To tell you the truth I am not following strictly the Yatra. For that you need to have the stamina of a monk. My situation is another one; I am balancing the yatra together with my moral commitment to end the translation of a book entitled “Why meditate?” by H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna I have been completing some general information on this society for the benefit of the general public, that has been uploaded on the web: TerapanthSamaj.com together with Yogasans and Pranayams to be found in http://www.preksha.com/spanish/index.htm, (the famous website for the Preksha Meditation system where anyone can find theory and practical guidance.) This task has taken me hours on end before the computer.
“Why meditate?” will be the first book in Spanish published by this Jain Terapanth Sect that has adopted me already for two months. I am very happy to have been contributing to the cause, in order to make them known, with some of my translations, to the Spanish speaking people all over the world.
You start one day by getting attracted to a different way of understanding life, the life of “the ascetics of the insects yellow broom”, then you question yourself about them and see gladly that they are ready to let you know about themselves. From the very beginning I was offered the tremendous gift of having a private tuition of ¾ of an hour per day, on Jainism by some of the most prominent scholars of the Samanijis. In the first part of the month of February 2005 I conversed with Samani Mangal Pragyaji and the second part with Samani Unnata Pragyaji. They allowed me to record our conversations and now I have an invaluable recorded material for my personal reflection. One day, I may hand this knowledge to people interested in finding out more about this way of understanding our presence on this earth.
I did not want to write this my second report on the Yatra till I had completed two more days walking on this beautiful desert. I should clarify that this is a sandy area but it is not a dead desert, you can see a good number of trees and bushes here and there but what really moves my emotion is when I see the little huts made of polished clay, sometimes even with some simple artistic designs.
From Ladnun, where I spent the month of February, we have been walking to the north of Rajasthan up to Sardarshahar and now we are going towards the south east in the direction of Jaipur via Ratangarh, Sikar & Laksamangarh. It is in Jaipur where I will finish my stay with the Yatra, for the time being, as my original purpose to come to India was to make some progress on my doctoral studies on Advaita Vedanta.
The truth is that the Vedas were not considered an authority by jainists and their cosmology differs in so many points with that of my studies but I do not want to be put off by words or philosophical schemes. I just want to allow my heart palpitate by the transforming beauty to be discovered anywhere, as divine gifts. Just pay attention to any of the little temples people have in their houses and you will see there that there is place for all sorts of divinities including passed away members of the family who came to be considered as ‘divine’ members to be prayed for.
In the same way that ‘The Hanuman’, the Monkey God, is prayed for power & wisdom. Our ancestors, says modern science, come from the apes. Why not to revere them?
Rainy season in India is yet to come. At that moment, the monks will stay at one place without moving for four months, what they call “Chaturmas”. That will be in New Delhi in a few months, so I will have the chance to meet them again before leaving for Spain.
My third and fourth yatra walking took place the 29th and 30th of March, two days in a row. The first of the two days I could see how my legs were a bit slow and realized how age is coming over all of us without exception.
Something which is very interesting to note down for those reading about this experience, is the way monks and nuns manage to go about when they become old and cannot walk fast enough to be in a yatra. As they cannot use engine vehicles they have constructed some big metal white chairs supported by four cycle wheels which are pushed generally by three monks to carry the old one sitting on it. They take advantage of the intelligent device to carry some of their reduced belongings. Mostly a few books to go on with their studies anywhere they go.
The fourth day it was better than the third. No doubt I would improve if I come at least from time to time on the road. Sadhana starts with one’s body.
Monks are usually offered the village school when they stay in a little village which was the case of Ranasar the place appointed to stay that night. Ranasar will be easily kept in my memory as “rana” means frog in Spanish, and because it was the place where I slept “a la belle étoile” in the open air, under a starry sky. Happily we were provided with cots and bedding. The necessary infrastructure for the 160 people working around the yatra has to be sufficiently good so that people get the essential rest after working so hard. The paraphernalia consists of: stage, carpets on the floor, tents and exceptionally attractive colorful Indian canvas to protect the multitudes from the scorching sun, 6 generators to provide electricity for light and sound system… and so many other aspects of which I am not yet aware.
If the monks go to the lay followers for material food, the lay followers go to the monks for spiritual food. So, no matter how big or small a place might be, the people will always have some speeches addressed to them. For me it was again an opportunity to meet with Muni Abhijeet who is continuously searching for me to revise his Western Philosophy. Ranasar was the site where we went through Leibnitz’ Monadology. While I was with the young “darsinik” (Philosopher), a young muni came and asked me if I remembered him as we had met at Ladnun. Different groups of monks had been walking through different places and getting reunited at some others. This reminds me that when the two South Corean youths who spent 5 days at Ladnun were going to depart we went to H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna for his blessing and at a given time we heard very strong voices from people outside. None of the monks or samanis was losing their composure but we, foreigners did not know what was going on. The organized demonstration was there to ask H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna not to leave aside their village while in the Yatra. We felt comforted on hearing that.
Ranasar had offered me its simple beauty and its magnificent night but not a drop of water to wash my face.
The following day I was to start a second day 12 kilometers long with a body whose sweat had dried on it but that had had the blessing of experiencing the so called pink cold, the invigorating cold of the pink sandstone almost as hard as granite, that I can see everywhere used for walls and even ceilings. It seems such a luxury to me. What would a Dutch person would think, he who has not a stone in his country?
When I look around in any of these marvelous medieval, towns and villages, from my perspective, I experience a continuous flow of emotions. Looking at the buildings I can’t believe they were so nicely decorated and painted only a few years ago. Now I wonder where those artists are. Looking at the dirty streets I question myself if my Indian brothers see what I see. Then in most private houses you see cleanliness. Why is it that the engineering drainage system is so poorly developed? Why is it that everyone, even those who think themselves to be cultured, throw to the floor anywhere, plastic cups or anything they do not need? Are they thinking of the cows?
In my first report I said that they were eating carton paper, but later on I have seen those eating rags and metal disposable plates. I have to be careful not to become like a cow which seems to have only the desire of eating. I don’t want to be a hungry being, in spite of the very detailed sophistication and care with which food is being served to me in houses like the one I am staying at now whose owner is Mr. Mahendra Kumar Baid in Ratangarh (Churu) Rajasthan.
I keep asking myself the question, would I be able to adapt to this country which I love in so many ways but which I hate in so many others? To which extent is it a question of getting transformed internally? What is real development? Is it literacy? That, may be chosen as a parameter, but we could also choose: the ability to smile to your neighbors, to take care of them, to show them respect... but that is a parameter that cannot be measured, if it could perhaps so many of the so called developed countries would fail in their score.
In India, I am also worried about some ways of dealing among people. I was not born here and the hierarchy and caste system escapes me. I often see here what I would call relations of authority or authoritarian personalities, which are strange to me. I cannot understand how a young man can call an old person to come to him because he wants to ask for a question. From outside I have this reading:
“I know who I am, that is to say, I belong to such and such caste and family, and you, poor old man, and you know who you are and where you come from, so comply to my request if the order in this society is to be kept”.
To me this is shocking. No doubt those are ways that are learned and ingrained in one’s childhood. One comes to use that behavior inadvertently.
Now in the Western world, we cannot give orders to anyone, not even to your wife, or you risk for an immediate separation.
Another thing that breaks my heart is when I see so many youngsters working as servants. This child labor was also with us, the westerners, a couple of generations ago. Now, most of our children are given all kinds of facilities and possibilities, sometimes so many that they do not show appreciation for anything. They do not know the value of a rupee. When I teach my pupils in Spain, I always tell them that I have seen Moroccan students preparing their lessons at night under the light of a lamppost in the street, as they did not have electricity on their houses.
There is no end to my anecdotes. I could write a report of this size each day. Allow me to tell you just a couple of them more:
Some wonderful people were showing me a beautifully decorated house thanks to the care of Munishri Kumar Shramanji who wants me to get to know about the rich culture of Rajasthan. It was like a museum. They were very happy to show it to me and at a given moment the lady who spoke English, asked me if I wanted to know her name to which I said: “yes, why not?” But what I didn’t expect was that she then told me the names of 5 or 6 members of her family…
Another thing that shows me the beauty of the heart of some people here is that although I tell them I don’t know their language they continue speaking and speaking to me in it with the hope that if they continue I may understand. How nice…
This Yatra is an unending discovery, full of stories and encounters.
...to be continued.