TLDR: We get it; stepping out of your comfort zone might not be everyone’s idea of a good time. However, that leap of faith can unlock a world of new connections, experiences, and deeper reflections.
We’re not talking about just any camp; we’re diving into the unforgettable journey for 13-21-year-olds at Camp Ehi-Passiko (CEP), where Singapore’s youths discover a unique blend of friendship and spiritual growth.
As youth leaders, we reflected on our journey so far and our motivations to continue our path in the Dhamma rooted in our fond memories from CEP.
Organisers from Singapore Buddhist Mission (SBM) during Camp Ehi-Passiko 2022
First Encounters with CEP
Now, when we first heard about CEP, many of us had our doubts. “Will I even make friends?” “I’d rather binge-watch Netflix at home!” “Camps aren’t my thing.”
But guess what? We’d already signed up, so “bopes” (slang for ‘bobian’, Hokkien term meaning it can’t be helped). Off we went, with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
Kai Meng, 21, had his reservations: “I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of a camp, but once it kicked off, I was surprised. From the hilarious skits to creative games and the fantastic friends I made, it was a blast. The campfire night was the best, filled with joy and laughter.”
For those of us who’ve attended Sunday school, CEP was an eye-opener. It wasn’t the stiff and solemn affair we expected. It was lively, fun, and brimming with games and activities. What made it truly special?
The people – open-minded, caring, and spanning different age groups. We felt at home despite our diverse backgrounds and camp experiences.
Jun Jie, 18, recalled his first camp: “I was in Secondary One, and the older campers treated me with kindness. During one game, an older camper carried me on his back to complete an activity and to ensure I wasn’t left out. It was heartwarming.”
Jun Jie (18) playing a game with a group mate during CEP in 2019
Meeting People in a Camp Setting
So, why a camp, you ask? Why not just host sharing sessions, games, and bonding activities?
Well, a camp offers a break from the daily grind, allowing us to dive into a few days of pure fun, excitement, and deep connections. The camp’s energy is infectious, and it brings us closer.
The pinnacle? The campfire night, where bonds are strengthened.
Cleonn, 26, shared: “I first encountered CEP when I attended the final-day campfire with my family. It sparked my curiosity, and I wanted to be part of it.”
Kimberly, 24, added: “The campfire night stands out. We sing, dance, and feel the warmth of the group. It’s a space where we can truly be ourselves, free from outside worries. There’s a sense of belonging.”
A camp setting means we spend dedicated time together, working on game objectives and engaging in discussions. We celebrate both small and big victories with laughter and create lasting friendships in just a few days.
Titus, 23, highlighted the value of teamwork and communication in a camp: “Ehi-passiko’s ‘come and see’ is about how Dhammic lessons and real-world experiences are relevant and timeless.”
Even after the camp ends, the friendships continue, and the memories become cherished moments.
Nicholas, 28, cherishes the final night: “It’s heartwarming to share the evening with old and new friends. It’s a unique experience without judgment.”
We didn’t just read suttas or theories; we explored the Dhamma through activities and reflections. This approach allowed each of us to connect with the teachings in our unique way.
Kimberly appreciated this approach: “It contextualises the teachings, allowing personal reflection on life experiences.”
Jun Jie added: “They took into consideration the age group, which ranges from age 13 to 20 plus and with that in mind, I think they know that small kids won’t really appreciate those kinds of long talks or sharing. They incorporated Buddhist knowledge into games and guided us. We also had sharing sessions that made self-reflection meaningful and engaging.”
This personalized approach opened doors to new experiences and insights enabling us to find the Dhamma in our own way. It helped us navigate the challenges of growing up and becoming our authentic selves.
Exploring New Opportunities for Personal Growth
SBM youths participating in a cohesion camp in June 2023
The open and inclusive community gave us opportunities to explore leadership roles, plan events, and run passion projects. These experiences shaped our strengths and weaknesses and set the stage for our future endeavours.
Titus explained how these interactions enriched his life: “It granted me exposure to a wide variety of personalities and characters, and I learned more about Dhammic philosophy. It sparked my curiosity to dig deeper into Buddhism.”
Kimberly found that she could express herself more openly and make intentional decisions: “I became more able to open up to people I may not necessarily be close to.”
Lifelong Bonds and Inspiration
For those who have experienced CEP, it’s all about the people. The lifelong bonds we’ve formed continue to inspire and empower us to give back to our community and continue our spiritual journey.
Jun Jie summed it up: “It’s not just a four-day camp; we stay in touch and build lasting friendships. Some of these friends will be with you for a long time. They provide valuable advice and support.”
So, what’s the takeaway? The CEP experience offers a safe and comfortable space to have fun, grow, and learn together.
Open yourself to new experiences and see what unfolds – you might be surprised at the magic that awaits you.
A sharing session by our youth at SBM (2023)
What is CEP?
Camp Ehi-Passiko (CEP) is a 4-Days-3-Nights flagship camp organized annually by Singapore Buddhist Mission (Youth). Ehi-Passiko, a Pali term translated as “come and see,” represents the core tenet behind all our activities here at Singapore Buddhist Mission.
Our very first CEP kicked off in 1997 and has since been built upon two pillars: fun and fellowship, where we aim to plant the seeds of Dhamma in youths through newly engaging and experiential ways for Buddhist youths of all walks of life to experience and enjoy.
These activities will allow them to be mindful of their actions in their daily lives and realise how the Buddha’s teachings closely relate and are applicable to solving day-to-day obstacles.
This year, Camp Ehi-Passiko 2023: Path of the Warrior will be held from 8-11 December. We look forward to bringing you new experiences and making new spiritual friendships with you!
🏮 Camp dates: 8-11 December
🏮 Camp location: Poh Ern Shih (9 Chwee Chian Rd)
🏮 Age range: 13 to 21 years old
Camp fee*: $80
*Special rate of $30 for:
Past campers
Friends of CEP and SBM
Members of Buddhist clubs and societies
Groups of 4
For more details, visit our website at https://www.sbm.sg/cep2023. For inquiries, contact Cleonn (9233 7322) or Nicholas (9643 3712).
TLDR: A friendship of different faiths, a journey of letting go: Read about the power of Dhamma in guiding a dear friend’s peaceful passage.
The Diagnosis
A dear friend of mine, whom I had known for seven years, was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma that did not respond to any medical treatment. Our friendship was unique, with our different religious beliefs as a Christian and a Buddhist.
It was like butter and kaya, different tastes that blended so well together like in butter kaya toast.
Though A and I had different religious beliefs, we respected each other’s views, and our conversations were full of similarities about our beliefs. We often joked that if Buddha and Jesus were BFFs in their time, then both of us would be the perfect example of that relationship.
Whenever one of us had a bad day, I would say “Let God” to him, and he would say “Let Go” to me. This had become our favourite phrase over the years: Let God Let Go.
My daily visit to A in the hospital was always a precious one because I knew the time that I could spend with him was limited. I would always get him his favourite food on the days that he had an appetite, tell him funny stories, and do a massage for him which he enjoyed greatly, treating me like his personal masseur.
‘Wow, you really let go!’
On one such day, as I was having my usual conversation with him, he held my hands and said that he had decided to go into palliative care and asked that I stay with him and guide him in this last part of his journey.
Believe it or not, I had never cried since the start of his cancer journey but this time around, I just burst out in tears and cried buckets.
A just stared at me with his sparkling big eyes and cheekily said, “Wow, you really let go!”
This indeed was a real-life practice for me—not only did I have to guide someone in their last journey, but they were also a close friend who was of a different faith.
Introducing A to monastics and Buddhism
Developing mental states for future lives
As a Dhamma practitioner and speaker myself, I started trying to recall and research any material that enabled me to be A’s guide for his passing on. The mental states required for heavenly rebirth were a consistent theme in my research.
I thought that if I could use the principles behind these mental states without using Dhamma concepts, it would help A’s mind feel lighter, happier, and joyous, and therefore, it would be of great help for his next life.
There was a conversation in Dighajanu Sutta (AN8.54) between the Buddha and a lay disciple, Dighajanu, about developing mental states for future lives, namely Faith, Ethics, Generosity, and Wisdom.
Faith
Faith is a powerful energy that helps one’s mind feel energised, hopeful, and joyous. It was easy to trigger the faith in A as his religion is built on the foundation of faith.
I encouraged A to consistently arouse his faith in God and understand that whatever happens is in the hands of God. To not worry about the future and just be in the moment.
There were times when A felt immense pain and he told me because of the faith he had in God, the pain decreased tremendously most of the time. As Buddhists, we all know, that is the power of faith—it makes one filled with joy, and probably more endorphins are released into the body.
The author with A at Chijmes Singapore
Ethics
A is, by nature, a good person. If he were a Buddhist, he would be one that kept to his precepts relatively well. I always encouraged him to remind himself of all the good things that he had done, and he had also not intentionally harmed anyone in his life.
This constant reminder of him being a good person also helped him remind himself that he is a good servant to his God.
That recollection itself had helped him overcome his guilt and fear of death. I told him, “Whatever happens, you have a good report card to show to God”, and he often gave a peaceful smile, knowing that he led a good moral life.
Generosity
As for generosity, I told A to recall all the good things that he had done for others and his church. A was an active volunteer of his church. He was also an active missionary who went to various countries to help the underprivileged.
Even when he was fighting the cancer battle, he was generous with his time and was always keen to share his faith and company.
Wisdom
Wisdom was the part that I found hard to explain to him. In Buddhism, wisdom is about realising the 4 Noble Truths (4NT). I was thinking very hard about how to help A to arouse this mental state. One night, as I was reflecting on the 4NT, it then came to my understanding that this whole Dhamma journey is about letting go.
When one realises the 4NT, it becomes about letting go of all greed, ill-will, and delusion. The more you let go, the less you suffer. I told A that he had to let go of any expectations, his body, and eventually his life.
He must Let God. Whatever the journey was, God would have a place for him when his mission was done in this world. A found peace in this and said that he finally understood “Let Go Let God,” which was our favourite phrase.
The journey ends
A few days before his passing, I asked A if he would be ok if I were away for a week as I was the organiser of a meditation retreat. He said he would be okay, and he was at peace and ready to return to heaven at any time.
He cheekily asked me to share merits with him in the retreat and said that he would look out for me when he is in heaven.
That night, I was preparing to rest for the day at the retreat centre. As I was dozing off, I was awakened by a bright light at the corner of my bed. I saw the light and felt extremely peaceful and joyous.
I returned to my sleep and didn’t think much about it as I was exhausted. A few minutes later I received a text from his close friend, stating that A had passed on peacefully in his sleep a few minutes earlier.
When I saw the text, I was at peace and there was immense joy in me. I know A had passed on well and he is now definitely in a good place.
The next morning, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. I am grateful to my dear friend for allowing me to be part of his journey of passing on.
I am grateful to the Dhamma as I have witnessed the power of its teachings. It truly transcends space, time, and even people. If one is willing to listen and accept it, one will truly see the fruits of it. Dhamma is truly Ehi Passiko!
Editor’s note: During this Presidential Election, HOL is dedicated to fostering understanding and learning from a variety of interactions, rather than endorsing a particular political figure. We maintain an impartial stance and do not advocate for any candidate. Quotations have been abridged for clarity and grammar.
In a world that rushes towards success, often sidelining personal growth, the pursuit of wisdom becomes vital. A recent profound exchange with Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam bestowed precious insights upon young Buddhist leaders. He, of course, could not resist talking about Orh Nee. Here are five valuable pieces of wisdom that deeply resonated.
Mr Tharman seated with Venerable Kwang Phing & Venerable You Guang from the Singapore Buddhist Federation
Nurturing Joy in Volunteering
During the Q&A, Buddhist leaders noted a struggle in recruiting volunteers, citing rising tech and other distractions for youths.
Mr. Tharman replied by underscoring a vital point: the essence of joy. Amidst the purpose, the camaraderie and joy among volunteers holds equal importance.
“Volunteers are very often motivated by the friendship with fellow volunteers….what you are doing of course must have a purpose but you must find it joyful to do so. Usually, the volunteers you are meeting would like to have fun together after doing some volunteer work.” Mr Tharman shared.
This revelation led to an introspective pause—do we sometimes overlook the joy of service amidst our pursuit of goals?
Often, groups are eager to onboard new volunteers to lead without first building a relationship. That was something that had to change in a relatively goal-oriented society like Singapore where goals > people.
Steering clear of burnout
A DAYWA leader, Angela, shared how she saw a common problem of burnout when interacting with other organisations’ Buddhist leaders and asked for tips from Mr Tharman’s experience in the volunteering scene.
Mr. Tharman’s solution?
Embrace variety.
He cautioned against diving too deeply into a solitary volunteer role, which might lead to tunnel vision. To ward off burnout, keep the mind engaged through diverse experiences.
“In my own experience, I’ve always done something at any point in time. But usually, I’m not doing the same thing all the time…..So I might be doing one thing and another thing on another day…the variety also helps me to keep my mind more interested in things outside one area.” – Mr Tharman shared.
A healthy balancing act between our commitments as volunteers keeps us from burning out as something that energises us now may not be the thing that energises us tomorrow. Managing our impermanent relationships with volunteering is key.
Cultivating Interest through Cultural Bridges
One suggestion from Mr Tharman during the dialogue was the use of culture as a means to attract people to Buddhism. The richness of Buddhist art and calligraphy, for instance, can serve as engaging entry points to the teachings of Buddhism.
“We must find a new way of making it enjoyable and interesting. For example, if you think of Buddhism there’s Buddhist art. It’s very interesting. There’s a Buddhist school even within calligraphy. Different aspects of culture which are Buddhist influence. Although you’re not talking about Buddhist teaching immediately but developing and understanding culture makes it interesting.”
This approach, according to Mr. Tharman, can be a way to make Buddhism more appealing to a younger audience. It could also be a way to encourage more people to explore spirituality and cultivate mindfulness.
Among Buddhist leaders, there was a quiet reflection that groups tend to give a ‘download’ of the teachings with no nuances catered to the listener. This makes the entry into the Dhamma a bumpy one.
One upcoming event I thought fitted nicely with Mr Tharman’s suggestion was that of watching Buddhist films right in the heart of Orchard Road. THISBFF Buddhist Film Festival provides us with an easy and intriguing entry into the world of Dhamma.
Weaving Harmony through Historical Understanding
In response to a query about religious stigmatisation, Mr. Tharman underscored the importance of learning about the common ground between different religions. He suggested that gaining a historical understanding of diverse faiths could foster more open-mindedness and reduce religious competition.
By delving into historical overlaps between Abrahamic faiths and Dhammic traditions, we nurture a broader, more open-minded perspective.
“That itself will make people more open-minded. You have your own religion but you’re not so worried about other religions because there’s something similar in the other religion.”Studying history shows the common thread of humanity that we share. This reminded us too that where we cannot seek consensus, we can agree to disagree.
Mr & Mrs Tharman with Buddhist Leaders. CR: Today
The Power of Compassion and Respect
In the dialogue, Tharman highlighted the importance of compassion and respect in fostering a better society. In his opening statement, he mentioned ‘respect’ 10 times, highlighting his fondness for the value and the word.
He shared that while economic development is easy to measure, it is “not so easy to measure our relationship to each other. It is very hard to measure but very important how we measure our compassion and thoughtfulness with each other”
In the conversation, Mr. Tharman highlighted compassion and respect as the cornerstones of a better society. These virtues, deeply regarded in Buddhism, hold universal relevance. Compassion enables us to connect with others, while respect paves the way to valuing diverse viewpoints.
In a wrap
In a dynamic 90-minute exchange filled with insightful queries and illuminating responses, the discourse with Mr. Tharman underscored the significance of compassion, mindfulness, and respect in navigating the intricate maze of modern existence.
Through empathy and understanding, we can collaboratively build a society where happiness and fulfilment are within reach for all. Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom rings true:
“The gateway to wisdom is an acknowledgement of our own ignorance.”
