..续本文上一页nd yet with all the ajaans and members of the society sitting here, I haven”t heard anyone make any mention of plans for the cremation. I understand you”ve budgeted 700,000 baht for the hospital, but I haven”t heard anyone set a budget for the Somdet. This makes me really sad, which is why I”ve asked your permission to speak."

　　As soon as I had finished, Doctor Fon said, "I went to see Field Marshal Phin to tell him that we didn”t have enough money to build the hospital, and that I”d like to collect money in connection with the cremation in order to augment our funds. He agreed that it would be a good idea, and contributed 10,000 baht of his own, which is why I brought up the matter."

　　So I responded, "Phin, schmin, I don”t know anything about that. All I know is that we haven”t met here to discuss a hospital. We”ve met to discuss a corpse."

　　Hearing this, Doctor Fon got up and walked out of the meeting.

　　Nai Lyan sat still for a moment, and then said, "In that case, what do the ajaans have to say

　　" Chao Khun Dhammatilok, Chao Khun Nyanarakkhit and the others all sat absolutely still. Nai Lyan asked again, "What would the ajaans have us do

　　"

　　So I answered, "It”s not that I”m against the hospital, but I feel that it should be brought up afterwards, because the Somdet”s body is still lying around smelling up the place, and so should be taken care of first."

　　When I finished speaking, Khun Nai Tun raised her hand in agreement from the back of the room.

　　In the end we had the secretary record the following three points as the consensus of the meeting:

　　1. However the money is to be collected, have it go towards the cremation until the committee in charge feels that it has enough.

　　2. If there is any money left over, appoint a committee to consider handing the excess over to the hospital.

　　3. If the committee doesn”t see fit, the money needn”t go to the hospital.

　　When these three points had been recorded, someone asked, "Who”s going to run the cremation

　　"

　　None of the monks responded, so I answered for them, "The monks of Wat Borom."

　　MahaWichien, who worked with the Culture Ministry, spoke up. "You”re monks. If you run the cremation, how will you handle the money

　　"

　　I answered, "I have lots of hands. I”m just afraid there won”t be any money for them to collect. I don”t know how to handle money myself, but I have followers who do."

　　That silenced MahaWichien.

　　In the end we decided to do away with the old committee and set up a new one headed by Chao Khun Dhammapitok. The meeting was then adjourned.

　　The next morning I passed by the quarters of Chao Khun Dhammapitok and he called me into his room. "There are some things I”d like to tell you concerning the Somdet," he said. "I”ve kept them secret and haven”t told anyone else at all." He then went on to say, "Right before he died the Somdet 1) told me to be in charge of his funeral after he died; 2) turned over all of his belongings to me; and 3) told me to help take charge of the monks and novices in Wat Borom."

　　"That”s good to hear," I told him. Afterwards we held a meeting of the monks in Wat Borom, at which the Somdet”s orders were made public. Chao Khun Dhammapitok was then given responsibility for running both the funeral and the temple as a whole.

　　Before leaving the meeting, I spoke up. "I”d like to beg your pardon, but I was so disgusted yesterday I couldn”t stand it. When the Somdet was alive no one ever spoke of his hospital; after he died no one spoke of his cremation — but started speaking about the hospital instead. If what I said was improper or wrong or caused any hard feelings, then I”ll take my leave of the temple and ask not to be involved in the funeral."

　　Chao Khun Dhammapitok then pleaded with me not to leave, and told me, "There was nothing wrong with what you …

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