Despite being sick, I decided to go to Bodhnanth on my day off. I have never been here before and I had heard that it was fantastic! That is the truth! It is a very impressive Buddhist Stupa. I wanted to get some photos up so I will add more content later.
I was in Boudhnanth in Oct 2009 where I had an interesting experience. I was circumambulating the highest level of the stupa, trying to be in a meditative state, when a maroon clad monk came up to me and asked if I was Buddhist. I said that I was trying to be (that I was attending a centre in Victoria, BC, Canada - which, incidentally, I no longer am) and he told me that he was from Tibet and would love to show me his gompa (monastery). Naively, I said ok. He proceeded to rush me around the stupa, then down and across to his monastery. The fact he was rushing us so much made me feel as though we were being very unBuddha like! As we entered his gompa he showed me an old image on the wall just below the staircase with the Image of Life painted on it and proceeded to explain it to me. He was impressed I knew about it and what various images represented. Then we rushed upstairs to what was the roof of the monastery, where we had a great view of Bodhnanth and the stupa. He took me over to a part of the roof where the monks burned butterlamps (offering light symbolizes burning away the mental afflictions of desire, aggression, greed, jealousy, pride...) and we both lit a butterlamp. Then we went over to another part of the roof that was covered and had a throne. This is where the monks meditate. He wanted me to meditate there with him which I did for about 20 minutes (two other monks were there meditating). Afterwards, we went back to the staircase and I thought we'd proceed downstairs and that would be that. But the monk sat on the stairs (eventually I did, too) and proceeded to tell me about his life and family in Tibet and said his mother was sick and he needed money to get back to Tibet for a visit with his mother. I, of course, became suspicious, and asked if it wasn't hard to get back into Tibet for visits once he'd left? I also asked him how he left Tibet and when. He kind of brushed those questions off and said again that he really needed to see his mother and needed the equivalent of US$10 to get back to Tibet. Being the sucker I am, and wanting to leave the monastery by now, I said I only had $5 and gave it to him. I thought he'd be profoundly grateful for that but instead of saying 'thank you' he said, "that's not enough, I need more". For a few minutes I said I didn't have $5 more and he said "how about $10". I have to say my heart sunk at this whole conversation as it totally disillusioned me about Tibetan Buddhism here in Nepal. I thought, and still believe, that he was doing the whole scheme (approaching me as I walked around the stupa, the rushing around (so he'd have more time to get more sucker tourists to fall for this), showing me the monastery, etc.) all to get cash. In the end, I got up and tried to leave but he kept saying "please, i need more $ to visit my sick mother in Tibet." Eventually, mostly because I wanted to get out of there, I said ok and looked in my wallet but all I had left was the equivalent of $20. I asked if he had change (stupid of me, I know) and he said know but that i'd be very blessed by giving him such a large donation. I ended up giving him the $20, basically just to escape (not that I was physically trapped). The whole experience really depressed me and made me not enjoy my day at Boudnath. It goes to show that even monks(at least some of them) are imperfect humans who haven't overcome their desires (for money...). Too bad. I still haven't been able to shake off the yucky feeling the whole experience left me with...
ReplyDeleteOh Rebecca. I am so sorry to hear that. It's awful when something like that happens and we are shocked and disillusioned. It is really sad that whenever I am at one of the temples or Durbars here I ignore people who say hello and want to talk to me. I always assume they want money...and I am usually right...
ReplyDeleteBut even real monks? That's what's sad to me...
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your experience. It's true that a lot of Tibetan "monks" are after money. You are lucky he did not want sex too. A lot of so-called "monks" make passes at women when they are alone with them. I am surprised he did not make a pass at you or ask you to do "tantra" with him. Believe it or not, this is very common. Try to remember that Buddhists are not necessarily Buddha and they don't all represent the best that Buddhists can be. This does not mean Tibetan Buddhism isn't a valid path - and there are truly enlightened people on the path, so the fact that many practitioners are all too human doesn't negate the fact that there are very realized practitioners as well. You were unfortunate to meet a bad example of a Buddhist monk, but you may meet one who really does embody the teachings.
ReplyDelete