Senior Thai Monk Offers a Buddhist Perspective on Dealing with COVID-19
The novel coronavirus pandemic continues unabated, disrupting
societies and communities, and impacting lives and livelihoods around
the world. As our day-to-day lives are inundated with news headlines
and media alerts elevating our stress levels, it’s all too easy to feel
helpless at the perceived scale of the crisis. Yet it is precisely during
such times that the Buddhist values of mindfulness, compassion, and
acceptance are most needed; when the Buddhadharma offers the means
to defuse and de-escalate, to recenter and recalibrate before fear and
uncertainty overwhelm our senses.
Venerable Phra Paisal Visalo, the abbot of Wat Pasukato, a Buddhist
monastery in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum Province, and a respected monk
of some 37 years in the Theravada forest tradition, offers a Buddhist
perspective on this turbulent situation, urging us to pause, take stock,
and consider some of the positive aspects and opportunities we can
draw from this time of crisis.
monastery in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum Province, and a respected monk
of some 37 years in the Theravada forest tradition, offers a Buddhist
perspective on this turbulent situation, urging us to pause, take stock,
and consider some of the positive aspects and opportunities we can
draw from this time of crisis.
“In the past, we thought that we were winning against viruses because
we had developed antibiotics and vaccines that prevented diseases such
as smallpox, which have since disappeared. We also expect that polio,
tuberculosis and malaria will end, too,” Phra Paisal shared with Buddhistdoor
Global. “There are three important lessons that we can learn from COVID-19:”
we had developed antibiotics and vaccines that prevented diseases such
as smallpox, which have since disappeared. We also expect that polio,
tuberculosis and malaria will end, too,” Phra Paisal shared with Buddhistdoor
Global. “There are three important lessons that we can learn from COVID-19:”
Ven. Phra Paisal Visalo. From vidyaloke.in
An opportunity to understand and accept reality: We have to understand
that humankind will continue to live with infectious diseases in various forms.
In the past, we could feely used our hands to clean and touch our face, but
now we can no longer do so. Even if we need to, we have to make sure we
cleanse our hands thoroughly first. This mindful hand-washing helps to make
us more careful and, at the same time, gives us more opportunities to be
mindful in our daily lives, whereas in the past we might have taken many
things for granted, including touching our face as many as 15–20 times
an hour without even realizing it.
that humankind will continue to live with infectious diseases in various forms.
In the past, we could feely used our hands to clean and touch our face, but
now we can no longer do so. Even if we need to, we have to make sure we
cleanse our hands thoroughly first. This mindful hand-washing helps to make
us more careful and, at the same time, gives us more opportunities to be
mindful in our daily lives, whereas in the past we might have taken many
things for granted, including touching our face as many as 15–20 times
an hour without even realizing it.
An opportunity to practice mindful living: News reports about conflicts
and armed fighting have taken a back seat to the coronavirus outbreak.
Even news about the US and Iran has stopped. In Thailand, reports on
the political unrest have also declined. Conflicts between the government
and opposition parties are being ignored by the people as their attention
is focused on COVID-19, to the point of driving them crazy.
and armed fighting have taken a back seat to the coronavirus outbreak.
Even news about the US and Iran has stopped. In Thailand, reports on
the political unrest have also declined. Conflicts between the government
and opposition parties are being ignored by the people as their attention
is focused on COVID-19, to the point of driving them crazy.
We have to find a careful balance between carelessness and craziness.
We should be aware that the coronavirus is not the only dangerous virus
that is spreading in our society—even though COVID-19 harms our body. Fear is
also spreading, harming our minds and even impacting our humility, causing us to
become selfish and to look down on those who are infected.
We should be aware that the coronavirus is not the only dangerous virus
that is spreading in our society—even though COVID-19 harms our body. Fear is
also spreading, harming our minds and even impacting our humility, causing us to
become selfish and to look down on those who are infected.
We stock up on masks, alcohol, and other hygiene products, even though
they may not be necessary, especially for those who are not infected. Now
masks are out of stock throughout Thailand and are not available for those
suffering from tuberculosis, pneumonia, or influenza. The shortage of face
masks has serious repercussions as it means that caretakers and medical
personnel such as doctors and nurses do not have enough masks to wear
while they work. Warnings are being given to people who are not sick that
they shouldn’t buy and use masks. This demonstrates that COVID-19 itself
can be less harmful than the fear of COVID-19. Therefore, as well as
recognizing that we need to act to prevent COVID-19 from infecting our
body, we should also ensure that we prevent our fear of COVID-19 from
infecting our mind. Let’s support each other on both levels.
they may not be necessary, especially for those who are not infected. Now
masks are out of stock throughout Thailand and are not available for those
suffering from tuberculosis, pneumonia, or influenza. The shortage of face
masks has serious repercussions as it means that caretakers and medical
personnel such as doctors and nurses do not have enough masks to wear
while they work. Warnings are being given to people who are not sick that
they shouldn’t buy and use masks. This demonstrates that COVID-19 itself
can be less harmful than the fear of COVID-19. Therefore, as well as
recognizing that we need to act to prevent COVID-19 from infecting our
body, we should also ensure that we prevent our fear of COVID-19 from
infecting our mind. Let’s support each other on both levels.
An opportunity to be generous and support each other: Let’s be thankful
for the countless people and groups who have been volunteering at hospitals.
We have heard stories that when COVID-19 began spreading in Wuhan, China,
many people began volunteering to support each other. These acts of selflessness and kindness included providing rides for nurses returning home to rest and then bringing back them to the hospital for work. Some volunteers drove all night long to serve those doctors and nurses so that they could have an opportunity to rest before continuing their work. Actions such as these may begin with one volunteer, but can quickly multiply as many more follow their example. These small volunteer activities can build up into a network sharing the volunteer spirit during times of crisis.
for the countless people and groups who have been volunteering at hospitals.
We have heard stories that when COVID-19 began spreading in Wuhan, China,
many people began volunteering to support each other. These acts of selflessness and kindness included providing rides for nurses returning home to rest and then bringing back them to the hospital for work. Some volunteers drove all night long to serve those doctors and nurses so that they could have an opportunity to rest before continuing their work. Actions such as these may begin with one volunteer, but can quickly multiply as many more follow their example. These small volunteer activities can build up into a network sharing the volunteer spirit during times of crisis.
This situation has great potential to help each of us to reduce our selfish
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behaviors and attitudes and increase our generosity in support of each other.
We need to stay connected and encourage people to express their goodness
from within, which ultimately helps others.
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behaviors and attitudes and increase our generosity in support of each other.
We need to stay connected and encourage people to express their goodness
from within, which ultimately helps others.
Born in 1957, Phra Paisal Visalo was heavily involved in student activism and human
rights protection before being ordained as a Theravada monk in 1983 in Bangkok.
Closely associated with the engaged Buddhism movement, he is the author and
editor of several books on environmental awareness and Buddhism, and also
conducts courses on meditation and non-violence. Phra Paisal is the co-founder of Sekiyadhamma, a network of socially engaged monks in Thailand and an adviser to
the Bangkok-based International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB). He recently became a recipient of the Asian Public Intellectual Fellowship of the Nippon Foundation.
rights protection before being ordained as a Theravada monk in 1983 in Bangkok.
Closely associated with the engaged Buddhism movement, he is the author and
editor of several books on environmental awareness and Buddhism, and also
conducts courses on meditation and non-violence. Phra Paisal is the co-founder of Sekiyadhamma, a network of socially engaged monks in Thailand and an adviser to
the Bangkok-based International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB). He recently became a recipient of the Asian Public Intellectual Fellowship of the Nippon Foundation.
Thailand is a predominantly Theravada Buddhist country, with 94.5 per cent of the nation’s population of 69 million identifying as Buddhists, according to government census data for 2015. The Southeast Asian kingdom has some 40,000 Buddhist temples and almost 300,000 monks.
At the time of writing on 25 March, global novel coronavirus infections were reported to total 423,121, with 18,919 deaths so far confirmed, and 108,619 recoveries. The World Health Organization has previously estimated the mortality rate from the virus at 3.4 per cent, based on preliminary data, with the elderly and people with underlying health conditions considered most at risk. Thailand has so far reported 934 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and four deaths, with 52 recovered.
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