The All-Seeing Eye

Remembering...

When my grandfather died almost a decade ago, everybody had to go to this particular temple somewhere near downtown Los Angeles, and we would sit for hours, listening to these monks [women and men] chant for hours and hours long, from morning 'til dusk; every weekend for 6 weeks straight... Back then I was a weebit younger, and all I wanted to do at the time was to like, have lunch, and goof off with my cousins... Y'know, who listens to this stuff anyway?!? I have no patience [and I want it NOW!! heh!], and am forever working on it...

Last weekend when I visited my folks, afterwards I stopped by this other Chinese temple, Hsi Lai, not too far from their place. I knew that they have a gift shop there so I stopped by, wanting to get a CD or two of the [chanting] music, etc. I've been wanting to get the music for the past couple months for some reasons, but never really got the chance [not that I can get it at Amazon.com or download them off iTunes!]. Got there just before they closed. Asked for some assistance and I got what I wanted. They had quite a many, so I just took the clerk's recommendations. She didn't speak any Cantonese and my Mandarin is poor, but we communicated nonetheless.

I listened to the CDs while driving home... The lyrics are included in the booklet, but these are 'big' Chinese words, words for scholars... Most of the characters I cannot read and decipher their meanings... The monks sing in unison... While listening to certain tracks, I cried... It's the same chants... Remembering the time when I was at the temple in Los Angeles, listening to the chanting, and 'paying my last respect' to my grandfather...

Thinking back, I also remember at the time when my grandfather was staying with my dad, towards the end when he was quite ill, I had to take him to see the doctor... My grandfather still had the strengths to dress himself up properly [and he was always so immaculate; slacks, dress shirt with a tie and suit wherever he went!], but on that day, for the life of him, he just couldn't manage the last button on this shirt, the top button - and I had to help him... It was so sad... to see my grandpa so helpless, brought tears to my eyes...

Listening to the music right now, a flood of memories came back to me. It's good... I think 'to remember', is a good thing, even though it was unhappy times... It can make you stronger - if you want it... and to feel 'things'...

I went to Catholic school when I was little, had bible study almost as a daily routine, and I don't think I had learnt a thing to tell you the truth. But at the same time while back at home, I was raised as a Buddhist, and it has been a long while...

Many 'entities', one race!

It's good music, and I'm just listening...

Posted by robert at March 4, 2004 08:02 PM