9 English Sarnath

The first teaching of Gautama Buddha has been given at this place. People were not present to receive his teachings, his first audience were the animals of the forest. Therefore the wheel of the doctrine (Dharma), which was set in motion at this location, is shown with two deer on the side. Maybe the animals have always understood these truths better than we humans?

Now, at this place there is a temple, a large Stupa is nearby. Souvenir sellers are on the streets and waving with the postcards into your face. The usual beggars sit on the roadside, some of them are really poor. Fruit salespeople are up to their high price game with the tourists, but the freshly squeezed orange juice is very good.

In the temple is a bookshop, I buy for myself a Buddhist book. The seller carelessly throws it over to me and it ends up unpleasantly on the table. I make him aware that it is a holy book. He smiles and gives me to understand that it does not matter for him, if it is holy or not. A feeling comes over me, that reminds me of Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem, when he pushed out the moneychangers.

Everywhere monasteries, I can sleep in the Tibetan monastery, the mosquitoes make themselves upon me, I'm a little bit sick. Everywhere in India people have flu, some Yogaexercises are helpful.