Participants :Abishesh, Anupa, Aashish, Bishwa, Keshav, Sangharsh, ReenaS, RinaM, Sangita, Shiram, prerana, Vinaya, Pramesh, Nishchal, Sumit, and Vishnu
Date : Friday, Mar 21 to Sunday, Mar 23, 08
Route : Kathmandu to Lumbini to Kathmandu
Duration : 14 hours+7 hours
Distance : 590Kms+15 kms
Report : Sumit
Photo : Abishesh, Bishwa, Nishchal, Prerana, Sangita and Sangarsh
Caption : Bishwa
C. Support : NishchalS

“Dream Comes True”. Well it really matters a lot for the one who encounter with this experience. Lumbini Tour had always been my passion and I really didn’t expect it to happen to draw this near. To be honest, I had been planning for this tour with my frens. In the mean time I was appointed in D2. I was in high spirits to be a part of this family but I was missing Lumbini. But when I found the mail of Vishnu Dai about this Tour I just couldn’t impede my emotions and I was privileged to be among the members for this visit (thanks to Vishnu and Sangita). This tour is in my CACHE memory; we left around 7:00 AM on Friday with 16 members and reached Lumbini by 4:30 PM. On our way we had many exciting events. As it was holi, in place called Daunnne, Nischal got in trap by few local people where he experienced real colors of the day (with color combination round). Though it was a long route, but jokes cracked by Nischal and Keshab didn’t let us know about the tiresome journey. In fact the whole team was entertaining. We shall hardly forget the moonlight dinner we had.

We found Lumbini much attractive than what we had expected. We were fortunate enough to interact with a monk ‘Metta’ who in no matter of time gave us some important lessons regarding Buddhism. Most important thing that I experienced was to tackle tough situations that come in life without knocking your door. I’d like to share few of his teachings I remember:

Buddhism, in its concise explanation, is known as the method of how overcome suffering, unsatisfactory in both the present moment and in the ultimate sense of living the life of a transient being trapped in samsara (cyclical existence).The unique feature of Buddhist practice is vipassana, and the development of pannya, the somewhat mysterious clarity that arises with discipline and correct samadhi that enables seeing clearly into the true nature of conditioned phenomena, namely unsatisfactory, impermanence, and non-self. This pannya is used in correct contemplation of the body, feeling, mind, and mental phenomena, namely the four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana). Vipassana requires a balance of samadhi (concentration) and sati (mindfulness) and consists of observing the arisings in the mind, noting them, and redirecting the mind back to its principal tether, the breath. This mindfulness and redirection back to the breath constitutes the letting go of whatever arises in the mind and forms the foundation for non-attachment, the beginning of skilful development in vipassana.

Buddhism consists of The Buddha, The Dhamma, and The Sangha, which are understood as the three refuges from suffering. The other condition for following Buddhism consists of basic morality: respect for life, including one’s own (not killing), respect for other people’s property (not stealing), respect for the loves of others (avoiding sexual misconduct), respect for polite speech (avoiding lies and harsh speech), and avoiding intoxicants, substances which change consciousness.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism:

1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

The Noble Eightfold Path
Wisdom
1. Right View
2. Right Intention

Ethical Conduct
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood

Mental Development
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Ten Paramatas of Buddhism (All-Embracing Virtues)
1. Dana: – The practice of generosity or charity i.e. giving others what they want just to lead them towards the truth.

2. Sila: – Principle of human behavior that promotes orderly and peaceful existence in a community.

3. Nikkhama: – Renunciation

4. Adhitthana: – Self determination and will

5. Metta: – Loving kindness, good will and friendliness

6. Upekkha: – Equanimity

7. Viriya: – Energy/Persistence

8. Khanti: – Forbearance/tolerance

9. Sachha: – Truthfulness

10. Pannya: – Right understanding of mental and physical phenomena (penetrating knowledge).

All of us were very much impressed with the monk (Metta). We were concerned and curious about the meditation technique that he taught us. Then on Sunday morning we left Lumbini, but we couldn’t leave the memories of Monasteries and feeling of silence we experienced there. Lumbini was just not a tour but a lucky thing for us and I hope we would always remember each moment we spent there and most importantly teachings of the monk. Special thanks to Vishnu for arranging this sightsee of memorable time that will always remain in my mind & heart and hope that as well my excursionists admit to it as much I do.

Click to view more images: Day One | Day Two | Day Three

00 Ready to forget the worldly anxiety

01 wake up sir, Lumbini is calling

02 Riders with colors

03 In respect of the festival of colors

04 Big enough

05 Chasing with the camera

06 Daunne Lunch!

07 Wallpaper for you

08 I washed but it won’t go

09 Mori haruko kalilo ra mayalu haat le bijog paryo

10 A gift to mother earth

11 Lost Kathmandu found Lumbini

12 Talking about the next move

13 The first move

14 The second one – Die hard

15 Towards the Sacred Garden

16 Inside Buddha’s B’place

17 A Walk to remember

18 The prayer flags

19 Young and alone

20 Ancestor

21 In the name of Mayadevi

22 Srilankan Buddhists

23 The real place where Siddhartha Gautam was born

24 Trying to be sacred

25 Basanta (Vishnu’s Cousin Bro) passinginformation to us

26 Some moments with Mithhaiya(The Friendly One)

27 Full Moon at Lumbini

28 The Moon can’t stay away from the colors

29 Refreshment

30 Moonlight Dinner

31 Initiator

32 Happy Holi !!

Click to view more images:

Day One | Day Two | Day Three