Experiencing Buddha Jayanti in Kathmandu: A Story of Light, Silence, and Unexpected Peace

That morning when I first arrived in Kathmandu, I never expected to fall in love with this city.

My day began before day break when this city had a soft blue silence over it. There was a stillness in the air that made rue that the city was breathlessly waiting to come alive again. You could hear bells ringing distantly from the temple bells in the valley as the call to worship would spread throughout the valley, and Buddha Jayanti was going to be upon us shortly thereafter.

I set out on what I thought was simply my curiosity or an unknown pull towards what I’d figure out in my own time.

The ‘Climb’ Felt Like A Pilgrimage

After finally arriving at Swayambhunath Stupa (aka The Monkey Temple), the sky had started to show hints of light (gold) in its eastern sky that were yet to form a complete sunrise.

The pathway consists of stone steps ascending upwards with what seems like infinity while I stared longing at the large structure at the end of those stairs before closing my eyes and taking my first step up.

All around me were people of all ages walking up. A group of older women wearing white saris, little kids each carrying a butter lamp, and monks walking slowly through the mass of people, running their fingers over their prayer beads.

There was no one in a hurry. There was no one complaining.

So, I walked along with them.

It wasn't until I got halfway done with my climb before I realised this was not just a climb. This was at least a test of patience and intention. As I lifted my foot off that last step of the city. The sound of the city behind me disappeared. Footsteps were going softer, chanting could be heard, and the occasional billowing of the prayer flags was the only thing to be heard.

When I reached the top, I couldn't say a word.

I was unable to speak.

What laid out in front of me was the golden spire of Swayambhunath sticking up tall against the sky, just like those gazes of the old, so peaceful at any time. All around the stupa were people turning prayer wheels, lighting lamps, and kneeling down in silence in prayer.

And finally, after feeling like an eternity, I had complete calmness.

A Name That Carries the Weight of Peace

The name Gautama Buddha had been mentioned, written about, spoken about, and thought of many times before in books, in conversation, and in idle thoughts concerning philosophy and mindfulness.

But here on the hill surrounded by people who are not only remembering him but are living by his teachings, Gautama Buddha is a different name.

When I arrived in the morning, I looked for evidence of all of the celebrations that would be going on for this day, and there were none. No grand speeches or dramatic displays demanding attention. Just quiet acts of lighting a lamp, offering a flower, and whispering a prayer and those quiet acts were more meaningful than any of the loud things I have experienced.

After I finished soaking in the atmosphere of the hill, I drifted back through Kathmandu.

The hustle and bustle of Kathmandu changed.

The noise of horns, constant movement and hurry all softened.

Most of the shops were open and had small Buddha statues newly flowered with marigolds in their windows and on the counter.

Everyone was smiling and greeting everyone else in the street with soft eyes. There were many grateful people in the air, and it felt as though everyone understood this day was not to be hurried.

Throughout certain sections of the City, family members were handing out free food and tea to anyone who wanted some, and there were no questions asked or expected.

Just kindness.

When I began to contemplate the last time I freely gave away something without expecting anything in return, my mind raced back to that evening at Boudhanath Stupa. I felt a special attraction to the Stupa, even prior to arriving there; however, I was totally unprepared for the awe I would experience when actually standing beneath the magnificent structure.

After having viewed countless photographs of Boudhanath, once I stood amongst hundreds of other people, staring up at the Stupa, I soon realised how great and peaceful it truly was.

All around us people were walking counter-clockwise around the Stupa at a slow and measured pace. The sun had set, and the lights began to illuminate the Stupa; starting with a single light, progressing to hundreds and eventually thousands of lights filled the space. I paused and watched how the soft wind blew the flames of the lamps.

The buttery smell of the butter lamps, intermixed with incense/perfumed smoke flooded my elements. Repetitive chants of "Om Mani Padme Hum," echoed from my surroundings, provided an auditory indication of the spititual energy that was filling me!

At that moment I had completely lost all sense of time and space!!! I suppose it was that moment of transcendence wherein I truly realised WHERE I was.

A Quiet Escape Above the Noise

I began my day at Kopan Monastery the following morning; it had been a night full of emotion and now I was there in a very reverent way and with humility. The monastery has the appearance of being isolated on a mountain; it was removed from anything resembling the energy of Kathmandu. The experience of being in the monastery grounds is one of quietness and peacefulness; the absence of large celebrations and groupings of energy welcomed me.

There were two things I found myself doing while at the monastery. First, I sat along the edge of the monastery on a cliff directly above the valley surrounded by mountains, and I listened to the chanting of monks nearby. Their voices rose and fell like waves crashing on the shoreline.

The second thing I did was to notice how the stillness of the environment had an influence upon my thoughts. Initially, I felt that my thoughts were racing through my mind as fast as I could think them; however, after sitting in stillness for an extensive period of time, I began to notice that my thoughts were becoming slow.

I am grateful for my time spent at the Kopan Monastery because I was reminded that there are times that we rush through moments of life that are meant for experiencing.

Why do we seek out significance in large things but neglect the significance of the smallest act?

Why do we sometimes fail to show kindness to others and even to ourselves?

I received no answer to these questions.

Nevertheless, by visiting temples, watching strangers interact silently with one another, and bearing witness as an entire city took one day to embrace compassion for each other. I began to comprehend those questions.

The Light You Take With You

The city still had some lights shining around the time I last walked home after leaving. In addition to that, I could still hear some of the singing in the distance. But beyond those two senses (sight and sound), I was feeling something I couldn't shake off: peace. It's not the peace you look for in some distant place where there aren't many people around. It's a peace that comes to you unexpectedly in the heart of a busy city on an average day, which suddenly becomes something out of the ordinary.

Experiencing Buddha Jayanti in Kathmandu is not only about what you see; it is also about how you change internally. Even when the lights are out and the crowds are gone from the city, you have changed inside yourself. Due to Buddha's simple truth: peace isn't something that you were always searching for somewhere else; peace has always existed with you.