Impressions from the 2014 Sri Lanka Pilgrimage with Lama Dawa - Anuradhapura

The up-coming visit in January 2015 will be Lama Dawa's third tour to Goa.  The first had been mostly passed as a private holiday, as in 2013 Lama needed to rebuild his strength; with a 3-day excursion to the caves of Ajanta and Ellora added at the end.  In 2014 Lama gave  a few teachings and empowerments both publicly and privately, and completed his sojourn with a pilgrimage to Sri Lanka, taking some of his long-time students from India with him. This time, in 2015 he will share his precious Vajra Armor lineage in two 5-

day retreats,as well as giving two public teachings and empowerments on the 21-Tara practice and the Medicine Buddha sadhana.  Looking at the emerging continuity we could say that there is at least the appearance of a steady momentum, slowly building up - as to what the development will be: we will see.  

Of course, we have fond memories of his previous stays, and want to share some of them.  

Inspiration to write today's blog came to me this morning when I read a short FB notice by "Adarsha Photography" with a picture on the Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura, one of the ancient cities of central Sri Lanka.  I remembered, that together with Lama we had visited that tree on the last day there.  We only stayed for a few hours, but then, how much time does it really

take to plant a seed?

As the article in Adharsha's page said, "Emperor Ashoka had placed so much importance on the Buddha Dharma going to Sri Lanka that he sent his two children, (Prince turned monk) Arhat Mahendra and (Princess turned nun) Bikshuni Sanghamitta, to the island nation, to propagate the teachings. He even sent a cutting of the original Bodhi tree of Bodhgaya, under which the Buddha attainted enlightenment, when

Sanghamitta went to Sri Lanka. The cutting was gifted by Princess Sanghamitta to King Tessa, who welcomed it with the most elaborate ceremony and planted it in the ancient city of Anuradhapura in 288 BC. The tree known as the Jaya Sri Mahabodhi is now over 2,300 years old. The present Bodhi trees of Sarnath and the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodhgaya are cuttings of this tree."

And the Lonely Planet Sri Lanka adds, "The sacred Bodhi trees the oldest historically

authenticated tree in the world.  It has been tended by an uninterrupted succession of guardians for over 2000 years, even during the periods of Indian occupation.  There is not one but many Bodhi trees here.  The oldest and holiest stands on the top platform.  The steps leading up to the platform are very old, but the golden railing around it is quite modern. The railing and other structures around it are festooned with prayer flags."

When I shared some of my photos earlier in the year, my friend Bob from Odiyan in northern California remarked that Tarthang Tulku had been permitted to take a cutting from the same tree to be planted at the newly opened Nyingma Institute in Sarnath.  So it seems, this tree is very much contributing to spreading the dharma throughout the world.  

We came there just before the gates were closed for the daily lunch break, and our dropping in felt more like a quick touching base rather than a full fledged visit.  But as always on these occasion, Lama was very inwardly focused.  

There is no doubt that we will see more of this tree, and its fruit in many forms in the future.