CHUA VAM RAY
One of my objectives for this trip to the Mekong Delta was to visit some of the many pagodas and meet some monks who follow Theravada ("the Teaching of the Elders"), the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism.
Vam Ray pagoda was my first stop. The monastery is a low and attractive pale coloured building. The living quarters are as expected: austere and basic.
Theravada Buddhism teaches that enlightenment comes entirely through one's own efforts, without help from gods or other outside forces.
The primary means of realizing enlightenment in the Theravada tradition is through Vipassana meditation. Vipassana emphasizes disciplined self-observation of body and thoughts and how they interconnect.
A portrait of a friendly monk.
NIKON D90, Unknown (742169358), 35.0 mm, 16, 1/4, 640