Pilgrim to India: July - August 2007

Happy New Year!

From my understand from my sutta study class, in the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, the buddha mentioned that, after his pari nibbana, his followers should make visit to the place of his birth (Lumbini, Nepal), the place of his enlightenment (Bodhgaya, India), the place of his first discourse (Sarnath, India) and the place of his death or pari nibbana (Kushinaga, India). This in fact became the important force for me to make the 3 months trip to India. For pilgrim and to see this great nation of India, a land of culture, wisdom and real lives.
It was like a reflection of the impermanent, my computer hardisk clashed not long after i came back from India. i was a dummy who thought this kind of thing could never happen to me, so i do not have a back up. i lose part of my pictures in India and almost all of my pictures in the beautiful Nepal (Pokhara, Lumbini and Kathmandu Valley). What i left was just a few hardcopies and a few softcopies that i burnt it into CD and sent to a friend, who at that time was in UK. When i went to UK later, she burnt the CD to me and i got a few pictures back.
I would like to keep a few of my pilgrim pictures over here, before the end of the year.
In year 2009, i wish all be happy and peace. Sukhihotu.



Lumbini Garden.
In the building behind, the visitors can see the foot print of the baby buddha (it is said so) and the ruins of the original garden.
Lumbini like any other buddhist holy places, formed an international village of temples from all different country and tradition.
I crossed the border from Gorakhpur, India to Nepal.
People just come and go from the border without custom.
I missed the custom in India (it is a small cubical in a row of shop house) and i actually went back and ford around the border, trying to find it.



Bohgaya.
This bodhi tree is said to be the descendant from the original tree that buddha gained enlightenment.
i am not sure whether the tree gives extra inspiration, but the shade under the tree is just so good as a place to do meditation.
Different pilgrim groups from around the world will sit near to the tree, with a monk giving sermon to the disciple.



Sarnath, the big stupa behind is to commerate where Buddha gave his first sermon.



Coming from the pilgrims crowded Bohgaya, Kushinaga is relatively peaceful and calm, like a small village. (at that time of the year, it was end of scorching hot summer and went into the flooding rainy season, which have less tourists or pilgrims.)



The ruins of Nalanda, the first Buddhist University in the world.



Rajhir, many of the teachings from Buddha were given on this hill.
It wasn't an easy journey to make alone from Bohgaya to here.
The transportation was a bit tricky. i owned to many people for their kindness to help me in the transportation.



The famous Mahabodhi Temple in Bohgaya.
Well... When i was at these holy buddhist places and even at this momement when i looked back, i would say that, instead of feeling in the pilgrim, i feel more like another visitors who knows a bit of buddhism, and went sightseeing to the places.
The benefits of going there by myself instead of going with the pilgrim group are may be, i get more time to wander around the places, do whatever i wanted and appreciate the places in my own way.
But for the side of spiritual inspiration, i guess i could possible to gain more if my trip was with a buddhist teacher or monk.

Sutton, quebec, Canada: 2-13 July 2008

My grandfather passed away when i was in this course. May he gained a good rebirth and always be guided with dhamma in his coming lives.
May all my merits of participating this retreat be dedicated to him.
May all beings be well and happy.

Ten Days Vippassana Meditation Retreat

Day 0:
Taking of 8 precepts for old students. i joined the same course last year in India, so i am an old student now. i get my own cabin for this reason, instead of sharing with others in the dorm or double room.
The cabin was right in the middle of maple trees forest, so it was always cooling and calm.
There are only 5 cabins.
The disadvantage of living in the cabin was: No toilet.
So i made sure that, i drank a lot of water 3 hours before sleep and after that, drank only a mouthful or so during each resting periods.
With this tactic, i never had to go to the toilet in the main building in the middle of night. It was like 5 minutes walk uphill.

In my memory, i do not remember Goenka ji speak English in an Indian accent. (i paid so much attention to 'accent' now because sometimes, people do not understand my English due to my accent.) When i heard his chanting, i felt moist in my eyes. A kind of feelings that, i am backed to a "place" that i used to go.
Noble silence started after the precepts taking. For the coming 9 days, we are not allowed to speak or to communicate with others.
For old students, we had our last light dinners before the precepts taking ceremony and we could only drink liquid: lemon water, for the coming 9 days.

Day 1: Observe the in-out of air through your nose.
Day 2- Day 3: Observe the sensation at the triangle areas between your upper lip and your nose.
Day 4: Vippassana Day. Observe the sensation of your whole body, from head to toes. After this, 3 times a day, the participants are supposed to sit still without moving at all for one whole hour.
Day 5 - Day 10: Observe the sensation from head to toes and toes to head.

Let me save the details of each day, in fact, i couldn't remember that much details after more than a month. But the peace from the meditation has imprinted in my brain. i think, this is what made me go for another retreat after the first one.
There are a few "interesting" realisations though:

i always thought i am quite a simple and 'kind' person. But from this retreat, i was surprised to find out that, i have so much anger within myself. i always try to be nice and be a good buddhist, but sometimes, i force myself to do things that i am not that much willing to do or i am just supressed my needs so that others can be happy (at least i think they will).
There are times that, i am just act out of fear. i am scared that, by saying "no", people will not like me anymore.
i guess i accumulated stocks of angers within myself. Pile and pile of anger appeared in the form of 'heated' vibration.
(During "good" meditation, in simple words, when one do not have that much of the wondering minds, the sensation of the body is very very clear that you can even fell the tiny tingling or pickling of your skin.)
Ajahn Brahm said, compassion to ourselves is equally important. May be i have just missed this points for all this while.

From that little bit of peace and calm and joy that i felt from the retreat, for first time in my life, i understand what does it really mean when the sangha said, it is out of compassion that the Buddha had taught dhamma to others. He could just stay in the cave and enjoy the fruits of his serene and happiness without sharing with others.
(If you had enjoyed the "zest" from the meditation, then i think you know what i mean.)

One bizzarre thing:
One of the girls that i met last year in India was in this meditation as well! It is kind of difficult to believe it when we saw each other again during the registration! She was the dhamma server in India and even at Sutton, while i was the participant for both retreats.

* No pictures are taken from the retreat centre. :) i was not there for pictures taking. :)




Regional Park of the waterfalls: Monte-a-Peine-et-des-Dalles, Quebec. Almost 3 hours from Montreal.



Lac de l'Argile, Quebec.



St Gabriel, Quebec.



Montmorency Chute, Quebec City.



Lac Breeches, Quebec.