Thursday's Lotus
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Thursday’s Lotus Thursday’s Lotus The Life and Work of Fuengsin Trafford Paul Trafford Thursday’s Lotus: The Life and Work of Fuengsin Trafford fuengsin.org © Paul Trafford 2016 ptworld.net Cover design: Chanaphan Rassameepiyarak All rights reserved ISBN: 978-0-9956373-2-0 Typeset in Gentium Plus and TH Sarabun New Version 1.0.3e (PDF) Dedicated to Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro), the late Abbot of Wat Paknam, who rediscovered the Middle Way meditation and Vijja Dhammakaya. Thursday’s child has far to go. Anon. (traditional) Contents List of Illustrations ix Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv 1. Breaking New Ground 1 2. Fuengsin’s Childhood: From Wartime to Roaming Free 19 3. University Days and a Carefree Life 40 4. Professional Life: Teaching and Meditation 60 5. First Time Abroad: Whirlwind Activities 76 6. Life in the Outer Reaches 96 7. Varied Fruitfulness in the Garden of England 116 8. Thailand and other Family Outings 127 9. New Prospects in the Midlands 152 10. Emergence 172 11. Further Visits to Thailand 193 12. Flourishing 211 13. Transition to New Projects 238 14. Faltering Health and Grand Finale 261 15. Fuengsin’s Legacies 279 A Synopsis of Buddhism 293 A Short Introduction to Meditation 297 Glossary 301 Bibliography 325 Illustration Credits 327 Index 329 About the Author 341 List of Illustrations Fig. 1: Group photograph at Satriwithaya School, 9 March 1908. 4 Fig. 2: Thai Army Officers: Feun Wayam’ra standing on the left (c.1920s). 7 Fig. 3: Capt. Luang Sarayutpitag in uniform, late 1930s. 10 Fig. 4: Luang Sarayutpitag at the Ministry of the Interior. 11 Fig. 5: Faded memory of an extended family. 13 Fig. 6: Baby Fuengsin, just over a year old. 13 Fig. 7: Ploen and Dtoi, childhood friends. 20 Fig. 8: Fuengsin surrounded by nephews and nieces. 22 Fig. 9: Alms offering at the Sarayutpitag household. 26 Fig. 10: Wattana School classmates, 20 November 1950. 32 Fig. 11: Wai Kru longrien (Teachers’ Day). 33 Fig. 12: Wattana Suksa School commemorates King Rama V. 34 Fig. 13: Monument to King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn). 35 Fig. 14: Fuengsin’s friend Supatra (nickname Dim). 37 Fig. 15: Triam Udom School, Mor 7, 16 August 1952. 40 Fig. 16: First Year (Mor 7), Triam Udom School, 22 August 1952. 41 Fig. 17: Fuengsin at home, in Chulalongkorn University uniform. 43 Fig. 18: Fuengsin with University study materials. 44 Fig. 19: Fuengsin at Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakhon Pathom. 44 Fig. 20: ‘Ajahns Farangs’ at Chula. 46 Fig. 21: Auditorium, Chulalongkorn University examinations venue. 48 Fig. 22: An opening gala to welcome Freshies. 50 Fig. 23: Fuengsin with some classmates and Ajahn. 50 Fig. 24: Phra Prang Sam Yod, Lopburi. 52 Fig. 25: Chequered designs were in for that rustic look in the 1950s. 53 Fig. 26: Fuengsin with friends in a cave. 53 Fig. 27: A delightful picnic. 54 Fig. 28: Group photo at Air Fleet, Korat. 54 Fig. 29: Group atop a rocky outcrop along the shore. 55 Fig. 30: Fuengsin by a fishing boat, Silacha. 55 Fig. 31: Portrait photo of Fuengsin in her graduation gown. 56 Fig. 32: Chula Graduates besides the nagas. 57 Fig. 33: Fuengsin alongside Ajahn Robert Swann, Lecturer in English. 57 Fig. 34: With Prof. Dr Kitkasem Sriboonrearn (French, phonetics). 57 Fig. 35: Graduation: group photograph with Prof D. J. Enright. 58 Fig. 36: Fuengsin’s ID card at the Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, 1959. 60 ix x THURSDAY’S LOTUS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF FUENGSIN TRAFFORD Fig. 37: Fuengsin preparing for lessons on a Remington typewriter. 61 Fig. 38: Fuengsin comments on herself: ‘In this picture I look choie laek (out of date)’. 62 Fig. 39: With a Mathayom student during teacher training. 62 Fig. 40: Fuengsin Sarayutpitag receiving her BEd degree from H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 21 April 1960. 63 Fig. 41: New Year Card, showing a college building in 1954, before it became home to Thonburi College of Technology. 64 Fig. 42: Fuengsin and other Ajahns at Thonburi Technical College. 65 Fig. 43: Ajahn Fuengsin Sarayutpitag comes for an English Department examination as heavy rains fall. 65 Fig. 44: Group activities; Ajahn Fuengsin keeps a sober expression. 66 Fig. 45: College students performing traditional Thai dance. 67 Fig. 46: Ajahn Gaew Potikanok. 71 Fig. 47: Fuengsin reading photojournals in the Common Room. 73 Fig. 48: Fuengsin with monks close to the Sarayutpitag household. 76 Fig. 49: Fuengsin with her parents, Capt. Luang Sarayutpitag and Mrs Somboon Sarayutpitag. 77 Fig. 50: Fuengsin with her mother and cousin, Ven. Chalerm (Suttirak) and other Sangha members. 78 Fig. 51: Fuengsin with her sisters, nieces, nephew and other relatives. 78 Fig. 52: Fuengsin and ‘Jao Lek’. 79 Fig. 53: Fuengsin and colleagues from Thonburi Technical College at Don Muang Airport, 1963. 79 Fig. 54: Fuengsin and students from Thonburi Technical College at Don Muang Airport, 1963. 80 Fig. 55: Postgraduate Students outside the Women’s Hostel: Terry Walsh, Fuengsin, and David Bridges. 83 Fig. 56: Visiting students (photo), Y Cymro, 21 November 1963. 85 Fig. 57: Cranford, Tony’s digs before the wedding. 87 Fig. 58: Cicely Trafford (Tony’s mother), Tony, Fuengsin, Mr and Mrs Powell. 90 Fig. 59: Wedding reception in a family back garden. 90 Fig. 60: Fuengsin with Mrs Slaughter, the landlady, and the household cat. 91 Fig. 61: Khun Yay Somboon (Fuengsin’s mother) offering dana. 104 Fig. 62: Ven. Ajahn Yongyuth of Wat Khao Mae Daeng placing offerings in a cremation fire. 108 Fig. 63: Fuengsin, Khun Tewee and a university friend en route to Thailand from North America with Paul in the pram. 111 Fig. 64: The inside cover of the first volume of Fuengsin’s diary. 113 Fig. 65: The start of Fuengsin’s diary entry for 20 July 1969. 113 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi Fig. 66: The Trafford family at 11 Cadnam Close, c.1971. 118 Fig. 67: The main family home in Thonburi, 1972. 129 Fig. 68: Ven. Lek (Surapan) with Paul at a wat in Angthong, 1972. 131 Fig. 69: Elephant at Dusit Thani hotel, Bangkok. 135 Fig. 70: Chomjit with her parents at their home, and Western friends (husband and wife living in Thailand). 135 Fig. 71: The Grand Palace from Sanam Luang, Bangkok. 137 Fig. 72: Tony at Wat Po. 137 Fig. 73: Ann Tam, Fuengsin, Paul and a friend. 138 Fig. 74: Aisawan Dhiphya-Asana Pavilion, Bang Pa-in Palace, Ayutthaya. 139 Fig. 75: Chinese teak house at Bang Pa-in Palace. 139 Fig. 76: Khun Yay Somboon, a cousin and Tony at the Bridge over the River Kwae, October 1972. 140 Fig. 77: Fuengsin, a cousin and Paul, Kanchanaburi. 141 Fig. 78: Fuengsin stands by a sign to Cambodia, with Aranyaprathet railway station in the distance. October 1972. 141 Fig. 79: Khun Jamras, Khun Vasana, Khon Songsee and Fuengsin, Chantaburi. 142 Fig. 80: The residence (top floor) of the Abbot, Ajahn Yongyuth, at Wat Khao Mai Daeng, Bang Phra. 143 Fig. 81: Khun Songsee, Khun Vasana and Fuengsin by the coast. 144 Fig. 82: Fuengsin at the entrance to Wat Pah Baan Taad, 1972. Ven. Paññavaddho Bhikkhu is approaching in the distance. 145 Fig. 83: Alms offering in the morning at Wat Pah Baan Taad. 146 Fig. 84: Khun Jane is offering alms to Tan Ajahn Maha Boowa. 146 Fig. 85: Ven. Paññavaddho Bhikkhu, near the entrance to Wat Pah Baan Taad, 1972 147 Fig. 86: Fuengsin at home. Photograph by Phil Loach for the County Express, March 1981. 164 Fig. 87: Fuengsin lecturing at the Multi-Faith Centre. 183 Fig. 88: Header for the front cover of a Multi-Faith Centre programme. 215 Fig. 89: Fuengsin’s map with the locations where Buddha Gotama taught. 216 Fig. 90: Krob Krua — the immediate family. 233 Fig. 91: Krob Krua — the extended family. 234 Fig. 92: The New York team: Bahadur Singh (Sikh); Mary Hall (Christian); Khalid Alawi (Muslim); Fuengsin Trafford (Buddhist); Ronald Levi (Jew) and Madhuri Lahiri (Hindu). 250 Fig. 93: Fuengsin standing outside the main entrance to the United Nations building, New York state. 250 Fig. 94: Fuengsin and Madhuri Lahiri flanking an officer at West Point Academy, United States. 251 xii THURSDAY’S LOTUS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF FUENGSIN TRAFFORD Fig. 95: Ven. Dr Rewata Dhamma at the Trafford family home following Fuengsin’s cremation. 276 Fig. 96: The site of Fuengsin’s ashes at the Forest Hermitage, Lower Fulbrook. 277 Fig. 97: Memorial Stone for Fuengsin, Forest Hermitage. 280 Fig. 98: USPG College of Ascension lecturers in interfaith: Sharada Sugirtharajah, Dr Elizabeth Harris, Fuengsin, Canon Andrew Wingate, and Canon Jemima Prasadam. 286 Fig. 99: Fuengsin’s entry in the Faculty of Arts 50th Anniversary volume. 290 Fig.100: The seven bases of the mind. 298 Fig.101: The seven bases of the mind (side view). 299 Preface henever Fuengsin met anyone she would have got to know them very quickly — even, perhaps, in the time it takes you to read these opening paragraphs. It would not matter what their background, Wwithin a few minutes she would have a fair idea about them as a person, the strength of their character, and what made them tick. Those who knew her were soon left with strong and very distinct impressions, a unique person whose approach to life naturally encompassed East and West, the sacred and the secular. A modern pioneer in many respects, yet deeply rooted in ancient traditions, this was not a person to throw out the baby with the bath water. So I, as her son, thought it might be of value to write about her life and work, to tell the story of my mother so that others may likewise be inspired by it.