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Wat Yarnna Rangseei Buddhist Monastery
22437 Ceder Green Rd., Sterling, VA (703) 406-8290

by Sonya Audi

I visited the Wat Yarnna Rangsee Thai Buddhist Temple on April 21, 2003. As we drove up, my husband and I noticed decorations everywhere. A young monk was trying to clean the decorations from a New Years party. We asked the young monk where we should park and he showed us. My husband and I got out of the car and were greeted by a monk named Udom Samana. My first impression of the Buddhist Temple was the tranquility of it. By this I mean that I felt as though there were no worries here and nothing from the outside "material" world distributing it. It was so beautiful and the monks were willing to answer all my questions and concerns about their religion. They certainly helped educate me on the Buddha religion.

After we met Udom Samana, he took us to meet another monk by the name of Saddha. We had to take off our shoes before entering the temple and I began to ask Saddha about his daily life as a Buddhist. He explained to me that he and the other monks would chant for a half-hour in the morning before eating breakfast. I also questioned him about the decorations I saw around the temple, he said that this past weekend was their New Years and about 700 hundred people showed up. I thought that was amazing. He told me about the activities that the temple held. For example on Tuesday at 7:00pm, he held mediation classes and on Sunday they had classes for those who wished to learn the Thai language, which I thought was very interesting. I asked him what the chants were about and what they mean. He explained to me that they are called the Triple Jewel this is what they base their devotion and mind on. The Triple Jewel has three concepts, the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. He helped me to understand that the Buddha is of course the Enlightened One, dharma is Buddha's teachings and sangha is his disciples that follow and share the dharma teachings. I asked him why they dressed this way. I was told that they must devote themselves to the teachings of dharma and not to the material world. So they only have a few material items and they dress this way so as not be distracted from their studying. 

I thanked Saddha for answering my questions and his time, but before I left he gave me three books: Buddhism For Young Students, The Tree of Enlightenment, and Sangha Talk. I thanked him again for the books. Udom Samana then took us on a tour of the temple. We went outside where I saw
	a larger than life size beautiful statue of Buddha and many smaller statues of Buddha right behind. Buddha was made of black marble and was in walking motion with on hand up and the other by his side. The statue was made to look like it was windy that day. I say this because of the way his drapery just looked like it was being pushed back by the wind. I was told that the smaller Buddha's were made out of gold and that they have a specific one for each day of the week.

Next Udom Samana took us to go see the Gong. They use the Gong to announce a meal is ready or to make an announcement of any kind. The Gong was big; it was black mixed in with gold. I got to hit the Gong and it made a loud noise but then Udom Samana rubbed the midsection of the Gong and it made a noise that I never heard. It was louder when he did this then when I hit the Gong.

Finally he took us to the holy place sort of like an altar. Before we entered we took off our shoes and the first thing we saw was Buddha he was very large in size and he was made of gold. He had all these wonderful looking flowers around him. Udom told me that I had to pay my respects to Buddha so he showed me what to do. I had to get down on my knees and bow, till me head touched the floor, three times. After this Udom did a small chant for us in the Pali Canon language that I thought was really neat.

Our visited had to come to an end because Udom had to do some things and he asked for me to write my name and address in a book so I gladly did. Just before I left he asked me what my name was again and I said Sonya he told me that they had a monk by that name and that my name means memory. So he wanted to show me in the book I was holding where I could find this. The weird thing for me is that he wouldn't take it out of my hand. He made me set it down somewhere and then he took it. What was even weirder is that he handed the book back to my husband and shook his hand. I didn't understand why he wouldn't take it from me therefore I didn't want to ask. So I came home and did a little research on my own and found that Buddhist monks are not allowed to come in contact with a woman because the women are hindrances to their spiritual development. 

I really enjoyed my visit to the Buddhist Temple. The monks were so friendly and welcoming. They took time out of their day to explain to me their religion. It was a really good experience for me and I want to go back to attend an event that they might have. I would like to go next Tuesday and attend a meditation section. I was really glad I went. I began to read the book that Saddha gave me. The book is called Buddhism For Young Students the book contents some fables that I liked a lot, my favorite is the owl and the crow. 

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