Nagajuna Konda

This monastery on an island in the middle of a large lake was built under the direction of Nagajuna, who is also known as the second Buddha. He taught some of the most insightful works on Buddhist philosophy. The monastery dates from 200AD although there are remains on the island from neolithic times.

On the road in India

Laundry, originally uploaded by wavesofbliss.

Kalachakra

We visited the place where it is said the Buddha taught the Kalachakra (wheel of time) Tantra. A new Buddha statue is being built close to where the old stupa is.

Celebrations

Above we are feasting with the Tibetan family who took us in during some of the Dalai Lama's teachings. Next we celebrate New Year's Eve with our friends Darcy and Jason.

Teachings with the Dalai Lama

We have been fortunate enough to attend many weeks of the Dalai Lama's teachings. Above we are pictured in his room at Sera Me. I did not blink whilst the photo was taken, but was actually in deep meditation :) !!!!

Tara Puja

Geshela sponsored a Tara Puja for all the monks where he used to live at Sera Je. We were able to participate in the Puja and offering. The pics are of Geshela and Allie handing out money to the monks.

River Swim

This is a river near Sera monastery where we went for a swim. With us is Geshela's friend Tenzin, who is offering us a place to stay when we arrive in Dharamasala.

Monastery Visits

We visited many monasteries. The one above with Geshela, his dad and us is the famous Sera Je monastic university. This is Geshela's home university. The one with the rainbow at the top is Namdroling also known as the golden temple. This is a famous Nyingma monastery where our friend Tulku Loday took us to meet Penor Rinpoche for a blessing. Penor Rinpoche is the previous head of the Nyingma lineage. Tulku Loday is a high lama himself being the seventh incarnation of the religious head of the kingdom of Sikkim.

Tashi!

This is us sitting in the garden at Varanasi Univeristy where Geshela used to teach Buddhist philosophy. With us is our friend Ven. Tashi. He gradutaed with a PhD from this university and now teaches Buddhist philosophy near Melbourne at a beautiful centre a walk from famous Bells Beach. The other pic is of Allie and myself in South India at the little town near Sera monastery.

At the Ganges River

India's most sacred river. Millions of Hindu pilgrims come to bathe for spiritual purification. At the moment the Kumbha Mela is being celebrated. It is said to be the largest gathering of humans in the world, occuring only once every 12 years. Amongst the millions are many yogis, fakirs, sadhus and devotees.

When Animals Attack!!!

We made friends with this wild monkey in Sarnath who wanted a drink of our water but when it came to sharing his food with Allie he was not as generous. Allie picked up some of his food to feed him but as soon as she touched it, there was an ear piercing screech as the wild beast flew through the air with laser like precision gashing Allie's right breast! .... realy it was just a scratch, most of her wounds being emotional.

Safe House

We arrived at the Tibetan settlements without the correct passes, which are just about impossible to get. We decided to go to the police station to see if we could talk our way in. I learned very quickly not to argue with an Indian seargent who was quite rude and kicked us out. We hid at a safe house (Geshela's dad's house) while deciding what to do. Pics above are of Geshela's dad and nephews.

The teachings were the next day. The seargent had explained that if he caught us he would prosecute us. The signs up at the moasteries said 5 years jail if caught. Anyway we decided to risk it. The next day on the way to teachings we got caught and kicked out again. According to the rumours around camp we were arrested handcuffed and thrown in the back of the police van ... but I don't remember that actually happening!!!



Like Lleyton Hewitt, two sets down with the home crowd behind him, we didn't give up. We waited 'til sun down and organised a local Indian to drive us back into the Tibetan settlement.

When we arrived back at the safe house Geshela met us and said good news - he had the papers we needed. When asked how he got them he responded with his newly acquired and now favourite English saying, "Money Talks!" He had managed to get some high officials in Delhi to process our papers and with quite a few thousand rupi bribe we got the 3 month processing time reduced to a few hours. Above is Ven. Theresa, Geshe Wangchen (both from New Zealand), Geshe Samten and Allie out the front Dzongsar Choedak Monastery where HH Dalai Lama gave teachings.

Trains, Planes and Auto-rikshaw-mobiles

We travelled from Varanasi to Delhi by train. The train rolls along very slowly which is great as it was a wonderful way to see the country side of India. We are both quite adventurous, and although the cheaper tickets had great views we decide the train roof was not comfortable enough to sleep on!



We then took a flight from Delhi to Bangalore followed by a five hour taxi ride to the Tibetan refugee settlement. We stopped on the way for a beautiful South Indian lunch. We love South India- the weather and feel is much like Queensland, tropical and sunny.

Tibetan Family

This is a photo of our Tibetan family that we are living with at Varanasi University. The monk is the professor of Tibetan medicine at university and a close friend of Geshelas. His cousin, also a doctor, sits next to Allie and her father is the Dalai Lama's personal physician which is a highly regarded position so he is quite famous and also treats Indian movie stars. The one next to her is one of the monks students and then the girl at the end is another cousin and has been helping us with Tibetan language. The family is so kind cooking and looking after us. The doctor fixed us up with Tibetan medicine when we both had "Indian Belly". The place where we are staying is inside the compound where the teachings are being held so we are quite privileged to be so close and get woken by the Dalai Lamas monks saying mantras in the morning.

Sarnath

The next day Geshela brought us to Sarnath, a Buddhist pilgrimage site where the Buddha spoke his first teaching. Everyone circumambulates the giant stupa which marks the spot of the teaching. There are many ruins and temples here which mark places where the Buddha used to meditate and teach.

Varanasi

After New Delhi we took an overnight train with Geshela and Ven. Tashi to Varanasi, playing cards and learning magic tricks to pass the time. The Dalai Lama arrived the same day at Varanasi University and we joined the crowds to welcome him. Allie was sick that day and was passing out in the crowds. After that was tea break which seems to be an almost hourly occurrence for the Tibetans!

Namaskar India!

Arrived in New Delhi and we stayed at Tara House in the Tibetan refuge settlement. We had a nice room overlooking the sacred river of Yamuna which represents one of the side channels. Below us farming families lived in huts on the river and went about collecting straw to light fires to keep warm whilst stray dogs and cows wandered by.

Appeal to the Great Spirit

Apeal to the Great Spirit
Originally uploaded by wavesofbliss.

We are off to India on Thursday so have just set up a Flicker account.
Flicker account is wavesofbliss.
Will post plenty of photos. this photo is of an American Indian Statue in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Living with squirrels!

It has been some time between posts. Most of the time i have been out of contact with civilisation, dedicated to my new passion of squirrel watching. Here is a very rare photo i was able to snap of a squirrel ascetic performing morning prostrations.

Nelsons Bay Getaway

A short trip north for a couple of days at beautiful Nelsons Bay.
Had a nice time lazing near the water reading siddhartha
climbing and falling out of trees
the next day it was pouring
we climbed the highest lookout getting totaly drenched
and nearly blown off the top by the gale force winds
which just pipped bingo with Aunty Donna as the highlight of the trip!!!