Early start fro the great birthday pilgrimage to the magical scene of the first mahayana teaching. Over the past week I had hired a jeep and driver for 1800 rupees and invited various new friends to join the party. In the end there were five folkbrave enough for the 5am start on the rough road to Rajgir. I sat in the front to enjoy the best view of oncoming traffic: trucks and water buffalo and men with rice entirely covering their heads and schoolchildren in smart uniforms. Dusty plains of India emerging in the dawn light. At one town they even had a big banner over the road in yellow saying Happy Birthday (and Xmas and New Year). We arrived at the holy mountains of Rajagriha in time for the big red sun to rise in the East as we ate some tasty Aloo paratha and drank sweet chai. Fortified our excellent group set off up the paved path alone. We were too early for hustlers and beggars and sat peacefully in the first cave for half an hour of deep amazement. These places where people have been practicing for 25 centuries and longer, where the first monks lived and the Buddha visited, are unutterably brilliant. Above us on the hilltop there was one other early group chanting the sutras in Pali, very sweet. As we walked further another old pilgrim was carried past us in a strange contraption hanging from a pole. Two strong men sweated while he made his devotional prayers. Then at the top we sat with the rocks and Thai chanting and wide open space of the Indian sky. One of the group was an American Tibetan Shambhalian ( one of two I've met here - the other is a friend's mum!!) So Tseten and I set off strongly with the Shambhala chants - encouraging each other to remember the Heart Sutra which describes the essence of the teachings that the Buddha gave here.
Then we went down to the base of the hill where a terrifying chair lift carries you up to the Japanese Peace pagoda. For 30 rupees you get the opportunity to overcome all fears of death and simply relax into the joy of being carried in the air above rocks and spiky bushes, gradully approaching a beautiful white stupa and temple. So long as you don't look at the machinery, especially the wiring, then it is possible to open your mind and feel totally blessed. However I chose to walk back down the hill braving beggars and postcard sellers on the rough path.
And that was just the morning - more birthday adventures to follow...
