What to do when you are handed a letter at work telling you a Buddhist monk, a complete stranger, is waiting for you in reception? “…here I am. I’m waiting in reception. Cheers.” This was the question facing Warren Flanagan, a teacher at Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School in Sydney.
Jason Chan, Janasiri, known as the Walking Monk. From: Barry Smith
The story begins two years earlier in 2012 when Warren’s sister, who lived in Cannonvale, North Queensland, upon seeing a monk walking along the Bruce Highway, stopped her car to give him a lift. The monk, Jason Chan (also known as Jinasiri), accepted water and her offer to stay at her home but refused to get into the car. He walked to Mai’s home staying a few hours with the family talking “about life and gave them advice about happiness.” Mai asked him if he ever got as far as Sydney, to look up her brother Warren, to see how he was. Jinasiri disappeared the next day without a word and it was not until two years later in June 2014 that he showed up at Warren’s school doors with his handwritten message.
Walking monk on highway. From: Barry Smith
Although he was in the midst of a lesson, Warren Flanagan while feeling bewildered and amazed immediately went to the office where he saw Jinasiri “peacefully meditating”, a picture of calm and contrast of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of a busy school office. Jinasiri told Warren he was willing to wait for him to finish work.
When three students showed interest they would like to meet the stranger, Warren seized the opportunity and introduced them to Jinasiri. Corey Dohmen, Anja Kranovic and Jennifer Ghadirli were intrigued by his air of calm tranquility and treated him as a newfound celebrity.
After talking with the students, Jinasiri spent a short time conversing with Warren about “life and choices”. Warren was asked by Jinasiri to pass on a message to his sister, Mai. “Tell her I’m OK.” That was the sum total of the message which left Warren perplexed. Perhaps he was unaware of the monk’s living in the moment. Jinasiri then left to visit a friend and continue his long walk along the east coast of Australia. Warren returned to class “feeling enlightened.”
Later that night Mai called Warren because she wanted to speak to Jinasiri only to learn from Warren that the monk was continuing with his perambulations, as always, on foot. Jinasiri had short encounters with two members of the same family separated by two years. Each encounter has left deep and long lasting impressions on both brother and sister acting as a catalyst to bring them together again and to know that each of them cared deeply for the other.
Warren came to understand that life can be free of stress. “I thought about how happy Jason is and how nothing bothered him and how life itself can really be worry free…just simple.”