In Reply to: Re: LOL! posted by susie on February 05, 2007 at 18:18:35:
You just reminded me of a story!
I was in Thailand, on the beach, when I befriended these niteclub workers, who were renting the bungalows beside me. One of them started talking about how she hadn't been to the temple in two years and how Buddha was angry with her. I asked why she didn't simply go to the temple, and she said she was always working late, sleeping at 5 am., and could never get up to go early in the morning. I was curious about how people worshipped there, as Buddhists are real contradictory, claiming they don't believe in a God, yet in practice they do worship something and every knows it. She said she'd show me, if I drove her to the temple the next morning. I agreed.
That night, in what was supposed to be a simple straightforward trip, I went to a neighboring island to a rave. I proceeded find myself stuck on the island as my ride home had taken my money for the return trip and simply disappeared. Remembering my promise to the girl, I swam in the dark out to the boats, begging someone to give me a ride back to my island. After a few hours of freezing in cold wet clothes and a ride in a speed boat that stalled and rocked helpedlessly to the waves, I made it back at 6 am.
I knocked on her door, and she looked like she was going to kill me, and said forget it, she wasn't going to no temple. I was relieved and went back to my bungalow to shower. Then I heard some hard banging on my door, and it was the girl, all dressed up and ready, asking why I was still in a towel, and if we hurry we can still make it to the temple on time.
The nerve!
I hurried. We jumped on the bike and I was still cold. For once the hot morning sun burning my skin was pure pleasure, not something to shelter from. She made me stop at all these places to buy food froms street stalls, before we zoomed to the temple.
When we arrived, there were all these people of mixed ages, male and female, and the atmosphere wasn't too different from a yard sale or Sunday get-together. People were placing food into these giant bowls for the monks, saying little prayers or chants after lighting joss sticks and then moving on.
When I noticed the bowls of meat dishes, I was shocked. I waited till we left the temple, and in a tone of how-could-you?, I demanded to know why monks were given meat to eat.
The girl looked really surprised at my idiotic foolishness and said, "The monk didn't kill the animal!"
Go figure! It was pointless trying to discuss the idea of consistency and consequence, my Thai was too limited, as was her English, and everyone seemed happy going about with their little philosophy full of holes anyway.