If there was no Buddhism, life in Burma would be very basic.
Early every morning, you can hears the bells with the arrival of these monks. It is a signal for the locals to come out with money, food or whatever, to give these monks. Remember, one of the vows monks take, is the vow of poverty - they have to rely on the donations of locals to feed and clothe them, otherwise grow and produce their own products. In Buddhism, it is a Buddhist's duty to also provide for the monks. It helps them to reach Enlightenment.
I saw these monks in Yangon. They come from various monastries.
The nun you see in the middle, is wearing her habit on her head. The piece of cloth that a nun wraps around herself, is sometimes folded and used as a hat for protection against the heat of the sun.
See the 3 figures to the right, at the base of a temple?
They are meditating to the sun!
I took close-up photos of each of them, and later asked them if it hurt their eyes to stare at the sun all day. I was told that it did not! They sit there from sunrise, to sunset, meditating, and only change positions as the sun changes position. Otherwise, they just sit there and meditate. They meditate every single day except when cloudy. Amazing!
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