Enlightened Encounter

Location:
India

Dalai Lama, Bodh Gaya, Buddha Jayanti

By Aaron Fryer

I never expected the Dalai Lama to walk by so closely. The temptation to reach out and touch his scarlet robes was almost too rich to ignore, but the clamor and commotion (and body guards) that surrounded His Holiness as he toured the Mahabodhi Temple compelled me to keep my place on the sidelines with the rest of the excited onlookers. The Dalai Lama appeared to be calm amid the gentle chaos, smiling and laughing in his well-known manner, obviously used to such a fuss. I had been enjoying the cool serenity of the ancient monument just moments before his surprise arrival, with the usual mixture of pilgrims, tourists and local villagers, engaged in ritual and ceremony, creating a peaceful and tranquil scene of attempted enlightenment and earnest truth-seeking. The birthplace of Buddhism naturally attracts a distinctive crowd, gathered together to pay homage to the Buddha and his teachings and pass beneath the sacred Bodhi Tree, located directly behind the tall temple. The Dalai Lama appeared to be no exception in his desire to honor the holy site, and I wondered if he too, stopped to collect a Bodhi leaf as a souvenir of his visit.

His Holiness was in Bodh Gaya, the village where the Mahabodhi Temple is located, for the 2550th Buddha Jayanti, an annual, full moon celebration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha; my reason for being in India consisted of visiting a friend who was studying in Bodh Gaya for a PhD in Anthropology and had become involved with the organization of the Jayanti, of which I was grateful to assist. Our main task was in aiding the five hundred monks arriving from all over the world by providing them with messily written name-tags and fresh, new robes (which turned out to be a rather chaotic dispersal of ceremonial dress, full of pushing, grabbing and arguing alongside the expressions of gratitude and appreciation). The monks had come to participate in the Jayanti by chanting the first sermon of the Buddha, which was to be led by the Dalai Lama, underneath the Bodhi Tree of enlightenment. The low, baritone song-like nature of the chanting was an amazing spectacle to behold and is considered one of the greatest gatherings of culturally diverse Buddhist monks in modern times. I knew as I was watching and listening to the holy demonstration that life had presented me with a rare and irreplaceable experience, something I would smile at while recounting to friends and future grandchildren. I’ve since found video footage online, and watching it helps me to remember the humbling essence that was present during those mystical moments of spiritual unity.

The Dalai Lama later gave a speech that evening about the relevancy of Buddhism in contemporary society and touched on themes of ignorance, non-violence and interdependency; he had a tendency to become quite passionate about the Buddha’s teachings and often sounded like an excited muppet during his address, an observation I’m sure would only add to his continuous laughter. Much of what he said was familiar as I’d recently emerged from an eight day guided meditation retreat in a Thai Buddhist monastery, one of several international shrines scattered throughout Bodh Gaya. Although the retreat required total silence on the participant’s behalf, concise and basic teachings of Buddhism's central tenets were presented every morning and evening and were perfect for a novice such as myself. And after visiting Bodh Gaya for any length of time, one cannot avoid absorbing some of the main Buddhist principles as the entire area is devoted to the Eastern exemplar, with bookstores and souvenir shops, statues and temples, priests and businessmen, all dedicated to preserving the story and lessons of Prince Guatama Siddhartha.

I had little knowledge of India or Buddhism prior to my arrival in the poor and polluted village, and I’ve no doubt that my baptism of sorts into the enduring beliefs has forever changed my perspective and way of living. Bodh Gaya holds a unique spot in the world and provides a precious example of the treasured traditions and warm hospitality India is famous for. I would encourage any world traveler to make the somewhat challenging and difficult trip to the remote rural community of Bihar and soak up its abounding religious and cultural heritage. You never know who may pass by while you’re there.

Further Information

Other helpful information: Be prepared for beggars, mosquitoes, frequent power outages, pollution. The best time of year to visit is between November and April. Expect to get sick the first few days. Can get cold at night during winter months, but it warms up dramatically in later months. If you're a guy, most men in India seem to wear "casual dress", i.e. a collared shirt and pants, but not necessarily clean. Shorts are frowned upon at the temples.

Must see/do at this place: Explore the various temples and shrines around the village, especially the Mahabodhi Temple where the Bodhi Tree is located. Attend a meditation retreat, usually held in January. Try and plan a trip around one of the many festivals in India, such as the Buddha Jayanti.

You should avoid here: Giving money to everybody who asks for it, otherwise you'll go broke awfully quickly.