Last weekend was an official Thai government holiday long weekend. The holiday was on Friday, and another was added on Monday in respect of the funeral of the king’s cousin. However, this school decided to have classes on Friday and have only the Monday holiday. Since I’d already planned to go to the retreat, I didn’t work on Friday, which was fine since I don’t have class on that day anyway.
Earlier in the week Aemmy called to tell me the plans for going to the retreat in Chaiyapum. I felt a little regret that I couldn’t join them, as I’d told both Khun Toy and Phra Kong that I’d go to Wat Hua Dong. But in general I was happy with my plan. When I talked to Khun Kasemsri on Monday and learned that they had changed plans again and spent only one night at the wat and most of the time on the road, I was glad I wasn’t on that journey. I realized during the retreat that my time there was about closure, which is appropriate since I am getting ready to leave. Going to Chaiyapum would have been interesting and fun, but it would have been a new experience. And closure is what I need to be doing now.
Thursday night I went to Khun Toy’s house so I would be there to leave early (5:30 AM) Friday morning. We had dinner at Khun Suwit’s farm. Khun Dakom went to the wat with us because his brother and nephew were becoming temporary monks. Khun Teamjan also went with us for the day. First, of course, was breakfast. While we were gathered, a bowl was passed around for monetary donations. I saw this for the first time when we were there last month. I guess it’s another way to collect money, like churches do.
While we were waiting for the ceremony to begin, Khun Dakom and I walked to see the completed new building/roof over the old temple. I learned that the old temple is 300 years old and that one purpose of the weekend retreat was to dedicate the new roof.
Then the initial ceremony for the four new temporary monks began. They were still dressed in white. Families of all four were present. The initiates bowed to their mothers to be blessed by them. Then most of us walked to the old temple to see the new roof.
The ordination ceremony was at Wat Supat in Ubon. I remembered this from the last ordination I attended and remembered that it is there because Phra Kong is not yet advanced enough to conduct ordinations. Our group joined two other new monks for the ceremony. After the initial part, three sat down and three stood in the door. They were asked and answered a number of questions as a group and then individually. The three sitting did not do this. After the ordination, people lined up and contributed money to the new monks. Then we returned to Wat Hua Don.
Friday evening we gathered at the old temple. We started with a walking meditation through the forest for about 45 minutes. This was followed with a half hour of sitting meditation. Phra Kong talked to the group of about 60 people. Afterwards, we retired to our sleeping quarters at 9:00. Many of us slept in the building with relics of a previous monk. Others slept in tents in two areas that had been set aside for that purpose and had a layer of straw on the ground. Others slept in the eating building and in unused monks’ houses.
We awoke at 3:00 Saturday morning for early chanting/praying until 5:30. Then a break before giving alms food to the monks and eating breakfast.
Breakfast was served buffet style. We filled our bowls and then sat down and waited until everyone was seated. Then we all ate together in silence. At 9:00, we gathered for the morning activities: walking and sitting meditation and a short talk. Then a break and lunch. This was repeated in the afternoon except for the eating, as there was no dinner. We again at the old temple and other people came as well. About a hundred people were there. The key event was a talk by a guest monk.
Sunday was pretty much the same in the morning and afternoon. Sunday afternoon, I started to sit on a chair, as my knees were really hurting when sitting on the floor and I knew I couldn’t/shouldn’t stress them any more. After the talk, we helped tie strings hanging from the grid that had been prepared before our arrival. It was fun to help with that task and the job got finished quickly.
Many more people came for the Sunday evening program—about 300 in all. I think this was the official dedication of the building. Another guest monk spoke. Afterwards, about half of the people left. The rest of us stayed for the all-night of chanting/praying. About midnight, I started nodding off for a bit. During the 12:30 break, I did walking meditation, which woke me up and enabled me to stay awake until we dispersed at 3:30. Prior to going to our sleeping quarters, people cleaned up the area. Again, the job was finished quickly.
Sunday night there was a five-year-old boy who was being a monk. He was the recipient of a lot of attention. They had him answer a few questions in English for me. I learned that his father is from Denmark and his mother is Thai. I’m not sure why he was being a monk. He sat in the temple with Phra Kong for a short while. When the main speaker came, he was brought back and sat in his place at the back of the monks. I felt a little strange about this, as he seems quite young to be doing this. I’m not sure how much he really understands about what he was doing. On the other hand, the Dali Lamas of Tibet are identified as babies or very young children and brought up as monks. But that is not Thai culture, and it is not what this boy was doing.
We slept until morning alms at 6:00 Monday moring. Afterwards, there was breakfast and we went home.
I am really glad I had this experience. It really helped me begin to wrap up my life here and bring it to closure. I was glad to do it at this wat and with Khun Toy. Other women from the nearby village greeted me. The two nuns I met last year were there, and the one and I had a special bond. When I left, she asked when they would see me again. When I said I wouldn’t see her again because I’m leaving, she wished me good luck. Khun Dakom’s sister and I talked a bit. I’ve met her a few times but never had a chance to chat with her; so that was nice, too. And I always love walking in the forest; so the abundance of walking meditation was especially good for me.
We returned to the village and slept. In the afternoon, Khun Toy and I went to the wat for the gathering for the funeral of the king’s cousin who died about nine months ago. Since this was a royal funeral, it was a big deal in the country. Government employees wore their special white uniforms—with black skirts or pants instead of white ones. I was seated with Khun Ying in the back, as only government employees in white or the general khaki uniforms could sit in their groups in the front. The ceremony began at 4:30. There were several TV screens so people could watch it. I could hardly see, and I’m sure people farther back couldn’t see the ceremony at all. After the king lit a token fire, we walked to the table under a banner featuring the woman and placed the paper flowers we were given on the table. While I was in line, I noticed a young, white man farther ahead. Later, the mayor told me that they have a new volunteer who will work with the community for two years. Khun Yindee confirmed that he is a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Then we went home for dinner. In the evening, there was a stage show while we waited for the cremation to begin. Khun Yindee and Khun Kasemsri were, of course, the MCs. Five schools had groups of student dancers. Most of the local teachers were there, as they were required to attend. A few teachers from other schools came, and there were about twenty people who came from the community. Not a big hit. At 10:30, we watched on TV as the cremation fire was lit. Then we went to the local crematory and a monk lit a fire in a bowl there. Royalty and monks are burned at night.
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