Tuesday 18th July 2013, India

Life at a Buddhist
monastery

It’s 5 a.m. and the bell is ringing to wake up

more than 13,000 people living in the Ganden
Monastery in Karnataka, India. After three
months travelling through India, taking a
break here is exactly what I need.
1 
I’m here to catch up with my friend Paneru.

2 
When he learned I was in India, he offered to put me up at
the monastery for a few days. I’m very interested in how he
lives and keen to find out more.
The monks spend their days meditating, studying, working
and teaching. Paneru, who is learning to be a monk,
always gets up at 5 a.m. for the morning prayer. I feel a bit
ashamed of how late I usually get up − my alarm clock goes
off at nine. After prayer, Paneru meditates for five hours. He
studies all afternoon.

3 
Quite often, he’ll stay up late studying after the evening
meal as well.

insight Pre-Intermediate Workbook Unit 1 pp.8–9 © Oxford University Press 2014 1

 As a younger monk, Paneru also helps in the kitchen, does
the shopping and serves food and tea. The older monks look
after the monastery and teach. In the evening, he helps to
cook dinner. The food is delicious and really healthy − rice,
curry, cabbage and ‘dal’ (a traditional dish with beans).
Paneru has got a free day on Monday when he can go to
buy anything he needs in the village.

4 
Sometimes he works in the gardens, but usually he studies
on Monday, too.
I asked Paneru if he ever gets fed up with having so little
free time. He told me he feels that all his time is free. He
misses his parents in Bhutan, but he says that actually his life
is much easier than theirs, and he knows that they’re very
proud of him.
I’m learning so much while I’m here – how to lead a simple
life without mobile phones, credit cards, cars and big
shopping centres.

5 
The monks are happy just helping other people, eating
simple food and learning. They don’t earn any money, but
they care about each other, which is more important.

6 
When I arrived, Paneru told me to bring his teacher a scarf –
the scarf was only two dollars. I thought it was rude to buy
such a cheap gift, but Paneru said it didn’t matter how much
it cost.
I’m sure you are wondering how I’m writing this blog. Well,
the monastery isn’t totally cut off from the modern world
and they’re slowly moving towards getting technology.

7 
So, now I’ll log off and enjoy the quiet and calm for another
night.
A002001

insight Pre-Intermediate Workbook Unit 1  pp.8–9 © Oxford University Press 2014 2