Rude Awakenings - Forest Sangha Publications

^0 T H I R D M O O N 06to think of getting off the road, is just another road, another becoming,another birth. Knowing there’s no person on the road, that isAwakening.We did some chanting, I remember. Then we went back. Hawkerswere trying to sell us postcards and junk. It was almost a relief to getback to the defined grubbiness of Bihar, and then back to the BurmeseVihara and the atmosphere of the West—easy conversation, shared attitudes,hot showers...and Christmas Eve. Katie and Mary; Pat, who hadbeen a bhikkhu in Burma; David; Bill, who translated Tibetan texts; andRobert, the head teacher of the study group staying at the vihara—astrange comfort, that of familiarity.N I C KChristmas Eve was also the half moon so we sat up till midnight in thevihara. Next morning I got up late to find that things were already happeningoutside. Ajahn Sucitto was there helping lay the mats and distributethe cushions, and I went out to join him. Then we sat outside ourroom as the people arriving for the Christmas breakfast were introducedto us. I was surprised to see how many Western residents there were. Aswell as those running the Buddhist course and a few of the students whohad stayed on after it had finished, I remember an Englishman, halfIndian by birth, who was involved in a Buddhist aid project working withthe local people, a couple of Italians running a cafe for Western visitors,and two Americans studying art at the Tibetan monastery, as well asquite a few others. Most had already heard about our robbery, and it wastheir main topic of conversation.Everyone who came brought contributions to the meal. Slowly a seaof dishes gathered, all things we had not seen since England. There weresavoury dishes topped with mushrooms or broccoli, fruit flans withwhipped cream, chocolate cake covered in melted chocolate, a big platterof cheeses, nuts, fresh dates, and, of course, mince pies, Christmas2 7 0