Sunday, June 04, 2006
An Unexpected Encounter with Buddha
I have passed it many times as I walked by. Its sign, written in Chinese and English, tells us that it is a Buddhist temple. But it is never open, at least not when I am passing by. I have often wondered what was inside, what it would be like to visit a service there.
Today...at last! The doors were open, and some sort of service was going on inside. I stepped into the lobby, and stood quietly with the other observers. At the head of our little group were several nuns wearing black robes. Their heads were shaved. Near them were several males, these dressed in silk saffron robes. These seemed to be part of some ceremony taking place just inside the door, something I couldn't see very clearly. There was musical accompaniment--occasional cymbal or gong, and intermittent chanting.
Then the group moved to the front, where a shrine was hung with several portraits of Buddha himself. After some time, I decided to move on, but was immediately approached by a sweet woman who ushered me into a side room where several free books were displayed. She pressed two or three on me, and then provided a nice bag for me to carry them in. I discovered that the ceremony was to commemorate the installation of a new abbot, the old one retiring at the age of 80. The new head was a woman, a doctor who had studied at the University of London. She speaks three languages, so there will be more services in English in future.
What struck me about this congregation (as with so many others) was the sheer beauty of the members. They seemed quite "clear" and peaceful--what we might describe as "very nice people." Although I am not interested in joining a church or a religious institution myself, I realized that it would be very comforting to be part of a communal activity, to devote oneself to an ideal of purity and compassion, such as the Buddha. I felt they were in some ways quite lucky, but knew that I could never make such a commitment. I would always remain the solitary seeker.
As I made my way home, I noticed that everything looked quite lovely, the way the world sometimes appears after a meditation balances your brain waves.
One day soon they will again open the temple and the names of the Buddha will be chanted for several hours. I may drop in.
Today...at last! The doors were open, and some sort of service was going on inside. I stepped into the lobby, and stood quietly with the other observers. At the head of our little group were several nuns wearing black robes. Their heads were shaved. Near them were several males, these dressed in silk saffron robes. These seemed to be part of some ceremony taking place just inside the door, something I couldn't see very clearly. There was musical accompaniment--occasional cymbal or gong, and intermittent chanting.
Then the group moved to the front, where a shrine was hung with several portraits of Buddha himself. After some time, I decided to move on, but was immediately approached by a sweet woman who ushered me into a side room where several free books were displayed. She pressed two or three on me, and then provided a nice bag for me to carry them in. I discovered that the ceremony was to commemorate the installation of a new abbot, the old one retiring at the age of 80. The new head was a woman, a doctor who had studied at the University of London. She speaks three languages, so there will be more services in English in future.
What struck me about this congregation (as with so many others) was the sheer beauty of the members. They seemed quite "clear" and peaceful--what we might describe as "very nice people." Although I am not interested in joining a church or a religious institution myself, I realized that it would be very comforting to be part of a communal activity, to devote oneself to an ideal of purity and compassion, such as the Buddha. I felt they were in some ways quite lucky, but knew that I could never make such a commitment. I would always remain the solitary seeker.
As I made my way home, I noticed that everything looked quite lovely, the way the world sometimes appears after a meditation balances your brain waves.
One day soon they will again open the temple and the names of the Buddha will be chanted for several hours. I may drop in.
