A Day At The Monastery

(Photo - My parents offered the yellow robe and our donation. The head monk received and invested the congregation with the Three Gems and Eight Precepts.)

2^nd January of 2013 was now 14 years since our granny passed away. Time passed so quick that it was happened like yesterday. But we never forget the day my granny passed away. We always did good deed to remember our granny’s memorial. To this year 2013, for 2^nd January, we prepared yellow robe or some donation before the very day. We were happy to do such a good deed to our granny and prayed a lot for her hoping to watch from heaven see our good deed with joy and delight. 

What Monastery Mean To Buddhists

To go to the monastery was not really a duty to the Buddhist people. People loved going there on Sabbath day or had an interesting time for doing meditation or discussing Buddhists scriptures with other. People especially chose the day which concerned the remembrance of their relatives passed away, go to the monastery and do a good deed. People also sometimes do their birthday ceremony or their wedding ceremony as offering alms foods or donate yellow robes to the monks at the monastery. 

A Day At The Monastery

At about ten, we gathered in the main building of the monastery. We saw people each group settling down in a chosen corner. Yes, monastery was used to receive guests every day. People always have plan with their own affairs. The head monk received the yellow robe and our donation and invested the congregation with the Three Gems and Eight Precepts. 

The head monk also to say ‘Ah-mhya’ three times meaning ‘Come and share’, and it is expected of those who hear it to say ‘Thar-du’ three times meaning ‘Well done’. ‘The word ‘Thar-du’ expressed joy and appreciation at some good done by others and when said either mentally or orally, it is in itself a deed of merit.’ Buddhists believe that all the friends unseen or seen or that all the relatives unseen or seen wish to have a chance to say ‘Thar-du’ to help them up the ladder of existence. We believed our grandparents see our good deeds and wish to have a chance to say ‘Thar-du’ with us.

After that, the head monk invited all the guests to have a lunch at the monastery. We saw other ceremony of offering alms food and yellow robes were made already. Although today was not a weekend or Sabbath day, in the monastery was a day of plenty. That’s why the head monk could invite all the guests to have a lunch there. Oh! We were lucky today at the monastery!

(Photo – About hundred of monks had their meal silently and quietly with alms bowl.)

Hundred of monks had their meal silently and quietly with alms bowl. We loved to watch the scene with respect. Late at the afternoon we would come home. 

People would have a fine time meeting friends at the monastery. ‘Apart from being a happy outing, a day at the monastery is satisfying in many ways, social, cultural and spiritual.’ I heard my grandmother used to say, never failed for all time. I concluded my diary the day at the monastery by the end of a perfect day.