It is one of the most beautifully serene and incredible places I have ever been. Something in the ground and air that hums, a sweetness that I have difficulty to describe. It was here that the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma, and put his first disciples on the path to awakening. Today I heard another Buddha speak. Karmapa, with his soft and gentle voice, spoke about the importance of Dharma in our lives as an anchor of goodness and compassion. He spoke about realizing our own basic goodness. He spoke about the importance of prayer for the benefit of all beings. He spoke about love. He spoke in much the same way the Buddha did, standing in the very same spot, gazing out to the fields of green as the sun dipped slowly into the sky. I was moved beyond words. To be there - as a pilgrim, a student, and as a witness to this second great turning of the wheel of Dharma - was one of the greatest moments of my life.
The Kagyu Monlam
