India is the birthplace of Buddhism, so I am running into Buddha over and over again. One of the holy sites in Buddhism is just a bit north of Varanasi, in Sarnath.

It was here, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Gomati rivers, where Buddha first taught the Dharma.

Today, it is a holy site to Buddhists, with many temples from all the different branches: Japan, China, Myanmar, India…

We got a ride in a Tuk-Tuk from Manoj, who took us on a wild 13-kilometer ride through the outskirts of Varanasi, and also acted as our guide to the different temples.

I said a few Nam Myoho Renge Kyo‘s in the Japanese temple, thinking of my sister and her husband who have been practicing Buddhists for many many years.

It was an intense ride, with many impressions, full of people, and some quiet sites, but not enough time to actually sit down and contemplate a bit. We were off to visit a silk factory!