Awaiting permission to be

Hello from under the elephant of bureaucracy

The gates are guarded

within, we are well shaven

well fed

free to stroll

or sit

or lay back and enjoy

Shankar, my dear godfather who’s 90th birthday I’ve come to Delhi to celebrate, leafs through life…

past

and present,

delighting in celebration

I keep busy, discussing secular ethics with the pros

and enjoy a well guarded coffee

or equally delicious chai

and try to keep fit

competition is fierce

It’s important to have friends

and perform the required pujas

in order to survive life's ordeals

and navigate its crossroads

A Southeast Asian Adventure

As the young Rato monks celebrated Tibetan New Year watching Hindi films

Rinpoche and I left the monastery

for Hong Kong

where we visited the Big Buddha

and the magnificent Guanyin, Buddha of Compassion

whom Rinpoche prayed before

and who bestowed her blessings

Then to Indonesia

with its dancing girls

However we had come to find the place where Atisha traveled from Bengal to study with the renowned Sumatran master Dharmakirti

We looked for the place they met 1000 years ago

found hints of it

a grand gateway to the monastic complex where aspirants were questioned by sharp minded gate keepers, à la Nalanda

Rinpoche prayed as we searched

And then on to Borobudur

and its famous noodle soup

Finally, with the help of Adele, who wheeled Rinpoche through Jakarta Airport, we said goodbye

Life is a carousel

Life can be a carousel

with ups and downs and turn arounds

It’s important to aim high

Some have better chances

some more challenges

If we serve others

keep our eye on the road

stay close to what’s important

true to our friends

friends of virtue

close friends

with faith

effort

steadiness

perseverance

over a long long time...

we can achieve enlightenment!

and thereby help others along their paths

to awakening

So don’t waste a moment!

Life moves along the path

Our journey begins in Ranchi, capital of the new state of Jharkhand

New highways

with lovely old trees preserved along the way

modern hotels

and international restaurants

with his and hers sinks

and we drive on...

to Bodh Gaya

where life is in full flow

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama is teaching

there are cowboys

and Indians

clean tea stalls

and restaurants

toilets

yes, there are toilets!!!

and water

and barbers

doctors

These two fellows sold me some reading glasses

mechanics

and parking places where one can rest

All move at their own pace

some stop for a snap

others for a snack

or chat

or just to say Hello

Ciao

Hi

though most keep on moving

along the path of life