Buddhist Pilgrimage Ideas

scott13914

I'm currently planning a Buddhist pilgrimage where I would hit the four main pilgrimage sites: Lumbini: birth place (in Nepal), Bodh Gaya: the place of his Enlightenment (in the current Mahabodhi Temple), Sarnath: (formally Isipathana) where he delivered his first teaching, and Kusinara: (now Kusinagar, India) where he died.

Has anyone done this before? If so would you be willing to talk or email? Are there any sites that I should visit besides these that are prime mediation spots? Any other tips and ideas?

Thank you!

Scott

dharma

Hi scott13914,

This is the route that I am thinking of taking because it is along the route that the Buddha often took during his journey from Savatthi - Rajagaha after the Rains retreat.

Day 01 - Delhi Airport - Agra ( 5 hrs / 203 kms )

Day 2 - Agra - Sankasia ( 170 kms )

The Buddha descended from heaven after giving sermon to his mother .

Day 03 Sankasia - Lucknow ( 300 kms) - Sravasti ( 175 kms)

On arrival drive to Sravasti. Visit Sarvasti Garden which is an important pilgrimage for Buddhists ( Jeta Grove)

The Buddha also spent another six Rains at another monastery, the Pubbarama which is also situated in Sravasti.

Day 04 - Sravasti -( Balrampur) 130 kms- Kapilavastu -130 kms
Where the Buddha grew up ( Tilaurakot or Taulihawa ).

Day 05 - Kapilavastu- Lumbini ( 30 kms )

Day 06- Lumbini - Kushinagar ( is 5hrs/ 170 kms ( or 180 kms)
Drive

Day 07 - Kushinagar- Patna ( 9 hrs 290 kms ( or 350 kms) :

Day 08 - Patna- Vaishali ( 55 kms 2 hrs ( or 70 kms)

Day 09 - Vaishali - Nalanda ( 35 kms) - Rajgir ( 12 kms)

Gridkutta Mountain (Vulture's Peak), Bamboo Grove

Day 10 - Rajgirn- Bodhgaya ( 3 hours, 75 kms ( or 80 kms)

Day 13 - Bodhgaya -Varanasi ( 8 hrs, 240 kms ( or 275 kms )

Varanasi—Sarnath ( 15 kms )

yogi2

You can visit also mclodganj

dharma

Who is mclodganj

Simonthepilgrim

McLeodganj is also called Upper Dharamsala and is where the Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans live in exile. I visited there in 2001, after Rewalsar, where Padmasambhava meditated before going to Tibet. The Lotus Lake there is sacred to Buddhists, who perambulate clockwise, Hindus, who go widdershins, and Sikhs, although I'm not sure what direction they choose. After Rewalsar we stopped at Bir, a wonderful Tibetan town in Himachal Pradesh. McLeodganj was wonderfully chaotic, particularly as HHDL suddenly decided to hold a public audience.

Ghabe

Is it not hard to visit Upper Dharmsala? I had always been under the impression that it was a rather treacherous journey!

Simonthepilgrim

No more than any other journey along Indian roads!

Dakini

Is it not hard to visit Upper Dharmsala? I had always been under the impression that it was a rather treacherous journey!

I just spoke to a friend who was at the reunion of westerners and the Dalai Lama that was posted here, from UTube back in the winter. He said McCleodGanj (Upper Dharamsala) has transformed in the last few years--it's full of big hotels to accomodate all the tourists from all over the world. Big tour and study groups come in from everywhere, including Russia. It's not the quaint little village it was before. He didn't mention any treacherous roads, maybe he's used to it, he used to live there.

It sounds like it's worth visiting, even with the big tour groups, if you can fit it into your schedule. Nice to get up toward the mountains anyway, where it's cooler.

Simonthepilgrim

I've heard the same, Dakini. It worries me: when I was there, the town was nearly out of water. Only half the guest houses were open and we were all very careful. What it must be like now, ten years on, I don't know but I imagine that the daily 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. power cut may still happens.

compassionate_warrior

This is interesting, Simon. They say the glaciers in Tibet are melting away, and in time, the mighty Brahmaputra will fail to water India. Doesn't the Mekong have its source in Tibet as well? Several of Asia's major rivers do. Ah, but we digress.

Simonthepilgrim

I did find myself wondering if we should leave Dharamsala when we found that they had had no rain; it then rained the next day and the hills were covered with snow. Locals were celebrating, as you can imagine, and we stayed. As the rain coincided with the return home of HHDL, one of my more superstitious Tibetan friends ascribed the rains to his presence!

Dakini

The latest report I heard is that Dharamsala has benefitted from some infrastructure development projects in the area, so there aren't any power disruptions or water shortages.