2 Weeks as a Buddhist Monk

[steadyjohn]

Hi all my is Johhny from Ireland.
I have been living in Udon Thani, Thailand since June 2007. Having visited Thailand many times, I developed an interest in Buddhism.
In July 2007 I spent two weeks as Travel-To-Teach(T2T) volunteer in Wat Sriteeparum, Loei, where I developed a friendship with the abott Luangta Michael.



Having returned to Loei to vist the temple on a few occasions, I decided that I would ordain as a monk for 2 weeks in April 2008 (1st - 15th)
For my ordination ceremony I had to learn some chants in Pali language(a language used in Northern India at the time of the Buddha about 2500 years ago)
I never managed to learn everything off by heart so I was a allowed to bring a piece of paper with me.The cermony lasted about an hour, myself and two others ordained at the same time.

As a monk you have to live by 227 rules............some obvious rules are that you can't kill, steal, lie, have sex...........
Other rules include not being allowed to touch women or handle money and eat after noon.
If a monk wants to drink they have to sit down, the same goes for taking a pee.
My average day as a monk:

5.00 Wake up........wash/brush teeth
6.00 Sweep up leaves in the temple grounds
7.00 Go on Alms round (Bin-da-bath).........This is were monks collect offerings of food from the local community. While on bin-da-bath monks don't wear any sandals.



8.00 Divide out the food onto trays
8.30 Eat the first meal of the day.........In my case I only ate once a day and some days I didn't eat, eating every 2nd day
9.00 Clean your bowl
9.30 Reading...........In my hut (Kutti) there were many books on Dhamma (the teachings of the Buddha)
12.00 Walking/sitting Mediation



2.00 Reading
4.00 Sweeping up of leaves
6.00 Shower
6.30 Meet for tea/coffee with the other monks
7.30 Walking/sitting Meditation
9.00 Reading..........Bed time

Someday we would go to people's houses for to eat in the morning
On Buddhist Days usaully once a week many people from the community will come with offerings of food and supplies(usually orange buckets filled with soap, toothpaste, candles etc.)

I will stop now as I could go into great detail and write long story here. So any questions on my experience or buddhism I will try my best to answer.

As well if anyone is interested in staying in the same temple as me, to learn about Buddhism can do so free of charge.........thats free food,accomodation
Unfortunetly the temple I stayed in does not have any nuns so they don't accept women, but there is a temple near by that does.

1010
Johnny

[Ginafish]

Wow steadyjohn! Thank you for sharing this with us, it's very interesting.

I have a weird question. The monk's clothes... Is that one really long piece of fabric that you have to wind around and tuck in place, or how does that work? (I'm a practical girl, gotta ask the basics first. )

I recently watched a documentary called Into Great Silence about the Carthusian Order of Catholic monks who live in solitude. I was struck by how much time the monks spent alone rather than in community. Not only the community at large, but apart from the other monks as well. In regard to Buddhist monks, how was the balance for you between community and solitude?

[PK]

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing that experience with all of us, steadyjohn.

Just curious. How did the community (other monks and people in town) react to you being a monk? Were they surprised to see a farang monk?

[ZeroG]

Thanks for sharing steadyjohn.

What intrigued you enough about being a monk that you would try this?

Was it what you thought it would be?

What was the most fascinating thing you learned about Buddhism?



 

[steadyjohn]

Hi Gina
Inside the Wat............monks wear two pieces of clothing............down below they wear a like a sarong, it is basically a sheet that it is folded in from the edges and held around the waist with a belt
the monks wear a vest called an Ang-sa



Then you have the outer robe, which is like a big sheet, they roll the sheet inside and throw it over their left shoulder
Inside the wat for eating and cermonies who wear the robe with your right shoulder exposed
when they go outside they have to cover up their shoulders

Between the community the monks......they interact daily on alms round and when people come for buddha days and to listen to the dhamma
Monks are always available for ceremonies in peoples homes

Hi Kirk

Yeah the monks are happy to see a westerner taking an interest in Buddhism..........were I ordained there was a monk from New Zealand you lived there for 20 years. But it is still a novelty to see a farang monk, especially for the novices.
Wat Ban Tard in Udon Thani where Luang Por Maha Boowa (An old referred Thai monk who is always on Thai TV) lives has many western monks.

www.luangta.com

Hi ZeroG
I just developed an interest from reading books and staying in the wat the first time, to want to become a monk.

Having stayed there before, I knew pretty much what I was going to get.
One of the most interesting things, I came across was the biography of an old Thai monk called Ajarn Mun
who got so deep into meditatation that spirits, heavenly beings and nagas (The big Snakes in Buddhism) would come to hear him teaching.

Johnny

[Mus.]

I never realized the rules are that strict. Pretty interesting.