Jul 12, 2024 – Emergency Relief in Assam, India, Meeting with Ravi Kannan, Magsaysay Award Winner
Hello. Today I provided emergency relief in Assam state, India, where numerous people have been displaced by flooding. I also visited a hospital run by Ravi Kannan, a Magsaysay Award winner, for the extremely poor and had a conversation with him.

After finishing morning practice and meditation, Sunim had breakfast at 5 AM and departed for the flood-affected area at 5:30 AM to conduct emergency relief activities.


Three days ago, an emergency response team from JTS India was dispatched to conduct a preliminary survey and prepare all relief supplies. Within Assam state’s Morigaon district, which was severely affected by flooding, Puragaon village was in the most difficult situation, having received no support from external organizations.

After an hour’s drive from Morigaon, Sunim arrived at Puragaon village. He toured the flood-damaged village.


“Namaste!”
The flooded village had turned into a sea of water, as if it had always been an ocean. The river current was still strong.


1,067 households across 3 villages were submerged, and the displaced residents had set up temporary tents on the riverbank for shelter and meals after leaving their flooded homes.

“If this riverbank breaks, the damage will be enormous. To avoid flood damage, people shouldn’t live outside the embankment, but they have no choice but to live here because they are poor.”
Although it had been over a week since they started living in tents, the water had not yet receded. The residents complained about the need for mosquito nets due to the overwhelming number of mosquitoes. The government had provided initial food aid, but it was only enough for 4 days, and now they were no longer providing support, claiming that it was no longer raining.


After hearing about the residents’ difficult circumstances, JTS quickly prepared food packages containing rice, dal, oil, and salt, as well as baby formula for infants and mosquito nets, to distribute to the residents today.


To Those of You Who Have Lost Much in the Flood
After surveying the flood-damaged site, Sunim headed to the hall where the displaced residents had gathered to receive relief supplies. Before distributing the supplies, Sunim first comforted and encouraged the residents.

“Were you surprised by the heavy rain? Was anyone hurt? Did you lose any animals?”
“16 people died in Assam state, but fortunately no one died here.”


“I offer words of comfort to all of you who have lost so much in this sudden flood. It may not be much help, but we will provide some temporary necessities. I hope it will be of some assistance. Please receive the relief supplies one by one in an orderly manner.”

Then the distribution of relief supplies began. Yesterday, JTS India volunteers visited the village and distributed coupons in advance. After lining people up in order, they first checked the coupons.

As the JTS India volunteers took their positions, Sunim began distributing the relief supplies.

“Once order breaks down, it becomes uncontrollable. We must maintain order well. Alright, let’s begin.”
As rice sacks were unloaded from the truck, Sunim distributed them to the residents.

Though they staggered under the weight of the rice sacks, the residents’ faces were full of smiles.


“Dhanyavaad!” (Thank you.)
In the hot and humid weather over 35°C, Sunim’s entire body was drenched in sweat from continuously carrying the heavy rice sacks.

Women with babies were given additional baby formula and biscuits.




The residents carried the rice sacks on their heads or loaded them onto bicycles as they headed back to their temporary tents.




When the distribution of relief supplies was complete, the village head thanked Sunim on behalf of the residents.

“The entire Assam state was affected by flooding, but no one came to help this area. But JTS came to find us. We sincerely thank you.
Sunim replied.

“I wish I could stay and distribute supplies all day, but I have to move on to Silchar today. Please continue the distribution well until the end.”
The JTS India emergency response team and village leaders needed to move on to the next village to continue distributing relief supplies. Sunim gave some guidelines on how to minimize confusion during distribution in the next village.

“Safety is always the most important when distributing relief supplies. From now on, if you say distribution will start at 7 AM, you should only distribute to those who arrive before 7 AM. Those who come late should wait outside. Otherwise, those who came early will complain. And you need to set up stakes and ropes to line people up in a single file. That’s how order can be maintained. It’s also necessary to have young people from the village receive and carry supplies for weak elderly women.

After finishing the distribution, you should line up those who came late and distribute to them. The intention is not to deny supplies to late-comers. If late-comers keep cutting in line, it will cause chaos.
If it rains heavily or something happens that delays most people, you should postpone the distribution by an hour or two. You should start distribution when a sufficient number of people have gathered. Each individual may have their circumstances, but if you try to consider all of them, the whole system will break down and conflicts will arise. Please prioritize safety above all. This is our village’s affair, so let’s all work together to ensure equal distribution. Please keep these points in mind when distributing in the next village.”
“Yes, we will do that.”

Sunim also advised the JTS India volunteers:

“You did well. But when distributing relief supplies, there will always be people who come late, people who lost their coupons, people who ask for more after already receiving once. We’re trying to minimize such incidents, but they can’t be completely avoided.”
“We’ll keep that in mind.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”

All the relief supplies were distributed by 8 AM. JTS India plans to distribute supplies to three villages over two days, and they have just finished distribution to the first village. The JTS India volunteers moved on to the second village, while Sunim headed straight to Guwahati Airport by car. Flooded villages could be seen continuously through the car window.

Sunim arrived at Guwahati Airport at 10 AM and checked in.


After checking in, he had lunch at the airport.


The plane that departed from Guwahati Airport at 12:55 PM arrived at Silchar Airport at 1:55 PM after an hour-long flight.



As Sunim exited the airport, staff from the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC), run byMagsaysay Award winner Ravi Kannan, warmly welcomed him.

“Namaste!”
He immediately headed to the accommodation by car. After unpacking at the lodging, he prepared for the Friday Dharma Q&A live broadcast.

Finding a place with good internet connection, he started the Friday Dharma Q&A live broadcast at 4 PM local time, which was 7:30 PM Korean time.

As the YouTube streaming began, 3,900 people connected to the live broadcast. Sunim smiled and greeted the viewers:

“I have just arrived in Silchar, the second largest city in Assam state in northeastern India, and am now meeting with you all. Last week, I met with you in Bangkok after visiting Vietnam and Cambodia. Then I went to Bhutan to check on ongoing sustainable development projects before crossing the border into India by land.
There are currently severe floods in Assam state, causing great damage to residents. So JTS India has dispatched five volunteers to conduct emergency relief activities in Assam. As I had a scheduled visit to Assam, I changed my itinerary for one day to provide food and necessities to flood victims today. After conducting emergency relief activities early in the morning, I came here to Silchar.
In Silchar, a doctor named Ravi Kannan and his colleagues are providing free treatment to 2,000 poor cancer patients annually. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award last year, and through that connection, I plan to visit his hospital, discuss how we can cooperate, and offer encouragement.”
Next, they watched a video of the girls’ dormitory completion ceremony in Cambodia from last week.
After the video ended, Sunim continued speaking.
“Cambodia has suffered greatly due to prolonged war. As you know, it’s a country that experienced the terrible tragedy of the ‘Killing Fields’. However, through final peace negotiations in the Battambang region, they achieved peace without annihilating opposing forces or resisting to the end, but by signing peace treaties with each other. As I look at the current inter-Korean relations, I hope we can find a way to understand and cooperate with each other rather than seeking to subdue the other side and achieve victory. I think it would be better if politicians from both ruling and opposition parties took the path of peace through cooperation rather than the path of victory by overwhelmingly subduing the other side.
I am currently working outside of Korea. I heard on the news that there are people in Korea who have suffered flood damage and fallen into despair due to heavy rains. I hope you can also take some time to volunteer for those in need or at least empathize with their pain in your hearts.”
Then he had a conversation with those who had requested questions in advance. Four people pressed the raise hand button and asked Sunim questions. One of them sought Sunim’s advice on how to deal with a coworker who strongly dislikes them and spreads malicious gossip about them.

How Should I Deal with Someone Who Dislikes Me?
Sunim smiled lightly and replied:
“Do you work at a company?”
“Yes.”
“Since that person is not your lover, spouse, or family member, if you quit that job, you won’t have to meet them anymore. Wouldn’t quitting the job be the easiest way? You could choose that path, so why can’t you make that choice?”
“I’ve thought about it, but it feels unfair to give up my job because of that person I dislike so much.”
“That’s because you think you’re giving up your job because of that person. It’s like saying, ‘Bangkok has cheap food and many attractions, but I can’t live there because it’s too hot,’ or ‘I really like India, but I can’t live there because the streets are too dirty.’ These aren’t problems with those people, right?
You should choose what’s good for you without blaming others. Everywhere you go, all people have such elements, and all situations have the potential for such issues. The company is good, but having such colleagues or superiors is also the reality of that company. If you really can’t stand it, you can just quit the company. How about comparing your desire to quit because of that colleague with the benefits you get from the company? You probably haven’t quit yet because the benefits you get from the company are still greater. What do you think?”
“I think you’re right. I really enjoy my work and want to continue, but it’s painful to have to see that colleague every day.”
“Even if that colleague isn’t as good as you’d like, don’t you think the company keeps them around because they’re needed? If everyone said that person wasn’t needed, the company would have let them go already, right? So that person is also part of the company you like. You need to decide whether to stay at this company or not, taking that into account. If you really can’t stand it, you should give up even if the company pays well and the work is interesting.
If a man is handsome, rich, smart, and good in every way, but keeps having affairs, you’d have to make a choice, right? Either accept the man’s infidelity and live together, or if you can’t stand a cheating man despite his ten other good qualities, then break up. You have to choose one of these two options.

There’s no need to say things like, ‘If only he didn’t cheat, he’d be so good.’ There’s also no need to say, ‘This company is good in every way except for this one problem.’ Considering all the issues – with superiors, colleagues, subordinates, salary – you still find it more beneficial to work at the company. That’s why you’re still working there now. But you keep thinking, ‘If only this wasn’t the case,’ and that’s why you’re suffering. That person is just one element that makes up this world. Wherever you go in the world, there are all kinds of people. When that person says things like, ‘What’s so great about you? You’re the problem,’ if there’s some truth to it, you can accept it and say, ‘Yes, you’re right.’ If there’s no truth to it, you can think, ‘That’s your perspective, so you can think that way on your own. I’ll live my own way.'”
“But what that person sees in me could be true, right? So when they point out my flaws, I keep reflecting on those words.”
“In this world, no claim is actually true. What that person is saying is their perspective. Even when someone says they like you, it’s not a fact but their perspective. If many people say you’re bad, it just means that in that group, many people hold that view. It’s not easy to know what the truth is. The Buddha’s teaching is that nothing is inherently good or bad. Good and bad arise in people’s minds. People say ‘good’ or ‘bad’ from their perspective, but in reality, there’s nothing good or bad. There’s nothing right or wrong. It’s emptiness (sunyata). Because the reality is emptiness, even thinking ‘Is it true that I’m bad?’ or ‘Is it true that I’m good?’ is mistaken. It’s also wrong to think, ‘Is it true that God exists?’ or ‘Is it true that God doesn’t exist?’ Some people believe God exists, while others believe God doesn’t exist. You should view it as ‘These two people have different beliefs.’
Among your coworkers, some might think you’re too boastful. Some might think you’re smart. Some might think you’re honest. Everyone has a different perspective. You can just accept it as ‘This person sees me this way,’ ‘That person sees me that way.’ But when you meet someone who praises you, you feel good, and when you meet someone who sees you negatively, you feel bad. That’s why life becomes difficult, fluctuating between good and bad.
‘Among people in the world, some see things this way, and others see things that way!’
If you accept it like this, there’s no problem at all. You’re suffering now because you want everyone to see you favorably. If you think, ‘People just see things their own way,’ there’s no problem at all.

Also, someone who spreads malicious gossip about you isn’t necessarily bad. At first, you might feel a bit upset. Your image might worsen because that person is spreading gossip about you. But as time passes, there’s a high chance that people will think, ‘Actually, that person isn’t like that. They’re better than I thought.’ If you look at it more broadly, it’s not a big deal. That’s why I smiled as soon as I heard your story. It’s not a big deal. This is what human society is like.”
“Then is it okay to continue living with feelings of resentment towards that colleague?”
“If you resent them, you’re the one who loses. That person is just living as they are, but if you resent them, you’re the only one who suffers. If you’re foolish, keep resenting that person and live in pain. If you realize, ‘In the end, I’m the only one who loses,’ you should let go of the resentment.”
“Thank you.”

“It’s your choice whether to continue resenting that person and live in pain, or to realize, ‘So that’s the kind of person they are. I only lose by resenting them,’ and let go of the resentment. Even resenting that person is just your perspective. Some people like that person. That’s their perspective too. They don’t like that person because they’re actually good; they just see them that way.
Some people like cats, and some people dislike cats. That’s just their preference, not because cats or dogs have likable or dislikable qualities. Cats and dogs are just animals, and some people like them while others don’t. If you hate them for that, you’re the only one who loses. If you go to the mountains and get upset because the trees are big, or get upset because the trees are small, you’re the only one who suffers.
In the mountains, there are big trees and small trees, plants that grow in sunny spots and plants that grow in shady spots, various kinds, right? Similarly, people have diverse appearances, skin colors, personalities, beliefs, and preferences. From my perspective, I might wonder why someone looks a certain way, but what can we do about how they were born? From my perspective, I might wonder why someone thinks a certain way, but what can we do if that person can only think that way since birth? I might wonder why someone believes in something, but what can we do if their parents believed the same way since they were young? If it doesn’t look good to me, I can just choose not to do it myself. Then your mind will be at peace. If you’re a bit wiser, you don’t need to quit your job because of such a person. If you’re foolish, you might quit your job because your colleague doesn’t act the way you want them to.”
“Thank you. Although that person has really made things difficult for me, thinking that such things can always happen in the world makes me feel much more at ease.”

“That person didn’t make things difficult for you. You should express it as ‘I found it difficult when I saw that person.’ Ask that person once if they said those things to make you suffer. They’ll probably answer that they just spoke as they felt, not to torment you. They just spoke that way because they couldn’t control their temper. So don’t view it as ‘That person made things difficult for me,’ but try to accept it as ‘I found it difficult when I saw that person’s behavior. In the end, I’m the only one who loses.’ You can see that person as just one part of the world. There’s no need for you to suffer unnecessarily because of that person.”
The questions continued. After answering all the questions, it was time to end the live broadcast. Sunim gave his closing remarks.

“Time has flown by as we’ve been talking for an hour. Next week, I think I’ll be meeting you from Hanoi, Vietnam. I’ll see you again next week.”
After ending the live broadcast, Sunim headed to the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) to meet Dr. Ravi Kannan. He arrived at the hospital at 6:30 PM.

Dr. Ravi Kannan warmly welcomed Sunim.

“It’s nice to meet you. How have you been?”
“I’ve been doing well. I came to see how you are carrying out your activities.”
While having tea, they introduced the accompanying group and exchanged greetings.

“Looking at your schedule, you must be very tired. Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m doing very well. I’ve set aside the whole day today and tomorrow for this place. This morning, I heard that the Morigaon area in Assam state had suffered severe flood damage, so I went there to conduct emergency relief activities for the flood victims.
As a monk, I work on treating people’s psychological difficulties. Even during tomorrow’s Dharma Q&A, it’s fine to talk about difficulties in life rather than religious topics.”

Dr. Ravi Kannan first met Sunim at the Ramon Magsaysay Award ceremony last November. Sunim was deeply moved by Dr. Kannan’s acceptance speech, where he said, “No one should be unable to receive treatment because they have no money,” while providing cancer treatment services to 5,000 poor patients annually. After the ceremony, Sunim promised to visit the hospital, and today he finally made it.
Dr. Kannan carefully introduced his colleagues. With each introduction, it was evident how much he cared for his colleagues.

“Out of the 460 people working in this hospital, 230 are nurses. This person plays the most important role in overseeing the nurses.”
After detailed introductions of his colleagues, from 6:50 PM, Dr. Kannan guided Sunim on a tour of the hospital.

All Treatments Are Free After Paying 500 Rupees for the First Consultation
The first place he introduced was where patients go when they first visit the hospital.

When patients first arrive at the hospital, they receive counseling here. The initial encounter when a patient comes to this hospital for the first time is crucial. Most patients come with tremendous fear about their illness, so they must be treated with care. Therefore, counseling is provided here first to inform them about the support they can receive.
At this hospital, if a patient pays only 500 rupees (about $8) for the initial consultation, all subsequent treatment costs for that patient are free for life. This is because if patients had to pay each time they came to the hospital, it would become a burden and prevent them from receiving treatment. So once they pay the initial fee, they can come for life.
“You’re doing truly wonderful work.”

Since the hospital’s operational purpose is to enable even poor people to receive cancer treatment, consideration for the poor is reflected in every process, from reception to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and inpatient care.

Mr. Kannan guided us through the order in which patients visit the examination rooms when they come to the hospital. In addition to introducing the spaces, he lovingly explained the role each staff member plays in the hospital and how excellently they perform their duties whenever we met an employee.

Despite the humid weather and lack of air conditioning causing sweat to pour down, both Mr. Kannan’s face as he explained and the faces of the staff being introduced were full of smiles.
A Hospital With No Set Closing Time

Next, he introduced the physical therapy room and dental clinic. Despite the late hour, all rooms were lit, and doctors and nurses were working. Sunim asked a question.
“Until what time is the hospital open?”
Mr. Kannan answered with a smile.

“We operate until the last patient’s treatment is finished. There is no set closing time. Since patients come from far away, the principle that all staff working at this hospital must follow is ‘When someone comes, they must be seen without fail.’ This is to ensure that poor patients who make the effort to come from distant places don’t return home disappointed because they arrived at the hospital late.”
We moved to a building housing state-of-the-art equipment, the Positron Emission Tomography (PET CT) scanner.


“All the machines and equipment in this hospital have been donated. Someone provided support, saying there is no better equipment in current medical technology. This equipment uses electromagnetic waves to treat cancer.”
“You’ve introduced the latest machines as well.”
Mr. Kannan spoke confidently.
“I believe that just because someone is poor, they shouldn’t receive inferior treatment.”

However, the building with the cutting-edge equipment was only one story. Mr. Kannan explained:

“This building was originally planned to be four stories, but we could only build the first floor. Since we don’t have enough money to build it all at once, we are gradually expanding facilities and equipment whenever supporters appear.”
Sunim asked a question.
“If flood damage occurs frequently in the future, won’t the equipment be at risk? With the climate crisis, floods will become more frequent. Shouldn’t you raise the building and move the equipment to the second floor?”
“Fortunately, this equipment came in after the flood damage occurred, so there hasn’t been any damage yet. It’s too heavy to move to the second floor.” (laughs)

A Hospital Where All Patients Are Treated Equally, Without Special Rooms
We then went back to the ward to see where terminal cancer patients are hospitalized.
“We care for patients who are difficult to cure completely here.”
Mr. Kannan shared a special operating principle of this hospital.

“This hospital doesn’t have special rooms that can be used by paying more money. All patients pay the same amount and receive the same care. If we were to accept more money from someone who can pay more, we would have to treat that person specially. Then poor people who can only pay a little wouldn’t receive proper care.”
“You’re operating in a truly equal manner.”

Currently, 150 people are hospitalized and receiving treatment. Next, we went to the transfusion medicine department. He explained that they have completed a blood donation system that is rare to see in India.

“As you know, a lot of blood is needed to treat cancer and perform surgeries. Because it was difficult to obtain blood, in the past, we had to ask from the beginning which family member would donate blood when starting treatment. To ease the burden on families, we created a system where ordinary citizens can donate blood. The public response to blood donation has been tremendous. Now we no longer have to ask family members for blood donations.”
Sunim asked a question.
“How many people donate blood in a month?”

“About 300 people a month. We’re also running blood donation campaigns. We received an award for having the highest number of blood donations in Assam state.”
“You’re doing great work.”

After finishing the explanation, the transfusion medicine doctor greeted Sunim in Korean.

“Please visit again.”
The doctor had apparently practiced this one sentence all day to say it to Sunim. We took a commemorative photo together.

The next place we visited had a lot of documents. They were computerizing all patient records.

“This person has been doing data entry work for 15 years since 2008. If we start treatment for a patient, we need to continue tracking their condition afterwards. The records for one person amount to this much. In the past, we kept them in bundles of papers like this, but now we’ve finished entering records up to 2015 into the computer.”
A Hospital Where Test Results Come Out Within an Hour for the Poor
The next place we visited was where cancer is diagnosed through tissue biopsy.

“Usually, it takes 3 to 10 days for biopsy results to come out in hospitals. Here, we’ve developed a system where biopsy results come out within an hour. This is because many poor people don’t come back to the hospital if told it will take 3 days for test results. For the sake of poor people, we’ve created a system where all tests can be completed within 24 hours. This saves over 70 percent in time and money.”
“In Korea, even at general hospitals with all kinds of facilities, you have to wait a week for test results.”

Next, we looked around the intensive care unit and operating rooms.

A Hospital Where It’s Okay to Hang Laundry on One Side
It was designed so that one caregiver could stay with the patient and live comfortably as if at home. One side of the hospital had laundry hanging as if it were a home.

“Most of the patients come from rural areas, and their families can stay comfortably at the hospital. They can wash and hang their laundry here. It’s okay if it looks a bit messy, even though it’s a hospital.”
Sunim showed special interest in this operational approach.

“It’s free and nice. In Korea, we can’t do this, so the cost for caregivers is more than the hospital fees. If hospital fees are $1,000 a month, caregiver fees are $3,000. Hospital fees are covered by medical insurance, but caregiver fees are a big burden on individuals. But it’s really good that families can come and live together at this hospital. Poor people can’t afford caregiver fees. It looks a bit messy, but I think this approach is fine.”
A Hospital That Provides Meals to Caregivers Too
Sunim asked a question.

“But while patients are given meals at the hospital, how do caregivers eat?”
“We provide meals to caregivers too. In the past, there was an incident where a wife stole her patient husband’s food, causing a fight between the couple. Since that incident, we’ve been providing meals to caregivers as well.”
We saw the computer room and also visited the pediatric cancer ward. There were several children in the pediatric cancer ward. When Sunim appeared, the children ran out to greet him.


As we looked around every corner of the hospital, it was truly impressive that all the staff we met consistently had bright smiles on their faces.

On one side of the hospital, the mission and purpose of the hospital were written. Every aspect of the hospital’s operation was focused on the patients, with deep consideration especially for the poor.

“We show empathy in all interactions with patients and staff.”
“No patient who enters our hospital is turned away for lack of money.”
The hospital’s mission and purpose were being realized in Mr. Kannan’s face, the staff’s attitude, and the hospital’s operational methods.

Lastly, we looked at the cafeteria and kitchen. With 460 staff members and including patients and caregivers, it’s a space that needs to produce a huge amount of food, but it looked very small.

Sunim asked in puzzlement.
“Can you cook meals for all the patients with this small kitchen?”
“Yes, it’s still manageable.
After touring the hospital for an hour, we went to Mr. Ravi Kannan’s small house next to the hospital.

His wife, Seetha, warmly welcomed Sunim.


“I’ve read about all the work you’ve done. I was deeply moved.
Sunim replied with a smile:
“I think what your husband has done is even more great.”
The small, modest house didn’t even have air conditioning. While the hospital continues to acquire cutting-edge equipment, it seemed that Mr. Kannan’s house maintained its frugal appearance unchanged.

While having dinner together, we had a conversation in response to questions about Sunim’s life.

Sunim comfortably answered various questions about how he became a monk, whether his mother was heartbroken when he became a monk, whether he also participated in the democratization movement, and whether he felt angry during the democratization movement.

Finally, they asked if there was anything he regretted in life.
“Do you have any regrets in your life, Sunim?”
Sunim answered with a smile:

“I don’t have any particular regrets. There are days like this and days like that. I simply live each day as it comes.
Whether it’s good or bad, looking back, there’s not much difference. Whether I ate meat for dinner ten years ago today, or vegetables, or went to bed hungry, what meaning does that have now? It might have seemed different that day, but looking back now, there’s no difference at all. Whether I came to Silchar today and slept in a nice hotel or under a tree, it might feel important right now, but ten years from now, where I slept in Silchar won’t matter at all.”
“Aren’t there greater values than that? For example, life and death?”
“I don’t think anything has inherent value. We simply assign value to things as we live. For example, ‘We should give food to hungry people,’ ‘Children should be able to learn in school’ – these are meanings we assign as we live. They didn’t have such meaning originally. I think there’s no difference between a rabbit living its life and a person living their entire life. We just live in this world because we were born. By viewing the world this way, we can be awake in the present moment every day and enjoy our current life.

You can compare the satisfaction of buying and wearing nice clothes with the satisfaction of giving clothes to someone who has none, and choose the better option to live by. You can compare the satisfaction of buying good food for yourself with the satisfaction of sharing food with a hungry person, and judge which is better. The idea that doing good deeds will lead to a better rebirth in the next life isn’t that important. Always make your own choices and take responsibility for the results. No choice is inherently better than another. We hesitate in making choices because we don’t want to take responsibility for the results. We keep thinking ‘which choice is better,’ but there’s no good or bad in choices. We hesitate because we don’t want to take responsibility for our choices.”
Before we knew it, two hours had passed in conversation.
Sunim expressed his gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Kannan for their kind guidance.

“I enjoyed a delicious dinner as well. Thank you for personally guiding us despite your busy schedule. Seeing the smile and kindness radiating from your face, I fully understand why so many people respect you.”
Mr. Kannan replied with a shy smile.

“It’s because our team is amazing. My colleagues are truly remarkable people.”
After exchanging greetings, Sunim returned to his accommodation.


Tomorrow, Sunim will visit the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) again to have a conversation with Mr. Ravi Kannan, visit patients’ homes to see how they are cared for at home, and in the evening, he will give a Dharma Q&A for the hospital staff.