These eye-opening pictures have been happening for 12 consecutive days in Thailand. The starting date was on Jan 2, 2012 and it has been going on until today, Jan 13. It will continue on until Jan 25, 2012 which is the last day of this special activity. Normally, Tudongha in Buddhism involves the discipline of detaching from materials as they are in order to free the mind from defilements.
Although the monks are walking from province to province instead of walking in the forest, they still have to practice their mind. This is the first time in history of Buddhism that 1,127 Theravada monks are doing Tudongha in unison for the distance of 365 km. It will take them 24 days to walk on the path strewn with rose petals and with local people waiting along the path saying “Sadhu” to express their joy in seeing the monks doing this Tudongha on the entire route. What inspires a large number of people to carry out this activity continuously for a long time in strong heat of the afternoon sun? These people never give up their intention even though they have to wait on the rugged roads and lack various means of comfort. They never neglect their participation even for a short time.
This is because of the peaceful temperament of the monks who have practiced their mind very well. This enables the Buddhists to touch the real core of Buddhism by watching the monks doing their Tudongha. The monks and the people intend to walk the various routes that cover 6 provinces in order to pay homage to the 6 significant places that their Great Master used to stay.
As of today, the 1,127 Tudongha monks have walked through 2 places which are in Song Pi-Nong District, Suphanburi Province. These places are: 1. Phra Mongkolthepmuni Memorial which is the place where The Great Master was born, and 2. Song Pi-Nong Temple where The Great Master ordained.Today, all 1,127 Tudongha monks are coming to the third important place which is Boadbon Temple, Bangkuvieng, Nonthaburi Province where The Great Master attained Dhammakaya.
The monks have walked 150 km. already and they have to walk the remaining of 215 km. in 12 more days and that will be the end of this Tudongha. We can say that this had never happened before in history. What will happen next? Let us continue in the next episode. For more information www.dmc.tv.
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Rev. Emily Gage is the Minister of Faith Development at Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Oak Park, Illinois. She received her Masters of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 1997, when she was also ordained. Since then, she has officiated at a number of weddings, some of them same-sex. The Unitarian Universalist Association has affirmed the legality of same-sex marriage since 1996, and has publicly affirmed the rights of gay and lesbian people since 1970.
