"I became monk when I first came to India. I thought that becoming a monk will be much more better than just going to school. While I was a monk, I met many scholars who are so great. Do you know that they not only plan for this life but life after this? It is amazing! Those philosophy. Those wisdom."
"But being monk is not easy at all. Especially being a Tibetan buddhist monk. You need some kind of moral virtue (the positive karmic result from virtuous action). Thus, I guess I don’t have that. So I gave up being a monk. “
“Yes, I am sure that many people think me as a bad person or might look down on me when i gave up the monk life. But, me personally, I believe that it is better to be a normal person rather than naughty monk! You know, now a days, we have many of these naughty monk. I consider much better than those monk.”
“Being normal person is much easier than monastic life. In monastery, you have to get up around 3 or 4 am in the morning but I love sleeping. Ha ha ha ha. It was so difficult. Than we have prayer sessions for several hours in louts position… Wow, even now, when I think about it, my knees are shaking. Anyway, it was difficult to adapt as I have told before, I don’t have that kind of moral virtue.”
“ I don’t regret for giving up my monk life but I feel happy. moreover, I do have little knowledge which becomes so useful in my daily life. Thus, I try my best not to lie, cheat, fight or make someone angry.”
Lobsang Choedak, Dharamshala.
Interview and photo credit: Kunsang Tenzing
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