A real highlight of the Sapa- Ha Long Bay trip was our visit to a Buddhist monastery, Set in a valley, surrounded by forested hills, completely separated from the rest of the busy, crowded society. Our bus slowly wound its way up the hills, then back down into the basin, before driving through the gate. Once we got out and stretched our legs after a long bus ride from Ha Noi, we made our way up the giant staircase to the monastery. Inside, we were greeted by a young monk, who spoke a little English, and he gave us a brief overview about Buddhism and its philosophies. Then, after a prayer demonstration, we met an old monk, who was going to be our meditation teacher. He gave us a brief history of his interesting life. He left his family when he was still very young, and joined the revolutionary army and fought against the French in the 50’s, and then against the Americans in the south in the 1960’s. He was wounded, and left the army, eventually becoming a monk later in his life.
Next he gave us a lesson in meditation. First he taught us how to sit, crossing our legs in ways that would snap my knee off, so I had to settle for plain-old criss cross apple sauce. Then he demonstrated proper technique: Stare at something three feet in front of you, then clear your mind, and count down from ten.
After our lesson, we got another treat - eating lunch with the monks. That was a very strange experience, because the monks eat in complete silence. First, before the food was served, the entire room lit up with the sounds of all the monks chanting their prayers. Then, for the next half hour, there was complete silence. After another chant, the silence was broken, and the meal was done. This visit was an amazing experience, and was definitely a major keystone of our journey.
Andrew Sanborn
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