The advent of COVID 19 has changed the world bringing normal life to a halt. When I returned to Hong Kong on March 22, 2020, I began my stay-cation in for three years. The death toll reached 6,961,410 as at December 28, 2023 (www.worldometes.info): it has been a sad and painful time people who have lost their loved ones and heroic period of the medical professionals. The world economy was hard hit bringing hardship to people especially those in poor and developing countries. Zoom became the norm and travel almost came to a standstill. The world was gripped by gloom and depression. With the discovery of vaccine, adoption of various measures and natural mutation and weakening of the virus, the worst time was over. By mid-2022, life resumed normalcy.
For three years (from end March 2020 to mid June 2023), I had been staying in Hong Kong all the time except for a break of 54 days when I went to the UK, Faroe Islands and Germany. My friends thought I might, like most people, be depressed and disorientated. On the contrary, I had a wonderful and meaningful stay-cation in Hong Kong pursuing Buddhist studies. I always believe in causes and conditions and the key doctrines of Buddhism and hope to have a chance to study Buddha’s profound teachings systematically. When I saw a full-time course offered by the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies of Sri Lanka’s University of Kelaniya and the Buddha-Dharma Centre of Hong Kong,, I enrolled in September 2020 without a second thought. This marks the beginning of three years of Buddhist studies and Venerable Dhammajoti who established the centre in 2012, is my first dharma teacher. Once a graduate of the centre, I can always attend classes. I spent two fruitful years at the centre having in-person teaching on a wide range of subjects including Pali, Sanskrit, early Buddhism, Adbidharmma, Buddhist psychology, Mahayana Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Buddhist arts, Buddhist history in China etc. I had to take written examinations for three subjects in December 2020 and 2021. I was thrilled to go to Sri Lanka to attended the graduation ceremony in Colombo on August 18, 2023.
As I would be staying in Hong Kong without travel plans in the foreseeable future, I decided to enroll for another full-time course offered by the Centre of Buddhist Studies of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in end December 2021. I took the subject of social work for my Bachelor Degree at the HKU in 1975-78 but have never practised. With the Buddhist studies course as a foundation, the HKU’s Buddhist Counselling course seems a natural step. As this is only a foundation course: I am not a qualified counsellor unless I take a diploma with a 800-hour practicum. Being a senior citizen and an IT idiot, I have encountered lot of problems in e-learning and have spent much more time than my fellow young classmates in preparing for presentations, in searching and writing. I learn more about myself through this course which aims at raising students’ self-awareness and spiritual development. I have a happy time in the HKU campus. I attended my second graduation ceremony at the HKU on November 19, 2023.
The Buddhist studies have enabled me to learn more about Buddhism setting me on a spiritual path. Though I have studied in both Buddhist and Anglican secondary schools, I have a special affinity with Buddhism. After attending a few fahui (rituals/ceremonies) this year in connection with the Buddhist Counselling course and a capstone project, I discovered the religious and ritual aspects. With faith and further affinity in Buddhism, I took refuge with the three gems (I.e. Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) on July 2. This is a formal ceremony signifying one as a student and follower of Buddhism.
In brief, I would say COVID has given me time to learn and find my spiritual path to enlightenment. It has been a wonderful discovery and spiritual journey.