Tu Viện Quảng Đức105 Lynch Rd, Fawkner, Vic 3060. Australia. Tel: 9357 3544. quangduc@quangduc.com* Viện Chủ: HT Tâm Phương, Trụ Trì: TT Nguyên Tạng   

Burnie's Buddhist hospital chaplain also committed to fire fighting

20/03/201507:33(Xem: 7448)
Burnie's Buddhist hospital chaplain also committed to fire fighting

Burnie's Buddhist hospital chaplain also committed to fire fighting

Posted 

Buddhist priest Alan Piercey is a hospital chaplain in Burnie, a fireman with his local brigade in Penguin and a one-time purveyor of chocolate.

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

 06:15       
AUDIO: Sifu, Buddhist hospital chaplain and fireman(ABC News)

He is known to the people on the North West coast by a number of different names, the most often used borrowed from a popular animated movie.

"My ordained name is Venerable Shih Jingang (pronounced Cher Gin Gun)," he said.

"Most people around the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie just know me as Sifu.

"And if you ask any five-year-old, they'll know exactly who Sifu is: a character from Kung Fu Panda. I believe it's a cartoon."

It's opened more doors than closed them. In the Buddhist community we sometimes call it the Dalai Lama effect

Sifu

Then there are the good men, women and children of the Penguin Fire Brigade, who know Sifu as Alan Piercey, although they sometimes just call him respectfully, "Monk".

Alan has been a retained volunteer firefighter for fifteen years and has headed off to a number of major bushfire campaigns in other parts of Tasmania.

Between ceremonial cushions and meditation bells on the mantelpiece in his Penguin home are trophies including the Penguin brigade's Senior Firefighter of the Year 2013.

"Sometimes I'll be meditating with a group here when my pager goes off. It has happened," he said, this trademark smile unfaltering.

"Sometimes in the middle of the bushfire season I just have to run!"

Alan Piercey fireman

Sifu, as he prefers, has been a Buddhist since he was a child living at Richmond, just outside Sydney.

When he was seven years-old, his mother started to take him to aged-care homes to sit and talk with the elderly residents.

"One of the most beautiful experiences I had was sitting with an elderly woman who, while she held my hand - and she had the most beautiful smile on her face – died peacefully," he said.

"That memory has stayed with me.

"My life has always been involved with chaplaincy in one way or another, where I've sat a lot and listened to people's stories."

These days Sifu is part of the chaplaincy team at the North West Regional Hospital, a job that requires its practitioners to act as a chaplain to all, regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof.

He said that occasionally he encounters people who are uncomfortable talking to a smiling man in flowing brown robes.

More often there is a great curiosity about what he has to offer.

"It's opened more doors than closed them," Sifu said.

"In the Buddhist community we sometimes call it the Dalai Lama effect.

"There's an image many Buddhists have of being nice, friendly people.

"And I'd agree with one of the things [Buddha] says which is quite universal and that is 'my religion is kindness'."

When Sifu trained for the chaplaincy he was told that he was the only non-Christian chaplain to become qualified for hospital chaplaincy in Northern Tasmania.

There are many different branches of Buddhist teaching across the world and Sifu has been ordained by an order which blends Ch'an (or Zen) and Pure Land Buddhism, two of the major Buddhist forms in China.

As so often happens today, he researched his options via the internet and established a Skype relationship with his teachers before requesting full teachings and to eventually be ordained in that tradition.

"My abbot came out here to Tasmania and I was ordained in Gutteridge Gardens in Wynyard," he said.

Alan Piercey at home

"People automatically assume you are a monk and there have been periods of monastic living for me along the way.

"Because I have a teaching role it is more correct to call me a priest. I go out into the world.

"In my case it's being a retained volunteer firefighter and, over the last few years, it's being involved in chaplaincy."

Part of Alan's role is to raise funds for different charities and to support himself in the role of Buddhist teacher.

He sells Buddhist meditation bells and other items which facilitate the practice of Buddhism.

For a period he also sold chocolate, which served as a personal test of the Buddhist principle of eliminating craving.

"It was a wonderful way of fundraising and also keeping me on the road," he said laughing.

"You can become attached to anything – certain people I know would regard chocolate as a form of instant bliss.

"But it's a very temporary bliss."


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-20/burnies-buddhist-hospital-chaplain-committed-to-fire-fighting/6149590


Gửi ý kiến của bạn
Tắt
Telex
VNI
Tên của bạn
Email của bạn
14/01/2020(Xem: 9196)
I consider myself to be one of the extremely lucky ones to study the Dharma at the Phap Bao temple every Sunday with awise, caring and compassionate teacher like Ven. Bhikkuni Giac Anh. The classes are like an endless supply of cool and pure water from a gentle stream that my Dharma friends and I can always drink from to quench our thirst and purify our body and mind.Over the years, I have seen incremental improvements in myselfsuch as being calmer, learning and practicing the Dharma better and applying the practical advice from my Teacher to better deal with everyday challenges.
19/12/2019(Xem: 9170)
World Interfaith Harmony Week, Celebrate in Fawkner (4 February 2020)
15/12/2019(Xem: 18215)
INTRODUCTION "WITHIN A TREE, THERE IS A FLOWER WITHIN A ROCK, THERE IS A FLAME" BY SENIOR VENERABLE THICH NGUYEN TANG, QUANG DUC MONASTERY MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. "...The gift of the Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the Dhamma excels all tastes, and delight in the Dhamma excels all delights. The eradication of craving (i.e., attainment of arahatship) overcomes all ills (samsara dukkha). The gift of the Dhamma is the greatest giving among the all other givings. The one who is well trained in the Dhamma will share his understanding of the Dhamma either by writing a book, by preaching Dhamma, by discussing Dhamma, or by writing an article. Master Thich Nguyen Tang has used all these methods in his contribution to the Dhamma. Giving food or clothes or any other material items to a person makes them happy and they indeed will survive in the world, but they cannot get rid of this terrible circle of birth and death. It can be done only by understanding the noble Dhamma. Thus, the wr
28/11/2019(Xem: 8718)
Freedom, democracy and human rights together with commerce and investments in the economy, to bring about social order and stability, not unlike light and the atmosphere, are essential requirements for human life in the expanse of a world in full progress. Hong Kong is a former British colony returned to China in 1997 and its people are guaranteed basic freedoms under the “One Country, Two Systems” regime, in order to administer the proper maintenance and development of this territory.
07/07/2019(Xem: 73012)
The Buddha’s ethical teachings, these essential points of the eightfold path aim at promoting as well as perfecting the three heads of Buddhist training and discipline, namely (a) Ethical Conduct (b) Mental Discipline and (c) Wisdom. According to the capacity of each individual harmoniously cultivated, these points are all linked together and each helps the cultivation of the others.
07/07/2019(Xem: 33681)
Buddhism is not a religion for men just to follow but to learn, to understand, to practise, to gain experience. When men come to know the Buddha’s teaching and perhaps practise it to some extent, sometimes they wish to make the Dhamma their direction in life or their guide through life. At that time, their thoughts turn to become a Buddhist.
17/06/2019(Xem: 19280)
The Catering Unit of Minh Quang Retreat in Sydney, Australia has offered good services in a very solemn and deliciated manner and its very first meal reminded me of the nice smell of the Bowl of Rice of Fragrance in the old times.
13/06/2019(Xem: 5146)
Human rights roundtable of freedom of religion, sydney, June 11 2019, Here I'd like to share with you a brief summary of the roundtable on religious freedom hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission. I attended on behalf of the ASA, along with Ven Thich Quang Ba. There were no reps from the FABC at this meeting.
03/05/2019(Xem: 6198)
The 16th United Nations Day Of Vesak Conference 2019 Main Theme: Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership & Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies at Tam Chuc Pagoda, International Buddhist Convention Center Ba Sao, Ha Nam, Vietnam Sub-Theme: “Mindful Leadership for Sustainable Peace” Three Intertwined Paths to Leading for Sustainable Peace Phe Bach, Ed.D., Founder and CEO of C. Mindfulness LLC, Mira Loma High School, ILC, SJTA, SJUSD, California Teachers Association, USA. W. Edward Bureau, Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor (Retired), Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA Residence in Cochranville, PA, USA Introduction Sustainable peace anchors itself in mindfulness of the present, the people, and the microcosms in which we exist. Rather than existing as a static state, the peace is organic and dynamic, flowing itself around the vagaries of “unpeacefulness.” Thus, being a mindful leader begins with the practice of the Five Mindfulness Trainings (Five Precepts) and the N
01/04/2019(Xem: 4439)
“Arogya Parama Laba” – “Health is Wealth” ‘A very rare meritorious project..! In the joy of others’ Proposed Social Welfare Ambulance Service by Jambudveepa – Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple Sarnath – Varanasi India Dear Dhamma friends, To assist pilgrims who visit to pay Homage to sacred places Buddhist Temples, Societies, Institutions, staff members & villages in and around Sarnath, Varanasi. We are planning to offer an Ambulance service to meet their welfare needs. Which will include providing crutches, wheel chairs and seat walkers.
facebook youtube google-plus linkedin twitter blog
Nguyện đem công đức này, trang nghiêm Phật Tịnh Độ, trên đền bốn ơn nặng, dưới cứu khổ ba đường,
nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.

May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland,
Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below,
may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria
Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery
Most Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang
Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia
Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600
Website: http://www.quangduc.com
http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old)
Xin gửi Xin gửi bài mới và ý kiến đóng góp đến Ban Biên Tập qua địa chỉ:
quangduc@quangduc.com