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Food for Thought - Part
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Reflection Series:
1999 issues - Jul
Aug Nov/Dec
2000 issues - Jan
Oct
Others: - Ullambana
A Trip To Hospital Bahagia, Tanjung Rambutan
On 31 July 1999, a bus load of some adult PBHP members, librarians and the Saturday Night Dhamma students made a 0ne-Day trip to the Mental Hospital in Tanjung Rambutan and some places in Ipoh.
We gathered at
our Buddhist Association Premises at 6.00 am. It was very good to
note that the students ( Form 1 to Lower 6 ) were very punctual (
you know, these days, punctuality is getting to be a rare virtue
…. More and more people seem to be getting into the habit of
arriving late for things …. Meetings, wedding dinners,
functions etc. ). We had a short Buddha Puja ( we try to
make this a practice for all trips and excursions organized by
PBHP. I think this is good …we pay Homage and make positive
aspirations and also ask for Blessings Of The Triple Gem. )
The bus left at 6.30
am and we stopped at Kampar for breakfast. The students were
quite well-disciplined … another happy point to note. (You
know, at the present time, we hear so much about the lack of
discipline in schools …. defiance, rowdiness, lack of
manners, loose morals, gang fights, restlessness and so on. It is
my sincere conviction that some Dhamma education for students
right from the age of 4 or 5 would go a long way to moulding
character.)
After breakfast,
we continued our journey and reached Tanjung Rambutan at about 9.00
am. The Hospital ground is tremendously big and we had to go by
bus from one area to the other. Two senior nursing Sisters were
our guide. What impressed me most was their dedication, kindness
and compassion. One had already served for almost 20 years …tending
to and helping so many who are mentally ill. ( In a materialistic
society today, it is not easy to find "Bodhisattvas”
… it is a ‘rat race’, ‘dog eat dog ‘ and
‘No Money, No Talk’ world. Small surprise that it is
very difficult nowadays to get volunteer workers for Dhammaduta
work. Our Association is no exception … we struggle to
recruit volunteers for Dhamma and outreach work …. Teachers
for Dhamma classes, tutors for Guidance classes, helpers to cook
for Camps and other functions, counselors, people to help upkeep
the premises, librarians, people to help at Buddhist Funeral
Services, people to run Welfare projects , Camps and so on. )
At the Hospital
Bahagia, we were briefed on many informative things and taken to
visit some centers where some inmates are occupied in useful work
such as workshop work for men, handicraft work for women and
gardening/farming. Such work and tasks have very good therapeutic
value.
We were also
taken to some male and female wards. The patients maintain the
cleanliness pretty well under supervision by Staff members.
There were many
things we learnt at the Hospital Bahagia which are very good for
Dhamma Reflection :
·
More than 90 % of the patients are Schizophrenic cases. Some are
more serious; the majority are not aggressive or violent. They
suffer from spells of depression and withdrawal especially if
they skip their medication.
·
Schizophrenia is incurable and it afflicts about 1 % of the human
population. It is really a strange and bizarre mental illness. (
I have long wondered about the link between Kamma and Mental
Illnesses. I remember a prominent local monk once told me that
there is a correlation between mental illnesses and heavy
breaking of the first and fifth Precepts viz the Precept not
to kill and the Precept to abstain from intoxicants. I find this
makes sense …. Just think about the mental states of people
who, with cruelty, anguish, hatred, anger, ill-will and jealousy
torture and kill others and the people who “drown”
their minds with intoxicants. Sometimes the terrible effects on
the minds already start to take shape in the later years of
their lives. I think it is very important for us to inculcate the
virtues of kindness and compassion and the need to keep our minds
clear, heedful and mindful. )
·
People have a lot of taboos and misconceptions about mental
illnesses. We don’t realize that we ( unenlightened ones)
are all afflicted with mental “diseases” in a way
….the “diseases” of Greed, Hatred and
Delusion. It’s really a matter of degree.
( You know, when I was away for this “Tanjung Rambutan” trip, two of my friends came to see me at my home. When one of my brothers told them that I went to Tanjung Rambutan, they were so shocked and said things like “ What happened to him ?” “ When did this happen ?” )
In Hospital Bahagia, we learnt that many of the inmates’ families had already abandoned them. It’s really pitiful. Whom can they turn to ?
·
The number of cases of mental illnesses is on the rise. There is
no doubt that STRESS is one precipitating factor. This is
the price we have to pay for so-called economic progress,
technological advancement and what-nots. The Sisters told us that
Mental Illnesses ( Schizophrenia, depression, neuroticism,
anxiety, manic obsession etc ) can affect just about anyone
…people of different race, culture, sex and
professions. At the Hospital, there are students ( School and
University ) who scored many A’s. The next Millennium is not
going to be an easy one in terms of mental health … and
sanity. ( To my mind Dhamma Education is our hope ..and salvation
but it’s not easy to convince others. We feel they have
‘dust’ in their eyes but they think we are ‘Nuts’!
)
·
It’s good to always remind ourselves that STRESS is
related to one of the following:
All in all, we spent about 3 hours at the Mental Hospital. The rest of the Trip was spent visiting some Buddhist Caves in Ipoh, The Nalanda Buddhist Library, A Recreational Park and Jaya Jusco Supermarket.
We arrived back
in Teluk Intan at about 10.00 pm. It was a good Trip …Dhamma-wise.
