Every
so often I will interview someone who thinks they have found the
meaning of life. I walked away from an hour with Dr. Amnuay
Tapingkae convinced that finally here was someone who really had
found out what life was about. A man who has accomplished so
much, and been given so many public awards and accolades, but
can dismiss them with the words, “All this is an illusion.
Whatever position you have is purely temporary. You must return
to your roots.”
And this he has done - totally. Born in the
Hang Dong area to a lamyai farmer and his wife, this 68-year-old
now lives back in his village and helps his family to assist his
85-year-old mother with her 20 rai lamyai orchard. This is truly
returning to one’s roots.
His early schooling was right here in Chiang
Mai, at the Prince Royal’s College, and his academic
achievements were first noted there. He was always in the top
5%, though he did admit, “Sometimes I was lazy and didn’t do
so well!”
He followed this up by going to Chulalongkorn
University, doing the preparatory work with a career in medicine
in his mind. However, he won a scholarship to Illinois in the US
and studied for a double Master’s degree - but not in
medicine. “I did a course on philosophy and my vision started
to expand. I did the two challenging subjects of Philosophy and
Psychology for my double Masters. Science, by comparison, is one
plus one equals two and is so boring!”
He returned to Chiang Mai after his 4 year
stint in the US and took a position as a teacher, back at the
Prince Royal’s College. He was only 22 years old but his
enthusiasm for teaching still shows through today. His
excitement is infectious and we were soon both talking
animatedly about the rewards of being a pedagogue (and I do not
mean financial rewards, teaching is one of the most poorly paid
professions in the world). “As a young teacher you can
influence the minds of the up and coming young people. I had
some wonderful students, including men who became members of the
Privy Council.”
However, again his academic brilliance was
noted and he was given a Fulbright grant and a fellowship from
the Edward Hazen Foundation and returned to America to the
University of Washington, Seattle, to do his 4 year Masters and
a PhD in the Philosophy of Education.
Now Dr. Amnuay, though he jokingly says,
“I’m not a ‘real’ doctor - I’m only a patient,”
returned to Chiang Mai and joined Chiang Mai University (CMU) to
teach Philosophy and Psychology. At this point I asked Dr.
Amnuay if there were different approaches to philosophy between
the western and Asian worlds. He laughed and said, “Even two
philosophers cannot agree on the very definition of philosophy.
My own personal philosophy includes idealism plus pragmatism.
One has to be serious about life. I disagree with ‘book
learning’. You have to teach the whole person to look for the
meaning of life.”
At CMU he rose to become the assistant dean
and then dean itself, which took him away from teaching and into
administration. “If it were possible to change history I would
not do it again. It took me away too much from teaching.”
But in 1973 he was also taken from CMU and
sent to Singapore by the Thai government to be our
representative in the Regional Institute of Higher Education and
Development. There he stayed for 4 years, rising to become the
director of the Regional Institute. This took him all over SE
Asia and again was administrative duties.
In 1977 he returned to Chiang Mai and though
he had twice previously refused the post of president of Payap
College, he accepted when they asked him for the third time.
“I could teach again. I was very active and I would invite
students to my office to have lunch with me, so that I could
keep in touch with student thoughts.”
He stayed at Payap for 20 years, overseeing
its transition from college to university and was involved in
fund raising for the university. “Charity begins at home so I
started with my parents and in-laws, and went on from there to
raise a lot of money for Payap Uni.”
He also became involved in social issues
outside the cloistered halls of academia, through Rotary
International and other service clubs and organizations, and
even became a consultant to UNESCO, and it was then when he
said, “All this is an illusion. Whatever position you have is
purely temporary.” He went further saying, “You are not the
supreme ruler. You must be able to move in all directions from
the poor to the rich, they are all human beings. I keep that
perspective. I teach the power of love, not the love of
power.”
As I felt there was much of Buddhist concepts
in his philosophy, I asked if he were indeed a Buddhist, to be
surprised to find that Dr. Amnuay is a Christian, but one who
acknowledges his Buddhist origins. “I believe in a personal
God and personal salvation.”
For a man who has been involved in steering
the youth of this country in the right direction, he was just as
forthright when I asked for his advice to the youth of today.
His reply is worth noting, and giving to your own children.
“Look at the old values. Don’t be overwhelmed by new trends
and try to find the meaning of life. There are three areas to
look at. The first is Academic excellence - do your best at your
studies. The second is professional excellence - do your best at
your job, no matter what it is, and finally try to find the
excellence of life - be a gentle man or lady, be kind and
compassionate and look for truth, beauty and goodness.”
Advice from a truly remarkable man.
