The heart of the pilgrimage

Getting to the Palpung Institute, where the main focus of the pilgrimage was to be held, we stopped off at Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, and Lake Tso Pema, where legend has it that Guru Rinpoche transformed fire into the lake. While there, we visited the Guru Rinpoche statue, and cave. But then it was time to travel onto Palpung Shera Ling ("Realm of Wisdom").

The institute is the seat of the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, one of the highest-ranking lamas of the Karma Kagyu lineage. There are a large number of buildings spread over a very large, wooded site, in the hills. It includes the main monastery, shedra, stupa temple, at least three retreat centres, a primary school, library, craft centre, a printing & translation centre, 108 stupas, the usual prayer flags and wheels, a guest house, clinic, and lamp house & stores.

Most of the buildings are modern, and attractive, built in an up to date version of Tibetan architecture. The facilities are good, and provide all that is required. All the meals are vegetarian, and were very good indeed.

This institute was our home for the next eight nights. It was the site of the heart of the pilgrimage; a seven day teaching given by Tai Situpa on the topic of Dharma and Sacred Dharma. This teaching was very profound; very moving; and very significant for me. Unfortunately, I cannot adequately describe the teaching, or surrounding ceremonies, as it was an intense, very personal experience. I cannot fully describe, not took many photographs of, the institute; its details; nor the full extent of the site. I was just too involved in, and intent on, the teachings.

The on to Mcleod Ganj and a hotel on the side of a hill, giving a view of the temple complex of HH Dalai Lama. Doing kora is a major aerobic exercise, which takes about 40-50 minutes. Doing kora was the only time while in India that I saw any monkeys other than rhesus macaques: those round the temple complex are gray (or hanuman) langurs. Big beasts, but very attractive with their silver ruffs, black faces, and long tails. I did not get a photo of the langurs, so have included one of a rhesus macaque instead.

And then we had an audience with HH Dalai Lama. We approached his seat and were blessed took our place around the throne. It had been intended that we would then pose for group photos, and be on our way. One of our party had brought a newspaper clipping for HH, detailing Bishop Tutu's response to the South African government's refusal to allow HH into South Africa. HH read the clipping, and then told the rest of us what the clipping said. Apparently the Bishop had deplored the ban, and called on the South African government to rescind it. He then went on to say that of course, it made little difference to him personally, because he knew, from all his work as a christian ministerthat he was destined for heaven. HH, by contrast, was destined for another place.  HH roared with laughter, and declared that Desmond Tutu was very acute. He then went on to give a short, but complete, teaching. Starting with alignment of quantum physics and Buddhism, he moved swiftly onto compassion as a remedy for suffering; that ignorance and fear were the causes of suffering; and that that humanity would be in a much better place if the path of peace were adopted. Then we posed  while group photos were taken. We were so closely packed in that one of our group ended up sitting on HH's foot. She then got somewhat flustered by this apparent act of lese-majeste, until HH grabbed her hand to steady her, and then plonked her hand on his knee to give her some stability. Outside there was emotional release with many of the party in tears, and all of us moved.