By Kuei-Wen Yang, Ah Moi Yaw, and Boon Tiong Tan 

On December 28, 2024, Venerable Phramaha Nipon, secretary to the abbot of the Royal Thai Monastery in Bodh Gaya, reached out to Tzu Chi volunteers with a special request. The monastery planned to celebrate King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 72nd birthday with an aid distribution event at Silaunja Great Love Village, and they sought Tzu Chi's assistance in organizing the celebration. 

Building on Past Success 

The choice of Silaunja Great Love Village wasn't coincidental. Venerable Phramaha Nipon had previously attended the village's groundbreaking and house transfer ceremonies, where he witnessed firsthand the residents' remarkable orderliness and cooperation. This experience stood in stark contrast to previous distribution events at the monastery, which often struggled with crowd management. 

"If we organized the event ourselves, we wouldn't know who to seek for assistance. But Tzu Chi volunteers know how to coordinate with Thai monastics and find the right people for each task," Venerable Nipon explained. While the monastery had success with events in remote areas where local Sanghas helped maintain order, organizing similar events in Bodh Gaya had proven challenging. 

A Model of Order and Dignity 

The distribution event on December 29 demonstrated the power of organization and respect. Seventy-three Buddha statues were respectfully and solemnly arranged on stage as villagers, wearing identification badges, entered in an orderly fashion under the guidance of Royal Thai Monastery staff. The monastery staff provided instruction on proper etiquette for receiving the gifts. 

Following a prayer ceremony led by Bhantte Phradharmabodhiwongse, each of the 73 villagers received a Buddha statue and a blanket. The event continued with a meal distribution in the village's central pathway, where residents lined up with their own plates to receive food. Following Tzu Chi's guidance, villagers took their meals home to enjoy them, reflecting the success of the foundation’s year-long humanistic cultural education efforts. 

A Testament to Transformation 

Venerable Nipon noted the remarkable changes: "We learned from Tzu Chi volunteers how to set up tables and encourage villagers to bring their own utensils, which kept the area clean and orderly. For the first time in Bodh Gaya, we saw people not crowding, not begging, and lining up properly. Distributing 500 meals without chaos is a remarkable achievement, even beyond our monastery's capabilities." 

Bhantte Phradharmabodhiwongse emphasized the broader impact of this collaboration: "Tzu Chi has introduced villagers to a new way of life, promoting vegetarianism and building new homes for them. Today, 500 people received our sincere offerings of vegetarian meals, nurturing their compassion through the Buddha's power." 

A Future of Continued Cooperation 

The success of this event has inspired plans for future collaboration. Venerable Nipon expressed confidence in the sustainability of these efforts: "We will continue organizing similar events in the future. The trained individuals will pass on their knowledge to others, ensuring sustainability even if Tzu Chi volunteers can't be present." 

This collaboration exemplifies Master Cheng Yen's teaching that "Religions should have a broad mind and work together for humanity, embodying love without boundaries, transcending race and religion, with all-encompassing great love." The successful partnership between Tzu Chi volunteers and the Royal Thai Monastery demonstrates how everyone can work together effectively to serve those in need.