On 24th May 2023, Phra Dhammaphacharayanamuni or Ajahn (teacher) Jayasaro visited International School of Hellerup (ISH) and was welcome by Ms. Elmiye Kolukisa, Head of School, and Mr. Stef Fleet, Primaary School Principal. Ajahn Jayasaro was then invited to have an Q & A session and a conversation about Buddhism with 90 students from Grade 4 at the school library. The students expressed a great interest to learn more about Buddhism and asked many questions, such as the reason behind Ajahn Jayasaro’s interest in the teachings of the Buddha, the reason why his reverence became a monk, an inquiry about the robe of Buddhist monk, a daily life of a monk, the total number of monks around the world, sacred days in Buddhism, alms, karma, and the way to reach Nirvana. After the session ended, the students wrote messages of gratitude to Ajahn Jaysaro for the new knowledge about Buddhism, and the inspiration to do good deeds bestowed by his reverence.

 

On 25th May 2023, the day after, Ajahn Jayasaro visited Copenhagen International School (CIS), and was greeted by Mr. Timothy Veale, Director, and Ms. Katie Ham, Secondary School Deputy Principal. After a brief introduction about the school, Ajahn jayasaro was invited to have a conversation about Buddhism with 44 students from Grade 7 in two classrooms. Eager for the opportunity to know more about Buddhism, the students posted multitudes of interesting questions, including the origin of Buddhism, the way to prepare and train before joining monkhood, the relation between the monks and the community, a period which one stays in monkhood, and his reverence personal experience as a foreign monk in Thailand. Moreover, Ajahn Jayasaro also used the opportunity to provide the students with knowledge about keys teachings of Buddha which are 5 Precepts, 4 Noble Truths, and the 8 Middle Paths.

 

Ajahn Jayasaro is one of the most revered monks of the Thai Forest Tradition, which is a branch of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand. His reverence became a disciple of Ajahn Chah, one of Thailand’s most renowned Buddhist monks and meditation masters, at Wat Pah Pong Forest Monastery in Northeast Thailand. He was ordained by Ajahn Chah in 1980 and has remained in monkhood for more than 40 years. His reverence was invited to Denmark for the second time by the Embassy of Thailand to Copenhagen to teach Dhamma to the Thai community, and converse about Buddhism with students and interested foreigners in Denmark.