Honoring one who is worthy of honor

The Meditator Guidebook to Burma is in its final stages! As the guide gets closer to publication, we will begin to share excerpts of what yogis may expect... some sneak previews of what is to come. Here is an excerpt from the "Monastic Life" chapter on how to pay respect to monks:
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"Finding and acknowledging one who is worthy of honor is considered a highly important quality, and many Burmese proverbs attest to this. One states thiq tiq pin kaun, hngeq tiq thoun ko ya, meaning “if a single tree is large enough, ten thousand crows can rest on it." The underlying meaning is that if an individual is developed enough, countless people can rely on him or her. Another proverb states thiq pin auoq gyo they nain, lu aouq gyo ma they nain, and can be translated literally as “one who goes under an old tree can be killed, but one who goes under a great person cannot,” or to say figuratively, “being humble before a wise person will not kill you.”

Having finished offering her food, Burmese woman pays respects as a monk passes on alms round