Costs, Dana and Spending Money

Payment
Yours is a true pilgrimage – something you co-create, not buy. The traditional method – which we follow – is for the participants to share the costs, and each individual to follow the dictates of the heart when they give.

Costs
Although the commercial value of the pilgrimage is high, the actual costs – aside from airfares, insurance and pre-travel purchases - are remarkably low. India is economical and our Team is likewise. However, the Teachers of the Present pilgrimage is more expensive than our Heartland pilgrimage due to our small numbers and staying and eating in some very nice Guest Houses and Restaurants. It is also the most comfortable of all our pilgrimages. The cost of all meals snacks and drinks, accommodation, transport, Team wages and offerings is likely to be less than 350 Pounds.

Dana
Our Team simply takes minimal wages that support life and provide something for their family. It’s not a business; we don’t seek to make an ordinary profit. We hope to enable you to experience the joy of giving – by keeping costs down; and by enticing you to support projects that we sponsor.

This year we have several major funding projects; the first is to find two thousand pounds for the young Dhardo Tulku; for rituals that are an important part of his educational fees.

Then we want to find fifteen hundred pounds to help preserve the cottage on a high ridge above Kalimpong, where Bhante received his first Tantric initiation – Green Tara, from Chatral Rinpoche. That meeting and Rinpoche’s direct, spontaneous, simple and informal method of introducing and transmitting the Sadhana is the model of our Private Ordination especially the Initiation. Bhante said he gave Initiation in the same informal way as Chatral Rinpoche gave him Green Tara. Our Private Preceptors continue in the same spirit. The cottage signifies and very much anchors our connection with the ancient Vajrayana tradition of Tibet – especially the Nyingma. It is in danger of demolition; the cottage. I have persuaded the owner to preserve it on the promise of a donation for substantial repairs.

This year we are committed to starting a Wood; a carbon sink where you actually plant the tree that makes your pilgrimage more ecological.

And our main focus is of course the new Sramana Trust. Through Sramana we aim to support men and women renunciants in various ways; chiefly through basic support and accommodation.

Sramana is getting underway in India and is closely associated with the new beginnings of the Movement in the middle land – around the Buddhist Holy places in Bihar and UP. The ancient Buddhist Heartland is now the most backward and poorest part of India. So far our Movement has had very few activities in Bihar, and indeed it appears that no other Buddhist organisation is actively spreading the Dharma in Bihar – outside a few monastic enclaves.

But things are about to change. A team of Dhammamitras based in Bodhgaya are determined to establish the Movement in Bihar and take the Dharma to the poorest most neglected people in India – slowly slowly. We start by assembling a team, making connections at the Holy places, and seeking supporters. Shortly we begin building a base, on our [our Movements] land, in Buddha Gaya.

Spending Money
In Darjeeling and Kalimpong, there is a good opportunity to purchase Buddha rupas, vajras, bells, malas etc. In Darjeeling, there is a good bookshop where you can pick up cheap editions of many Dharma books by well-known authors. In Kalimpong but especially in Darjeeling there are woollens - scarves, jumpers, shawls, hats, etc, in a variety of qualities. Also, in Darjeeling, there is tea! Which like the books and Buddhas can be sent home for you. At Tashiding, you can commission a small ‘mani’ stone to be carved with mantra or seed syllable.

After Darjeeling, we are quite remote and there is not much to spend your money on. Nor is there much need to spend money. We are effectively on a mobile retreat; all meals are taken care of, as is transport and accommodation.

Unless buying something like a Buddha rupa one needs to bring very little spending money.