Mee the Monk

As a young traveler, my number one objective while visiting a foreign place is almost always to learn.  Whether about the food, the landscape, the art, the history... some aspect of each place I've visited has always enticed me to dig and learn more. This isn't true solely for foreign places. While living in Arizona, the culture and food and people were completely different than those from Washington. Everywhere is unique, just like everyone.

When I first moved to Thailand, my goal was to learn about international hospitality through my management program. Additionally, I wanted to learn about religions. I remember a few late night with my best friend Michelle in my little artist studio in downtown Flagstaff. Her and I discussed life, love and graduation. We also talked about traveling. I was about to move and she was about to experience her first international trip. One thing we promised was to begin writing. Anything. Letters to each other. Blogs. Postcards. Journals. We simply promised to begin recording our thoughts, feelings and emotions so that others may one day know they aren't alone for feeling like we do. Ya know, a little different. 20-something and not having baby fever or career dreams.

So brings me to my second learning objection about religion. I have no preconceived devotional practice or belief. I find faith to be a beautiful thing in a person. However, the idea of religion has always deterred me from the subject. In more recent years, I've come to learn that I love learning about religions because it gives a very unique insight into the person who tells me about it. What they believe, how they act, their definitions of good and bad.. it is all abstract and mysterious to me. I also feel that many arguments over religion is caused greatly from arrogance. One side blames the other without even truly understanding the other sides "views". Therefore, I took traveling abroad as another initiative to learn about various religions in order to become educated. Even if I don't find a spiritual practice that truly touches me soul; At least I've learned a new way to view the world and I can be one less oblivious bystander.

This past trip to Chiang Mai, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down and speak with both a monk and a novice about their lives and practices of Buddhism. In many temples throughout Thailand, "Monk Chats" are hosted almost daily. The goal of the chats is to provide conversational English practice for the monks while exchanging religious and cultural knowledge with the tourist/guest. I joined a monk chat at the Wat Chedi Lang in the old town center. In total, we talked for nearly two hours.

Let me introduce you:

This is Mee. 

He is a Buddhist monk at Wat Chedi Lang in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

He studies economics during his university time. 

This is Wiwatchai.

He is only 18 which makes him a Novice. 

He studies Teaching at University.

He's been a Novice for 2 years. 

In total, my time speaking with Mee and Wiwatchai was about 2 hrs and resulted in 7 pages of notes. Our conversation flowed from Buddhism to Thai Culture to love and so fourth. For the purpose of sharing to educate, I will state the questions I answered and then the responses. 

How does one become a monk? 

Wiwatchai: One becomes a monk because they want to learn more about the Buddha and his teaching. An individual must decide that they want to learn this and to train and practice living in morality. Before the age of 20, you must also have your parents permission. You can join at any age and it is always encouraged to have support from your family but it only required when younger. Foreigners are also welcome to become monks. However, you must have 32 working body parts. 

What is daily life like for you?

Wiwatchai: Your daily schedule depends on your temple of study. Almost every schedule is different. At my temple, I wake up at 5am and chant and do meditation. After, the novices and monks collect donations from the city people (mostly Buddhist people). We return to the temple and have breakfast and then go to university to study. Once we return to the temple we clean and sweep and do other chorus. We can go to bed when we like, I am normally around 7pm. A monk cannot chew after noon. Only water, milk and juice may be consumed so monks only eat twice a day (breakfast and lunch). Monks have three main points of study: the 3 levels of Buddha's teachings, Bali language and normal studies (university or math, science, etc.)

What is the definition of a Buddha?

Mee: A Buddha is a human who has reached enlightenment. Buddhism means to awaken and Buddha is to be awake. A Buddha makes their mind empty and natural. There is not good or bad. It is called the Middle Way. A Buddha simply lets life happen. A Buddha learns that nothing belongs to you; beauty, strength, material belongings... nothing belongs to you. To desire or to want only leads to suffering. Yet, life is a natural cycle that we have little control over. A Buddha understands and knows that things are impermanent. 

How has Western culture coming to Thailand influenced the practice and study of Buddhism? Are there more temptations or does it make the study more difficult? 

Mee: Western culture is the same as any culture, there is some good and some bad. However, it does not make studying Buddhism any more or less difficult. Western culture is temptation. Temptation has always been around, its essence is the same. However, the modern form has changed from those of the past. Today people want technology or nice houses, in the past perhaps it was gold and silver. The essence of want and desire leading to suffering is the same. Western culture did not bring that here, it has always been and always will be.

What do the serpents on all the temples represent? I see them on the roofs and bridges and doorways, are they significant? 

Mee: I am not sure, there are many stories and perhaps different meanings for different temples and regions. I know of one story. It is a fairytale. Once, while the Buddha was alive and meditating, the Naka watched him practice and was very moved. When the Buddha reached enlightenment and began sharing his teachings, the Naka wished to learn. Therefore, the Naka changed his shape into that of a human and came to the Buddha asking "please, let me be a student. I wish to learn". The Buddha, however, knew that it was the Naka and not a person. The Buddha said he cannot teach the Naka because he is not human and has come in an unnatural form. However, that anyone may practice his teachings and that the Naka will be remember throughout Buddhism to symbolize those who cannot be monks but can live the life of a Buddhist. To this day, the Naka has been present to remind us that only the natural may become monks but everyone is welcome to practice. The Naka is also known as the "one who wore the white robe" meaning it was an animal who strongly believed in Buddhism. Now, when a novice or new monk joins a temple, they too will wear a white robe for a few days.

Those were the majority of the questions I asked Mee and Wiwatchai. However, I did gain some basic information randomly that I jotted notes of. Here is that messy congregation of facts:

Mixing Pot of Knowledge!

• DID YOU KNOW? - Like in many religions, Buddhism has a New and Old Precept. For example, in the old precept, a monk cannot participate in physical activity such as playing sports or exercising. However, the new precept sees that as acceptable and encourages activities such as yoga. Most of this has to do with the region. Southern Asia tends to practice more Old precept while northern regions are more new and adapted. 
• Depending on your level of Buddhism, there are different rules you must follow. As a monk, Mee must follow 227 rules! Wiwatchai, as a novice, must follow 10. An everyday Buddhist person not studying at a temple is encouraged to live by 5. 
• Robe colors do not signify any specific rankings, significance, etc. In Buddhism, the robes tend to be natural in color tones so orange, grey, brown and dark red are common.
• Different Buddhists have different opinions on the idea of being vegetarian and its benefits towards their practice. Mee and the monks of Chedi Lang have the saying:

"As long as we see, 

as long as we know, 

as long as we wonder"

• Meaning that if they see the animal being killed, the know it was killed for them or they wonder if it was, then it is unacceptable. However, when receiving offerings from the city people, if meat is given some monks consider it acceptable to eat. 
• However, the following are forbidden meat regardless: Tiger, snake, elephant, horse and human.

That was the basic educational session I had at Wat Chedi Lang. Afterwards, feeling rather blissful, I walked around the Wat and took some photos and was fortunate enough to see a monk meeting (?). All the monks and novices were gathered for a teaching in which guests were allowed. A great way to end such an educational day. 

Hopefully this insight can help any curious minds and heart.