Last update before I return to the USA from Japan. (unless something spectacular happens, which of course it already has.  Happy Total Eclipse!) I went to Nara, Osaka, Mt Koyasan, and Kyoto, the highlight being the trip to Koyasan temples and seeing amazing mandalas, stone monuments, graves, and people and the beautiful Nara Buddha.  I enjoyed the hospitality of the temples and how we all want to learn from eachother.  Well, at least the Westerners want to learn from eachother.  Some Asians seem to be a little close-minded in their approach to Buddhism, as if they know it already, and don’t need to bother with deepening their understanding since it runs in their blood.  Or maybe that is the impression given including a language barrier.  But one Shingon priest from Switzerland and a German Catholic priest seem to be working on something at Koyasan and I hope I helped enrich the dialogue a little.  My thanks to them for enlivening my trip through a small part of Japan.  Now I am back in Tokyo awaiting my departure but enjoying the cherry blossoms which have burst early and vibrantly.  I went to the National Museum and Ueno park to soak up some more Japanese culture.  So from the Burmese temple in Tokyo (http://www.geocities.com/myanmarbuddhistmonastery/), until I decide to write from the Portland Oregon region of USA, I bid you happy journeys and safe returns.  May Buddha Bless the World.  Buddhas Awaken We Need You Now.  Peace.

I arrived in Tokyo Japan Sat March the 4th, from Bangkok Thailand.  I was in Cambodia up to March 3rd after the Vietnam trip hoping to go through Angkor Wat when I looked at my plane ticket.  What?!  March 4th?!  I called the airlines in Thailand asking to change the flight to the 9th.  They said, `all booked for the month.` I wanted to be put on standby but they said `are you sure?` and I decided I had better not chance it so I raced from Siem Reap Cambodia by taxi over dangerously unkept roads and unknown traffic safety rules to the Thai border and caught a bus to Bangkok where I spent the night packing for the early 630am flight to Japan.  hmm, could have planned a little better but somehow everything fit time-and-space-wize.  When I arrived in Japan I took a bus to Tokyo and noticed “my arent things more expensive in Japan?” Bus ride from Narita to Tokyo city 3000 yen, less than 30 bucks, but compared to where I have been… people almost live on 30 a month.  So I called the Tokyo Burmese temple and received directions and got on the subway to Otsuka station for 150 yen and walked to the Burmese temple with not too much problem except my bags seemed too heavy and I walked right past the building but asked on the corner where I was and was shown the correct address two buildings down where someone was waiting to help carry my bags up to the 7th floor and the tiny temple apartment I find myself sitting in now using the internet in the office/shrine/bedroom.  Very nice helpful and friendly people here in this community.  Went to one temple today and hope to see more soon.  WIll try to keep you posted in the Japan chronicles.  Peace and love to all.

So now I was in Saigon, Vietnam late February.  Little tricky to negotiate this journey as remaining financial resources limited and do not know anyone to stay with but have found some inexpensive lodging in a guest house for the time being.  Will travel with some friends tomorrow.  Not sure where but they said “south” so when they pick me up I will know and write more.  I had an interesting journey across Cambodia and even stayed with an old friend named Vira/Yukwan from Seattle who now has an expat life in Phnom Penh. 

I will see how well the Vietnamese people relate to my presence but as always I am surprised by the depth and clarity that can be projected with a little compassion.  Plan to stay here one week before heading back to Thailand.  Not sure which route I will take but like I said I will write more soon.

I have been back through Thailand to Suan Mokh and an associated, new, underconstruction retreat center on Koh Samui called Dipabhavan.  I stayed at Sila Ngu (Rock Snake) temple on the seashore, quite rundown and needing refurbishing (I would take it on myself but the headmonk seems to have his own view on what a temple should look like.) BUT now I am in Taiwan for the next two weeks until Feb 15th visiting different temples and looking at stuff.  Very developed in this island state.  Lots of neat stuff to see but I have a little cold so rest most of the time.  I will be up and running in no time and telling you the latest developments.  Lots of support coming in from people to help me get through the rough spots but language surely the biggest problem.  Need to work on that folks.  I plan to go through Vietnam and Cambodia on the way back to Thailand.  Wish me well.  Hope you all are doing well.  Peace and love.

And what should happen on the last days but: I had just arrived in Calcutta in preparation for my return to Thailand on the 6th, tomorrow, went to visit a sick woman with one monk, mother of the one monk, and on the way back in the evening on an overcrowded local train noticed quite quickly and suddenly that my wallet and passport were missing from an interior pocket that had been left unzipped and somehow accessible to a notorious Calcutta pickpocket. Could not see who or how but was obvious within seconds.  Mentioned it to the monk but he seemed confused by the facts. Thankfully that was all the p.p. got, just a few neccessary documents and small amount of money.  I filed a report with the police this morning, went to the US Consulate to get a replacement passport, quick but expensive $97, got a transit visa from the Foreign Registration Office for free, notified the AM Ex office that one $50 traveler check was missing, stolen, or lost and will be replaced in Bangkok, and hopefully will not miss the other small amount of cash about $20 and 500 rupees.  Just another adventure shared from me to you.

I wrap up my India trip with a return to Bodh Gaya, Dec 30th, from Calcutta to spend the New Year.  I have been all around India and want to pay one last respectful prayer for world peace at the Maha Bodhi tree before coming back to Calcutta and then Thailand.  India is crazy and difficult for the body and mind to accept but I get by and sometimes flourish.

Last weeks news: Adhi currently find himself in Mysore India giving a retreat for over 300 children at the Maha Bodhi School.  Details to be added soon.  Also coming soon: photos and a link on BuddhaPowers website where people can give feedback about the retreat and ways to improve support or interest in the school programs.

I arrived in Dharamsala India, seat of the Tibetan government in exile, yesterday morning, Saturday 10 Dec, and will be here for just a couple days.  Heard there were some teachings from the Dalai Lama this week so will stay for one or two sessions before continuing on my journey back to Delhi and Mumbai, for a little meditation with children, and on to Mysore to work with the Maha Bodhi school for a week before returning to Calcutta and Bodh Gaya at the end of the year.
Lots of westerners in Dharamsala for the Tibetan culture/Buddhism.  Saw lots of folk singing and dancing at a cultural festival yesterday as I arrived.  I am staying with a Mexican monk at a Tibetan monastery with the help of Geshe Kelsang Damdul who stayed with me at the Bodhi Tree center in Portland.
Hope all going well in Portland.  I look forward to returning and seeing what I can do to help the local meditation community.  I miss not having a steady source of inspiration from practitioners.  But I know I will benefit from their long winter of practice and questions.
Take care.
Peace.
Adhi

I wanted to give a quick trip update as the internet has been down for the last few days in North India for some reason (possibly election related, not sure) and I did not let anyone know where I was headed.  I was going to go to Varanasi and Sarnath in north India but instead took a little detour to Darjeeling (check the map and it is more than a little detour) and might go a little further into the Himalayas before heading back down and over into Nepal (birthplace of the Buddha) to Lumbini and possibly Kathmandu for a little excitement.  I have been visiting many monasteries and hills and caves and gardens and even the Darjeeling zoo.  I love this part of the world for some weird reason.  Even amidst the poverty and filth the people have a quiet persevering spirit.  We humans have quite an amazing resilience to the adversity , big or little, we face each morning we wake up.  Even those sitting on mountain tops contemplating their own amazing nature.  Surely we can overcome all the difficulties we have faced over the many generations we have traveled and learn to get along with eachother.  Or perhaps we have given into the mind control of the few powerful and greedy minority who want nothing more than to sap every last bit of hope from our wartorn and bloody history with a few more last bashes in the name of democracy, liberty and freedom as if to spit those precious words out as political capital. 
Gandhi said something to the effect of, “You must become the change you wish to see.” and Lord Buddha said something like, “Work out your own salvation (slavation) with diligence.” Do not expect the ‘leaders’ to have done their personal homework in this department.  I like working on my own nature and hope you do the same.  Enjoy the journey.
Love and compassion to you all.
Ven Adhi
from India