Location, Schedule, & Accommodations

It was here in Bodh Gaya, under the Bodhi tree that the prince-ascetic Gotama became the fully enlightened Buddha. For two and a half millennia, Bodh Gaya has been a magnet for pilgrims from all Buddhist cultures who come to venerate this sacred site, each in a fashion unique to his or her own tradition.  Thus, within a two-mile radius, temples have been constructed to function with the cultural traditions of Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Bhutan, and Tibet. As well as being a pilgrimage center for Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is home to several thousand Hindus and Muslims.  The Burmese Vihar, which is right across the street from the Phalgu River, is within a ten-minute walk of both the Mahabodhi Temple and the central bazaar.Like most pilgrimage towns in India, Bodh Gaya can be crowded, dirty, and noisy.  Depending on your mood, this can be exhilarating one day and frustrating the next.   Rest assured, however, that Bodh Gaya is never boring.

Program Schedule

The program will begin with a three-day Orientation in London. The group will then spend three days in Delhi for further orientation before proceeding to Bodh Gaya. Classes will be held for nine weeks, followed by the three-week independent study period, and a final week in Bodh Gaya.

Daily Schedule in Bodh Gaya:

5:30 AM	Meditation
6:30 AM	Breakfast
7:30 AM	Language Classes
8:30 AM	Class Period
10:00 AM	Tea
10:30 AM	Class Period
12:00 PM	Language Practice
1:00 PM	Lunch
4:00 PM	Tea
5:00 PM	Meditation
6:30 PM	Dinner

This schedule is followed Monday through Friday. Language classes meet daily, while Philosophy, History, and Anthropology meet three times each week. During the weekends we continue with meditation practice and also have occasional field trips to sites of interest.

Lodging and vegetarian meals will be provided at the guest house within the compound of the Burmese Vihar (monastery). Living within a Buddhist monastery, following a rigorous daily schedule and the five basic Buddhist ethical precepts, creates a nourishing environment for study and practice. While residing at the Vihar, it will be necessary for students to follow the five basic Buddhist precepts:

1. To abstain from taking life.
2. To abstain from theft.
3. To abstain from sexual misconduct.
4. To abstain from lying.
5. To abstain from intoxicants.

Some may feel these requirements to be too rigorous, but after consideration, it will become clear that any individual consistently deviating from this code would lack the clarity of mind necessary for full participation in this intensive program. The culture and environment of Bodh Gaya generally support the maintenance of these precepts, thus easing the individual's difficulty.