Duty of a son in Buddhism

     A day and a half of being a monk. The difference between a monk and novice is that a novice follows 10 rules while a monk follows 227 rules. Being a novice was easier because less is expected of you. Being a monk feels like I have a lot of responsibility and I have to be extra careful about my every action. The first evening as a monk felt like an eternity.

Days before the ceremony: 

       I was given a mentor monk. He turns out to be the most strict monk of the whole temple. I not only had to memorize the six pages, but I was expected to do it like the monks exactly. It was very hard and it made me very nervous. I kept trying to practice, and with the encouraging support from Juntra I felt a lot calmer. I kept messing up words and getting my chants jumbled up. On Friday 09/14/12, I had to go sleep over at the temple. 

Day of the Ceremony:

     I woke up at 5:30 am, called juntra, then went out to help my parents set up. Running up and down stairs carrying heavy things. People started arriving and I was telling them that there was Chinese donuts and coffee. Then I had to start the hair cutting part. I did not see that special person in sight and was slightly worried. Then suddenly I see a elegant bright aura of a woman in bright colors. It gave me a huge smile that moment. Then the monk shaved my head and I changed into white clothes. It was time for lunch, and I was sitting below the monks. I saw my Juntra bring me rice and was happy to get a picture with her. Then during the march around the temple. Juntra was called by my mom to stand in front of the group holding things. The actual ceremony was pretty long and I was corrected a couple time because I got my words mixed up. At the end I saw my parents, my family, and my significant other. I was happy. Later that day I had to do evening chants and an hour of meditation. I could not concentrate because my heart felt heavy and I did not understand why. I wanted to talk to Juntra but did not see her online. An hour of meditation felt like an eternity of nothing. Hot weather, darkness, and the sound of crickets made it even more lonely. However, I am doing this not only for myself but for the people I love and care about. I will keep giving my good karma to them and keep working on making them feel better.