My friend, Sande Zeig, and her compatriots have crafted a luminous and touching short film called “The Living Saint of Thailand”, a woman known as Venerable Mae Chee Sansanee Sthirasuta. Sande is a passionate and gifted filmmaker with a pure heart, and apparently bottomless energy and stamina. I have observed these gifts firsthand at many spiritual retreats offered by my spiritual teacher, Master Sha.

Ven. Mae Chee Sansanee teaches that all suffering is overcome with what she terms “honest love” and observation of the Dhamma. The spelling of that last word caught my eye, it’s the Thai Buddhist version of what we western students of the Buddha call Dharma. The meaning of the word has eluded me a bit, and upon research I can see why that might be. Wikipedia gives the word myriad spellings and definitions, spanning not only Buddhism, but Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It’s an ancient word. To me the clearest meaning is this one,

The Dharma is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism in which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge, or that upon which one relies for his or her lasting happiness. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha, meaning the mind’s perfection of enlightenment, the Dharma, meaning the teachings and the methods of the Buddha, and the Sangha, meaning the monastic community who provide guidance and support to followers of the Buddha.

The Buddha’s teachings are huge, he lived for many years and offered thousands and thousands of healing and enlightenment methods, and yet,

“The Big Way is very simple.”

Be kind, be wise, serve others, become enlightened, release attachments, reach stillness and emptiness. Embody Love.

This beloved living saint would seem to be the embodiment of these qualities, she truly lives to serve, and with such light and gracefulness. She is a pure example of what each of us are capable of if we put ourselves wholly to it. Not everyone is going to sell everything and start a Sangha, though that is entirely possible. We can, however, divest ourselves of unconscious, selfish behaviors, wake to our true nature, and find ways to serve others.

Some recent financial challenges have shown me how little we really need, and what enormous gifts we already have, especially in western culture. We can, as this saint has done, turn our eyes and hearts away from materiality. This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy objects, money, travel, food, but assign no importance to them. By releasing attachment to them, we clear our vision to see what might be accomplished by reaching out to those in need, how we may teach, heal, bless and enrich our fellow companions here on the sometimes bumpy ride of earth-born mortal experience. I believe that we all have the ability to walk our path with the great tenderness, strength, clarity and love of Ven. Mae Chee Sansanee.

I invite you to view this lovely film, and see for yourself what it looks like to be a radiant living holy being.

Thank you Sande, for this look into the heart of compassion.

Kristin Strachan

compassionbuddha.net