FIRST PERSON VIEW LIVING AS A MONK

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First Person View Living As a Monk

Living as a monk is not easy; it requires sacrifice and dedication. I live in a Chinese temple, in Thailand and I wake up at half past three in the morning. I take time to prepare before the official waking hour at four o’clock in the morning. I then join the rest of the monks in the temple of the meditation process that takes one hour. In addition, chanting session starts immediately after meditation. The process is helpful since it rejuvenates the self-esteem of the person and encourages the person to face the community for help. The life of a monk is indoors and does not help to explore full potentials present in a person. I suggest that the monk life should be multidisciplinary so that it can engage both indoor and outdoor activities. The processes that take place in the temple assist in building personal traits that are beneficial to the community (Mills, 2013).

As a monk, I learn the fundamental teachings of Chinese temple and ways of guiding the community towards improved living. The preservation of the teachings is essential since they form the cultural practice that is admirable globally. The process of walking barefoot around the town at six o’clock in the morning is should change. I think is necessary for the monks to form income generating units that will support in terms of food and catering for other expenses. The idea of depending on well-wishers discouraged many Chinese in joining monastery and dedicating their life in the temple (Birnbaum, 2003). In some situations, we may walk around the neighbourhood and need well-wishers to offer food. Walking is tiresome and consumes energy; lack of foods creates a negative feeling about the community that may lead to hatred. The spiritual rituals of walking barefoot signify poverty and humility.

Monk life encourages male and female followers. Successful orientation and passing of exams result to ordination. The exams involve oral and practical sessions that ensure fitness in mental life. Some Chinese communities exempt the monks from community activities. The community voluntarily takes food and drinks to the temple for the monks. In the perspective view, it is necessary for the monks to accept change and be modernized in terms of finding revenue. The monk life is similar to a beggar in terms of food and drinks. The major role of monks is to fulfil the community roles, preserve community doctrines and discipline. The studies monks receive in the temple are essential in maintaining good morals and characters in the community. I attend the monk classes from one o’clock in the afternoon up to six o’clock in the evening. The monks should also consider a reduction of the class session and participate in activities that will generate income towards the temple (Mills, 2013).

I return to the temple at eight o’clock in the morning for a drink and snacks; and a blessing for peace around the world. As a monk, I consider peace as an essential part for the development and economic growth within the country. The breakfast session is a chance of socializing and making new friends in the temple. The breakfast session is short and very entertaining to all the monks. The other roles I play as a monk is maintenance of the temple in terms of cleanliness and aesthetic. I learn different artistic designs of decorating the temple so that it remains attractive and beautiful through the religious year. The classes on the artistic designs run between eight o’clock in the morning up to some minutes before twelve noon. The master of the monk should expand the skills in the artistic designs of the temple to commercial based in order to generate revenue of running the temple activities (Mills, 2013).

I like the monk life and I advocate for some changes for the benefit of the monks and the future of temple activities. The temple activities should be increasing yearly due to the presence of revenues. The skills from the temple artistic and doctrine classes should be helpful to the community and the temple. The temple is a learning centre and the skills from the temple should assist in adding revenue. The beggar life of the temple and its monks is shameful in the modern culture. The increasing cost of living in Chinese society is resulting to decrease in the quality of offering they give to the temple. Predictions on the trend of the economy reveals that it will come a time the Chinese community will completely not contribute towards the temple and its activities. The monks should develop ways of self-sustenance and instead of receiving help; the temple should help the community (Birnbaum, 2003).

Lunch time is twelve noon, and it is the time for reunion and socializing. The meal is solid and heavy since it is the last solid meal before sunrise. The daily ritual activities are helpful since they avoid idleness and reduce crime in Chinese community. The morning sessions of meditating and chanting should be short to allow the monks engage in extra activities that are beneficial in the running of the temple activities. The monks should also abandon the six o’clock session of walking around the town seeking food instead they should stay in the temple and let well-wishers bring them food (Birnbaum, 2003).

References:

Birnbaum, R. (2003). Buddhist China at The Century’s Turn. The China Quarterly, 174, 428-

450.

Mills, M. A. (2013). Identity, Ritual and State in Tibetan Buddhism: The Foundations Of

Authority in Gelukpa Monasticism. New York: Routledge.