Dinner with Nuns

Next great story of the Buddhist nuns!

As I've mentioned before, there was much generosity shared between the Buddhist nuns and I. If it were a battle of generosity, I most certainly lost! I couldn't walk by their little retreat habitats without an offering of water or food. Most times, I only had a smile and friendly touch to offer in return. Once, however, I was able to bring them apples. Their lives are so simple that a gift of fruit (which can be costly) can be a great honor. However, in thinking I was making a kind offering, they out did it by making a plate of fried doughnut things! Please don't get me wrong. We weren't in competition with each other, but I confess that I started to feel uncomfortable to walk by them never having anything to give!!

One night I will never forget. I was returning to my room after our afternoon meditation class. Dinner would be served in about an hour. I saw the nuns outside their rooms and cautiously approached. I just wanted to sneak by and use the potty! But they had different intentions spying me coming down the stairs to the lower level. I was invited inside. I felt humbled by this as I'd never seen the inside of their dwelling place. It consisted of 2 rooms of almost nothing, although they did have electricity running to 1 light bulb in the living area and a few wall sockets. The first square room was the cooking area; the second was the living area. No running water. No toilet. They would often leave buckets out when it rained to collect their water and then boil it for drinking.

The kitchen contained a small propane stove and a few shelves to hold cooking goods. They had baskets of potatoes, onions, ginger, and tomatoes. They had a few dishes and cooking utensils. The living area housed a bed and also a couch of hard cushions. The far wall was made entirely into a shrine with a few drawers and shelves below. I presume clothes and a select few personal items were housed in these. Each room also had 1 window for natural light and ventilation. These 2 rooms belonged to Pema, but they nuns seemed to share everything. The second nun, with whom I bonded the most (can't spell her name), lived closest to me. Though they had little, they had all that was necessary. Their days and evenings were spent entirely in Buddhist meditation and daily chores for sustenance.

I was led inside to sit on the couch. They must have been expecting me as I was served a boiled potato with a pile of chili powder to dip it in. Very tasty snack. They also served butter tea. This wasn't my first experience with butter tea, though I feel it necessary to add that I'd always hoped my first experience with this buttery beverage would also have been my last. Sadly, it was not so. There I was feeling trapped by 2 nuns with whom I couldn't speak and who were expecting me to drink what I feel no qualms in calling a vile beverage. The second none remained in the cooking area cooking while I sat in silence with Pema eating a potato and drinking vileness. I didn't just have 1 cup. I didn't just have 2 cups. Before the night was over, I'd had 4 cups!!! No more! My stomach is turning as I write. I won't mention my stomach ache the following morning.

I was somehow hoping that I could getaway after a potato and 2 cups of tea. At my first and only attempt, the second nun barred my path and bade me return to my cushions. I later watched her cook for awhile wanting a heads up on what I might be having for dinner. It looked and smelled good enough. Ginger, tomatoes, onions, and some sort of spiny cucumber looking vegetable sauteed in sunflower seed oil. She was also making roti (flat bread). Can't go wrong with roti. So I sat in silence exchanging odd glances with Pema. Then the food came. No worries, I thought.

My little bowl was very hot! And even though they offered me a spoon, I opted to eat with my hands as they did. The second nun waited for me to take a bite. She was clearly eagerly awaiting my response. So, with a piece of roti, I grabbed a large slice of the cucumber looking vegetable and popped it into my mouth. My thoughts went something like this: "hmmm. . .this isn't a cucumber. In fact, this isn't good. Please don't throw up in your mouth. How am I going to eat a whole bowl of this?! Please don't throw up in your mouth!" To make it worse, I only had the vile butter tea to wash it down!!

Somehow, I finished the bowl with a smile on my face. It was well worth it and I knew it then as much as I know it now. After dinner, we engaged in a wonderful conversation. . .as much as was possible considering the language barrier, of course. It was most fun! We were 3 teenagers at a slumber party exploring each others facial features and making fun of our figures. Not at all what I would have expected, but women are women no matter where they are! After about 70-75 minutes or so, the nuns kicked me out (very nicely). It was time for their meditation practice.

It was an honor to share a meal with these women. It was a greater honor to share humanity and a bit of laughter. I pray to not ever forget their darling faces and sweet countenances. I pray even more for their eternal salvation. My love is dim compared to the love of God, but I trust in His revelatory power. Perhaps I'll see their darling faces in heaven!

Let me offer a word of caution: DON'T EVER EAT A SPINY CUCUMBER LOOKING VEGETABLE!

Photo Journey of Asura Cave Retreat Center

The lovely stairs leading to the monastery! I think we counted 211 or so 1-way. Very nice exercise in the mornings!

View from one of the monastery balconies. Every morning, I drank tea on this balcony (0530-0600) watching the clouds mystically move into the valley. I also ended every evening on this balcony watching as the night enveloped the inhabitants below.

Stairs and prayer wheels leading to Asura Cave, birth place of Vajrayana Buddhism (Tibetan). I walked this path multiples times a day going to class.

Top of the stairs and around the corner. Notice the monastery is built right into the rock face. This narrow passage leads to the cave and more of the monastery beyond.

The legendary Asura Cave. From this cave, Padmasambhava (aka Guru Rinpoche) emerged in the 8th century claiming to be "awakened" or "enlightened" after years of disciplined meditation. His writings and teachings serve as the foundational basis for Vajrayana Buddhism. Many believe the rock face still holds the Guru Rinpoche's mystical powers. To this day, lay and monk alike, meditate within and without. Butter lamps are continually lit during waking hours.

 Across from the cave sits a Hindu shrine. Amazing!! Seated under the stupa are Vishnu's feet. They were originally found within the cave and later removed when the monastery arose around it. So, this site is significant to both Hindu and Buddhist. Just another day in Nepal!

Still on my way to class. Lovely view in the distance!

Look! A giant prayer wheel!

A chorten. Daily incense is offered and burned at numerous sites around the monastery.

A small gompa on the way to class. Monks and nuns chant in meditation within this room of shrines.

A few more steps. Almost to class!

Row of prayer wheels outside the classroom door.

Finally! This is the shrine room, our classroom. You can see some of the scattered cushions that served to soften the hard ground. In this room, we sat for a few hours of instruction with a Tibetan teacher, but spent most of our time in meditation and/or discussion of meditation and Buddhism.

Blessing from a Buddhist Nun

Great story! As I mentioned in a previous blog, I lived next to 2 nuns on a much lengthier retreat than mine. It's quite common for monks/nuns to spend weeks to years in retreat at the Asura cave. These two nuns fell under the "years" category. As the days went by, we greeted each other joyfully depending solely on smiles and non-verbal gestures. From my very first day they exhibited great generosity - more than I was prepared for for reasons I'll explain later! One day, whilst walking to my room after a meditation class, one of the nuns, Pema, called me over with hand and arm signals (yes - that's military jargon). Thankfully, I had another young woman from class with me! She's much better at understanding non-verbal communication than I am. If I learned anything on retreat, it's that I'm terrible at charades! But I digress. This fine nun asked us to cup our hands together as if for drinking. Uh-oh, I thought. Then she pulled out an old 20 oz Fanta bottle filled with a lemonade like substance. I had my suspicions from the beginning. She poured a couple of drops into each of our hands and motioned for us to drink. Knowing full well what I was about to drink, I had to do it. I want you to know that I did it with great courage!! Not really! I gave my companion a doubtful look and waited for her to do it first!! When I saw that she had survived, I went for it. I licked the one lick's worth of beverage cupped in my palms. Yep - homemade alcohol. Then, she placed a hard candy in each of our hands and advised we eat it. Again, I waited for my companion. When I saw that her face didn't contort too oddly, I also partook of what turned out to be a rather sweet candy.

What happened?? I know you are all wondering. To be honest, I'm not 100% sure. But let me offer a possible explanation of this seemingly odd act of generosity. In Buddhist traditions, offerings are set before altars of Buddhist figures/deities (Buddhas, Bodhisattvas). This is common in most other idol-intensive traditions, as well. In fact, take a browse through the Hebrew Bible! Offerings can include lighting butter lamps, money, incense, flowers, holy waters, rice, and other food and beverage items. Sometimes rituals are performed. Other times, the offering is enough. Pending circumstance, food offerings are either left on the altar and later fed to animals or they are removed for consumption after they've been blessed. In the latter circumstance, the food offerings may then be shared with others signifying that one also partakes of a Buddha's blessing. Essentially, from what I've gathered from my teachers, Pema was sharing a blessing with me. Though our faiths are opposite and though I place no deities before the One God, generosity from positive motivation is still generosity and should not be taken for granted or cast aside.

 Without a doubt this woman was exercising compassion for me as intensely as I pray God's revelation for her. I don't know that I'll ever see these nuns again, but I do know that we will not ever forget each other and the acts of generosity that we shared.

Paul remarks on food sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8. Check out what he says and let me know what you think or how you feel.

I have another fabulous food story to share regarding my neighborly nuns. Stay tuned!

Monkey Thief!

My 2-week meditation retreat started with a gift and the theft of the same gift! After arriving to my room, consisting of a small bed of cushions, private toilet, and cold-water shower, a neighborly nun brought me a small box of apple juice. I've developed quite an addiction to apple juice since being in Nepal so I felt pretty thankful to sit on the steps outside my room and sip this fine beverage. While taking in the monastery view of Pharping, enjoying the silence and the cool breeze, a monkey strolled by. He looked at me and then at my apple juice. I knew what he wanted. After recovering from the shock of making eye contact with this monkey, I quietly stood up and backed into my new room. I set my juice down on the floor and proceeded to stare at the creature before me. To my disbelief, this little guy walked up my steps into my room and snatched my juice before I could close the door! Ridiculous! I pierced the silence with violent name calling: THIEF! The dirty thief sat right in front of me tearing into my apple juice and licking it from the ground. The monks in retreat above my room heard my cry, probably giggled, and threw candy and other food goods toward the monkey. It wasn't quite the response I was looking for. I'd say the monkey won that day. He and I had 2 other bouts, but never again did he steal from me!