Adventure to Mundgod

So,Where is Mundgod???

I always thought that India has a lot of Buddhist temple as India is where Buddhism originate from. Paradoxically, I can't find any Buddhist temple even in Belgaum.

Mr. Carvalho told me that although Buddhism originated from India, and Ashoka the Great propagated Buddhism, however after the end of the Ashoka's era, Buddhism somehow get influenced with Hinduism and hence there's more Hindu temple compared to Buddhist temple here. But northern part of India and China took Buddhism in a large scale. So we may expect more Buddhist temple in that area.

Then Bart told me that he had went to a picnic with his school tour to a Tibetan camp in Mundgod where there's huge Buddhist monasteries.

I decided to go to Mundgod immediately after I get the permissions.

" After I got the permission, me, Ryan and Zharif hop up the bus next day and off we go to Mundgod. Without booking hotel(don't know where is the hotel), without having any maps(have no idea about the location) and without knowing the language(imagine chicken talk to duck). What an ADVANTURE!!! (this part are meant to be invisible so that my parent can't see... I've told them I planned everything and already book the hotel room there.. T.T sorry mum&dad! just don't want you guys to worry much~) "

We took a direct bus from belgaum to Mundgod(public bus), Our journey starts at 8a.m. and we reaches there at 11+ a.m.

The bust cost us Rm7 per person for 148km.

Our journey visiting starts once we reaches Mundgod.

As we're lost, I approached a monk to ask for direction.

Little did I know that the monk - Sir Lobsang Yonten(In the picture) would helped us so much in our journey.

We took a rickshaw with Yonten Sir to fetch us to the monastries

From Mundgod to Drepung Loseling Monastery, It cost us Rm5 for 4 people.

Statue of Future Buddha(Maitreya/弥勒菩萨), in Drepung Loseling Monastery.

The Huge space and breathtaking tibetan decoration of the monastery

Drepung Deyang monastery

Nevertheless, little did we knew that it's Tibetan New Year Eve, some monastery are closed. Hence Yonten Sir decide to bring us once again the next day.

We well visit again tomorrow!!!!

"Lets rise up and be thankful. For if we didn't learn a lot today, we learned little. And if we didn't learn little, at least we didn't get sick. And if we didn't get sick, at least we didn't die. So let us be thankful." - Buddha

we manage to visit some of the closed monastery as Yonten sir help us ask for the key from other monk.

Saw little monk running here and there...

Yonten Sir told me that this week is holiday for Tibetan New Year celebration.

Otherwise we'll see a lot more of the monk around.

Then we visit the New monastery.

The entrance wall of the New monastery is filled with pictures from the Buddhist philosophy.

Yonten Sir explain their meaning to me one by one.

The picture portrait of samsara, And the cause of all the problem is drew in the middle of the circle, represented by a bird, snake and pig, which means:~

Attachment(bird)
Attachment to desire is a huge cause of suffering. It traps us in samsara, or cyclic existence. The concept of desire is sometimes misunderstood as desires for things. Desire comes in three guises – desire for sensual pleasures, the desire to become (something that we are not) and the desire to be rid of something.

When we eat delicious food, the desire for more is "kama tanha" or wanting sensual pleasure."Bhava tanha" (desire to become) is wanting to transform ourselves into something that we are not – when we strive to be happy or wealthy, when we project our importance, we experience bhava tanha. When disillusionment sets in, "vibhava tanha", the desire to do away with things arises. But wanting to get rid of anger, fear and stress is also a desire. Bhava and vibhava tanha are mirror images.

Anger (Snake)

Every action has a consequence. Harming others will eventually result in our being harmed. Anger makes us harm other beings; in that sense it often becomes a cause of self-inflicted suffering.

Ignorance (Pig)

Ignorance brings suffering because not being omniscient, we act in ways that lead to problems. We cannot foresee consequences or truly understand others. Also, we cannot see the nature of reality. The gulf between our perception of it and the Ultimate Truth is enormous. This inability to comprehend reality traps us in samsara, where we must inevitably experience suffering in some form.

adapted from: Buddha Groove

Exactly like what Yonten sir told us.

風調雨順(feng tiao yu shun), we have the same picture in every temple at Malaysia too!!

Before going back to Yonten Sir's house, we visited the huge kitchen of the monastery

When functioning, this kitchen will cook for hundreds of people, making noodle, cooking rice & etc.

Yonten sir teacher's house.

We stayed in Yonten sir teacher's room

Comfy chair at the back door.

Back door to the toilet.

Someone didn't take shower

DINNER(Pure veg):

Veg Momo

Tomato Chutney

tomato soup

Next Day:~

After having chapatti and a cup of Chai for our breakfast, Yonten sir bring us to visit the monasteries which is closed yesterday.

It's Tibetan new year and new year prayers can be heard from every corner of the area.

Yonten sir told me that they didn't wish happy new year to each other in this year new year. This is because there's many Tibetan get killed in Tibet due to the violence caused by the conflict with chinese government.

In this new year, everyone pray for the situation to get better and may Buddha bless everyone.

Yonten sir told me that it's customary for everyone to walk in clockwise direction in the monastery, like the direction of prayer wheel spin.

White scarf offering to Buddha and teacher as a sign of respect during Tibetian New Year.

In this new year, I pray for Buddha to protect my family, May them be healthy and happy.

I pray for Buddha to protect my friend, May them be success in whatever course they choose.

I pray for Buddha to protect Tibet, May the conflict with the Chinese government end.

I pray for Buddha to protect the world, May this year be a peaceful, blissful and fruitful year for everyone.

I also pray for Buddha to bless my sister for her coming SPM examination.

And then I saw this rock when we're on our way to Mundgod bus stop.

This time we took a non-stop government bus, which is slightly more expensive than the one we took to from Belgaum to Mundgod.

But it's worth it.Rm2.50 from Mundgod to Hubli, Rm5.60 from Hubli to Belgaum.

Bertolak- 10am, reach home at 2pm.

Enjoying the view when we're on our way home.

Mundgod... C=

Sitting beside the window with the spring wind blow across my face,

In the bus on the bumpy road that won't stop shake.

After the long dry winter, rainy spring and summer will invade,

According to cycle of samsara the life emerge and fade .

Visit to Mundgod for renewal of faith,

being startled by the event that took place.

Met a new friend that as if knew each other for age,

Helped me like a family that provide with food and shade.

Confessed to Buddha about my sins and misbehave,

Pray for forgiveness and right path to embrace.

Thanked for all His gift, food and bless,

Pray for protection to my family and friend.

Visited the monastery and never stop being amazed,

For how fast they developed in just a few decade.

To Buddha, I knee, I bow, I pray,

For his kindness, forgiveness and grace.