By Tiffany Stanley and Deepa Bharath
A gaggle of Buddhist monks reached Washington, D.C., on foot Feb. 10, strolling single file throughout a bridge over the Potomac River to cap a 15-week trek from Texas that has captivated the nation.
The monks of their saffron robes have turn out to be fixtures on social media, together with their rescue canine Aloka. After spending the night time of Feb. 9 at Marymount College in Arlington, Va., they crossed over the Chain Bridge into the District of Columbia shortly after 8 a.m.
They stroll to advocate for peace. That straightforward message has resonated throughout the U.S. as a welcome respite from battle and political divisions. Hundreds gathered alongside Southern roadsides — typically in unusually chilly climate — to look at the monks’ quiet procession that started in late October.
Giant crowds greeted them throughout their two-day keep in Washington. The Metropolitan Police Division issued a site visitors advisory asserting there can be “rolling highway closures” alongside the monks’ route to make sure security for them and spectators.
“My hope is, when this stroll ends, the individuals we met will proceed training mindfulness and discover peace,” mentioned the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s soft-spoken chief who has taught about mindfulness at stops alongside the best way.
A respectful silence greets the monks
Practically 3,500 individuals packed American College’s Bender Area for the monks’ first public cease in Washington. However no raucous sports activities cheers greeted them: Spectators remained silent as they walked into the world, as an indication of respect for the monks and their quest for peace.
Pannakara walked in with Aloka, a celeb in his personal proper, who rested on a blanket that organizers had positioned on the basketball courtroom.
The trek has had its perils. In November outdoors Houston, the monks had been strolling on the aspect of a freeway when their escort car was hit by a truck. Two monks had been injured; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated.
Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Ga., rejoined the monks in Washington and entered American College’s enviornment in a wheelchair.
The monks additionally made out of doors appearances at Washington Nationwide Cathedral on Jan. 10 afternoon and the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 11.
“Their lengthy journey and mild witness invite us all to deepen our dedication to compassion and the work of peace in our communities,” mentioned Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who helped host an interfaith reception for the monks on the cathedral.
The monks have received devoted followers alongside the best way
Nineteen monks started the two,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) journey from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Heart in Fort Price on Oct. 26, 2025. They got here from Theravada Buddhist monasteries across the globe, led by Pannakara, who’s vp of the Fort Price temple.
The monks have been stunned to see their message transcend ideologies. Thousands and thousands have adopted them on-line, and crowds have greeted them at quite a few venues, from a church in Opelika, Alabama, to Metropolis Corridor in Richmond, Virginia.
Mark Duykers, a retired mechanical engineer who practices mindfulness, mentioned he and his spouse drove 550 miles (885 kilometers) from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Washington to see the monks.
“In these divisive instances, we noticed complete cities within the Bible Belt popping out for these monks — having no concept of what Buddhism is — however being uplifted and moved by it,” he mentioned. “That’s inspirational.”
A cherished custom and ‘a non secular providing’
Whereas within the U.S. capital, they made plans to submit a request to lawmakers to declare Vesak — Buddha’s birthday — a nationwide vacation. However, Pannakara and others have emphasised that isn’t the aim of the stroll.
Lengthy Si Dong, a spokesperson for the temple, mentioned the stroll is neither a political motion neither is it targeted on advocacy or laws.
“It’s a non secular providing, an invite to dwell peace via on a regular basis actions, conscious steps and open hearts,” he mentioned. “We consider when peace is cultivated inside, it naturally ripples outward into society.”
Among the monks, together with Pannakara, walked barefoot or in socks for a lot of the journey to really feel the bottom straight and be current within the second. As they pressed on via snow and chilly, they at instances donned winter boots.
Peace walks are a cherished custom in Theravada Buddhism. Pannakara first encountered Aloka, an Indian Pariah canine whose title means “divine mild” in Sanskrit, throughout a 112-day journey throughout India in 2022.
The monks apply and educate Vipassana meditation, an historical Indian method taught by the Buddha as core to attaining enlightenment. It focuses on the mind-body connection, observing breath and bodily sensations to know actuality, impermanence and struggling.
On Feb. 10, the monks accomplished 108 days of strolling. It’s a sacred quantity in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It represents non secular completion, cosmic order and the wholeness of existence.
The monks’ return journey is much less arduous. After an look in Annapolis on Feb. 11, a bus left to take them again to Fort Price, Texas. The monks are anticipated to reach by Feb. 15, the place they may full a 6 mile stroll to the temple the place their journey started.
Related Press faith protection receives help via the AP’s collaboration with The Dialog US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely chargeable for this content material. This text was initially printed by The Related Press. Bharath reported from Los Angeles.
