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: 7451)
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
03/03/2019(Xem: 11400)
oin us in Melbourne for our annual AGM and Sangha get-together. Please click the button below to access more information, to download the flyer and to register for the ASA IN MELB 2019
24/02/2019(Xem: 7981)
2019 Sakyadhita International Conference will be in Australia Conference Theme: New Horizons: Buddhist Women Rising to the Challenges Location: The Fairmont Resort, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia Dates: June 23rd - June 28th, 2019 Details visit: www.sakyadhita2019.org.au
09/02/2019(Xem: 9771)
The inaugural speech by Dr Tien Kieu, MLC, Victoria, Australia, 2019
29/01/2019(Xem: 11963)
HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR 2019 Year of the Pig Welcome to our LUNAR NEW YEAR EVE: Monday: 4/2/2019:From 6pm to mid-night), the program includes: Vegie Food Stalls , Prayers for everyone’s Ancestors , Repantance Ceremony, Cultural performances, Lion Dance & Firecrackers; Prayers for World Peace & Family Well-Being. All welcome, come & go at your own pleasure! Buddha Blessings & Our Best Wishes to you & your family
11/12/2018(Xem: 8531)
Short Dhamma Stories for Kids, It is my great pleasure being able to present a “Short Dhamma Story” for children. I have translated “Punchi Bana Katha” which was written in Sinhalese by the Venerable Welewatte Gunaratana Thero. My main object of this noble work is to develop children’s Dhamma knowledge and moral education. Most Venerable B. Sri Saranankara Adhikarana (Judiciary) Nayaka Maha Thera gave me his fullest support and encouraged me in my present work. So my respectful and sincere heartfelt thanks go to him. My very special thanks also goes to the President, Mr. G. Mervyn Weerasena and all members of the Siri Jayanti Association who pursed on my humble attempt. My special thanks goes to Venerable Welewatte Gunaratana Thero who gave me a proper consent to translate into English his Sinhalese book (Punci Bana Katha).
11/12/2018(Xem: 8477)
Buddhist path of liberation is indeed a process of purification of mind. Its preliminary step is found in the training of Sīla, which finds expression through right speech, right actions and right livelihood. The follower mainly to get rid of the mental defilements such as craving, aversion and ignorance practices these three steps of the Noble Eightfold path. It is evident that the wrong speech, wrong actions and wrong livelihood lead to the development of those defilements in the mind. Through the training of conduct (Sīla) most of the rough defilements can be restrained.
06/12/2018(Xem: 4453)
I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young, as late as possible. At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H. W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300-horsepower engines to fly, joyfully fly across the Atlantic, with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up. At age 90, George H. W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Ann’s by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshipped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn’t open. In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton’s.
04/12/2018(Xem: 17207)
Within a tree, there is a flower Within a rock, there is a flame Dedication for Most Venerable Thich Nhu Dien on the ceremonial event of his 70th birthday, and 40 year-milestone for Vien Giac Temple to be established in Germany Bhikhhu Thích Nguyên Tạng Translated into English by: Dr Tâm Tịnh, Hoa Chí & Hoa Nghiêm “Within a tree, there’s a flower, within a rock, there’s a flame” is the dharma taught by Zen Master Dao, recalled by Most Venerable Thich Nhu Dien during his dharmic teachings to which I had good fortune to attend in his dharma-propagating journey to the United States of America in 2006 when I acted as an assistant to him.
12/10/2018(Xem: 4241)
Friday, November 2, 2018 - 19:30 to Monday, November 5, 2018 - 16:00 Even as the years keep increasing, whatever our age and stage, Life Still Matters and we can learn more about how to make the most of the present, meet the challenges of the future and make a positive difference in the world around us. This live-in life direction and leadership program is for people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, who are aged 35 and over. We offer a warm welcome to anyone who has a sense of adventure and would like to begin to learn how to be a change-maker in our global community. Come and meet others who share the same desire and want to live a purpose-filled life. It will include panel presentations, workshops, story-sharing, team-building activities, reflective silence, group discussion, video(s) and an entertainment night. Venue: Armagh, 226 Kooyong Road, Toorak, VIC 3142 Cost: $250 to cover accommodation, meals and the general program Register by 12 October here.
13/07/2018(Xem: 11277)
Smartphone Overuse, Youth Suicide and Buddhism as a Healing Source, Youth suicide is disturbingly rising. Ashley Welch, in her article “What’s behind the rise in youth suicides?” (2017), gave some insights into the trend. The author mentioned potential causes for this trauma and notably pointed to “the correlation between the rising popularity of smartphones and increased rates of suicide and depression among young people” (para. 17). Although Welch did not offer a clear reason for the correlation, this point raises an awareness of an irony. We, as readers, may wonder, “How can such a wonderful entertaining device cause that terrible thing?” In this paper, I will discuss the roots of this pain, and then suggest Buddhism as a healing source.
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