I dream of watching Manchester United but know I never will



42 minutes agoSharenearShare pageCopy hyperlinkAbout sharingImage caption, Phra Prasert Panyawaro practices meditation to clasp connected his Buddhist pathBy Angie BrownBBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporter

Phra Prasert Panyawaro has dreamed of looking Manchester United astatine Old Trafford ever since helium saw them playing connected TV arsenic a boy.

He astir effectual watched 30 minutes of a suit adjacent arsenic helium changed into traveling a pal's house, but it changed into capable to person him hooked.

Shortly afterwards, astatine the property of 12, helium moved into a monastery successful Thailand to statesman surviving arsenic a Theravada Buddhist monk.

It changed into to beryllium the statesman of a disciplined mode of beingness wherever helium should travel 227 rules - additionally called precepts.

He does present not person a bully clip his birthday. He tin not ticker TV, spell to the cinema, travel a bike, run, powerfulness a automobile, devour meals aft noon - oregon sojourn a shot stadium.

Image source, Image caption, Phra Prasert saw pictures of Peter Schmeichel gambling for Manchester United

Now aged 37 and residing arsenic the pinnacle monk successful an Edinburgh Buddhist temple, helium has spoken to BBC Scotland successful a uecedented interrogation astir his existence.

"When I turned into a babe I saw Manchester United gambling connected a TV and I nevertheless recollect the goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel," helium says.

"I imagination of going to Old Trafford to observe them play, nevertheless I recognize I ne'er volition owed to the information we are not allowed to determination determination arsenic monks.

"As a idiosyncratic we person the aforesaid feelings arsenic each idiosyncratic else, nevertheless we recognise the mode to manipulate ourselves and our minds."

His strict mode of dwelling mode helium has not often disposable his dada and ma oregon siblings considering that helium was a young boy.

Image source, Phra Prasert PanyawaroImage caption, Phra Prasert Panyawaro says helium loves and misses his mother, Muang

Phra Prasert is the mediate babe of 7 siblings.

He changed into introduced up connected his parents' atom and buffalo workplace successful Sri Sa Kat Province successful Thailand.

When his older siblings near domestic, helium worked astir the workplace and helped contend with his much youthful brothers and sisters.

"I felt I ought to beryllium playing shot with buddies and different specified things arsenic that, nevertheless due to the fact that I go the eldest of the eventual children I had to bash galore things on with cooking and cleansing," helium recalls.

At the property of 11 helium told his parent and begetter helium desired to enroll successful a monastery and amended arsenic a monk to pb them to proud.

When helium became 12, helium changed into despatched distant to survey successful immoderate different state masses of miles faraway from domestic.

Image supply, Phra Prasert PanyawaroImage caption, Phra Prasert Panyawaro unneurotic with his parent and begetter successful Thailand aft being provided with a unsocial instrumentality via the King

"I failed to talk to oregon spot my household for 3 years. I did not cognize the mode backmost to the farm," helium stated.

"In my country I conception I americium not going to outcry and wrote connected a chunk of insubstantial 'I tin bash it', which I pinned to my partition and analyse each day.

"I desired my dada and ma to beryllium pleased with me."

He began his grooming adjacent arsenic nevertheless surviving unneurotic with his dada and ma a 12 months earlier than helium moved into the monastery.

His Buddhist grasp informed him past that 1 of the regulations helium mightiness person to observe go that helium turned into not allowed to interaction girls.

Image caption, Phra Prasert Panyawaro says helium is happiest successful nature

As a extremity result, helium and his mom, Muang Prommala, stored a respectful region betwixt them astatine their domestic.

But it turned into present not till galore years aboriginal that helium realised that this regularisation did nary longer perfectly observe to his mom.

"I realised I had misunderstood and that arsenic Buddhist clergymen we are capable to interaction our mums successful affirmative instances.

"When she is sick oregon successful a unsafe authorities of affairs I americium allowed to interaction her truthful I tin assistance her."

But 25 years aboriginal helium nevertheless has not touched, embraced oregon possibly brushed past his mother.

Image source, Phra Prasert PanyawaroImage caption, Phra Prasert on with his grandmother, mom, sister-in-law, begetter and older brother

Phra Prasert is present the caput monk of the Dhammapadipa Temple wrong the Slateford portion of Edinburgh.

He walks connected the adjacent by Water of Leith and spends clip being aware, touching histrion bark and leaves.

"Nature facilitates with my energy of mind.

"We are from quality truthful it is close to determination again to nature," helium says.

But careless of surviving this benignant of disciplined life, helium says helium is gladsome and enjoys serving his adjacent web successful Scotland.

Phra Prasert changed into invited to enactment successful Scotland by the caput monk astatine the Slateford temple aft listening to helium had a fantabulous reputation.

Phra Prasert agreed to instrumentality for 2 years connected an ordeal. He past determined to unrecorded connected successful Scotland - turning into caput monk whilst the preceding 1 was promoted to a temple successful Leeds.

Image caption, Phra Prasert Panyawaro playing quality astatine the Water of Leith successful Edinburgh

He has lived successful Edinburgh for the past 7 years. He sleeps connected the crushed and not utilizing a furniture oregon mat and isn't ever allowed to observe tv.

But helium has observed a modern-day mode to consciousness adjacent to his frail parent - by utilizing having CCTV cameras outfitted passim her farmhouse successful Thailand. His father, Chey Prommala, died 10 years successful the past from diabetes.

"I don't consciousness homesick owed to the information I'm utilized to it and epoch surely helps," introduced Phra Prasert.

"I talk to my mum each time present and whitethorn spot her from a mobile cellphone that is linked up to cameras successful her residence.

"She is unwell truthful it makes maine acquisition higher that I tin sphere an oculus connected her erstwhile I unrecorded truthful acold away."

The Dhammapadipa Temple