We kicked off our day in Wang Nam Khiao by offering food to the monks at Ratanawan Monastery. We stood in a line and spooned rice into their bowls before following them to the local monastery, where we sat in on a prayer alongside the monks and people of the town.
The head monk then shared stories about the Buddha’s life and a tale of a king and a sage. The king journeys to find the answers to three questions: Who is the most important person in your life? What is the most important thing to do? And what is the most important time? He comes to realize that the person right in front of you is always the most important person, the present moment is the most important time, and simply being here and now is the most important thing you can do. After the stories, we shared breakfast with the townspeople and took a walk around the monastery grounds.
Before we left, the head monk offered us some parting advice that really stuck with us: “Don’t complain about the dark — light a candle.” In other words, instead of dwelling on everything that’s wrong with the world, do something about it even if its small. It was a simple message, but a powerful one to carry with us.
We then made our way to the Crystal Temple. Inside were beautiful Buddha statues of all sizes, covered in silver and gold and surrounded by mirrors that made the whole space glisten. Our classmate Zaydan put it best: the outside gave no hint of what was waiting inside; the grandness of it all left him feeling awestruck. The detail and dedication behind every inch of the temple was a real testament to the depth of faith here, and it was inspiring to witness.