Three Temples, Three Spiritual Truths

With my K+E Coffee mug filled to the brim with black gold sitting on the table to my right, my lap top computer fully charged in front of me and the Pathum Thani sunset waning in my peripheral vision; I popped my earbuds in, dialed up two renditions of “Foggy Dew” by the Blaggards and The Young Dubliners and let the surge to drop words rattle from the top of my head down to my toes. 

This post is going to have a few more pictures than normal because without warning, I took a deeper spiritual dive into myself today. I visited three temples (Wat Saket, Wat Rachanatdaram Worawihan and Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan) around Bangkok and in each one, I experienced a separate unique intense reflective soul defining moment. I have come to the conclusion that Thailand has a deep spiritual connection to a higher power. You may ask, Why would you make that statement? America has the same churches. And I say, no it doesn’t. That’s why when I went to South Africa and witnessed first hand truly poor people crying out to their God for mercy and pastors reflected their congregations yearnings, faults, and love. I came back to America at 26 years old, all fucked up in the head and left pro-baseball. I wasn’t able to talk with anyone about my inner turmoil and this is when I first started having suicidal thoughts. I didn’t know which way was up but one thing I couldn’t shake was I had felt the connection to the One true power and that is nothing to mess with. It sets you on a different course because you can’t accept anything less. I was consumed with the search for that connection again. The boxes we call church that has an hour long church session with music from the hipster singer, televisions blaring images from all angles, short prayer sessions to acknowledge there is a God, an explanation of tithing, and a hallowed out meaningless opinion ladened sermon attended by insincere judgmental people wasn’t for me. Someone please take the soapbox away from me!

How about this? Come to Thailand and find out for yourself. Go to South Africa and sit on a dusty floor in a small town among people who touch you without inhibition, look longingly at you for reciprocation of wisdom, kind words, or YOUR OPINION, they invite you to a community or neighborhood dinners or sing with them at night, and accept you for who you are. I haven’t talked much about South Africa but I feel it building inside as though the thunderheads are booming thunder and lightning is crashing on the horizon. I’ve been reading my journal from that three and half week trip and I see myself in my mid-20’s trying desperately to take the mask off. I wasn’t ready and I was surrounded with people wearing their own masks.

My experience here in Thailand has been one of visible proof and spiritual connections. If you remember from a prior post, my locked jaw opened while I was meditating at Dhammakaya Temple a couple of weeks back and every time I explore; someone comes along who imparts wisdom, takes the time to explain a deeper meaning, exhibits unconditional love or I get healed. I should have known or expected that if I probed the One then I was going to receive an answer. 

I set off from my apartment in Rangsit, Pathum Thani on the back of a motor scooter landing a short distance away at the Future Park van depot and took the half hour bus ride to Mo Chit BTS station. From there, I rode the BTS to Phrom Phong BTS station and started out my day with a hearty American breakfast at Breakfast Story. 

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Eating a pancake focused my energy and gave me that full feeling I needed to walk the long distances I had planned. I walked the short distance back to Phrom Phong BTS station and watched the Bangkok landscape whisk by in the air conditioned comfort of the BTS train. I arrived at National Stadium BTS station and set out on the forty five minute walk through the city to the Temple of the Golden Mount (Wat Saket). I have mentioned many times that there are many ways to explore Bangkok: motor scooter is scary, fast and cheap–Tuk Tuk is comfortable but you have to barter-taxi’s are slow, comfortable and convenient-but in my humble opinion, walking is the most intimate. When walking, I use all my senses to engage with the community. Sights seeped into my psyche imprinting their overwhelming presence, sounds fluctuated through and across all spectrums, smells lingered with delicately made foods, foul sewers, and dirty canals, and touch, which is the most unique of all because in Thailand everything is available to interact with. There are no boundaries. In fact, they encourage you to feel for yourself the sensuous nature of the artifacts, religious symbols, and artwork.

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I just ordered another cup of coffee. I’m in it for the long haul.

Walking also allows me to follow my heart down alleyways, along waterways, step into shops, talk with street vendors, laugh with the motor scooter drivers, taste exotic foods, say “No” to Tuk Tuk drivers or joke with them, stop and take in the beauty, linger at will, and imagine where I belong in this vast world. Every boundary is removed when walking and smiles are returned with smiles or a considerate Wai.

What was supposed to be a forty five minute walk turned into two hours because I did all those activities listed above. I arrived at the Temple of the Golden Mount (Wat Saket) and was not prepared for its beauty. Its golden spire rose above the city, perched on a small mountain (maybe large hill) with a winding staircase that snaked 360 degrees around the complex. Prior to beginning the 344 step climb to the top, I entered an opening in the mountain which led to an underground cave atmosphere that housed a Buddha carved out of stone and Buddha relics.

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I paid 50Baht to begin my climb up the stairs and walked each step methodically observing the lush gardens, mature landscape, clear waterfalls, religious images, and interactive bells.

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I mentioned earlier that the staircase leading to the top wound around the building which provided an ever changing view of Bangkok from differing heights. Eventually, I reached the top trying desperately to soak in every moment. Again, I was able to walk around the top of the Temple watching, photographing and meditating on the beauty that is Bangkok.

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Plan to spend time on top of this temple, the views are spectacular and there are numerous places to sit, stand or meander. The way down was more peaceful than the way up because they have one staircase for those walking up and those walking down! The builders thought of everything.

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I left Wat Saket at peace with my impending separation with Thailand in a couple of weeks. I had been feeling deep sadness at leaving my students and I found a renewed vigor to seek further purpose at home with my family and next teaching assignment. This was the first of my spiritual truths.

Next up was Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan. It is approximately five to ten minute walk from the Temple of the Golden Mount and is known for its 37 golden spires. That explanation is horrible but it’s all I got at the moment. Let’s explore.

I walked through a non-descript gate leading into the temple from the Main Street. The temple spires perched above the colorful tile roof pierced the blue sky with their golden tips. I walked through the temple area and sank deeper into a meditative walking state of mind. The Buddhas were formed with exquisite detail and I was able to sit for long periods contemplating and allowing the remnants of anxiety and worry to dissipate.

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It gets better because Loha Prasat is the gem waiting to be found at this temple. I found the opening to the 37 spire temple (Loha Prasat) and began a five story meditative ascent to the top of the temple via a hand carved wooden spiral staircase. Stay with me here because I’m not done. I moved up the staircase from the ground level to the first story where the LIBRARY AREA is located. This is the first room designed to uniquely engage with the individual at various spiritual levels. At every sightline there is a seated Buddha throughout the hallways along with Dhamma (truth) statements hanging on the walls. .

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It took me an hour to read the inscriptions but it prepared my mind for the second and third levels. The second floor is for walking meditation, third floor is for sitting meditation and the fourth floor explains the different categories of monks. Keep in mind, the exterior spires are within arms reach richly glowing in the sunlight. Each successive level shrinks to accommodate the ascent to the top.

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Once I reached the top level, I was privy to another skyline view of Bangkok with the Temple of the Golden Mount within eyesight. A unique feature of this rooftop was at each directional wall there was a summary explanation along with map of how to get to other temples. One temple (Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan) caught my eye because it was the prior home of the Thailand poet laureate (Sunthon Phu) who lived from 1786-1855 AD and revolutionized the written word in Thailand by making it accessible to all classes of people.

My experience at Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan was the second of my spiritual truths. By moving with precision effort and focus I attained a right mind.

Wat Thepthidaram Worawihan was literally a hop, skip and jump from the second temple. The gate leading in was nothing fancy and the layout of the temple grounds was subdued.

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I found the main temple and spoke with a kind elderly gentlemen who explained that Sunthon Phu’s residence was located in the back where there was also a small interactive museum. I donated 100Baht to help keep the museum intact and explored the main worship hall where the white seated Buddha was located.

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I was alone at which point I felt an immediate calm wash over my body. I thought to myself that the heat was getting to me or maybe I was tired so I sat down. I closed my eyes at which point I entered a deep meditative state. I wasn’t asleep, I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t anything; I was just present. I don’t know how long this lasted only that time was not part of my existence. I am not going to analyze this moment; I only want to share the basic elements of what I experienced because it was real, powerful, and a complete release from my chattering mind. This was my third spiritual truth.

I opened my eyes and explored the hall next door which housed the golden kneeling worshippers.

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After experiencing three consecutive spiritual truths, I wanted to go home and write. Somehow find a way to download this information, explain these feelings, capture the moment but I decided to push myself which happened to be the best decision I made all day because I found intellectual truth.

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Down a narrow alleyway behind an unassuming temple lived Sunthon (sometimes spelled Sunthorn) Phu. He was a poet to King Rama II and then was stripped of his title by King Rama III to the point where he became a monk for 18 years. During his monk years, Sunthon Phu wrote his greatest masterpieces and was eventually reinstated as the poet laureate for Thailand under King Rama IV. Several volunteers inside the museum came alongside me delighting in explaining Sunthon Pho’s historical significance and showing me artifacts that I was allowed to touch. For example, I was able to interact with one of Suthon Phu’s original manuscripts, walk inside his bedroom, engage with his personal belongings (bed, fan, drinking and food containers, armoire). They also took photographs that were digitally enhanced with images of me with a monk or holding Buddhist artifacts, they sang Suthon Phu’s poems, orated a detailed history, and gave me free drinks.

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What can I say about a day like this? It was magical, fulfilling, dream like, satisfying, grateful, soothing, awe inspiring; nothing quite fits because living without borders brushes against all these constructs. Thanks for listening.