Again wakeup call was at 4am but we woke up at 3am. This
morning we went to the Ganga River. We watched the sunrise, chanted and offered
our hair into the river. MK shaved his hair by Thay TH and Thay TC, and offered
it to Lord Shiva. MK took us for more shopping and visited Sarnath Museum. We
went to the Deer Park to meditate and the Thai Temple which was close by.
Today I didn’t feel like
writing at all.
Our hair and vows
Ganga River
Deer Park
Text from Sarnath Museum:
"Buddhism: It is original form Buddhism was a socio-religions reform movement against
prevailing rituals and corrupt practices. It was simply a code of conduct for
leading a simple life free from misery. Later on people started worshiping
Buddha as God. Initially Buddhism worshipped only in symbolic form like wheels, empty
throne, foot prints, stupa, etc. this phase of Buddhism is known as Hinayana
where is a follower aims, at his own nirvana by his own efforts. Subsequently
it was believed that a follower could attain not only nirvana, but Buddhahood
also and could also help other to attain nirvana. This phase of Buddhism came
to be known as Mahayana. By this time people started worshipping Buddha in
human form. As time further
progressed, it was felt that a common man cares more for material prosperity in
this world than for the nirvana preached by the religion. So a new element of
eternal bliss (mahasukh) was added to the concept of nirvana leading to
Vajrayana form of Buddhism. For
accomplishment of desire, it approaches psychic resources of the man through a
combination of mantra, magic, yoga, etc. Vajrayana introduced a large number of
gods and goddesses including the Saktis."
Elephant, lion, horse and bull with intervention wheels
suggesting the ever active potency of law dharmachakra.
Four lions in four
directions represent influence of Sakya Sangha.
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