The Youngest Monk

Same neighborhood, different world.

Oct. 5, 2009
By Mariel Waloff
Philadelphia Weekly (Pennsylvania)

Horn Pa was twelve years old when his family settled in South Philadelphia, seeking refuge from the war plaguing their native Cambodia. His mother reminded him daily how lucky they were to live in the peace of the United States, where there was fresh water and readily available food.

As Horn came of age around Seventth and Jackson streets, however, he witnessed a different sort of war zone where gangs, violence and drugs threatened to ruin the lives of young Asian refugees like himself.

While Horn’s parents regularly attended the Palelai Buddhist Temple at Seconnd and Greenwich streets, Horn himself wasn’t interested. By the time he was 17 he had dropped out of high school, and began using drugs regularly. “I didn’t know no better, you know, just smoke weed, this and that, I didn’t know." Things began to change when he was arrested on a drug charge and spent the night in jail. Realizing his future looked bleak Horn decided to change his life.

Seeking guidance and a space to clear his mind, Horn went to the Palelai Temple—the same one his parents attended. He told the head monk that he wanted to stay for one week and they welcomed him. A year later, Horn still shaves his head and wears the orange robes of a Buddhist monk. His mind is clear, his parents are proud. He hopes to inspire positive change in other young Cambodians he sees around the neighborhood, making some of the same mistakes he did.

As the monastery’s youngest monk—and the best English speaker—he serves an important role as the linguistic and cultural interpreter between the older monks and the community around them. He has also had a large role in maintaining the plot of land the temple owns at 58th and Lindbergh Boulevard in Southwest Philadelphia. While they await permits to build a new temple complex, Horn and the other monks have planted gardens and built a pagoda and other small structures that overlook the Schuylkill River. The peace and quiet of these gardens serve as the perfect respite for a monk. The lush greenery contrasts sharply with their brilliant orange robes and it seems as though they are worlds away from the rest of the city.