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A week in the life
By andy, on May 4, 2010 5:07 pm
Finally got up to Duluth to visit Dad and friends. Man, I love the area I grew up in, Fredenberg. Lots of lakes, forests, good people and trails that literally allow a person to go all over the state if you’re so inclined.
One big development is a long term project that has been cooking in my gray matter for some time. I have wanted to have a small place up there for myself-say a summer home. I think Dad has also had some notion of this. Anyways, I actively went looking for land and one thing lead to another and the two of us, Dad and I, decided I should build something on 10 acres he has close to where he lives. So I am thinking that between work projects and trips to India over the next several years I will also engage myself in building a small home in Northern Minnesota. See the site here:
I also got to see many friends. Some were doing some strange things, guess that’s the way it goes. Reconnected with many friends I haven’t seen in many years. Good to stay for a week or so I guess to do that.
Got some kayaking in, a little hiking, running, roller skating (you read correctly), and spent a bit of time in awe of the nature up there.
A week in the life
By andy, on April 4, 2010 5:12 pm
Been helping out my sister. Mostly by watching the little guy, Jaxon, while she is at school. I can whip a new diaper on him quicker than I care to admit. He’s cool, we get along, it’s all good.
The two of us went over to the playground. I got to see him take his first ever solo ride down a slide. That was cool. He is learning daily. I must say it’s impressive witnessing his growth even in the short time I have been here.
 Spaz #2, Quincy is working on his cooking skills. His eggs are pretty good.
 The weather has been excellent the whole time I have been here. Here I am getting my trick bike riding on with the boys. Uncle Andy is lucky he didn’t wipe out and break something.
 Last, today, Easter Sunday, my sister made panakokken (haven’t a clue how to really spell that). This is some kind of pancake, crepe, super fluffy, cool to a delicious bread kind of thingy. She got the recipe from step brother Dan’s wife Holly (credited, no complaints ok). I take mine with peanut butter and syrup-go figure.Anyways, its’ mint.
A week in the life
By andy, on March 29, 2010 3:48 pm
Here I am, in Minnesota. Yes, for those that have not heard my mother passed away March 8th. I was heading back to stay with her in Florida. She passed away before I was able to leave India.
We had services for her in Wabasha Mn., her home for the last several years. Here I am with my step sister at the wake, my mother loved hats so there were plenty around for any takers.
The world keeps spinning and I continue to keep breathing. Life it seems, moves on.
I am staying at my sister’s home in Maple Grove at the moment (that’s a suburb of Minneapolis). I had hoped to be in Duluth but I think staying with my sister is good, even healing, for both me and her family. Plus, I get to hang with my new bff and the other three spaz’s. Who, you might ask is my new bff, Jaxon, aka Baby, my 20 month old nephew. He is just a little bundle of joy and as I am discovering several times a day, other substances that are fully foul smelling.Here’s most of the crew (Quincy is missing)
My plan in the moment. Stay here. Well, Duluth needs visited too, for a rather long time I hope.
A week in the life
By andy, on March 7, 2010 9:45 am
Got in here Friday. Been trying to relax before I fly out tomorrow.
I hit town, did all the bazaars-they’re weird. I could have bought a pair of knock off Ray Bans for the low starting price of $200 that went down to $10 in a rush of fast talk. Gold fish in a bottle with yellow water anyone? Earcleaining, I had forgot about Delhi’s ear cleaning thing. I haven’t seen this in other parts of the country. Several guys approached me, all armed with written accounts of amazing increased hearing from other westerns. Several guys were interested in repairing my ‘broken’ sandals. I got tricked into going into a store that was posing as a state run fixed priced place. I figured it out as soon I entered so no damage done. In fact I played along with it and made them show me all kinds of shit before I just got up and walked out-I felt some satisfaction in that-my petty enjoyments.
Mostly I just want to get on with the journey. I am trying to keep busy but really just waiting for that flight tomorrow. Oh, the airline bilked me for every cent I have. The representative was pleasant. I even complimented her colleague that was sitting next to her for her lovely glasses. But, I was stolen from. It was like she was crapping a new rule every other minute that made my flight change fair go up.
Tomorrow I will be heading to NYC by nightfall. Then in NYC for a couple days, then NJ a couple days then next Saturday I fly on to Florida. I am thinking geriatric central with more anti ankle sagging panty hose than you can shake a stick at. Oh, hope I haven’t offended my Florida readers. Well, you’ll have to show me the other Florida I guess.
Day in the life
By andy, on March 3, 2010 2:59 am
Took 1 hour and 20 minutes to book and pay for a flight from Sikkim to Delhi. The woman booking the ticket asked me to spell my name. As I did she interrupted me and asked that I identify each letter with a word equivalent. So,
Andy: “A for apple”,
Woman: “ah, you mean A for Alpha?”
A: “Oh yes, sorry, A for Alpha, N for Nancy”
W: “ah, you mean N for Navy”
A: “Oh yes, sorry, N for Navy, D for David”
W: “ok”
A: “oh good I got one, then R for Roger”
W: “no, R for Royal”
A: “Oh course, how stupid of me, R for Royal, then E for, ah for, for…”
W: “England?”
A: “Yes, yes, E for England, then W for washing?”
W: “no, W for Walter”
A: “yes Walter, good word”.
W: “thank you”.
Then my last name was the same. After that, during the course of our hour and twenty minute chat she checked the spelling of my name four times-I am not kidding-using this spelling system. Not only that but she kept using different words for the letters!!!! I was both howling with laughter and crying with frustration inside.
Then a similar 2 hour event to rebook my return flight from Delhi to JFK. I was strung between two Air India offices that each kept insisting that the other office is the ONLY office that can rebook my ticket. In two hours time I called one of the offices 4 times and the other 3 times (that I got through, I called each about 10 times each time until I would get through to someone, ie I made something like 80 phone calls during the two hours). Each time I was pressuring and would get a little headway, then call the other office, make a little headway, then back to the first one, like that. Finally one guy broke down and with many sighs of utter disgust that he was going to book the ticket for me did the job.
Result, I am flying out next Monday, March 8th (happy Birthday kid sister in case I don’t call!) that lands me in NYC Tuesday. I will then fly to Florida Friday (ticket still in the works but that’s what I am shooting for).
Washed my clothes by hand out on the cement pad this morning reflecting, ah, this is the last time I will be squatting like this for awhile freezing my toes off in this cold ass water. I also made what will likely be my last nice walk in the mountains this morning. I walked in to town to use the internet, a 2-1/2 hour walk up a rather serious slope. The weather is great today, must be in the mid 60’s , mostly sunny. I can feel my anxiousness building to get on with the trip back. However, the views as I was walking are so fantastic it’s hard to buy into my impatience too much. But, that said, the Mud Truck in NYC is waiting there, all juiced up with my fav morning nectars, and, I have not had a proper cup of coffee in about 7 weeks. I will probably be in a caffeine coma about 2 hours after landing in NY!
Will keep you posted as I make it into internet shops along the road.
Day in the life
By andy, on March 2, 2010 2:18 am
My mother has been ill with cancer for almost two years. She has been cleared of it once to have it return last fall. She was on a good track to recovery coming into the new year. However her health has declined since and had a short stay in hosipital last week. She has a good doctor that is positive that she can recover. I am going to stay with her for some indefinite time to give a little support.
Prayers for her are most welcome, her name, Sandy Lexvold. She is in Clearwater Florida. That’s where I’m going-where the heck is Clearwater Fl? I don’t know but will find out by the end of next week when I arrive.
I am expecting this to be a short hiatus from my studies in India.
I am excited to go be with her. I have these lovely memories of her singing me to sleep as a child-Kuckaberry sitting in the old gum tree… So much love, support and encouragement she has given me in my life. Unconditional love. The last couple months I have had my own inner struggle justifying staying here while she has been getting treatments.
My hopes are that I will make a quick and graceful departure from India (hey, don’t laugh and say that it’s an oximoron to use-quick, graceful and departure from India in one sentence). I have spoke to my close friends and mentors and everyone seems supportive of my descision to go. I say that because I am not the jet setter type flying all over the place. This kind of thing is unsettling at best.
So, Florida here I come. I will keep up the blog as I make my excursion back to the states in the hopes that it will aid in my return to India-quickly and gracefully too!
A week in the life
By andy, on March 1, 2010 2:37 am
Just spent a week off the beaten track. Walked out to Chongri Sikkim. It’s only a few miles from the Nepal border and the last little village at the end of the trail. It’s only accessable by foot. The last road is several miles back. They do have electricity but it burns at half power. There was a TV at the place I stayed but it only works when there is full power-ah that’s evidently when the planets are in proper alignment, they expect a night of tv in late 2011 (that was a joke, ok).Here we are approaching the village.
Out there you have this fantastic nature, untouched, undeveloped and then a bunch of people that have descended down from nomads that choose to settle out there. They live on the fringes, quietly, almost secretly. The younger generation is leaving the area for the cities and higher education so it’s a dying tradition that’s going on out there.Here’s some locals at a all day ritual they do every year for unknown reasons.
I went trekking for the first time in my life. Hiked up a mountain that peaks out at 11,000 feet. Highest I have ever been. Got a good taste of thin air. I took pictures but they serve as a reminder of something so much more than what you can see there in the digital reproduction. In my photo collection I put a sequence of a sunrise I witnessed. I was standing there with my camera in hand snapping photos of both the sun rising in front of me and the mountain range behind me that was catching the first rays of sunlight. Mostly I was standing there blissed out at the sight and only by chance had some small voice that kept reminding me to take the photos. It was like a visual symphany playing out there. I have never seen anything even close to it before.
The mountain top was way cold. I went up there with my Birkenstock sandals, a thin sweater and a ridiculus “winter” coat that leaves me chilled in 50 degree weather. No longjohns, no gloves, no proper hat. The hike up was the hardest physical thing I have ever done. seven hours and 4,000 feet. In the end the goal was to see Mt Everest from the peak. Unfortuneately it was snowing, visability was nill. But the forests and vista views going up and down were incredible so it’s not a loss by any means.
A week in the life
By andy, on February 22, 2010 2:43 am
Heading out tomorrow for Chonli, Jamshay’s family village. No electricity, several hour walk out into the mountains in West Sikkim. I will be out there for a week. After that I will be ever returning to more civilization. Going on to Ghantok Sikkim, the capital of the state. Then to Darjeeling again to start my language course. Here’s Jamshay and his sister a couple days ago.
Last week a nice landrover driver let me and Zopa hang the back of his landrover as he delivered us home. It was a great ride. As close to motorcycling as I could get here. What is holding me back from buying a motorcycle anyways?
Day in the life
By andy, on February 18, 2010 2:34 am
nothing dramatic happened between yesterday and today expect a lovely hours walk from a local village that the land rover stopped in and Zopa’s home. If you crave a black and white view of my world these days have a look.
A week in the life
By andy, on February 17, 2010 2:16 am
I am not lost to my Buddhist pursuits to the extent that I have chucked the Western Solar New Year (is that what that is?) out and replaced it with the Lunar one followed by many Asian countries including Tibet. Yet, my spiritual pursuits revolve around the Lunar calendar and so I am one who has two calendars working hand in hand. Two New Years, two birthdays too, since Tibetans all celebrate the advacement of their age on the New Year rather than the day they popped out of mommys womb.
This year for Losar I was invited to help with something I have never done before. Bless a book. Zopa’s parents wisely purchased the 100,000 line Perfection of Wisdom Sutra last year. It has sat on their altar, unopened. The idea, read the book, say the prayers and put it back on the altar. I mean the main idea in buying a text is to read it right? The text is 18 volumes, each of about 1600 folio sides. That’s nearly 30,000 folio sides. I had no idea how the two of us were to read this in a days time, so I just went along with it.
What we did was read many folios at the beginning, middle and end of each volume. The other folios got glossed over quickly while we recited the mantra from the Heart Sutra. In all I got to read the 100,000 line Sutra all day, several hundred folios. I was able to catch a lot of the meaning there. It was the perfect way to spend the day. I was quite ill at the time but somehow while reading I was just lost myself to the text.
I have mostly recovered my health now, had a nasty sinus infection that crept into every limb of my body. Getting ready to make the hike to Jamshays home, over some mountains, in a few days time. Other than that my entire being is slowing to the pace of the place. In bed by 9PM many evenings, up with the roosters early in the morning before the crack of dawn. Somehow I feel more sober than usual, living in my own country of truth.
A week in the life
By andy, on February 12, 2010 3:00 am
So Sikkim. Anyone following my travels probably didn’t see me mention Sikkim as a possible destination. I have been cooking a plan that depended on me getting back in India now. When I was in Darjeeling a month ago or so I stopped into a place called the Manjushri Institute. It’s a language center for both Tibetans and Westerners. I have heard many good things about their teaching methods and am going to give a go myself. They have a semester that begins March 15th. In lieu of me now having a month free time I decided to comply with Zopa and Jamshay’s request that I visit their families in Sikkim.
The funny thing is that when I got my visa stamp the other day we did not have a really plan. I had to call Geshe Lothar to talk about me going to the school in Darjeeling. I had only just mentioned it to him and had to get his go ahead, which he gave. Then there I was, this border town in North India with a month on my hands. Zopa’s like, come to Sikkim. We had to arrange a trip in Siliguri to get me a permit to travel in Sikkim then find a bus to take us. It was like clock work one thing after another with no waiting around. bang, bang, bang and I was in bed by 9pm in far North Sikkim.
My plans are to stay here for about two weeks then head over to Darjeeling. I have to arrange a place to stay for the three months. I will try to stay with a Tibetan family while there. Would be good to supplement my daily studies of Tibetan with conversation at night.
Currently I am good. I love Sikkim, the landscape is fantastic. I did get a cold/flu thing yesterday. I think the travel was hard on me in ways I didn’t realize. I am taking it easy for the moment. Will do a little hiking around the area in the next days. Celebrate Losar (new years) on the 14th then head over to Jamshay’s house. I am told a healthy hill trekker can do the trip in 3-4 hours. Jamshay took a look at me and said, we will allow about 7 hours for Andy, thanks guys.
A quick funny incident from yesterday. Zopa and I had went to town and were riding back in a landrover (the only to get to his house). The landrover drivers are all familiar to everyone, many relatives and what not. A ride out takes times as we have to stop and talk with people we see, riders or the driver alike. The driver has to stop and deliver the news paper to various people and goods that he picked up for them. It’s nice in that way. While we were going through one village we heard a scream, the driver stopped and looked back. He backed up slowly and there was a crowd gathered there on the road. One woman was a little hysterical carrying on. Everyone in the car was solemn looking. I didn’t know what happened. Then I looked out the window and saw the horror, a chicken had been run over! So the hysteria carries on for a minute or two and then all of sudden the entire crowd bursts out in laughter. It was a hoax. A previous driver had run the chicken over. Now every car that passed got the gag pulled on them. Here’s the unfortunate butt of the joke:
A week in the life
By andy, on February 11, 2010 1:06 am
Yes, yes, Andy made it to India. Your many prayers for my safe and mostly uneventful arrival in India paid off. The border guard, bless his soul, is probably completely ignorant of the new rule that folk like me need stay two months out of the country. He stamped my passport in under three minutes, no bribes and a lovely thank you and have a nice stay in India sir to boot!!!!
I did not eat the food on the road so my health is still in tact. I traveled too long of course, this time 32 hours, four buses, an autorickshaw, a lot of walking and finished with a landrover ride up a very steep mountain to arrive at Zopa’s house. What? Zopa’s house, hey doesn’t he live in Sikkim, far, far north India? Yes, and that’s where I am hiding out at the moment. Here I am 15 minutes ago standing in front of the lovely Himilaya roof top of the world in Sikkim.
When asked if a friend should visit Darjeeling for he heard it was so beautiful I was hesitant to recommend it because it is a very busy, built up place. Not my fav. Although the landscape is pretty spectacular. But Sikkim. Wow, double Wow. If a person goes as far as traveling to India then I insist you must, MUST visit Sikkim. This place is off the charts, insanely beautiful. Plus I scored big time staying with Zopa’s family because they are living exactly in a way that agrees with me on every level. I don’t have much time now so look for future updates to my local. Here’s a look out my bedroom door yesterday morning when I got up.
Last, I was put to work to help grind/pulverize grain to flour for New Year’s cakes they made yesterday
Day in the life
By andy, on February 7, 2010 10:58 pm
Had a cool day. Went out to Sanku for starters to visit with a Trulku from Gyalrong Kamtsen that has a house there. The area also has a image precious to me-I think. Need to do some investigating about it’s authenticity. I was fortuneate because my friend Ngawang Kechok (whom I visited Nalanda and Vultures Peak with) was there. He’s a student of Rinpoche and has been in town for a few weeks. Here he is with Jamshay sharing robes.
We then went out to the Namo Buddha site. This is a long ways out of Kathmandu. If you visit Kathmandu you MUST go there. The area is steep mountains that have been terraced for farming. Kopan monastery has an affiliate monastery there that is new. It is amazing. They don’t allow photos in the main temple so I can’t show you. It’s worth the ride out though. Plus the site is where Buddha gave his body to the tiger in his previous life as a young prince-so they say. No one could tell me how the site was identified so I remain slightly skeptical until I can verify it’s authenticity. Intuitively I felt really nice out there and had some excellent quiet time to myself. Here’s an image from Kopan in a small temple that I was allowed to photograph.
Also a Stupa shot I liked from that area:
Last was this town with some kind of strong Buddhist history, name begins with a B…. An unusual Tara statue and lovely wooden and brick architecture are two reasons to go. They charge 700 rupees to foreigners to get into the village. I confess the entire car lied to the guards when we entered because they told them there were no foreigners in the car while I was hidden under a shawl pretending to sleep.
Day in the life
By andy, on February 6, 2010 8:58 am
Ventured out by myself today and it proved fruitful. I first hired a taxi to take me over to Pharping. There is a “self originated” image of Tara coming out of solid rock. Looks genuine to me and my builders instinct is supporting the authenticity. Make of it what you will. I was deeply impressed.
There is also a cave and image housed in a small temple that are attributed to Padmasambhava. Also very nice to see.
Main reason to go however was another image that is quite dear to me that is housed in one temple there. I had such a nice time there all by myself. I got to sit in the courtyard for over an hour doing my daily practice. Sunny, light breeze and deep faith. I felt so blessed to be there, doing my practice and able to pray for my ill mother and friends. Can not think of anything else I would rather say I did this morning.
Then I made it back to Kathmandu in plenty of time to make the 3km walk up the hill to Kopan Monastery. It was here that I spent my honeymoon in 1994 while attending the famous “Kopan November Course”. My first big bite of Buddhism. My precious teachers of that time included Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Lhundrup and Ven. Tubten Pende (a then American monk). While visiting I inquired after Lama Lhundrup whom I have not seen in these last 15 years. He was there and able to see me even though he is quite busy as he is the Abott of the monastery. Wow. He sat with me for a full hour discussing Dharma with me. It was very moving for me because I was able to carry on the whole time with him in Tibetan. He was so pleased that I know a little Tibetan and took so much time with me to discuss very practical Dharma matters that I have been facing. He is a serene individual, who just sat there unmoving, staring at me the entire time talking away with occasional bursts of almost hysterical laughter. It was all I could to choke back tears several times.
When I left, I got a big fat crisp apple and katak. He then lead me around a Jikje mandala they have outside his room and as we approached the front piece he was saying that I should receive the blessing but I didn’t understand what he wanted me to do. He grabbed me by my neck and forced my head down until it clunked on the altar’s offering ledge with a big thud. He laughed loudly and bid me farewell. Perfect.
A week in the life
By andy, on February 5, 2010 12:22 am
Photos of the trip over.
At the Nepal border the monks were all hassled and demanded to pay for the ‘useless’ objects they were bringing to Nepal. Luckily Sonam Rinchen’s father was with us. He served 9 years in the Indian military and let them know that he is a “real” Indian citizen and they better back off. They did and no “useless item” tax was paid.
Next, we were treated to the best the Nepali transport authority has to offer. As tempted as I am to cite the definition for moron and as tempted as I am to show photos of three morons, the bus driver, the bus organizer and the bus coolie, I will instead show my great restraint in not criticizing others. Maybe I will just mention my disappointment with our entrusted transportation crew.
About 10PM Monday night I was happily sleeping. I woke because the bus sounded different, no engine noise, we were coasting. We had run out of gas in the middle of no where. Nearly five hours, a bucket of gas and a mechanic (why did they fetch the mechanic and from where exactly I don’t know) later we were back on the road. We had other engine troubles as well costing us another couple hours. Even for a poor country like Nepal it was a pitiful job these fellows were doing. Here we are fueless in the middle of the moonlit night.
But, we arrived, we didn’t drive off the cliffs, we weren’t looted by highway robbers and I didn’t eat the roadside food that made several others sick. And, I am back hanging out with the monk clan. Everything seems to be going pretty well in the end. Here’s the stupa as viewed from my room I am staying in.
I did see on some travel websites that a few westerners have made it back into India via land routes without having to wait two months in Nepal. Wish me luck as I will be making this trip myself in a few days, back through this border checkpoint.
A week in the life
By andy, on January 27, 2010 9:23 am
Jamyang arrived in town a few days ago. He is from a small settlement that is on fringes of Darjeeling. After staying a couple days in Kurseong (pronounced something like Korshang but don’t take my word for it, every time I say the blasted towns name someone laughs at me) he went to visit his mother. He invited me along for a couple day. Mind you, currently I am staying with Sonam Rinchen’s parents in their brand new home. Sonam Richen’s house is spacious, hot water, western styles toilet connected to the bedroom, prayer room and they even have someone who prepares meals for them. Quite comfortable.
I went with Jamyang to his mothers place. Again, I was met with Tibetan hospitality. Walk in the door, hook up the iv port for my tea (they quit having me drink tea, takes too long, so they installed a intravenous port in my arm. When I go to someone’s house they can just fill up a five gallon bucket with tea and let it rip). Seriously, she was very gracious. Again I feel completely indebted to such kindness.
Her home is in an interesting place. In 1959, a close relative of HH the Dalai Lama set up the settlement to help the refugees that were coming down from Tibet after the Chinese invasion. In the years since it has continued to serve Tibetan families that are in need. They provide housing and schooling for the children and work for adults in their various handcrafts shops. Jamyang’s family went there some 20 years ago when some financial trouble hit their family. They got a small two room house for their family. Jamyang’s father was able to start a small business in a far away village so mostly it was just his mother and her eight children, yes eight children, that stayed in this tiny house, usually three to a bed. Slowly the children grew, left and now it’s just his mother.
Jamyang’s father visits from time to time but his business keeps him away most of the time. She is indebted to this place and feels like she needs to continue to live and work there to support this wonderful place that helped her family so much.
I spent two very chilly nights there. Jamyang and I sleeping toe to toe in the living/prayer room. His mother sleeping in the kitchen/dining room. My alarm clock has a thermostat. I woke up to 49 degrees F (10 degrees C) mornings inside the house but not to worry, it warmed up quickly. We usually had the high inside of about 53 F by 9AM. The bathroom has been recently renovated, luckily for me. Before it was two separate large rooms with a trough like depository. Utterly communal I am told, people would chat along with each other as they did their business. I was thankful for the individual stalls. It’s one thing to stand out on the street as the only fair haired person, quite another to stand out as the only fair back-sided squatter!!! That said, the bathroom’s are about a good 100 yard walk from her house through a maze of narrow aisle ways, up stairs, down stairs and whatnot. Yet, the first morning, as I headed out for a run to said bathroom, I was greeted by this, which caused me to run back in to get my camera.
Today I am back at Sonam Rinchen’s house in Kurseong. I will be here until Feb 1st, then heading up to Nepal with 6 or 7 of the monks. Have heard that they are all weeping endlessly without me there with them.
Last but most, an image I got from an old student of Khen Rinpoche at the settlement where Jamyangs mother stays. Hopefully will be able to photoshop it a bit.
Day in the life
By andy, on January 24, 2010 9:10 am
I hitched a ride with Ven Ngawang Kechok and his mom for a day out on pilgrimage. He is staying in Sera at the Gyalrong Kamtsen studying Tibetan same as me. His parents are visited him and they were going out for the day and had space. Chudrun also joined us but his father called in ill for the day unfortunately.
We started out at what I have been claiming is the place Buddha meditated at for six years prior to his enlightenment but am being rebuked for the claim. Will have to get back to you about my claims.
Our second stop was at Vultures Peak. There were a lot of people there, it was packed to the brim. I enjoyed my time there still. Hard not to be effected by the place. I had some found memories of my time there four years ago. It is more built now then it was then.
Next, Nalanda Monastery. It’s a large complex and we were pretty much left alone the whole time inside. It is a critical piece of the Buddhist history that I am familiar with and found myself reflected on many of the famous pundits that have lived there. Where did they stay? How changed is the landscape and on and on.
We ended the day as the sun set. All in all a moving, faith filled day.
Next, Sarnath and Buddha’s first teaching
A week in the life
By andy, on January 23, 2010 9:34 am
The main purpose for going to Bodhgaya to begin with was to hear teachings by HH the Dalai Lama. He taught Lam Rim from three sources. Atisha’s Lamp on the Path, Je Tshongkhapa’s Song of Spiritual Experience and then a Nyingma Lam Rim text. All in all it was a great experience. I had not attended this kind of teaching by HHDL before. He gave us a Lung (full recitation) of all three texts. He read them in conjunction with each other, section by section. He didn’t teach them entirely, instead stopped at places he felt like elaborating on. So I would say almost half of the time he was just reciting the texts, the other half he was teaching. My rhythm was to hit the Om Café at 6AM to get breakfast and pickup my lunch. Then I would head to the teaching grounds pretty much before anyone else arrived. From 6:30 to about 8AM I had time to myself in the teaching grounds. Around 8AM large numbers of people started showing up and the teachings started at 9AM and went until 11:30-12PM. Then they resumed again at 1PM until 3-4PM.
The main stupa and grounds pretty much speak for themselves. I found times when there were less people, usually later at night, when I could go and enjoy the Stupa with some peace. Head over to the photos page to see many photos.
Bodhgaya is in Bihar State. In a sweeping generalization I would say the state at large is the dirtiest, most aggressive and generally unattractive place I have ever been. It was my second time there and it’s safe to say my opinion of Bihar is sliding downwards. Anyone that has not gone before, I recommend travel in groups and the use of extreme caution for both personal safety and to protect your belongings.
Tomorrow, the cave Buddha meditated in for six years prior to enlightenment, Vultures Peak and Nalanda pilgrimage photos.
A week in the life
By andy, on January 22, 2010 8:57 am
The pilgrimage started with our long journey to Bodhgaya from south India.
We started with an 8 hour landrover ride from Sera to Bangalore. A 40 some hour train ride from Bangalore to Calcutta. A 10 hour layover and then another all night train ride to Gaya. We arrived at Bodhgaya at about 6AM the third morning.
On the ride up to Bangalore we ran into many threshing fields. Areas where farmers had put grain out on the road so cars and trucks would do their work for them.
We were an even 8 people going north. Two rode up in first class, Geshe Lothar and Jampa Dhundrup. The rest of us rode back with the cattle in second class sleeper. The seating is arranged into six person blocks so we got one block to ourselves. Guys without tickets still slept on the floor between the seats at night but the days we had the space to ourselves. Looking back at the photos I see how dirty it really is. However while riding I felt more mesmerized by the Indian landscape and didn’t notice the state of the train much. I enjoy riding the Indian trains. Vast expanses of cultivated fields and densely populated, intensely poor pockets of humans. Can’t help but inhabit the passersbies lives as we clackity along. It has a strong and long lasting effect on me.
Calcutta was largely a huge disappointment for me. It’s really dirty, really densely populated and mostly unremarkable-at least the little I saw of it. We were able to go into town as we had a long layover. We ended up going to the main museum in town to see some relics of Buddha. The museum was pretty nice. I have not yet wrapped my head around the Indian mentality. At the museum for example, the facility is excellent. Well built, spacious and a perfect base for a museum. There are a lot of people working there. Yet, they mostly seem like they are just milling around not really doing anything practical. The place remains largely disorganized, unkept and dirty. There is so much human resource here that just seems unused, disorganized and unmotivated to be anything more than what it is currently. In that vein then when I am in a place like Calcutta that is such an over dose of that milling around yet energetic energy I feel quite uncomfortable. I prefer smaller places in India. I can handle the Indian mindset more easily.
We finally landed in Bodhgaya the morning ending the third day on the road. We took a day to rest and then His Holiness the Dalai Lama started teaching Lam Rim.
I will try to come back tomorrow with another update about Bodhgaya.
A week in the life
By andy, on January 21, 2010 5:22 am
Well after my recent blog silence I think a short recap of where I am currently is in order. Over the next days I will then retrace my steps from the last weeks and share what experiences I have had in some truly amazing places with some remarkable people.
Currently I am staying in Kurseong, a North India village. I am off of the pilgrimage route that I was following. The village is about 20 miles south of Darjeeling. The area is brimming with tea plantations. You can hardly gaze out into the distance without seeing the trimmed tea bushes everywhere. Five monks from the house in Sera are here visiting family with one more on the way as I write.
The village is pretty cool. It lies on the route north that goes through Darjeeling and ends in Sikkim. It basically has one road right through the middle of town with housing above and below the road. The area is incredibly hilly/mountainous. The road is littered with sheer cliff drop-offs making for a white knuckle ride. The layout is as haphazard as can be. Every building is some strange shape all fit together like some gigantic jigsaw puzzle that no one could ever have envisioned before it was built up.
As far as my time with the local folks it has mostly been spent in the company of the monks families. They are all Tibetans and quite skilled at offering hospitality. I am worried for my ever expanding waist line here. Tonight for example I was served such a large amount of food that the monks and I all burst out into laughter at the thought that a human might be expected to eat it all. They intervened on my behalf and asked for a bowl in which I scooped a full half of the food into and I still ate way too much! So it goes like that. There is a daily tug on my person for the house that I should be visiting. The point in all of this is that I feel very welcome here and have been the recipient of many kindnesses. I have one way or another been very lucky in my life in that when I travel I mostly end up staying people I know or friends of friends. I have rarely taken a “traditional” American vacation trip and stayed in hotels as an unknown person in some strange town. Even though this town is unremarkable and not a destination for westerners I am enjoying it very much as I get to peer inside the daily life of the locals. I prefer this kind of trip to the typical westerner trip to this area which would include hiking up north of Darjeeling.
Ok, so here I am. I will now over the next days review the last several weeks. Take a peek every other day or so and see the pilgrimage.
And, just for Thekpa, here is your parents new house.
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