SUKRITI

All night the wind battered the trees. In the morning it was cloudy and raining. My sunburned forearms and hands were relieved. Some people get a farmers tan, I am working a beauty of a cartel-player tan.



Around 10:30 am the rain stopped and we were able to go to our spot. Though its not our spot any more – on the first day the temple committee told us it was temple property and we could not sell things there. We explained that it was not for profit only guru seva and preaching. We asked if we could just come for 3 more days and the gentleman consented.



It was a good spot, but I guess there are souls destined to get books somewhere else. We hear so much about sukriti in books and classes, but its amazing to see how it unfolds. For example one elderly lady came and gave us 10 rupees. We tried to give her a book, but she is from this region and does not even read Hindi. Karuna-mayi dasi ran after her to give her a small poster. She refused saying she was Buddhist. I suspect on account of that small donation she will not be Buddhist for long.


Pujari from Rama temple

When we packed up after the morning we went up to the Rama temple to thank the Pujari for letting us have the program the day before. We had a package of several books tied with ribbon to give him as a gift. He held the books to his chest and said, “I will read them again and again from my heart.”