Indian Samurai इंडियन सामुराई

What is karma? Every action you do, like me writing at this very moment, has a consequence, an effect, in this life or the next. Everything is a matter of cycle. Basically if you do a good action with a good intention, you will sow positive fruits. However if you do a bad action with a bad intention, careful with the backlash! And there is no way to escape... It’s a bit like fatality: it’s inevitable and it looks like an occult force which would determine the events. Nevertheless it doesn’t make the individual less responsible: he is his own master, and everything depends on him, on his intentions and his choice... If your life is full of shit, too bad, there is no much you can do about it, you are carrying bad karma; however you can keep doing good things for the future effects! Just see what Sogyal Rinpoche writes in Glimpse by glimpse:

And to illustrate... One day I did something wrong. What I don't know but as a result, I got a cracker exploding right next to my ear and it was so deafening that I thought it would lose hearing. It was my first Diwali in Mumbai, in 2009. Following this unfortunate incident, I swore I would never spend another Diwali in this city, already noisy in a normal time, and which turns crazy during this festival of lights; they burst crackers (and not small ones, day and night). So this year I went to Sikkim. A very small State, in the North of India, Buddhist like I like it. With mountains, lakes and monasteries. Peaceful. Quiet. I was there, on top of a hill, in the backside of Rumtek monastery, next to the monks’ playground, when, while I was enjoying the view, a young monky... bursted a cracker just next to me, blowing my ear. Karma suffers no exception... I just have to live with it: I am meant to have my ears suffering during Diwali!

By the way, at the time of writing these lines, I hear a valse of crackers. Apparently they are celebrating basilic (Tulsi) - go figure - and preparing for the birthday of the guru of the Sikhs. It's  like another Diwali, which I have never experienced. If this is not the proof of karma what would be? One cracker for each slap I gave my younger brother, I am not close to the end of it!!

The prankster monks of Rumtek monastery, Sikkim

To reach Sikkim:

-          Foreigners need a permit. From my experience, the easiest way is to get it at the border post in Rangpo. It is free and it takes 10 minutes : you just need a copy of your passport and visa, and 2 identity pictures.

-          By air: Bagdogra airport (and 4h by jeep till Gangtok OR 30 min by helicopter for 2 200 Rs (around. 40€) – be aware that you have to carry less than 10 kg to be admitted)

-          By train: New Jailpaguri ou Siliguri (then 3h30 by jeep till Gangtok)

-          By route from Darjeeling : 4h on a beautiful road!

 

To see in Sikkim :

 

-          Gangtok, not well rated in guides, I kinda liked it : the huge pedestrian place where I drank an excellent hot chocolate, the surrounding mountains, the cleanliness (5 000 Rs and 6 months emprisonment if you are caugth throwing your garbage on the street – they will be inspired starting it in some other places (and parallely to start a waste management system), urbanism (they had fly overs for pedestrians in order not to block the main street !) and the very fashionable style (hair and clothes) of people there. And to finish people leave you move around in peace. In such a peace!

 

-          I also loved the night at the Sungay Guesthouse in Rumtek, inside the monastery premises. A night of quiet and nature!!

 

-          In Rumtek we were lucky enough to attend the lunch prayer!!

 

-          And then helicopter above Sikkim, simply impressive…

To reach Sikkim:

-          Foreigners need a permit. From my experience, the easiest way is to get it at the border post in Rangpo. It is free and it takes 10 minutes : you just need a copy of your passport and visa, and 2 identity pictures.

-          By air: Bagdogra airport (and 4h by jeep till Gangtok OR 30 min by helicopter for 2 200 Rs (around. 40€) – be aware that you have to carry less than 10 kg to be admitted)

-          By train: New Jailpaguri ou Siliguri (then 3h30 by jeep till Gangtok)

-          By route from Darjeeling : 4h on a beautiful road!

 

To see in Sikkim :

 

-          Gangtok, not well rated in guides, I kinda liked it : the huge pedestrian place where I drank an excellent hot chocolate, the surrounding mountains, the cleanliness (5 000 Rs and 6 months emprisonment if you are caugth throwing your garbage on the street – they will be inspired starting it in some other places (and parallely to start a waste management system), urbanism (they had fly overs for pedestrians in order not to block the main street !) and the very fashionable style (hair and clothes) of people there. And to finish people leave you move around in peace. In such a peace!

 

-          I also loved the night at the Sungay Guesthouse in Rumtek, inside the monastery premises. A night of quiet and nature!!

 

-          In Rumtek we were lucky enough to attend the lunch prayer!!

 

-          And then helicopter above Sikkim, simply impressive…