Monks

You can't help but be drawn to them, to photograph them. The monks are all beautiful - their saffron robes against their dark skin, their closely shaved heads. I find the look stunning and exotic - it's not exactly a sight you see every day here at home. I found the Thai monks to be more shy, more earnest; the Lao monks to be more friendly, outgoing, eager to converse. In any case, they were gentle and accommodating; I, in turn, hope I was respectful and appropriate in my interactions with them. Thought I'd start this blog out with a bang; these are some of my favorite images of the trip.

Giving Alms

In the cold, pre-dawn darkness, we waited. It wasn't long before throngs and throngs of saffron-robed monks took to the streets of Luang Prabang for their daily ritual of collecting alms. (There are more than 4,000 monks in this small city of 100,000.) They had already been up, the first of their daily worship sessions under their belts, before hitting the streets, barefoot and humble, to receive the offerings proffered by the locals that would feed them for the day. Monks eat two meals a day (breakfast and lunch only), but are not allowed to shop or cook for themselves. Therefore, they rely on the generosity of their communities and families, and their daily rounds are a stirring sight to behold. I was very touched by it all. The generosity of some of the poorest people on the planet reminded me that I have a long way to go.

"Happiness does not come from having much,
but from being attached to little. "
Venerable Cheng Yen

Monks in the Modern World

At the end of the day, most robed monks are just regular Joes. Students, tradesmen, even hoodlums. They are not bound to be men of the cloth, simply boys fulfilling their religious obligation (single men/boys in Laos are required to study as monks for a minimum of three months), or obtaining a free education (otherwise, education - even a public education - costs money, of which there is precious little to go around). One of the members of our group came up with an apt analogy: the monks robes are akin to a Catholic school uniform. So throw out your notions that all monks are pious and devout. They very well may be, but real world diversions - cell phones, cigarettes, tattoos - are part of the culture as well.

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Monks At Work: Sculpting Buddhas

It was one of my most treasured experiences of the trip. I had the afternoon to myself - no group excursions, no pending critiques for which to prepare - just a blessed few hours to explore on my own. I took to the streets of Luang Prabang with no destination or activity in mind, just wandering. In my meandering, I came across this small group of monks at the back of a temple, working on sculpting new Buddha statues. There was one main artist and several young apprentices. While the artist meticulously sculpted the faces or small details, the younger novices were mixing clay and filling molds for what would become additional adornment on the statues (details like the curlicues of hair). They worked in concentrated silence, but were open, receptive and friendly when I respectfully asked if I could watch and photograph them at work. I stayed for quite a while, just observing. I thought it was quite special, and an experience on the trip that was unique to me.

"Treasure silence when you find it, and while being mindful of your duties, set time aside, to be alone with yourself. "
Dhammavadaka