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Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the students and staff of Experience Buddhism at the Root, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Ven. Lozang Khadro.
Ven. Lozang Khadro, spiritual program coordinator at Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India, shares news from the center’s annual “Experience Buddhism at the Root” event, a combination pilgrimage and lam-rim course, which ended March 14:
Our annual course “Experience Buddhism at the Root” took its experiential component to the maximum this March!
The students who attended ranged from 19 to 55 in “wisdom years” and they all came together to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha during the 10-day exploratory course. Ven. Sarah Thresher was our teacher and enthusiastic pilgrimage leader with Andy Melnic as our experienced meditation leader. Teachings and meditations at the holy sites of the Mahabodhi Stupa, Mahakala Caves, Vulture’s Peak and Nalanda University allowed Buddhism to come to life.
Under the shade of the Bodhi tree, Ven. Sarah Thresher shared the story of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment, Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Ven. Lozang Khadro.
The group had incredible karma, meeting His Holiness the Sakya Trinzin after their pilgrimage to the Mahakala Caves. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was also in residence at Root Institute and offered much of his precious time to the group, leading an extensive Guru Puja, giving sutra transmissions at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya and Vulture’s Peak at Rajgir, as well as spontaneous Dharma talks. At the conclusion of the course each student was given a blessed mala and picture of the Mahabodhi Buddha statue by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Our annual “Experience Buddhism at the Root” course aims to take advantage of the amazing holy sites in and around Bodhgaya. Being able to hear teachings at the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, contemplate beside the cave of Shariputra and meditate near the Mahakala Caves provides a uniquely rich and realistic context to the teachings, allowing each person to become personally engaged. Students described it as a meaningful experience which made the teachings very accessible.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. Students, staff and volunteers all made it a course to remember! We also wish to send a heartfelt thank you to Lama Zopa Rinpoche for his great kindness throughout the course.
Root Institute for Wisdom Culture is a socially engaged center providing a special environment for study, practice and retreat and is just a short walk from the Mahabodhi Stupa, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and many other holy Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
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