monk-y business
By someone, who didn’t feel too devout when the alarm sounded
Luang Prabang, Laos
We hadn’t expected such a comical moment in a serious religious ceremony.
He was the smallest one, hurrying at the back of the line, trying to catch up; surely he had been the last to climb up off his sleeping mat just moments before. He was still pulling his orange robes around himself and they kept slipping off his shoulder, revealing a sleeveless brown woollen tunic, as he fought with his long yellow tie, struggling to knot it around his waist.
We’d got up before this young boy-monk. At 5:30am our alarm had joined the crowing roosters around town, signaling our time to don warm clothing and creep out into the darkness to join the tourist band observing the morning alms giving. In many towns across this Buddhist region, the daily practice of receiving offerings for filling their own tummies (and do they distribute to the poor ? I haven’t been able to find out) occurs each day before dawn, but it is in Luang Prabang that it has become a bit of an attraction; the tourist-watchers easily outnumber the alms-givers. Congregating under street-lamps for the best light for photos (out of respect for the worshippers and the monks themselves, you are requested not to use your flash – although, unfortunately, most photographers put their own desires for a good picture before those of their subjects – and fellow photographers, for that matter – they were a selfish pushy bunch out there this morning), the waiting crowd is targetted by basket-carrying shadowy silhouettes imploring them to buy sticky rice, chocolate bars, oranges and banana-leaf-and-orange-flower offerings “for monks” (pronounce this word with an o – exactly as it’s written!)
After watching (and being photographed ourselves by numerous Chinese and Taiwanese tourists), we contemplated the words penned by William Chatterton Dix, a carol from our own tradition of giving.
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring
Christ to Thee, our heavenly King.
This year we are not giving tangible gifts, but we are considering how we can love every day, because Christ loved us first.
What treasures can we give Him?
How much are we willing to “spend”?
Tags: money, postcard: Laos, tradition
rayres
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