1) Ah Siang suffered from schizophrenia which began after a fall at age 19. He experienced hallucinations, delusions, and disruptions in thought. He was able to function well with medication but had episodes when he did not take his medication. 2) The document describes an episode when Ah Siang asked to stay at the Buddhist association due to delusions but was convinced to go to the hospital instead. 3) It also recounts an incident during a trip to Myanmar where the power went out while Ah Siang was bathing, causing him to panic until power was restored. The document reflects on the challenges of mental illness.

1. 1

2. 2
I had known Ah Siang (not his real name) since the early
1990s when he joined our local Buddhist Association of
which I was a committee member. Ah Siang suffered from
schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a
breakdown of thought processes and by a deficit of typical
emotional responses. Common symptoms include auditory
hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized
speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant
social or occupational dysfunction. The onset of symptoms
typically occurs in young adulthood, with a global lifetime
prevalence of about 0.3–0.7%. ( Wikipedia )
According to Ah Siang, his mental disorder started with a fall
when he was around nineteen years old. (He was already in
his thirties when I knew him.) Since then he had been
suffering physical pain in his head. He also had the symptoms
like hearing voices, visual hallucinations and disruptions in
his thought processes. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia
and put on lifelong medication. As long as he took his
medication regularly he was quite alright. He could work but
he changed his jobs quite a number of times. He participated
in the religious activities in our association and was quite
helpful in voluntary service.
Ah Siang was a bit stocky in built and of average height. His
facial features many considered ugly. Many ladies were a
little scared to get near him because they said that Ah Siang, a
bachelor would look at ladies and girls in a lustful way. His
personal hygiene was poor as for many schizophrenic
patients.
I remember some occasions when Ah Siang experienced
some rather bad ‘schizophrenic attacks’ because he lapsed in
taking his medication. One afternoon he came looking for me
in the association. I was teaching in a community guidance

3. 3
Ah Siang lived with his aged mother and he used to move
around on his motor bike.
I remember some occasions when Ah Siang experienced
some rather bad ‘schizophrenic attacks’ because he lapsed in
taking his medication. One afternoon he came looking for me
in the association. I was teaching in a community guidance
class and he requested to see me. I told him to wait for ten
minutes or so for me to finish the lesson with the class. When
I met with him after my class, he said, “I want to stay in the
association for a few days.” “Why?” I asked. “What
happened?” “The spirits are coming for me the past few
nights and I cannot sleep,” Ah Siang said. He is having his
delusions again, I thought to myself. “Ah Siang, you go home
first; I will go to your home to visit you in an hour’s time,” I
told him. I was actually buying time. This was a very difficult
situation. To allow him to stay at the association was too
risky. He was not well mentally. I had heard of a mentally ill
patient causing a terrible fire in a religious association
elsewhere. To refuse his request to put up at the association
might provoke him into anger and aggression.
With a friend, I visited Ah Siang at his home in the early
evening. His poor frightened mother was crying. “My Ah
Siang has gone crazy,” she wailed. “He has been doing queer
things for the past few nights. He was going in and out of his
room and pacing all around. He burnt the prayer books and
threw away my ‘Ang Kong, Ang Kong’ (statues of Chinese
deities put at altars) which I have been praying to for more
than 20 years already.” “Auntie, you must not blame your
son,” I consoled her.

4. 4
“Your son is mentally ill and he is having the episodes
because he lapsed in taking his medicine. Don’t worry. We
will help him to get treatment at the hospital.”
It took my friend and me quite some time to persuade Ah
Siang to be admitted to the hospital for treatment. He was
warded for about a week. He recovered very well and was
soon leading quite a normal life. We had to remind him
constantly to take his medicine. He found a job and started
coming regularly to the association again.
In the year 1997, I went with a group of friends to Myanmar
for a week long visit. I brought along Ah Siang hoping that he
could do prayers and some charitable donations at the various
Buddhist temples we would be visiting.
We stayed for 3 days at a monastery in the outskirts of
Yangon and participated in some of the religious activities
there. We were very touched by the great hospitality of the
Burmese people who came to the monastery for their
devotional practices. There were many who were poor rural
folks but yet they brought lots of food and their agricultural
produce to the monastery as offerings to all.
For the remaining days of our tour, we spent at Yangon,
visiting many places of interest. We stayed for 3 nights in
Yangon at a 3-star hotel which was quite good by Myanmar
standards.
I remember a happening at the hotel room where Ah Siang
and I stayed. One night, after a tiring day’s tour, we were
getting ready to take our bath and go to sleep. I took my
shower first while Ah Siang waited in the room.
Myanmar

5. 5
Then came his turn to take his bath. He was still at the
bathroom when there was a failure of the electric supply. The
room was plunged into darkness. ( In Myanmar, disruptions
of electric supply was quite often, we were warned.) Ah
Siang gave out a loud scream, opened the bathroom door and
rushed out into the room in his birthday suit! I quickly
grabbed a torchlight and switched it on. I could not help but
laugh when I saw his birthday suit. I calmed him down and
explained that it was just a short electric failure. Power was
restored in just less than 5 minutes and Ah Siang went back
into the bathroom and finished his bath.
That night everything was quite peaceful and we chatted for
sometime. Then we retired to bed. When it was around 1 am,
I awoke for I thought I heard someone talking. Was I hearing
imaginary sounds? Had I become schizophrenic? I got up
from my bed and switched on the lights. When I looked at the
other bed where Ah Siang was sleeping, I realized that Ah
Siang was talking in his sleep. I could not make out his
mumblings. It was gibberish. I thought to myself, “His mind
must be very troubled. I wonder what thoughts were going
through his schizophrenic mind.”
The rest of our tour in Myanmar went on smoothly with no
more incidents happening in the hotel.
The years when by very quickly and Ah Siang’s life was
relatively free of any episodes of schizophrenic attacks. I
reminded him constantly about the need for him to take his
medication.

6. 6
In 2011, his mother, almost ninety years old, passed away. Ah
Siang’s spirits sank and he could not accept the death of his
mother. He lost his will to live and his health deteriorated. He
was also slowly sinking into a sort of depression. Then in late
2012, Ah Siang passed away from lung and heart failure. He
was just in his late 50s.
Reflections
* Mind is a most complex thing. To be healthy physically
and mentally is a great blessing. The world is full of
people who suffer in one way or other.
* May our minds be well and peaceful; may we be strong
in the Dhamma to face the challenging conditions that
may befall us amidst the 8 Worldly Winds in Samsara.
* I have thought for a long time about the underlying
causes for mental illnesses. Mainstream science, medicine,
psychology and psychiatry list many possible reasons.
Well, I honestly don’t know. But deep down inside me, I
believe there is a kammic link to the Dukkha or suffering
of the people afflicted with mental illnesses.
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin
“The natural Law of Kamma-Vipaka
reigns supreme.
May we learn the Dhamma well to
have Right Understanding.
May we live most righteously, doing
the good and wise thing.”