Seems like my last full day in Bodhgaya would be quieter and for reflection.
One
Woke up early this morning as usual, planning to visit the Maha Bodhi Temple again at 6am but the gates to my guest house was locked. An attendant opened the gates at 7am.
Considering how troublesome it is to deposit one’s phone and collecting it back later, as well as the close proximity between my guest house and the Maha Bodhi Temple, I left my phones in my room before heading to the Maha Bodhi Temple.
Went to do some meditation on the grounds of the Maha Bodhi Temple before paying my respects inside the Maha Bodhi Temple.
The temple was quite crowded with devotees, and I couldn’t make my way out as there was a nun in front of me.
Trying not to touch her and while walking out of the inner chamber, I didn’t notice that my foot went above the edges of a place for offerings on the floor.
The attendant who was cleaning the place scolded me for bringing my foot above the sacred offering spot.
I left the Maha Bodhi Temple feeling quite indignant. Immediately after exiting the Maha Bodhi Temple, my mind was flooded with various thoughts.
Was I wrong? It was an accident. Should I have asked the nun to move further in front for me to walk through properly? Was the attendant wrong? Was he over reacting?
While walking out of the temple grounds, I recalled my mindfulness practice and thus, was able to move on without much hindrance from the unfortunate affair.
In the past, I would have been very bogged down by the circumstances, re-running the scenario with the many responses one should do. Now, I am able to move past the situation more promptly instead.
As of writing this post at about 1045am, I am able to note how to see the incident more clearly. I should see the incident as:
- The inner chamber of the Maha Bodhi Temple was crowded.
- I was trying to get out.
- My foot accidentally went over a spot that is sacred.
- I got scolded.
That’s all should be seen of the incident. Seeing the incident as it is, without any “Why?”, without any “How?”. Just exactly, “What happened?”. Not sure if I am too cryptic. If you are reading this and need clarification, do reach out to me.
As taught by the Buddha, by practicing seeing things as it is. Just the “What happened?” is all we need to do.
Two
After leaving the Maha Bodhi Temple in the morning, I lazed in the guest house till I got a bit hungry at 10am.
So, decided to go back to Mohammad Restaurant for a snack.
In google, I saw the picture of something that looks delicious at Mohammad Restaurant and I wanted to try it. It was their spring roll in their menu. A friend later commented that this is actually called Sha Paleb in Tibetan, a meat bread.
The buffalo spring roll was excellent. Very delicious.
When I entered the restaurant, there was a group of Theravada monks from Thailand with some lay followers, having a meal. On the spur of the moment, I gave one of the lay follower 500 Rupees to cover some of the costs of the monks’ meal. The lay followers and the monks were very grateful, even though I felt that it was just a little dana (charity/donation). I also felt very good about giving the dana.
This also made me reflect on the few times I was approached on the grounds of the Maha Bodhi Temple, by monks.
These monks would usually offer to give me a blessing, which I would decline. Or would want to be my guide around the temple, which after a short conversation, I would walk in a different direction instead. One monk asked for donations for the Sangha (community of monks and nuns), which I declined.
Offhand, I was thinking the feeling of giving dana (charity/donation) without anything in return feels correct, compared to being asked for dana (charity/donation) due to certain blessings or service, which feels different. It is NOT wrong of the monks, but just different. Giving the benefit of doubt, let’s assume that these monks are real monks, it just feels different.
There are also rumours of fake monks in the temple grounds, which would make it deceitful. That’s for another discussion.
After my delicious Buffalo Spring Roll, while heading back to my guest house, a couple of Lamas (Tibetan Monks) said hi to me and told me that the coffee that they were having was very good. I told them that I just had my Masala Chai and walked away. On another spur of the moment, I u-turned and paid for the coffees of the Lamas.
Three
I have never seen a long incense stick of mosquito repellent before.
Hopefully, one of these works.
Four
After leaving my phones locked up in my room, I went to do another short meditation session at the Maha Bodhi Temple at about 1230pm.
Saw a woman carrying a phone, and was wondering how she got her phone through the strict security.
Later, I saw her taking a photo of an Indian family with the Bodhi Tree as the backdrop. I decided to just try my luck and asked her to take a photo of me with the Bodhi Tree too.
She declined, saying she only took the family photo because there was a small child with them. I accepted that since I was just trying my luck.
I then asked how she got her phone through the strict security. She explained that she is part of an organised group who has an event at the Maha Bodhi Temple. Ah, that explains why I see a few lay people having their phones.
Having a quick snack here after a short meditation session on the grounds of the Maha Bodhi Temple.
Backdrop of the White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
While I was eating my tandoori chicken sandwich, a small beggar boy came in while holding the hand of an elderly Caucasian lady.
She wanted to buy the beggar boy a meal. The beggar boy pointed to the fried chicken on the menu and asked for “Chicken”. The lady decided that she would be ordering the tandoori chicken sandwich instead, for herself and for the boy to share.
While she was ordering the sandwich, other beggar children came to the vicinity of the restaurant and eyed the boy inside. I think the children outside was trying to provoke the boy inside, to which, the boy started doing vulgar signs to them. I then turned a stern face to him, and he stopped the vulgar signs.
While waiting for their sandwich to come, I chatted with her.
This Caucasian lady is from the US and is retired in India, based in the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh. She is a Tibetan Buddhist and under the Karma Kagyu Lineage, practicing Buddhism in general instead of just Tibetan Buddhism. She would be staying in Bodhgaya for 4 months.
When their sandwich came, the boy refused to eat the tandoori chicken sandwich, he pointed to the fried chicken on the menu, and sulked.
The lady then asked the staff to explain to the boy in Hindi that this sandwich has chicken in it, but to no avail. He just sulked.
At this point, I decided to leave, wondering what happened after that.
Five
At about 4pm, I was planning to go to the Maha Bodhi Temple for the last time but seeing the huge crowds entering the temple grounds, I decided not to.
Instead, I decided to go for an early dinner, even though I am still full from the sandwich earlier
Came back to the nearby Baba Restaurant again, ordering a Sweet Lassi 80 Rupees, a Vegetable Manchurian (8 pieces) 180 Rupees and a Plain Tandoori Roti 15 Rupees.
The food was good but I am so stuffed.
I do not plan to visit the Maha Bodhi Temple later, which means that my last visit to the Maha Bodhi Temple was this afternoon. I would be heading to Rajgir tomorrow morning, and would rather pack everything nicely tonight.
Would update in another post.
Will travel 