Continuing with Hong Kong the city (Lantau Island Monasteries)

Zen Po Lam Monastery

This monastery is located on the Ngomg Ping to Tung Chung trail.

Starting from Ngong Ping, I went through an archway with inscriptions (sorry, I can’t read Chinese) and found out what it means to have to be later. After walking for about an hour I came across a rest area with views of Tung Chung and the surrounding mountains, what a great view it was also peaceful, all you could hear was the birds. After taking a lot of hiking I found this to be one of the best because it was a good trail and just quiet. then without anything I found the monastery of Po Lam (Po Lam means “jewel of the forest”) and what I found was space, without fences or doors. Following the path I entered directly into the monastery gardens, vegetables, of course, and flowers with such a wonderful color, the monks at work.

They recognize me smiling and waving. Where else would you receive such a friendly welcome? I immediately felt at home, where else in the Po Lin monastery, I don’t think so. Having been to various monasteries I found this to be different, hidden on the side of a mountain surrounded by trees and the peace and quiet was something else. Having left hundreds of tourists from Ngong Ping, pressing the camera to reach the tranquility of Po Lam, where meditation would not be difficult to find. This monastery is used as a retreat for visiting monks (bhiksus) and nuns (bhiksunis), as I was told by a nun who came up to me and asked if I wanted to speak, so I did. The nun told me why it was a retreat for monks and nuns from China and beyond. Prayer and meditation are a way of living and from time to time you need to separate, so by coming to Po Lam, where the way of living is so simple, let that happen. Reading once, I heard of a visiting monk who brought a cassette player with him, but was reminded that it would mess up his mind and was taken away. While talking to the nun I asked her about wars, her response was, the greedy man always wants more, there is enough on this earth to please everyone, just a simple prayer means a lot. That is why being a monk or a nun is something that belongs to the mind, not to the price. Thinking back to what you just said, how true even I have to admit that I always want more, but there is a right and wrong way to get more.

The monastery is governed by rules that include prayer and meditation and an early start at 3.30am, morning prayer 4-5am, meditation 5.30am and so the day continues with walking meditation from 6.15am -6. 30pm there is a day finally ending at 9:00 pm. The building is not one of the best in the monastery, but it is still worth visiting some beautiful flowers like I have never seen before and the monastery itself is a beautiful building.

My time there taught me to relax because it was very easy in such a quiet place, the question is if I will return without a doubt. Mentioning how I got here before, meeting hikers coming from the other side and it’s only 1 hour from NgongPing (less if you walk faster than me, which wouldn’t be difficult) but if you want to see and feel a sense of satisfaction, then this is the place to visit.

The inscription on the arch, to remind all of us how to loosen the dust of samsaric life (of course, a Buddhist saying).

My next article will be on the lantau trails.