The ceremony came to a close, before the Abbot joined the lay people for his Dhamma talk, a chance for lay people to receive teaching. The Abbot had a wonderful way of laughing at his own jokes (and rambling) which was touching, and refreshing, considering that he was talking about Tibetan Sky Burials and the transitory nature of all human life.
Interestingly his approach to Buddhism was similar to my own, through the intellect and reason. Coming from a non religious family, like myself, he admitted to being still suspicious of religion. I confess to similar feelings. I remember when I attended Quaker Meeting's regularly, it was hard to accept the Christo-centric approach to worship, even if no one would ever tell you to believe in Christianity or God.
Returning to the subject of the Abbot's talk, he detailed the legend of Buddha's first experiences that lead him to 'go forth' on the path, the prince encountering the realities of sickness, the end of youth, the reality of death and Buddha's encounter with the medicate, the third way. Success and failure are transitory, what else is there? What is within myself that is secure, what can I rely on that will bring me the deepest happiness and contentment. These were the question raised and answered by the Abbot, and I came away feeling as though I had, again, deepened my understanding just a tiny bit more. Meditation, according to the Abbot, enables you to deepen your internal world, to over come worry or just perceive the reality of this very moment. A space away from the trend mill of everyday life, a space within yourself, that can even enable others to have space, attracted to the peace of your internal space. Irrespective of the fact you have not set out to attract them.
Between the ceremony and the Dhamma talk, I met with Julie again. We caught up on the conversation we had last time. Julie commented when she asked me about the possibility of a job, and I said no, that I must be enjoying being unemployed, all with all the time to write articles. This made me think. When I commented that I had 'figured out the bowing thing', Julie told me that there was no need to bow to the Buddha statue, 'the beauty of Buddhism is that you take what you perceive to work and leave what you don't perceive to work. Even the monks and nuns don't have to bow', in roughly Julie's words. I am glad she told me this, I felt a little liberated. She asked me whether I had planned to stay with the Monks and Nuns, and I replied I had been thinking about it. We left each other wishing each other well, as before. I left as the lay people and the Monastics were enjoying informal time together before taking tea with the Monk and the evenings guided meditation. I left that wonderful festival, looking forward to my hoped for return.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wesak Day, Happy Birthday Buddha! Part 1
I set out for Chithurst, but not so early, as I've been unwell for sometime. Today is a festival day for Buddhism, the birthday, the enlightenment and the death of Buddha are celebrated on the same day. No Easter and/or Christmas for Buddhism. I arrived late for the beginning of the mornings meditation, and on entering the grounds I was greeted by someone directing the cars to the car park, saying they remembered me from the Forest Day. It was good to be remembered.
There was a the sound of a relaid microphone from the Dhamma hall, which puzzled me to begin with, until it became clear that there were well to a hundred people visiting the monastery for this occasion. Sheepishly I entered the dhamma hall, late for the meditation, and found myself a place at the front of the hall to join in the hypnotic chanting. We all took the five precepts in Pail (explanation to follow).
On the way up to Chihurst, the taxi driver told me about his Thai wife, how he can not get hold of her today. He chated to me about Thai culture, Buddhism and remarked on how many Thai visitors there would be. He was right. The Thais are apparently a much more sociable and tolerant people than those on the west. I've been reading on a comparison between Buddhism and Christan virtues, and anger is certainly not a Buddhist virtue, but in Christianity anger can be allowed or sometimes is seen as justified. I am not a Christian so I can only reference this to the book I am currently reading.
After the service we were advised to line up outside the hall for the offering of arms to the medicates. The monks and nuns are completely dependent on the lay community to provide for their food, sometimes there is not always enough. I found myself standing directly next to a teacher at my former Alevel College. He couldn't remember me, and it took a while for my face to emerge out of the midst of time and various other students. Trevor (the teacher's name) gave me advice on how to give my rice to the monks and nuns. Trevor has been coming to Chihurst for many years, and is a Buddhist himself. It was fascinating listening to his stories on the former monks, especailly those who once served in Vietnam and returned to the west with this Buddhist tradition. After the arms giving the lay people and visitors par took of lunch and refreshment provided by a local Thai restaurant and served by volunteers.
After lunch I found myself winding my way back to the Dhamma Hall at least fifteen minutes before a ceremony of 'going forth', a young novice monk taking the first step before full ordination. His parents gave him his robs, and bowed before him, giving him away. The entire ceremony was taken in Pail, with the novice re sighting the lines from memory. He received a new name and the medicate bowl, as well as changing robes from white to saffron. He may chose to go on to full ordination, or return to everyday life, within a year or so. 'Going forth' refers to the retraction from the world of the sensual, into the spiritual life. The Abbot explained a great deal about the monastric life during the ceremony and how it provides more opportunity to awaken, but, nonetheless, a lay person can experience enlightenment 'if they know how to swing it'.
There was a the sound of a relaid microphone from the Dhamma hall, which puzzled me to begin with, until it became clear that there were well to a hundred people visiting the monastery for this occasion. Sheepishly I entered the dhamma hall, late for the meditation, and found myself a place at the front of the hall to join in the hypnotic chanting. We all took the five precepts in Pail (explanation to follow).
On the way up to Chihurst, the taxi driver told me about his Thai wife, how he can not get hold of her today. He chated to me about Thai culture, Buddhism and remarked on how many Thai visitors there would be. He was right. The Thais are apparently a much more sociable and tolerant people than those on the west. I've been reading on a comparison between Buddhism and Christan virtues, and anger is certainly not a Buddhist virtue, but in Christianity anger can be allowed or sometimes is seen as justified. I am not a Christian so I can only reference this to the book I am currently reading.
After the service we were advised to line up outside the hall for the offering of arms to the medicates. The monks and nuns are completely dependent on the lay community to provide for their food, sometimes there is not always enough. I found myself standing directly next to a teacher at my former Alevel College. He couldn't remember me, and it took a while for my face to emerge out of the midst of time and various other students. Trevor (the teacher's name) gave me advice on how to give my rice to the monks and nuns. Trevor has been coming to Chihurst for many years, and is a Buddhist himself. It was fascinating listening to his stories on the former monks, especailly those who once served in Vietnam and returned to the west with this Buddhist tradition. After the arms giving the lay people and visitors par took of lunch and refreshment provided by a local Thai restaurant and served by volunteers.
After lunch I found myself winding my way back to the Dhamma Hall at least fifteen minutes before a ceremony of 'going forth', a young novice monk taking the first step before full ordination. His parents gave him his robs, and bowed before him, giving him away. The entire ceremony was taken in Pail, with the novice re sighting the lines from memory. He received a new name and the medicate bowl, as well as changing robes from white to saffron. He may chose to go on to full ordination, or return to everyday life, within a year or so. 'Going forth' refers to the retraction from the world of the sensual, into the spiritual life. The Abbot explained a great deal about the monastric life during the ceremony and how it provides more opportunity to awaken, but, nonetheless, a lay person can experience enlightenment 'if they know how to swing it'.
The Forest Day Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday I had a spur of the moment thought to travel up to Cittaviveka Chithurst Buddhist Monastery. I have been speaking and talking about since last year, and now finally I got myself together and took the plunge, so to speak. I arrived at around the tea time for the monks and nuns, having made the journey by train and by taxi (15 pounds!). At first I was very apprehensive, I walked into the main reception building and froze when I thought I saw monks and nuns lining up for some kind of ceremony (later I learnt they were receiving their single meal a day).
I walked the grounds having a made a swift exit. The day was unfortunately overcast and rainy, but the silence and stillness that I encountered made the cold and the rain more than tolerable. I wondered through a meadow and up through a bluebell wood beside a farmers' field. I thought I was lost until I found a round shrine and a Buddha which pointed me in the direction back.
Once inside the main building I made the acquaintance of Julia, a lay person cooking for the monastics that day. She asked me if I had any questions, and being that I was nervous of being there and had come over shy, I waited a long time before I asked any questions or really told her about my own meditation practice.
We talked until it was time to volunteer in the forest. On the website Sunday was called Forest Day, I didn't know what that meant, but the tag 'Meet at the Workhouse' gave me a clue that it was not going to be a gentle stroll. The Forest is on top of a Celtic fort of some kind and it is not allow that full trees should grow on it. Not only this but those that take care of the forest wanted to encourage alternative undergrowth to the young birch trees. It was tough but pleasant work with monks, nuns and lay people chatting and getting to know one another again or meeting for the first time. I told a nun about some of my future plans, and she seemed by disappointed for me about the unemployment, but excited that I was out trying new creative things.
All of us rested with tea and dark chocolate (the monastics can only have chocolate or cheese in the afternoon if they have been working), before continuing with the last part of out labours. Just before five we finished work and walked back to the main buildings for the tea with the monk and the evening meditation. The tea with the monk brought up main insightful questions and answers, which answered a few of my own, but as always raises others. The talk was unplanned and the monk spoke very quietly making him hard to listen to at times. By about 6.30 I was developing a head ache (which after the meditation turned chronic and lasted all the way home to Portsmouth until I had located some lemsip).
As for the evening meditation, I have never experienced a service quite like it. There was chanting for the Buddha before at least 45 -50 minutes breath meditation. Again I learnt a great deal in a very short amount of time about breathing meditation, giving me lots to work with alone. Afterwards Julia and I parted, wishing each other well. She had kindly taken care of me throughout the day.
Getting home was problematic but I found a kind father and daughter to give me a lift to Petersfield train Station, where I stood, in the cold, trying not to give in to the now raging head ache. Luckily the train journey from Petersfield is a short one, with regular trains. From the station I took a taxi and soon found myself changed ready for bed, with a lemsip.
The beautiful clarity of being at Chithurst contrasts so sharply with inner city Portsmouth. Though I was only there for a day, Portsmouth barely feels real in comparison. I remember the blue bells whilst working in the forest. I would stand up whilst working, straighten my back, look, taking in the moment and the gentle beauty of their nature. Tranquil, restful, restorative, all words that could describe the forest and the community that live within it.
I walked the grounds having a made a swift exit. The day was unfortunately overcast and rainy, but the silence and stillness that I encountered made the cold and the rain more than tolerable. I wondered through a meadow and up through a bluebell wood beside a farmers' field. I thought I was lost until I found a round shrine and a Buddha which pointed me in the direction back.
Once inside the main building I made the acquaintance of Julia, a lay person cooking for the monastics that day. She asked me if I had any questions, and being that I was nervous of being there and had come over shy, I waited a long time before I asked any questions or really told her about my own meditation practice.
We talked until it was time to volunteer in the forest. On the website Sunday was called Forest Day, I didn't know what that meant, but the tag 'Meet at the Workhouse' gave me a clue that it was not going to be a gentle stroll. The Forest is on top of a Celtic fort of some kind and it is not allow that full trees should grow on it. Not only this but those that take care of the forest wanted to encourage alternative undergrowth to the young birch trees. It was tough but pleasant work with monks, nuns and lay people chatting and getting to know one another again or meeting for the first time. I told a nun about some of my future plans, and she seemed by disappointed for me about the unemployment, but excited that I was out trying new creative things.
All of us rested with tea and dark chocolate (the monastics can only have chocolate or cheese in the afternoon if they have been working), before continuing with the last part of out labours. Just before five we finished work and walked back to the main buildings for the tea with the monk and the evening meditation. The tea with the monk brought up main insightful questions and answers, which answered a few of my own, but as always raises others. The talk was unplanned and the monk spoke very quietly making him hard to listen to at times. By about 6.30 I was developing a head ache (which after the meditation turned chronic and lasted all the way home to Portsmouth until I had located some lemsip).
As for the evening meditation, I have never experienced a service quite like it. There was chanting for the Buddha before at least 45 -50 minutes breath meditation. Again I learnt a great deal in a very short amount of time about breathing meditation, giving me lots to work with alone. Afterwards Julia and I parted, wishing each other well. She had kindly taken care of me throughout the day.
Getting home was problematic but I found a kind father and daughter to give me a lift to Petersfield train Station, where I stood, in the cold, trying not to give in to the now raging head ache. Luckily the train journey from Petersfield is a short one, with regular trains. From the station I took a taxi and soon found myself changed ready for bed, with a lemsip.
The beautiful clarity of being at Chithurst contrasts so sharply with inner city Portsmouth. Though I was only there for a day, Portsmouth barely feels real in comparison. I remember the blue bells whilst working in the forest. I would stand up whilst working, straighten my back, look, taking in the moment and the gentle beauty of their nature. Tranquil, restful, restorative, all words that could describe the forest and the community that live within it.
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