Jul 13, 2024 – Silchar, India, Visit to CCHRC Cancer Hospital
Hello. Today, following yesterday’s visit, we returned to the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) to converse with Dr. Ravi Kannan, visit patients’ homes to see how they are being cared for, and conduct a Dharma Q&A session for the hospital staff.
After completing his morning prayers and meditation, Sunim headed to the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) at 7:20 AM.
Upon arriving at the hospital, he first visited the kitchen, which he couldn’t examine closely the night before due to darkness.
“The kitchen is too small and poorly equipped to prepare meals for so many people. It would be good if we could support improving the kitchen facilities.”
To improve the poor kitchen facilities, Sunim prepared a donation and headed to Dr. Ravi Kannan’s house.
His wife, Sita, had prepared breakfast with great care. After enjoying the meal, they engaged in conversation for an hour.
The couple discussed at length the staff management system of the cancer hospital (CCHRC) and Jungto Society’s volunteer system. As the conversation was drawing to a close, Dr. Kannan shared a concern with Sunim. He mentioned that running a cancer hospital means constantly facing patients’ deaths and asked for Sunim’s advice on how to deal with death.
How Should We Treat Those Facing Death?

“While alive, we worry about death, but once dead, we can’t worry about anything. Worrying about death is because we are still alive.
Just as we watch a child being born and growing up, we should simply observe the process, thinking ‘So this is how people die.’ Some people may experience severe physical pain, while others may struggle, unable to let go of attachments and fighting to live. As you watch various phenomena occurring as the body dies, if you observe it thinking ‘So this is how people die,’ it won’t be too sad.”
“In the hospital, there are many patients facing death, and it’s not easy to accept death peacefully. Losing family members is also very sad.”
“That’s right. However, the Buddha taught that death should be accepted as part of life. But it’s not easy for all of us to do so. That’s why religious rituals have emerged. Praying for someone facing death, saying ‘You’ll go to a good place after death,’ or praying for the family, saying ‘They’ve gone to a world without suffering,’ or ‘They’ve gone to a peaceful place where God is,’ can bring some peace of mind.”
“Do you believe in reincarnation, Sunim?”

“Whether to believe in reincarnation or not is a matter of personal choice. Such beliefs arose because people facing death need comfort. If we deny such beliefs, we can’t understand those who actually believe in them, and if we believe in them, it leads to debates about whether it’s true or not, causing many side effects. In this world, there are people who believe one way and others who believe differently. We should just see it as ‘People have different beliefs.’ Because it’s a matter of belief, I never discuss whether I believe in it or not. However, when people are suffering too much at the time of death, I think it’s necessary to perform religious rituals for them, regardless of whether it’s true or not.
However, we shouldn’t overdo religious rituals. Some people use religious rituals as an excuse to make others pay a lot of money, which I don’t think is desirable. That’s why in Jungto Society, when parents or family members die, we don’t use the donated money for religious rituals, but instead use it to help poor people. The idea is that the deceased will go to a good place due to the merit of helping poor people. We collect such donations and use them to help needy neighbors around the world.”
Sunim handed over a donation to Dr. Ravi Kannan to be used for improving the hospital kitchen.
“The kitchen facilities seem too poor to prepare meals for over 400 people. The place where patients’ meals are prepared should be cleaner. So, it would be good to improve the overall kitchen facilities.”
“Thank you.”
Sunim then made one request.
“Yesterday, while touring the hospital, I heard that there are cases where children can’t go to school because their parents are sick. JTS has a goal that children should learn on time under any circumstances. So, if there are children of patients who can’t receive education, I’d like you to come up with a plan on how to educate them. JTS will support the necessary expenses.”
“I understand.”
After the conversation, we moved to visit the home of a terminal cancer patient. At the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC), terminal cancer patients are allowed to stay with their families, and instead, doctors make regular home visits to provide check-ups and reassure the patients.
The house Sunim was scheduled to visit today is home to a terminal lung cancer patient. After about a 2-hour drive from the hospital, we walked for another 20 minutes along a mountain path to reach the patient’s house.
Sunim held the hand of the terminal lung cancer patient tightly and prayed for them.
After the prayer, the doctor explained about the home visit program for cancer patients.
“In each area, one doctor and eight nurses are assigned, along with one ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) per thousand people, conducting weekly home visits. There are five health centers at key locations. To detect cancer early, we conduct door-to-door interviews. As India still has an extended family culture, patients who can no longer be treated are sent back to their families to spend their remaining days under family care.”
After listening to the explanation, Sunim handed over a donation to the patient.
“Please buy and eat whatever you want.”
“Dhanyavaad!” (Thank you!)
Next, the doctor conducted a medical education session for the residents. After the resident education session, the doctor asked Sunim to say a few words for the residents.
In this Assam region, many residents smoke by bundling tobacco leaves and placing them in their mouths to chew (chewing tobacco). Due to this leaf tobacco, this area has a very high incidence of oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, and lung cancer. Sunim emphasized what should be done to prevent cancer.
“Did you listen well to what the doctor said? Chewing tobacco leaves today doesn’t mean you’ll get cancer right away in a month. But if you keep using leaf tobacco, you’ll eventually develop cancer in 5 years or 10 years. It’s not that you’ll definitely get it if you chew, but the probability of getting cancer is several times higher than for those who don’t chew.
In the past, people didn’t know that leaf tobacco contained carcinogens, so they just chewed it, but now everyone knows this fact. Even if you ate it when you didn’t know, now that you know it’s harmful to your body, anyone who continues to eat it is a fool. It’s not just a problem of getting cancer and dying yourself, but it also makes your family suffer, makes doctors suffer, and makes many people suffer. I fully understand that once a habit is formed, it’s difficult to break, but if it’s bad for your health, you must stop. Do you understand?”
“Thik hai.” (Okay.)
After finishing the patient home visit, we headed to the health center. We walked for another 20 minutes along the rural path. The hot and humid monsoon weather in India made us sweat profusely.
After another hour’s drive, we arrived at the health center (Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre).
They explained that this is not a health center established by the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC), but a government facility that they use once a week. They emphasized that the system for early detection of cancer is particularly well-established.
“When nurses discover patients with a high probability of cancer through home visits, they report to the hospital. Then a doctor comes out to conduct examinations here at the health center. Currently, three people in this village are suspected of having cancer, so the doctor is here today conducting examinations.”
After the doctor’s examinations were finished, we all moved to a street restaurant to have lunch.
After a light lunch, we drove for another two hours back to the lodging to wash off the sweat. We had sweated profusely all day in the hot and humid weather. After a quick wash, we immediately went to the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC).
From 6 PM, we held a Dharma Q&A session for the hospital staff. About 100 hospital employees filled the seats. Despite the hot midsummer, the staff did not turn on the air conditioning. Dr. Ravi Kannan gave a welcoming speech, and his wife, Sita, introduced Sunim in detail to the staff.
Amid loud applause, Sunim stood in front of the microphone. He introduced why he came to visit the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC), explained how the Dharma Q&A would proceed, and then began the dialogue.
“I first visited India in 1991 to pilgrimage to Buddhist holy sites. Since 1993, I have been running schools for poor children in India, so I’ve been coming to India once or twice every year. As a result, India is the country I’ve visited most frequently after Korea, where I was born. However, I visited this Assam region for the first time in 2023. Assam is in the eastern part of India, and since there are no traces of the Buddha here, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit.
Many ethnic minorities live in eastern India. Among these minorities is the Chakma people. The Chakma originally lived across the border between Bangladesh and India. Due to religious conflicts in Bangladesh, many Chakma became refugees and came to India. Although it has been nearly 40 years since the Chakma came to India, many still have not regained citizenship. To help them, I visited a village near Lumding in Assam state for the first time in 2023.
In 2023, I was invited as a keynote speaker to the Ramon Magsaysay Award recipients’ gathering held in Manila, Philippines. There, I met Dr. Ravi Kannan. Dr. Ravi Kannan’s volunteer work helping poor people with cancer was very touching. So, I really wanted to visit the cancer hospital run by Dr. Ravi Kannan at least once.
Why I Was Greatly Impressed by This Hospital’s Operating Method
Yesterday, Dr. Ravi Kannan gave me a tour of the hospital and introduced me to his colleagues. The more I saw of the hospital under Dr. Kannan’s guidance, the more impressed I became. I was particularly moved by how the hospital cares not only for patients but also for their family members who act as caregivers. This is unheard of in other general hospitals. In Korea, while hospital facilities are excellent, patients with serious illnesses are almost isolated from their families during hospitalization. Family access is limited except during visiting hours. As a result, patients experience loneliness in addition to the physical pain caused by their illness, due to separation from their families. However, I was impressed that at Dr. Ravi Kannan’s cancer hospital, one family member is allowed to stay with the patient in the hospital.
Today, I visited the home of a terminally ill cancer patient. This patient was receiving treatment at home under the care of a doctor while staying with family. I believe that if hospital treatment has reached its limits, spending time with family at home is a much more humane life for the patient. I was also moved by the hospital’s decision to arrange this for the patient’s benefit. When I praised these activities, Dr. Ravi Kannan attributed everything to the merit of his colleagues. I express my gratitude to Dr. Ravi Kannan and all his colleagues.
I primarily help people who are suffering psychologically. At the same time, I engage in social activism. I conduct peace movements, environmental campaigns, and relief efforts for the extremely poor in various parts of the world. I also work to improve the human rights of refugees.
Having experienced such diverse activities, I can engage in dialogue with you on any topic you wish to discuss. Whether it’s religion, philosophy, science, society, psychology, or any other subject, please feel free to talk about whatever you want. Today’s conversation will proceed according to your wishes. Anyone can raise their hand and start.
Following this, anyone with questions raised their hand to ask Sunim. Various concerns from people caring for patients in the hospital poured out.
Cancer patients often ask why they got cancer, why cancer chose them. How would you, Sunim, respond to this?
Fear is an emotion we all have. How should we deal with various fears, such as what if something happens to my child, or what if my investment fails?
Cancer patients suffer greatly due to pain. I heard that you, Sunim, have also experienced torture. How should one manage their mind when suffering from pain?
I am a cancer patient. Over the past 10 years of treatment, my body has improved a lot. However, I am still not free from the fear of death. How should I deal with this fear?
When a patient dies, the family has to live with the pain for the rest of their lives. What mindset should families have?
I have a strong attachment to my family. How can I let go of this attachment?
Modern people tend to lack patience. Is this also arising from ignorance?
After two hours of conversation, finally, Ravi Kannan raised his hand and asked Sunim a question.
How Can We Become Happy?
“Let’s say you have a certain amount of money. Would you be more satisfied if you used that money to buy delicious food or nice clothes for yourself? Or would you feel more satisfied if you gave food to those who can’t afford it, and shared clothes with those who have none? Which gives you more satisfaction? When comparing the satisfaction of fulfilling your own desires with the fulfillment of helping others, which do you think will be more satisfying as time passes?
Of course, there’s no predetermined answer as to which is better. You should act in whatever way you find best. In my case, I find it better to share food with others who lack it rather than eating delicious food alone, and better to share clothes with those who have none rather than wearing expensive clothes by myself. I don’t do these things expecting to go to heaven after death or to be reborn in a better place in the next life. I do these things because I find more satisfaction in sharing with those around me. You can become happy when you adopt this perspective on life. As a doctor, would you feel satisfied only providing treatments that make money while ignoring many patients in pain? Or would you find more satisfaction in playing a role that helps patients?
I think most of you are working in this hospital because you find more satisfaction in being with people who are suffering rather than pursuing personal gain. This kind of activity is not a way of serving others, but a way of serving yourself. You’re not sacrificing yourself for someone else. Serving them is the way to serve yourself. When you have this perspective, you can sustain your activities. If you think you’re sacrificing yourself, you won’t be able to continue. Sacrifice means forcing yourself to endure, which causes stress. Even if it’s difficult, if others recognize your work, it doesn’t feel hard, but if they don’t, you feel resentful.
So, it would be good to carry out your activities with the perspective that serving others is serving yourself. It doesn’t matter whether anyone recognizes it or not. If you have this perspective, you can do work that helps others and also walk a path of happiness for yourself. Do you find working here difficult?”
One of the hospital staff members answered.
“Yes. Sometimes it can be difficult. Sometimes I feel happy when someone recognizes my efforts, and unhappy when no one does.”
Sunim continued:
“That’s why we should take an attitude of recognizing others’ efforts, while learning to be satisfied with ourselves. We should adopt the perspective of being the first to recognize others’ hard work, and learn to be content with ourselves. Wanting others to recognize your work means you’re already bound by their evaluation. If your happiness and unhappiness change based on whether others recognize you or not, you become a being bound to others. We should become free individuals. We don’t need to be influenced by anyone. Whether they praise or criticize, we should go our own way. Criticizing and praising are their business. When we have this perspective, we can fully maintain ourselves. I am the master of my own life. In Buddhist terms, we are all Buddhas.”
The conversation ended with a big round of applause.
The Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) presented gifts to Sunim and his group who had come from afar.
“It was an excellent lecture. Thank you.”
Even after the lecture ended, hospital staff continued to approach Sunim with questions. After further discussions on how to control anger and deal with fear of God, we left the hospital.
We moved back to Ravi Kannan’s house for tea. Ravi Kannan, his wife Sita, the deputy director, and two staff members joined us.
Everyone had many questions for Sunim. Another Q&A session unfolded.
From your perspective, Sunim, what aspects of our hospital could be improved?
We experience failures in life. How should we overcome failure?
It’s very sad when a patient dies. Especially the pediatric ward is so sad that we tend to avoid it. What perspective should we have?
What should we say to patients who think they got cancer as punishment from God?
After an hour and a half of conversation, Ravi Kannan once again asked Sunim a final question. He was curious about Sunim’s thoughts on how JTS and Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) could collaborate in the future.
What Kind of Work Can We Collaborate On?

“First, let me tell you what I can do. Firstly, we could work on improving patients’ living environments, like remodeling the kitchen. Although we didn’t get to see them this time, if improvements are needed in areas like hospital bathrooms or laundry facilities, please feel free to suggest them anytime. Secondly, if patients’ children are unable to study, we could look into ways to provide educational opportunities. I don’t prefer methods that involve spending a lot of money. I don’t necessarily think it’s desirable to bring in the latest machinery. Rather, like the place we visited today where they examine teeth to find the cause of cancer, that’s an excellent method. If we keep trying to acquire the latest equipment and seek large donations, there’s no end to it. There are many things that can be improved with just a little money. I’m always willing to support ideas that are low-cost but effective. JTS doesn’t provide any support for requests like ‘Please do this for us.’ If you say, ‘We’ve prepared this much, but we’re still lacking in this area,’ we support that lacking part. I’d like us to have a relationship of creating together, not just one of giving help. That’s why I named the organization ‘Join Together Society (JTS).’

I’m also thinking about how the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) could contribute to sustainable development projects in Bhutan and how it could help the Dungge Swari village in India. If it becomes necessary to adopt CCHRC’s operational methods, I will ask for your assistance.
To pursue any project with JTS, it must be low-cost initially. This is because we need to be able to expand it globally. If it’s too expensive, it can’t be applied in other regions. I’m interested in expanding this type of business model you’re implementing to a global scale.
The challenge is how to expand CCHRC’s operational model not just in the Silchar region, but throughout India and Southeast Asia. I hope we can spread what you’ve developed more widely. That’s why we inevitably have a lot to do together.
“I don’t have any activities other than running the hospital. But you, Sunim, are involved in so many activities. If you’re interested in spreading our hospital model, I’d be happy to help anytime.”
“Seeing it in person, I found that while the hospital is larger than I expected, it’s not extravagant but pleasantly modest. This is good because such a modest approach can be replicated elsewhere. If we had built a large hospital with cutting-edge equipment, it would be difficult for others to emulate. The costs would be unmanageable. However, with CCHRC’s scale, I think we might be able to spread it widely. During today’s home visit, I saw that the hospital doesn’t abandon patients but manages their care, giving both families and patients psychological stability. I think this is a good example.”
Are You Happy Now, Sunim?
Sita, his wife, asked an additional question. She asked if Sunim was truly happy.

“How do I look to you?”

“You look happy. You’re someone who has already achieved inner peace through practice. I think you must be living a satisfying life, doing a lot of good work around the world. How do you feel about it yourself?”
“I’m the type who does as much as I can. I have no problem if I were to die tomorrow. But since I’m still alive, I can’t stop my activities. That’s why I keep going. What happens after I die is for the living to think about, not me. So I don’t worry about ‘what will happen after I die.’ However, since an individual’s capabilities diminish when they’re gone, I try to systematize the organization as much as possible so that it doesn’t rely too heavily on any one person. So even though I’m doing a lot of work, I don’t have any worries.”
By the time the conversation ended, it was almost 10 PM. Sunim bid farewell to Ravi Kannan and his wife.

“If you need any help, please let me know anytime. Even for small improvements in facilities, I’m willing to support you. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
“If you ever need any help in the medical field, please feel free to ask me as well, Sunim.”
“Sure. Let’s have a relationship where we can comfortably say no if we can’t do something.” (laughs)
Promising to meet again, Sunim headed to his accommodation. Although Sunim told Dr. Ravi not to see him off, Dr. Ravi accompanied Sunim’s group to the parking lot.


Tomorrow, immediately after waking up early in the morning, Sunim will move to Silchar Airport, take a flight via Kolkata Airport, and arrive in Dhaka, Bangladesh in the afternoon. In Dhaka, he is scheduled to meet and talk with Korvi Rakshand, who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for providing free online education to children in poverty, and visit the JAAGO Foundation that he runs.