27-07-2015 Hotel Gautama Buddha, Tilaurakot, Nepal
Siddhārtha Gautama roamed this area as a prince of the Shakya Kingdom up until the age of 29 when he set out on his journey in search of supreme wisdom, leaving a palace and assurances afforded to royalty.
Detached from expectations, only the self remains. Curiosities change as voids become filled, pieces of the puzzling nature of man reveal consequences of cultural conditioning. The illiterate considered inferior when perhaps semantics and the need for labels serves as the root of the failure to progress in harmony with nature, unnatural, irrational attachments to the past, a sinking ship, obsession with negative events simply promotes these events and increases the probability of similar behaviors following suit, just as itching an itch results in more itching, allow negative events and sensations to pass without a reaction, recognize and digest the reality that everything will fade away, even the dependable sunrise.
Energy diminishes despite ever-present ambition. The desire for more becomes the desire for less. The quest for society’s approval transitions into an attempt to seek a more complete understanding of the self, defining its potential and discovering its limitations.
Ascertaining and calculating the vibrations appropriate to blend in like a social chameleon or control any scenario. Farther down the path, feeling quite the same. Parting ways with former habits, a new outlook, a greater opportunity lies just around the corner.
Walking out of the eastern gates of the Shakya Kingdom
Fully aware, Of the impermanence of this euphoric state, I revel in the changes that greet me As I cross a new border. Subtle mannerisms, Contagious smiles, A refreshing vibe Wandering the streets, New smells, deliciously spiced Thukpa. I drink it all in, Savoring this fleeting moment Of pure, unbridled joy.
As I walked out of the eastern gates of the ancient Shakya Kingdom, known as Mahabhinishkraman Dwar, I visualize the unfolding scene of Siddhārtha Gautama walking out these same gates, unaware of the ripple effects this event would have on humanity.
As I strolled through the streets of Dhamnahawa, I chanced upon two friendly kids who eagerly led me through a hole in the fence to the twin stupas.
“The diameter of the big stupa is 52 feet, and it is 7.5 feet high from the working surface. The stupa was made in four phases, with the first phase starting during the fourth century BC. The second stupa, located at a distance of nearly 15 feet north of the big stupa has a diameter of 26 feet and was built in a single phase during the second-first century BC. These are probably two of the four stupas mentioned by Huen-Tsang as existing before the city gates. The four stupas may represent those commemoration stupas near the city gates, erected in the memory of the four events (the sight of the old man, the sick man, the dead body, and the sage), which led Prince Siddhartha to desert the worldly life.” – Sanjib Chaudhary
I couldn’t resist the urge to test my fitness, so I ran a few short stretches while keeping a close eye on my breath, in and out of my nostrils. Despite my efforts, I was far from impressed with my performance. As I caught my breath, a quote by Shakespeare came to mind: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”
Seizing the opportunity to continue my journey, I boarded a crowded bus bound for a place called “Char Number.” A stranger on the bus had the audacity to suggest that I shave my head, to which I retorted that he should clean his shirt and pull up his sagging pants. With my pack in tow, I boarded another bus to Butwal. As we journeyed on, the hills of Nepal slowly emerged in the distance, signaling our departure from the plains and our arrival in the “real Nepal.”
Encountering a Friendly Stranger on the Bus to Tansen
As I boarded the last bus to Tansen, a Nepali woman with a charming accent offered me a few bags of chips at our first stop for rations. Rather than accepting the chips, I chose to buy a bottle of water and engage in a delightful conversation with her, both of us grinning from ear to ear. The thought crossed my mind to hop off the bus and take her with me, but the bus soon pulled away as a bystander jokingly suggested marriage. During the remainder of the ride to Tansen, I couldn’t help but replay the pleasant encounter in my mind.
