So here’s the thing about the way I travel: I’m not the type of person who does endless research about a place before going there. No, I usually just show up, get curious, and start asking around when something catches my attention. Which brings me to Sri Lanka.

My first encounter with Buddhism here was when I visited Anura and Kumari, along with their two adult children. They explained to me that their children (ages 27 and 30) are not yet married, so as parents they are supporting the process. They do this by looking for potential matches based on horoscopes. If a horoscope match is found, the couple and their families will have tea together. If the couple then decide they like each other, they begin courting after which they can choose whether or not to marry. I was surprised to learn that horoscopes play such a fundamental role in marriage arrangements among Buddhists.

The next day, Anura took me to a Buddhist temple. He explained that Buddhism is not a religion in the sense of worshipping gods. Instead, it is often described as a philosophy, or a way of life. The teachings of the Buddha are not about heaven, hell, or divine punishment, but about the present moment, the nature of suffering, and the simplicity of life.

Buddha himself was not a god, but a man born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, which is today part of Nepal. Through years of meditation and reflection, he reached enlightenment and shared his insights about suffering, impermanence, and compassion. People in Sri Lanka pray to Buddha not because he grants wishes, but out of respect for his wisdom. Acts of devotion are meant to cultivate good karma, which in Buddhism is simply the natural law of cause and effect.

What intrigued me a lot were the symbols surrounding the temples. Everywhere I looked I saw elephants and lotus flowers. Anura told me this comes from a story about Buddha’s mother, Queen Maya, who dreamt of a white elephant carrying a lotus flower. The next day she learned she was pregnant with Siddhartha. Since then, both the elephant and the lotus have become sacred symbols of purity, wisdom, and spiritual awakening. The lotus, especially, is central in Buddhism: it grows from muddy waters, yet blossoms into a pure flower.

As I walked barefoot around the temple grounds, smelling the different aromas in the air and hearing monks chanting softly in the distance, I felt a quiet simplicity in it all. No grandeur, no promises of miracles. Just a philosophy rooted in mindfulness, kindness, and respect for life. What goes around, comes around.

I find it beautiful to have learned that Buddhism in Sri Lanka is not a religion that demands belief, but a way of being that encourages presence. Although I’ve noticed that not everything is sunshine and rainbows. There is still inequality on basic levels between men and women which triggers different emotions within me. Yet still, Buddhism has reminded me that the path to peace begins not in another world, but right here, in this very moment.

Something I keep reminding myself to do, as it remains one of my biggest challenges as a dreamer.