My mum helped me to shave my eyebrow.
First moment after my eyebrow was shaved.
The highest ranked monk helped me to cut my hair.
The moment when we were hearing to a talk
"Sia Bat"... Just a practice during "Hari Buddha". Usually 3 spoon of Rice were put into one "plate of monk"
After "sia bat", the monks took the food first. Then, "mek ci" took the food. After that, we ate there inside the main hall or vihra.
If there were not "Hari Buddha" or special occassion, there would not be "sia bat". This was where we eat.
The day when parents came to "allow" their children to become monks and "mek ci".
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I chose to be there because I would like to discover myself. However, I failed. Instead, I found out lots of “secrets” and “hidden” reasons people chose to be there. Initially, I thought everyone who was there was going there willingly. I was wrong. Some of them told me they were there to learn and have fun. Some told me some of their friends were there because of their friends were there. Some of them were forced by their parents. Some of them were there to “ka bung” (something to do after promised to the “Buddha”. Maybe they had successfully overcome some failures, setbacks or sickness. Some of them were there to fulfill their spare time. This program was fully organized and sponsored by “Than Bhun”.
I chose to go back earlier because I could not stand anymore. The routine was ordinary and dull. I was upset. The talks were not for me. The talks were mostly in “Thai”. Although I laughed and seemed to have fun there, but the truth was I wasn’t.
11th Dec 2009(Friday)
I arrived Wat Bangset with a thought that I wanted to stay until the final day. I made a lot of mistakes that day because the instruction was given in “Thai”. Although my friends did translate to me, I did not understand them clearly. First, we changed to “all-white” attire. After the chanting, parents helped their child to shave the eyebrow. For boys, monks helped them to shave their hairs. After that, chanting was conducted again. Before that ceremony, we went to our room. We slept together with our friends. We didn’t practice “anta sila” that day. Thus, we were allowed to eat dinner.
12th Dec 2009 – 17th Dec 2009
We practiced “anta-sila”. We ate twice per day.
The routine:
5.30 a.m. > Wake up
6.00 a.m. > Morning Chanting and Meditation
7.00 a.m. > Dharma Walk
8.00 a.m. > Breakfast and Rest
9.30 a.m. > Talk
11.30 a.m. > Lunch and Rest
1.30 p.m. > Talk
4.30 p.m. > Rest
7.30 p.m. > Evening chanting and Talk
9.00 p.m. > Back to room
10.00 p.m. > Sleep Time
*During rest time, most of us chose to sleep or do laundry. However, there were some of hardworking elderly who chose to clean the WAT.
The routine was almost the same every day.
18th Dec 2009 (Friday)
I went to morning chanting as usual. After the breakfast, I went to “Than Bhun” there. There were 3 people including me who were going back that day. He asked us the reasons. I told him that I had some university application to do and it was pointless for me to be there if I didn’t know “Thai”. He gave each of us RM20 and one “prak”(something to wear with a necklace). Thanks for RM20. The “prak”, I always curious why should I wear it. I didn’t wear it for a long time. Many said it protects us.
After that, we went to Vihra to read “pasca sila”. That day we could eat dinner. After that, my parents arrived, I put my stuff into the car and changed to casual attire. I followed my mum to the kitchen. My mum had cooked something. We put the food on the table. We waited for the time for the monks and mek ci to eat. My aunt, uncle and their daughters came too. They were there to visit me. I took pictures with my friends. We ate lunch after the monks finished eating. After that, we went back to grandma’s house together.
THE END
