Some more photos of course, and bits of life here…
Let’s see… Where were we? Well, we’re back from Varanasi and into another couple of weeks of studies (for me, teaching) and meditation. We’re on to Zen now with Sensei Ekai Korematsu Osho. Sensei Ekai is amazing: clear, direct, funny, and very deep. Even so, I find my life as a Zen-student utterly failing. Too much the scholar perhaps, too much a Westerner (apparently the “Western” mind and that of the Japanese is different in some fundamental ways – we heard this too in Taiwan).
Oh well. The Vipassana with U Hla Myint was superb for me and I have Dzogchen with Chokyi Nyingma Rinpoche to look forward to in just over a week. Test the teachings, see what works, and use it.
Meditation aside, things are mostly great here. Above is a lovely bird I found perched in the tree just outside my window a week or so ago. Compared with Montana, the wildlife here is only so-so, but what I do get to see I’m always very grateful for.
This is a shot of another bird (dead center) that turned out to look more interesting as simply a field of green.
From above
Pragbodhi Cave, where the Buddha supposedly meditated before going to Bodh Gaya for his awakening.
Yours truly at Pragbodhi cave with Dr. Pema Tenzin, translator, Tibetan teacher, and story teller extraordinaire.
Needless to say, we are all keeping very busy here. I do miss a lot about home in Montana and look forward to returning in February, but for now I’m absolutely happy to be here – always a bit unsure just how I managed to get here, but loving it all just the same. Right now it’s
Durga Puja across India and major celebrations are going on across Bodh Gaya. Music blares outside the internet shop even now – nearing 10pm (quite late for this usually quiet little city). Everyone is dressed in their finest Saris and Kurta Pajamas, and tomorrow will mark the culmination (hopefully more on that, with pictures, soon).
We’ve also had some interesting insect invasions, mostly mosquitoes and ants. But last week one night I came home to a room filled with little black lady-bug like creatures. About 200 of them buzzing around, running into my walls, falling, crawling, flying into me, etc. So for about an hour I scooped them up, along with some grasshoppers and crickets that found their way in, and tossed them outside. Quite a night. I made a short video of it, very ‘Blair Witch Project’…
Well, there’s a long Sunday of grading tests ahead of me tomorrow, so I’d best be off to bed…
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