Visit to Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and Incredible Chanting Experience
Yesterday in my quest to learn more about the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in preparation for my Tibetan art class, I visited the Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. I was amazed at how many college age Western people were walking around the complex.
I see very few westerners in my neighborhood and a handful at any given time around the Boudhanath Stupa. I soon discovered that the monastery offers credit bearing degrees in all manner of Buddhist studies and thus the abundance of western students. They also offer a class in Sanskrit that I am potentially exploring.
At 4: 00 PM my attention was alerted by sonorous drums, ringing bells and sounding horns to the fact that a ceremony was being performed somewhere on the premises. It did not take me long to find the large hall of the monastery. I peeked in the window and was completely amazed by the scene before me.
50 or more monks in scarlet and dark burgundy were seated on the floor in the darkened hall. An elaborate altar with with burning oil lamps and colored LED light ornaments was on one side. Huge standing drums were lined up on another. Monks with long horns were seated on cushions and facing them a whole bank of monks were chanting with scripture books open.
I scanned the room and there were no lay persons present so I resigned myself to sitting outside the hall within earshot. The drone of the chanting and the accompanying accents of drum and horn and bell were fascinating and deeply meditative. I was transfixed for some time in this new and powerful experience.
The Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery
I see very few westerners in my neighborhood and a handful at any given time around the Boudhanath Stupa. I soon discovered that the monastery offers credit bearing degrees in all manner of Buddhist studies and thus the abundance of western students. They also offer a class in Sanskrit that I am potentially exploring.
At 4: 00 PM my attention was alerted by sonorous drums, ringing bells and sounding horns to the fact that a ceremony was being performed somewhere on the premises. It did not take me long to find the large hall of the monastery. I peeked in the window and was completely amazed by the scene before me.
50 or more monks in scarlet and dark burgundy were seated on the floor in the darkened hall. An elaborate altar with with burning oil lamps and colored LED light ornaments was on one side. Huge standing drums were lined up on another. Monks with long horns were seated on cushions and facing them a whole bank of monks were chanting with scripture books open.
I scanned the room and there were no lay persons present so I resigned myself to sitting outside the hall within earshot. The drone of the chanting and the accompanying accents of drum and horn and bell were fascinating and deeply meditative. I was transfixed for some time in this new and powerful experience.
I could not obtain a video or photos, but I searched online and found this video that closely approximates what I heard and briefly saw.
I am currently reading this book on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and highly recommend it if you have any interest in learning more.
On a lighter side. I am feeling so at home here in my apartment that I am feeding the birds- one of my favorite pastimes back home (wherever that really is!)
Comments
Post a Comment