Abroad Trip Day 12 and 13

We went to Wat U-Mong yesterday for an overnight meditation retreat. It was... interesting. We arrived at 9am. We learned how to meditate using sitting, standing, reclining and walking methods. Walking is my favorite. While we were at the Wat, we had to obey all 8 Buddhist Precepts, not only the 5 that laymen follow. They are:

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyani: I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life of any living creature (Ironically, we ate chicken while there)

2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.

3. Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyani: I undertake the precept to refrain from incelibacy

4. musavada veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the precept to refrain from false and harmful speech

5. surameraya-majja-pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the precept to refrain from consuming intoxicating drink and drugs which lead to carelessness

6. vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the training rule to abstain from eating at improper times (from noon to 7am, no eating. Only breakfast at 7:30 and lunch at 11).

7. nacca-gita-visuka-dassana-mala-ghanda-vilepuna-dharana mandana vibhusanatthana veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the training rule to abstain from dancing, singing, music, shows, wearing garlands, using perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics.

8. Uccasayana mahasayana veramani sikkhapadarn samadiyana: I undertake the training rule to abstain from the use of high and large seats and beds (we slept on a mat made out of grasses).

Yup, those are the 8 rules. Anyway, we meditated for a couple hours every couple hours. About 9 hours total. We went to bed at 9pm, and got up at 4:30am for morning chanting and meditation. Yup, 5:30am, I was sitting outside, eyes closed, trying to not think and not fall asleep. Overall, the meditation wasn't bad. The Buddhism isn't that bad. The monk was... sexist? I think sexist, more so than necessary for a leader of a sexist religion who grew up in a sexist society and is now sexually repressed. Made comments like how women are complicated, and therefore need more rules. Or asked “teacher” a question, but didn't mean the woman with the PhD, but her male student who wants to teach, and actually cut her off mid-sentence when she started to answer. Not the best monk I've met by far. I much preferred the other monks at monk chat, but he says that monk chat is not as good as his monk chat. Also, he says Ladyboys and gay men cannot be monks, but we saw Ladyboy monks at other temples, and we have been told that Ladyboys and gay men can be monks as well. He later made fun of a male student for sounding gay when he accidentally said “-ka” instead of “-krup” at the end of a sentence. He blatantly favored the four male students over even our professor. When he asked for questions, and girls raised their hands, he asked the boys to ask questions when they did not have their hands raised. He also took three of the boys on a private field trip, and completely ignored the girl who went along as well. He gave them keychains and his email address, and took theirs. He even went so far as taking his favorite boy on a private walk, and asked him how often he masturbates. It was really strange.

In any case, it put a damper on the whole meditation retreat. As if not eating enough food, sleeping on the floor of a closet (my bedroom was 4x6feet, and freezing), and being sent outside at 5am when it was chilly weren't enough, right? I would put up with that and the sexist religion that says even the youngest male infant or most infamous criminal is a higher status than the most admired and respected women.

Anywho, I took a long shower when I got back, went to the mall, did homework with an iced mocha, and ate half a pineapple. Calmed down. Felt happy. :)