The Amazing Days in Bohd Gaya

It's 10 to 10 PM here and the Internet Cafe is about to close. Not only that, I need to rush back to the Monestery and pack since our bus is leaving at midnight for the all night drive to Varanassi. Once again the experience here are so rich, vast and profound, that punching a few keys on a keyboard can't possibly convey the depth of what has been happening, even if I had a few hours to compose a detailed stories using my notes and recordings, photos, memories and imagination. I guess that can come later after the pilgrimage.

Briefly we arrived in Bodh Gaya and spent the first day at the Stupa complex with Khenpo. He lead us around and we did kora, we practiced the Buddha Path together under the Bodhi Tree and inside the Stupa in front of the famous statue there, the Shakyamuni statue in the color photo in the Buddha Path. Every time we practice Buddha Path during the pilgrimage, we practice in four languages simultaneously, English, Chinese, Russian, and Tibetan. That is an amazingly powerful experience. Khenpo gave some teachings. It was a full day.

The following day I'll describe later, but I'll mention that there was an amazing spontaneous fire puja next to a sacred cave, and then Khenpo simulated cutting each of us up as if we were corpses. This was at an ancient charnel ground where they cut bodies to give to birds. We also visited the place along the Naranjana river where Buddha meditated and practiced austerities for six years. Khenpo taught us how Buddha learned two major things during his six years along the banks of the Naranjana: 1) If you want a good result be patient, and 2) Aceticism is the wrong path.

Yesterday we went to Vulture Peak where Buddha first taught to laypeople for several years. It was one of his favorite places to teach. It has amazing views of low mountains that formerly acted as a natural defensive boundary around King Bimbisara's capital city. This was once one of the largest cities in India, and now it is nothing but a tiny tourist hamlet. Even great cities are impermanent. This was the first place he taught the philosophy of of the middle way or emptiness. Before that he taught the conduct of the middle way. Khenpo lead a puja at the main promentory and then we found a nearby cave-like spot and he taught us about the three emptinesses: 1) Relatively, there is no ego; 2) There is no external creator; 3) No atom exists. The Prajnaparamita Sutra he taught at this location was also the first time Buddha's teachings were written down.

Then we visited a cave where the 500 arhats met after Buddha's death to compile all his vast teachings from the 44 years he taught.

Finally we drove to the site of Nalanda University and toured the ruins. We practiced Buddha Path there and then found the Tantra Temple of the University and danced wildly.

Today we spent the entire day at the great stupa practicing and making offerings. I had some personal profound things happen for me, but I'll write about that later. I think each of us had experiences here that will prove to be greatly transformative.

Off to quickly pack and catch the midnight express on a bumpy bus. It won't be the best night sleep, but we'll wake up in the morning at another of the Buddha's sacred places, Varanasi.