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A bone-jarring journey along carriageways of potholes - with the occasional flat asphalt in-between - commenced a long and arduous day’s travel. After travelling on the roughest roads I had ever seen, arguing with auto-rickshaw drivers (again), sitting with seven other people in a train seat (though designed only to seat four) and being halted at an unofficial checkpoint by menacing youths with imposingly large lathi sticks - I finally arrived safely in Bodhgaya - where Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Buddha) achieved enlightenment 2,500 years ago.
To fully immerse myself in the atmosphere of Bodhgaya, I decided to stay in the Bhutanese Monastery. It was a quiet place, with massive rooms, the barest of furniture, and brightly coloured cornices, whose only drawbacks were the thousands of mosquitoes and a rather unfortunate peculiarity with the toilet’s plumbing system. I think monastic life has a sense of timelessness about it, and the only indication of the passing of time was the dwindling number of malaria tablets in my medical kit.
Bodhgaya is full of monasteries and temples, representing the different countries where Buddhism is predominant. In the morning, I would awaken, be greeted by head-shaven smiling monks, and would venture forth. My first stop was the adjacent Japanese temple, a beautiful architectural structure of long flowing lines and a clean design. Also within the temple grounds was the Bell of Peace - a monstrous bell which proved anything but peaceful, for I stood next to it whilst it was being rung, and the force of its deep sonorous noise reverberated through my inner organs for the next minute.
I also visited the richly ornamented Thailand temple, and the rarely visited Vietnamese temple (complete with creaking gates and weed infested pathways) amongst others. At lunchtime, I was walking past the Burmese monastery, and noticed a large congregation of robed monks within. I entered to find a meal being served for the 100 monks attending a nearby conference. I was going to leave, when a volunteer insisted that I stay for lunch - so there was I - a feebly spirited person feasting on a sumptuous lunch with these spiritual giants.
The primary focus though of Bodhgaya is the Mahabodhi Temple, the site housing the actual location of the Bodhi Tree which Buddha was sitting under when he achieved enlightenment - and is the most sacred Buddhist site in the world. The original tree no longer stands (understandably so after 2,500 years) but a sapling of the original does indeed grow here. The temple is ones of those rare places where you can enter as a stranger and leave surrounded by friends. During my many hours there, I met monks from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan and Laos, who spoke to me about the history and belief of Buddhism - and I was even taught to recite Buddhist passages in the Pali language.
At night, the Temple’s aura was magnified, as not only did more devotees assemble, but the whole temple was floodlit by a gentle amber light. Monks and devotees would arrive - many to pray and worship - others to witness and experience. The Bodhi Tree was adjacent to one side of the Temple, so it is possible to walk around the temple’s exterior and the pass the tree in the process. People would walk the circuit in lines - holding candles, lotus flowers and burning incense sticks - the latter which would cause small tentacles of smoke to rise and visibly glow against the lighting from the amber floodlights. After several circuits, the groups would arrange themselves in an orderly fashion in front of the Bodhi Tree and conduct a session of prayer and devotionals. When making my way to the Tree one night, I threaded between two groups of worshippers - the sound of Sri Lankan prayers resounding in my left ear - Thai prayers on my right - a truly indicative of the international importance of this place.
The Mahabodhi Temple is not a place whose serenity is initially apparent. One must, like all sacred places, take time to sit, observe and reflect. After a while though, the place’s ambience works its magic. It is a place for me (though I am not a Buddhist) which was profoundly moving, so for the Buddhist who visits, it impact must be incredibly significant.
At the Mahabodhi Temple, under the shady leaves of the venerable Bodhi Tree, people from all races congregate and treat each other as a brother or sister - regardless of nationality or language. Smiles, soothing words and a genuine warmth exude from everyone and to everyone - for here, there is no anger, hate or jealousy - only peace kindness and love. It genuinely seems that you are visiting a small portion of heaven that has graciously drifted to earth.
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Frank Huzur
non-member comment
Exotica in letters and spirits!!!
Oh, what a great delight to go through Shane's passage to Bodh Gaya. So engrossing is his description of people and place, it overpowers my senses and in no time transports me to be there with exotic scent of the spiritual zone. The more one read it, the more its beauty grows upon the reader. Keep up the great work flying high, folk. You are welcome to India!