Dharma Forest

Travel Journal: Stories Around the Globe

Going to keep a journal for my journey from San Francisco to Australia, to Germany, Poland, France, Italy and Finland. On the road, personal stories, with all the gripes and inspirations intact.

Started out with Tru Chung and Cuc Chung, in Dr. Mike Chung's big SUV. Left my jacket at the monastery; Sandy called as we reached Ashby Avenue. We had to circle back through Saturday traffic to pick it up. Good thing, too, Australia is cold in the winter!

Evening flight to Sydney. Australia immigration lost my visa. Then they found TWO visas for me. Retrograde Mercury?

"Thank you for helping to keep our airport secure. We are currently at security threat level one (orange?). Keep in contact with your bags at all times. Unaccompanied baggage will be destroyed." Why don't other nation's airports terrorize their citizens this way?

At baggage inspection my robe was flagged by a nervous, new inspector. The inspector apologized for giving me the pat down. 

Beggar or Bodhisattva?

Beggar or Bodhisattva? You Decide (A Story From Three Steps, One Bow)

The Big Sur Beggar came along at the right time to help me sort out my fantasies of being a Bodhisattva, an “Awakened Being.” My companion, Heng Ch’au and I had been reading the Avatamsaka Sutra, a section where the Bodhisattva tests his ability to give generously by responding to the outrageous requests of suffering living beings. These particular living beings come up in great numbers to him. They are so poor they are starving, emaciated, and at the point of death. They beg the Bodhisattva for a piece of his flesh to eat, and the Bodhisattva of course, unwilling to attach to any material thing or to deny them anything, cuts off a piece of his body to feed them. Furthermore, he does so happily, grateful to them for giving him the chance to practice renunciation.

Did You Wake Up?

Did You Wake Up? (A Story From Three Steps, One Bow.)

Near Santa Cruz we parked in a cul-de-sac, behind the fence of a housing unit. We were behind the dumpster port used by the housing block. People would have to come around the enclosure to find us. We settled in, lit the kerosene lamp and meditated after bowing. Heng Ch’au made tea and we chanted the Amitabha Sutra and secured the Plymouth for the night.

A man wandered over, knocked on the windows and asked politely whether we were prepared?