Asking for Realization and Tea with Tibetan Monks

Rembrandt self portrait, Amsterdam, the Dalai Llama teaching at Gupta Temple

View of the hilltop from the hotel Manuvinot

After walking to Nadi, we stopped at a little international school, they would not let me in until I wrote a long letter asking to visit, while we waited for the reply we were given a meditation exercise at the school meditation center...I went down to the school alone, and waited and waited, finally walked over to what looked like an art room, where the 5th graders started talking to me...about miracles, and how  to gain realization, and how Shajayoga gives you inner peace, and telling me fantastic stories about spirits and dreams...

They were very excited to talk with me, it is a boarding school with students from all over the world. They invited us back to do an art class

View from inside the prayer hall, next to the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, where we had tea and cookies with the Tibetan monks. 

After introductions, they asked us if we had any questions.  These were graduate level monks, some of them had studied Buddhism for 16 years. Naturally, Tara had to ask "can you explain emptiness?" The monks kind of rolled their eyes, and looked back and forth...this was the most difficult topic of all topics.  We learned that beginning monks make 36 vows, and as they become more advanced they make 253 vows.  Rachel gave a fine answer to their question about what Mormons believe, and we pointed out the parallels between Tibetan and Mormon experiences.  We asked about the daily life of a monk, which seemed pretty chill, studying, some clapping debates, walking around.  Emily asked whether your spirit or your personality went on into reincarnation, a question the monks were very impressed by. 

They gave us hobnob oatmeal cookies and hot milk tea, and gifts of tea and red silk strands, blessed by the Dalai Llama, which are meant to protect us from harm.  Later we walked down to the prayer room and one of the monk answered more of our questions and explained all the various objects in the room. 

View of the mountain from jogiwara road. 

View of the Dharmasala, and sewing at the Tibetan Cultural Arts and Performance center. where stupas were constructed to prevent earthquakes, according to the oracle. We were shown around by a young Tibetan man named Wandu, which means to occupy, "but I have occupied nothing" he said.

Studying...how many tents can we set up in a room to dry?