A journey to Vrindavan where Lord Krishna spent his childhood
Prabhupada worshiped him under the Krishna Tree in NYC
I then visit Rikhiapeeth for the centennial celebration of Swami Satyananda who suggested calling emptiness God
then on to Rajgir where emptiness was explained
All is empty, all depends on other, emptiness makes all possible… is it not the creator?
On to Nalanda, the seat of Buddhist scholarship
many attained enlightenment
the fiercest scholars guarded Nalanda’s four gates
And Bodhgaya, where not all trees are famous
His Holiness has consecrated Khyongla Rinpoche’s stupa
The larger one is in the Rato temple
where monks sit for examination
younger ones await their turn
then play
The monastery is under new rule
the teak trees thrive
as do the palms
I visit the home of my friend Rashid
then to Kendalgiri
where children dance
my banyan dances too
I visit our monks’ rooms
pay respects to the incarnation of our former abbot Chuwar Rinpoche
my little student Leki Tsering studies hard
and Kamla sweeps
It’s lovely to be back
Soon on to Delhi where it’s cold
I visit barber
tailor
then off
to Rome
winter is crisp
and oh so beautiful
on to Göttingen
with my friends Adam
Hee Jin and Josh to meet Herr Steidl and absorb the wonders of his library
then take the train
and back to Rome to spend more time with father
view ancient murals
and enjoy the food