Les Fans de Nokia,

Nokia, numero un de téléphone portable dans le monde a créé une utilité intéressante pour les fans de Nokia. Vous pouvez dès maintenant gardervos contacts numéros, images, petit clipse video...prises par votre portable dans un page personnalisé. Pour vos contacts, vous pouvez même synchroniser à partir de votre appareil si vous portable s'est connecté à l'internet.
Plus détaillé, allez sur le site:

www.ovi.com

How (my) monkhood has changed my life?

Some of my friends kindly read the last note about my monkhood. A few of them asked me a very interesting question: what changes have I effected since my monkhood? I guess I need to develop the benefits of being a monk in this note.

1- Disciplines
Have you ever eaten while standing? A monk can’t. Have ever watched TV? A monk can’t. Have you ever kept money with you? A monk supposedly can’t. (I said “supposedly” because this discipline tends to get obsolete over time, especially when monks need it for transport or trips.) No matter what discipline, it’s all meant to refrain them from getting attached to worldly interests. The only interest they should focus on is otherworldly for themselves and laypeople. With the influence of the materialism, monks tend to loosen up some codes of conduct. Yet, these are still stricter than those of laypeople.
So I learn that, in order to change, we need (self-) disciplines. Furthermore, if I were Primer Minister, I would bring up monkhood or military service as the option of mandatory service that a Cambodian adult must go through.

2- Simplicity
Most of laypeople pursue their “wants”. But monks just maintain their needs. There are only four kinds of offerings they live on: monkish clothes, food, shelter and a set of medicine, drinks and tools. In our daily life, these suffice for us to live our life properly and protect us from any harm or danger. If we notice carefully the biography of most successful people – be it financially or spiritually – they live on these simple needs or end up with this simplicity. Can you call yourself successful or happy when you still want more for your life? In a sense, rich or poor, I can call myself a human being as long as I have what I need, not necessarily what I want. This latter is bottomless! Funnily enough, I spend less than twenty bucks during my religious period.

3- Kindness/Compassion
Monks are taught to be gentle, calm, kind and compassionate with their fellows and laypeople. Although not all monks are so, I was surprised to get surrounded by those who were willing to share their knowledge and time and help me out unconditionally. What’s more, I hardly met a self-centered or heartless monk in the pagoda I stayed in!

4- Leadership
As I learn from my fellows, different pagodas, different codes of conduct, different leaderships. But I call it my luck to follow a monk leader who genuinely and peacefully uses the “carrot and stick” principle. We were made to do some physical work whenever we’re free. Some would say the monk leader exploits us. But I believe they forget, in the evening, they would receive a portion of tasty Milo in return for their day-time effort! Besides, he even delegates each monk under his supervision for blessing tasks in a very fair and equal monk so jealousy hardly arises. He’s for sure my role model of true leadership.

5- Humility/Supremacy
In Buddhism, monks are called supreme human beings because even Kings join hands to respect them! Yet, this supremacy doesn’t result from their authority or arrogance. The very crucial pointer I can’t deny is their humility and care for all sentient beings. Monks can even intervene in laypeople’s works if need be. This teaches me that, no matter what my position is, I must stay humble enough as to be worth respecting or following. 

In short, these are the main changes I have adopted from my one-month religious life. Despite the scandals of a bunch of (individual) monks, I must admit the real Buddhist way of life brings us peace, harmony and growth. I even thought I’d be a monk for the rest of my life if I understood Buddhism earlier and better! The truth is, I keep learning … and changing.

Quote: “Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand” 

Recollections at Wat Kean Svay Knong

I was purposely attached to Buddhism as a monk for one month (May 24 to June 23, 2009) at Wat Kean Svay Knong. What I considered my supreme blessing was my relationship built with my fellow monks. Thanks to them, I gained more lessons and experience of Buddhism, especially through a souvenir essay I asked them to write for me after my monkhood. Their works constitute a religious gift above any other one.

You may be wondering why a professional or entrepreneur like me decided to become a monk and how that has benefited me.

1. Why did monkhood appeal to me?
Some of you may know about my profile. Buddhism is not new to me. What got me to adopt monkhood was the fact that most dignitaries in Cambodia’s history survived pagodas or religious lives, including ex-King. Thus, I found that the best way to understand Buddhism in order to develop myself is monkhood itself. Another cause was to repay my parents’s merits although I know this would be only partial! The gratitude I refered to, though, was to make them happy for the long run, rather than momentanously joyful. I have no way to find out how my monkhood would benefit or delight them in next lives. Only in present life can I feel and catch up with that fact. The third reason was to apply Buddha’s teachings in daily life. There were some things I misunderstood about Buddhism and that I realized during my monkhood. After adjustment, I found that that new knowledge applies to livelihood and business. What surprised me was that a bunch of Cambodian people was converted to other religions because of superficial understanding about Buddhism or, in Dharma’s terms, ignorance. 

2. What are the differences between a monk and a layman?
Based on my experience with my fellows, I discovered such differences:
a. Discipline Maybe the reason why monks are considered supreme in status was because of disciplines. Every behavior, act, way of life are governed by strict codes. Honestly, I sometimes complained about them! Later, I realized that all those codes make sense to and benefit monks.
b. Habits Habits are different from disciplines in that the former refer to courses of action taken every day, month, season or year. It was my first time to wake up at 4h30 am just to recite prayers with other monks! Every couple of week, we were required to shave our head. “Oh, my head will get bold... It will cause pimps”, some complained. Luckily, my head already is bold and has pimps on it! Mistake confessions are also a characteristic of monks. Laypeople tend to keep mistakes to and defend themselves. Some fellows told me that labor or physical work can reduce the punishment. Fortunately, I did some work once in a while and hoped it to relieve my mistakes – intentional or unintentional.
c. Time Actually, monks have ample time to learn Dharma and make good deeds to attain Nirvana (enlightenment) sooner than laypeople. So, besides eating and sleeping, they can spend their time practising or rehearsing prayers with their fellows, meditating, discussing Dharma. Laypeople mostly spend time with worldly gains, rather than otherworldly, owing to ignorance. By the way, if only I understood the quality and essence of Dharma before my professional involvement or turn back the time, I’d head some pagoda already! Anyway, there are 5 precepts for me to hold (on) after quitting monkhood. I’ve been familiar with those precepts, but never seriously apply them, especially that of avoiding alcohol or toxicated drinks. Here, I find it a bit challenging as hard drinks are commonplace for socialization. Or the change starts with me?

3. What are the challenges monks face in daily life?
All monks live on what they call 4 (necessary) offerings. So most of their challenges arise from there. Likewise, I met the same challenges, yet in a way different from other monks. First, I have only one set of monkish clothes. So I must switch washing time of one cloth at the cost of another...! Second, asking for rice was forbidden by lay devotees until I was encouraged by my fellows. I comprehended the good will of both sides. What made me decide to go ask for rice was to complete yet another religious tasks. In Buddhism, offering rice to monks means getting blessed and dedicating it to their dead relatives. Third, I was particularly isolated from other monks and stayed in a sacred and quiet site dedicated to Preah Ko Preah Keo (Twins of a sacred cow and human). Maybe they wanted me to be taken care of by those genies. I must say it was not easy to come out and pee as I needed to look out left and right every night! Forth, my medicine-soft-drink-tools exceeded my needs as offered to me by my parents. So I handed down some to my fellows. Fifth, the wisdom of Buddha is so deep that I could not really acquire all during my monkhood. I know that there’s much more to learn even after getting taught by my fellows.
Besides, other monks than me face even bigger challenges than me according to the pointers in their notes to me. However, as Buddha once said, life has sufferings as company so maybe nature wants to test our adaptability to overcome and solve difficulties. 
 
4. Some anecdotes of my monkhood.
What I thought I could have never done for one whole month:
- no watching TV;
- no wearing underpants;
- no dinner/supper;
- rehearsing Namaskas twice (early morning and evening) daily non-stop;
- spending less than US$ 20;
- doing more physical work than ever;
- drinking only water or Coke from 12 pm to 00 am.

Amelioration

Je vois que ce blog s'ameliore avec intervention d'autres membres et annonces de differentes natures. Moi, je vais sans doute publier un article sur ma vie de bonze que j'ai vecue pendant 1 mois...! A suivre:)

Message de Sok Koung

Bonjour à toutes et à tous,

Dans le cadre de Rendez-vous pour l’Emploi, le Département de l’Emploi Francophone (DEF) en partenariat avec le pôle de coopération française de l’Université Royale d’Agriculture, l’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), et la Chambre de Commerce Franco-Cambodgienne (CCFC), organisera le 26 juin 2009, à 9h30, une conférence proposée par M. SENG Pichet, Ingénieur Agronome de la Fondation NAGATHOM, basée à Siem Reap. Il parlera autour du thème « Agronomie et Développement : Partages d’expériences ».
Au delà des connaissances techniques, M. Seng Pichet vous partagera ses expériences sur ses études et ses parcours professionnels avec vous: étudiants, les partenaires francophones (entreprises, professionnels, anciens étudiants, etc.)

Veuillez trouver l'annonce et le programme de la conférence en pièce jointe.

Pour une meilleure organisation, merci de confirmer votre participation auprès du Département de l’Emploi Francophone.

Merci de diffuser cette information.

Très cordialement,

-- SOK Kuong

Responsable / Manager
Département de l'Emploi Francophone (DEF)
Bureau/office No 13, Hôtel Cambodiana
Phnom Penh, Cambodge
Tel: 855 (0)23 224 552 / 855 (0)12 848 851
Fax: 855(0)23 221 453
Email: def-pp@kh.refer.org / sokkuong@gmail.com
http://def.auf.org
http://www.ccfcambodge.org/emploi

Programme de Conférence

AGRONOMIE ET DEVELOPPEMENT

Vendredi 26 juin 2009

-09h15-09h30: Arrivée des participants, étudiants, et du conférencier
-09h30-09h35: Recteur / représentant de l’URA
- Discours de bienvenue
-09h35-09h45: M. SOK Kuong, Responsable du Département de l’Emploi
Francophone
- Présentation des activités du DEF et de la CCFC
-09h45-11h15: M. SENG Pichet, Ingénieur agronome, NAGATHOM
présentera:
- Son parcours scolaire et professionnel
- Gestion des communautés villageoises
- Nouvelles méthodes agricoles et conduites du changement
- Exemples au Cambodge (agrumes, mûriers, maraîchage)
-11h15-11h30: Questions & Réponses
Clôture de la Conférence

CONFERENCES

Dans le cadre de Rendez-vous pour l’Emploi, le Département de l’Emploi Francophone
(DEF) en partenariat avec le pôle de coopération française de l’Université Royale
d’Agriculture, l’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), et la Chambre de
Commerce Franco-Cambodgienne (CCFC), organisera une conférence proposée par :

M. SENG Pichet,

Ingénieur Agronome de la Fondation NAGATHOM, basée à Siem Reap.
Autour du thème : « Agronomie et Développement : Partages d’expériences ».
Il abordera les sujets suivants :
- Gestion des communautés villageoises
- Nouvelles méthodes agricoles et conduites du changement
- Exemples au Cambodge (agrumes, mûriers, maraîchage)

Quand ? Où ?

Vendredi 26 juin 2009, à 9h30, à l’Université Royale d’Agriculture CHAMCAR DAUNG
Blvd Preah Monireth, près de Killing Field, Phnom Penh
Les conférences sont ouvertes aux étudiants de l’URA, aux autres étudiants intéressés, et à
tous les partenaires francophones (entreprises, professionnels, anciens étudiants, etc.)
La conférence durera 1h30, et sera suivie d’une séance de questions/réponses.
Pour une meilleure organisation, merci de confirmer votre participation auprès du
Département de l’Emploi Francophone.
Si vous avez des questions, n’hésitez pas à contacter :

M. SOK Kuong
Responsable du Département de l'emploi francophone (DEF),
Bureau no 13, hôtel Cambodiana, r.d.c, Phnom Penh, Royaume du Cambodge
Tel: 855 (0)23 224 552 / 855 (0)12 848 851
Fax: 855(0)23 221 455 / 215 506
Email: def-pp@kh.refer.org / sokkuong@gmail.com