greetings to all!
I'm back from the 4 week sabattical. It was gainful as i have returned less confused in worldly ways. :-)
10 days at bodh gaya were extremely enriching. The place (Mahabodhi temple) and the surroundings around it are incredibly beautiful & peaceful. Ofcourse, at the entrance one sees the usual sights of unfortunate people in suffering due to poverty, hunger, sickness on a/c ripening karma. Once inside the large, well -planned, very clean & leafy premises are energizing yet tranquilizing.
Days usually began at 4am and closed 7pm with mind comprehension practices, learning and reading, under guidance from senior monks. Stayed at the Bhutan monastery.
Thereafter Sikkim it was which began at gangtok with the blessings from HH Dodrupchen Rinpoche, a highly regarded & very senior lama. I then wormed my way for another week into some parts of west & south west Sikkim with the fabulous Kanchendzonga range as companion all thruout...and again practicing with a senior lama. The festival of lights for me this year was to see Mt. Kanchendzonga & her lovely little sisters being lit up by the first surge of early morning sunrays! enthralling. (see pic)
During this sabattical, i have taken refuge vows, ground & path empowerments & purification vows amongst other necessities, and am now a practicing nyingma buddhist. of the 6 sects, nyingma, meaning 'ancient' or 'old' is the oldest and follows the tantryana-vajrayana lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
All for now. Will try & post some pics. hope you all had a splendid diwali with family. ( Please Read: Walking with the Buddha, Speaking Tree, that carried a full-page on this wonderous journey!)
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