Buddhism
>> Wednesday, April 09, 2008
I have suddenly developed an interest in Buddhism. Well, maybe not suddenly, but I think it started when I travelled to North East some 4 years ago on a vacation. I found the monasteries and the lives that the monks lived very intriguing. Somehow I found the monasteries very peaceful. Maybe it has something to do with the locations. They are situated amidst beautiful mountains, and most of the time they are colourful, surrounded by lovely flags. Its a beautiful sight....you are in you car driving along green/snow clad mountains and at a distance you see this lovely colourful monastery with flags flying high in the wind like an oasis. And the way the chants echo inside.... its just awesome. You have to visit north east at least once to experience all this.
The life style in that re is so different, and there is so much emphasis on education and sports. Even two people end up playing cricket/football/chess/carom. In fact you shall find many people either playing carom/chess on the tracks on the Darjeeling mini train. When they see the train approaching, they shift the carom/chess board till the train passes and resume the game again. Ive seen 5 year old children trekking for miles together to school in the cold weather. And at every street you can see groups of cute monks in their maroon robes... especially the children who have recently joined, look very cute and photogenic...
I hope I can manage a trip to the North East again.... there is still so much I haven't seen...
20 comments:
hmmi have lived n the north east...arunachl to be specific for 3 yrs n still i feel ther e is much to se..its totally diffrent!!!! n yes these monastires..in himachal or northeast..they seem soo darn peacful!!!
Maybe you can check out some books on Buddhist philosophy too !! They are pretty interesting- specially the way they used to deny Vedic authority n all and the basic guiding principle they have " nothing but CHANGE is permanent"- wow..Logical isn't it ?
religion! opium for the masses!!
the greater you dig, the deepest is still deep!!
buddhism is a way of thinking!!respect!!
Very interesting...i like the philosophy...
north east i know is sure a different story altogether..must go
visiting the North east is one thing that i had decided a long time back to do, before i die... and that, for personal reasons...
but then i realise now that i also long to see the Ranges draped in coloured fabrics hanging from the monastries and temples, the clouds that caress the mountains mystically, the monks who silently chant, whose murmurs echo through the ranges with the tinkle of the temple bells, the children running helter skelter in the streets and wrapped in their dull maroon robes and to indulge in some authentic 'thukpa'and 'momos'...
Rashmi, you have increased my need and desire to visit the place, to see and experience things and sights that words simply cannot describe... i am sure that you would have experienced those moments many a time over there....
well, its Buddhism that keeps the place so natural and, beautiful...
Hey nice post!
I guess I'll be visiting the North East very soon:-)
@ samby,
going to himachal in June. Plan to visit Dharamsala... lets see...
@ mishra and mansi
I have just started to read something on Bhuddhism. very different from what i percieved it was...its about the way u live
@ lily,
yes. u have to visit ne... its lovely. the way of living there s totally different
@ rohan,
how i wish i cld convey my feelings in the words that u used... ths is a nice season to go there... do go to sikkim and shillong. its mesmerising
@ craziest,
thanks. do visit
Wow!! Interesting post.. is all I can say.
Yeh there is truly something different about them monks.. but the school of thought also says that maybe it's really the spartan lives they lead that attracts many from the present hi-tech lifestyle to theirs..???
@i,
spartan ives, maybe. but then many other sages/gurus from other religions too lean such lives.
but somehow, beacuse of the setting and the location of the monastries, we are intrigued by it...
Hey,
Wow... I didn't know you liked my blog that much :-) This was the reason for you searching for my blog, right? or am i just assuming? :-)
thank you regardless.
We studied buddhism to great lengths last semester... it is kind of different... for the most part i just found it hard to understand... :-)
Cheers!
thank u for ur kind wrds on my blog the enduring spirit... but i guess the shit in my life will nt allow me enuf time to write..so have closed that blog...since m here nto moving till 29th... m blogging on the new blog ... wich u have alarfy found i guess... new bloag cause m new posts really do not reflect "neduring spirit...
thanx once again maam
good day
Buddshism!
woah!!
"Namyo-ho-renge-kyo" a mantra that could change lives. Buddhism brought me this and much more.
i practice to stick to things i believe..coz i fail in holding on to certain priniciples.
hi Rashmi
the surounding hills, the Tibetan Prayer Flags flyin in the winds, maroon robed monks, the slope upto the temple along which cylindrical drums with the Buddhist chant "Om-Mani-Padme" embossed on it. These are the images that instantly form in my mind when i think of the Buddhist monastery. the culture is fascinating. Id been to Gangtok which introduced me to the 1st monstery in my life, and it was a memorable experience. went mad clicking the architechture.
they have this Wheel of Life painting, which has a wonderful pholospohy behind it. try lookin it up.
take care
ciao
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