“I was born in Mongolia in 1967. Because Mongolia is a Buddhist country, we often went to the Buddhist temple when I was a child. Later, I decided that I would like to become a monk, but first I had to study the Tibetan language for two years. When I…
“When I grew up, I found that everything in life is temporary. When I saw a flower, I thought it was very beautiful at that moment, but some days later it faded away. I realized we could not keep anything in our hands, like the water flowing through our fingers.…
“When I was younger, maybe 12 or 13 years old, I always went to the temple with my family. I followed my father and my mother, it was my culture. I enjoyed the big family at the temple. After High School I became a nun, and I realized I am…
“In our culture, when a young boy is ordained, it means the family is losing the child. My mother would not be able to call me son anymore, she would have to call me Banthe. I still remember that during the ordination ceremony, one of my sisters was holding my…
“I was 12 years old, and I didn’t know anything. I just followed my dad. He said I should become a monk. At that time I didn’t know what a monk does, but when I became a monk, I studied and I practiced – now I understand. I am happy…
“I had experienced Buddhism while I was in the Navy. I had a girlfriend in Japan and went to some temples there. It always stayed in the back of my mind. When I was a youth, there was no religion in my house, and when I got married, my wife…
“Cooking is my favorite work. I like it when people eat my food. That is my life. I cook at the temple, but I also like to cook outside of the temple. Cooking is my chanting, I don’t get a chance to go up to the Dharma hall much, I…
