My journey to Dambadiva with Colombo Dhamma Friends, in collaboration with Mahamegha Dharmayatra, was an awakening experience.
If I could explain it in one sentence, I would say: “It was a journey that made the Buddha’s presence feel real, and his teachings feel essential.”
I have traveled to many countries, but no place has touched my soul like Bodhgaya did with this pilgrimage. The Venerable monks of Mahamewna Asapuwa did not just show us historical sites; they brought them to life. With the devotion of ancient kings, they adorned the sacred places with oceans of flower petals, fragrant incense, and brilliant golden robes. In this atmosphere of supreme reverence, a profound feeling grew in our hearts: the feeling that the Buddha was not a figure from the past, but a living presence we were honoring.
This experience did not just move us; it solicited our faith. It called it forth from a quiet place in our hearts and made it strong and bright. Walking the same earth where the Buddha attained Enlightenment, breathing the air of that holy land, we were overcome with a joy so deep it often fell as tears. We were not just learning about history; we were connecting with it.
And this connection drove us to be wholesome. The Venerable monks, with their gentle guidance, filled our days with the Buddha’s stories, the Dhamma’s wisdom, and the peace of group chanting. They skillfully filled every moment, leaving no room for distraction. Our minds, naturally, turned away from clutter and settled into a single, powerful focus: a mind filled with faith (Shraddha), and a heart eager for goodness.
This pilgrimage is a genuine gift. It takes you to the center of the Buddhist world and plants the seeds of Dhamma directly in your heart. I returned home not just with memories, but with a renewed purpose to live a more wholesome life. It was, without doubt, a true shift in my entire being.
Dhambadiva
Vandana
Join us to visit the land of the Supreme Buddha.