Lighting lamps at Boudha

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On this blog I frequently mention favorite places. Boudhanath Stupa may be my truly favorite place. It is the largest stupa in Nepal and the pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists from all over the country. While Tibetan Buddhist ethnic groups are the majority there, people of all ethnicities and religious traditions come to Boudhanath to enjoy the beautiful architecture, and receive spiritual upliftment through the open and peaceful atmosphere that surrounds the area.
When I was a student, the area around the stupa was relatively undeveloped. It was possible to walk around the top and enjoy a view of the surrounding valley, hilltops, and rice fields. Since that time the entire radius of Boudhanath has been built up, obscuring all the views. Part of this development has been a dramatic increase in the number of monasteries in the area. Tibetan Buddhist monks live in great numbers there, and many Western people who are interested in practicing Buddhism come and study in that area as well. So while the views are diminished, the overall spiritual and cultural life around Boudhanath has been enhanced.
It would be interesting to assess how this level of development has enhanced the well being of the Nepali people who live in the vicinity. The Tibetans in Nepal have become very wealthy, both through clever entrepreneurial pursuits, as well as through a heavy influx of financial support for monasteries from Western countries. Nepali people make cynical comments about monks driving fancy cars and wearing rolex watches. While this may be true of some opportunistic monks, it is not true for the average monk. Their financial resources are significant in comparison to the average Nepali, however, and we are hoping that this new found wealth is being used to improve the lives of some of the impoverished people who live in Nepal, whether they be pilgrims from the villages, or the urban poor who live in the vicinity.

We arrived at Boudha in the late afternoon. It was really encouraging to see the vast number of people circling the stupa on foot, which is the traditional method of prayer and meditation in Tibetan Buddhism. Many of the people walking do so for long periods of time, chanting while they count their prayer beads, and turning the small prayer wheels that surround the stupa. Tibetan Buddhists believe that the senses should be used as part of the pursuit of spiritual transcendence. The rich aesthetic culture of the monasteries and sacred places reflect that belief. Intricate and colorful paintings cover the walls and ceilings of the monasteries. Deep horns, sonorous chanting, and delicately tinkling bells can be heard throughout the day as the monks perform their pujas. The cedar like fragrance of Tibetan incense can be smelled all around the area. Made from a kind of high mountain juniper leaf, when burnt it evokes images of high Himalayan gompas (or monasteries) for those who have had the opportunity to visit them.
The monasteries surrounding the stupa have enormous prayer wheels which people can turn as part of their meditation. Lilia was fascinated with those huge prayer wheels. When she would try turning one, the momentum of the wheel was so strong that it was able to pull her along with if she didn’t let go.

Our reason for coming to Boudhanath that day was to light candles for Ben’s mom and for his brother in law who had died recently as well. Unfortunately the top tier of the stupa was closed for painting so we could not light our candles up there. We were able to light them around the base though, as well as light some oil lamps that are available there for 3 rupees each. After we finished with the candles, we went to a small Tibetan restaurant for noodle soup and traditional salt butter tea. Lilia had a wonderful time that evening, and talked about how fun it was all the way home and until she went to bed that night.

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Photos

On the stupa
At Boudhanath it is permitted to climb up on the stupa itself and walk around. Lilia is with her cousin Vivek on the top of the stupa.

Stupa area
The entire area around the stupa is surrounded by tall buildings now, obscuring the views.

Tibetan Buddhists from the villages
People from the farthest reaches of Nepal come to Boudhanath as a pilgrimage site. These people are obviously from the high mountain regions, where yak herding and barley farming are the normal way of life.

Monastery map
There are a large number of monasteries around Boudhanath now. This poster not only lists them but gives a rudimentary map

Huge prayerwheels
One of the enormous prayer wheels built at the entrance of a monastery. It is traditional to turn it clockwise as a form of prayer. The inside of prayer wheels are generally filled with pieces of paper upon which prayers for the enlightenment of all living beings are written. While turning them many people will chant the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum” which asks that the soul be lifted from the turmoil of human desire in the same way that a lotus flower rises up from murky water to bloom. All Tibetan Buddhists prayers include compassionate thoughts towards the whole of humanity. It is believed that all beings are interrelated, and that it is the duty of spiritually enlightened individuals to devote their energy to assistance of others

Buddhya eyes
The top of the stupa, where the eyes of the Buddha reside.

Circumambulating
After experiencing so much chaos and crowd in Kathmandu, we felt uplifted to be part of such a peaceful and benevolent crowd. There were really a significant number of people there circumambulating the stupa, but almost everyone was relaxed, walking in the same direction, chatting with friends or praying.

A peaceful crowd
The crowd is slowly moving around the stupa.

Lamps for prayers
These oil lamps can be lit for 3 rupees (5 cents) each. We didn’t know that to light 108 of them (the auspicious number we had been hoping for) that we had to make reservations. By the time we arrived, only 60 were left.