I’ve always loved monks
From very young, I always remember being attracted to monks, and wanting to be in their company. I have always been very comfortable in their presence. From young I have always wanted to be a monk.
Even when I see one monk walking on the street, my heart jumps for joy. I enjoy making offerings of food, dharma books, robes, umbrellas, drinks, medical fees to monks very much.
May the holy sangha increase, hold their morality and pass the Dharma to all that come in contact with them.
Om Mani Peme Hung,
Tsem Tulku
I can vouch for the fact Rinpoche loves making offerings to the sangha…in fact, 63 people can! Four years ago, in 2006, Rinpoche took 63 pilgrims to Gaden where they made offerings of robes and Manjushri statues to both Gaden Shartse and Jangtse…that’s 3000 monks in total! It isn’t the first time Rinpoche has made offerings to the sangha – he previously also offered large statues to both monasteries, including a 4-armed Chenrezig and a statue of the 5th Dalai Lama.
In fact!, offerings to the sangha is what led Rinpoche to first come to Malaysia. Lati Rinpoche (who sadly recently passed into clear light) asked Rinpoche to come to Malaysia to teach, to raise funds for living quarters for 35 monks in Phukjang Khamtsen. Although Rinpoche didn’t want to leave Gaden and preferred to stay in retreat, he recognised the importance of coming here…and he knew it would be a great honour to make such significant offerings to the sangha so he came
So yeah, offerings to the sangha (and guru devotion!) is the reason why we have Rinpoche here with us today. See, from giving and making offerings, many great things can arise!
I had the immense luck and merit to be with Rinpoche once on a trip to Bangkok… one morning, he dug us up at 5am to go make dana offerings to the monks in Khao San Road. We were none to chuffed about waking up that early in the morning but the experience, once we got there, was incredible. I loved it so much that I’ve made a point of digging myself up at 5am again every other time that I’ve been to Bangkok from then on, to go make offerings to the monks again.
Rinpoche’s huge heartfelt respect and love of the sangha was so clear – though he stands so tall at 6foot2, and most of the Thai monks are but half his height, Rinpoche would bow down low enough to be “below” their height. He had to almost fold himself in half to do this, but his humility evoked so much awe in us. Even Rinpoche, such a highly-esteemed Lama, who receives so much praise, offerings and respect himself, offers his own deepest respect, love and humility to other Sangha, all of whom he doesn’t even know. That morning, we spent thousands and thousands of baht making offerings, all sponsored by Rinpoche himself, with some contributions by those of us who were there.
It was a most humbling lesson and most of all, an apt reminder that this how much reverence, humility and respect we should have for the three jewels and all that they represent: our own spiritual journey and enlightened potential.
I am happy to share Rinpoche’s respect and love for monks since when I was young. I can’t even explain because in my time during the 60′s there were lots of Chinese movies that portray monks in bad light,there were also some scandals involving monks etc but it did not reduce my reverence for them.
I remembered Rinpoche’s very meaningful explanation to us during a book club talk that we should respect monks for their courage to wear the robes even if they have faults.
Of course its not only about the attire ,actors wear it , no problem. Wearing robes come with holding vows.The more than two hundred over vows that a fully ordained monk holds to entitle him to don the robes is not what an ordinary person would have courage to do.In all humility, that is enough reason for me to respect them.
Monks are so beneficial because they are they are 100 percent commited to the Dharma 24 seven. It is this level of commitment that Dharma can grow in a any place based upon their sacred commitment. What makes them commit is their motivation and the amazing vows that they uphold. Hence, a monk who holds onto his vows purely is a worthy object of offerings and a source of spiritual inspiration and their robes become a powerful protection from interferences.
In this post, Rinpoche talks of joy of making offerings to monks and joy in seeing them and so forth probably reflects a deep imprint of numerous lifetimes of being pure monks. It takes one with tremendous amount of merit to see monks as a source of joy unlike what many modern people think. If anybody makes the resolution to become a monk or nun, it is generally frowned upon and thought of as escaping social responsibility or having failed in worldly affairs. It is sad because there is so little support for the Sangha.
People generally don’t see the courage of those wishing to pursue monasticism and the incredible merit to do so and how much it will benefit the family, which usually is the source of critcism. Hence, we must support our members of Sangha and especially our Guru who works so hard to perpetuate the Dharma.
I grew up with the same feeling, and looking back now, I feel like I have missed many opportunities to engage in Dharma earlier in my life. As a child, I wanted to be a monk, I wanted to do retreat, I was longing for it. Many a time I saw monks, and even asian monks back in Belgium where I grew up. But I have this huge downfall up to this day: I never ask for things (help, assistance, etc…), I always wait for people to ask me.
Many a time have I seen monks and I’d still be attracted, even way in my thirties, but never approached them, when I would see a caucasian wearing the robes of a buddhist monk, I would want to go to him and ask many questions, yet I never did, I never acted. Out of sheer arrogance.
I am not saying this here to talk about my self, I am saying this because, there might be someone like me reading this, someone younger that feels the same and is yet to act; please don’t wait until someone presents spirituality to you on a silver plater, you might not be as lucky as I was eventually. Don’t wait for something you can’t be sure will happen to you in this life, create the causes for you to engage in a spiritual life, do it now. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor!
Thierry, what a lovely heartfelt sharing…
i’m sure someone who feels exactly as you did will be moved by your openness… thank you.
love
Sharon
During my very young days I too have that sort of feeling towards Spirituality. But also towards Buddhist monks and nuns. And even Christian nuns and monks too. I was educated in the Convent School. During my school days I did not know about Buddhism except reading the Bible. And I thought I could become one ofthe Catholic nuns when I grow up. I like going to church. But today I end up not as a Catholic Ordained nun but as a Buddhist Nun. That also tells me that all things and wishes can change and are impermanent. I know as a nun I have not lived up to Rinpoche’s expectations. But will make an effort to learn.
I read this post sometime last year, and was a little envious that so many had the opportunity to give dana to the monks in Bangkok with Rinpoche. Its something that I have always wanted to do, but did not have the chance to back in Kuala Lumpur. So I was really happy to be able to give dana offerings to the monks this time around in Bangkok, with a teaching and commentary by Rinpoche.
As Rinpoche says:
” It is a chance for the lay people to participate in the spiritual practice of the monks. You support the monks to do their studies, practice, meditations and teachings. You gain the merit for sponsoring their activities, in this case through food to put it simply. They do what you cannot and you do what they do not do..it is a perfect balance. Every activity a monk does for the community, you contributed to it…the merit comes from supporting the sangha and continuance of the Dharma. The sangha renounces samsara to focus on study, practice, teaching and serving others. They don’t waste time on wordly activities and do Dharma part time, they do it full time so they can put their full energies into their practice and in this way keep the Dharma alive due to their full attention given to it. Hence you are supporting their 100% commitment towards the Dharma. They do you a great service because without them putting their full energy into the Dharma, who will learn, practice, teach and keep the Dharma alive? ”
Read more about the latest dana offering in Bangkok here: http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/students-friends/bangkok-monks-and-why-make-offerings.html