ahhh bodhgaya

Just when the last leaves had fallen and been harvested by every greedy hand that could reach one this amazing tree after one day is blooming new red leaves. Leaves that are as small as your pinkie nail to the size of a silver dollar. Unlike the older ones that are thick and brown and dead these are still alive and delicate. If you dare you can put them in your salad. I had a handful of the little white curls that drop as the leaf emerges in a tea and stayed up all night in front of the tree feeling my stomach gurgling...it's said they are good for difficult births...trouble reaching enlightenment? So yes I spent the night in a mosquito tent under the boddhi tree with a korean friend from australia who arrived on her way from 3 mos. in lumbini on her way home and she was inspired to spend the night so I tagged along. The great thing is that this is the season when puppies are learning to be dogs...so the barking and yelping go on deep into the night. Yes, great because just when I was falling asleep a dog fight breaks out inches away...I can't tell you how many times this happened. Everytime greatful to "wake up" and think "oh yeah, I'm supposed to be practincing".

So of all places bodhgaya is where I've purchased my first "puker". Supron left it with me for the work I will supposedly be doing in Dharamsala. Of course the electricity here in Bihar killed the power box on the plug so now I'm waiting for the dealer to get me a refurbished one as he already tried to repair mine but it's to burned up. So now he says deffinetely he can have it day after tomorrow in the morning if not tomorrow night. But still I will not purchase my train ticket because this is India...and it could be next week...

The days now are too hot to be outside in the middle of the day. So most practice is coming to the main temple about 4:15 am. Return to Wat Pa for breakfast at 8:00 to serve the monks. Then living in the room with the fan on inside the mosquito net my korean friend left for me until about 4 pm when its nearing the time when it will cool down...dinner, etc...then to the temple till 9pm when they lock the gates. It's a 5 min walk to Wat Pa and all the ladies selling butter lamps know I wont buy any by now. Though I've already decided I'll do it as I'm leaving.

I stopped by the Mongolian temple which is under construction and the man I met told me major construction has stopped now due to Bihar regulations...paper work...he of course knows who Rinpoche is. I hear it over and over again about all the paper work in Bihar and how it's really important to go through the process before you begin your project...some sites seem to have been sitting unfinished for year. So we must pray that the obstacles for the mongolians will be cleared away...Time to go now I hear the metal gates being closed next door for the night.