Buddhism
offers four sites of pilgrimage: the Buddha's
birthplace at Kapilavastu, the site where he
attained Enlightenment Bodh Gaya, where he first
preached at Benares, and where he achieved
Parinirvana at Kusingara.
The
earliest centres of Buddhist pilgrimages were the
places associated with the life and Teachings of the
great Master. These four places are Lumbini, Bodh
Gaya, Sarnath and Kusinara. Lumbini, in what is now
Nepal, is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. The
others are in India: Bodh Gaya was the place, under
the pipal or Bo tree, where the Buddha was
enlightened after practising meditation for several
years. Sarnath was the scene of His first teaching
and Kusinara was the place of His death or final
Nirvana.
After the
death of the Buddha, the relics of His body were
collected from the funeral pyre and divided into
eight parts. These were distributed to the claimants
and stupas, or burial mounds, were erected on the
relics. The practice of pilgrimage in Buddhism
probably started with visits to these places, the
purpose of which was to achieve personal advantage
such as rebirth in a good location, as well as to
honour the great master. Thus the custom of
pilgrimage has been widespread among Buddhist for
many centuries and is common to both the Mahayana
and Theravada traditions.
But if we
consider the history of pilgrimage in Buddhism, we
notice that in the earliest order and scheme of
Buddhist monastic life as described in the Tripitika,
there is no recognition of the duty or advantage of
pilgrimage. According to a commentary to the Vinaya
Sutra known as 'Lung-Treng-Tik' in Tibetan by the
First Dalai Lama (1392-1474), the Buddha is said to
have emphasised several times the importance of
pilgrimage.
"Bhikkhus,
after my passing away, all sons and daughters who
are of good family and are faithful should as long
as they live, go to the four holy places and
remember: Here at Lumbini, the enlightened one was
born; here at Bodh Gaya he attained enlightenment,
here at Sarnath he turned the wheel of Dharma; and
there at Kusinara he entered Parinirvana. Bhikkhus,
after my passing away there will be activities such
as circumambulation of these places and reverence to
them. Thus it should be told to them for they, who
have faith in my deeds and awareness of their own,
will travel to higher states. After my passing away,
the new Bhikkhus who come and ask of the doctrine
should be told of these four places and advised that
a pilgrimage to them will help purify their
previously accumulated Karmas or actions."
A pilgrim is
defined in the Dhammapada as one who has abandoned
the world. In Buddhist literature there is mention
of becoming a 'wanderer' and being free of worldly
attachments by becoming a member of the Buddhist
Sangha or order. However, the wandering of a monk
was not completely aimless, it included visits to
sacred shrines for religious merits. It is mentioned
in the Mahavagga, "Go ye Bhikkhus (monks), wander
for the gain of the many for the welfare of the
many, out of compassion for the world and for the
gain and the welfare of gods and men". The wandering
mode of living of Buddhist monks without a settled
home and the practice of pilgrimage contributed to
the spread of Buddhism.
