Rumtek is primarily a place of study and prayer, but sometimes even dedicated monks have to do other things. And I even more often. So what else is there to do around the monastery grounds?
You see all of the prayer flags running up the hill behind the monastery in the picture below? There is a path running beside and beneath them that goes up to the top of the hill, and then circles back around.
The path is incredibly peaceful and beautiful, a perfect place for quiet contemplation, study, and prayer...
...and at the top there is a makeshift soccer / cricket field (pictures to come another time, every time I've been up there and thought about it junior institute monks have been playing on it). This is one of the many good reminders that monks, while definitely different from lay-people in many respects, are just as human as the rest of us. And sometimes that means sports.
Also up on the hill, not nearly so high as the soccer field, is this small shrine to (I believe) Guru Rimpoche, the great teacher credited with bringing Indian Buddhism to Tibet, and essentially founding what we now conceive of as Tibetan Buddhism.
The seven cups, and there's always seven (or multiples thereof), hold water offerings that stand in for other offerings. I can't recall what they all are, but I believe that one of them is flowers and one of them is incense. A couple of monks explained to me that the intent towards these offerings was more important than their contents, so water could serve just as well.
In addition to the path, there are a number of other places around the grounds where you can enjoy the natural beauty of Sikkim. One of my favorites is the roof of a one room building clinging to the side of the hill below the monastery. It has a beautiful view, which includes old Rumtek (the gold roofed building), and so when it's sunny I like to take my guitar to go and play there.
When it's rainy (a good deal of the time these days, thanks to monsoon season) or nighttime, or just too sunny (being from Seattle I can't get enough of the sun, but not everyone shares my desire to soak up every ray), there are a few other options. One is monks' rooms, good for lounging...
(a traditional Tibetan noodle dish, made by a Tibetan monk, and kept warm in his rice cooker, for me to try)
...or watching movies.
(Here we're watching an episode from a Chinese mini-series on Chinese history, which is probably a little heavier on kung fu than actual Chinese history was. Though I can't say I know that for a fact)
There is also a cafe run by monks of the Institute, serving both monks and tourists, named Nalanda Cafe. The food is good, and many monks will have meals or snacks there if they miss a meal or want more variety than the dining hall provides (dining hall food is good, too, but sometimes a tad monotonous).
It's also a good place for chess, with a single board which gets a fair bit of use on days off...
(probably my first game in 10 years)
...and conversations and impromptu lessons (of which I have been both giver and receiver).
(look, Ma, I understood something!)
It's also, occasionally, the scene of musical performances. Though this doesn't happen nearly as often as I would like.
Sometimes, however, even with all of this, it's good to leave the monastery to take a stroll (འཆམ་འཆམ་ cham-cham, one of the first Tibetan words I learned here), have a snack, or drink some tea.
So stay tuned for all that, and more, next post.
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