These days, the footsteps of peace are echoing across American soil.
A divine caravan of marching Buddhist monks—moving not only along roads, but steadily entering human hearts.
Nineteen monks who set out from a Buddhist monastery in the US state of Texas took a monumental vow for a peace march in October last year. The vow was that they would walk on foot from Texas to Washington, DC—the capital of the United States—without any publicity, without noise, carrying only the message of compassion and peace.
The duration of this journey was fixed at 120 days, and so far, 86 days of this vow-journey have been completed.
These monks began their walk from Texas and, sanctifying the lands of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina with their footsteps, are now moving forward toward Virginia, Maryland, and finally Washington, DC.
At the beginning, these monks took a vow to walk barefoot—direct dialogue with the earth, a direct connection with nature.
However, as the journey progressed, the weather grew harsher and the cold intensified—so, accepting the limits of the human body, they put on shoes.
Because walking barefoot in sub-zero temperatures is not austerity; it is destruction of the body.
Read This also : The Virginia Case That Shook Trust in Medicine | Pakistani doctor Javed Parvez
Most monks in this sacred group are from countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand—carriers of the Buddhist tradition of compassion. And accompanying them on this spiritual journey is a unique traveler—an Indian street dog named Alok. A once-homeless dog who has now become a symbol of the path of peace.
There is immense curiosity, interest, and reverence for this group of monks within American society. At night, the monks rest in schools and churches. They interact with local communities. People gather to see them—not a crowd, but an ocean of devotees.
In some places, people shower flowers; in others, they bow with folded hands; and elsewhere, medical teams conduct regular health check-ups—because this journey is not only a test of the soul, but also of the body.
A few days ago, when the temperature was minus seven degrees Celsius and icy winds were cutting through the air, Amuk saw this group of monks walking.
At that moment, Amuk’s heart filled with reverence—
Because in such weather, only one who has not merely taken a vow, but lived it, can walk.
This journey is approximately three thousand seven hundred fifty kilometers long—
And it will be completed next month.
But the truth is, this is not merely a journey of distance—
It is a journey of compassion,
a sacrificial offering of peace,
and a silent campaign for the restoration of humanity.
External Link : Buddhist monks on walk for peace journey from Texas to Washington, D.C.
Writer’s Bio:
Mann Ji is a US-based NRI with a deep interest in history and global affairs. Writing is his passion, through which he explores power, politics, and the hidden patterns of the past, presenting complex events in a sharp, thought-provoking narrative style.
Leave a Reply