India Journal #4: Maha Bodhi

 SITTING DOWN Sitting here is like sitting under the Bodhi tree.
My body is mindfulness itself, calm and at ease, free from all distraction.
LETTING GO Hearing the bell,
I am able to let go of all afflictions.
My heart is calm, my sorrows ended.
Thich Nhat Hanh

After three days of recovering from an intestinal illness, I finally joined Upayadhi this morning at the Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree. As many know, legend marks this as the site of Siddhartha Gautama's awakening. The current Bodhi tree is believed to be a direct descendant of the tree under which he meditated, confronting Mara's challenges of desire and aversion and discovering a path to liberation.
 
I arrived around 7:30 AM, and thousands of pilgrims were already present, many having likely spent the entire night there. Walking into this scene was overwhelming—a kaleidoscope of humanity, with countless acts of devotion unfolding simultaneously.
 
At the center stands the Mahabodhi Temple, an imposing structure, and, of course, the giant Bodhi Tree.   The first temple was built here in the 3rd century by King Ashoka but was later destroyed. The current structure dates to the 5th or 6th century.
 
I began by walking the elevated paths surrounding the temple to orient myself. Later, I descended to ground level and circumambulated with the other pilgrims. Some moved quickly, counting their circuits on mala beads. Others prostrated every few feet. Most chanted mantras. I moved slowly, meditating through complete openness.
 
On one side of the temple, a huge group of Tibetan monks chanted, their voices amplified. Periodically, cymbals, drums, and trumpets punctuated their recitation. Anyone expecting silence would be surprised—this place pulses with sound.  In an interesting contrast, sitting quietly together after a gentle chanting of the Amitabha mantra were several hundred members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, including Upayadhi, whose eye I caught as I circumambulated—so many flavors all in one place. 
 
But silence isn't the point. On a relative level, one experiences the incredible diversity of Buddhist practice. After India's independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, encouraged by Buddhist leaders, recognized the site's importance and helped establish it as an international Buddhist center.
 
On another level, I was reminded of Ajahn Sucitto's reflection from his pilgrimage decades ago. At one point, he let go of the idea that he was walking through India, and let India walk through him.  This morning, I briefly experienced something similar—letting go into the fullness of the moment, feeling it through body and heart.
 
I look forward to returning throughout the week.