Meeting up with the Kuching Dhamma Vijaya Buddhist Centre’s Abbot, Venerable Bhikkhuni Dhammika, recently, the talks were inspiring. Currently 61 years old, she has walked the renunciate way of life since she was 40 (in 2003). Describing her journey into nunhood, she said, “This is my lifelong career until my last breath.”
A nun at the temple located at Jalan Kung Phin, Kuching, Venerable Bhikkhuni talks more about her path and what it is like to be a nun with New Sarawak Tribune.
Q: Why did you choose the renunciate way of life?
A: I became a nun because, when I was five or six years old, whenever I was naughty, my mother would punish me, and I would cry. This prompted me to stay in one spot and go into a meditative state. At that time, no one had taught me how to meditate. There weren’t any monks or nuns around me, but I would see a vision in my mind of a group of monks going on alms round. I couldn’t understand the vision as it wasn’t anything I was familiar with. Growing up, I was constantly searching for who I am. When I was in my 20s, I got to know about Buddhism, and I found that the teachings of Buddhism resonated with me. So I practiced along the way and found that this is the path for me.
How did you become a Buddhist nun?
I was attached to a temple, and back then, the work at the temple was much more important to me. I was fully committed to the temple. I had lots of ideas and energy, and I was young. I found a place where I could do many things and materialise the ideas in my mind. I met many good masters who inspired me to walk this path. But when we are young, we are not mature enough. As you go through life, you become more mature and then know what you can and cannot do. That’s when I decided to pursue the renunciate way of life. In my life, I have met good teachers, many good mentors, and I have a good mother who taught me a lot. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have walked this path so smoothly. I appreciate this. After we renounce, we have to be with our teachers for some time to learn about what we can and cannot do and how to carry ourselves.
What difficulties did you face when you decided to follow this path?
The difficult part about being a nun is getting parents’ approval. For a parent, giving away a child is very difficult. Furthermore, whatever things we want to do, family support is important. If a family doesn’t give you full support, you will be in a difficult spot. But I have a very wise mother. She said I was too young. She told me that if I had that idea, I should hold onto it and wait and see. So my mother is my great teacher. At that time, I waited. I served in the Buddhist circle and waited until I was over 30 years old. Then, there was a nun who told me to bring my mother over. That was in 2003. When I brought my mother over, she told my mother that I was of age and could become a nun. My mother was silent and did not respond. Back home, I did not ask her about it. At the same time, my father had just passed away, and my mother was going through a difficult phase. However, one morning, my mother said that if I wanted to be a nun, I could go. I asked her whether she was sure. She replied that I should go before she regretted it. I thanked her and made the arrangements. To me, it’s important to get a parent’s blessing; otherwise, it becomes a burden to hold.
What is your daily routine as a nun in the temple?
Each day, I would do some chanting, contemplate, and meditate.
What advice would you give to those seeking inner peace?
Be honest with yourself. Sometimes I feel that people call themselves Buddhists, but they do not practice what the Buddha taught. The Buddha taught us one very important thing: to look at ourselves. We should know what to speak and what not to speak. We must also know how to think. Many people simply let their minds wander. You must know how to guide your speech, your actions, and your mind. These are very important.
