santavana alms giving at tuaran town

the experience of being a part of the alms giving ceremony is pure joy. i've never seen so many monks in one place before. other than the local monks and nuns in the monastery, monks from Thailand were also invited. we kneeled alongside the shoplots in tuaran town while monks 'toured' the town barefooted.

after alms giving, we went back to Santavana. the meditation hall was lighted and ready to be used. i was rather in awe of the majestic sight of all the monks and nuns seated on the stage with the statues of the Buddha and his two disciples behind them. there was praying and blessing and the whole hall was just peaceful...

min, with the Buddha and his two disciples
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by shirley.
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also by shirley. i dont know where she learned panning from, but she had several good ones!

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i like this frame a lot.. wasn't really thinking when i took it. i only took less than ten pics with monks in them cause i was afraid of being too obvious and intrusive and they are so respectable.. after shooting, i realized the guy's reflection gave a symmetrical effect.. :D
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a Thai shi fu with a canon (30d i think). he asked if i could help him take a photo of him and the Buddha statues. we communicated thru sign language..

went back to the same spot and literally got the same composition.
but no two shots are totally identical.
like every being on earth...
we shouldn't expect anyone to have the same views as us...
but be glad about our uniqueness.
however there's a universal similarity in every being..
that is to live in peace and happiness..