Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Having spent four years of my adult life living in the Orient, I have more than a passing familiarity with Buddhism.  I have visited in family homes and observed small shrines set up within the homes that pay homage to Buddha and his teachings.  I have also been in several Buddhist temples, or places of worship, and observed adherents in quiet contemplation.   I had many friends who were Buddhists, and I always felt at ease and welcome in their presence.

I also had occasional encounters with Buddhist monks, and always found them to be welcoming as well and often quite engaging.  One of my more memorable encounters with a Buddhist monk was at an orphanage which he was helping to run in Vietnam.  The man was carrying a baby on his shoulder and asked me if I would like to hold the infant, which I did.   While I had the baby pressed up against my shoulder, the monk, who was probably ten or fifteen years younger than me, reached over aand patted my belly and made a reference to me looking like Buddha.  It was funny, and I laughed with the wise-ass holy man.

On October 26th of last year a group of nineteen Theravada Buddhist monks set out from Ft. Worth, Texas, on foot for what would become a 108-day "march for peace" as they slowly made their way south, then east, and then north to Washington, DC, around 2,300 road miles.  Peace walks are a cherished tradition of Theravada Buddhism.  Two members were injured along the way when a truck hit one of their escort vehicles on a road near Houston, Texas.  One of the monks had his leg amputated as a result of that accident, but he was able to rejoin the effort in a wheelchair as the group neared Washington, DC, a couple of months later.   They arrived at their destination last week, on February 10th.  The walking monks had averaged just over 21 miles per day.  

While the weather was at times cold, wet, and generally inclement, the monks, dressed in traditional robes, marched on.  Some photos reveal that they wore a variety of footwear including rugged outdoor shoes, sandals, and what appeared to resemble white, vinyl shower shoes.

The walking monks were accompanied by their rescue dog, Aloka.  They made stops to promote their message of peace along the way at churches and government buildings.  The monks were widely followed on social media during their three months on the road.  Their beautiful gesture drew much attention and admiration.  Thousands of American gathered along the way to stand in quiet reverence and show their support for the monks and their message.

Maybe if we all engaged in long walks for peace, we wouldn't have time for anger and being so bitterly divided.  And maybe if Pa Rock spent more time walking, he woujld't look like the Buddha!

Thank you, venerable sirs, for your sacrifice and service to humanity. You are an inspiration to the world.