Blogs from Ganzi, China, Asia
July 26th 2009
We are currently in the town of Kanding in western Sichuan. We are now at about 6,000 feet so the weather is much cooler. We have been wandering around town enjoying the food; bread, cheese and yak along with much needed sleep in a clear air town. Tomorrow we head out on a trek to Gong ga shan for five days. We won't be riding the horses as we did in Songpan but they will be carrying our stuff. After that we are heading over to the Tagong grasslands for a few days and then we will be back here in Kanding where the Zhilam hostel, owned by Americans, gets us pancakes and many other comforts of the West. ... read more
June 29th 2008
It was not without qualms that Graham and I planned our 2004 journey to Kham, as this extract from a letter he sent me attests: We should get two copies of a significant Buddhist text to read and discuss. You say you are starved for such interaction - it may help us not to get bored with each other - though how could I get bored with you? Seriously. I am sure that we both know that travelling a deux puts a strain on any relationship. Anyway, I have a a translation by Robert Thurman of the Tibetan version of the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa and a commentary on it by Sangharakshita that I could put off reading till June. And maybe another stab at Buddhadasa'a commentary on Dependent Origination. Anyway, there are 3 branches of a wonderful Buddhist ... read more
