TEMPTATION
After graduating from Harvard and securing a lucrative job offer from a Wall Street financial farm, Diane Woodward was exploring the countryside near picturesque Halong Bay in North Vietnam. In a unique geologic phenomenon, the bay consists of several prehistoric monolithic mountains coming right out of the turquoise water. A large hidden cave-system existed in one of those mountains. During the country’s last long-running war against the American and allied forces, that cave was the storage centre for the fighting guerrillas’ arms. Thus the area was a frequent target of the US B-52 bombers. Remarkably, that particular monolith containing the hidden arms remained unscathed, allowing the ammunition flow intact. However, the signs of warfare were everywhere in the valley: the large craters as well as the defoliation of a large swath from the spraying of the chemical Agent Orange.
While exiting the cave, Diane noticed a flying flag of a Buddhist monastery in the distance. On inquiry, the locals informed her that the monastery belonged to a small group of nuns. Besides their spiritual inquest, they also ran an orphanage. Intrigued, Diane set out for the place, arriving there around noon. She knocked on the door, when a grey-robed elderly nun invited her inside. It was lunchtime for the residents, so Diane was invited to join the entire commune for a simple vegetarian meal. She learned that there were about fifteen nuns of all ages, headed by the lady who opened the door for her. Besides dedicating their lives to Buddha’s teachings, they also took care of thirty orphans, abandoned at their door by the local unwed teenage mothers.
After lunch, the youngest nun took Diane to the main temple. They sat under the golden statue of meditative Buddha, decorated with fresh lotus flowers. The aroma of the burning incense sticks filled the air of the prayer-hall. Their conversation covered multiple areas, starting from the Vietnam War, the country’s recovery from that war’s devastation, adoption of socialism but still allowing the practice of the religion to the country’s current embrace of capitalism.
Feeling comfortable, Diane began to explore the young nun’s previous life. She was older to Diane by a few years, but joined the current monastery when she was only fourteen after hearing a higher call of dedicating her life in human services. Suddenly, Diane noticed that in the shaven head of the nun, there were three equidistant bald spots with no hair growth. At Diane’s inquiry, the young nun explained that as she was going through attaining different stages of higher spiritualism, she was still not able to conquer her sexual temptation to attractive men. So, one night she took a bundle of burning incense sticks and burned those three spots to help her burn her innate desire.
Stunned, all Diane thought about her job-offer letter.
While exiting the cave, Diane noticed a flying flag of a Buddhist monastery in the distance. On inquiry, the locals informed her that the monastery belonged to a small group of nuns. Besides their spiritual inquest, they also ran an orphanage. Intrigued, Diane set out for the place, arriving there around noon. She knocked on the door, when a grey-robed elderly nun invited her inside. It was lunchtime for the residents, so Diane was invited to join the entire commune for a simple vegetarian meal. She learned that there were about fifteen nuns of all ages, headed by the lady who opened the door for her. Besides dedicating their lives to Buddha’s teachings, they also took care of thirty orphans, abandoned at their door by the local unwed teenage mothers.
After lunch, the youngest nun took Diane to the main temple. They sat under the golden statue of meditative Buddha, decorated with fresh lotus flowers. The aroma of the burning incense sticks filled the air of the prayer-hall. Their conversation covered multiple areas, starting from the Vietnam War, the country’s recovery from that war’s devastation, adoption of socialism but still allowing the practice of the religion to the country’s current embrace of capitalism.
Feeling comfortable, Diane began to explore the young nun’s previous life. She was older to Diane by a few years, but joined the current monastery when she was only fourteen after hearing a higher call of dedicating her life in human services. Suddenly, Diane noticed that in the shaven head of the nun, there were three equidistant bald spots with no hair growth. At Diane’s inquiry, the young nun explained that as she was going through attaining different stages of higher spiritualism, she was still not able to conquer her sexual temptation to attractive men. So, one night she took a bundle of burning incense sticks and burned those three spots to help her burn her innate desire.
Stunned, all Diane thought about her job-offer letter.
