no ma
That’s ma with a dot underneath- bad ghosts. After witnessing the len dong ceremony (details on my main blog) and talking to Kirsten Endres and her friend Andrea it seems to me that there are different purposes for the rituals in len dong to the mother goddess. Rather than spirit mediumship per se it is a chance to worship the mother goddess and share her bounty with your close friends- the ritual involves the handing out of money and offerings to the audience. Kirsten and Andrea said the shamans are not allowed to talk about ma- bad ghosts. Which may explain a lot. I also suspect that the existence of spirits may be taken as lightly and as heavily as all the different continuum of acceptances in the West. Ditto with the practice of Buddhism in this temple devoted to the mother goddess we ate meat and drank rice wine- not Buddhist practices at all!
I went to the sangha afterwards for a dose of calm and mindfulness and I’m glad I did so- it is nice to leave Vietnam having touched my true self once more with the sound of the bell.
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about 5 years ago
Hi Hoa, Really enjoying your blogs. Drinking alcohol and eating meat are tricky ones. It seems that across the different schools of Buddhism, and even amoung different practioners, there are different approaches. Last time I tried to go vegetarian, I skills in shopping and cooking weren’t up to it and I became aneamic, so gave up eventually. More a reflection on me than on not eating meat! But I like that teaching about using food to remember interbeing. I’ve been taught a food blessing that I say before meals. And while I say it, I’ve been taught to think about many different aspects of interbeing that allowed the food to come to the table. I pray that any beings who died in the process (not only those who end up on the plate, but also those who were killed in the proccess — eg insects killed by trucks) may be well and happy; and that anyone who was involved in the killing may have their Karma lightened. And I feel very grateful for the food.
I don’t know, maybe one day I’ll just feel I want to give up meet. But I’m not there right now.
Funnily enough, I’ve never been much of a drinker, and I up alcohol entirely when I formally took refuge. So I have to admit, I don’t miss it. (It’d be harder for my to give up Swiss chocolate!)
All the best for the second leg of your time in Vietnam!
Cheers, ChanGrrl
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