Sunday, September 04, 2011
Tribute To My Late Father
阿弥陀佛. 我很感謝大家今天來送我们的爸爸走完人生的最后一程. 爸爸一生为人忠(锺)厚, 刻苦耐劳, 待人忱懇, 值得我们的尊敬与懷念.
Dear friends and relations. Thank you for attending this occasion. Today, the 2nd September 2011, we all come together to say farewell to our late father and to send him on his last journey in life. He was 96.
Most of you would have known our late father as an aged man of few words. He worked hard and took good care of his family. He kept healthy for the majority part of his life until lately when glaucoma gradually took away his eyesight. But beneath the aged body and his grey hairs, there was a man full of talent and wisdom. He was married to my mother and together they have 5 sons, two daughters, 13 grand-children and 2 great grand-children.
My late father was born in 1918. As a young boy during that era, he did not have the opportunity to receive formal education. However, he was able to teach himself reading and writing as he grew up, and was able to apply this skill in his everyday life.
My late father was creative and artistic. Since a very young age, when he worked in the batik-printing factory, he was the one that produced the latest design pattern for the batik. He was the one who personally carved the printing block on soft wood, the technology used at that time. He was the one that mixed the latest exotic colour to match his latest design. His talent exhibited in the batik factory extended to the operation sides and including procurement of the materials and services for the factory.
Later, as the family grew larger and when we moved to Penang Island, my late father took out a job in construction and became a supervisor with the contractor. Together with his construction team, they built the Air Itam Water Filtration Plant with the clock tower standing tall on the hill slope visible to all passing traffic. Later when I had the opportunity to work there operating the treatment plant, I could not help wondering what a marvellous work they have done in contributing to the progress of the Island.
In his later life, he diligently worked for a developer. His dedication and honesty won the heart of his employer who treated him like a family member. As usual, friends and colleagues always liked him. He was always cheerful towards life even under the most adverse conditions.
For most of his retired life, my late father was largely active and independent. He was able to ride a motorcycle in his late seventies taking mother around doing the shopping and visiting people. In his eighties, due to his fading eyesight, he and my mother moved in to stay with my third brother and my fifth brother. From the time onwards both the families had devoted much in giving excellent care to meet their needs. I wish to thank them for their love, their compassion, their dedication and their endless effort to make life easy for my late father.
Now that my late father had travelled to the end of his journey this life, we are here to bid him farewell. As he journeys to a new life, may he be liberated and all harmful circumstances are subdued. May he be protected from all situations that cause fear. And may his journey from this life to the next be without fear. May the enlightened beings be there to guide him.
My late father did not provide instruction about what he wanted for his funeral. However, all our brothers and sisters have discussed and agreed that a Buddhist funeral service would be most befitting for him. His remains would be cremated and his ashes would be placed in the newly build section at the Columbarium at Mt Erskine. It is easily accessible to all for paying homage in the future. This is an ideal resting place for father. Where mind is no obstacle, and where there is no fear.
Dear father, you were a man of great strength. Your strength lies in the burdens that you had carried. It was your gentle touch and the gentle words that you whispered. It was your generosity towards your friends amongst the adverse conditions. It was your honesty and acceptance of life that you had lived. It was how respected you were at home. And for that we will remember. We shall follow the good moral virtue that you have practiced life long.
Dear father, you came to this world without causing a ripple. Calmly and peacefully you departed. You were unimpeded in your mind. You were not afraid. You left far behind all delusive thinking and distorted dreams, and ultimately entered Nirvana. In future, we will remember you the way you lived, the example you have imparted upon us. At the rising and setting of the sun, we will remember you. At the season when the flowers bloom, we will remember you. At the season when the autumn leaves fall, we will remember you. You will be forever in our hearts.
Amitabha Buddha.
親愛的爸爸
今天你塵缘已竟, 远离塵埃, 心無掛儗, 走完人生最后一程.
我们祈求, 佛陀加持, 菩萨保佑, 愿你早日往生更美好的, 更快樂的镜界(世界).
在以後的日子, 在日出和日落的時刻, 我们將会想起你,
在春暖花开的季節, 我们將会懷念你.
在秋风落葉的季節, 我们將会懷念你.
阿弥陀佛.
Dear friends and relations. Thank you for attending this occasion. Today, the 2nd September 2011, we all come together to say farewell to our late father and to send him on his last journey in life. He was 96.
Most of you would have known our late father as an aged man of few words. He worked hard and took good care of his family. He kept healthy for the majority part of his life until lately when glaucoma gradually took away his eyesight. But beneath the aged body and his grey hairs, there was a man full of talent and wisdom. He was married to my mother and together they have 5 sons, two daughters, 13 grand-children and 2 great grand-children.
My late father was born in 1918. As a young boy during that era, he did not have the opportunity to receive formal education. However, he was able to teach himself reading and writing as he grew up, and was able to apply this skill in his everyday life.
My late father was creative and artistic. Since a very young age, when he worked in the batik-printing factory, he was the one that produced the latest design pattern for the batik. He was the one who personally carved the printing block on soft wood, the technology used at that time. He was the one that mixed the latest exotic colour to match his latest design. His talent exhibited in the batik factory extended to the operation sides and including procurement of the materials and services for the factory.
Later, as the family grew larger and when we moved to Penang Island, my late father took out a job in construction and became a supervisor with the contractor. Together with his construction team, they built the Air Itam Water Filtration Plant with the clock tower standing tall on the hill slope visible to all passing traffic. Later when I had the opportunity to work there operating the treatment plant, I could not help wondering what a marvellous work they have done in contributing to the progress of the Island.
In his later life, he diligently worked for a developer. His dedication and honesty won the heart of his employer who treated him like a family member. As usual, friends and colleagues always liked him. He was always cheerful towards life even under the most adverse conditions.
For most of his retired life, my late father was largely active and independent. He was able to ride a motorcycle in his late seventies taking mother around doing the shopping and visiting people. In his eighties, due to his fading eyesight, he and my mother moved in to stay with my third brother and my fifth brother. From the time onwards both the families had devoted much in giving excellent care to meet their needs. I wish to thank them for their love, their compassion, their dedication and their endless effort to make life easy for my late father.
Now that my late father had travelled to the end of his journey this life, we are here to bid him farewell. As he journeys to a new life, may he be liberated and all harmful circumstances are subdued. May he be protected from all situations that cause fear. And may his journey from this life to the next be without fear. May the enlightened beings be there to guide him.
My late father did not provide instruction about what he wanted for his funeral. However, all our brothers and sisters have discussed and agreed that a Buddhist funeral service would be most befitting for him. His remains would be cremated and his ashes would be placed in the newly build section at the Columbarium at Mt Erskine. It is easily accessible to all for paying homage in the future. This is an ideal resting place for father. Where mind is no obstacle, and where there is no fear.
Dear father, you were a man of great strength. Your strength lies in the burdens that you had carried. It was your gentle touch and the gentle words that you whispered. It was your generosity towards your friends amongst the adverse conditions. It was your honesty and acceptance of life that you had lived. It was how respected you were at home. And for that we will remember. We shall follow the good moral virtue that you have practiced life long.
Dear father, you came to this world without causing a ripple. Calmly and peacefully you departed. You were unimpeded in your mind. You were not afraid. You left far behind all delusive thinking and distorted dreams, and ultimately entered Nirvana. In future, we will remember you the way you lived, the example you have imparted upon us. At the rising and setting of the sun, we will remember you. At the season when the flowers bloom, we will remember you. At the season when the autumn leaves fall, we will remember you. You will be forever in our hearts.
Amitabha Buddha.
親愛的爸爸
今天你塵缘已竟, 远离塵埃, 心無掛儗, 走完人生最后一程.
我们祈求, 佛陀加持, 菩萨保佑, 愿你早日往生更美好的, 更快樂的镜界(世界).
在以後的日子, 在日出和日落的時刻, 我们將会想起你,
在春暖花开的季節, 我们將会懷念你.
在秋风落葉的季節, 我们將会懷念你.
阿弥陀佛.
