The left knee is seriously struggling now and it’s going to take some sort of miracle to survive the next few days. The hope is that at the next monastery there will be less sitting cross-legged. There will be other things to make up for it I’m sure. I’m slowly getting used to walking on the tarmac although there’s still a long way to go until my feet are as rough and tough as Tan A.

I received a small lecture from Tan F. after the meal. The food is laid out in a buffet style and monks queue up in order of seniority. Apparently all monks must remain in the same starting order when acquiring your food, regardless of how slow the person in front of you may be. I think I overtook either him or Tan M. because they ended up talking to someone for a time so I assumed they were preoccupied. I thought it made sense to overtake because not only was the novice monk waiting behind me, but everyone else was waiting for the monks to get their food. Apparently I was wrong.

While resting at the balcony my inquiring mind got the better of me and I started randomly asking about monk fashion as I noticed that they all had different ways of securing the lower cloth. Fashion is too strong a word, it’s only really the different ways in which you can fold and roll the lower cloth to create tension and then secure the knot with the belt, which often times you don’t even see as it’s covered. It was fascinating to see the variations between all the monks but in hindsight I admit it might have been a really weird question for the monks to receive. At Nam Pana there were some Haribos that Ajahn often received from the lay people and since they’re not easy to come by in Thailand, I thought it best to warn the other monks that they’re something best taken in moderation.

Tan F. came over to our room and taught us some stretches as I had been complaining about my knee pain. They were super useful in stretching the legs, groin and back and it was a pleasant bonding session for us in isolation. There’s such a stark contrast between his persona as a simple elderly monk and as a teacher. I’m not sure if this was a Thai or an Asian thing in general where teachers feel the need to strictly impose themselves on their students and all lessons are taught in a serious and assertive tone. I did ask him to tell me if I ever did something wrong so he’s definitely keeping his side of the bargain. Anyhow, whether you’re a teacher or a Buddhist monk, an opportunity to get to know someone in a more casual setting can go a long way.