Title: November 20th - 10:30
Medium: Super-8 film
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Resolution: 2880 x 2160
File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4.
Comments: We arrived in Bodh Gayā. Which is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment (bodhi) under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. Bodh Gayā has remained the object of pilgrimage and veneration for Buddhists. Ethan's friend Dhirendra who runs an orphanage brought us around the city. After feeding us potato fritters he took us in a broken down ambulance to meet with a lama that is close to the dali. We set with him for an hour as he just started spitting wisdom the moment we arrived. We absorbed his teachings with open ears and open hearts. As he stood before us there was a painting with an enlightened Buddha behind him. I framed the shot as if he were an Buddhist angel, like a Bodhisattva, Imparting his philosophy to us. After having a serving of tea and a polaroid portrait. He vanished back to his quarters. Dhirendra walked us through the Gaya complex to meditate under the Bodhi tree. He somehow got us into the temple as the main ceremony began. We sat there beside all the monks praying, and ironically, some counting money to give offerings to their colleagues, It was funny and sort of strange to watch spirit meet commerce inside the temple setting. We stepped outside and sat under the tree where Buddha sat. Closed our eyes and saw all the lights. Voices and sounds of the people and the prayers they carried. Until a bald man with a three Bodhi leaves appeared right in front of us once we opened our eyes. He held them out, as if for us to take a leaf, and we each did. The man nodded and smiled and walked back into the circular motion the crowd was moving around the Temple. We were in the right place at the right time. Calm amongst the chaos in the complex... like all is one with the universe.
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