update from the east

I am writing this in an internet cafe in Bankok on the last day of my holiday in Thailand.

I am now a month into a round the world trip. Firstly, I spent two very inspiring weeks in India, mainly visiting TBMSG projects. It was a very short visit - and incidentally my first trip to India. I have written something about this already in my last post. I also visited many of our social projects which have interested me from afar for many many years. I well remember Padmasuri going off to India not that long after we were both ordained and being fascinated with her accounts of the work she and others were doing there. So, it really was wonderful to see the fruits of this work first hand at last.I visited health projects, education projects, stayed in 2 different hostals and visited computer projects. I met innumerable people, all of whom treated me to great hospitality and friendliness. I was humbled and inspired by all of them. And very grateful. I travelled on trains, buses, jeeps, rickshaws and a couple of motor-bikes. As Karunamaya said -- I really managed to get the India experience, even if it was all packed into 2 weeks. Sadhu t the people working in TBMSG, westerns and Indians alike.

As always as I travel around and teach the dharma I am struck by difference and similarity. On one occasion I found myself talking about the wisdoms of Ratnasambhava and Amitabha and how both are needed in our movement. It seems so important to recognise difference and create the best conditions for each situation - whether that is an individual life, a centre situation or a country and culture. Of course there are different needs for a woman living in Aurangabad and a woman living in California for example. And yet, generally speaking, all are alike in their thirst for the dharma and their desire to live an ethical life based on the precepts. Indeed I love the fact that we all chant the same precepts, follow the same teachings and do the same practices (more or less!) whether dressed in a sari in India, in shorts and a tee-shirt in Sydney or winter clothing in Dhanakosa.

I see this need to embrace both difference and similarity as part of my work as a member of the preceptors college. We need both to be a vibrant movement I think - both unity and recognition of diversity.

So, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to India and have a feeling it won't be the last. I hope not

I have just had a couple of weeks holiday in Thailand. That has been interesting in a number of ways. I was travelling with a friend from Spain. She is the last person I was in a relationship with. We were together for around 8 years while i was living in valencia. Some time after we stopped being partners I became an anagarika and we have continued to be great friends, something i greatly appreciate. as always when we spend time together i work on my attachment to her and this time I was delighted to feel that it has really moved on. Not that I don't feel a lot of love for her - and even a bit of attachment of course. even a wee bit of longing and what if sort of feeling. but it really is minimal and not an issue at all. At one point I got the impression that she has a new lover and I was fine with that which pleased me a lot. I am very happy as an anagarika, it gives me a great sense of freedom.

I was also fascinated to see my response to all the temples and buddha figures. Frankly they left me cold on the whole. i started to wonder if i really am a buddhist they left me so untouched. In fact, if response to art is a deciding factor, I seem to be more drawn to islam that anything else. sunrise over the mosque in bankok accompanied by muslim song moved me far more than any of the temples i saw here in thailand. well, you will be pleased to know (especially if i ordained you or might in the future ordain you!) that i have no intention to convert. my faith is true and deep, I am just really not an ethnic buddhist and that is fine. I also found some ruins of a temple and stupa which deeply moved me and I loved chanting the refuges and precepts (indian style) and the bodhisattva vow at the feet of ancient stone rupas. I am again so grateful to Bhante for his creation af a western buddhist order. I felt that very strongly in India as well.

On the subject of Islam, I read a fascinating book recently which i strongly recommend to anyone interested in the rise of fundamentalist islam in the Uk. It is called The Islamist and I can't remember the author I'm afraid. (think it is something like Ed Hussein). It tells his story of growing up muslim in east london, his conversion to islamism (fundamentalism) and his realisation that he did not want to continue with that path and his re-cobversion to mystical islam. I enjoyed it and it was inspiring and moving to read of his early teacher Ms Suzy Powesland who had a very important positive effect on him. (our very own Shraddhapushpa). Someone else told me of a book called "while europe slept" dealing with the rise of islamic fundamentalism in europe which i plan to get a hold of. On a similar topic I recommend a google video clip which can be found at:

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5420265376020874529&q=Ayaan%20Ali&total=200&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

OK, time running out here. In a couple of days I will arrive in Auckland New Zealand and carry on with my trip which will take me to NZ, Australia, west and east coast USA and Mexico.