Pixar is real big with the Buddhist monk crowd....

Over the past year, I've noticed alot more activity from the Buddhist monks in town. I often see them on the street, offering little blessing tokens to people in exchange for a donation of some kind. The token is actually a small Buddha on something like a business card. The other day I ran into two monks while we were getting Martha's bike fitted for a baby seat. One of them was very friendly, asked me where I was from and seemed excited to be talking to me. He was young, probably in his late 20s or so. As we talked, I offered him one of my special business cards which contain some important life information. He took the card, did not look at it, but tucked it away somewhere. Naturally, he handed me one of the little Buddha cards and told me it would give me good luck. I glanced at the card, then gave it back to him, explaining that I couldn't take it. I tried to explain why, but he wasn't really interested in listening to that story.

The next day, I was in a music shop looking at DVDs when two monks came in. They were also looking at DVDs, which I thought was really interesting. I watched them for awhile, curious about what they were going to buy. They ended up purchasing an animated movie called "Ratatouille." I guess they can watch movies over at the monastery.

A few years ago I toured the monastery for a paper I was writing. Actually met the head of the temple and spent some time talking with him. He was very friendly,offering to teach me Chinese calligraphy in exchange for English lessons. He offered tea, and we sat together in his private apartment for about 45 minutes or so. His apartment was very nice, very spacious and well decorated. He was very proud of this fact, which also surprised me. He kept asking me what I thought of his apartment and his things, what I thought about his servants. Not exactly what I expected from a monk. It was even more ironic because just before this we had visited the room of another monk in the temple- a very old man- and his apartment was tiny, cold and disgustingly dirty. He slept on a small wooden cot, sitting up all night. The temple head had a nice bed, padded matress, comforter, everything. Quite the dichotomy.

I always have a hard time going by the temple. We've taken visitors there from time to time, just so they can see what it's like. I hate going there now though. I can't stand to see the idols and watch people bowing down to them.