Noviate Re-collection #1: Making Peace with Mosquitoes

The four years of Aloka Noviate in the Buddha’s holy sites in Nepal and India must have been an experience for many. We begin this series of recollections – anecdotes, personal accounts etc – for all to re-connect with the Triple Gem, the sacred sites, and fellow samaneras, upasikas, anagrika, helpers and organisers. We welcome your stories and first hand accounts. Just email it to kllim@alokafoundation.org

by Darshani

Aloka Novitiate 2009, Sarnath

During a novitiate programme, I was bugged by mosquitoes at night. They would buzz and buzzzz and buzzzzz all night -- on my right ear, on my left ear, on both ears. When I shared this with my roommates, they provided a number of remedies - apply tiger balm on the earlobes; spread tiger balm on the pillow; cover your head with a thin scarf, etc. They all didn’t work!

One night Bhante Mahinda talked about the mosquitoes menace and advised us to ‘negotiate’ with the mosquitoes – take your bites then leave so that I can have a good night sleep. Didn’t work either. Next, ask forgiveness from the Mosquitoes Devas, since those I have killed may not be around to receive. It worked, sort of :-P The mosquitoes were still there but the irritation eased a bit, but not for long before I was in full blown irritation mode. Another sleepless night…

Must have killed too many mosquitoes as nothing seemed to work!

Then I had an insight – I must have bugged my mother when I was a child, wanting this and wanting that… eeeeee Mummy this eeeeeee Mummy that… Now suffering the results of my kamma i.e my past action.

Then another insight – mental hindrances – sensual pleasure – the mosquitoes – their buzzing an irritant to my ear sense, anger at their bites on my body, invading my space, causing me sleepless nights – such a strong I, me, my and mine.

Once this understanding arose, I was able to accept the mosquitoes’ buzz, bites and all. They were still buzzing, but not as irritating as before, they were still biting, but with less anger to their bites, they were still buzzing around my face, ears, the whole head, it’s okay it’s their space too and not surpising, I was able to have a good night sleep thereafter.