There are young people who are convinced they're fat and fret about it endlessly.

Others are masters of their schoolwork and still worry themselves sick. Still others completely blow their cool when they lose a "friendly" tennis match. Would you like to meet these troubled youths and give them a good shake? No need - somebody already has.

They're in "Dek Khi Songsai Kab Phuyai Hua Jai Dhamma" ("Sceptical Kids and Grown-ups with Dharma Hearts"), a book just published as part of the government's Love & Learn project.

Nine "kids" - the ages range from 13 to mid-20s - sat down with followers of the spiritual path to talk about their problems and see if dharma offered a solution. The conversations are interesting, and inspiring too.

Sasita Sombatcharoen, Nualpan Tangtavorn and Krin Popiti are typical of young people who are worried or confused at times and seem like good candidates for a big plate of "soul food".

Youth problems and adults' burdens alike can be alleviated with some self-scrutiny, devotees of dharma believe. The term itself derives from dhammachat - nature - so natural healing is what's on offer.

In her late teens, Sasita has an admirable figure, but she's always had this voice whispering to her that - at 50 kilograms and 167 centimetres tall - she was too fat. She took pills and suffered the side effects for months.

Two years later she weighs the same but feels fine. She'd been to see retired businesswoman Thitinart Na Pattalung, author of the best-selling "Khemthit Cheewit" ("Life Compass"), and got herself a dose of happiness instead.

"Think of any problem you've had and you can see it's a common problem for everyone," Thitinart says. "No one is satisfied with him or herself - some say they're not pretty enough, businesspeople think they're not wealthy enough...

"In our minds there's always a hole we struggle to fill. We search for things to fulfil us, but while we're trying to catch other things, genuine happiness moves even further away."

All the time, Thitinart assures her young friend, that happiness is in our own mind.

It was the struggle for academic excellence that was driving Nualpan crazy. She ranked first in the country in the university entrance examination for doctors, but high scores did nothing to ease her anxiety.

Nualpan had a talk with Ard-ong Jumsai Na Ayutthaya, a scientist-turned-dharma practitioner, and learned how to integrate the belief into her studies. Peace of mind resulted.

Dr Art-ong could see what she was up against because he'd been in the same boat, the one that sails under pressure from other people's expectations. But control the mind, he says, and the pressure disappears.

"Stress is caused by our own mind, by kilad [desires], so we're driven by our desires," he says, raising the central principle of dharma, which is that every problem has a root cause. Uproot the cause and, importantly, do so without expecting anything in return. Fear of disappointment evaporates with it.

Thirteen-year-old Krin Popiti, son of actress Daraneenut, had fallen into an emotional trap. His mum found out how deeply when she saw him explode after losing the aforementioned tennis match. "I'd done everything I could," Krin says. "I practised hard and then I failed - so I was mad at myself."

A usually kind lad, he's nevertheless easily irritated. To the rescue came Phra Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi, who wrote the bestseller "Anger Management" under the penname W Vajiramedhi.

In "Sceptical Kids", the monk asks Krin about the tennis tantrum. The loss was completely unexpected, the boy says, because he'd prepared so well.

"I'd accept it if I didn't practice."

Water, Phra Maha Wudhijaya points out, only boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Likewise, a tennis match will only be won when the time is right.

Keep practising, he says. "You do what you love, and that's good enough." The monk advises Krin to take time to be still, saying nothing. If the match is going badly, he suggests going to a different spot, perhaps washing his face, maybe meditating.

Krin comes up with a wise analogy of his own: Anger is like the skin of a fruit. "Exactly!" the monk replies - you just have to peel it off to enjoy the fruit inside.

The conversation serves as a good starting point for Krin - he still yells and punches his pillow when he's frustrated - but at least he's had a glimpse of dharma's path to self-control.

"Dek Khi Songsai Kab Phuyai Hua Jai Dhamma" is published by 4-Letter Word and costs Bt150. Thitinart's "Khemthit Cheewit", from Wongkom Publishing, sells for Bt199. W Vajiramedh's "Anger Management", published by Amarin Printing, is priced at Bt170.

Veena Thoopkrajae

The Nation