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| Dhammasala Forest Monestary Temple |
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| 28 acres of lush meadows and forests |
Although
one cannot learn all there is to know about a religion from one visit to a
synagogue, church, mosque, or temple, it behooves the student to visit anyway
to bring some reality into his/her studies. By visiting a “holy” place or event
of a particular religion the student is able to actually experience the
religion (if they let themselves be a part of it as well as an observer). They
will observe much more at such an event or location then they can possibly
learn from books and lectures alone. It is with this purpose that I set my
sites on the Dhamasala Forest Monastery in Perry, MI. I was especially eager to
visit this temple, as timing would have me there for the Visakha Puja –
Buddha Day – celebration.[1]
According to
their website, the Dhamasala Forest Monastery in Perry, MI is situated on
twenty-eight acres of land
The two
monks who were present are currently the only ordained monks at the monastery;
another man also stays there, although he is not yet ordained. One monk,
Venerable Bhikkhu Maha Kittipan, is from Thailand and speaks no English. The
monk whom appeared to be the leader, Venerable Bhikkhu Khemasanto, is an
American native to Michigan, although he spent many years in Thailand as a
novice, then as an ordained monk, according to their website (Dhammasala Forest Monastery) . To my relief, he speaks
English as well as Thai and Pali. The majority age seemed to be thirty to
forty, although there were children, young adults, and elderly as well. Most looked
to be of Asian descent, and I found out later that many were Thai. There were a
handful Caucasians in attendance as well, some of whom were spouses of Thai
husbands or wives. Whether they were also Buddhist or simple “drug along” as the
American monk suggested (receiving giggles), I do not know.
I was
semi-surprised to find out that the recitations (with repetition from the lay
people) during the vasak celebration was entirely in Pali, so I had no
idea what was being said and repeated until I asked later. Most of the people
in attendance seemed to be able to follow along well, although one man admitted
to me that he only understood bits and pieces. I can see how this could be a
deterrent for someone new to the temple that does not know the language… it is
hard to participate when you don’t understand what is being said and why. I
felt disconnected because of the language barrier. Some people tried to help me
understand what was going on and why, but I mostly received instruction in the
form of “I think… but, I’m not sure” and was told how to follow the ritual in
actions, not in understanding
Thankfully,
at one point, the American monk spoke up in English and gave a short dhamma
about the celebration and the ritual of circling the sala three times
with a lit candle, incense, and flowers to be offered at one of two shrines. He
explained that the conglomeration of Buddha statues, flowers, and candles at
the back of the temple were not idols, but rather a shrine. It is not
worshipped, but given respect in the form of prostrations to give honor to the
teacher, The Buddha. He compared the ritual to that of placing flowers on the
graves of our ancestors. . Although I didn’t understand all of the words, I
made some observations about the ritual:
Vaska – birth, awakening, and death of Buddha
- Offering of food/supplies to monks
- Lighting of candles and incense
- Recitation and repetition by lay people
(in Pali)
- Pouring of water into a dish during chant
(Chant is hypnotic and beautiful)
- Stand in line to pass food community area,
after monks are served first
- Eat – wide variety of Thai dishes (very
good!)
- dhamma talk about dhuka, The Buddha, and
the reason for the celebration (in English and Thai or Pali)
- Get flowers, candle, and incense for
offering to shine later
- More dhamma talk – “We don't own our
bodies, we rent, but cannot find the owner” and “All comes and goes” (in
English and Thai or Pali)
- Offering of money tree and other gifts to
monks
- Recitation and repetition by lay people
(in Pali)
- Lit candle and incense, three times around
temple. (Three times to symbolize the Birth, Awakening, and Passing of The
Buddha)
- Offering of flowers, incense, and candle
to shine (respect, not worship, like leaving flowers at a grave)
I returned
to the monastery a few hours after the celebration ended to participate in the
weekly dhamma talk and meditation session. I noted a sharp contrast from
earlier in the day where I was a bit confused and couldn’t follow along, nor
understand what was going on, due to the language barrier. This time, there
were far less participants, about 10 – mixed gender and ethnicity, age range
from twenty - forty. And this time, to my delight, everything was in English.
The dhamma talk focused on dukkha and the four noble truths, as there were many
novices in the audience. According to Venerable Bhikkhu Khemasanto, liberation
is realizing nothing is constant – everything changes. He explained the four
noble truths and how they relate to this concept, answering questions as they
arose. He used comparisons and logic to help solidify his points, as well as
humor, which the “students” seemed to appreciate.
Following
the hour-long dhamma talk and a half-hour break, Venerable Bhikkhu Khemasanto
spoke for a half hour about meditation, how it works, and how to practice. He
also answered questions about different types of meditation. Then, we all sat
in meditation for about a half hour. If used correctly, I can see how
meditation can lead to insight and wisdom, but must take a lot of practice and
belief in the Buddha’s teachings to reach a point of detachment. I think it
helps that devotees have an opportunity to receive instruction from the monks
on a weekly basis like this. The monastery also offers retreats on the property
for individuals wanting to experience deeper meditation and instruction. While
I was there, I was told that there was a seventy-year-old on the property who
had been there, meditating in the forest, for a month. Many religious
traditions speak of spiritual awakenings after a long retreat such as that. I
wish I could have an opportunity to speak to the fellow when he completes his,
to learn of his experience.
I enjoyed my
visit to the temple and have already visited again to learn more about the
Theravada teachings and to practice meditation. The visit allowed Theravada
Buddhism to come more alive for me and provided me opportunities to learn more
about the religions than what I would receive simply by reading a book, as it
allowed me to experience the religion.
Works Cited
Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. Buddhist
Ceremonies: Festivals and Special Days. n.d. 3 June 2013
.
Dhammasala Forest Monastery. Biography. n.d. 3
June 2013
.
Dhammasala Forest Monestery. Etiquette. 27
February 2007. 3 June 2013
.
—. Homepage. n.d. 3 June 2013
.
[1] Visakha
Puja is one of the holy days in the Buddhist tradition. It occurs on
the first full moon in the month of May and commemorates a trifold importance
to Buddhists: the birth, awakening, and passing of The Buddha, or Siddhartha
Gautama. I was pleased to see that I would be able to observe and experience
more of the culture and tradition of the Buddhist tradition by visiting during
such an occasion (Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.) .
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