239-My first book reading- Buddhism in daily life

My first book reading


For the celebration of Chinese New Year, I was, together with my
brother Taema Jun, in Shaolin Temple Europe, "asked" in advance
by the abbot Shi Heng Zong to read from the book "Shaolin
Rainer".


I was aware of his desire to read from my book. However, I
struggled with myself in advance about whether I should
participate in the Chinese New Year at all. The idea of talking
about my life, of making personal things public, was very
uncomfortable for me.


The abbot called several times and asked when we would come, and
whether we (including my brother) would contribute something to
the Chinese New Year, he was not put off even by my multiple
refusals.


I have been close friends with the abbot of Shaolin Temple Europe
Shi Heng Zong for over 20 years, so I did not feel comfortable
after my cancellations. I couldn't stop thinking about him and
our time together. My temple brother Taema (he is visiting from
Korea for 3 months) felt my inner turmoil, so he called the abbot
again. Previously, we had agreed that if our room was not yet
assigned further, we would go, and the room was still reserved
for us.


In short, we drove, and on the way, I was very thoughtful. We
arrived late at the temple and checked into our room.


On New Year's Day, we sat in the abbot's office, planning for the
celebrations had been completed. Taema was to give a Dharma talk
(and promote his Dharma seminar on 2/21-23, see below) and I was
to read from my book after all.


The uncomfortable feeling continued to spread through me.


In this context, I must mention that I had very mixed feelings
about my book from the beginning. Certainly, I am proud of the
fact to have been the first foreigner in Shaolin Temple in China
more than 30 years ago, to have received the order from the abbot
to open Shaolin, to have also opened the temple (which still
exists today), to have founded other temples all over Europe.
However, there were also very difficult times in the course of my
history with Shaolin, very painful events, which I also do not
want to remember.


Precisely because I do not want to remember, I did not want to do
this book "actually". For many years the author Karl Kronmüller
asked me to write this book. I always refused, I didn't want to
have "much to do with Shaolin anymore. I had broken off all
contact with the temple, with the monks. Only with my master Shi
Yan Zi, the founder of Shaolin Temple England, I was always in
contact. With Taema, my brother, I had intense conversations,
almost daily, in Korea. Even from my friend Shi Heng Zong I had
almost withdrawn.


Whenever Karl asked me again whether he could not tackle "the
book", I refused, saying that surely the subject was of no
interest to anyone and that I did not want to be reminded of
those times.


One day I said "yes" when Karl asked again, hoping that the book
would never be finished anyway. 6 months later it lay finished on
the table in front of me.


I must have been mistaken.


Now my book is in Shaolin Temple Europe in the office of the
abbot, he "insisted" on a reading. And I did not want to
disappoint him, to contribute to the celebration of the Chinese
New Year.


The celebration was wonderful, the abbot created a dreamlike
atmosphere, people love the temple, and the ceremony was
entertaining yet dignified, just like him, he is a great person.


Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de


(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog
English" from the Apple and Android stores)


Please rate us on Apple, Google, or Spotify podcast to help us
promote the show