By: Voranai Vanijaka
Last Monday, I read a report on an etiquette course for novice monks. Introduced by leading preacher and writer Phra Wor Wachiramethi, the course aims to “prevent gay expressions” among monks.
The course is deemed necessary, as there have been too many news reports of homosexual monks using cosmetics, carrying pink bags and wearing their robes in a stylish, fashionable way in public.
Not to mention, monks actually having sexual relations with men in their monasteries. Gasp!
The course will be taught at the Triam Sammanen School – the country’s first Buddhist missionary school, located in the compound of Wat Krueng Tai in Chiang Rai’s Chiang Khong district.
After falling off the chair, rolling on the ground gripped by hysterical laughter for about five minutes (who doesn’t appreciate a good laugh on a Monday morning, eh?), I forgot about the story.
On Thursday night, I attended a concert/fashion show by Elle magazine, which is also owned by Post Publishing. (Who said this company is all stuffy, old and conservative, eh?) Needless to say, there were no shortages of “gay expressions” at the party. Though these expressions, it seemed to me, were that of fun and happiness, enjoyment, a zest for life.
Of course we must differentiate between “gay expressions” among laymen and among monks. The former is a matter of human rights, guaranteed by democratic principles. The latter however, hasn’t anything to do with human rights or democracy.
The core principle of Buddhism is cessation of desire. Using cosmetics and carrying pink bags are fulfillments of desire, rather than cessations. Hence, it is wrong according to Buddhist principles.
I am proudly a slave of many desires. I cannot have an Italian dinner without red wine. I screamed profanity when Manchester United scored five goals in 30 minutes to beat Tottenham Hotspur.
And like most men, if I were to pick up Elle, it’s not necessarily to read the excellent articles, but to look at delicious models. Hence, I don’t pretend to be a monk – and neither should those men who shaved their heads and wear yellow robes.
I have no idea what could cure homosexual monks of “gay expressions”. Will they chant and pray, burn incense until the gayness goes away? I don’t know, but I’m sure the venerable monks will try their best.
If the venerable monks were to ask me for a solution, which of course they never would, but I have to write a Sunday column and the epic struggles of Thaksin Shinawatra is rather dry and stale this week, so let’s pretend that I was asked.
If they were to ask me, I would say the solution is simple: Can’t extinguish the burning flame of desire? Defrock them. They don’t deserve to be monks.
But you see, such solution would never be accepted, because it will open a big can of worms. If we start to defrock monks because they don’t follow the principles of Buddhism and are enslaved by desires, then many temples will be emptier than the bottle of whiskey on my table at the end of the Elle party.
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