Buddhist Monks in Cambodia

December 22, 2010

I hopped the fence of the Royal Palace playground, leaving the kids with Ken for me to explore the huge Buddhist compound across the street. These Buddhist temples were not glimmering in the gilded glory of other, more wealthy Buddhist temples in other Asian countries, like my local Kuala Lumpur Buddhist temple. This Buddhist compound was remarkable for its size and the loving attention to details. Each centimeter of every temple was covered in colorful paint, to bring to life the Buddhist statues and even some statues that seemed to have Hindu influence. There was one temple after another.

As I walked through the walled compound, I felt like I was a female imposter in a male world of Buddhist monks. I’d turn a corner, and there would be young Buddhist monks in training topless, fresh from a shower, looking at me then quickly looking away. I turned another corner and saw a monk in the trademark orange robes coming towards me smoking a cigarette. A cigarette? Isn’t that cheating Buddha somehow? He seemed to have the same reaction because by the time I passed him, he’d hidden his cigarette. Stray dogs barked at me. I saw one other Western tourist there who was lost in the compound, unable to find her bearings in the city, and I steered her the right way and she reassured me visitors are welcome at the Buddhist temple compound, where they welcome all of the city through their gates. All I know is I felt like the lone female and naked without a shaved head and orange robe. I briefly prayed, distracted by onlookers, took a flurry of pictures, and snuck back out and over the playground fence, back to my playground compound where my children were praying to the gods of play and physicality.

Note: I took this video of Buddhist monks giving alms to a woman in the street next to our hotel. All the monks walk around town holding silver bowls and covered by orange umbrellas, with people paying them to pray and chant to them. I found out later that in Cambodia you can choose to be a monk for either a short time or a lifetime. And, being a monk in training means you get to learn English so you can have a trade at the same time as being a monk.