Market Friday: observing architecture of monks’ lodging with monk falling into canal.

Every few months, I would have an urge to visit one of my favorite temples to have some quiet moment and get some sacred energy in the temple. Wat Boworn is my favourite temple as it has many old trees, beautiful architecture and quiet atmosphere. Visitors could walk around the ground of the temple quietly exploring the old wood lodgings for monks and more contemporary or modern buildings in the monks’ residential area. Some temples wouldn’t allow visitors to freely roam around the ground as it would disturb monks in their daily practice. I like the relaxing atmosphere and narrow alleys connecting different zone of monks’ residence.

Wat Boworn is quite popular among highly educated monks and famous for having several old abbots with supernatural power. So, aspiring novices would come to learn meditation techniques for attaining high levels of ‘yanna’ (higher states of consciousness) which could lead to clairvoyance, clairaudience, past life regressions, psychic ability and so on. The scriptures described at least eight major state of consciousness. The most dramatic for me would be the ability to levitate and walk on water! Imagine I could fly to the South Pole ti see those pyramids, but I would never advance to such high level meditation.

Wat Boworn also has a famous Buddhist school where very clever monks would study for high level diplomas in Buddhism so that they could become teachers and experts on Pali (the language of the scripture). So, this temple is full of serious monks who strive for great achievements which might sound rather contrary to the teaching on ‘non-attachment’ in Buddhism. The trick is to be mindful of what one’s doing and observe the arising of greed, desire and anger in the process so that they could die away naturally. So, hopefully the mind is uncluttered with fuzzy emotions so that actions could be accomplished in emptiness and peace. The theoretical always seem easy and simple in words, though it’s always a struggle inside the mind.

I have been very lucky for being allowed to intrude on monks’ privacy by taking photos of their ‘kuti’ (monks’ lodging) and surrounding. Monks’ lodging is divided into various old buildings which could house a group of four to five monks. Each residence would have a reception area for monks’ relatives to visit the monks. Sometimes family members would bring food to offer to their sons or relatives who are ordained as monks for a period of time. It’s customary for families to have at least one person ordained as a monk. This would bring lots of good karma to the whole family. But these days people get ordained as monks like an empty ritual. They hardly learned about the scriptures or meditation. Materialistic values have overcome most people on our society.

Some monks become very absorbed in learning the scriptures and carry on as monks for many years. So, the temple becomes their home and some keen meditators would seek out great teachers in forest monasteries in the countryside far away from worldly convenience. During the past years, several well known monks (also meditators) had passed away in their old age. We believe that the greater number of these monks in our country, the more protection we would have from bad lucks or natural disasters. The positive vibes created by these old monks while meditating could change the flow of bad vibes and intentions of criminals. The power of meditation is widely accepted in our country; so these old monks have much respect from people.

I wonder whether there are any high level meditators in Wat Boworn. I could feel very calm and peaceful vibes around some ‘kuti’ or monk lodging. But these monks wouldn’t reveal themselves and would rather practice quietly without attracting disturbance. Many people with problems and illness would travel around the countryside seeking strict monks with years of meditation hoping that these monks’ positive vibes would help alleviate their sufferings. So, there are many fake meditating monks making gains from people’ sufferings.

I like observing the small gardens around monks’ lodging as these tiny gardens reflect the nature of these monks and novices. As this is a famous temple with strict teachers, there’s a screening process in accepting people to be ordained as monks. The previous patriarch was very kind and famous for his excellence in mastering Pali language and high level meditation. Long time ago, there was a fire behind the temple where old wooden houses weee under fierce flame. There was panic at the temple as the fire could engulf the whole place.

The elderly abbot slowly went on the second floor of a kuti closest to the burning houses. Local people were running and shouting for help and trying to move their belongings. Some people looked up and saw this old abbot praying quietly and making some hand gesture. Within a minute, the wind died down and rain fell down to put off the fire. People were very grateful and expressed their gratitude with hand gestures. The old abbot invited people without accommodation to camp inside the temple ground until they would be housed by local authority.

As I was quietly walking along the narrow alley, I was startled by some shouting and people running after something along the small canal. I saw an old monk shouting to two monitor lizards “Stop! stop at once!” He called for people to help him catch those two monitor lizards which had stolen some pet squirrel from the monks’ garden. I have never seen an old monk running and climbing so fast over the fence and into the canal. Those monitor lizards are about one meter’ long. The old wooden platform was old and slippery. I stood there watching the whole episode from the bridge over the canal.

Things happened so fast that I hardly had the time to take photos of those tricky monitor lizards. I saw the monk climbing down to the wooden platform so I shouted out to him to be careful as it was very slippery. Then he slipped and fell into the canal losing his sandals and his back hit the wood quite hard. The two temple staff were fast to the scene so I told them to go after the monk as he could easily have an accident. One staff had a stick and tried to hit the monitor lizards. They were somehow frightened by three people. The one with the monk’ s pet squirrel in his mouth let go of the victim. The monk was helped out of the canal; being so slippery the staff almost went into the canal as well.

It was a big relief to see the old monk back on firm ground. His robe became disorderly, he was left with one sandal. Then he just disappeared with his pet. I talked to the two staff asking them about the incident. This old monk has been feeding a squirrel in his for several years. The fat tame squirrel became very trusting and would sit on the table waiting for his food and stay around like his own house. The two monitor lizards have been watching this squirrel with envy for day. As soon as the squirrel was relaxing alone in the garden, one sneaked up and grabbed the squirrel. The monk turned around seeing two thieves running away from his garden, he chased after the thieves while shouting for help.

Fortunately, the thieves let go of the fat squirrel. But he was injured so the monk had to take him to see the vet immediately. I asked the lady staff to buy some oilment for the monk as he would have a big bruise on his back after falling into the canal. I was so glad to see these temple staff responding promptly to the monk’s cry for help. I did return to that area again just in case I might catch a glimpse of the old monk so that I could enquire about his pet squirrel. But I wasn’t successful and I thought it wouldn’t be polite to knock on the door to find out whether the squirrel survived his ordeal. The quiet temple gave me some surprising excitement once in many years. People shouldn’t underestimate the speed of monitors lizards!

Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.

Stay strong and cheerful.

#marketfriday hosted by @dswigle.