Greetings from Dharamsala!
Roshi and I arrived in Dharamsala from Delhi aboard a small plane
Wednesday, April 1st. Nari Rinpoche, who is the brother of His Holiness
the Dalai Lama (HHDL), was on the plane with us and joyfully predicted
that with the clear skies we would be able to see about 35% of the
Himalaya Range from the plane. Indeed the mountains looked themselves like
clouds from the distance and slowly resolved into magnificent jagged snow
capped massifs as the plane approached the valley where we were to land.
At the airport we were greeted with the traditional draping of a white
khata (scarf)—a welcoming blessing—and then popped into a small Toyota
taxi to begin our ascent up into Dharamsala/Mcleod Ganj. Road travel here
is pretty exciting as the roads are jammed with people, delivery trucks,
other taxis, private cars, many motorbikes, cows, and dogs. They all
manage to self-organize with the help of the ubiquitous beeeeep of vehicle
horns—not out of irritation—just to caution you that they are coming
close. The day we arrived, HHDL was also expected to be returning to his
residence from Delhi so many more people than usual were lined along the
roadways hoping to catch a glimpse of him. The road is paved, but pretty
narrow and numerous small businesses, shops and restaurants crowd the
edges adding a feeling of barely contained chaos in commerce here.
We are staying at a very modest guesthouse called Pema Thang, which sits
on the hillside up above the residence compound of HHDL. The guesthouse is
pretty much fully occupied by Mind & Life attendees who are well known to
each other and thus most meals in the dining room feel like family
gatherings and the conversations are quite lively and warm. You can
actually get pizza in their restaurant, but the Tibetan/Chinese/Indian
food mix of dishes is good. A typical breakfast of cheese omelet, toast
with jam and a pot of milky spicy Masala tea costs less than $2 US.
The first full day here I was privileged to accompany Roshi as Adam Engle,
CEO of Mind & Life took us along for his day. Roshi and I met Adam for
breakfast at the guesthouse where he was staying and he was in the middle
of doing an exercise routine using flexible tubing that anchors into a
doorjamb. Roshi joked that he should gift it to the Karmapa and on a whim,
Adam agreed. So first stop was the compound of the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa,
where we were granted a brief but delightful private audience. Adam
presented the gifts he had brought by first handing over a giant chocolate
bar and then the exercise apparatus. The Karmapa (who is just out of his
teen years) was intrigued and wanted a demonstration that was swiftly
provided amidst a lot of joking and laughing on both sides. Afterward,
Adam and Roshi encouraged the Karmapa to suggest areas of research for
Mind & Life scientists who study the effects of meditation and
contemplative practice as it affects many faculties of mind including
memory, attention, and mind/body effects.
Next stop was Norbulingka, a kind of Tibetan cultural center. The grounds
are beautiful and were designed by a Japanese architect so they include
artistically arranged plantings, koi ponds, waterfalls and little rushing
streams, lots of beautiful stone work and of course wandering pathways
which open into both private and public areas. One is able to visit
several workshops where Tibetans can learn and refine the skills needed to
produce beautiful works of art. There is a painting studio where thangkas
are painted, a sewing studio where the appliquéd thangkas are crafted, a
woodworking shop, a metalworking shop where large bronze and copper
statues were being fabricated and a lovely gift shop which displays and
sells the products—In addition, a doll museum has recreated several
scenarios depicting Tibetan life with figures clothed in traditional dress
to signify various nomadic tribes as well as dioramas of religious
ceremonies with elaborate costumes depicting various deities of the more
esoteric Tibetan Buddhism and some depicting traditional opera and various
historical stories (such as a depiction of Milarepa in his hillside cave).
After Norbulingka, we went to Dolma Ling, a nunnery that is part of the
Tibetan Nuns Project. Two hundred young nuns live in this compound, most
between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age. They usually arrive here after
walking an arduous and frightening trek from Tibet across the Himalayas
under constant threat of discovery and possible death from Chinese army
patrols trying to seal the borders. Most often the nuns arrive illiterate,
infected with tuberculosis, malnourished, and cut off from their families
and relatives. We witnessed a simple but clean compound offering the nuns
shared rooms but with plenty of green space, a well-stocked library, solar
hot showers, dining room, their own temple, classrooms, and staff and
teacher housing. The nuns were out in the courtyard practicing debate
Buddhist style. This style is characterized by pairs, or small groups,
which take individual turns being either the “expounder” or the “refuter”
for want of better terms. The “expounder” is standing and vociferously
trying to make an argument tying together various pieces of Buddhist
philosophy learned in class and informed whenever possible by personal
experience/observation. The “refuter” is seated and can challenge the
suppositions of the “expounder” or ask them for more evidence to support
their position. The “expounder” is very dynamic and emphasizes key points
by pointing, speaking loudly, and stepping forward and making an
exaggerated slap with her hands. The vigor of both the physical expression
and the argument are equally important. It was a delightful noisy mayhem
of saffron and maroon robes amidst exuberant shouting. All of these nuns,
and there are several nunneries in the project, are sponsored,
predominantly by westerners who pay $30/mo to support a nun.
The next few days were spent a bit more leisurely; I accompanied Roshi on
walks either up and down the hilly streets and alleyways or we walked a
“kora” or circumambulation of the knoll upon which His Holiness resides. A
narrow mostly paved path winds down and around below the compound and is
completely decorated with streams of colorful prayer flags, mani stone
piles (carved with the mani mantra, om mani padme hum which invokes “the
jewel in the lotus”) and piles of stones covered in white lime for what
significance I have not yet learned. This path is walked at least once
daily by many and more times by some and one sees young up to very, very
old persons, Tibetan, Indian, Westerner, and of course the ubiquitous
cows. In addition both rhesus monkeys and black faced macaque monkeys in
habit the surrounding countryside and often seen munching some lunchtime
leftover in pretty much complete disregard of those strolling.
Say tuned for Part Two: meetings with HHDL and western contemplatives and
neuroscientists—yes I got into the meetings --Adam Engle be praised!
love to all,
Peg
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roshi joan halifax
September 2009 
jhalifax
