Modern Day Technology / Old School Wisdom

Forgot about what you know about Monks. These days, Rev Heng Sure is leading the compassion revolution wielding a Guitar, blackberry with GPS navigation, and an e-commerce website. These are just tools however, the real power of his presence still comes from his precepts and from the life of service that he’s leading.

In the 1970’s as an ordained Buddhist monk Rev Heng Sure took a vow of silence and embarked on a 2 and half year pilgrimage. He, and another fellow monk, would take three steps, bow fully to the ground, and repeat that process all the way from Los Angeles to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (1 1/2 hours North of San Francisco). When asked why he did it, Rev Heng Sure is clear that by bowing, walking and staying silent he was in fact transforming himself. It was a way to observe and overcome ones own greed and ego. Disillusioned by the Vietnam War, at that time Rev Heng Sure knew that in order to help make the world a better place, he had to first start with his own mind.

That journey still continues in some way, except today its in the form of coordinating between monasteries, participating in interfaith dialogues and teaching people how our own cravings lead to our own suffering.

The blackberry, the guitar and the website are only tools that facilitate that process. One afternoon last week, I had the fortune of spending some time with him and our conversations ranged from commitment to a path of service, to Michelle Obama, and even to the technologies embedded in the new i-phone. The perfect blending of new technology and old school giving came up when he mentioned how he gives away his uplifting folk music through his website. If you are willing to post a story of an act of kindness on his website, his folk-music band will actually email all the songs to you in an MP3 format. His music not only uplifts people but also acts as a conduit for more kindness in the world.

The songs themselves are indicative of his spirit. In one he sings from the point of view of an all American Beef Cow, tying in comical lyrics with a deep message of love for all beings.

Somehow in those moments with Rev Heng Sure, it seemed like our present and even our future was in good hands. Now, if I can just get him to create a facebook account.

Story of Rev Heng Sure
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma9/findreligion.html

An Act of Kindness for his album
http://dharmatreasure.org/paramita/

“She carries me” video on YouTube ft. Rev Heng Sure