December 2017
We have begun our second Dhammayatra at Vultures Peak. This time we are traveling with monks from the Mahayana tradition.
Looking down on Vulture’s Peak with the Mahayana Chanting Program about to begin
Looking up to Vultures Peak from the trail
Vulture’s Peak may be the second “holiest” place of Buddhism, after the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya because this is the place where the Buddha spent so much time on retreat, in meditation, and most importantly, teaching.
One of the two caves along the path with Buddhist images. It is thought Buddha used these caves for meditation.
Vultures Peak is frequently mentioned in Buddhist texts in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism and in the Mahayana sutras as the place where the Buddha gave particular sermons, including the Heart Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra, both of which will be chanted while we are in Rajgir.
It is said the place got its name because vultures used to perch on some of the peak’s rock.
The sun setting on the chanting program
The program in Rajgir began with a late evening chanting program at the top of Vulture’s Peak.
The Senior monk from China led the chanting program
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The Mahayana tradition utilizes more instruments in their chanting ceremonies.
A dorje and bell
A small drum
Burning incense
I wanted to see the Vishwa Shanti Stupa first, which sits on the top of the hill above Vulture’s Peak. You reach the Vishwa Shanti Stupa via a rickety, and yet fun, tram and then walk halfway down the mountain to Vulture’s Peak.
The Vishwa Shanti Stupa is part of the World Peace Pagoda Program.
The Vishwa Shanti Stupa
Most (but not all) peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), a Japanese Buddhist monk and founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order. After meeting Mahatma Gandhi in 1931, Fujii decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas.
By 2000, eighty Peace Pagodas had been built around the world in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including the one in Japantown in San Francisco.
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The second cave on Vulture’s Peak after the sun had gone down
Poem written by Alen Ginsberg while traveling through India with reference to Vulture’s Peak
Benares, March 20, 1 963
Vulture Peak: Gridhakuta Hill
I’ve got to get out of the sun
mouth dry and red towel wrapped
round my head
walking up crying singing ah sunflower
Where the traveler’s journey
closed my eyes is done in the
black hole there
sweet rest far far away
up the stone climb past where
Bimbisara left his armies
got down off his elephant
and walked up to meet
Napoleon Buddha pacing
back and forth on the platform
of red brick on the jut rock crag
Staring out Lidded-eyed beneath
the burning white sunlight
down on Rajgir kingdom below
ants wheels within wheels of empire
houses carts streets messengers
wells and water flowing
into past-future simultaneous
kingdoms here gone on Jupiter
distant X-ray twinkle of the eye
myriad brick cities on earth and under
New York Chicago Palenque Jerusalem
Delphos Macchu Picchu Acco
Herculaneum Raj agriha
here all windy with the tweetle
of birds and blue rocks
leaning into the blue sky —
Vulture Peak desolate bricks
flies on the knee hot shadows
raven-screech and wind blast
over the hills from desert plains
south toward Bodh Gaya —
All the noise I made with my mouth
singing on the path up, Gary
Thinking all the pale youths and
virgins shrouded with snow
chanting Om Shantih all over the world
and who but Peter du Peru
walking the streets of San Francisco
arrived in my mind on Vulture Peak
Then turned round and around on my heels
singing and plucking out my eyes
ears tongue nose and balls as I whirled
longer and longer the mountains stretched
swiftly flying in circles
the hills undulating and roads speeding
around me in the valley
Till when I stopped the earth
moved in my eyeballs
green bulge slowly
and stopped
My thirst in my cheeks and tongue
back throat drives me home.