So I'm in Thailand!
Have been at the monastery for two weeks now. Its an incredibly
beautiful and peaceful place (for those who can appreciate living
surrounded by some 100 acres of forest and 30 bald people) .
Came into town to extend my visa and thought I'd post a quick note.
There are almost as many nationalities as there are people here...
a truly international place - yet they adhere strictly to the Buddha's
monastic discipline in the Thai cultural context.
The day starts at 3:30am. There is chanting to awaken our sleepy minds
to the Buddha's wonderful teachings (done in Pali and English) for a
while and then we meditate. This is followed by morning Pindapat or
the alms round (the monks eat only what they get through the generosity
of peole each morning). I usually accompany them these days as they
walk in a silent line of bare heads and feet with orange in between. Its
incredible to see men and women and even children waiting outside their
houses to offer food to the monks (the time is dawn & they must have
woken atleast an hour earlier to prepare the food...and they do this
everyday!). The whole atmosphere in this country is one of
incredible 'lightness' probably an effect of the great generosity and open
hearted nature of the people here.
We return to have what will be the only meal for the day after some
chanting wishing for the well being of those who made the meal possible.
Let me add that just 20 monks get enough food to support some 50
people - and though I'm not used to it, its about the best food I've ever
eaten (my biggest challenge these days is dealing with the tendency to
overeat!) Even though its the only meal we get, I haven't felt hungry even
once...and I easily do twice the amount of physical work here that I was
accustomed to before .
I've been assigned a 'kuti', a wooden hut raised on stilts to keep
the snakes/insects away. Its pretty idillic, though the complete darkness
and solitude is a challenge sometimes (and I thought I was not scared of
the dark!).
There is a cremation area at the entrance of the monastery (one of the
reasons it was offered to the monks was because the villages were afraid
of the ghosts here!). It was very interesting for me to witness a cremation
here a few days back. The Thai people have taken the Buddha's
teaching of accepting death so much to heart that there was really no
fuss at all. People were sitting around and chatting like it was just another
day. the relatives were serving everybody around refreshments - it was
like we were about to see a movie! Not a single person was crying.
Though in this case the dead man was old, I'm told that even in the case
of more untimely deaths there is not much change in the equanimous and
accepting attitude of these people about the reality of life. We all went up
and paid our final respects to the body and it was burnt. Really no
significant ceremony or fuss at all.
On this occasion, after about an hour of burning; the corpse
very unusually turned around and the upper part of the body almost sat
up. The monks were all very impressed as they got to see a rare view of a
human body being consumed by the flames in complete view. It was a
great lesson in impermanence and the final destiny we all share.
I sould be getting back to the monastery now and do my duties (its
cleaning the shower block these days!). The schedule here issomewhat
different everyday but we all do 1-2 hours of chores. I have many waking
hours of the day to do exactly what I want with them. Yesterday I used
them to learn sewing.
I'll be spending the next 2 months in Northern Thailand. The community
stays in a remote jungle region to practise meditation and get away from
the comforts(!) and complascence (however u spell that) that sometimes
sets in a quiet monastery...with your own little kuti ;)
I'm having a great time and learning a lot. Its not an easy life, but very
rewarding. I hope to ordain as a monk when we return in May.
Wish you all wellness and happiness in your own jungles and kutis
wherever you are! And I appreciate your continuing good wishes.
peace
h