A Monk's Life

Where do I begin? I feel as if I have been away for weeks rather than three days (not even). I suppose living in a temple as a monk can make a person forget the concept of time. This sense of calm and peace still lingers with me, and I’m savoring every moment. I will try my best to cultivate and grow this feeling throughout my life. 

6th Century stone Buddha carving

View from under the Buddha at dawn

All of this was brought about by a program that allows you to live at a temple called Golgulsa for as many days as you like. Some of the non-monks I met have been living there for over a year studying Buddhism and/or the ancient art of Sunmudo. It combines Yoga, Qigong, Martial Arts, and Zen meditation in a unique art form that supposedly harmonizes the mind, body, and spirit in such a way to attain enlightenment. I was fortunate to not only watch amazing Sunmudo demonstrations but actually participate in classes myself which were not easy. Even though this aspect is unique to Golgulsa, it wasn’t the reason why I decided to go there.

Sunmudo practitioner from France

For me, I went alone, wanting to delve deeper into the rich culture of Buddhism and meditation and experience it firsthand. Golgulsa is a member of the Korean Jogye Order of Mahayana Buddhism. This is the largest sect in Korea and also the strictest. Some monks who were visiting actually were married with families, but this is not the case for the Jogye Order. And as part of the social and cultural history of Korea (and other countries), female nuns are still subservient to monks. Although the Buddha said that gender is really irrelevant because the body is a shell (which we’ve been born into an infinite number of times in both male and female forms) and thus enlightenment can be attained by anyone, including lay people. So this “separate but equal” treatment of women in Buddhism is merely the product of cultural trends supplanted onto Buddhist philosophy and doctrine. That being said, I choose to see Buddhism in its pure form for my own study and use, which is why I didn’t go all feminist-crazy on the monks. 

Shrine in the main temple

Morning chanting at 4:30am

Sunrise meditation view

Walking meditation

I just allowed the experience to be what it was; an incredible opportunity for personal growth and learning. The location was breathtakingly beautiful. I will never forget waking up at 4am and hiking up a massively steep hill to attend the morning chanting service followed by a meditation overlooking the forest canopy as the sun rises. Just perfect. All you could hear were the sounds of birds chirping, the gentle rustle of the wind through the branches, and silence. Even with the backdrop of nature, that silence was empty and profoundly all-encompassing. I felt so calm and relaxed the whole time, just letting go and being in the moment. The landscape invites a meditative atmosphere. The rock wall next to the main temple houses twelve alcoves with statues and shrines as well as the only cave temple in Korea. I performed my 108 Bows for Buddha’s Birthday in that space. At the top of the mountain there is a large Buddha jutting from the rock face which was carved in the 6th Century Silla Dynasty. Gazing upon the tranquil visage of the Buddha invites everyone to relax their mind and just chill. 

The cave temple

Inside the cave temple where I did the 108 Bows

Buddha statues in alcoves everywhere

Fortunately, I had enough free time to explore the temple grounds and fit in some personal reading and meditation which was lovely. Meals were strictly vegetarian and for the most part quite delicious. It was the same breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it was yummy and healthy so no complaints here! Also, we were treated to “tea with a monk” after lunch on Sunday. It was very interesting to ask him what some of the difficulties of monastic life are and hear his story of why he became a monk. It makes you realize that people enter that lifestyle for many different reasons. Though the important thing to remember is that they are all trying to better themselves and their minds and spread that peace to others.  

Monday was spent in preparation for the afternoon ceremony and performance in honor of Buddha’s Birthday. It is one of the biggest holidays in Korea (and many other Buddhist countries) which follows the Lunar Calendar so the celebration falls on a different day every year. I helped carry paper lotus lanterns up the giant hill to the temple where they were hung, shucked the hulls from bean sprouts, and assisted in manning the donation box and the pinning-on-of-flowers for visitors paying their respects. 

Preparations for Buddha's Birthday

Paper lanterns

Special Buddha's Birthday ceremony

Prayers during the ceremony

People were so friendly and seemed to enjoy our (aka the foreigners) company, especially the old ladies. First of all, I’ve never seen so many metal teeth in my life! Gold, silver, Kanye West would be jealous! These ajummas (Aunties) with their curly perms, bedecked grilles, and completely mismatched floral wardrobes also had the kindest smiling faces. I literally choked up when I saw the beaming smile coming from a wrinkled old woman who clearly was missing an eye (and several teeth) as I pinned on a flower, bowed, and thanked her for her donation. It was such a simple and wonderful moment when I felt a loving connection to a perfect stranger. I didn’t know her but was filled with such compassion for her. All life is precious and eventually comes to an end. That is what I think of when I see the elderly (and there are many in Korea), and it reminds me to truly savor every moment because it won’t last. “This too shall pass.”

As my three day and two night respite from time and memory came to an end, I thanked the universe for my life and the experience I was able to enjoy and learn from. I will cherish every second. That means carrying that momentum and awareness with me back into reality where I’ll really need it. Now when I wake up at six I think, “The monks have been up since 3am. They’ve already finished their chanting and meditation and will soon have breakfast.” They really can accomplish so much more by getting up that early. I too loved the feeling of being awake at such an early hour while the rest of the world was sleeping. It’s like knowing a secret. There is such a fleeting stillness that exists only to dissolve with the rising of the sun. Grabbing hold of those moments; sitting right in the middle of it; that is living. I love life!

A Personal Effect

It is difficult to tell the effect you truly can have on a person. Most times you’ll never know how deeply you have touched someone’s life. All you can do is live happily and completely, being compassionate to everyone and supporting them when they need it. However, I had the fortune of experiencing this effect first-hand the other day while talking with a friend at a coffee shop.

We were discussing future dreams and goals. I told her about my plan to become an art history professor and live in Japan and France someday. She is getting married soon to a man who became a dentist because it pays well, but now finds the job fails to live up to his own dreams. He wanted to be an astronomer but followed his parent’s orders instead. My friend became a science teacher, despite her own parent’s attempts to divert her attention to math. It was a more difficult path, but she chose it because that was what she truly wanted. She didn’t compromise. But now, she wishes to live in other countries and see the world and experience how other people live their lives. With her upcoming marriage, those dreams seem like less and less of a reality as she begins to feel the weight of societal and familial pressures.

So hearing my dream of travel and adventure unexpectedly touched a chord within her, and before I knew it, I could see tears welling up in her eyes. I had no idea that my words would have such a profound effect. It was such an emotionally charged and surprising moment that left me feeling deeply touched as well. It made me realize that one word, one sentence, can dramatically change the thoughts and feelings of another.  At that time, it didn’t matter our age, what country we are from, what language we speak, or what our race is. The only thing that counted was that we shared something special together; we made a connection on a human level. No bullshit. No stereotypes. Just two people having a moment of mutual understanding and admiration.

There have been times in Korea when I have felt I am not effective with my job. I felt that the children I teach aren’t really learning anything from me. But after this experience, I think that is no longer true. Just because one cannot always witness a response like the one in my friend does not mean it never happens. Her reaction has inspired me to recognize that my time here is not just about a job, about teaching English. It’s about the connections and interactions I have with other people. Sharing other people’s pain, hopes, joys, failures and many more are the real purpose of my journey here (and to any country I visit for that matter). That to me is the point of life; to have the privilege of many experiences alone and with others; to enjoy all aspects of life both good and bad; to truly live in this world and not just watch it pass by.

Even as I write this I am gripped with a feeling I can’t describe. Like I’m on the verge of crying and laughing, but I’m not sure which one to choose. I think it might be ok to pick both. Before I came to Korea I had a feeling that there was something waiting for me here to discover. I think I found out what that is.