TWO BROTHERS LITERALLY LIVE a world apart. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is in exile in India while his eldest brother, Thubten Jigme Norbu, is a 79-year-old retired Indiana University professor who resides in rural south-central Indiana. His home is located on 90 wooden acres in Bloomington, Indiana, an hour's drive south from Indianapolis. This picturesque pastoral setting, which also houses The Tibetan Cultural Center and the Jangchub Chorten, is a great destination for people interested in Buddhism to experience a relaxing getaway.The Tibetan Cultural Center, dedicated to teaching the general public the history, culture, and values of Tibet, as well as to support Tibetans worldwide. The center is home to a full program of workshops, teachings, seminars, initiations, retreats, and ceremonies relating to Tibetan religious practices. People of all different backgrounds are encouraged to participate in an atmosphere designed to promote love, peace, and compassion amidst spectacular natural beauty.
The building is open regularly on Sunday afternoons. Meditations are held every Sunday at 1 p.m. followed by informal discussions on selected readings. Visitors can view a permanent sand mandala of the Medicine Buddha as well as many other works of art on display. Persons wishing to visit it at other times should contact the center. Every effort is made to accommodate visitors at other times.
The grounds are open to the public from 12 to 4 p.m. daily, weather permitting. A self-guided tour map may be picked up from the mailbox across from the flagpole.
OF SPECIAL INTEREST IS THE 35-foot-high Jangchub Chorten, a monument to Tibetans killed in political and religious repression. Inside the chorten are hair clippings from 13 of the 14 Dalai Lamas of Tibet (only hair from the first one is missing), hundreds of Buddhist scriptures and other writings, and thousands of small figurines. Guns and knives are also enclosed to encourage peace by what is best known in the 21st century as "burying the hatchet." Jangchub Chorten received international attention when the Dalai Lama consecrated it in 1987. And do note -- when observing a chorten or other sacred object, it is important to show respect by walking around with the right arm facing toward it, which is clockwise.
Renting a cabin would be an ideal retreat for a person wanting solitude in order to engage in a creative project such as art or writing or to pursue meditation. The center is also a convenient place to stay while enjoying other area attractions. It is a 15-minute drive from Indiana’s largest inland body of water, Lake Monroe. Nearby Indiana University offers a full program of cultural and sporting events. Nashville, a small community known for its artists’ galleries and eclectic boutiques, is a 30-minute drive.For more information about the Tibetan Cultural Center, check their website at www.tibetancc.com or call (812) 334-7046. Details about attractions and activities in the Bloomington area are available from the Monroe County Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.visitbloomington.com or (800) 800-0037.
SUSAN EBERMAN is a travel writer who lives in Bedford, Indiana.
