From Brahma to Buddha, Spring 2007

Driving through the countryside was relaxing, and I also find that through these moments I can get even closer to the epic land of India!

We stopped at a roadside stand on the way for lunch, it was very good!

Finally we made it to BodhGaya. This city sadly has taken a different course that its original purpose, though I liked the atmosphere better than Sarnath, because this city felt like a living religious site.

The Burma Vihar that we stayed at was very quaint and shaded with a considerable amount of foliage that sat in the courtyard. We would be sleeping all together on cots. After checking in we worked our way to the Bodhi tree for our first interaction with it. We would enjoy its wonderful presence alongside the Tibetans, Sri Lankans, Thai, Vietnamese, as well as the western Buddhaphiles. It was peaceful just walking around the stupa, but it was more relaxing sitting behind the stupa and just watching all the activites around the Bodhi tree. I sat and watched a wondeful looking Tibetan nun spin her mani wheel at the entrance of the stupa. People were prostrating themselves, some even doing so upstairs. One man we met from Spain seemed rather novice on the meaning of Buddhism, though he was prostrating as well.

Kempie, Remy and I walked to the other monasteries but opted to go watch the sunset at the stupa.

Our final moments that night at the stupa were spent sitting together meditating about the impermanence of life. We remembered a student that passed away in Bodhgaya, from a different student program. It was a powerful moment, and it seemed very fitting. We lit candles and also watched a Tibetan do the same.

Dinner was a treat, the Om restaurant, though the Indian food was the worst I had ever eaten. Though the key aspect of the dinner was the APPLE CRAMBLE. Which we all thought would be an apple pie, with ice cream. We all ordered one and waited at least an hour, finally when our cramble came out it was small metal bowl completly filled with white flour, though the flour was warm. We dug into the desert, two inches thick of white flour, but we finally reached the apple-jam like bottom. Another couple got the same dish, but left when they were presented with it. We laughed and joked, though it didn't taste that bad with the ice cream.

The next morning, Chris, Sarah, Noah and I woke up for the sunset, we watched it from a bridge that looked over a dried up river. This spot was very mystical, with bikers flying up and down the bridge. On either side groggy villagers squatted for their early morning pee. In my eyes this was the spot were Buddha attained enlightenment, it was just so mystical, and the small hills in the horizon helped.

We visted the main stupa, where Noah picked up a Bodhi leaf. This spurred me into wanting to collect as many as I could later on.

We headed to the Bhutanese, Japanese, and two of the Tibetan monasteries. The Bhutanese one was our favorite it was breathtaking. We got to watch some chanting at the Gelug temple. The Nyingma temple was very quiet.

We worked our way back to the main stupa where I was able to try to pick some leaves of the ground which I think might be from the main tree. Though I bought some from some men that were hunting the mud ground below the tree. I got about 4 from them, the guy said sacred, leaves and they are yellow even more sacred.
I talked to an Indian swami who said he was searching for his path, though he was a Hindu, Muslim, Chirstian, Buddhist. He even showed me a Swami Vivekanda (from Kolkata) book. When he saw me looking for leaves he offered me his, though I said no.

We headed back for breakfast, which was delicious.

After we headed to the large Japanese Buddha which is 80-feet. It was awe-inspiring though, an 80 foot Buddha.

We also visited another TIbetan monastery where we were able to view some traditional Tibetan craftsman as they worked on an alter piece.

I went back to the temple one last time, to say my final words, but I really wanted a leaf that I knew was from the tree, after looking more in the mud, this cute Vietnamese nun, came up to me with two leaves in her hand and offer me one, she motioned up and then gave a praying stance, she said very sacred. I offered her money but she said no. I placed my leaf at special spots in the temple and tree, to symbolically have it blessed.

We finally were headed back home. But on the way we stopped at a huge boulder graveyard.
We got out climbed around and I headed over to the Shiva temple, viewed the area from the second floor of the temple and then I went to offer some thoughts to the lingam. I talked to the priest a little as he slept near this stone Hanuman image. The view from this area was breath-taking as it looked over a huge boulder valley.
We were waved good bye by a group of villagers that came to see us.

Before entering Varanasi, our driver decided to go a little of the beaten path, past rock carved walls, farmhouses, and small city mazes we came to to the Shah Suri Tomb, which was an epic tomb placed in the middle of a pond. Surrounding the pond were beautiful houses, a small mosque and another tomb off in the distance. This Lodhi-style looking tomb was such a great diversion and everyone enjoyed wandering around the grounds!

We stopped at a local Sikh roadside restaurant for bread pakoras, and then we headed back to Varanasi during the sunset. We had a great meal of Pizza and real Apple Cramble.

Thanks for tuning in,
Talk to you soon,
Got to go interview the Dom caste today with Ramesh,
Peace,
Jabes