Oct 19 Bodh Gaya afternoon

Dungeshwari Cave

I rode on the back of Ravi's motorcycle, 20 kilometers north to the Dungeshwari cave, also known as Makakala cave temple, where it is believed Siddhartha Gotama, spent six years in meditation as an ascetic and lost so much weight he was near death. After six years of self mortification he left the cave and walked south about 20 kilometers south to the place where he met a young women named Sujata who fed him rice milk, which ended his asceticism. It's a hike to reach the cave, but worth it. I entered the dark, candle lit cave and sat for twenty minutes trying to meditate but I was distracted thinking about the Buddha living in this very spot. This was an experience I'll never forget.

Emaciated Prince Siddhartha

Ravi outside Dungeshwari cave

Dungeshwari cave entrance

On the path down from the cave I encountered several monkeys, who were intimidating. Ravi told me to put my I-phone in my pocket so they would not grab it away. I was glad when we passed them. Eeks!

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Sujata Temple

I rode back to toward Bodh Gaya and visited the Sujata Temple, in the small village of Uruvela.  This is the place where Prince Siddhartha met a beautiful young women named Sujata, who offered him rice milk. When Siddhartha was doing his self mortification he nearly died of starvation. He rested here under a Banyan tree, and Sujata offered him rice milk. His acceptance ended his asceticism and he attained the knowledge of the Middle Way. He later walked to the river Nelanjar and bathed. I later crossed over the Nelanjar which is about one-kilometer from the Sujata temple. After this Siddhartha resumed a normal diet and his body was restored. He realized that asceticism is not the way to achieve enlightenment. I pictured the emaciated Buddha taking food from Sujata and walking here from the Dungeshwari cave where I had just come from.

From here Prince Siddhartha descended south to Bodhgaya, where after sitting under the Bodhi Tree attained enlightenment, and became the Awakened One, The Buddha Supreme. Seven weeks after enlightenment the Buddha moved to different locations every seven days, and then set off for Sarnath to give his first discourse - The Four Noble Truths. 

Sibu Sangaye School

My guide, Ravi, then took me on his motorcycle to the Sibu Sangaye Free School, Human Development Charitable Trust, which he founded and now runs. There are 14 students, ages 6 to 8, who live in a small village next to the next to the school.  

Sibu Sangye Free School sign

Students of Sibu Sangaye school

Anamo

Some of the students of Sabu Sangaye Free School

Ravi introduced me to Anamo, a twenty year old Teravadan monk who lives in Bodh Gaya. He teaches meditation to the school children every day. I joined them in meditation and was impressed how six and seven year old kids can stay still and quiet for 30-minutes with a good meditation instructor. 

Students and Ravi after meditation

Village next to the school

These kids are beautiful in every way

Students

Ok, I admit it, she's my favorite

"Peace"

Kids before meditation

Women working in the village

Home for the kids of Sibu Sangaye school

Cow dung stored for fuel

I left the village and school grateful for having visited there, and seeing first hand how challenged these students are. I happily committed to help support their education because it's the best chance they'll have to succeed.

Buddha's path

Ravi and I then rode on his motorcycle to Bodh Gaya where we shared a lunch of Nan bread, chicken curry and fried rice which was delicious. I asked Ravi to draw a map of where the Buddha walked which was thousands of kilometers.

Map of the Buddha's walk

After lunch Ravi drove me on his motorcycle to the Gaya airport for the flight to Delhi, where I sat for 5 hours due to a delay. It was no big deal, considering my time in Bodh Gaya was incredible! This was the most interesting of all the cities I visited in India.