As Long As You Stand On The Road
A happy Hawai’ian Christmas story from 2018.
Category: Monk Life
Have You Eaten Yet?
In 1993, I visited China with five lucky School of Technology students at my University. Before going, I asked around for some cool things to say and “Chī le ma?” or “Have you eaten yet?” was the phrase I learned besides asking for the toilet. It does not mean what it literally says. Instead, it means a little bit like “How are you?”, but more casual like, “How’s it going?” It sounds funny in English and that is why I say it in English to my Chinese monastic friend when I see him. Recently, one of my friends who is […]
Mawlamyine Pa-Auk Kitchen 2014
I thought it would be cool to show Yogi Brahm the Pa-Auk kitchen and let him capture how the meals are made for 1200 yogis each day.
Thanks and Giving
On November 24, I helped make a nice breakfast and lunch for Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, Pyin Oo Lwin. I organized 28 monks including myself to give.
Turning 50
Today I turned fifty years of age. A few months ago, I was really happy about it but then as health problems piled up a few weeks ago (which ended up being a 2.5 week allergic reaction), I was unpleasantly reminded that our bodies were only given 40-year warranties and I was ten years overdue. As I told my parents this newly discovered truth that a birthday just means I’m getting older with more problems and eventually death, my father said, “Bhante, we have been 30 years ahead of you with this same stuff.” Old Buddhist wisdom. Old age, sickness, […]
Rice Soup in Buddhist Culture?
Rice soup is most popularly known as Congee (Kahn-Jee). However in the Buddhist world, it is referred to as yāgu in the Pāḷi Language.
Monk Life and Natural Dyeing
Here are pictures about the natural dyeing process. The monks boil the ironwood tree bark chips for a long time (days). When a drop of dye is dropped in a glass of water, a ball will form and sink to the bottom. At that point, the dye master will empty that batch of dye into containers and then reboil the same chips with fresh water to make more dye. You can do this two or three times before the chips are used up. The dye is added by sprinkling just a little bit onto the robe and then rolling it […]
A Great Day, 2019
A small story from Kaua’i on the simple life.
Why Is Vassa (Rainy Season) Late Sometimes?
There seems to be confusion about when vassa is this year. This year is a special year and Vassa starts the day after the full moon day in August. The full moon day is August 3rd and Vassa starts on August 4th. However, there are some traditions that believe that Vassa has already started with the full moon day of July 4th and Vassa on July 5th. Who is correct? Today we will explain how the two calendar systems work and which one should be followed. The Buddhist Calendars follow the lunar calendar. We all know that the uposatha day […]
The Swastika
Today, as I was washing my bowl, I saw a local Myanmar monk with a swastika tattoo on his arm. Was he racist? No.