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An Australian Buddhist Pilgrimage

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April 2021

Buddhists on the path

When I moved back near my favourite forest recently my happiest waking activity quickly became an early morning walk amongst the tall mountain ash trees. The mists, the call of the loud cockatoos and the wonderous mimickery of the lyrebirds are a feast for the senses.
On two different occasions I met Buddhist practitioners each quietly breathing in the forest peace as was I.

Perhaps our Buddhist practices drew us to this alive, still, special place. The early hours means of course there are very few people walking the tracks and I guess we liked it that way.

However, in both cases a slow gentle conversation began to take place which lead to discovering our mutual understanding of value of the Buddha’s teaching.
I was able to exchange gifts with one of the men who was soon to leave Australia to return to his family in Sri Lanka after a number of years working in Australia. He gave me some beautiful herbal mix teas made by his tea company and I passed on one of the donated little buddhas which has completed a journey from the UK, to Australia and now on to Sri Lanka. Even though the Covid pandemic has shut down international travel for now, by the time we parted I carried a warm invitation to visit him and Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka anytime I wished.

Buddha donated by Padmajyoti UK

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Buddhas in Adelaide

Tracy from Adelaide asked if she could hand on two of the little
buddhas given to me for the ‘Buddhas in my pocket’ journey.
Here are her stories :

Buddha 1

“ I met this lovely child strolling down the street one day. She was being pushed in a pram and her little eyes caught mine as we passed and I stopped to say hello. Her mum told me how grateful she was to have this little girl, how she struggled with the decision to keep her as she was but a babe herself, still in her teens.
After a short time I remembered the two buddhas I had in my bag that Maitripala had given me to hand out.
I held one in each hand and asked little ten month old if she would like to have one.
Her eyes darted between each and after some consideration, she reached out and chose this turquoise buddha . Perhaps one day her mum may tell her the story of how she came to have it, and who knows where that may take her.”

Buddha 2

“Never having attended a Mitra ceremony, I had no idea what to expect. It was such a joyous occasion, filled with rejoicing in merit and celebrating the commitment made.
At one point people started to line up in front of the new Mitra, offering cards, gifts and congratulations.
I was unprepared for this having not brought a gift, yet waiting in the line, I remembered the remaining Buddha I had in my bag and it seemed the perfect gift.
It was received with much love and gratitude and I had the thought that we are never empty handed if we have a ‘Buddha in our pocket’ or indeed, the Dharma in our life.”

Let me know if you recognise either buddha as one you donated.

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