Saturday, April 14, 2007

Welcome

Welcome to the Parayana main site – for now. Click the links to visit our two Pilgrimage pages; Sakyamuni Heartland and Teachers of the Present.

Parayana means the Way Beyond, and by extension True Refuge. We have adopted the name because our pilgrimages lead us beyond, not just into strange new worlds but also beyond ourselves and towards transcendence.


So we are now Parayana; the way beyond. The Parayana varga from the Sutta Nipata has been an inspiration since the first time I read it – 1992 – my hair stood on end. This was an eye-witness account of the Buddha, I thought. About 30 kms from Buddha Gaya is the famous Barabar caves (E.M. Forster’s Malabar caves). Ashoka and one of his sons excavated the seven highly polished caves – about 2200 years ago. In the same group of hills is Kowadol, the ancient Pasanaka Cetiya, the high impressive and lovely ‘rock shrine’ where the events of the Parayana varga occurred. The Parayana varga and the Pasanaka cetiya are inspirations for what I am doing out here.

Pilgrimage and Guides

We offer Buddhist pilgrimages, and guides, for groups big and small.

Contact

Pilgrimage e: justratna@yahoo.com
Ratnaketu m. India 0931307540
Manish m. India 099317114

True Pilgrimage

We aspire to offer pilgrimages that enable the participants to gain experiences that transform their understanding of, and relationship with, themselves and the world, and which result in a greater sense of gratitude for their lives and opportunities.

We Aspire…
· To provide pilgrimages orientated towards transcendence.

· To provide inspiring outer journeys that stimulate an inner pilgrimage towards understanding and awareness.

· To provide spiritually enlivening and rewarding pilgrimages, by facilitating closer encounters with sacred places and holy sites, leading to enhanced self-knowledge, spiritual renewal, and personal fulfilment.

· To enable pilgrims to enter into the spiritual world – the Imaginal - and, through experiences cherished for a lifetime, gain greater confidence in their own spiritual life and potential.

· To create a good sense of community, or fellowship, within the band of pilgrims; forming and strengthening life long friendships.

· To provide a high degree of care and service enabling pilgrims to have relaxed, worry-free, comfortable, happy and safe Pilgrimages.

· To encourage identification with the peoples of the countries through which we pass, and to encourage responsible giving.

· To offer the pilgrimages free of charge, (pilgrims cover the simple costs) enabling pilgrims to know the happiness of giving freely.

The Parayana Team

Ratnaketu 49 Leader New Zealand
Manish 23 Hospitality Nepal
Sachin 21 Hospitality Nagpur India
Sanjay 22 Hospitality Buddha Gaya India
Krishna 24 Cook Nepal
Sunil 21 Cook Nepal
Avinash 19 Kitchen Buddha Gaya India
Joginda 19 Kitchen Buddha Gaya India
Manish 19 Hospitality Buddha Gaya India

Ratnaketu

Born in New Zealand in 1958, I joined the Western Buddhist Order in 1979; the year that saw my first visit to India – accompanying Sangharakshita to Bombay, Pune and Ahmedabad. Travelling with Sangharakshita in India, when I was twenty, was a life changing experience; I realised how fortunate I was and discovered brothers and sisters in the Dharma whose lives were radically different to my own.

In 1985, I went on my first real pilgrimage, a journey into the Eastern Himalayas to visit Dhardo Rinpoche - a magical journey into the clouds. Since then pilgrimage has grown to become an important part of my practice. In 1995, I began studying pilgrimage, the holy places, and pilgrims in India, China, Japan and Tibet. In 1999, after more than twenty years of community living and team-based right-livelihood, I chose to explore the homeless life; after eighteen months at the Guhyaloka Vihara in Spain, I hit the road. My intention was threefold; to live and enable others to live the homeless life; to create a new team-based right-livelihood business for the Movement; and to help others tread the path of true pilgrimage.

Jobs


Krishna in our Kitchen


Dhammaratna, Krishna, Basuki and Naryan Gopal at the 2006 Dharmakranti Retreat Nagpur.


Sanjay


Sunil at Kessaria


Parayana is employing. Please contact.


International
Pilgrimage and Event Leaders


India
Pilgrimage Leaders and Assistants




Sabu displays his ligher side


Sachin and Krishna

Sunil and Sabhu - stir crazy