India

As I leave India, I realize that I have so many incredible experiences in such a short time, that it would be impossible to share them or even to understand them.

The Buddha first began teaching at Sarnath, near Varanasi. This image was in the temple there, one of the best Buddha images I have ever seen. His face. His joy. His knowing.

On the banks of the sacred Ganges River before dawn, pilgrims quietly shuffle about. Small circles of women drip oil and flower petals over images of gods they have just made out of the clay.

Today we went to Vulture Peak, the place where the Buddha first taught about emptiness: All things come to be in dependence upon other things.

Pilgrims passing
so many open hearts.
Open minds,
searching.
Smiles,
bows to the place
where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

Arriving in Bodh Gaya we come to the place where the Sidhartha Gautama became the Buddha (the enlightened one). I have many, many thoughts, and no thoughts as well. Just experiences.

On a train, on the way to Bodh Gaya, the place where the Buddha was enlightened.