DHAMMAYATRA '17 (PART I): URUVELA, THE BLESSED ONE'S AWAKENING TO THE TRUTH

It has been my aspiration to go for a pilgrimage to India to understand more about Buddhism as well as to strengthen my spiritual conviction since I was an undergraduate. I just got to know and could only imagine how is going to a pilgrimage in India feels like through Bro. Chan Khoon San's "Buddhist Pilgrimage", Ven. Ji Chi's "佛教的起源与开展" (Origin and Development of Buddhism) and sharings by brothers and sisters of the Dhamma who had gone for a pilgrimage trip in India. Well, who knows, the opportunity came to me earlier. I'm very grateful to all those supporting conditions that has allowed me to embark on this spiritual-enhancing journey of Dhammayatra to the sites significant to Buddhists together with Bro Tan of Nalanda Institute, a knowledgeable and wise spiritual teacher. This 14-day Dhammayatra experience has indeed injected me with lots of Dhamma knowledge and self-reflections, not just the knowledge about the history of the holy sites alone. It is indeed not just a normal pilgrimage trip where one just pays visit to the Buddhist holy sites, perform all sorts of rituals or take photographs to prove that one has already been there, but rather it is a journey of Dhamma discovery that keep us on the right track in the path towards the Ultimate Bliss, Nibbāna. We are learning along the journey and not just limited to only at the holy sites. The moment we start observing the eight precepts with understanding, the moment we start to train our mind to be geared towards wholesomeness and focused towards the present while leaving all those unwholesome, negative thoughts behind, we are already embarking on this Dhammayatra journey. Our Dhammayatra journey began in the city of Bodhgaya.

Yasmim nisajja vajirāsana bandhanena

Jetvā savāsana kilesabalam munindo

Sambodhi ñānamavagamma vihāsi sammā

Tam Bodhicetiyamaham vandāmi

Bodhgaya (Uruvela)
We spent our first to third day here in Bodhgaya after touching down at the Gaya Airport. Known as Buddhagaya or Uruvela in the past, this place was where Lord Buddha gained enlightenment and spent his first seven weeks after the enlightenment. The Mahabodhi Vihara was located at the

Mahabodhi Vihara

significant spot where Lord Buddha gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. There are many devotees across the globe came here to pay their respect, circumambulate while recollecting the virtues of the Triple Gems, do chanting and meditating. Just behind the temple is the pipal tree where Lord Buddha gained enlightenment (Bodhi-pallankha). Only this tree where Lord Buddha gained enlightenment and its seedlings are known as the Bodhi tree (Bodhi-rukkha). So, if one happens to come across a tree of this similar species, it's still considered a pipal tree, but not Bodhi tree. Initially located at the center of the temple, the tree was relocated to the current location. Here, we started our eight-precept undertaking and learned about taking unblemished refuge from Bro Tan. During the Buddha's last days, Tathagata had greatly emphasized on sila (morality), samadhi (concentration) and pañña (wisdom), or well-known as the three training of the mind (tisikkha), to the disciples and lay devotees before the final passing away of the Tathagata. Here, Bro Tan emphasized to us that this tisikkha is essential in practising the Dhamma.

Bodhi-rukkha

Well, it is normal that we would face a lot of doubts and misunderstandings while practising, and that is why we need to associate with the wise, not just inquiring the meaning but also to understand the purpose behind the training as well. In this manner of continuous practising and clarifying, we would be able to clear our doubts and purify our mind bit by bit. At the temple, we had the opportunity to offer the robe sewn back in Nalanda Center to the Buddha on the second day morning, after making circumambulation thrice while recollecting on the virtues of the Buddha. Right at the opposite of the temple is the Maha Bodhi Society established by the Anagarika Dhammapala, one of the well-known Buddhist pioneer who was responsible for the revival of Buddhism in India. Born in a wealthy Sri Lankan family, Anagarika renounced his wealth for a noble mission to revive and re-establish the lost Buddhism in India.

(From left to right) A small stupa, a Buddha-rūpa and the image of Anagarika Dhammapala at the Maha Bodhi Society 

There are also other Buddhist monasteries and temples established around Bodhgaya. We manage to visit the Tibetan-style Burmese temple and the colossal-sized Buddha statue erected by the Japanese devotees there before we head to our next stop in Rajgir on the third day.

Tibetan-style Burmese Buddhist Temple in Bodhgaya

Daibutsu, the Colossal Buddha-rūpa of Bodhgaya

Dhongra Hill (Pragbodhi)
Located about 6 km across Neranjara River from Bodhgaya is the place where ascetic Gotama, prior to his enlightenment, practised severe austerities for six years together with the other five ascetics headed by Kondañña. The place was once a thick forest, but it's a bit barren now due to logging activities done by the locals here. Just by the bank of the river is the small hill of Gayasisa, where Lord Buddha preached the fire-sermon discourse (Adittapariyaya Sutta, SN35.28) to the three Kassapa brothers after returning from Migadaya (Deer's Park) at Isipatana (known as Sarnath in the present). We spent the whole second day afternoon there at Pragbodhi.

A small hill of Gayasisa overseeing the dry Neranjara river bed, where Adittapariyaya Sutta was believed to be expounded

A Sujata Academy volunteer teacher sharing her fruitful
teaching experience with us

Just at the foot of the hill, locates the Sujata Academy, a Buddhist missionary school lead by the Korean Join Together Society (JTS) since 1994. I was touched and inspired by the Korean teacher who had been teaching there voluntarily for a period of time to provide adequate education to the less fortunate ones there despite facing hardships and difficulties during the educating process, in hope that they would be able to be self-dependent. The teacher's sharing had lead me to recollect the meaning of Nalanda, the giver of knowledge and wisdom as well as reflecting on the spirit of a knowledge and wisdom giver as a Nalandian. After the short visit at the school, we proceeded to the Dungeswari Cave, a small cave enshrining a skeleton-protruding statue of the Bodhisatta which was believed to be the spot where ascetic Gotama spent most of his time practising self-mortification. The cave was dark and narrow

The skeleton-protruding Bodhisatta statue in
Dungeswari Cave

where only four to five of us could enter at once to pay homage to the Bodhisatta statue. Just outside the small cave, we assembled and listen to Bro Tan's sharing on the struggles faced by the ascetic Gotama before he discovered the Middle Way. I was moved to tears upon listening on how Tathagata had strive fearlessly and courageously having to face with Mara's temptations to liberate himself from the samsaric cycle once and for all. Reflecting upon myself, I'm aware that I'm constantly in fear, fear of being embarrassed and humiliated, fear of taking responsibilities and even fear of incoming uncertainties which has yet to happen. While recollecting how He had overcame those hardships before He gain enlightenment, I felt that my fear is nothing compared to His extreme struggles. Awaring that this unwholesome thoughts of fear would be a hindrance for me to progress in the Dhamma learning and would lead me down to great inferiority, I aspire to overcome this great fear of mine so that I could strengthen this spiritual conviction and have the ability to establish the courage of a Dhammapala, the protector of Dhamma. In this way, only I could repay the Great Teacher, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

View of Dhongra Hill (Pragbodhi) from the Sujata Academy

Lady Sujātā's Village, Bakraur (Senanigama)
Located by the river bank of Neranjara near to Pragbodhi is a place known as Bakraur or Lady Sujātā's Village, also known as Senanigama in the ancient times. We visited the place on the third day morning. Before enlightenment, ascetic Gotama accepted two offerings, a bowl of milk rice from Lady Sujātā and a lump of dry grass from a grass cutter Sotthiya. Ascetic Gotama was already in a bad health condition

Sujātā Garh

when Lady Sujata approaches him, but still his appearance remains dignified. With a bowl of milk rice in her possession, Lady Sujātā offered it to ascetic Gotama, subsequently nourishing himself to further practise the Middle Path (Majjhima Pattipada). We were grateful to have the opportunity to taste the milk rice here. It was known as kheer locally. Sujātā Garh or the Sujātā Stupa was erected around the Gupta to Pala's period to commemorate the place which is believed to be Lady Sujātā's residence. It is Lady Sujātā's good kamma result or phala that she had the opportunity to offer the Buddha before His enlightenment. In our life, often we have the opportunity to give and offer, but due to our fear, doubt, ego and ignorance, we just let the opportunity for wholesome acts slip away, just like possessing an unused,

Straw houses at the village of Bakraur

expired Tesco voucher, where the opportunity for discounts slips away due to our unawareness on the expiry date. After circumambulating the Sujātā Garh, we went deep into the village to the Sujata Temple for Bro Tan's Dhamma sharing session. Here, Bro. Tan shared about how the three Kassapa brothers who worshipped fire were converted by the Blessed One as stated in the Adittapariyaya Sutta. Bro. Tan also spoke about how the generations nowadays enjoy material things far more than enjoying life, resulting from their ignoble search. Ignoble search stems from our unwholesome desire that originated from greed. In the end, we are faced with dissatisfaction, leading us directly to dukkha. So, as a Dhamma practitioner, one should stop the ignoble search but instead, start the noble search which will lead to awakening through the practices in accordance to the Dhamma.

Entrance arch of the Sujata Temple

That's for Uruvela, the place where Lord Buddha struggled for six years, discovered Majjhima Patipada, and eventually attained samma sambodhi (perfect enlightenment).

My Dhammayatra journey continues...