Transcript: Episode 10, COVID-19 in Myanmar: Burmese Edition
Following is the full transcript for the interviews as part of the Burmese Edition of COVID-19 in Myanmar, which appeared on March 29, 2020. This transcript was made possible by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has not been checked by any human reader. Because of this, many of the words may not be accurate in this text. This is particularly true of speakers who have a stronger accent, as AI will make more mistakes interpreting and transcribing their words. For that reason, this transcript should not be cited in any article or document without checking the timestamp to confirm the exact words that the guest has really said.
Host 00:00
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00:58
If we are complacent and don't do really aggressive containment and mitigation, that number could go way up many many millions
01:06
to be isolating patients emphasizing social distancing.
01:10
The Coronavirus is now
01:14
that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic easily one of the worst affected countries, the business supply chains are being disrupted
01:24
around the globe. This combination of people
01:32
coronavirus outbreak is now happening.
Dr. Jenny Ko Gyi 01:36
Whatever comm that is good, you have done
01:39
this will protect you. It's certainly a teaching for the world of interconnectedness. We will realize the nature of intervening and interconnectedness. It's really an opportunity to come back to our own intentions to our own heart, to our own body and mind in this moment. Remember peace in the face of suffering.
02:09
Change for sure for the better.
Host 02:13
We can perhaps see an opportunity in this situation. Their meditation practice, it's a beautiful gift to the world.
02:28
People can learn how to
02:29
help each other and how to love
02:33
mutual support. In the time of harsh
02:38
they learn how to support each other
02:44
people can
02:44
become closer to each other. I do see
Bhikkhu Mokkhita 02:53
some positive aspects of this Corona crisis in the world. We all sitting in one boat. We see that in a sense that brings people also closer together.
03:09
We are all looking out for each other. People getting closer together and watching out for each other. We have more time for our families for the community
03:22
and time to meditate.
Host 03:33
These are strange times the Coronavirus is spreading around the world at a ferocious pace and societies everywhere are locked down. All of us are now alone together in our respective houses and communities. As one such self isolating voice, I would like to take this opportunity to connect with other Dharma practitioners who are similarly sheltering in place, and whose world now consists of four walls, intimate families and bewildered pets. This confusing new reality of our lives continues to sprout so many new shoots that professional journalists can scarcely keep up from food supply issues to economic losses from staggering death rates to diminish civil liberties. The news can sometimes feel like a breathless stream of consciousness Gus transporting us into a different world that few of us understand. And just when we think we might have a handle on it, a beep or a ping of our phone notification tells us it is changing again. But while the avalanche of Coronavirus related news is relevant to everyone in its social, political, economic and health implications, there is this added dimension for the Dharma practitioner that may leave a sort of emptiness and unsettled quality at the end of the day. This anxiety often comes in the form of questions. What should meditation practice look like during a pandemic? How do I work with fear and panic that is all around me and now taking root within how our meditation centers responding since they have been entirely shut down? How are foreign meditators in monastics who have chosen to stay in Myanmar faring? How are Burmese monasteries with their strict codes of discipline around food especially managing when access to markets and supporters are drying up? This is just some of the territory we get into during this and future Insight Myanmar podcasts exploring how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting Burmese monastic society, impacting meditators around the world, and pushing teachers to respond in new and innovative ways to the crisis as it unfolds. In this time of uncertainty and insecurity. We hope the voices that follow provide information and insight and help awaken the seeds of wisdom within you. a caveat about the podcast production in this new age of social distancing face to face interviews are of course no longer possible. The most obvious consequence of this is technical. None of the guests we interview have access to a professional recording studio. Indeed, some are living remotely in the Burmese countryside. They have little more than their phone microphone to record and send messages are experts sound engineers have done their best to improve and enhance the quality. But there was a limit even to their magic. In a time when Saturday Night Live and NBC News resort to home recorded and mailed in content. We are also trying to adjust to these new rules and limitations. While we apologize for any difficulty you may experience as you listen to these episodes, we appreciate your understanding of the challenges we face in producing them. We hope you find some light and wisdom in the voices that follow. We're greatly appreciative for the time that these guests all generously provided to share their words and perspective. We wish all our listeners to stay safe and mentally sound and grow more powerfully from this challenging experience. And if you find value in what you hear, a reminder that we have loads more written content on our site, as well as videos at Insight myanmar.org that's Insight Myanmar one word i en si gh t m YA and M AR dot o RG And one final note in the form of a plug and a reminder that we are 100% listener supported. So any financial contribution you make will help us keep the lights on we have pushed beyond our limited budget and usual schedule to get out these special Coronavirus episodes in any support to help us continue to produce content will be greatly appreciated. So, when Ted speaks next, a Burmese man living in upper Myanmar near monywa he describes the changes that have come to his region and its local monasteries because of the virus
Zaw Win Htet 07:34
here in Chico very real small town you know every thing is not likely to be change to do COVID-19 like in the big cities. But obviously, as a school teacher, I usually organized summer school summer English trainees my English causes for my students in the summertime from March to May one the schools are closed, but this year, unfortunately, due to COVID-19 not only a class, but also even their religious events like taking their perceptions from the abort from the earth during the water festival new year period, we all can sell it. So, not from a negative point of view, just realistic view it is not a good thing. So, anyway, here in channel one, we hear that COVID-19 cases are happening in Myanmar. We are thinking that actually not thinking we are very, very worried about the disease, about the virus. And then, at the time, the beginning of the outbreak, I was working on my road project side of my brother's company very near to very near to Calais, it is a yogic lever road. So it is like I felt very, very anxious. I mean, I felt very worried about the virus about the case. Who is suffering the virus came to Calais from the US. So I felt it is very, very near to me. So I felt very, very worried. And I couldn't control my mind and my worries and that I came back to home at the time, or the English causes or the classes are also closed. That's why there's nothing to do, just only to stay at home. So, I tried to control my mind and worries. And then I also started to notice that even I was I was also doing meditation. But I knew myself, Oh, I'm worried on my life. I'm afraid of death. I started to notice that and then I also worried about my my son, two years old and also my family and also my my parents. So I started to come down my worries. I tried chanting, produced sodas, and burritos, especially urinal soda and Bahasa miyasaka. Everybody may know about urinal soda, which is the chanting, which is the Pali words for praising about the three gems, qualities, but here, I would prefer to chant Mahamaya sutra because mahasaya soda includes many separate Julia gods, when you spread you devise and Brahmas names, the Lord Buddha called and mention many names or the device and Brahmas in this soda, and he mentioned their names in the meeting with the good or 500 A hurts after they are hardship in mahana forest. So, anyway, why I chanted this soda, the reason is, I felt to come down my worries, during the chanting and to do the chanting. And also I felt safer, I felt safer and safer, because I am, you know, making an appeal. I am making like an appeal. appeal to that device and Brahmas Obama's and order by please. Nowadays, all the BS and all the nations are the humankind is suffering from a deadly disease, suffering from a terrible disease. So please, as the Lord Buddha's appear to you, after calling your names, he appealed as he appeal to you, please God, the war card that humankind please make your compassion and loving kindness to the people. In the meantime, the monks, the Buddhist monks, the gray monks, and everywhere monks are also getting tired, guarding the BPA and taking care of the people and also to to make the people to send the loving kindness and indeed they are trying for example, binary will stay king. He is very famous for COVID-19 quarantine centers, and he was not tired of guarding the people and keeping the quarantine patients COVID-19 cases, vicious in his ministry. But although he is not tired, but we are also worried for him. And I like that. So me you all devise and Brahmas worry about the Buddhist monks and banners they are those who are taking care of tirelessly taking care of the COVID-19 cases and also all the monks at the time or the monks were also chanting urinal operators all around the country. So anyway at the base present time while I was chanting these Buddha, Buddhist prayed us and so does I feel very safe and I come down my worries. So, this is the the benefit, the immediate benefit of chanting of Buddhists, Buddhists, at this is the very first time I could come down my worries to do COVID-19 what I was doing at home and you know, at first there is nothing to make me come down, because I was reading a lot of posts, a lot of posts for on Facebook, I decided to do get off my to get off using Facebook. Anyway, I Another thing is the usual practice that I meditate in the other times in the usual regular times is Buddha, Nusa de Bhavana, recalling the qualities of Buddha, so, I usually make that Bhavana debride is combining with the Annapurna necessity, it is contemplating on our breathing and breathe out. So, every breathing, I call one quality or Buddha and I when I breathe out, I go one quality or Buddha bacopa somebody like that. So, I usually try to come down my mind to come down my worries, binding vibrators in the previous day by day. So, it was also very helpful and useful to come down my worries. Anyway, due to COVID-19, I would like to say from a positive point of view is for them especially for the meditators not not from the point of economics, not from the point of superficial changes, not from the point of application, but from the point of muddy Data View COVID-19, due to COVID-19, the melody does become more conscious, you may know, diagnosis nosa de Bhavana contemplating their bodily bodily actions. So due to COVID-19, we more we are more and more conscious, to watch, to contemplate our hand and not to go to the mouth, not to go to the nose, not to go to the eyes, not to not to touch our ears, something like that. So, it also improves our meditation, curiosity Bhavana the brightest or contemplating bodily actions during the COVID-19 outbreak, I was practicing both and Mr. De Bhavana recalling the qualities of Buddha. So, it also encouraged it also inspired me with the very act very, very enthusiast enthusiast with a very strong and Buddhism to write down a book about the qualities of Buddha. So, I started during this outbreak, one one of the very good benefits during this COVID-19 for me personally is that I go write a book, which is called all loboda the pls duplicating the qualities of both. So it is a book in Burmese language. And it is the is the book is also based like and narrative writing. For example, I am speaking to Lord Buddha I am speaking the loboda and and I am I am recalling the Buddha's qualities, not only in my mind, but also writing down in the book somebody like that. So I was speaking to the Buddha, somebody like that. So it is like it is a narrative writing style. is a narrative writing and I could write down a book. So, I am very, very like that much. So, although although no publisher can publish my book or that doesn't matter, but I am very satisfied to do that. So, during the outbreak I At first I was very worried about the disease and I could not control my mind I felt I was lost. And also I'm very free I was very afraid of the dead. So, I started to know I am very afraid of the dead although I was doing meditation. This means I have to do a lot I have to do I have to work hard. So, I started to do both and st Baba Nam and I said I try chantings to come down my worries and now it comes down my worries finally. But most of the above and is my normal meditation practice to tell about this bride is in maybe a little bit strange. Some people may he may already hear about it or not. But I learned how to do or dynasty Baba na from mahabodhi to town zero since my childhood he taught only wilderness dibaba not to my family to my parents. He taught my mother to do a dynasty Baba and then he said his Papa is perfect. He said like that. It's okay. It's okay Sunday later. So, before that time, my mother was just doing reciting Buddhists are an English army commander and and gotcha armies and guns and I gotcha. So, and also the other operators and so does the other things. But mahabodhi doesn't say IRA taught him to do porosity Bhavana It is okay. And also it also it also means like, you can gain what you want by Bolinas department now, it means it can propel your wish. So, anyway, my appearance, the and the other people, all the other people do Buddha knows de Bhavana using bracelets, you may see that in temples in vocoders. Everybody is to him by using bracelet. God told me, I could not concentrate my mind by just only using bracelets and license reciting Pali words of the Buddha's qualities, I could not be contemplative, I cannot be mindful by that by that. So I also read many other methods. And also I read that Annapurna city is the main cool method of Buddha, which led him which led him to gain the alignment to gain enlightenment. He used anapanasati and also he was also using it on urbanicity one he was one month Oh, and he was doing meditation and beneath a tree, and then he attained us, Jana. So anyway, I'm personally since I'm also interested in channels and opinions, like, so. I also want to do anapanasati but for me personally anapanasati to be contemplative on Annapurna diversity, meditation, the meditative practice of contemplating that Breathe in and breathe out. So I ended up in a very first beginning of my embroideries I used odonata dibaba. Now, every time I breathe in, I call 181 or dq one quality or Buddha and when I breathe out, I got one and did you have another caller? Did you or maybe the same a dq or Buddha. So, by practicing a combo combining these two methods, I feel I feel more and more contemplative and more and more concentrated on my mind. And then it comes down my worries. It comes on my angers and other other parts of the pie. moans So anyway, my IE brightest, my normal as I read your code and st Baba as my normal meditation, but that combining with the anapanasati so sometimes when I could I could not do anapanasati meditation for an hour without burritos dibala now, but if I'm right this Buddha knows at Baba na Khomeini anapanasati I could do for an hour or more. So, this is my very satisfying method. Sometimes during my meditation, I feel very delighted. I would like to say to everybody, I have no exact words in English, but let me say, as far as I remember, every difficult situation for the positive people is an opportunity. Every difficult situation for negative people for a negative person or a negative minded person is travel. So anyway, especially for the meditators, you should be inspired by your mogul theologie, who faced the world war two in his 40s he could achieve during the war time during the war time, he could achieve our hardship. So please, everybody, may you all be free from worries. And also other defi moans when you come down yourself? Me you kick out your negative minds. Negative buzz Burgess, on this very hard situation, but less brightest and less, work hard, more and more for sending loving kindness and practicing our meditation for the people suffering suffering from this deadly virus. And also, I wish all the nations suffering from the COVID-19 be free from this situation very soon. Thank you very much. That's all.
Host 27:38
Dr. Jenny Koji joins us next. A Burmese woman whose selfless Dhamma service knows no bounds. She teaches at the Buddhist University and routinely translates for foreign meditators throughout Yangon.
Dr. Jenny Ko Gyi 27:51
First time I heard about the Coronavirus, I was not particularly alarmed. And especially before that I had been seeing reading about the Wu Han Wu Han atrocities are those people in hand with all the cruelties and I was more inclined, I was more to word, this feeling of dislike about these things. And suddenly this came up this the outbreak and again I was not so alarmed or excited because my attention was more on the on the way they were torturing animals like wiling live scanning live. And then the scare concerning this virus came quite late in the process as someone working in connection with the British translations on the teachings of some venerables. And then, after seeing much about this piece called the step that was that had been taking place in Wu Han. And as someone who has been experiencing this, this feeling which didn't come in a good way about these cruelty to animals, this this what wet market things. I was more into dislike of these treatment of animals. Then the concern about this virus thing, even when news came out of this uhand virus outbreak, I was Not at all, completely unarmed. But then, with the outbreak spreading all over the world, like in Italy, and now the United States, I come to understand how scary the whole thing is, how dangerous the whole thing is. For us, Facebook being the main source of knowledge about coming about this cruelty to animal and once you got you get involved in learning and learning about these atrocities, those these cruelty to animals, then more and more, because the community gets wider like all people from all over the world, like, yes. Young people from China, from Korea, from Vietnam, and from the west, mainly from the west, these when when the Westerners get compassionate about these things they are, they are so hard working about trying to stop these things. And once you get involved, more and more news come up on your page. And you you see dogs being wild life thrown into boiling water, and then they put the dogs down into this hot pants of boiling water pressing pause on them, so that they can't get out on scanning live or anything. All of these things. There are so many of these instances coming up. And then as Buddhists we know this is the samsara samsara coming around, but then you can't get used to this. The health personal health care was personal. for them. It was more about Stopping, stopping the progress of this Coronavirus thing. It's about it's more about trying so that this this Coronavirus does not spread farther. And then for me it was it was like you just wait and see you are not so alarmed. For for me personally it was it was like this, I was not so alarmed, and then things will work out fine. And even even though there have been 10s of 1000s coming back from Thailand, from China, I have to say we are Burma in particular is quite fortunate, we have only had so far six steps, in spite of the many coming coming back across the borders having worked there. And then even though we have had some hundreds mortality rate, I have to say it's relatively favorable for us will you laugh if I say karma also plays a part as a Buddhist, as a follower of certain teachers, karma, we have to say come out to us apart and then even if there even if there has been to some extent, a small number of mortality, but then compared to other places, compared to the number, the percentage of that mortality rate that has taken place in other places, what is there for me as a Buddhist to say that, if karma does not play a part, then what is the other answer? Oh, maybe the doctors, the health personnel. They did their part very well. Yes, this this has to be mentioned also. And then it was the response was relatively quick. And then could the quarantine started taking place when people came home, Burma itself. These incidences did not come up. But then people coming home from abroad, like from the mountain ranges coming back from the United States. And from China and Thailand. We have had many and all of these were what actually started before that. We didn't have any of those incidences before those our nationals, our ethnic people, some of a small number of ethnic people. Coming back. Before that, I have to say, we were not that much worried. But then when they came back and it was detected that the virus came with them, then the government and the health, the health department, the health ministry, we have to say, we took it very seriously. And immediately, they started working very fast, the quarantine the stayhome. So it's both, we have to say we are lucky fortunate both with the health first personnel were very efficient. And then the number in the beginning was very small. So it was very manageable. With people getting more knowledge, this, this type of sharing from the same soup bowl, this has been changing, but in those in the elite group, I have to say, but in villages, it's the same thing 100 maybe hundreds of people coming to gathering or other ceremonies and then they are they will be sharing this is this is still there, very commonly done. But only those among the elite or those with high highly educated groups. Only those people they have learned these are not to be practiced. But when you go to villages, when you go to ceremonies there, it's the same thing they and maybe because of the good karma, nothing much like the like we used like those things we used to have like cholera outbreaks, we don't have these things. frightfully frightfully prideful, outbreaks rightfully taking place. But if we, if we see it from the view of the West, or much knowledgeable group of people, this is not something very easily acceptable. But this has been going on for centuries, I have to say, or this is not what we can change. Right now. At this time of the corona outbreak. Monks, you don't go out for Panda Panda. These days. There are still devotees, they bringing food to monasteries. And then for someone else, especially in small villages. In outskirts, it's, for them, it's the food is a little bit more difficult for them. And then, A day or two ago, on Facebook, I saw a devotee, when going round to those small monasteries, and offering rice bags, while but in villages, even though there is this quarantine or the villagers still the they still manage to offer what they have. So this is not how monks completely food becomes completely scarce. But yes, because of the difficulty in arising in most of the country, it has to be a little bit more difficult than it used to be. I don't see it with my own eyes, of course. But when you check the papers, there are Cambodia and Laos with zero mortality rate, which is very do I say inspiring or which is all inspiring. And then this very afternoon, I thought it was there was mention of Vietnam also. But I'm not definitely sure about this. But what I'm very happy about are those two countries, Cambodia and Laos, where there has not been mortality rate. And then Burma in spite of the 10s of 1000s of returnees from the countries of where outbreak took place. And then we have had only six. And I'm not sure if you are aware of this. The first one was our hill tribe, people coming back from the United States and they were the first we found of having been affected with Coronavirus, but then they have they have overcome all this and then and then the quarantine. The health ministry has carried out for our returnees. It's satisfactory. I have to see. There are some complaints that the place is not up to the standards or not sanitized enough. But then for most of the returnees, quarante, it it looks like it It works well. And normal partner incidences of mortality, mortality. The professor under whom I work at the Buddhist University, where I'm working, the venerable Dr. Chicken down. And then the venerable the great venerable Sita cusi, Otto, and then there must be some other venerables I have not come into close contact with, but this venerable Dr. Chica and the venerable Siddiqui siara. Both the CDC, Otto has been there since the since the beginning of of the university where I'm still working. And the venerable Dr. Chicken that also has been my, my Dean for some decades. So these are the two I have been were well aware of having gone to great lengths to help with these things. When when the first returnees were about to arrive back. He led me say I think he was the first one to open his monastery, to quarantine the returnees. And then it was there, he was trying to make all arrangements that were necessery. And I was not there, personally, me not being allowed to go there or it was not appropriate for us to do visit those places at that time. But the venerable Dr. chikan das work offering peace university to be used as quarantine sites, it was, it was quite well known, when it first took place. The first thing is, when words per se came out of this Coronavirus, taking place, I was not very much troubled, I have to say, because of this belief, belief of this faith, knowing that whatever evil you have done, you can escape and then whatever coma that is good, you have done it, this will protect you. But as Buddhists, because there is this understanding of the long samsara You are so good this life like Abraham Lincoln or and then you can't escape it. These are the things the Buddha only the Buddha would see. So, we have we have to understand it, accept it, and then just do what we have to do. There are people so, so pure, so good this very life yet, when they are those so evil, so cruel, but then the unexpected happens to this outcome of what we have done in the long samsara we only have to believe we can we can never be sure when it will come or why is it so unfair or why? Why this somebody so evil is doing so well. And we only have expertise, we only have to believe the Buddha's teachings of karma and in its results because it's it's a blend of the virus being brought in by some of our people kind of returning home and a few a few who have been here but then found that they have caught the virus. But then the the number, the incidents, the number of incidences that have that have taken place, they they are quite favorable, not not bringing about the number of deaths do a big number to a high number. So we have to be grateful still we have to be very careful. We have to be on the lookout we have to be well prepared, well protected.
Host 44:49
The initial funds that allowed us to set up this Insight Myanmar podcast came unexpectedly and we did our best to stretch them as far as possible. Unfortunately, that generous startup nation could not have predicted the pressing need to cover our exploding health crisis. and meeting the interest and concern many meditators have expressed about the situation at Burmese monasteries and meditation centers. So, if you would like to hear podcasts and address this new content, or assist others in being able to access them, please consider making a donation to fund this work. Most all podcasts contributors work entirely as volunteers. And those few receiving remuneration are meditators who have offered 50% or more discount for their professional services. Nonetheless, there is still no real way to produce an episode for less than several $100. Whatever funds we are able to collect now will be used solely for producing these new episodes. And any additional donations will allow us to increase our run thank you for your support, stay safe and be well. We welcome your contribution in any amount, denomination and transfer method you may give via patreon@patreon.com slash Insight Myanmar via paypal@paypal.me slash Insight Myanmar or by credit card by going to Insight myanmar.org slash donation. In all cases, that's Insight Myanmar one word I N si gh t m YA and M AR. You can also go to the GoFundMe site and search Insight Myanmar to find our present campaign. If you are in Myanmar and would like to give a cash donation, please feel free to get in touch with us. The next speaker is in downtown Seoul, who after a decade as a monk disrobed to co found a company called bokashi, Myanmar, and environmental conservation agency that encourages composting and limiting waste. talking to us from his home in Yangon, he reflects on how Buddhist practice has been affected by the COVID pandemic.
Inda Aung Soe 46:50
Here in Yangon, we are running a business called bookishly. Myanmar, the name is called bergisch, in Myanmar, and our focus is basically on waste management. And when we talk about waste, there are two types of waste basically, the biodegradable waste and a non biodegradable waste. And when it comes to the waste, people understand about the recycle the reuse of those valuable waste. And when we talk about recycled paper, the cat and they understand that things like plastics and glides and matters and some papers, they can be recycled. But they don't know that the biodegradable, organic wastes are also recyclable, or if they have a techniques, they have a matte tax and if they are willing to do so. Especially in Tableau in countries like Myanmar, Thailand, we have far more organic waste, then developed countries, at least two thirds or three quarters of everyday waste that we produce daily, is organic waste and those organic waste they are sent to the landfill daily at the final disposal sites and from there generating and creating lots of methane gases and carbon oxides and things like ghgs and affecting our soil, affecting our climb made and contributed in the global warming and things like that. So I want to know, as a former monk, when I return to the lemons life, I know I have to do a business for my living. And that business has to be something good for the community. Because no sense from the beginning, I have heard that many of our businesses are becoming crimes against humanity that people are saying today. So I don't want to my kind of business to be some kind of know that that crime committing against humanity. So I have to choose carefully. What type of business am I going to do and I found this thing in the trash. in Myanmar, not only Myanmar, actually, in many of the deploying countries, it's really one of the biggest issues. So I want to provide solution. And when we talk about these solutions with the organic waste, there are many things like you can build biodigesters or you can you can set up like I said narration you need to know through the conversions of those organic ways that you can produce some kind of power right energy that gets But those things can be really highly invested and so expensive. And not everyday life business. And not everyone can be included. To do so. This to those, you know, incineration units or waste to energy power plants, those things, we need millions of backs millions of dollars. So we need huge and big organizations and big investments or governments or things like that. So we don't want that thing we want that we know the trash. And the waste is produced by everyone on everyday basis. So we want everyone and every person, every single people in the country in the household to be able to take care of their waste in an eco friendly way. Last one, we provide them the method to compost the organic waste, instead of throwing them because, as far as we know, like almost 80% of daily waste that we produce is organic waste, I mean, biodegradable waste. If they go to the landfill, they will rot and they were generated ghgs, like a mundanes and commoner oxide co2, and they will affect our climate, our soil health, and we are going to lose last minute nutrients in them. Instead, if we can compost them, then we can return all our nutrients from those waste that we thrown away back into the soil, and to make our soil more fertile and more useful. And slowly if everyone is practicing this math that, you know, even in agriculture, we can use less pesticides, less chemicals, and less synthetics. That's our aim. And that's my target. That's our business book, machinima is talking about the swan revolution, our Swan needs to be revolutionized. And, and we need to add more nutrients and more organic matters back into the swamp instead of chemical synthetics. That's how we do our business. As I am in the business sector, I could see the effects of COVID since I only have 2020 20. Alia for 2020. Because, you know, in December COVID has started in China with Hans Tong. And since then we already have effects with the COVID. Actually, how is he is like in, in in LA, let's put an example. There are lots of farmers growing watermelons every year. And they export those watermelons to China through the border, big lorries and trucks. And in early January because China in China, they already have the COVID so they no longer accept any of our products, including those watermelons so whenever I travel around in the country, we see bonds and ponds of watermelons. And not only those watermelons like a corns and fish and crabs, laws, things they are piling but to be a bit of positive for those farmers, that's really a crisis for their business. But from one hand if we want to see the positive side, that also means abundance of a food for the general public. Like you know, just example. These huge, really bastard quality the watermelons used to go to China every year and this year because they can go to the China and these farmers and this business people, they have to sell those watermelon in the local and domestic markets. Then because there are lots of people are selling this they have to reduce the price. And that means for normal general public, they have a decent image with the good quality and really fair price. Unlike the previous year's this year, people here they have an abundance of food Somehow, that doesn't always, you know, I always trying to see an event from both sides from negative or from positive. So from the negative sides as many of us small, medium, large businesses, they are being affected, because they can export all the goals. But on the other hand in the country, the general normal public, they are affected by the COVID in a good way with the foods because that COVID means they stop for the borders, and they close the borders and they stop the exports and imports. So, there are lots of foods that you can buy in the Luca, unlike the previous years. And also because we are our business is focusing with the, at the moment food waste. And we've been working with lots of organizations like NGOs, corporations, big companies and food processing, factories, industries, and also hold our businesses. And since our we of January 2020 Lee, many of our hotels, they are already reducing their prices to at least 50% discount, because at the the January is at the peak of the the tourist season in Yangon, Myanmar, but not many people are coming. Like, you know, last year, if you have 100 guests to send this year, you have been like a 23rd Guest Ollie in January, and many of the book has been cancelled. So they have to give, they have to reduce the prices. So that's how I can see the COVID affecting the business and for myself, because I've been working with the loss of food industries and the hotel business as for me, yeah, we also have to at least put a pause we have to postponed until unknown our like our trainings and our workshop programs, things like that slider with the hotels and some corporations and companies and even the NGOs, we have to postpone our training programs and our workshop program. So, somehow, we are also being affected by COVID. I am still we we the organization bookishly. Nima is a state collecting food waste, yes. But you know, when we collected the food waste, there are two types. We want the look at base waste collection and a look at based waste management where the waste is produced. That's our main focus, our main approach. So in the place where our office is and where our yard is, we collect all the market waste green green waste, to plan the look at what markets and we process them in our yard to make a bushy and to make Swan to make compost that's free of charge, our guys go out to the local markets, and they use like a total. Three wheel tracks, basically kind of model Sangha tracks, and they also push carts. And they collect all the different greenwaste, the biodegradable wisdom from the local markets. That's basically pre service, we pay our guys but our guys go to the local market and collect all the waste and we don't charge anything. That's one type. And the other type is that from hotels and restaurants and NGOs and big corporations and food industries, they send their food waste to us or we go and collect from them with an assadi agreement that then we have to pay like just example like $100 part 10 of our food waste, something like that. So we have two ways to set trim. One is a free one is a page. And now page with supreme is reducing almost like a two thought. Like we used to have a just example we used to have a fight 10s of a food waste a week previously, and now we are having like one or one half 10 of our food waste or per week. That's how are businesses reducing which means the income is also reducing. But still we have to keep doing the gowalk Whatever we have a crisis or pandemic or business resurgence or whatever problem we are having, as a living being, and as a human being, we eat daily. And we live our life daily, indoor or outdoor, in whatever situation and the people are good at adjusting and adapting, as we live today, right. compared to the other primitive creatures, we survive. So, my point is as long as we are eating, and as long as we are living, we need food, and we produce lots of waste as well. And with the pandemic Cobra lockdowns in many countries, cities and towns, we've seen huge and huge piles of waste are piling on every street corner and almost everywhere, because the people stay indoors lockdown or quarantine in the home, they have more free time and they eat more, and they produce more wastes. And they need more food as well. And at the moment, that is not yet a problem. But if we have to go a bit longer, then there will be problem. As when we are talking about like we should compost all our organic waste food ways to catch on waste, and research, trying to grow our own food because you know, we want to be healthy people. To be healthy people, we need healthy foods. And to have a healthy fruit we need help this one. So we always say the equation how this one out the food and I heard the people and also not to waste a lot of food, we should know sometimes how hard the farmers and the crow wars have to try and to grow food for us to supply us. And like you mentioned earlier, like instead of trying to build for your, your area, your yard and your rooftops, and your back lanes, what if you tried to grow food, but without using any chemicals? So far as you know, in the future, our method that bokashi composting could be a solution because now we have seen like a lot of people are talking about growing their own food. Because everyone is not talking about that the even look at the bat that COVID This is a disease. And the food that we eat also can generate a loss of loss and loss of different types of diseases and our life if we can control them. And if they are not hygenic. So people are talking about hygiene, people are talking about healthy food and we're talking about stay healthy or eating organic things. So lots of people are trying to grow food in the home. And even with the pandemic, now what we see is the sale of our compost is arising because people have more time to stay indoors. And they haven't know much to do except learning through online or through the social medias or, you know work from home makes them have lots of free time and start off spending that time on the internet. So they want to do some kind of hands on projects at home. And they want to grow things like they want to report or replant their flowers. And they want to start some kind of microgreens or half a tome. So before they have a composted their own made compost they have to buy or they want to buy, and they want to test if they can do. That's why even in the juden, the COVID our compost sale is rising a bit compared to the previous months. And as I mentioned earlier, like PBR talking about the healthy food and the Healthy Living lifestyle. So this thing would be not the whole solution but can be part of the solution and for the future. And also lots of people are trying to talk about like creating some kind of food forests to turn their car parks or pre space or rooftops of renders or places like that to turn them into some kind of oven. For rests, instead of keeping them bare or putting a few power poles or you know, just trying to make it beautiful with a few flower pots. Now, now papers mindset is attending the way back. So they are trying to be ecologically and environmentally friendly and more and more people are talking about like environmental ethics and things like that. So I have seen lots of positivity with this. And our project can be part of the solution for the future, not only in terms of COVID or whatever times of crisis, because, you know, disease or business or whatever types of crisis we might face. As a living people we always eat and we always need food, and we always have food waste.
Zach 1:06:03
And last we hear from these artisan who works as a safety and security manager in Yangon. As part of his job he reports to various authorities and COVID-19 statistics and Mima shares with us the commonly held Mima Buddhist belief that good karma sharing metta and practicing meditation by monastics in yoga centers time is perhaps the reason for the low number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Nay 1:06:26
I am working as a safety and security manager. So I have to report directly to the Cobra security. And also I have to share with my mama what is the COVID-19 situation. So according to a more HS reports, which is the medical checkup case came out is for bringing depth to the compound case was the COVID-19 case in the AMA. The last one now it is 201. So in between they're like case by case, which towns shape or why they get posted COVID-19 they came back from the abroad or the flooring going work over there and when they can bet they didn't know what they have. One is the 13 is one a one of the Christianity he had a positive and he didn't know himself but he makes a Christian community. They have a gathering in the church together and they pray and there is input to nowaday becoming more than hundreds people effort because aim and also now the our government tried to rescues MRP were from different country, Malaysia, Indonesia, Indian like yesterday, before we have more than 100 people from the India rescues find your ma airway arranged by government and also our governments can manage very well. So, from already today we do have increase COVID-19 pasta case and also light. Now the PPA also nearby people we can we can see many people difficult to follow Kobe 19 policy or rules. Some people were amazed one day going out, some people will massage and laugh. Some people they don't wear they just put in the end they just put it out under the chains number people are not used to it. So we need to educate them more and that will be more safer. But for now, I can see in the market or I can see some of the plays some people that they gathering together, they don't wear a mask and if somebody had missing in their life, it can be influencing many people this is really need to be care and also it was intermittency me 17 D trying to measure the temperature or my check by to the people how they can figure it out who had infected or not, because it was increased to the AP bear who infer that and including referring to foreigner from the French so The government tried to like filter out and measure the temperature if somebody who has more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 a day put it in the oven it changed the game with to Medicare vehicles with manifolds are debris is people going to Lynette not associate distance, which is government need to really care about what they do, they have a good procedure, but people need to follow like, social distance, because of this COVID It can be as for like, very easy to separate each other. Also, like many people together, and it's all about us, and that's the same person, same view, bear in touch with many people. This is not assertive. Or I don't want to say it's not assertive, but it's not this shouldn't be that way. But it needs to be probably our our country is mostly Buddhism temporary monopolies and belief. We have a real the monk pray for us, which is called meta beta is like to give someone kindness and love without hoping anything and especially the mass of pray for everybody peaceful and this critical virus a whale and most of the Buddhism paper the belief that like we pray each other without hoping anything, we also we have a meditation and meditation is also it can reduce your the gray matter density in area of the brain will laden with life as it and stretch. And also I believe that he can reduce some of the infection or the three years and virus away. Lay what I believe is one we do meditation is increased your body's stimulation. And as you are like the symptom of your disorder function in your body is automatically maintain but is need to be the percentage that I people can say okay, then somebody who had cancer, can you meditation and well it is but yeah, it might be happened but you need to take time to meditate or how much you really interested at home as you concentrate on your breath. Breathe in and breathe out inhale or exhale is your mind controlling meditation is not very easy to do there but not easy to consume trade off. A really deep breathing, inhale and exhale to focus your destination of breaths, inhale and exhale. And that way you can get more concentrated. And also, I believe most of the people who believe Christian like most ln Hindustani it is somebody who believe what they believe I respect all of them but which is with a mitzvah and meditation is more the most important to prepare each other in your organization or in your environment. But you need to be kind to each other. That's why we always reading manga lava made 38 different kinds of rules and regulation, to live in the human environment. Meditation makes you even not only you are psychology, benefits and even you can get like physical benefit as well and also reduce your race like heart disease or Stoke, or like some people who have short temper is bigger than me. Police and became a talent like How can I say medic when you meditate and you really concentrate and it can like reduce of your blood pressure and it is makes you really came down and reduce stress and high blood pressure and also your body become a very peaceful light in some time even you can hear your heart's beating and your body of the light your body moving like a machine like you can hear lights your engines your engine mean your body is brand new like engine and this makes you really this Karma Karma is my very easy to say nature of balance light supply, you do good things in everything we're coming to you good thing to do, but in a work camp at the same time, you know what very easy to give you a simple life you growing a mango you can eat a sweet mango you go in the lines you can only the sour lines This is very simple. Karma is I can say the nature of balance like even know about Buddhist the about Christian or about the Hindustani or mostly it doesn't matter it is simply you can think about in gold. Not in Buddha we just see the even in scientific thinking or whatever nature of balance them be very simple. Right karma is I believe that like it is a universal truth. It would cost around camera right? You know even sometimes you just bring for everybody peaceful with metta. And then the first thing I've heard you pray for the universe or your friends or your family or they never when's the first time you are the only one the first one you feel very peaceful. You know this is the choppiness because you pray for them with with a mitzvah to other people peaceful and you are the first one. This is called a Chow penance. For example, if you are angry to someone by for the person who workings your call a and a you angry with him, the first one barely in your heads and you are angry You are mind your heads your brain is plenty for us. You know, this is very similar a score Natal balance, or you can call karma. There's there's the beam most of them are people here in Buddhism. He was a people, we just we put as a as a Buddhist thing, and we have metal for everyone's and then also we don't have like a score like lava mahato the Isaac reading and or the karma and COVID-19 is probably difficult to explain. poisoned by like other Gen three, like detailing they love to eat alive, mostly alive. So this is like the key alima enter for example, Japan is sashi bkf fresh and alive face gets even he is dying and his team moving the check or the body and the PBA eating and like I saw some Korean people eating alive autobox also, like some people in China they eating in the wily a dog alive. So this is the kind of hairs to the animals. And then this is like they punish to the enemies in his cave as a comma. Also over the wall. Most of them are be bare here. Also some people kill themselves the meat, like beef or chicken or whatever. But most of the people we don't eat alive here so we don't we don't give the animals punishment and so we don't give No, not much punishment punishment to the to carpet as a comma and also light connecting with like meditation makes you a meditation brains piece of your mind. So, people see positive and people have each other a light you know very deep kinds each other. So, this is like de meses separate tool of the human's brain or wisdoms as a traditional already we can each other I believe that this is called karma like we have a very low in our country infer that COVID-19 which is really very deep clean ocean water like some die for example, you try to pray for the people this people is thinking like even you give a meter to someone who is thinking you are wet or you are hidden want to receive from your meter, so we cannot give them and also same thing by Sunday, but who really angry to you? Like he is whoring a fire in his hand? I am angry to you. I'm angry to you and he who because he is angry bean he already been answered. That's why he is whoring a Firestone a ham so the boss a who have meta and even he angry and then we don't angry. No, we like we don't agree with him. He is angry to me and I don't agree to him I just say okay, friends and all these two when we say that, then me I don't serve is Firestone Crowe his hand poison where like if I if I agree with you, maybe and I am really angry with you blah blah blah and same time I'm angry with him. Okay, what are you talking about and if I angry me, I SF is fire from Firestone case sent to my hands. My PayPal or especially among the brain, the sun emitter to all over the wall all over the universe. The brief for everybody to escape from the all bad thing for me like critical COVID-19 is no and for that in a paper where I had a base full. And then Sunday, the middle is more important. And I hope that not only my paper and over the wall, everybody can get very good, accepting very good meta and also the escape from the COVID-19 and people very healthy and baseball all over the wall. You have
Host 1:23:46
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