"Please bring some African snails to the next class because we want to observe the angiostrongylus contonensis." This was our homework for the lab class on parasites. For a moment, everyone was dumbfounded--the widespread use of chemicals has made it very difficult to find snails in Taiwan's vegetable gardens nowadays.

But intuition told me that we still might find some in the vegetable garden of the Abode of Still Thoughts, because they do not spray insecticides there. During a free afternoon, five of us students set out for the Abode for a "treasure hunt."

When we got there, Master Te An warmly asked us whether we were looking for somebody. Of course, we could not possibly tell her that we had come to look for snails, since the nuns were dedicated to protecting all living creatures. "I am just taking my classmates for a walk," I lied as we headed toward the garden.

Probably because I myself was a Buddhist, I felt guilty about lying to that nun. Collecting snails like this probably counted as an act of stealing, and I rather hoped that we would return empty-handed.

Nevertheless, on the wire netting surrounding the garden were two snails who were destined to help us out. So we made our catch.

On our way out of the garden, we ran into another nun who asked us what we had in our plastic bag. Since we were caught red-handed, we had no choice but to tell the entire truth.

After the nun listened to us, she said, "Since the snails live on the grounds of the Abode, they are our residents here. I hope you will inform the receptionist before taking them away."

In the reception room, Master Te Nien earnestly prayed to the Buddha on behalf of the snails, and then admonished us to study hard. Since it was just time for the evening chanting of the Great Repentance Sutra, I thought I'd better attend and repent.

After the service, I felt even sadder than before. I could not help but feel that it would be a sin to experiment on a resident of the Abode of Still Thoughts. In the end, I decided to consult the nuns.

"Why do some people become monks and nuns?" one of the nuns asked. "Monks and nuns want to work for the good of all living beings. As far as we are concerned, it is worthwhile to sacrifice our valuable lives if other people can thereby obtain joy and peace."

I was moved by these words. To become a monk or nun does not mean to chant sutras, worship the Buddha and search for salvation all day long. Instead it means to dedicate oneself to Buddhism and to all living creatures in this world. This selflessness is indeed worth our admiration and respect. No wonder that a poem calls monks and nuns "the Buddha's loftiest disciples." If the two snails really were members of the Abode of Still Thoughts, they must be happy to donate their bodies for our research.

The day I attended the lab class, my heart was filled with gratitude and respect, because the two snails from the Abode of Still Thoughts were helping us with our studies. Perhaps it was because of this feeling in my heart that I had no problem observing the transparent parasites under the microscope.