At my higher ordination (June 24th) my name will be changed: I will thence-forth be called ÑĀNASUCI BHIKKHU, so your addressing of envelopes can also be changed. It is not a deal of great importance, but, on the other hand, it is a deal of some importance. Ñāna (Ñ is pronounced as in Spanish señot, n as a soft staccato N, A as ah, but twice as long as A -- the whole pronounced NYAANA) means knowledge and SUCI (pronounced SOO-CHEE) means 'pure-clean' with an overtop of 'sweet'. BHIKKHU (pronounced bik-oo -- the 'h's are pronounced, but very softly and cannot quite be compared to anything in English) is a title, usually translated as 'monk', but more literally 'almsman', and means one who has his higher ordination as opposed to SĀMANERO, or novice.
What 'irreplaceable paper'? It's largely material I use as a correlative to an aspect of meditation; it consists of a technical book NOTES ON DHAMMA, a large manuscript collection of letters, and sundry shorter pieces, all by the late English monk, Ven. Ñānavīra Thera. We hope to have it mimeographed, but details need to be worked out; such as a typewriter suitable for the work, and there is some uncertainty of getting the proper stencils. It will be easier to type one set of stencils and get all the copies we need than to type a set of 3 or 4 carbons and not have any copies to send to the few people who might be interested in the material. But -- we shall see what develops.
The 5-colored flag on the postage stamp was designed at the turn of the century by the American Col. Olcott, who is a national hero in Ceylon, in statues, street names, etc., and is the 'Buddhist flag', if there can be such a thing.
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