Joseph Goldstein, S.N. Goenka, and Munindra-ji: A "Tsunami" in Bodhgaya!
Grahame White embarked on a unique spiritual journey in 1966. He escaping conscription into the Australian Army during the Vietnam War by traveling to South Africa to go surfboarding, as told on a recent podcast episode. One thing led to another, and during a stay in England, he discovered the book, Siddhartha, which led to his first meditation experience. That sparked a profound interest in the Buddha’s teachings. Grahame's path took him to a Thai temple in London, where he learned Vipassana meditation. He later traveled to Asia, deepening his practice and understanding, and eventually became a respected teacher, sharing his insights and experiences in meditation and Buddhist philosophy. In the following excerpt, Grahame describes his time in Bodhgaya, and how it became a hub of various spiritual seekers and teachers. This was a period when the famous site, which is where the Buddha was enlightened so many centuries ago, was still a serene village, free from modern encroachments and largely undiscovered by foreign visitors.
“It was like a tsunami hitting Bodhgaya! I’m not saying that in a negative way; it was wonderful, of course. Suddenly, there were just lots and lots of people.”
“In the early days, we didn't know about these different traditions, nor the rest of it. After taking the second vipassana course that S.N. Goenka ever taught, I went back to Bodhgaya. And back to the Thai temple. One day, this very tall American came over to visit. It was Joseph Goldstein. So, he was the first foreigner, aside from the people I'd met on the retreat, that I'd seen for months.
There was no one there during the rainy season in Bodhgaya. But Joseph had come to stay at the Burmese Vihara because he'd heard of Anagarika Munindra, and he wanted to practice with him. We became friends, and started to meet up for chai in the afternoon. He said, ‘Why don't you come to the Burmese Vihara and stay?’ I said, ‘Oh, that sounds like a good idea.’ I asked my Abbot. I said, ‘Look, because Munindra-ji is teaching there, you should go.’
It was wonderful at the time; it was like being in an ashram. And then a few other Westerners started trickling through. Munindra-ji would teach and give afternoon talks. And we'd practice with him. So, I moved over to the Burmese Vihara, with Joseph, and with about 12 other people that were staying there in the Burmese temple. And then, what happened then, after the Delhi course - I thought this was very nice; we had had about two or three weeks. I can't actually remember the dates; I'm sure they'll be there somewhere – but Goenka-ji came to Bodhgaya. He wanted to teach a course there, apparently, or someone had invited him to teach a course there. Suddenly, Bodhgaya changed from being very small to being very big.
And that first course, it did. It happened really quickly. I think all the backpackers or spiritual seekers or the hippie contingent that were coming to India at the time, started, by word of mouth, to hear about him. I think he did other courses before he came to Bodhgaya, but I can't quite remember the timeline of all that now. Then, suddenly, he lands in Bodhgaya at the Burmese Vihara, and there was this massive retreat. Everyone came! It was like there was an attraction, a vibration bringing him in. The Burmese abbot at the time, he set up, and this must have been around 1971. He did a few courses there. The first one wasn't so big, but the second one was massive. The third one was really big. There were a lot of people there. And so, Bodhgaya went from this little ashram-type experience for those spiritual seekers to the beginning of a worldwide phenomenon.
It was like a tsunami hitting Bodhgaya! I’m not saying that in a negative way; it was wonderful, of course. Suddenly, there were just lots and lots of people. A really great experience, but I still had in my mind hanging on, or attaching to, the quietness of Bodhgaya and the small community that used to live there. One thing I really enjoyed about it - this is before it all started to change - is that Munindra-ji was living up at the Mahābodhi Center, which is not there anymore. Last time I was doing a pilgrimage there, it's gone, just a rubble heap now. It was this beautiful little ashram. In the afternoons, our small group would walk up to his place. And he would give the most fantastic Dhamma talks in the afternoon. We'd all be dressed in white kurtas, et cetera, looking the part. Yeah, that's what I remember most fondly about Bodhgaya was that small group.”