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40TH BIRTHDAY STATEMENT BY
ANITA SVENSSON ON 4 MAY 2001
Dear Venerables, Teacher, Friends, Family and Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for your kind wishes and loving blessings on the 40th anniversary of my birth.
Now a practitioner of Buddha Dhamma I know where I am going.
As a result, I can see in perspective how my Mother and Father helped me, but the most influential person was my grandfather Thomas Smith.
Four generations from my birth was an Englishman, Colonel Salvadore Smith(1784 - 1872) who served 40 years in the Maharaja of Gwalior’s Army. His daughter, Victoria Marion had two children Joseph and Francis. Joseph had 4 children one of whom was my, great grandfather Lazarus (born 1889 - died 1925). His son was Thomas Smith, my grandfather, born in 1910 died 1997.
The family fortunes became good so that my grandfather’s father was quite rich. Thomas started school at St Peter’s College, Agra.
When Thomas was 15 his father died, leaving his Mother alone.
Being the elder son, he became responsible for bringing up 2 brothers and sisters and looking after his mother.
This experience made Thomas the wise and kind person that he was known for.
Thomas left school and went to work for the Agra Times, the local newspaper. He attended school after working hours and taught himself most of what he knew.
I admired Thomas for his motivation and determination - he achieved everything he set out to do.
All his brothers and sisters attended high school, were wealthy and happily married. All of Thomas’s seven children attended University and hold at least one University degree and are wealthy.
During my childhood, I spent most of my Summer holidays at my Grandfather’s house in Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal.
We, my brother and I would start the day by going with him on his morning walk at 7am, while the rest of the household slept.
While walking he would give a commentary on all the people and buildings we passed : The Catholic nun’s quarters, where he use to give English tuition to the Indian Nuns when he was 17- to raise money for his family.
Thomas always seemed to know the right thing to do.
He spent most evenings helping other persons. After work he would relax downstairs in the courtyard (where he slept) and wait for people to come to see him.
Persons from every walk of life came to him for advice and guidance - from who their daughter should marry, to what they should do with their business.
I would sit quietly, serving tea to the visitors and listening to how he would solve the dilemma.
He would often say to me - “Anita, things are not always what they seem to be - always try and find out the truth, then you can really help people”. It was this that made me look for Buddha Dhamma this life.
Some of his rules were: Comb your hair, dress neatly, wash your hands, face and feet - never be like an animal; Always wear shoes - never go into the street barefooted - its dirty; Always learn, go to the highest learning that you can, learning is the most important thing - it means you can rely on your self; Always look after books, never put them on the floor; Guests in your house must be treated with highest courtesy.
Thomas had a high sense of morality, did not approve of alcoholic drinks and always said - never borrow money- save it first, then buy.
Thomas became the chief editor of the Agra Times and was well known in the journalist community. After his death at 86 years, on 15 April 1997, Thomas Smith Road was named in memory of his work as a great journalist.
Thomas once advised me to return to Australia when I had decided to live in India. He said that there were more learning opportunities in Australia and that I should take advantage of this. To study in India cost a lot of money.
I followed that advice thrice fold when I met my Teacher, John D. Hughes, who told me exactly the same thing. However he also told me the theoretical value of this was correct, through the law of cause and effect and so on.
On my 40th Birthday I am working towards preparing for another’s birthday celebration, that of the Buddha Gotama, whose birth, enlightenment and death anniversaries occur on Monday 7 May 2001, known as the celebration of Versak.
A measure of our Centre’s performance, is that the Prime Minister of Australia, the Right Honourable John Howard has communicated a Celebration of Versak message to us. As the Prime Minister says, in the second part of his message :
“ Over the past century, Australia has fostered a truly multicultural society that respects and encourages communities to pursue their individual cultures and beliefs within an Australian context. It is my hope that Australia continues in this direction and maintains a society in which equality, mutual understanding and respect remain as fundamental tenets of our way of life.
I send my best wishes to all members of the Buddhist community participating in this festival and congratulate the organisers on what I am sure will be a highly successful event.”
I am happy to meet with the Buddha Dhamma this life.
I am happy to receive the rare Padmasambhava calligraphy painted by Lyne Lehmann and presented to me by all Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. on my 40th birthday.
I intend to devote this life and future lives to Buddha Dhamma practice.
I am happy to be an Australian Citizen.
I am happy to be the Public Relations Officer for the World Fellowship of Buddhists Standing Committee on Women.
I am happy to be a Director of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
I am happy to be the secretary of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
I am happy to be the Vice-president of Corporate Governance and Reporting Task Unit of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
I am happy to be the joint Occupational Health & Safety Manager of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
I am happy to be a Director of Nursing.
I intend to devote my life to doing the good things that wise persons do.
All of the above are results of generating the intention to devoting life times to learning.
I intend to devote my life to life times of learning and I recommend that you consider doing the same.
Through scholarship you can help persons that other persons cannot help.
I thank my parents Ann and Max Smith, Thomas Smith and all my ancestors for my current birth. I thank them for teaching me and sowing the seeds of my scholarship.
May they be well and happy.
I thank my Teacher, John D. Hughes who I intend to meet again and again and again in future lives.
I thank all my past, present and future teachers.
May you be well and happy.
SADDHU SADDHU SADDHU