Assistant Dhamma Teacher Program

 

This is a special group of Thai youth who have been coming to help the monastery since 2008.  They are students and workers, who have been living in Sydney city. The group is known as 'Thai                volunteers of Rung Puang Shop' because it originated from the kindness of Kan & Thanarat Anggurarat,  a couple who own a Thai grocery store Rung Puang Shop, in the downtown of Sydney.

Originally, this Thai volunteer group just wanted to help the monks working in the Sunnataram Forest Monastery. They were not particularly interested in listening to Dhamma talks or meditation (which is very common for most of Thai family in Australia.) However, through the skilful techniques of the monks, they slowly gained more interest in Buddhist chanting and meditation. 

 

Now they love to come to the monastery every weekend to do cooking, offering food to monks and helping the monks working around the monastery. Before the day ends, they do evening chanting, practice meditation and listen to Dhamma talk.  A few times a year they attend meditation retreats to deepen their understanding of the Dhamma.  To broaden their knowledge of Buddhist history, the monastery always organizes their visits to many other Buddhist    monasteries of other traditions and museums. They have become the monastery's extended family.

 

We aim to nurture these young Thai people who have a pure interest in    Buddhism, and to revitalize the Buddha's pure message in the Thai culture,  which unfortunately has been mixed with many superstitions and magic. This Sydney Thai youth group have become an       inspiring example for many other Thai youth all around Australia, who select to spend their time wisely, away from drugs, alcohol and gambling, in creative and positive ways. This is the true good kamma for them.