A few weeks ago we visited Amaravati- the largest stupa built in
India is now just a flat circle of bricks in a peaceful park. There
are some fine carvings in the little museum , but the best ones are
apparently in the British Museum! We settled under a tree to practice
as it was one of the few undisturbed places we have been. The only
other people there were pilgrims from Bhutan, chanting the Tripitaka;
and a friendly group of women from Lhasa who insisted on feeding us.
Two of them were 'secret nuns' dressed as laywomen because they would
be persecuted as nuns. They were six older woman and one young nun
from Kopan who was their guide and interpreter. There was such happiness as
they spoke of their two month pilgrimage: the two day bus journey over the Himalaya from Lhasa to Nepal witha drunken driver who kept extorting more money from the passengers; their precious time in Bodhgaya and Sarnath; their plans to go east to the biggest Tibetan colony to hear His Holiness teaching . We sat with them under the trees chewing on dried Yak cheese and almonds, chapati and bananas for a couple of hours, sharing stories and photos and joy.
