Archive for February, 2007

Went to a chaotic Walt Disney colored temple this afternoon with Monkey characters and Avoliketera above a giant dragon. Then because we finished early Thay opted to go into the centre of Dalat to stop somewhere that is special in his memories. We stopped next to a giant lake and sat on the grass. It happened to be opposite another pagoda (don’t know if this was by design or not). Thay sat and watched the water and we did the same. The abbott from the pagoda came out and waited behind us. When Thay finished he stood up and made his way to the abbott. The abbott touched the earth to Thay twice before Thay stopped him and said something in Vietnamese.
Then we were invited into the pagoda- with onlookers whom were wondering what a monastic delegation were doing in the middle of the road. I do not know whether Thay was thinking of happy memories or sad memories but it was very moving nontheless and Dalat lakes are beautiful when the sun sets. The silence was very restorative.

Have spent the first week on tour with Thay. It is like being with a rock star, photographers are everywhere and he is greeted by crowds wherever he goes. We visited Phap Van temple where sixteen monks and nuns whom were killed when part of the SYSS- the social workers movement that Thay started that took no sides in the war- and the remains of a nun whom immolated in front of the Virgin Mary and Avoliketera in the hope that the two religions would reconcile- this was during Diem’s time. Thay has given two dharma talks so far- on basic breathing, the practice and looking after your loved ones. I have taken away the idea that when you meditate you do so for your mother, father, grandparents and others not just for yourself. We can follow the footsteps of the Buddha so the Buddha is alive in this world. I also wish to be truly present for those I love too. There are fifty Western lay friends on this tour ranging in age and they are very nice and present people. We are currently in Dalat where we are visiting four more temples and then going on a five day retreat with Thay in Bao Loc at Bat Nha monastery.

A good start to the new year- returned to Hanoi and received notification that an on line journal Arabesques has published an article I wrote on Thich Nhat Hanh
http://www.arabesquespress.org/journal/war-and-poetry-the-work-of-thich-nhat-hanh-by-hoa-pham-1354202
for the link. So if the Chinese superstition holds true I will travel and publish this year.
Last night went to the fireworks in Hue and ate ice cream by the river. Durian ice cream is not as potent as its namesake but I won’t seek it out much I’m afraid. Also had buon bo hue in Hue (beef noodle soup) which of course was not as good as my grandmother’s. It is the fourth time i’ve been to Hue (my father comes from there) and it’s very relaxing compared to Hanoi. It is surrounded by mountains and the ruins of the Citadel (partly restored) and the tombs are very evocative and atmospheric even though it was bloody hot (yes it’s winter and even the locals don’t know what the weather is doing!)
Hoi An was a blur of shopping and ancient wooden houses- bought far too many dresses and Buddhas- the Marble Mountains and Hue are best for Buddha statues and other relic like objects- Hoi An turned out to be more expensive than Hue to get stuff tailored. The food though was excellent had cao lau (noodles with spicy sauce and pork) white rose (dumplings) and banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake) very cheaply- my uncle whom lives in Nha Trang and travels with us is a master at the one dollar meal.

Reading Thay’s book on anger- and about how doing other things mindfully creates writing. I totally agree- call it artistic dates a la Julia Cameron or a necessary gestation period- that’s my idea- it is fertiliser for works of art.
I’m realising that I have a lot of anger and fear, and it will take me a while to overcome. I feel that buddhist practice like my writing is a life time practice and I’m happy with that.

Had dinner last night with Andrea Kauser a german anthropologist investigating spirituality in Hanoi and Doug Jardine an American academic teaching at Hanoi university. Andrea had some interesting things to say about ghosts and beliefs in spirits- she finds my belief that ghosts can appear during the 49 day transition period interesting- and she asked me if I had considered talking to my deceased grandparents by spirit medium. My first reaction was it was spooky, then that I hadn’t thought of it- followed by my skepticism that mediums actually communicate with spirits. Andrea does not believe that a medium would speak to her in German from her grandfather- and she wonders whether spirits can travel over water. I personally think that ghosts and spirits do exist, that the chance encounters that people do have has built up a series of complex beliefs in when spirits materialise- and some of it is true and some of it is wishful thinking.
Andrea thinks for herself that it is more important for her as an anthropologist to investigate how these practices form community and spiritual economy.