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On Friday, May 3rd Tanisha and I visited the Wat Yarnna Rangseei Buddhist Monastery (Thai and 1st Theravada). As we entered the lot the white building another converted home had large orange flames that surrounded and expanded passed all the windows and doors. There was a small building that contained a sitting Buddha with many statues and candles, as we walked pass a tree there was another sitting Buddha worship area that had a bell hanging from the tree and surrounded by flowers, Each of these Buddhas has cloth draped across them. After removing our shoes outside we entered the building. The living room/worship hall was the first. No one was about so we looked for the office, where we were greeted by a young looking monk in a light orange toga. He showed us back to the worship area the first thing I noticed was that raised from the floor was a four inch lip where the monks themselves sat on little pillows. He ask Tanisha and I to sit in the floor, as we were being seated we were joined by another young monk. He showed us two stacks of books prepared for us since we called before we came. The monks informed us that they would help as much as they could but their English was not that good and that the ones who do speak well had went to the city (D.C.). The main center of worship was a large sitting gold Buddha with radiant flames protruding from him. There were large candles and many various sitting, standing, and laying smaller statues with incenses and flowers flanking the Buddha. The Buddha himself was again covered with a gold colored sheer and sequined material. Tanisha ask about this and the Monk referred to his own toga and said that it represented that. There were no noticeable bells but Tanisha notice a small pot with water in it and the monk said it was for the services.
As I was trying to ask about there meditation practices I think he misunderstood me and offered to show us. He instructed us to sit on our knees but back on our feet bow our heads and more or less pray. As we did this he took a reed wand dipped it in the water and proceeded to throw water on each of us and chant. I couldn't help myself I got so tickled. Once he was done we ask a few more questions about the name of the temple and was told that it meant wisdom and sunshine, which explained the orange flames on the building. The monks had more questions concerning our age and how long we had been studying Buddhism. I found that they were 30 and the other 35 years old. I remarked at how young they looked and he told us that it was due to Meditation. After our small chat they invited us back and we thanked them for there time. This visit was very nice, I can't believe how helpful they tried to be even though our language barrier made it seemingly impossible. |
| Created by Laura Ellen Shulman |
Last updated: May 2002
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