Lives as Novices Spent Studying, Meditation and Working (written by a novice)
If you become a Novice
Monk, first you have to study about the Pali
language, second, Buddhist teaching and third, meditation. All this things are
very important for Novices.
When you become a Novice, you must change everything,
such as clothes, body and mind. Buddhist people are not allowed to suggest
another person should believe in Buddhism. If people want to know,
they have to learn by themselves. Buddha says every religion is very good, and
people can choose what they would like to believe. After you become a Novice
for a long time, it depends on you which subject you want to study next. Like me,
now I'm studying English, Japanese, and Chinese. I also study the Lao language
at the Monk’s school. At the Monk’s school we have twelve subjects, sometimes
making me crazy about studying so many things.
Novices and Monks usually practice
meditation. When they practice meditation, they have to be calm and peaceful.
For example, while they are practicing walking meditation their mind must not
be thinking about their family, work or the world. If they don't have an empty
mind they can't call it meditation. They
have to stop thinking about their work, family and friends. But they have to
think about the present moment and be aware of their body and their breathing.
On the weekend, Novices usually work
around their temples. At their temples, they have a leader Novice when they
work around the temple. He usually gives advice to the small Novices. Some
Novices sweep around the temple's yard, some Novices clean around the temple,
and some Novices cut the firewood in the forests. Some days they work very hard,
but some days not as hard. Most Novices get very tired except the old Monks
because they study about Buddhism instead of working.
The lives of Novices and Monks in
the temple are very busy. They spend many hours working, studying and practicing
meditation.
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