You may have heard of the term monk. Maybe you think they’re all punks. Turns out they’re real cool, following tons of rules, and they made us all look like chumps.
Last week, we stayed at the Plikwiwek Dhamma Center on the border of Burma, and learned all about the monk lifestyle. We were introduced and led around by an Australian bloke named Laurie. He liked to say “ah?” sort of like a question at the end of each of his sentences which lent the whole experience an inquisitive and exotic flair.
But seriously, there were many eye-opening evenings spent talking about each others culture and learning what novice monks really do on a daily basis, and also what sort of backgrounds they come from. Laurie informed us about the cultural tensions in Burma, which has led to fighting between different groups. Many of the novice monks are Shan, a state in Burma whose people have come under attack recently over the territory they live in. Many have fled from a life of poverty and violence in Burma. The center is a refuge for many kids and allows them to receive an education and practice Buddhism.
A Normal Day in the Center:
6:30: Wake up for walking meditation (or 5:00 if you want to join the novice monks for chanting and are insane). This involves walking slowly back and forth over a small patch of soil, being mindful of each movement. The hands are placed on the stomach.
7:00: Eat breakfast near the monks. This usually consisted of white rice, eggs, vegetables, and a mystery meat or liver of sorts.
9:00 Meet with Laurie in the Sala (the main meditation building) and discuss the Dhamma and any questions we have about Buddhism. Then practice different forms of meditation (Walking, sitting, standing, or reclining)
11:30: Eat lunch. This usually consisted of white rice, eggs, vegetables, and a mystery meat or liver of sorts. Take a nice break to nap, read, or reflect on the experience and write in a journal.
3:00: Practice more meditation, or help the monks with tasks around the center. This involved placing flags along the road, painting houses with mud, moving lumber, or breaking down shacks.
5:30: Eat dinner. This usually consisted of white rice, eggs, vegetables, and a mystery meat or liver of sorts.
6:30: Chanting with the novice monks in the Sala. After meditation, Dhramma talks with Laury as translator for the monks. This is when we learned the most about the culture of Buddhism and life at the center.
8:15: Bed time, and trying to kill any bugs hiding in the house.
One of our favorite days during our time at the Dhramma Center was the day of silence. Many of us hadn’t ever tried a full day of silence so we were excited to give it a go. This was a great opportunity to reflect on the trip so far and ourselves. Throughout the day we tried our best to communicate without words, however, many of us didn’t make it the whole day. Even though we let a few words slip, we all benefited greatly and enjoyed the experience. The night before, we practiced creative writing for our day of silence journal entry. We all wrote haikus based on our time at the Center… here are our favorites
Casper:
Surrounded by Asians
I float above a sea of black
Why am I so tall?
Parker:
The geese need to chill
They should try meditation
That could help their vibes
(referring to 4 really mean geese living on the Centers’ grounds)
Ellen:
The meaning of life
Can’t be found in a journal
Go out. See the world.
On our last night at the Dhramma Center the novices and monks prepared lanterns for each of us to light and make wishes as they floated into the sky. We had been talking about lighting lanterns since day 1 so this was an awesome way to end our week of reflecting while allowing us to thinking about our futures.
Extra fun fact: There were two dogs at the center. One of them had no name and was pretty nice in general. The other one was Stinky. He lived up to his name and then some throughout our stay there by being one of the stinkiest animals we’ve ever smelled. No matter what angle you approached him at, something gross was exposed and smelled like garbage. The eyes were crossed, the ears were lopsided, and he was always panting, allowing his illustrious breath to fill any room no matter the size. At dinner he became especially excited about the mystery meats and hot dogs. To express this excitement he would sit next to you and breath on your food. One could respond by giving him food, or by beginning to gag and changing seats. He hasn’t been bathed in centuries. Once you were done with your meal, all the extra food was scraped into a bucket. This was when Stinky really showed his merit. He would sprint over and stick his head in the bucket to eat all the goodies that for some reason you hadn’t eaten. Once his cranium was deep in the food bucket, nothing could get him out, so other people who still had to scrape their plates off had no choice but to cover Stinky in the human refuse of dinner, which he ate off himself with glee. To add to the vivid picture, the bucket was too deep for Stinky to stand and reach his head all the way down (he had stubbly lil legs) so his front legs would come off the ground and sway sideways. Despite all of his downsides, he was always a positive force at the center when anyone was feeling down and never failed to put a smile on our faces. Seeing him, panting and running around in the morning could cheer up even the grumpiest Carpe student.
Anyways, this week was definitely one of the most unique on the trip so far. Many of us had frustrations, angers, confusion, and hunger for something other than white rice, eggs, vegetables, and a mystery meat or liver of sorts, but we pushed through, and we all learned a lot. It was an invaluable experience in an amazing place with very unique individuals.
P.S. unfortunately, due to our current position in an internet cafe, no pictures are available for posting:(. We promise to post extra next time and recommend hitting up your kids for some sweet, sweet pics. Expect some great photos in this coming week!