In the footsteps of the Buddha

Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

The Sangha Walks With the Buddha

By Brother Pháp Dung and Sister Hiến Nghiêm

Our thirteen day pilgrimage ended with Brother Shan-

tum gifting us a traditional yellow orange thread to be
tied around our wrist to commemorate the completion
of our spiritual journey. In Hindi, the thread is called a
“sutra” - appropriate for our pilgrimage which was themed,
“Following the Steps of the Buddha”. We all are now linked
together by our two week journey, by our shared memories of steps taken on sacred sites, by our personal inner transformation
and by our deeper understanding of India and Buddhism. We return home with more than just pictures and souvenir gifts.
As Shantum shared in his last remarks, our spiritual journey will continue at home. India is a place of deep spiritual transforma-
tion, a place where myths and modernity mingle - a place that never leaves your heart.

The Wonderful Colors of the Sangha

Our pilgrimage was special because everyone on the trip was required to be a practitioner, and to have attended at least one
retreat organized by Plum Village. We were encouraged to practice during the journey while sitting on the bus, walking, eating
and interacting with everyone we met. Our delegation were in total 60 practitioners from Germany, Holland and England, Ame-
rica, Ireland, France, Australia, Switzerland and even India. There were two lay dharma teachers, many OI members, and eight
monastics – four monks (Brothers Pháp Xả, Pháp Chương, Pháp Lý and Pháp Dung) and four nuns (Sisters Bi Nghiêm, Giác
Nghiêm, Hiền Hạnh and Hiến Nghiêm). The presence of mindfulness practitioners contributed to the richness and depth of our
experience. It was a retreat on wheels, immersed in the spirituality, history, sounds, smells, sights and tastes of India.

At the magnificent Bodhi Tree, we had a chance to see how the rich colors of our own sangha had its place amidst the colors of
every other Buddhist tradition. On our first morning, a small group of us woke early to walk to the Maha Bodhi Temple before
sunrise. We walked in silence, mindfully, feeling at home even though many of us were there for the first time. We prostrated on
the cool damp stone and circumambulated the temple barefoot before finding an open area for sitting meditation. Saffron-ro-
bed monks from Thailand were chanting in Pali up ahead, young Sri Lankan nuns and their white-clad disciples were chanting
to our right, and to our left, about 20 Tibetan monks were prostrating towards the tree with speed and vigor on their boards.
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Ahead to our left we heard the familiar sound of a Taiwanese temple bell and close by we heard Vietnamese words from ano-
ther delegation of pilgrims. Sister Hiền Hạnh prepared tea, and we sat following our breathing, opening our hearts to listen to
the present moment - a colorful, fragrant, mystical moment.

The rest of our delegation gradually assembled in silence, and soon we were enjoying Brother Pháp Xả chant the evening
verse for the morning’s sitting, because he knew that it would contain the lines about sitting stably under the Bodhi Tree.

Tourist to Pilgrim
The tour challenged everyone to find balance between traveling as a tourist and being a pilgrim, between experiencing the
superficial and mundane and touching something deep within our spirit. We were challenged in many aspects: by the sight of
crows feeding on the carcass of a cow along the pathway, by the flight of yellow butterflies dancing in the sunlight, by the skin-
ny children chanting for a handout, or by the peddlers scratching at our side for a purchase. What we saw in our daily outings
reverberated when we returned to the comforts of our hotels with fine dining and air-conditioned rooms.

The circle sharing times gave us the occasion to voice our joy and challenges of the day. We could express ourselves and be
heard, and connect our shared experiences. As one pilgrim shared, “We are not here only to have a good time, to take pictures
or to be charmed by India”. The trip was a spiritual journey, an opportunity to look deeply at ourselves and at our passage in life
thus far. We had a chance to live with and accept each other, supporting one another as a spiritual family.

Whenever we practiced mindful walking, interacting, and looking deeply at the people and sights with eyes of awareness, we
were truly pilgrims. Each sight became sacred through the depth of our looking. Whether the Bodhi Tree is real depends on our
true presence in the present moment. We used the practices that the Buddha had taught, to stop and to truly be present and in
contact with our body, feelings, and emotions. We had many opportunities to sit quietly at the sites, follow our breathing, and
contemplate the life and meaning of our Root Teacher.

The Buddha as a Sangha

Thay has shared many times that the next Buddha to be born will be in the form of an enlightened community. Many times
during our journey, the presence of the Buddha, Thay and all our ancestral teachers could be felt within our collective. We saw
how precious it is to travel as a four-fold community of practice, trying our best to apply the teachings in every moment. The
presence of the Sangha protected and embraced us, allowing us the time and space to call both our joy and pain by their true
names. The dharma felt alive in our delegation, and not just as something of the past.

At the summit of Vulture Peak, we chanted the Heart Sutra as an offering to the Buddha and our spiritual ancestors. As soon
as we began the chant, a gentle blessing of rain fell on our gathering. We remained focused until the very end of the chant, by
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

which time the rain had passed as quickly as it had come, and we felt a sense of magical coordination with Earth and Sky. One
pilgrim shared later in our circle gathering that the culmination of conditions - rain, chant, Vulture Peak, the teaching of Thay
on the no birth, no death nature of clouds, the recent passing of her daughter, and the presence of her dharma friends – all
these elements united and invigorated her entire body and mind. She felt her tears merging with the rain and her pain softe-
ning with a gentle smile of acceptance. Her consciousness shifted. She felt the real presence of her daughter for the first time,
no longer as an intellectual understanding but as a living reality. Her child was smiling as she smiled - in perfect communion.

The Buddha shared that the true Dharma will be his real
continuation. Wherever the living Dharma is practiced, the
Buddha is also present, and the living Dharma can only be
found within a living Sangha. It is not in books or YouTube
lectures, but in the way we can live a moment or an
interaction with deep awareness, understanding and love.
In minute subtle moments along our journey, when we
noticed the morning light was gold, or simply enjoyed the
river gently flowing, or when we sat or walked with peace,
or caught the glimpses of each other’s eyes, in all these
moments lived with vivid awareness, we could sense the
presence of the Buddha in our midst.

Looking with the Eyes of Compassion

Our eyes could not possibly look away, close shut or be numb to the amount of suffering and poverty that presented itself
during our pilgrimage. Each day when we left our protected hotels and when we stepped off our buses, we saw it and felt it. For
those in India for the first time, it was challenging and even unbearable on a few occasions. The beggars knew every mental
trick in the book for they were the storehouse of many tourist behaviors who had come before. They were smart, and many
of us, accustomed to the sterile environment of Western society, where the aging, sick and crippled are far from sight, were
unprepared for such strong stimulus. Some of us felt weakened as the trip continued amidst this strong poverty. Sometimes,
we returned on to the bus as if it was a haven of relief, fresh water for those dried from the emotional heat – a relief from the
dust, squawk, and neediness of the Indian commotion.
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

In some sense our experience could be compared with that of the young Siddhartha when he left his protected palace and
entered the market place. Supposedly, after witnessing the sight of the sick, the aged, the dying, and the peaceful one, he
awoke from his dream and began his spiritual journey. We too were awakened to the reality of life, the poverty of India, and
the richness of people’s hearts. In our lives back home, with plenty of material comforts and external distractions, we may have
had few opportunities to look deeply at ourselves and the world; now the poverty of India offered us a chance to reflect and to
touch the spiritual realm and to find a deeper meaning for our lives.

Black gold between mountains and rivers

A few miles from Bodhgaya, our Sangha walked the edges of rice fields to the stupa commemorating the place where legend
has it that the young village girl named Sujata offered kheer to the exhausted ascetic Siddhartha. Ahead of us flowed the river
Niranjana on whose banks it is said Siddhartha fainted. In the distance, the sharp Dungasiri Mountains projected upwards
above the palm trees - the very mountain caves where Siddhartha practiced austerities.

We trod in single file between the rice plots careful not to fall down into the water-filled paddies. We saw village women in
the distance effortlessly balancing a bundle of rice stalks on their heads, crossing the field with ease and grace. We passed
others making buffalo dung patties: “black gold”, as they call it. They were kind enough to let us join them. And so some of us
did, digging our fingers deep into the warm, moist, fragrant, black treasure, and forming it into simple discs with a hand-slap.
Although we lacked their skill, it was a pure and simple opportunity to practice the mind of no-discrimination: seeing the lotus
in the mud, and cherishing the treasure in the dung, the most precious fuel in the region.

Bringing the Buddha home

Some of us who had a chance to stop in the middle of the green rice field could feel the quiet and the peace, and sensed the
harmony around and within us. The sharp rocky mountains protruding afar were poetically balanced by the gentle sinuous river,
just as they were in the Buddha’s time. We could see the appeal of the challenge of the caves to the young man. We also see
the immense peace and beauty of the natural world. Not far from here is where Siddhartha, after six years of searching, found
the middle way. He no longer had to strive for an escape from this world but realized the true interbeing nature of things and
thus freed himself from its bonds. Some place nearby was where he made the great vow to help all beings realize this same
truth. As we stood there, we felt grateful to the land that supported his efforts, to the mountains and rivers, to the rice fields
and kusa grass, and to the village children and their families.

Now some of us have a more endearing understanding of our source teacher – a warmer and closer relationship that will help
us touch him within ourselves and within the dharma that he transmitted. When we look into the star-filled sky, we can now
look more with his eyes. When we walk with our Sangha, we can now make steps more with his feet, that is, gentle and free.
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

The insights continue Brother Pháp Dung

What the Cows Moo

Monika Sauer-Meder – 10. November 2014
The plump cows of France are well tended to. In their rich and green
Zuhause pasture, they roam freely within the boundaries of electric fences.
Ich bin angekommen When hungry, they have fresh hay served and when thirsty, fresh water is
ich bin zuhause even provided. Some even have personal doctorsthat give them special
medicines when they are sick. It is a blissful life. Eating and sleeping are
Zuhause
their main activities. They wait for their turn to enter into the large me-
in meinem Land
tallic barn, never wondering and asking each other why they are treated
in meiner Stadt
so well, nor asking themselves, “Where shall we go beyond the barn?”
in meinem Haus und Garten
ich bin zuhause bei meiner Familie, meinen Freunden, in meinem Umfeld
The cows of India are homeless, roaming unbound in the streets and
Zuhause country side. They scrounge for food from one garbage pile to another,
in meinem Körper rummaging through plastic scraps andpackaging, by-products of modern
mit meinem Atem conveniences. They rest on the road side and sometimes at intersections,
mit meinem Empfindungen, Wahrnehmungen und Gedanken oblivious to the honking of passing traffic. Their bodies are cubist, with
jetzt im Augenblick gegenwärtig bones almost protruding through their skin. They wander aimlessly wi-
ich bin zuhause bei mir selbst thout owner or anyone to botherthem. The Indian people have deemed
them sacred animals. Their dark eyes are kind when we have a moment
Zuhause
to peer into them. They seem to question with their lazy swinging tail,
in der großen weltumspannenden Sangha
“Where we humans are going in such a hurry?”
getragen – geborgen – sicher
immer noch spüre ich die Kraft der Sangha in Indien
ich fühle tiefen Frieden und Freude in mir Buffalo’s gold
aber auch ein bisschen Angst, diese wieder zu verlieren
Stop and see
alles ist Veränderung
Not with your eyes or lens
Open and feel
The warmth of primordial richness
Brother Pháp Dung
Only when you touch and spread it in your hands
Will its true nature and gold be revealed
Lost and Found
Daring
Things are lost
Undiscriminating
Then some things are found
Only then you will bow to your knees
Left behind
And drink the precious water in the buffalo’s footprint
Passed unnoticed
A moment of distraction
(Do not be afraid of your suffering, avoiding or covering it up in so many
Between seat crevices on old Indian tour buses
ways. Only when you can stop and pay attention to its signal will you
In hotel closets and table drawers
be able to see its true nature, know its cause and possibly find relief. Be
So many memories
daring and humble to what it may teach. Accept it as it is. It may be the
So many pictures
only chance you have.)
How many faces and how many names
If you forget or lose something
Someone will remember and find it again
If you delete it upon exit
No need for note taking
Unbound
Limitless
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Greet de Weger Gratitude

I feel especially connected with the Plum Village Sangha these days. And
think often of the first dharmatalk of Thay that I ever heard (in 2006, Theresa
Thay was about 80 years old) in which he told about the Buddha being
Dear Shantum,
about 80 years old, inviting his disciples to go to the island within them-
selves and not to be dependent on a teacher. A wonderful lesson. Thank you, thank you for your generous and open hearted letter/email to
us all. It has been of great comfort to me.
I just sent an email to Shantum and take some parts out of it, possibly
this can be used (or not, or for a small part) for the sharing with the Arriving home from what for me was a most wonderful experience, has
pilgrimage-group. been difficult/perculiar.

You asked for our experiences and observations. In some way I have been feeling as if I am recovering from a sickness
Some points that are often in my mind now: (maybe the cold I caught latterly). Lacking in any kind of energy for
everyday life. Physically tired but mentally and emotionally absolutely
The first week at home I just didn‘t look at my to-do-list, and this was full to over flowing!
perhaps the best thing I have learnt a little bit better:
life is possible without my habit-energy of working on a to-do-list ;-). I am still dreaming of India. Everything I do and see at times reminds me
Although I‘m pulled back now to working hard, I am aware of and gro- of something on the pilgrimage. But many things are different, for one
wing towards another way of life. thing the silence!!

What I tell most people first about India is what I saw from the bus and I spent the first couple of days typing up my journal, written in rather
in the streets. Somebody in the circle summarized it wonderfully as: a dull way really, but I was amazed at some of the really important
vitality and equanimity. moments I had missed out, but could still connect with.
I remember Shantum saying: everything you say about India is true, and
the opposite is also true. So I know it is only a very small part of life that I just want to say how deeply grateful I am to you and all your team.
we have seen, but it was so different from what I expected, that I was You all worked so hard to make sure that we all enjoyed every possible
really surprised. experience and opportunity. I always knew that I would only travel in
India with you, and now I know my intuition was correct.
Another thing that I remember very well is walking on Mother Earth in
India. The Earth that the Buddha walked upon, and the same Mother As I watched the aeroplane take off from the inside, I whispered a little
Earth as in the Netherlands, we are not living so far apart. message ‚thank you India for opening your heart to me and for teaching
me to open mine‘.
I remember (hopefully I remember well) that Shantum mentioned that
Love to you and your family and team.
the Buddha was not satisfied with all kinds of exotic meditation tech-
niques, because he was just looking for a way to handle normal human with love and much appreciation
suffering. I was happy to hear that, to see more clearly the way that I Theresa
myself want to go; sometimes you need to hear things many times in
different ways before you really hear them.
Anke
I‘m happy you and Shantum invited us to look at our experiences in a
mindful way. Dear Shantum, Gitu, Anamika and as well Nandini,
But this doesn‘t mean that what I write is important for other people...
so please feel completely free to do nothing with it. thank you very much for your heartfelt letter with so many deep
thoughts for our re-entry at home. I did really arrived quite well at my
See you somewhere somehow! home. On the journey there had been some difficulties, beginning with
the taxi-driver, who had not been those who picked me up at the hotel,
With a smile,
but his very young brother – a wild rider of his car, who did the whole
Greet de Weger
distance to Lucknow in about three and a half hour - , and ending in
Hamburg after one taxitour and four flights where my luggage including
the Buddha-statue didn´t arrive with me. But don´t worry: My inner Bud-
dha did, and I felt so lucky and thankful for all the love and experience I
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

have got from you, the monastic sisters and brothers, our sangha and the
so lovely and lively Indians, all the colours and especially the spirit of
Buddha, so that I didn´t worried about these difficulties.
I always like very much to arrive at home, and I´m very grateful to have
a home, my garden , but more than this to be a part of my family: my
sisters – my brother and one of my sisters and my father died already, my
mother died when I was a child of nine years – my three children and my
three grandchildren, my partner and not at least my friends within the
groups to those I offer Qigong and meditation in the spirit of Buddha
and the way I have learned by Thai and now as well by you and the
monastic sisters and brothers.
On the last day of our journey the virus that was going around in our
sangha (cough and laugh) visited me as well and until today the virus
still enjoys to sit in my nose, my throat and my head; the four times
the aircrafts were going down from heaven to the earth I was really
suffering.
Here in Hamburg we have got automn, and I think it is a very good
season for re-entry, because the nature is showing us how to do: The
trees for exampel let their leaves go for a dance with the wind and later
on to become new earth for new growing and at the same time they
concentrate and conserve the essence of spring and summer and bring
it down to the roots. And that is the way I do, and so the experience with
you and the sangha to get in touch with the life of Buddha, his spirit
and dharma, yor wonderful deep way to walk with us on the traces of
Buddha and as well of Thay, and as well all the other experiences in your
lively country (they have got the time, we have got the clocks, they are in Gisela Chaponet
contact, we are so busy, ...) will become parts of my roots, there will be a
wider fundament for my life. Thank you so much! Dear Shantum
I regret that I didn´t write earlier but I had and have still got a problem
with my internet connection (just now I use the laptop and connection Thank you so much for this marvellous experience we could live with
of my partner). In fact I did not really worry about it, because the two you.
weeks I stood with you in India I didn´t use the internet and I had only a
very few contact to my family and my partner, just enough that they had Your presence, your teaching, your organization.
not to worry about me. I think it is not so bad to recognize that it is a far I‘ll never forget this time.
way from India to Germany and from Germany to India. And you and I, we
know that there is the spirit connection to our family and as well to the Since 5 days I have arrived with my body in Germany, but not with my
sangha without internet, sms, phone, ... (In my life I have got the chance mind.
to sit and wait and hear to my heart when my three children were doing Il will need some more time. To-day I went through the city like a
social work at more or less dangerous sites in Africa, Indonesia and phantom looking at all the people who were busy.
Guatemala)
Of course you can use my letter or parts of my letter for information I am still sitting under the Bodhitree with the sunray shining on my face,
and as well you can give my name to people who are interested in the sitting at the river looking to the lotus floating on the water and many
transforming journeys you offer. I think that there will be some photos other moments like this
which tell a lot about the way you be a part and at the same time the
leader and teacher of the travelling sangha. I close my eyes and I am in India with you and the sangha.
Perhaps you like to know that I gave a donation of 200€ to the eiab,
because in reality it is more a donation of you than of me. Happiness for you and your family and all the people who have worked
When I got in contact with buddhapath I already wrote that there is a to organize this pilgrimage
place to stay for you in Hamburg whenever one of you will be here.
Gisela Chaponet
With warm regards to all of you
Anke
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Insight poems Gisela Chaponet

Annabelle Zinser My heart is like a door

Which opens a little bit more every day
Finding it Everywhere Golden light is coming in which spreads in all parts of my body and
Breathing in – breathing out enlightens my mind.
There is just breathing It’s like a sunrise in the morning
Rumble – Bumble with the loving Sangha in the Bus The more time passes by, the more I feel this warm feeling
Rajgir, Bodh Gaya, Lumbini, Sravasti Maybe this is happiness?
Step by step
There is just walking
The Frangipani blossom in my hand Margot Mazuel
There is just smelling
Isn’t that enough? Ich bin dankbar dass ich hier ilin kalrk
Danke Shantum
Danke Sangha
Engelbert Jennewein Danke dem Leben
Unglaubliches Indien!
Personal Insight Wie es in der Werbrug heißt
In old days
- Blood (bloody feet)
- Sweat (sweating ‘cause of long walking) Sister Giac Nghiem
- Tears (maybe tears in front of the shine)
In the Garden of Lumbini
Nowadays
(GERMAN)
- A/C air-condition in the bus
- Potholes and bumps
- Mindful walking, talking and breathing
Nelliek Van der Kraan
Experiencing
- Long bus rides/ plastic rubbish/ waiting for others/ Shantum’s long Inside and Outside, all falling together,
talking Pure nature of love
Practicing On the river of life
- Patience, tolerance, acceptance Lotus flowers are floating
A never ending journey
Learning
I saw the jewels in their heart
- Breathe | Walk | Talk
- Yes, but its slow slow, dhiredhire
Carolien Balt

To see suffering and self suffering

Fade away in the radiance
of deep looking eyes.
India, you learned me so much
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Karin Haider Paul Rees

Border experience – experience with the own limits - in Buddha´s Dear Buddha
nearness My inspiration
My teacher
Limits of experiences
My friend
I – You – We
I am sorry it has taken so long to visit you. And I was too late, seeing you
Healthy – Ill
laying here in Kushinagar, under a golden shawl.
Poor – Rich
Dear Paul, No problem. You haven’t missed me. I have always been part
Individual – Group
of you
Loud – Silent
On the way – Arrived
Thanks for the endless variations of new experiences
Ana
Grenzerfahrung - in Buddhanähe
Was I there as the sun, one great red fall, set across the rice fields?
Grenzen der Erfahrungen Was I there on the very spot where Buddha was born?
Ich - du - wir Was I there walking with both Buddha and Jesus, in deep conversation,
Gesund - krank learning about love?
Arm - reich Was I there as another beloved relation was finally laid to rest upon the
Individuell-Gruppe fire?
Laut - leise Did I travel upon the Ganga and share the new chant to great father sun
Unterwegs - angekommen with sister, as the ruins first rays reached the boat across the water like
Danke für die unendliche Vielfalt neuer Erfahrungen an umbilical cord.
Did I again shed a tear at the re-enactment of the Buddha’s death
Was I there the misty morning sitting by the river’s edge where the
Peter Widmer
Buddha’s body was burnt?
Watching the flashes of silver as the fish jumped and the defining and
If you meet the Buddha,
existing of the Indian flowers?
You have arrived in India
Did I walk with the Sangha under the hot sun through authentic village
in the countryside.
Mandeep Arora
Did I actually enjoy the knowledge of spending time with so many
children in their happy school?
Intro in German (?)
Life is beautiful but ? is ? struck together moment by moment Was I there at sunset on vulture peak?
We discover this step by step – Did I manage all those steps with Thay’s help?
Trying to find Buddha in us Was I beneath the Bodhi tree listening to the evening chant
It is journey we shared with our friends –
Was I there in the Jettagrove where the Buddha manifested around me
Highs and lows
as a butterfly?
But everything flows
Let it flow/ with glow Yes I was there –
Let it flow
Walking in the footsteps of Buddha with friends, many Sangha people,
many nations, breathing as one.
Br Phap Ly
unknown
Walking in the footsteps of the Buddha
Let the Buddha walk
Der Bodhibaum ist längst vergangen,
Through India of the past and present
Zu den Früchten kann man nicht gelangen,
Happiness
Aber fest in Hier und Jetzt,
Blüht der Bodhibaum zu guter Letzt.
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Verena Bottcher Philippe

How beautiful the morning mists In Varanasi

And the quiet flow of the river too much to see
I smile, my heart open, my mind at peace I saw death
I let it all go...
Every sound, every image
From Einstein I learned about the relativity
Gives rise to thoughts, to feelings
of space and time
All these perceptions serve as a mirror
From Shantum I learned about the relativity
Showing me the patterns of my habit energies
of spirituality,
which he so eloquently expressed as bla bla bla...
As the electricity in our dining hall breaks down once again
I deeply enjoy the sound of silence
Stefan
Klaus Meder
Wont(?) stroke the most during the travel on the footpath of the Buddha
1. The deep religious and spiritual atmosphere at the Mahabodhi temple
My Indian Journey
at Bodhgaya
Touched by the live in India
2. The moment at the river on October 20 in Kushinagar. That was the
I see also its beauty
time when my mo (?) died I found out later
Walking on the footsteps of Buddha
3. The Lumbini’s peace stupa and the temple besides where big lotus are
I am aware of every step
used to pray a mantra
Hearing Shantum’s teaching feeling the energy of the Sangha
I get closer to the Dharma
Burghard Lippke
Urte Sagar
Im Angesicht des Leidems ist es gut, mich weit zu öffnen und das Leben
durch mich hindurch fließen zu lassen.
On the road, a cart
In front of the cart, a buffalo,
On the cart, a man
Anna
In his hand, a smart phone
India
Bei allen Abenteuern, die in meinem Leben noch auf mich warten, kann
India and ich sicher sein im Schutz von Buddha, Sangha und Dharma.
the rest of the world
are one
The man on the cart, the smart phone in his hand unknown
The person in the bus, the camera in his hand
regarding the man on the cart….? Ich bin da
Und ich bin darüber
My practice … needs to be deepened
Froh und dankbar
Du bist da
Und ich bin darüber
Froh und dankbar
Die Sangha, ist da
Und ich bin darüber
Froh und dankbar
All die unterschiedlichen
Mensehen sind da
Und ich bin darüber
Froh und dankbar
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Nanne Hessel Gabrielle – Heller Lotus des Herzens

Peace in oneself Liebe Sangha

Peace on ones human relationships Ich dankbar all meinen
Peace in the world Ahnen und fühle mich
tief verbunden mit ihnen.
Ich bin das Ergebnis
Josef Leuchtner Unzähliger Leben – kosmische
Erlebnisse und bin nun angekommen
Dear Buddha, In den Fußspuren
I have come to walk in your footsteps. Having worked in many directions, Buddhas
both on solid ground and on a more slippery ground, the depth of my Buddha in meinen Tun
mind. With the mindful help of the Sangha, I trust I make a significant In meinem Herzen
step into an additional direction, which is my much spiritual path. In meinem Geist
Du bist in mir Buddha
Ich bin in dir Buddha
Angie Und wir gehen zusammen nach
Deutschland mit Freude und Liebe
Breathing In
Breathing Out
My mind body and spirit are full of India, an incredible journey of bump Shantum
bump bump – true Sangha
Breathing Out Who am I, enquired the Buddha
I am you and you are me
My mind body and spirit are full of India, an incredible journey of bump We inter-are
bump bump – true Sangha It is easier to realize this in a harmonious Sangha and he suggested a
4 fold Sangha. 2600 years later we walk in his footsteps and live his
model. This is happiness
Catherine Hoskyns Where am I, asks the Buddha
It helps to know that he is still enjoying the sunset from vulture peak,
Maintenance Sitting under the Bodhi tree, enjoying the birds, Eating kheer from Sujata
I like the wise words of the Buddha and making a cushion from kusa grass, while the buffalo boy’s mother
About the cart tied up with string makes cow patties to cook dinner.
Too much maintenance required to keep it going Some friends from Europe join her for a while. He walks through the
I shall be 80 next year, near the age when the Buddha died ripening paddy fields that his father has ploughed. Meets his friends to
I intend to keep going for the moment share his insights and a path of awakening, then gets on the bus again.
But I hope in the future He gets crematedby the Hiranyamati river, reflecting on his life.
To have wisdom enough to know when And making sure, no one is kept in the dark, we cross the borders and
too much maintenance is required boundaries between birth and death and each other and enjoys lunch at
the Kings hunting lodge.
We are reminded that for the Sangha to remain harmonious, we need the
Paula help of mindfulness trainings.
To have a common ethical understanding that transformation of the
In Holland life is structured. Old people live in old people house, terrorist is possibile.
animals in farms or house or whatever, everything has its separate
place – In India I see lots of things together in the street. Is everyone’s second body here?
Who am I, enquires Thay
Where am I, enquires Thay
I am not in the stupa and I am not outside the stupa either
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Indian Street Life Maya

Playing children 3 neue Gründe glücklich zu sein

Walking cows 1. Jch konnte Buddhas Wirkungsstätten besuchen
Beautiful woman in sari 2. Ich hatte die Chance, dies mit der Sangha zu erleben
Buzzing bugs 3. Es ist keine Notwendiglient mehr für eine Pilgerreise
Piles of trash I have arrived – I am home
Old people sitting
Sleeping dogs
Barbers working Ute
Goats eating
Waiting men in their shops Außen – Outer Journey
And motorcycles and card Indien ist für mich wie das Leben selbst. Die Reise macht meine Haut
TOET dünner und dünner – Tag fuer Tag fuehle ich mich offener und verletzli-
TOET TOET cher zugleich.
TOET TOET TOET
Innen – Inner Journey
Zusammenfliessen – mit der Sangha. Hand in Hand auf Buddhas Weg
Verstehen, unterstützen, lachen, trösten, singen
Greet de Weger
Danke – Sukhriya
Walking in Buddha’s footsteps
I touch the earth
Angelika (Kushinagar While Walking Meditation)
And I know that I’m alive
Very thankful to walk on this path
Gentle morning rising
Embraces the grass
Deep and clam
Monika Sauer-Meder
The river is floating
Carrying white lotus blossoms
Walking between heaven and earth
My heart is at peace
Walking on the paths of Buddha
Touching the earth with my feet
Looking at the blue sky with my eyes
Birgit
Feeling the warm and golden sun on my skin
Breathing in –
Ich war/bin sehr glücklich in Indien und habe jeden
Smelling the taste of India –
Tag als Geschenk empfunden. Diese Reise war so wunderbar organisiert,
Breathing out
wir haben so viel gesehen und erlebt, daB mein Herz gauz voll davon ist.
Being between heaven and earth
Die Meuschen hier – so freundlich
Getting close to Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha
Das Leben – so viel farbig und bunt.
Feeling a big calmness, peace, a silent harmony and happiness in me.
Die Tiere und Pflauzen – so faszinierend und aufregend.
Thank you Buddha, thank you Thay
Die Landschaft – so abwechslungsreich und fruchtbar.
Thank you Shantum,
Ich habe auch die Armut gesehen
Thank you Sangha
Die Not der Menschen
Gestank und den Müll
Ich habe mein Herzen geöffnet
unknown
sie haben zurückgelächelt
Und geweint
Awake
Es ist, wie es ist..
Alive
Wo der Buddha gegangen ist
We breathe
eine überwältigende Erfahrung
All life
Die heiligen Orte, wo auch Stille war
Kindly received
Der Buddha in mir – er begleitet mich
Everything dissolves
Danke Indien, danke Shantum & crew, danke Sangha
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Tina Ingeborg Leuchtner

Golden feet Oh Buddha

Shade of the tree Von weit bin ich gekommen in dieses Land
Red stupa bricks Dankbar fur die Möglichkeit, Dir so nah zu sein
Wishy rain on Vulture peak Ich habe Deine Anwesenheit gespürrt an vielen Orten
I saw your compassion as the snail crawled on your hand Am Geiergipfel, wo Du schon warst,
I saw your patience as you sat eating mindfully next to me In Kushinagar, wo Du gestorben bist,
I saw your passion to serve and your shivopian humour Und in Shravasti, wo Du viele
I saw your loving kindness as you hold me to hug the inner child tightly Lehrreden verfasst hast.
I saw your suffering as you scratched your mangy body Eine Sehnsucht ist in mir entstanden, Dir leibhaftig zu begegnen.
I walked behind you…knowing you for real Was für ein Glück – das Wissen hat sich fortgesetzt und in Thay
auf wunderbase Art manifestiert.

Maria McLellan

In the footsteps of the Buddha Anonymous – as not worthy!

From Bamboo Grove to Jeta grove
I witnessed and experienced many times the flexible mind with huge To come on a journey with Shantum Seth is to uncover a new joy at every
tolerance and with the understanding that there is straight line, simply step. His organization, his knowledge and will make sure that each of
a guideline. us learn more than a bit about the mystery of Buddha, his history and
Namaste India life while changes so dramatically, having taken a wife. The stories of
abstinence and journeys so far intermingling with history of his country
– India
India (out of the purple bus) So take up your mats pilgrims, sunscreen and hats, and strive to do
better in the future – that’s that!
I like your buffaloes
I like your tiny homes
I like your burning fire Coppelia
I like your funny talk
I like your prayer I have no insight
I like your music from the soul I have no poem
You are living your life Only an impression
I like your being together Of a long winding river
I like your beautiful smile Tall feathery purple elephant grass
Sacred earth On the banks
Land from the Buddha And white lotus blooms
Here we walked together Swirling softly
Bholzanu Diwati Downstream.
Saried women water buffalo herding
Rice paddy fields of golden green was transparent dragonfly in mindful
Sister Bi Nghiem
gratitude, walk with the Buddha.
Sitting on the bus
Watching the cows pass by
Cities, shops, villages and markets
Cars, goats and elephants
Rice fields, mountains and rivers –
Watching it all with amazement and great love
Looking for understanding, a solution
Finally letting it all be as is, merely observing
All seems so normal now – interbeing of cows and cars and all
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Bettina Romhardt Thus I Hear

In the footsteps of the Buddha Buzzzzing hummmm of early morning insects.

Early morning Plop of straw mats as cloth cushions are arranged.
The Sangha body forms into walking meditation line Ssssssssss ... Uhhhh ... Sssssss ... Uhhhh ... Sssssss
Opening to touch the Buddha inside As inflatable zafus rise to the occasion.
Beauty along the road Stillness . . . stillness
Indian flowers, early morning mist, the concentration of the Sangha Dong mnmmnmmnmn
Being present Dong mnmmnmmnmn
Welcoming it all Dong mnmmnmmnmn
I do not go to it
Suffering along the road
It does not come to me
Crushed insects, hungry dogs, the faces of begging children
I am this . . .
Being present
Dong mnmmnmmnmn
Welcoming it all
Tweet tweet tweet
Beauty in my skandhas
AWWWK AWWWK AWWWK
Calmness, gratitude, peaceful steps
Awwk awwk awwk
Being present
Welcoming it all The urgent whir of nearby machinery.
Trrrill of cooing doves
Suffering in my skandhas
. . . or pigeons?
Infection , tiredness, afflictions
Crrroooo crrrooo crrroooo
Being present
Crrroooo crrrooo crrrooooo
Welcoming it all
Creaking that accompanies the coming and going through some nearby
Touching this moment deeply
gate or door
Seeing clearly
A hint of a cough
THIS is the path
Unh unh unhhmmmn . . . A clearing throat
This is the path of awareness
A full on C-C-C-COUGH!!!!!
An image arises in my mind
One day walking on this path Whoop whopp whopp whopp whopp whopp whopp whopp of a circling
The flower of TRUE FREEDOM will bloom copter
Someone tips on my shoulder Sqwaaack sqwaack sqwaack sqwaack
Turning around Meeep meep meep
Phap Chuong the bodhisattva of loving action Meep meep meeppp
Smiles, offers me lotus flowers Tukk ttukkk ttukk ttukkk ttukkk tukkk tukkk
Being present Unintelligible but unmistakeable children‘s voices approaching and then
Welcoming it all receding into faintness,
And then utterly disappearing into tweet tweet tweet tweet.
Breathing in and out the silent vigil of both the White Crane and Sacred
Vulture.
The same goes for me as Jack said of Ananda‘s relationship with the
BUDDHA and Mahakashappa, and I quote with subtle variation:
„And so he watches his two teachers closely
Without judgement
Without criticism
He listens to learn what cannot be found in books
He listens to learn what cannot be found in sutra memorization.
He listens
Wanting to put his uneasy heart to rest.“
Muuuuuuuuuuuu
And so he listens . . .
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

HAIKU Stephanie Judt

Begging scoundrel monks Diese Reise hat mir Buddha als einen Menschen gezeigt.
Dressed in orange parachutes Wunderbare Erzähungen seiner Wanderungen, Stationen und
Buddhas every one Begegegnungen. Erzählt an Orten, an denen diese Geschichten spürbar
und greifbar sind – mit viel Freude geteilt – einfach in sich aufnehmen.

JOSHU‘S COW
Luca Storch (age 14)
In India the cows are oddly silent.
In India the cows don‘t moo. Ich habe gelernt, dass man nur durch ein Lächeln oder eine Geste
Everything Mu‘s. eine Person fröhlich machen kann.
Am schönsten fand ich den Ausflug am Dienstagmorgen,
als wir die Blüten in den Fluss gelegt haben.
FOOTPRINTS:

Following in the footsteps of my teacher in the sand at the Jeta Grove. Maire Eibhlin Nic Giolla Bhride (Mary McBride)

The above one line poem goes with the enclosed photo. The footsteps of the Buddha
was transparent dragonfly in mindful gratitude, walk with the Buddha. Lorg means footsteps in Gaelic.
(My) Mindless footsteps
(My) Mindful footsteps
My unfolding footprint

Mick Mc Evan

Struggle – Ease
Regardless of how I perceive reality
Be it sick or healthy
Hot or comfortable
In silence or amongst the noise
In solitude or with the crowd
I realize I can always breathe in with ease and release
my craving and crasping
Smiling statues, stupas and relics I know I can always
walk with the Buddha within
 In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Ute Storch

Hingabe

ich bin wieder in Deutschland -

alles ist so anders
wo sind die Farben, der Lärm, die Menschen, das Lachen,
meine Reise-Sangha...?
Hupen..Hupen..Hupen...der Müll
aber
ich genieße auch mein Zuhause - das eigene weiche Bett,
Herbstlaub, Stille...
auch Sicherheit, Vertrautheit...und Alltag
Und dann wieder Sehnsucht -
ich rieche am indischen Schal...
sofort kommen Bilder und ich fühle eine sprudelnde Freude
hochkommen
mein Herz ist weit und offen
wahre Hingabe - tiefe Demut
an den Strom des Lebens
das lernt mich Indien,
seine Menschen - die mir Ihr Leben so direkt zeigten, dass ich mich
nicht verstecken kann.
Manchmal ist es mir zuviel - aber ich kann mich nur aufmachen,
sonst müsste ich fliehen.
Und
Die Glocke - sie war so wichtig auf unserer Reise
Sie schaffte - Stille - Durchatmen - Achtsamkeit
Sie schaffte inneren Raum, wo der äußere manchmal eng war

Ich bin dankbar

In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Jadzia Ellen Esser

So many people, so much noise In old the old village of Uruvela

And yet the quiet from within emerges We met your children, dear Thay,
Plays hide and seek – refusing to be held Now I understand:
And then surrenders. Sravasti, Sundeta and all the others
Quiet and calm in the temple They are still here,
Within – for now With their smiles,
for now Their openness,
And eager of knowing
On The Buddhapath
Hurry hurry: Stop!
Pain, Rebellion, Conflict
unknown
Slowing, slower, slow
Moon illuminating
Where is the scotch tape? When will we pee?
Dawn awakening
How long till we get there? When will I see?
Sun shining
Lean back in silence
Buddha in me: Me in Buddha
Sit under the tree
Buddha in me: Me in Buddha
Together in Sangha
We are already free
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Dear Thay, Dear EIAB pilgrimage sangha,

Welcome home and welcome to the here and now for those who have not arrived.

Thank you so much for your heartfelt letters in the last days, and experiences of re-entry.

I feel very grateful to all of you for coming and giving me the opportunity to share the Buddha‘s path in the way that we did. It was special since I had
the opportunity to learn so much from you, and I feel I have another 70 teachers. It was a blessing to have our monastic sisters and brothers with us.

I realise it was quite an intense journey and getting home may seem like a culture shock (in reverse). Am glad that most of you have sangha friends,
relatives and partners close by.

As I continue on the ‚path of awakening‘, I thought I‘d write just a few thoughts and recommendations for re-entry. I hope it will be useful. Sorry, it has
take me a few days to send this to you. I just arrived in Mussoorie to be with Gitu, Anamika and Nandini (our elder daughter) last night, after spending a
couple of nights en route in Noida.

It was lovely to spend a day with my parents and my office in Noida. I feel so grateful to the Buddhapath team of Bina, Charu, Kamlendra, Sunita, Man-
deep, Mathews and Jagdish, besides my family for all their support.

Re-entry is always a tricky business. As my friend Pico Iyer writes, “The last destination isn‘t the final place on the itinerary, but what happens when we
get home and try to make sense of it.” It is an opportunity to look at our familiar surroundings and habit patterns with our ‚pilgrim‘s eyes‘.

-We have all had an immersion into another cultural/spiritual reality. The pilgrimage we made together does not end with the air-trip home but will
continue for the rest of our lives. Things will continue to emerge and deepen for us in years to come.

-Take some time, if you can. Don‘t rush back into your normal life and routine. Watch and witness what comes habitually and see if it truly nurtures
well-being. You have some new perspectives from our experiences together and you can re-choose your life and view it anew. It is a precious time to be
especially mindful.

-Share your pilgrimage with the people you love and people who are open and interested. Don‘t be disappointed if some people don‘t have the patience
to hear everything right away. If you find it difficult to get started about speaking of the experience, share a few photographs and that will evoke questi-
ons. Your stories and transformation will continue to unfold. You could continue writing in your journal and sharing with others. It will affirm and deepen
the power of our pilgrimage. Also share your experience of the rich teachings we received where you feel moved to do so.

-Stay in touch with other pilgrims in our travelling Sangha. We shared deep and powerful moments together and we have a special bond. I am loving
hearing unfolding insights and processes, as you re-integrate into your familiar surroundings at home. Each letter you have sent is so valuable. Br Phap
Dung suggested we put together a newsletter within a month and your contributions are most welcome. Verena Bottcher has kindly agreed to coordina-
te the effort. She will be writing to you and her email is verenaxxs@gmail.com if you can forward your contributions to her.

-Rest and sleep more than usual and drink lots of water. We went through many physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual spaces together. Your
body and mind will appreciate the time and space to integrate.

-Try and set aside time each day, for meditation, reflection and cultivation of practice. Try and read some sutras as I feel they will have a deeper meaning
and association. During our journey we have generated an energy whose quality is easy to lose if we don‘t sustain it and then we will not be able to
retain our insights and integrate them into our lives. Continuing with the ‚strucks‘ and insight poems is another way to nurture reflection.

Part of my personal re-entry process asks me to reflect on how well the pilgrimage was facilitated and where it could be improved. Thanks for taking
time to some of you who filled the feedback form. Those who did not, please do if you have the time. I have requested Bina to send it electronically. It
is most useful to us, in our endeavour to improve. Thanks too for the suggestions on raising awareness about the pilgrimage to a wider audience, and
encouraging others to take this journey. Thanks too to all of you to take so many of our ‚propaganda‘ flyers and posters to put out at appropriate places.
In the footsteps of the Buddha - Pilgrimage 2014 Newsletter

Also if you want to send a quotable quote, which we can use for publicity, please do.
You could also write a comment (hopefully positive) on TripAdvisor on our site which is called Eleven Directions Day journeys.

If you have the energy, inclination and resources, do join us again or just come and visit us in Mussoorie/Dehradun.

I am looking forward to reading accounts of the journey if you write them up. Also photos from those who put it together. Would love to receive a CD/
DVD of photos from anyone who can put it together. Also do tag Shantum, Eleven Directions and Buddhapath with the photos if you are using FaceBook.
In fact it would be good to ‘friend’ and ‘like’ each other on FB if you are on. Stefan has kindly offered to find a way to post our photos on the web/cyber
space together.

Each year, I send a few names at random of people who have been on the pilgrimage to people requesting information about the journey. I trust it would
be OK to offer your name on such inquiries. If not, please do tell me.

For those who wanted to support social, educational and dharma work we are involved in through the non-profit Ahimsa Trust, you can send a cheque in
the name of ‚Ahimsa Trust (FCRA Account)‘ and mail to me at 309-B, Sector 15A, Noida 201 301, India. With it should be a letter saying that this money is
for a donation. If you prefer to send the donation electronically, we can send you the bank details or you will find them on www.ahimsatrust.org Inciden-
tally, we put 10% to 15% of the income from the pilgrimage into the Trust‘s work.
Thank you so much for the generous offering some of you already made.

Thanks again for being the Sangha body that helped share the Dharma and manifest the Buddha. I do hope our paths continue to meet. You are of
course most welcome to India and our home.

With warmth and love,

Shantum and Gitu

Journey to Nowhere
We are all moving on a journey to nowhere,
Taking it easy, taking it slow.
No more worries, no need to hurry,
Nothing to carry,
Let it all go.