LoveLove YYourour ChildrenChildren thethe RightRight WWayay by Panyananda Bhikkhu HAN DD ET U 'S B B O RY eOK LIBRA E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.buddhanet.net Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. LOVE YOUR CHILDREN THE RIGHT WAY BY PANYANANDA BHIKKHU Translated from Thai to English by Police Major General Somprasongk Prathnadi Originally published as © Buddhanikhom Chiang Mai ISBN 974–8598–0–8 First Publishing, April 2000 Published by Buddhanikhom Wat Umong Ampoe Muang Chiang Mai 50202 Tel. (053) 277–248, 273–990 With help from The Centre for the Long Life of Buddhism Wat Cholaprathan Rangsarit Ampoe Pakkred Nonthaburi 20 Tel. 583–4243, 584–3074 LOVE YOUR CHILDREN THE RIGHT WAY PANYANANDA BHIKKHU TRANSLATED BY: POLICE MAJOR GENERAL SOMPRASONGK PRATHNADI Preface COMPOSED THIS BOOK when I was in Chiang Mai, where I lived for I0 years. In my work there, I observed many parents who had children but knew nothing about how to raise there beloved children properly so that they would grow to be good citizens of the nation. When I thought about this matter, I started writing an article concerning parents’ respon- sibility in raising their children. My article was read aloud in broadcasts from the Wor Por Thor radio station in Chiang Mai. The article grew to 30 chapters, each chap- ter giving specific advice about the parents’ duties in raising children. This article aimed at giving guidance to people on how they should function as parents to their children, how their children are important for the clan and family, so that then they would know how to raise their children properly and have them become virtuous citizens living in soci- ety according to religious principles. When the article had been broadcast over the radio several times, many audiences became interested in the substance of the article so that later on it was published as a Thai language book titled “Rak Look Hai Thook Tang,”meaning “Love the Child in the Right Way.” Very soon the book became popular, and it was republished many times. Many parents told me they applied the methods given in the book to teach their children and cultivate them with religious virtues. As a result, their children grew to become good persons and useful members of our society. There was one man living in Washington, USA, who came to see me and thanked me profusely for writing “Rak Look Hai Thook Tang.”The book had been sent to him by an unknown person on his birthday. He had read the book many times and had raised all four of his sons by its principles. His sons had all been born in the USA, and those four sons had by then finished their education and already had jobs. He gave a special thanks to me for being an important part in rais- ing his sons. This is the example I would like to show you of how parents benefit from the book. It seems to be a useful method of raising children. Later on, Somprasongk Prathnadi, a police major general living in the v USA, read the book and was so impressed with it that he translated the book into English. Unfortunately, he passed away before his translation was published. Dr. Phramaha Chanya Sutdhiyano had read the translation and was so impressed with it that he then decided to publish the book in an English version. He asked me to write the preface. I myself am very pleased to have the book published in English. This translation is meant for those Thais who know English very well, but who know only a little bit of the Thai language, to read and get the knowledge of their parents’ language as well as the knowledge of how to raise their children in the proper Thai way. At the present, Thai society has been overwhelmed with many dis- ruptive and tempting new role models which will probably spoil the chil- dren if the parents do not keep their respect and remain role models for their own children. The children then will misbehave, as is apparent in many examples in today’s society. If the parents are interested in reading the book and applying the methods from the book to raise their children, it will help make the family better and the society stronger. I am hoping the English version of the book will be helpful for those who have children and for the world as a whole. I would like to give a very special thanks to the late Somprasongk Prathnadi, who translated this book into English. Thanks also should go to Dr. Phramaha Chanya Sutdhiyano; it is he who managed to publish the book. Phramaha Amporn Chutindharo and Ralph Eavenson, Professor of English at Sierra College, California, USA, should also be given thanks for their co- operative translation of my Thai preface into the English language. May all families using the book as a guide in raising their children be healthy and happy. Phradhammakosacharn (Panyananda Bhikkhu) Wat Cholaprathanrangsarid Pakkred, Nonthaburi, Thailand March 2, 2000 vi From the Translator hao Khun Phra Dhammakosajarn (Panyananda Bhikkhu) is one of the most famous monks in Thailand. He lectured extensively in ThailandC and abroad. His style of communicating with the audience is unique even in this day and age. When I look back to the time in August 949 when I first listened to him giving his wonderful sermon on the teachings of the Buddha near Si Yaek Klang Wiang in the centre of the City of Chiang Mai, I remember vividly how captivating his talk was. First of all, he was standing in front of a microphone speaking without a note. This was the first time in my life to see a Buddhist monk giv- ing a sermon like that. To me it was so impressive. But what was more significant was that, the subject matter he talked about sounded very interesting in spite of the fact that it was about Buddha Dhamma, a bor- ing subject for a boy my age. At seventeen, I had never listened to any- one besides M.R. Kukrit Pramoj, a former Prime Minister, and Acharn Muak Chailangkarn, my teacher at the Prince Royal’s College, who could give a speech so fluently and with every word touching my young heart like that. Through the entire lecture I was so absorbed and could not help thinking Chiang Mai people were meritorious people. That was why Panyananda Bhikkhu was there to explain in person the Dhamma to the good people of Chiang Mai. The year B.E. 2542 (999 A.D.) has two meaningful events for Panyananda Bhikkhu. First and foremost it was the year Thailand cel- ebrated His Majesty the King Sixth Cycle for he would be 72 years old on December 5th, 999. Secondly, B.E. 2542 was also the year Panyananda Bhikkhu celebrated his Dhamma teaching in Chiang Mai as a part of Buddhanikhom for a half century. He started giving his sermon there in the year B.E. 2492, on April 3th, 949 to be exact. I was given an honour to translate one of his most well known works, “Love Your Children The Right Way”. I feel humble doing this work. I was told by Khun Penchai Siroros, the editor of Chao Buddha Journal, that she knew that there were other people, who were more knowledgeable than I was. But she had not been able to find any one who was willing to vii do the translating as a charity work and this book has been in print for more than forty years in the Thai language. Aside from that, Than Dr Phramaha Chanya Sutdhiyano, the Director of Panyananda Institute, was kind enough to encourage me by giving me a copy of this book in Thai. He wrote in the front page of the book that he gave this book to me to translate it into English for the English speaking world to read. I was so touched by his action that I was determined to do the best I could. Panyananda Bhikkhu’s teaching should be read not only by the people of Thailand, it should be read by other peoples, who speak and read English as well. The world has the rights to know what he had to say about the world we live in. I would like to dedicate this work to my mother, Khun Nai Pradab Prathnadi, and my wife, Suree Prathnadi. Even though they did not have much to say about my work but I know that deep down in their hearts they supported me and wished me success. Lastly, I would appreciate any suggestions that the readers may have about this work. My only wish was for the readers of the English version to be able to enjoy Panyananda’s wit and farsightedness as much as possible. The readers must be aware of course that his original version in Thai was much more intense than I could have accomplished translating it. Police Major General Somprasongk Prathnadi 34622 Anchor Drive Fremont, California 94555 The United States of America viii Love Your Children The Right Way PANYANANDA BHIKKHU Introduction by the Author OR A BRIGHT FUTURE of your loved ones, this book on, children, Fwhich you are about to read, was brought about by the pressure of the social phenomena in the present time. As one of those people, who have been working on propagating the Dhamma of the Buddha, I have travelled all over and have seen so many things. I loved to ponder about those things in order to find their causes and effects.