Luang Prabang Wats
For those who who doubt that LP is a buddhist city, you just have to put one foot in the street : novices are everywhere. There are about 300 monks and novices in the peninsula - and you cannot miss it. When I arrived, I was really surprised. Not by their number... By their age...
In Chiang Mai, there are lots of monks. Monks - so older than 20 y/o. You do see novices but I think that the number of monks is higher. Thanks to the university...
In LP, there is no buddhist university and thus... really few monks. I'd say that maybe 80% are novices, for about 20% of monks. In "my" temple, you had 17 novices and 5 monks. And in the streets, you just can't help noticing how they look so young and so small. They look so much like children, but with such an air of nobility on their face. Even the 10 y/o....
There is a secondary school and a high school so many novices can study. But more often than not, they don't have enough money to go to Vientiane (or - worse - to Chiang Mai) to attend university. So they usually disrobe after graduating high school. Some, like Phra Annesone, are lucky enough to be able to go on with their studies. Whether the money comes from their master, their family or someone else (including farang)
As for myself... I "chose" a temple, Wat Pa Phai. Or rather... the temple chose me. Well... the novices did...
Drying robes in the evening
The 1st morning I went alms offering, after the procession was over, I was walking up my street when a young novice - all innocent (or maybe not ^^) - hailed me : "Oh, you look really beautiful today" Did he see me the previous day ? I'll never know...
Pha Than (Bounthan) - 15 y/o
Has been a novice for 7 months
Unable to smile on a picture... but so full of life in every moment otherwise. I gave him my mosquito repellent ("it's not going to kill them... ? Sure ?") because he was keeping on clapping his feet and grumbling about the bites. He looked at the bottle, not knowing what to do with it. So we showed him how to use it. He put it on and them smelt his hand and "wargh, it smells so bad ! No wonder the mosquitoes will not come". I love him ^^
In the evening, aroung 5.45pm, it's chanting time, to pay respect to the Buddha. But the novices don't know all the Pali chants by heart, so they have this book. Except that... half an hour of chanting looked to be a little long this particular evening and my 3 friends got lost. A jog, a nudge, they lean to their neighbour : "hey... where are we ? I'm lost... You too ? Damn... Than... Thaaaaaan... pst... where are we ?"
They are so cool... ^^
In Chiang Mai, there are lots of monks. Monks - so older than 20 y/o. You do see novices but I think that the number of monks is higher. Thanks to the university...
In LP, there is no buddhist university and thus... really few monks. I'd say that maybe 80% are novices, for about 20% of monks. In "my" temple, you had 17 novices and 5 monks. And in the streets, you just can't help noticing how they look so young and so small. They look so much like children, but with such an air of nobility on their face. Even the 10 y/o....
There is a secondary school and a high school so many novices can study. But more often than not, they don't have enough money to go to Vientiane (or - worse - to Chiang Mai) to attend university. So they usually disrobe after graduating high school. Some, like Phra Annesone, are lucky enough to be able to go on with their studies. Whether the money comes from their master, their family or someone else (including farang)
A Wat... The wihan (hall), kuti (monks dorms), the golden chedi and a drum building. From Phou Si Hill.
Some Wats are really famous. Some are centuries old, have a majestic fresco or precious statues. Those ones attract the tourists, drawn to these temples by the lines in the Lonely Planet or other touristic guide. But some other temples hide themselves in the small lanes - and they are also really beautiful...
As for myself... I "chose" a temple, Wat Pa Phai. Or rather... the temple chose me. Well... the novices did...
Drying robes in the evening
The 1st morning I went alms offering, after the procession was over, I was walking up my street when a young novice - all innocent (or maybe not ^^) - hailed me : "Oh, you look really beautiful today" Did he see me the previous day ? I'll never know...
Pha Than (Bounthan) - 15 y/o
Has been a novice for 7 months
Unable to smile on a picture... but so full of life in every moment otherwise. I gave him my mosquito repellent ("it's not going to kill them... ? Sure ?") because he was keeping on clapping his feet and grumbling about the bites. He looked at the bottle, not knowing what to do with it. So we showed him how to use it. He put it on and them smelt his hand and "wargh, it smells so bad ! No wonder the mosquitoes will not come". I love him ^^
So I came back in the evening to help them practicing their English. One of them, Pha Siwisai, was only wearing his robe ("aaah, I'm not supposed to watch him like this... Ah, he doesn't care ? Ah... ok... Gang of novices...") and was trying kung-fu postures on the side of the wihan. Hum... Aren't you supposed not to sport ? Especially in the open where every Lao passer-by can see you ? Oh, by the way, you know the white-crane posture ? And the serpent one ? Ooh, yeah, this one is too hard for me. No sorry, I only know 10 of them, cannot teach you... ^^'
In the evening, aroung 5.45pm, it's chanting time, to pay respect to the Buddha. But the novices don't know all the Pali chants by heart, so they have this book. Except that... half an hour of chanting looked to be a little long this particular evening and my 3 friends got lost. A jog, a nudge, they lean to their neighbour : "hey... where are we ? I'm lost... You too ? Damn... Than... Thaaaaaan... pst... where are we ?"
They are so cool... ^^
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