Yoga, Buddhism and Cambodian Concerns - Part 2 - Students and Precious Knowledge

The idea in the west of most Asian people and countries is that they have a great interest and appreciation of education and that they do quite well in their pursuit of an education.

This writer's experience in Asia suggests that this is an accurate assessment of the Asian people.

Some people and cultures in this part of the world seem to be more focused and successful in such endeavors while other people want to immerse themselves in the pursuit and enjoyment of the sensual aspects of their being and desire and greed.

The desires of the flesh and their fulfillment are temporary and do not bring us happiness or peace and change as we get older.

If we look to the things that brought us joy or fulfillment in our youth as things that will bring the same things when we get older, we may be setting ourselves up for disappointment, pain and confusion.

Yoga and Buddhism inform us that knowledge about their teachings and practices is something that can facilitate a change in consciousness that brings wisdom and compassion, two aspects of being that bring joy and peace to those who have them.

In Cambodia, there is an ongoing interest in education that can only be thought of as being phenomenal.

Since there are so few jobs available and young people have much free time, many of them use it to study all day.

The main subject that is studied is English and this study of English can only be described as being one of total immersion.

Though young learners may not be fully fluent in grammar, pronunciation, and speaking and listening, they do put together enough words correctly to communicate well and impress a native speaker.

With a history such as Cambodia has had and the present day problems and challenges that they face, it is admirable that they do not all just go back to fighting and engage in thievery and corruption.

Instead, they hit the books each day, learning and improving their knowledge of and ability in English, and other vital subjects to one's success, such as math and science.

Students are well - behaved, focused and want to learn.

They come to classes on time and are polite and respectful to the teachers and each other.

It is not uncommon to find many students engaged in a regime of self - study at home that is truly impressive. Of course, much of this may be related to the fact that the country is so poor and there are few other things to do at this stage in the country's development.

So weeknights, weekends and free time are spent with one's head in a book, though with modernization and television, more and more people are being hypnotized and influenced by other, perhaps less wholesome and constructive aspects of modern life.

When individuals and a people from any country understand and think that knowledge is precious, they are understanding an aspect of life and their being that is truly spiritual.

With knowledge, we can change our own lives for the better and those of our friends and family.

With knowledge, we can better understand what it is that we are capable of and be better able to reach our potential.

With knowledge and the pursuit of it, we can apply our time, mind, money and energy to something each day that brings benefits and joy.

With knowledge we can sense a personal growth as we learn something new each time we apply our mind to pursuing it.

There are many things that the knowledge of Buddhism and Yoga can bring us.

We understand better how our mind and consciousness has been conditioned and works.

We see how we act in ignorance and in ways that may hurt ourselves and others through our thoughts, feelings, words and actions.

We see how unbridled passion and desire can create suffering and how if we do not catch and see our feelings as they arise, they can overwhelm us and lead us down a road to anxiety, worry and depression.

The knowledge that Yoga and Buddhism provide us with also includes the idea of working with the body and mind in ways that make it still and enhance its power, power here meaning things such as concentration, mindfulness and equanimity.

The individual who lacks these things will have a difficult time achieving any success in life or finding any joy or wisdom in the simple things and challenging realities that life offers us.

Among the Cambodians there is a minority of people, just as in all countries and cultures of the world who want to investigate what Yoga and Buddhism offer them more deeply.

Even though it is a Buddhist country like Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, the correct understanding and practice of Buddhism is sometimes weak or flawed, replaced instead with a form of ritual and rite and a thinking that monks are somehow special and closer to enlightenment and perfection while lay people are not.

Such an attitude and approach does not help a person or a country develop in a wholesome way and can lead to other abuses.

But thankfully for the Cambodian people, as among people on all parts of the world, the teachings of Yoga and Buddhism are always there, freely available and ready to be learned, understood and practiced, when one becomes more aware of them or has reached the point in their life where they can apply themselves to them or are ready for them.

2005 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)