Working for Buddha In the Thai Temple

The Temple Assembly Hall before the sun comes up.

Hi everybody,

After my last newsletter, a number of you asked me by email what I did all day in the temple. Did I spend all of my time meditating or chanting or simply sitting alone in silence? People were very curious. 
 

Well, in fact, I do spend a great deal of time in the temple chanting and meditating, but I also do a number of other things. 
 

One of the most important things I do is to help out in the kitchen of the temple. This is my way of working off my karma by doing good for other people. In this case, I help prepare an offering of food for the Monks who live in the temple.

I believe most of you understand what the meaning of karma is. It is essentially the sum total of all the actions we make in our life and how it affects our personality, our character, how we relate to other people and, most importantly, how it might shape our future in the afterlife.

For example, if we have done harm to other people, or to ourselves, we affect our karma in a bad way. So, working in the temple is a way of working off our bad karma. In other words, by helping others, I help myself.

In any case, my day begins before 6:00 in the morning when I meditate and do some chanting to get myself ready for the day ahead. After this, I might spend a little time chatting with my husband, Ry, next enjoy a cup of tea and then prepare myself for work in the kitchen. 

The Temple kitchen is next to the Assembly Hall 

Meichi Moy, the Senior Nun in the Temple, is now one of my best friends.

I am an honorary nun, so I dress in my Nun uniform, which is all white top to bottom. So, once prepared in all ways, I leave for the temple at about 6 a.m. for the kitchen, which is immediately adjacent to the temple. 

It is winter here in Thailand, just as it is in Canada, so it is still dark when I join my friend, Meichi Moy, the senior nun, for our walk to the temple, Once there, we begin our preparations for the day. 

As the sun begins to rise, more Nuns show up and begin their assigned chores.

As the sun rises for a new day, other nuns arrive at the temple. Each of them knows their responsibilities in the kitchen and begin working on what needs to be done.  Soon, more people arrive at the temple. They are from nearby villages and all have brought their own contributions for the monks.

With the morning light now flooding the kitchen, we step up our hard work!

After we have finished in the kitchen, the Temple bell calls us into the Assembly Hall where the Monks wait for our arrival  There, villagers offer food to the Monks, which the Monks accept and place in their large begging bowls. If you look carefully, you will see me on the far right of this photo.

Outside the Temple, there is a happy time where people meet each other, chat and select some food for their own breakfasts, which they will enjoy with their families at home.

For me, all of this is a wonderful way to begin a new day and Ry and I head back to our litte Temple home, where we enjoy our own breakfast. The rest of the day follows its own patterns, with more solitary meditation, chanting and long walks with Ry.

 And that is My Day in the Temple! I hope you enjoyed learning about it. We shall be leaving the Temple soon, but I hope to post one more newsletter from the Temple next week: Nuns take Day Off to Enjoy Adventure! 

Sincerely,

Kallayanee