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A group of 19 Buddhist monks brought an emotional message of forgiveness, mindfulness and resilience to Arlington, drawing crowds to Marymount University during their walk across the United States.

Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara playfully asked why so many people had gathered instead of going to work. When the crowd answered, “Because we love you,” he suggested their turnout revealed a deeper need for peace.

Pannakara encouraged those assembled to slow down, focus on their breathing and let go of pain they had caused or experienced. He asked them to place their hands over their hearts, think about their parents’ sacrifices and consider forgiving themselves and others.

Many listeners became quiet and tearful. Alina Moore, who attended a downtown gathering the following day, said the monks’ presence seemed to change the atmosphere as people temporarily set aside their stress.

Pannakara offered a simple ritual for beginning each morning: reach for paper and pen instead of a cellphone, then write and say aloud, “Today is going to be my peaceful day.” Choosing not to respond to provocation, he said, is another way to practice peace.

He also compared life to a roller coaster, reminding the crowd that its inevitable rises and falls should not become a reason for discouragement.

The monks have confronted serious hardships during their journey, including difficult weather and illness. A distracted driver also crashed into the group, causing one monk to lose a leg. That monk described the loss as his “contribution to peace.”

The traveling community includes Aloka, an Indian Pariah dog who began following the monks as they crossed from India into Nepal. Dogs like Aloka often survive by eating garbage and are frequently treated harshly. The monks adopted him and carried him for part of the journey after he was injured. He has remained with their community ever since.

Later, before a packed auditorium of Marymount students, Pannakara used humor to address cellphone dependence. He referred to the device as a “lover” that people carry everywhere, even to bed and the bathroom.

Reaching for a phone during moments of stress does not necessarily bring relief, he told students. Instead, it can undermine concentration and increase anxiety. Mindful breathing and attention to each breath, he said, can help restore focus.

Pannakara’s understanding of technology comes from personal experience. Originally from Đắk Lắk Province in what was then South Vietnam, he immigrated to the United States, studied information technology at the University of Texas at Arlington and worked as an IT engineer for Motorola.

He left that career in 2007 to become a novice monk and was ordained in 2010. He now follows Theravada Buddhism and serves as vice president of the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Members of the monastic community, or Sangha, rely on alms for food, meditate intensively and offer spiritual guidance. Their disciplined rules include celibacy, avoiding the handling of money and eating only between dawn and noon.

Pannakara said he initially questioned whether walking across the country was the right decision. The crowds that appeared along the route changed his perspective. While the monks’ journey affected many of the people who encountered them, he said the public’s response also deeply moved the monks.