The Daily Gong

After having a light dinner around 5 pm, we all were just relaxing outside our resident compound. Most of the monks were just inside their own room and silently involve in their study, while some were playing rubber-band under the shadow of trees.  A monk was just making fun of a small kid. Oh! I forgot to tell what I was doing. I was washing my smelling clothes that were left in a bucket for around a week. I was thinking that after a half hour we had to attend our debate class, which I hate the most. But as a discipline I had to attend there so I was thinking about some special topics to debate at monastery. I twist my mind again and again. And at last, I succeeded to collect some interesting topics. Thinking about all this I had finished washing clothes too.

After hanging them on veranda, I went inside my room and enjoyed some music. When we were just chatting about some unrelated worldly issues with my friends, the first strike goes on the large Gong 'Goooong'. But we didn't stop our nonsense chatting. Feeling like nothing had happened. One of my friends elaborated and made a pose of Shah Rukh Khan, while as other talked about postures of Chris Ghyal while hitting rains of sixes. Then the second strike goes 'Goooong'. "Hey, isn't that sound of monastic gong?" one of them said. Some others nodded to agree him while others still busy not finishing their talks. Third strike went. Now all had agreed that was the gong of call. But I was scratching my head, sitting at one of corner. "That was the Gong of dead" I said to myself. When fourth and fifth strike went my friends hesitatingly leaved my bed and returned towards their rooms. Making my room engulfed with bad smells of farts, they were still talking while returning. By the time now, it was around seventh-eighth strikes. I clean up the mess and relaxed on my bed for while. Asking myself whether I should go or not. I was confused whether to go or not. So I decided to throw a coin for the decision. "If it is head I will go but if it is tail I'll relax in room with lengthening my hands and legs", that was my promise. Here it goes once more strike. I was still searching for a coin. At last, I found an old coin in my pen holder. I put it on my upper part of thump. I closed my eyes and wished that the tail comes on front, and threw my lucky coin on the air. There went one more strike. It was around near to the end of the Gong. The coin felt on the ground but damn it was head. I hate to god, I hate to my wish, and I hate myself for being so unlucky. My friends came to my window with their large blue mat holding under armpit, and began to shout "hey, come on lets go. Don't hide like usual", which I hate the most. They shout with such a voice that whole monks of our compound will come to know that I'm hiding in my room. I request them to keep quiet and go for their class. When the Gong was exactly near to end, I put my slipper inside so that nobody could know (specially my teacher and khangtsen genla). Then the last strike went with big sound 'Goooong'. Everything went seems silent for few minute after the last gong. How noisy the gong is, that makes whole environment shaking. Even the small insects and birds might feel scared during this fifteen minute. Twisting the key of my door slowly like a thief on his own room, I headed towards my bed. If I don't have to go at Debate ground at last, then why did I prepared lots of topic earlier? Was I willing to go and the Gong made me not? Also, can it be that I'm interested on debate but don't like the system of class? Strange...

Gathering of Nobles!

Sera Jey… one of the biggest monasteries in this era. Around 35oo monks study and practice buddhism currently. We used to perform Haya-Griva retreat annually with huge gatherings of monks for 9-10 days. Haya-Griva is the chief deity of our monastery and is also known as horse headed (tam-din). This year, there was a huge gathering of around 2ooo spiritual monks in the monastery.

It was around 5:45pm and all the monks were already assembled infront of the  monastery and having the glimpse of the gliding spire and religious wheel flanked by two deers at top. The wheel symbolizes unity of all things, spiritual law and Shakyamuni himself. There is a white board hanging with the big letter which reads as Sera Jey Monastic University. It was written in three main languages- Tibetan, English & Kannada. When the evening sun came at the horizon, the big walls of monastery were ablaze with golden radiance directly falling on it.

When the monks with their long scriptures covered by a yellow clothes on hand, were calmly sitting at the monastery yard and talking with each other. The first strike goes on the gong which make a big sound 'GONG…'. The temple incharge slowly open the wooden main gate making some old & cracking sound like 'kwai…..k'. Sound similar when we push an heavy iron object on the floor. Then, there goes another strike. Monks began to enter the prayer hall in seniority order, passing the huge door which is nicely carved at its corner. At the top of the entrance, there is the statues of seven valiant snow-lions welcoming us. Inside the prayer hall, the walls were covered with very beautiful Thanka-paintings - life of Shyakya-muni buddha (Jataka Tales), all the photos of reincarnation of His Holiness, venerable Tsong-kha-pa and many other highly great lamas, and many deities. The pillars were adorned with decorative hangings & pennons. Three huge religious victory-emblems were hanged below the ceiling at the centre of the prayer hall in different colour. It is considered as one of the eight auspicious signs and signify the victory of Buddhism over ignorance & death. There was a wide Thanka painting of Haya-Griva in wrathful mood, unfurled from the center so that everyone can see him while meditating. He is considered as the dispeller of obstacles with his healing power. His statue is mostly depicted with a consort showing amorous pose which personifies very secrect meanings of Tantra. It is very difficult to understand its meaning unless we learn some basic Tantrism.