犍陀罗朝圣之旅：1－Skardu
早在公元 7 世纪中叶松赞干布建立吐鲁番帝国时，斯卡都地区就已成为西藏佛教文化圈的一部分。 5 直到9世纪左右，巴尔蒂斯坦各地仍能找到藏传佛教密宗经文
犍陀罗朝聖之旅：Skardu 2
斯卡都机场海拔2,230 米，但斯卡都周围的山峰海拔为 4,500 至 5,800 米..
Skardu’s Airport is situated at an elevation of 2,230 metres above sea level, though the mountain peaks surrounding Skardu reach elevations of 4,500–5,800 metres …. Some of the surrounding glaciers are surrounded by some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2, the world’s second tallest mountain at 8,611 metres … these are some of the highest peaks in the world.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅：Manthal Buddha
Pilgrimage to Gandhara:
The inscription was carved around 1000 AD, during the golden age of Buddhism in the northern Indus Valley. Imagine the scene of the Buddhist devotees coming to worship at that time. Later, the Tibetan lamas left their marks. Little did they know, as they departed, that the fate of Buddhism was nearing its end. Took a group photo with the caretaker and companions.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
Manthal Buddha
The seated Buddha is surrounded by twenty Bodhisattvas, with two standing Maitreya figures on either side. It is certainly Mahayana Buddhism, but such an arrangement does not seem to reference any specific legend. Although esoteric Buddhism had already emerged at the time, this scene doesn’t resemble that either.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅 Pilgrimage to Ghandara:
Ambitious Mosque
The first mosque in the Shigar Valley from the 14th century, with carvings accompanying the arrival of Islamic missionaries from Kashmir, marked the beginning of Islam and the closing chapter for Buddhism. Took a photo with Wen An, Jing Yi, and Ang.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
Shafaranga 沙漠缅怀先辈
This land was likely walked by my Buddhist predecessors, Faxian, Xuanzang, and Yijing. As long as there is a passion for protecting the Dharma, even the vast deserts, rugged mountains, and sudden changes in temperature couldn’t stop them.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
朝圣，当然也不会忘记当地人。这两位俊美的回教男士，有欧洲人的血统，当然，他们的祖先也曾是佛。。教。。徒。上图男士来自 Peshawar ，也是菩萨无著、世亲的故乡；下图是导游Ali来自 Hunza.
On this pilgrimage, of course, I wouldn’t forget the local people. These two handsome Muslim men have European ancestry, and naturally, their ancestors were also once Buddhists. The man in the first photo is from Peshawar, the hometown of the Bodhisattvas Asanga and Vasubandhu. The man in the second photo is our guide, Ali, from Hunza.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
Pakistan 是民族大熔炉，和来自 Karachi 及Islamabad的阿拉伯后裔用英语畅谈，他们都是精英，但普遍上都对政治失望。
Pakistan is a melting pot of ethnicities. I had engaging conversations in English with Arab descendants and etc from Karachi and Islamabad. They are all elites, but generally, they are disappointed by politics.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
法轮未转，食轮先转。西式装潢配合Pakistan 的 naan, bhasmati rice ，dhal ，如果这吃法千年不变，不吃知佛教先辈们是否吃得津津有味?
Before the Wheel of Dharma turns, the wheel of food must turn first. Western-style decor accompanies Pakistan’s naan, basmati rice, and dhal. If this way of eating hasn’t changed for a thousand years, I wonder, did our Buddhist predecessors enjoy their meals just as much?
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
天龙，秀娟、文安、静仪、Yin, Karen, Madam Wong, Magdeline及Ang是旅途乐趣不可少的同行，除了闲谈，对卖空、英文文法等打开眼界。 上图是城堡皇室的厨房，下图是沙漠及 Kachura lake。
Above were indispensable companions who added joy to the journey. Beyond casual chats, we explored topics like short selling and English grammar. The first photo shows the royal kitchen in a fortress, and the second is the desert and Kachura lake.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
同行之间及和当地人的互动，也是另一道美景
The interactions among companions and with the locals were another beautiful part of the journey.
犍陀罗朝圣之旅Pilgrimage to Ghandara：
同行之间及和当地人的互动，也是另一道美景
The interactions among companions and with the locals were another beautiful part of the journey.