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Mr. Bostick, the current Pricipal of the Developing Virture Secondary Boy School at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, is a seasoned math professor who taught at
University of Oklahoma, Texas Christian University, and Eastern New Mexico
University. He once worked for a high-tech company in Australia. He
traveled to various countries. He and his wife, Nami, were both Christians
until about ten years ago, when they lost several hundred thousand dollars
in a seafood restaurant investment. When they turned to friends for help,
most of the friends turned a cold shoulder except for one Buddhist (now a
nun at the City of 10,000 Buddhas), who not only remained friends with
them but also gave them a large loan to help them weather their financial
problems.
After this experience, Nami no longer indulged in a life of
eating and making merry. Instead, she started to sincerely study Buddhism.
Influenced by her devotion, Mr. Bostick accompanied her to ceremonies at
the Avatamsaka Vihara in Maryland. Four years ago, they came to volunteer
and stay at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Mr. Bostick became a
volunteer teacher at the Boys’ School.
Mr. Bostick came from a family of scholars. His father was
an educator and a principal all his life. Under his influence, Mr. Bostick
is not only well educated, but also enthusiastically supports education
and teaches tirelessly. He has been the Boys’ School principal for almost
two years. Demonstrating the etiquette of an elder, he carefully and
diligently fulfills his role, sharing both good and bad times with
teachers. Faculty and students alike are put at ease by his humble and
agreeable manner. At meetings, teachers always enjoy his wife’s cookies or
cake. On holidays, the Bosticks often invite the faculty and students to
their house to celebrate.
If you are a student of Mr. Bostick, you get to learn a lot
about life, history, rare words, how things work and much more--things
that you may not have bothered to read about. In Mr. Bostick’s classes,
students can learn the art of life as well as enjoy his sheer intelligence
and humor. He always has a clever question or joke up his sleeve that
requires an uncanny amount of logical thinking.
Mr. Bostick is quite the Renaissance Man. He is not only
extremely intelligent and highly rational; but can also knit and is a
pianist, a master chess player, an excellent chef, and a wonderful
Scrabble player (he can always help you use your Xs, Qs and Zs). Though
his capabilities and skills are numerous, he still remains very humble.
Mr. Bostick is one of the most supportive and helpful people at school. He
is always filled with spirit, enthusiasm and support for the school, its
students and faculty.
A filial son, Mr. Bostick brought his mother, Mrs. Margaret
Bostick, to stay with them at CTTB so that they could take better care of
her. Margaret was a Christian throughout her life, so when she moved to
CTTB, she seldom set foot in the Buddha Hall. When taking care of her,
Nami would play the chanting of Amitabha Buddha's name. On February 4,
2003, Margaret told her son and daughter-in-law to go to the Buddha Hall,
“Because I saw a lot of Buddhas there. One of them was so big, so big, I
can’t describe. You won’t believe how big it is. And light everywhere!”
She fell ill the next day and was hospitalized. Since she was in a stable
condition, she was transferred from intensive care to a regular room
within a few hours. She passed away peacefully at the age of 101 that
night.
Seeing the spiritual experience of his mother’s passing
away, Mr. Bostick started a new life journey and began attending Evening
Recitation in the Buddha Hall. For Mr. Bostick and his mother to learn and
have faith in Buddhism under his wife’s influence, they must certainly
have planted good roots in past lives! |
