Royal Wat Thai Buddhagaya is located on the grounds of Bodhgaya, a Thai temple led by Venerable Abbot Phra Dhambodhivong (Virayuddho). His position is similar to a Chief of the Sangha of the Thai monks in India and Nepal. He once visited Hương Đạo temple to offer blessings to the Dhammacetiya project, together with the Most Venerable Somdej Phra Mahathirachan on May 5, 2022.

He made thorough arrangements for the foot-traveling Sangha at each stage. This morning he invited me to join him, the Vice Abbot, and two other senior Venerables for breakfast. It was somewhat awkward because I was an inconspicuous member of a large group of some one hundred monks. Being given such loving care was quite a blessing. I paid respects to him and joined them for breakfast, which included porridge and a variety of dishes, especially today, a rice cake called bánh tét, traditionally made for Tết (Vietnamese New Year), an offering by a Vietnamese Buddhist disciple. In the fog-filled cool morning air in a foreign land, having a treat such as a bánh tét is indeed happiness, my dear friends. Each day here, instant noodles were not an option, or we no longer had to eat instant noodles as had previously been the case.

After breakfast, he introduced me and the Dhammacetiya project to four doctors who arrived from Thailand to perform a health checkup on the Sangha. Here, he also joyfully hung banners, and disseminated brochures promoting the construction of the Dhammacetiya. He asked me if I had finished the dhutaṅga journey. I told him, “Sir, I am trying to finish the entire journey.” A smile appeared on his face, and he uttered words of joy and blessings. He asked if I had experienced any pain or obstacles. Seeing that my feet were cracked, he called me into the room and brought out some slippers, asking me to select a pair to wear in order to protect my feet. He also gave me a statue of Buddha. Acknowledging his love, I pledge to complete the rest of the journey in order to repay his wholehearted kindness to me.

Around noon, the Thai Buddhist devotees made a lot of offerings to the Sangha to prepare for a long journey. Upon placing an offering into our bowls, a Thai Buddhist devotee always squeezed our hands and said, “Keep it up, Bhante.” Buddhist devotees of Hương Đạo Temple also offered three hundred pairs of socks. Recognizing the big hearts of Buddhists for the Sangha, we feel warmed and rejoiced.

The action of Sổ, the Yellow dog, is as precise as I had heard about him. Sổ has participated in these journeys for five years and is full of experience. The wounds from the past trips he accompanied the Sangha are still imprinted on his skin, which makes him look like a notorious gangster brother.

We couldn’t find Āloka all day, so I went back and forth to the temple many times to look for him and still couldn’t find him. That is until I went to a corner of the activity hall, where Āloka lay motionless. When I called “Āloka!” he immediately ran over. I led Āloka through the back door. When we got near the section where Āloka was attacked last time, he suddenly stopped. I called him and turned my back to continue, but he bit on my robe and pulled me back from behind. I understood and turned around to lead him out through the front door.

In the late afternoon, the Sangha entered the Mahābhodhi Temple (Tower of Great Enlightenment). All of us, monks, nuns, and Buddhist devotees, held in our hands a large piece of cloth, eighty meters long, on which written the names of the donors, their prayers, etc. We circumambulated the Mahābhodhi Stupa and Bodhi Tree for ten rounds. The sound of resounding chants reverberated through the cool air, all while under the dreamlike shadow of the moon, and twinkling stars. The deep sound of prayers and the aroma of flowers joined together in a pleasing form, spreading across the earth and sky on the last night of 2022. How peaceful it is.

So another year has passed. The Buddhist devotees came here also fully equipped with staples to offer to the Sangha on the official route from now until the end of March. Bhikkhu Sīlānanda from America also came to visit me. He could not recognize me. His first words were, “Oh, Bhante, you are so dark.” Taking a tour of our residence, he was sure that it was a fully furnished place until I pointed to more than 100 tents all over the ground and introduced them as our residence. Bhikkhu Sīlānanda was startled and laughed.

Finally, we brothers in dhamma also had to say goodbye to Bhikkhu Chơn Hữu, the elder brother among the Vietnamese in the group, who had to return home due to a medical condition. Only three Vietnamese brothers remain on this journey amid the freezing winter. Even so, we do not feel alone because the dhamma brotherly love is always within us. More than that, I believe that somewhere there are devotees who continually watch over our every step.

Entering the new year, may all supporters, Buddhist devotees, and fellow countrymen live in peace with the mind of wisdom unshakeable and the path to enlightenment promptly accomplished.

Source: Dhammacetiya
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