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Nepal is the most mountainous country on our planet. The Himalayas stretch across almost the entire territory of the country. It’s precisely there that eight of the 14 highest peaks of the Earth - "eight-thousanders" – are situated. Almost everyone in Nepal is open, friendly, hospitable and curious. There is no boorishness, envy, hatred and aggressive behavior. Crimes are a rare occasion there. However, in some cases their people can show strength of character.
For example, there are people called Gurkha in Nepal, who are mercenaries. They have been working all over the world for many centuries: in the Arab sheikhs’ and the British royal family’s personal guard. They are reliable, loyal and tough warriors.
Hinduism is the official state religion in Nepal but it has been coexisting with Buddhism for more than 1000 years already. The followers of these two religions are not only tolerant towards each other, but also respect and hold sacred each other’s holy places. They even celebrate big religious holidays together quite often. The country has some of the most famous, important and beautiful Buddhist monuments in the world: first of all, it’s Boudhanath (Boudha) and the second is Swayambhunath (Swayambhu), which is situated on a hill.
Nepal can be rightfully considered the birthplace of the Buddhist religion because it is here, in the southern part of Nepal, where the prophet Gautama (Siddhartha) was born - the person who was acknowledged as the earthly embodiment of Shakyamuni Buddha.
At the time this area was part of India, and the Indian ruler Ashoka set a six-meter stone pillar in Gautama’s place of birth in 243 BC. It still remains standing today in the village of Lumbini.
You can see Buddhist temples and monasteries everywhere in Nepal. They are small сhortens, located right by the roads, fantastic ancient stone structures in big cities, where almost every centimeter is decorated with intricate carvings or paintings, and alpine monasteries - pagodas in secluded places.
Among the Nepal Buddhist monks and novices of monasteries there are a lot of Europeans and Americans, who decided to abandon the hustle and bustle of the Western civilization and came to Nepal in search of enlightenment. The vast majority of monks and novices are men, but women are allowed to take vows and devote themselves to religion as well.
Anyone older than 7 can become a monastery novice, and one can take vows having turned 20.
The life of a Buddhist monks’ community in Nepal is led according to a certain daily routine. Waking up at six in the morning, they welcome the new day with a prayer, and proceed to breakfast, having finished praying. The second meal, which is also the last one, takes place at noon. The monks don’t eat in the afternoon, they only drink water and herbal extracts. Contrary to a popular belief, people in Nepal are not strict vegetarians, though, they surely prefer vegetarian food to animal products. Alcohol, tobacco and drugs are the only things strictly prohibited.
Buddhist monks devote the rest of the day after lunch and before bedtime to meditation and self-improvement, to studying religious literature and talking to believers - visitors of the monastery. Modest and ascetic lifestyle is ideal for the Buddhist community. That’s exactly the kind of life that corresponds to the basic postulate of Buddhism. It says that a person needs only three things: food (not for pleasure, but for refreshment), shelter and clothes. All other benefits of civilization are considered non-core, unnecessary and even excessive, preventing the achievement of the highest state of enlightenment - nirvana.
Everyone who becomes part of the community gives up all earthly pleasures and material goods, and other things as well - greed and avarice, lust and salacity, any desire to befuddle the body and mind with alcohol and drugs, chasing the "sweet life" and things related to it, like theft, deceit and hypocrisy. The monks give up even their families but they are entitled to visit their relatives and friends on rare occasions if there are important matters.
Certainly, modern life in the monasteries, while maintaining the basic features of the former times, is significantly different from the one led by the monks of past ages. Many modern Nepalese Buddhist monks, and not only those who have European origins, use mobile phones and the Internet, maintain their own blogs and even have profiles on social networks. However, due to the versatility, flexibility and tolerance that characterize the Buddhist philosophy, it does not look unnatural. Indeed, the main thing behind the Buddhist monks’ philosophy is the ability to enjoy simple things, and each passing day, to be indifferent to comfort, rejecting jealousy, vanity and other unnecessary passions.
I was in Nepal about 15 years ago
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