I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sun, a student monk living in Chiang Mai, for a chat outside Wat Chedi Luang.  The monks at this specific temple run the International Buddhism Center, and use this time to practice their English and allow others to learn about Buddhism.  

I was certainly nervous as I approached the shaded tables outside the massive temple.  The monks made me feel welcomed, and were eager to start the conversation from the beginning.  I was shocked at the quality of their English, and could’ve sat with them contemplating the theory of life well into the afternoon.  I skipped the transcription of pleasantries, small talk, and started recording shortly thereafter I asked permission to record.  Enjoy this snapshot of life as a monk with Sun! 

Beau: Why’d you decide to come to Thailand to be a monk?

Sun: I decided to study in Thailand because in my country the university, they don’t have a program for monks to learn English.  In Thailand, they have a university for monks to study English.

Beau: And not the same situation in Vietnam?

Sun: In Vietnam, because from the war, American and French destroyed many Buddhist temples.  We have lots of our wisdom from Buddhism, and in Thailand they don’t have a war so Buddhism in Thailand very strong.

Beau: Do you have family in Vietnam or are they here?

Sun: My family stays in Vietnam.  My family they are farmers, they grow rice.  

Beau: Was it difficult to leave your family behind?

Sun: So when I was in HS, I was very interested in Buddhism because in the mornings the monks would go to college.  And I was just a farmer and knew things about farming, and when I finished high school. I asked my family for permission to become a monk.  Then they allowed me to be a novit one year, because I was just 19 years old.  I can decide to be a novit at 19. 

Beau: Wait a novit?

Sun: Novice, a young monk.

Beau: Ohh novice. What’s the process for becoming a monk?

Sun: When you decide to be a novice you need to shave hair and eye brow… and then your family has a ceremony about 3 days.  Then you go inside temple, and master monks and 20 monks sitting around you and they decide if you can be a monk – are you a man, or a girl, or a lady-boy. Are you a human being? If you’re incorrect they don’t allow for you to become a novice, if you’re correct they allow you to be a monk.  They take two hours to decide.

Beau: How long ago was that?

Sun: I was just one year a novice, and I decided to be a monk 12 years ago? A very short time for me.

Beau: So are there different levels of being a monk?

Sun: Novice monk, student monk, master monk, then king monk

Beau: How many king monks are there in Thailand

Sun: One, one country just has one king monk

Beau: What about master monks?

Sun: Master monks have their master’s degree.

Beau: Oh you need a masters degree?

Sun: Yes they stay in temple, and they can teach in university and HS, and private school.

Beau: What level are you?

Sun: I’m just a student monk?

Beau: Do you want to be a master monk?

Sun: Ehh I just stay day by day. I don’t want.

Beau: Would it be breaking the rules to have this strong desire to be king monk?

Sun: Mmm I don’t understand… If you’ve broken the rules you have to stop monk

Beau: What are some of the other rules for a student monk?

Sun: We have 227 rules to follow. We have big 4 rules to follow.  Don’t have sex in clothing with woman, dead body, or animal.  No stealing. No killing human being and no telling lies.   

Beau: What are some of the other rules? Not all 227 but a few examples

Sun: For example – cannot drink alcohol, cannot go in the bar, cannot entitlement, cannot sing a song,

Beau: No singing?

Sun: No, no cannot everything!

Beau: What do you miss most about life before being a monk?

Sun: No! We never think back, it’s a simple life it’s easy.  No worry about anything. We just stay busy with study and practicing meditation. We don’t care about outside because it’s not permanent, it doesn’t belong to you.

Beau: What do you study?

Sun: I’m studying humanity. 

Beau: You do a lot of reading?

Sun: Reading, Yes

Beau: What authors – people that write the books?

Sun: Master monks and late people, they can write well.

Beau: How much do you meditate?

Sun: In my temple in the morning, 20 minutes, and evening 20 minutes.  In total, twice a day 40 minutes everyday.

Beau: Would you suggest meditation to everyone even if not a monk?

Sun: Just to be a monk

Beau: What if I wasn’t a monk but wanted to practice meditation?  Would it not be the same?

Sun: You can, but you decide by yourself and ask permission from your family, your wife and your son.  (thinking I asked about becoming a monk)

Beau: Does your whole family meditate?

Sun: My family they never do meditate.

Beau: Do you ever see your family?

Sun: Two years one time.  When you decide to be a monk you cannot earn money, you cannot have a job. You just get money from people, donations, for you in the morning when you go to collect food, and sometimes they invite you to chant to bless their hometown so they make donations, and you keep the money to pay for study and buy some food or water.

Beau: Do they come to visit you?

Sun: No my family they never visit me, b/c they farmers they don’t speak English they cannot go outside country.  My family they’re very old, 65 years old. 

Beau: Do you have brothers and sisters?

Sun: Yes I have 3 older brothers and one sister they have a job in company.

Beau: What do they do?

Sun: They just work in company it’s very big I don’t know about them. I don’t care. 

Beau: What do you think is misunderstood about monks?

Sun: Not perfect, sometimes we make mistakes.  But you need to improve. When they make mistakes they go inside the temple and apologize to master monks.

Beau: If you broke a rule would you not be able to be a monk anymore or could you apologize?

Sun: If you broke a small rule you can apologize to master monk and ask forgiveness.  If you broke a big 4 rule you have to stop being a monk.

Beau: What would you do if you couldn’t be a monk?

Sun: I think I’d be a teacher

Beau: What would you teach?

Sun: English

Beau: Your English is very good

Sun: I don’t think so lololol

Beau: Practice makes perfect.  Have you heard this phrase?

Sun: Yes I have

Beau: Are you curious about western life?

Sun: I care for everyone… by compassion.

Beau: Ask me something about American life, what do you think I think about?

Sun: I don’t know, people come here to know about Buddhism, Buddhism isn’t religion it’s just a way of life.  When they want to know about Buddhism it’s how to do good and kind things in your life.

Beau: I think Buddhism is very interesting – I’ve read some Taoist texts have you read much of that?

Sun: Mmm no, I don’t know.

Beau: Do you shake hands or do you bow?

Sun: I shake hands.

Beau: What’s the name of your hometown in Vietnam?

Sun: Traving (Xa Tra Vong) Check out my website.  So you from America? Do you know Barack Obama?

Beau: Yes.

Sun: He’s my idol.

Beau: Ahh yes a good man, very smart. Trump…

Sun: I don’t like.

Beau: Yes me neither.  Do you like American politics?

Sun: Yes, I follow.

Beau: This is your website? Oh yes this is you!

Sun: Yes it’s me follow! (link at end)

Beau: Oh this is good, wordpress that’s what I use. What do you write about?

Sun: I just write about Buddhism.

Beau: That’s good, it’s important to write down all your thoughts.

…

Beau: How long have you had your website?

Sun: About 5 months.

Beau: Stick with it, keep adding to it and tell people about it. Do a lot of monks have websites?

Sun: Not a lot.

Beau: How old do you think I am?

Sun: Maybe 21… or 25

Beau: Right in between 23 – Have you heard of the phrase ‘It’s my Jordan year’?

Sun: No.

Beau: Do you know Michael Jordan – basketball?

Sun: Ohh yes I do.

When I asked other travelers how their monk chats went it was interesting to compare and contrast the differing topics of discussion.  Some seemed much more interested in learning western lingo, but once Sun found out I had a website too we were browsing each other’s pages for new ideas.  I’d laugh when he asked if I could help him out designing plug-ins as my skills are lackluster to say the least.  

This monk chat was undoubtedly the highlight of my time in Northern Thailand.  You can find Sun at thachsinhhome.wordpress.com – and keep an eye out for more coming from me as I make my way to Laos and Myanmar.