prayers and processions - dhamma talk

another from the weekly photo series on faith and it's expression in our community:


Udom Budsriphoom steps behind the desk and takes his seat in front of a bucolic woodland scene. He's wrapped in saffron orange, save his right shoulder, which is bare.

He peers over one of the monitors and takes a breath. A red light indicates that the DV recorder is on. The sound-proof room sucks up his words as they spill over the silver microphone.

Welcome to Dhamma Talk, a nightly installment of the teachings of Buddha at Wat Pasantidhamma in Carrollton, Va. Each night for about an hour the head monk records teachings of the Buddha to be posted on the temple's Web site.

“It's a way for us to tell the teachings of the Buddha.” says Budsriphoom, the head monk and a native of Thailand. “It's also a chance for us to give spiritual advice to people.”

Tonight's lesson is a rumination on nature and the involvement of humans. The teachings are a quiet pursuit for the monk, who longs to help show people Buddhism.

“Sometimes you feel lonely,” Budsriphoom says. “Sometimes we feel shy – you don't feel comfortable when you talk alone.

“You try to imagine many people listening to you around the world.”