FROM ROUTINEto REVELATION
Dr. Sasinat Jittasirinuwat
Psychologists like Abraham Maslow and Viktor Franklonce suggested that humanity’s highest drive isn’t justabout survival or happiness, but about living a life that means something to others.
This might sound abstract, but consider the story of Dr Sasinat Jittasirinuwat, a dentist whose life followed everysuccess formula – excellent grades, stable career, lovingfamily, no troubles to worry about. Yet she decided to embarkon a spiritual journey, not because her life fell apart or herspirit was broken, but simply because a friend invited her to ameditation retreat.
From that day, new questions about life emerged. Thisled her to work as a volunteer dentist at a meditation centerdeep in the forest of Surin Province, simultaneously providingtreatment opportunities for villagers in remote areas.
She stopped just fixing teeth and started healing lives.
She went from being a mom who’d never been toa Dhamma camp to taking care of youth in the “YoungDhamma” program.
She transformed from someone who never questionedlife to someone who truly understands what “Dhamma” meansin everyday practice.
This is a story of inner transformation – nothing flashy,but profound. It proves we don’t need to wait for chaos beforeseeking a way forward. Sometimes awakening happens whenlife is ‘too ordinary,’ when we start asking…
What can we do to pass on good living and happiness toothers?
What motivated you to get into the Dhammapath?
I have to say it started with a friend. Afriend who was already practicing meditation invited me tojoin. This was around 2015. Then about three years later, I hadan opportunity to do volunteer work. One of those volunteerjobs was doing dental work for monks at Larn Hin Pa Mokemeditation center, Surin province. Back then, I just went withmy friend to see if I could help with anything. When she askedthe nun there if they had any problems, she told us abouthealth issues, especially dental problems. It was really difficultfor them to go outside since the place was quite remote.
Have you always been the volunteering type since your student days?
Actually, no. My life was pretty simple, following the usualsteps. After graduating from university, I worked to pay backmy scholarship at Langsuan Hospital in Chumphon province(southern Thailand). After completing my 7-8 years there, I came back to study more and then opened a clinic there.
What made you decide to seriously practice Vipassana meditation then?
My friend from middle school went to practice first and theninvited me. Actually, when I first started Vipassana meditation,I knew it was good, but I didn’t practice regularly. I definitelyknew I needed to continue. Every time I went there, I knew I waschanging for the better.
Could you elaborate on this a bit?
First, it was about the Five Precepts. In the past, when mykid was still small, if I saw a mosquito, I’d go “Oh my!” and dealwith it immediately. Now, I realize that they cherish their lives too.
With dental work, if the patient is a child, you often have tocoax them, say things that aren’t quite true to keep the childfrom crying or resisting. How do you manage this?
Hmm, you do have to coax them a bit, but not really lying.I would change the wording a little bit to divert their attentioninstead. Say if I’m going to inject anesthetic, I’d say, “I’m goingto drip some medicine” – and it really is dripping. “I’m going todrip some numbing medicine” or “I’m going to drip medicine tomake your tooth sleep first.” (laughs)
I started seeing different perspectives in a new light.Whereas before, I’d say, “Huh? Why are they doing this?” When I started volunteering at the Youth Dhamma Course, it was clearthat when your perspective changes, your thoughts change,and your words and actions change too.
The kids in the course were more willing to listen to mebecause I acted like a friend they felt they could trust, not justsomeone who tells them to do this or that. This is something Iexperienced when I was with my family too. Their parents alsogave positive feedback. The parent-child relationship really didchange for the better. It feels fun and I’m happy to be doing this.
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