The Life of a Monk

I've slowly been getting back into things here the past few days by hanging around at the school and the day-to-day activities that go on. 

Monks are always a great inspiration to me when I am working in Cambodia. And I am not trying to be bias because I am a Buddhist or because I work with them. Just their lifestyle itself is amazing and also extremely difficult. They wake up in the wee hours of the mornings for prayers and following arduous precepts throughout their day and their career as a monk. They are forbidden to eat in the afternoon, have a personal reference, own transportation (e.g. bicycle, motorcycle, car), and touch or look at a woman. They are hard working students as well as servants to their temple and community until late at night. And yet they never try to proselytize their way of living or religion. Moreover, they never complain and always have a positive outlook on life. 
Yet they have their shortcomings too and they know it. They are not saints; they are human as was the Buddha. Everyday for them is a day of practice to become enlightened and I truly look up to how they strive for it in everyday life.


There's a new English teacher that has joined the staff, Ven. Nen. I asked him how things were since it's only been a few weeks since he's ever started teaching. Very good, he said with any hesitation --as if saying that today's meal was good or the weather is good. 

"Do you have any difficulties teaching?" I asked again. "It's your fist rst time teaching it must be hard at times." 

Again without hesitation he answered with a smile, 
 "It is my duty in society to educate my people. So no, it is not hard at all" 


Their unsullied noble hearts and placid diligence never fail to amaze me.

新米の英語教師（兼お坊さん）、ネン先生が授業後にホッとした表情で職員室に戻ってきたので、先生の仕事はいかがですか？と聞いたところすかさず「良好です」とのこと。

その返答があまりにも淡々としていたので少し心配になって、「何か困ったこととか大変なことがあったらいってくださいね」とフォローしたら

「簡単な仕事ではありませんがこの国の人たちに教育を与えてあげるのが僕の使命ですから」

 と笑顔で答えてくれました。

 +｡**(ﾟﾉД｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡・*｡+ﾟ



・・・相変わらずこの国のお坊さんたちには頭が上がりません!