Dharma – food, clean place, all the conditions.

The eight freedoms which a perfect human rebirth is free from. These are being born in a hell realm, being born as a hungry ghost, being born as an animal, being born as a barbarian, being born as a long-life god, holding wrong views, being born where no Buddhas have descended, being born with defective mental or physical faculties.

[jessicajameson]

I know this sounds a little sick, but I never felt that lamas could die in car accidents. I remember how I used to drive like a mad woman whenever I was late for pujas (bad, bad - I know!) and thought that there was no way I could die coz I was going towards the Dharma.

Lately, I've come to know more and more about lamas who got into car accidents and it's really saddening. Like Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche who died in a car accident in 1992 and Ling Rinpoche also got into a car accident in December last year (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=2877.0).

HHDL nephew also died in 2011 when he was hit by a car while walking for Free Tibet.

Did Abbot Phramaha Pranom Thongphaiboon and his 2 colleagues absorb the karma from their students and followers in Aberdeen? Perhaps those in Aberdeen did not have the karma to listen to the Dharma?

Whatever it is, it is saddening to know that 3 sangha members were killed...

[Jessie Fong]

It's sad to learn that members of the Sangha passed away. It is a loss to the community. Life is precious but it is short; this time, it was at a time when the monks were on their way to the temple.  But I believe that their death came at that time for a reason.

The large turn out of mourners at the funeral speaks volume of their good deeds for the community.  They will be missed.