I have returned my flower~ A changed GaBEE!
This is the commercial I was talking about last time! All I had to do was google "Antonio Banderas bee" and bam, I found it!
Now, hopefully I finish this today, Day 308. This is my continuation of temple staying plus a little analysis from both of my experiences. Let's go!
Temple stay in Chiang Mai
This will actually adhere to more of a vignette style (hopefully) and also have more commentary about actual temples and Buddhism... and since this is a whole lot of writing, I have added random pictures throughout to help your sanity.
Background: At the wonderful request of Haley, I decided to spend a day and night at Wat Umong (Umong temple) in Chiang Mai, Thailand during my winter vacation traveling adventures. I did lots of research before going. The temple has a rolling basis for any foreigners wishing to stay for any length of time. Their only requirements are (apart from a tiny fee for clothing and bedding) and I record this directly from their flyer~
1) You must have good physical and mental health.
2) You must have faith in the practice of meditation.
3) You must be pleased to adjust for new environment.
4) You must be respectfully, respectfully prepared to live in modest lifestyle.
5) You must obey and follow the instruction of all monks and officers in the center.
6) Please do not smoke cigarette, drink liquor or use any addictive drug.
7) Please do not mobile phone or electronic devices.
8) Please always keep silence and calmly control your body and mind.
9) Please avoid chat with others.
10) Please politely in a good manner.
11) Please specifically read all meditation books or good books that prepared in the center.
12) If you have any urgent task or responsibility, please inform any monk of the officer before you go out.
Not too bad right? Now let's go to Chiang Mai!
I've changed into the all white clothing we are required to wear as temple stay folk, though that was slightly awkward.. I first changed inside a cramped bathroom without a lock in the head monk's office, because he wanted me to check if it was the right size. I gave him my passport and about 15 dollars. He gave me some papers to sign and this white clothing.
Now that I think about it, this reminds me of my old dobok for Taekwondo... So white. So loose-fitting. Comfy~
I take my room key and bedding bundle to my room in the women's dorm, or as my very basic map labels it "lady dwelling" which is diagonal from the "gentleman dwelling". I wasn't expecting much. And that's fortunate because my room sure isn't much:
My luxurious room and bedding.
With a balcony!
And a view!
I take these photos with a slight sense of guilt. According to the rules, we aren't supposed to use our phones or electronics. So after taking these photos, I turn off my phone and that is the end of my photo taking on this adventure.
According to the very loose schedule posted outside I have about a half an hour before the first meditation session. This is followed by lunch, break time, self-training, cleaning sweeping the temple grounds, more meditation/self-training, then bedtime. Since the day at the temple starts at 4:30 a.m. I actually missed about a third of the day's schedule already.
I go down to the common area and meet some of the other people staying at the temple. There is a German boy who just arrived and a Thai mother and daughter who arrived too. There's also a few more Germans, a Japanese guy, and several more people from all around the globe. One of the German guys has been here for about a half a year, and yet, surprisingly, he is the most talkative. I guess some things don't change, no matter how far you travel and how culturally different your surroundings are... Like if you have a gabby personality... that's just who you are.
People join and leave our little table of chatting as time goes on. It's all very calm. When the old German guy would get heated about some aspect of education, the others calmly stood up and left. I remember that we aren't supposed to "chat" too much either and take my leave too. Just as I finish one loop of our little road the head monk beckons me over. It's time to learn how to meditate.
We are taught the two main forms of meditation practiced at Wat Umong, sitting meditation and walking meditation. Before any meditation, we are taught how to bow and show respect to the Buddha. This is particularly helpful since I now know how to show respect in any temple in Thailand (so my remaining week in Thailand I won't cause any huge offense.. hopefully)
I've tried "meditating" before. You know, sitting criss-cross apple sauce. Closing your eyes. Emptying your mind. I could never really figure out how to do it. My head is always full of so many thoughts! But this time, I actually think meditation might do all the things it claims to:
The monk told us to focus on the air. Imagine the air as it flows in through your nose, fills your lungs, flows back out of your body. Do this slowly and keep count of these in counts of 5. Maybe my mind wasn't really empty since I'm still keeping a count and imagining air, but it was really calming. Like I wasn't thinking about all the other things that usually fill my brain. And I am really good at envsioning the air like a physical thing, and really focusing on it's movement.
Even though the "schedule" says we have two hours for meditation, we are only taught for about 45 minutes and then left alone. I practiced meditating a bit more and then left. I soon realize... this schedule isn't much of a schedule.
Everything that follows, lunch time, cleaning time~ they all just sort of naturally happen as people begin to congregate around the main building. It really reminds me of some of the ensemble acting activities I did when I was younger. Like walking around in a big room and slowly we all begin to sit at the same time, then after a while all stand up at the same time. We all go about and do our own things, but there is a sense of how we are as a whole underlying everything, keeping us connected without communication or big signals. Organic. That's the word.
Cleaning the grounds is very simple. We all find a broom that looks like this:
And sweep around. There's not any garbage or spills or messy things to clean. There's just leaves that fall everywhere. So it does take a good while to clear all the pathways and the main street of them. Some people join in a bit late. Some people aren't really that interested and stand around a bit more than others. I really got into it and went way off into the forested path area to clear those paths. It was really fun and it didn't matter too much if it was perfect. You just do your best because that's the least you can do. And you want this beautiful temple retreat to stay clean~
While cleaning I came upon a very big problem. You see, according to the seventh precept of the eight precepts, we should refrain from "dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics."
And.. well.. I really like to sing while cleaning. Even hum. I felt myself forming a song in my head. I take a deep breath to begin and then remember. NO SINGING. Ooof. This is really difficult.
You see, the eight precepts are another part of what was listed on Wat Umong's website for self-training:
Self–Training
1. Observe eight precepts strictly. 2. Do not smoke, consume alcohol or drugs.
3. Please control the body, speech and mind.
4. Please keep silence while eating.
5. Follow the meditation center routine strictly.
6. Please read books that focus only on meditation and the present meditation
retreat.
7. If meditator has tasks or responsibilities away from the meditation retreat,
please report to the teacher.
8. Maintain quietness, please do not play music with speakers or cell phones.
9. Do not use cell phones while practicing meditation.
Most of the eight precepts were pretty easy to follow. Like don't have sex. No drugs. Don't lie. Don't steal. (all of which are put much more elegantly like, "refrain from taking that which is not given". )
Some of the other precepts I would never want to do everyday, but were fine for this 24 hour experience. The sixth precept limits eating to only before noon and no food after. So we don't have dinner. Thankfully both the lunch and breakfast I am given are huge and I could survive a day or so without dinner.
The eight precept is to "refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place." Hence the very humble straw mat I have to sleep on for my bed.
People join and leave our little table of chatting as time goes on. It's all very calm. When the old German guy would get heated about some aspect of education, the others calmly stood up and left. I remember that we aren't supposed to "chat" too much either and take my leave too. Just as I finish one loop of our little road the head monk beckons me over. It's time to learn how to meditate.
We are taught the two main forms of meditation practiced at Wat Umong, sitting meditation and walking meditation. Before any meditation, we are taught how to bow and show respect to the Buddha. This is particularly helpful since I now know how to show respect in any temple in Thailand (so my remaining week in Thailand I won't cause any huge offense.. hopefully)
I've tried "meditating" before. You know, sitting criss-cross apple sauce. Closing your eyes. Emptying your mind. I could never really figure out how to do it. My head is always full of so many thoughts! But this time, I actually think meditation might do all the things it claims to:
The monk told us to focus on the air. Imagine the air as it flows in through your nose, fills your lungs, flows back out of your body. Do this slowly and keep count of these in counts of 5. Maybe my mind wasn't really empty since I'm still keeping a count and imagining air, but it was really calming. Like I wasn't thinking about all the other things that usually fill my brain. And I am really good at envsioning the air like a physical thing, and really focusing on it's movement.
Even though the "schedule" says we have two hours for meditation, we are only taught for about 45 minutes and then left alone. I practiced meditating a bit more and then left. I soon realize... this schedule isn't much of a schedule.
Everything that follows, lunch time, cleaning time~ they all just sort of naturally happen as people begin to congregate around the main building. It really reminds me of some of the ensemble acting activities I did when I was younger. Like walking around in a big room and slowly we all begin to sit at the same time, then after a while all stand up at the same time. We all go about and do our own things, but there is a sense of how we are as a whole underlying everything, keeping us connected without communication or big signals. Organic. That's the word.
Cleaning the grounds is very simple. We all find a broom that looks like this:
And sweep around. There's not any garbage or spills or messy things to clean. There's just leaves that fall everywhere. So it does take a good while to clear all the pathways and the main street of them. Some people join in a bit late. Some people aren't really that interested and stand around a bit more than others. I really got into it and went way off into the forested path area to clear those paths. It was really fun and it didn't matter too much if it was perfect. You just do your best because that's the least you can do. And you want this beautiful temple retreat to stay clean~
While cleaning I came upon a very big problem. You see, according to the seventh precept of the eight precepts, we should refrain from "dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics."
And.. well.. I really like to sing while cleaning. Even hum. I felt myself forming a song in my head. I take a deep breath to begin and then remember. NO SINGING. Ooof. This is really difficult.
You see, the eight precepts are another part of what was listed on Wat Umong's website for self-training:
Self–Training
1. Observe eight precepts strictly. 2. Do not smoke, consume alcohol or drugs.
3. Please control the body, speech and mind.
4. Please keep silence while eating.
5. Follow the meditation center routine strictly.
6. Please read books that focus only on meditation and the present meditation
retreat.
7. If meditator has tasks or responsibilities away from the meditation retreat,
please report to the teacher.
8. Maintain quietness, please do not play music with speakers or cell phones.
9. Do not use cell phones while practicing meditation.
Most of the eight precepts were pretty easy to follow. Like don't have sex. No drugs. Don't lie. Don't steal. (all of which are put much more elegantly like, "refrain from taking that which is not given". )
Some of the other precepts I would never want to do everyday, but were fine for this 24 hour experience. The sixth precept limits eating to only before noon and no food after. So we don't have dinner. Thankfully both the lunch and breakfast I am given are huge and I could survive a day or so without dinner.
The eight precept is to "refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place." Hence the very humble straw mat I have to sleep on for my bed.
Finally, my biggest surprise struggle was with the very first precept "I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures." Now I don't view myself as a compulsive murderer or anything... but... THERE ARE SO MANY MOSQUITOES. My hand twitches with the urge to squish the life out of them before they leave miserable, itchy welts all over me. I had to settle with lathering my body in repellent and silently cheering on the spiders, "Go spiders go! Eat those mosquitoes!"
At lunch I have my tray of food in one hand and cup of water in the other. And with two occupied hands.. forget to pick up my room key I've left on the floor. I spend the next few hours outside, enjoying the beautiful grounds before I realize I don't have it on me. I am worried~ because my backpack with everything I need to survive the next two weeks of traveling SE Asia is in my room. If someone were to steal that~
Worry not! The key is still exactly where I left it on the ground in the main hall. I doubt it moved a milimeter. Horray for upheld morals!
At lunch I have my tray of food in one hand and cup of water in the other. And with two occupied hands.. forget to pick up my room key I've left on the floor. I spend the next few hours outside, enjoying the beautiful grounds before I realize I don't have it on me. I am worried~ because my backpack with everything I need to survive the next two weeks of traveling SE Asia is in my room. If someone were to steal that~
Worry not! The key is still exactly where I left it on the ground in the main hall. I doubt it moved a milimeter. Horray for upheld morals!
I would like to end this vingette as it isn't really a vignette anymore (And I really wanted to stay simple and artistic... 왜~)
Wat Umong is a very naturally beautiful place at the base of a mountain, tucked away from the city. There were roosters everywhere. They are useful to help wake us up at 4:30 am for meditation in the main building... but their continual loud flap flap flap as they try to "fly" from one branch on a tree to the next and eventually fall back down with a great big COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOO! That was annoying... and totally ruined my perfect meditation.
There's also tons of dogs, as the temple doubles as a safe grounds for wild/abandoned dogs, so there were dogs trotting around quite a bit. And beautiful butterflies that totally distract me from walking meditation. And a bunch of pigeons on a little island in a lake. I took a walk on this island, thinking it'll be all peaceful and romantic to walk among the birds... but the pigeons were like, trololol~ here's some poop for you~ and crap right on me twice as I walk around. My perfect white clothes weren't so white then...
Also the temple, Wat Umong, itself was about a five minute walk from the "temple stay" grounds. Wat Umong is a decent tourist attraction, and the afternoon had lots of people around. Take a look at some of these cool pictures I did not take nor have any rights to.
In case you can't tell~ most of the temple is underground in a series of caves and alcoves.
Very unique!
All in all, these are my general comparisons of the two temples I stayed at.
Umong vs. Han maum (the temple in Busan)
silent meals -- completely normal meals - talk!
no dinner -- dinner
no dinner -- dinner
self-training and self motivation -- group talking and sharing feelings
loose, ensemble-like daily schedule --- super diligently planned schedule (monks visibly upset when we fall behind schedule)
focus on respect to Buddha and monks -- yeah.. be respectful but lets do this planned activity instead
beautiful location! - beautiful location!
Both of these temples are Buddhist, but their approaches to temple stay are very very different. One factor, that I theorise is the main factor, is the branch of Buddhism practiced in these temples. In Thailand and much of SE Asia, the main branch of Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism. There are of course many more nuances to each branch of Buddhism, but what I want to stress here is that Therevada focuses on individual and self training. You can only really reach Enlightenment through your own efforts. Train yourself.
Korea is very different. They are more focused on Mahayana Buddhism, which is more common in NE Asia among other places. Mahayana is less focused on the self. Well it is focused on the self, in that you should make an effort to help enlighten others, but what I mean is that the group is much more important. You sacrifice your own enlightenment to help others reach higher.
This seems to mirror perfectly in each of these temple stays. Wat Umong in Thailand, with Therevada Buddhism was very hands-off, you figure this out yourself. What with "self-training" as the most common activity in our "schedule". Han maum in Busan with Mahayana was much more communal. We all had this deepest-darkest thought sharing, because nothing should be hidden, and I suppose the monks thought they could help us more if they knew what we were thinking (a good idea, but it didn't work out too well in my opinion). We had much much much more talking and only a tiny bit of meditation. After each activity we had a debriefing to talk more and help each other with what we realized during the activity.
Personally, I prefer the style of Therevada, as I find much more calm and restoration without the stress and social anxiety that Mahayana Buddhism gives me.
Well... not like this is a research paper or anything~
I really just wanted to stress that Buddhism isn't only one religion. Like Christianity has so many different branches, so does Buddhism. There is so much more history and detail and hey, correct me if you find what I've written wrong. I just hope to give a sample for any of my readers who don't have much experience with Buddhism.
Thanks for reading!
~GaBEE
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