We had a wonderful visit today to the Augusta Temple. We arrived at about 11:00 am in time to see the monks sitting down to their last meal of the day. We brought a gift of dessert - doughnuts, chocolate eclairs, pastries, etc. I was allowed to place them on 5 dishes (one for each monk) and take them to the table. When placing the dishes on the table I get down on my knees and place the tray on the table making certain not to touch the monks. John can shake their hand etc. but I cannot.
Another photo is of the little peppers that give the Thai food its "kick". They are grown here on the temple land. The temple sits on 13 acres of beautiful softly rolling hills.
I had the opportunity to get a first hand lesson on how to make Som Tam. Note that the salad is made using a large mortar and pestle. This is a salad made with many ingredients but the main one appears to be grated papaya. We have read about this salad and talk about the rotten fish sauce. Actually the sauce is not at all bad. It went into today's salad in two forms. One was a dark almost black solid and the second was a liquid in a bottle. In addition there was lime, tomato, sugar and MSG. Oh yes, and I almost forgot - some of those darling little red peppers. Yes, we both actually tasted it and survived.
The photo of John and the monk, Bunyoung shows them sitting at a computer. Bunyoung copied two CDs he has from the Tourist Office in Thailand. We are going to try and upload them and offer a link to our group members for viewing. The images are gorgeous. Buddhists are believers in reincarnation. 39 years ago when I first met John I told him that I believed we had loved each other in a former life. Could have been as friends, brothers, lovers, parent and child but we had known and loved each other. He kind of looked at me and thought secretly what a kook I was. Well, Bunyoung apparently took one look at the both of us during our first visit and decided we have been family in a previous life. His English is the most limited of the 5 monks and the ladies who cook and serve them said he is the most withdrawn of the group. But . . . Bunyoung always wants to talk to us and give us whatever few worldly possessions he seems to have. He is the sweetest guy. He insists that once we are settled he wants our address and will come to visit us.
The last photo is of the meditation hall. The hall is where instruction takes place. The interesting part about the hall is that the money for it to be built was donated by the professional golfer Vijay Singh. He visited the Temple one year (I think it was 2001) before participating in the Augusta National Golf Tournament. He visited with the Abbot. The Abbot told Singh that this was the year he would win the National. And he did! He apparently won a car which he gave to the temple. In addition he gave a gift of $100,000.
The current Abbot is to give a talk to a class on World Religions next week. I typed up a list of about 15 questions I thought may be asked by the average high school student. I gave him the list today and we will return to the temple to see if we can assist him in his preparations.
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