One of the greatest Gelug monasteries, the Sera Monastery is famous for the Monks debate at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Should I call it a debate or discussion? Their heated voices climbed over the wall and reached to me. Pounded, my heart. I was able to see the male monks in red clothes made pairs one-to-one, sometimes several-for-one in the garden. One sat down and the other stood up. Tourists encircled them. Unlike us seating vacantly, they were focusing on the debates with fervor.
Going the around, I discovered the older one sat separately in the corner. Each of them was alone. Unlike them, monks in fresh youth were seated in the middle. I examined those each faces, just like green leaves, of them. Actually, one of the Indian Uncles asked the guide why the monks are so muscular even though they are vegetarians. I was curious, too. Their athletic arms, only one-side of it being seen, moved here and there. Like pitching a baseball, showing their palms, oh my, bodies were dynamic and faces were bright. They were actors in the stage. I thought like this; Aren’t they enjoying the attention from audiences? They never saw us, however.
Coming out, our guide told us that his brother is a monk in the Sera Monastery and that he also spends time there in the winter. I asked him what they are debating about. He explained with an example. “Do you like chicken?” Of course, our vegetarian Indian Uncles said they do not. It was an improper answer to keep explaining. So the other guy answered; “Yes, I like chicken.” The guide replied; “You said you like chicken. Then, why do you eat chicken? Does it mean that if you like something you would eat that?” Listening to his explanation, I reminded myself of the Socratic method: discussions with others, chasing up the root of problems through questions and inspecting truths and premises taken for granted.
The most interesting thing was they get easily stimulated during the debates. It seemed that there were many moments to be pissed off during their intense debates. That should be why they sway their arms all the times, showing their own palms, even making big sounds with clapping. I guess they did those actions because they couldn’t beat each other.
Right now, I am truly curious. Do they really find something in those various debates? It may be too pressing to have such discussions in daily lives. The debates which need other people and attention from them. Is it a play or routine? Is it a genuine curiosity or just a duty of Tibetan monk? It would be neither of them like that is just the way it is.