Why Visit Holy Pilgrimages?
Nov 10, 2012
My talk on “Why Visit Holy Pilgrimages?”
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/WhyVisitHolyPilgrimages.mp4
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear friends,
Some students and friends will be visiting Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Sarnath. I decided to record the significance of these places for them. Knowing the significance their pilgrimage will be more powerful and meaningful. Lord Buddha Himself recommended we visit the place of His Birth, enlightenment, where He first taught and parinirvana. I had the great fortune to visit these places many times and I truly loved my pilgrimage to these places. I have spent quite alot of time at each place doing prayers and meditations. I highly recommended all Buddhists to visit these places at least once in their lives. I highly recommend those who wish to deepen their cultural experiences to also visit. These places vibrate with peace and powerful blessed energy. I wish a good trip to my friends and all who will visit.
Tsem Rinpoche
My guru H.E. Kensur Rinpoche and I in front of Bodhgaya’s Mahabodhi temple. The Mahabodhi temple is one of the four holy sites related to the life of Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. It was built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C. (source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1056)
The holy statue of Shakyamuni Buddha at Bodhgaya. The senior monk on the right is the caretaker and he just helped me to offer fresh robes onto Lord Buddha. I was grateful for his help.
The Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya under which Lord buddha gained Enlightenment more than 2500 years ago.
The Japanese temple at Bodhgaya. A must visit.
Vulture’s Peak in Rajgir was the Buddha’s favorite retreat and the scene for many of his discourses. According to the commentaries this place got its name because vultures used to perch on some of the peak’s rocks. Vulture’s Peak may be the second holiest place of Buddhism, after the Mahabodhi temple because this is the place where the Buddha spent so much time on retreat, meditating, and teaching so many discourses. The Heart Sutra was also preached here by Avalokitesvara to Shariputra. (source: http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Vulture_Peak)
This is the Sarnath stupa. Sarnath is the deer park where Lord Buddha first taught the Dharma. Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India. After attaining Enlightenment, Lord Buddha travelled to Sarnath and found his five former companions, and Buddha taught them, they understood and as a result they also became enlightened. At that time the Sangha, the community of the enlightened ones, was founded. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath)
Nalanda is an ancient center of higher Buddhist learning in Bihar, India from 427 to 1197. Nalanda was established in the 5th century AD. It was devoted to Buddhist studies. Nalanda produced great Buddhist masters like Nagarjuna, Asanga, Atisha etc. (source: http://www.aicte-india.org/downloads/ancient.pdf)
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
A pilgrimage is a search for meaning, purpose, values, or truth. In many Buddhist countries famous mountains have become sacred sites that draw pilgrims from both near and far. Knowing the significance their pilgrimage will be more powerful and meaningful. Hence going to those sacred places once a life time vibrate with peace and powerful blessed energy is worth going . These four sacred places were Lumbini, the site of the Buddha’s birth, Bodhgaya, where he attained nirvana, Sarnath, where he delivered his first teaching, and Kushinagar, where he attained Parinirvana. Bodhgaya’s Mahabodhi temple is one of the most sacred and holy sites in Buddhist tradition and a place of pilgrimage. Thousands of pilgrims , Buddhist practitioners and tourist visit this holy site. Buddhist pilgrims have travel to sacred sites for thousands of years. I am fortunate to have visited all these places few years back. Reading this article reminds me of my pilgrimage.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
\
Thank you for sharing this wonderful article. I too had many dreams to do holy pilgrimages trip to India. Knowing why it is important and the belief and faith to visit the holy site. I understand that pilgrimages trip frequently involve a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance.
Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places or of their visual connection with the divine. Holy site has many miracle which need to be witnessed and to perform. I too have many wishes to feel the magical vibration and to receive the spiritual power to achieve and to benefit from them.
A few months ago, I had a wonderful blessing for my spiritual and safe journey to India from Tsem Rinpoche. I was very happy to receive the message and had started to do some saving. I pretty sure my ambitious dream will be fulfilled soon and I will be able to touch the holy land.
The greatest pilgrimage trip I had was 10 years ago lead by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche himself to Nepal with a big group of us. It was truly a meritorious trip. We received teaching from Rinpoche every morning after breakfast. We did prayer when we arrived the sacrate places. Rinpoche took time to explain and dharma talk at every places we visited. At the time KIM team was newly formed. Ms Han and her team took a very good Video for the whole trip.
Thank you Rinpoche for your love and care. I must visit Bodhgaya soon.
If I had not read this post and watch the video, I think I would have just gone on a pilgrimage without any proper motivation and take loads of photos, buy souvenirs and do the usual tourist-y thing. Having understood the importance of a strong good motivation and other Do’s and Don’ts during a pilgrimage, I will keep these in mind when I go on any pilgrimage when I have the merits.
However, as Jace reminded me of the BEST and holiest pilgrimage site is where our Guru resides, I consider myself very fortunate to be able to have such an easy access to a holy site like Kechara Forest Retreat. One of the things I love about KFR is that my breaks from work walking around the various holy Buddha statues and Vajrayogini Stupa is not only a healthy activity but a meritorious one too.
Thank you for the teaching in this post, Rinpoche. And thank you for KFR!
The Manjushri Hill team have a discussion on this topic and thanks again Rinpoche and team for this post.
Reading back this post which was published 6 years ago, it brings back a lot memories and also we have learned some new thoughts throughout these years. I appreciate very much to have been visiting holy places mentioned by Rinpoche, and now I understand the holiest place among all that we can collect the most merits is where our Guru resides.
Although I understand that my financial situation might not allow me to go for more pilgrimages, I am the lucky one to live and work near the Guru, which is the best pilgrimage for my life.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Buddhist around the world is encouraged to make a trip to Bodhgaya – the place where Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The Bodhi Tree is considered the most significant of the seven sacred sites in Bodhgaya. Another most sacred holy item is the great Mahabodhi Stupa to commemorate the spot where Buddha became enlightened. Mahabodhi means great compassion. The stupa was built by King Ashoka. Inside the stupa resides the most sacred Buddha image which was built 60 years after Buddha parinirvana. It was commissioned by a lady who had seen the Buddha himself. Hence, the image has the closest resemblance to Buddha’s image. Thank you, Rinpoche.
Great to know the signaficance of visiting Holy Pilgrimages.Good and easy understanding explaned by Rinpoche.The pilgrimage will be more powerful and meaningful if we can visit Lord Buddha Birth place,enlightenment and where He first taught and parinirvana.That is interesting to know those places as mentioned.I would love to visit some day that will help me in my Dharma practices. And as explaned by Rinpoche all these Holy places vibrate with more peace and powerful blessed energy to bless each and everyone who was there.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing
Pilgrimage to holy places especially to Buddha’s Birth,Enlightened, Discourse and enter Paranirwana place is really help us in our Dharma practices to gain attainment.
Rinpoche told us that pilgrimage will trigger our Dharma seeds or imprint from previous life. Once Dharma seed sprout, our spiritual path become easier and we will acheive fruitful spiritual.
Rinpoche shared the pilgrimage article really inspired more Buddhism practitioners to visit India.
I must plan for my pilgrimage to India soon in order to create more good cause for my spiritual path.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing.
Jason
i really like Bodhgaya very very much. it was the sacred place where Lord Buddha meditated and became enlighten under a bodhi tree. i have made few pilgrimage trips to Bodhgaya past few years, there are lots of monks, nuns and lay people from all over the world doing retreats, prayers and circumambulation at Bodhgaya. The energies in Bodhgaya is very peaceful and calming. Buddha Shakyamuni statue inside the main stupa was said to resemble Buddha himself the most. The pilgrims can offer monk robes to this Buddha image directly to collect merits. My favorite time at Bodhgaya was doing non-stop circumambulation around the stupa at night time.
Rinpoche is infinitely kind to explain these power places to us and also curate the pilgrimage trips that will benefit us the most. As going to such places can really turbo charges our spiritual practice to a whole new level.
Thank you for sharing the do’s and don’ts as we should maximise our short time at these sacred places. I would love to make a pilgrimage to these holy sites one day soon as these places are imbued with blessings and positive energies of Enlightened Beings that will help spur us on our path to Enlightenment.
感谢仁波切的分享，让我们知道4个佛教徒必须前往朝拜的非常神圣的地方。让我们知道关于很多有关佛陀经历过的地方，指导我们到那里必须做什么。希望我们都有机会可以前往那么神圣的地方感受这一切。
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this holy pilgrimages video. I like this video very much because I feel it is very comprehensive and detailed information for us who have not been these places .
The place that I wish the most to visit is Bodhgaya – Mahabodhi Stupa . Like what have Rinpoche mentioned that with our strong aspiration , we may have the chance to enlightenment. Other than that we could do more offerings according to our affordability , and it is very meritorious . I will keep the words given by Rinpoche when I am really have the opportunity to visit Bodhgaya.
This is very interesting to discuss with dharma sisters and brothers about pilgrimage trips that were organised by Kechara. The seniors are very kind to share their experiences on the pilgrimage such as Nepal and Wu Tai Shan. Some have shared about the importance of motivation, aspirations and preparations before go on pilgrimage.
I humbly wish that the day to visit Bodhgaya will come very soon.?
Pilgrimage to the holy site, not only benefit us to get imprint of Dharma and also benefit us to collect merits to proceed further in practicing Dharma. We should well prepare and study before we start the Pilgrimage and set the motivation right. So, we can get the maximum bless from the holy site.
As Buddhist, we must visit the 4 holy places of Buddha at least once in our lifetime. The 4 holy places mark Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, first turn of dharma wheel and parinirvana. These are places for us to plant a seed to be able to achieve the same attainment as Buddha. It is therefore very important for us to have the correct motivation when visiting the holy places. I am very thankful that Rinpoche had so kindly provided us with this guidelines on what to do, setting the motivation and what not to be missed during the pilgrimage.
It is my wish to be able to visit the 4 holy places very soon.
Thank you very much, Rinpoche, for the generous sharing.
Humbly, with folded palms,
Stella
感恩上师的分享，真希望有机缘在上师或克切拉组团帶领下，走一趟朝圣之旅。去看看这些古老又神圣的廟宇。
Borobudur one sacred holy place.
感恩仁波切的分享与开示
在仁波切的慈爱与加持下，是如此的感恩，仁波切给予我们笔记与开示，并附上照片，好使我们能在这里看到如此庄严殊胜的地方的照片，我祈愿所有的人都能有一趟如此充满法喜的朝圣旅程，祈愿我们都有机会去到这些地方，为我们的心种下强烈的佛法种子，而迈向证悟的旅程
Heya i am for the first time here. I came across this board
and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something again and help others
such as you helped me.
This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!!
Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Many
thanks!
very nice site for me
The first pilgrimage I ever went on was to Bodhgaya in 2004, and I had the great merits of going there with Rinpoche. We were going there to scout the place, and make arrangements for another group of 60 pilgrims to travel there in the following month.
Whilst we were at Bodhgaya, Rinpoche said we must be aware of the fact Lord Buddha chose that very space in the universe to manifest enlightenment. Therefore, there has to be something special about that space.
Since that space is special, we should not occupy ourselves with mundane things like gossiping, focusing on when’s our next meal or how dusty India is, or how uncomfortable our hotel is, etc. We spend the majority of our lives doing that, so when we go to Bodhgaya, we should make the effort to leave that attitude behind.
Instead, we should focus on three things:
(1) when we are circumambulating around the Mahabodhi Stupa, we are occupying our body with a holy act
(2) when we are circumambulating, we should recite mantras. In that way, our speech is occupied with a holy act
(3) as we circumabumlate around the stupa, visualise that we are walking a long journey, on a pilgrimage to see Lord Buddha. In that way, our mind is occupied with a holy act
I have never forgotten that trip because it was quite unlike any trip I had ever made before. Not only was the energy in Bodhgaya amazing (I did 4000 prostrations in 4 days!), but with Rinpoche there, it didn’t become just another trip to India like it so easily could’ve been.
I was one of very few people who had the fortune to go to Bodhgaya recently on a trip with about 6 other friends and our parents and what an wonderful journey it was to trace the footsteps of Buddha himself. Listening to Rinpoche’s teachings beforehand (and across the many years), as well as having a local guide on the trip itself brought the places to life, as if Buddha had just been there and left not a few moments ago.
We were also fortunate to have gone at times when there were actually not that many people. Places like Vultures Peak and Kushinagar were quiet enough for the group to sit down for long enough periods of time to do our personal and group prayers, and candle, incense and khata offerings. Rinpoche was also very kind to have recommended specific prayers for us to do, to make the most of our short time there.
Most of all, the trip was incredible for us to be able to do something truly sacred with our elderly parents, to create merit and perform prayers together with them. Rinpoche had advised that this would be one of the best ways we could repay the kindness of our mothers and fathers, to help them connect with such powerful places and beings for their future lives. It benefits each of us too, of course – so perhaps, instead of thinking about just another eating, shopping, sightseeing holiday, you might consider doing a pilgrimage like this in the future which benefits you not just during the trip but forevermore!
David and I have written up our experiences of being in India … which will be up soon! Watch this space! 🙂
These are sacred and beautiful sites that Rinpoche travelled to. Due to a stroke of good luck coupled with prayers and deeds from a previous life, I did managed to travel to these holy sites to make offerings and prayers.
The place is ancient but very much alive today with thousands upon thousands of pilgrims. It is really sad but many of these sites contain museums that hold relics of a distant past where Buddhism was as alive as it was in old Tibet. Unfortunately, degeneration in practice, political instability and along with Muslim invasion reduced these great ancient Buddhist sites into mere ruins.
These holy places became meaningful to me when I went on the pilgrimage with the group led by Paul Yap in December 2012. It was like tracing the footsteps of the Buddha and by doing this, we know more about Buddha’s life and the great deeds performed by him. On Vulture’s Peak I saw a stone that actually looks like a vulture. Maybe that’s how the place got its name. I enjoyed going to all these places and the trip has inspired me to find out more about the Buddha’s life and teachings.
I love and I am so fortunate to visited such holy places like Bodhgaya and Nepal with Rinpoche. It is like you have been transported to a different realm and your whole entire being is emerged with pure 100% spiritual practices. You left the word you came from “samsara’ and connect with your inner self, the peace you find is natural and ever so pure. It was like ur in some Dharma heaven and there is no distractions.
You see so many people, holy man and woman doing their prayers, doing prostrations, doing pujas, do meditations, sitting, walking, offerings, lighting a butter lamp etc. and all for that one goal… enlightenment. It was awe inspiring. The Maha Bodhi temple was like a peace sanctuary, amidst the chaos and poverty of this word. Just outside it you come face to face with the poorest of the poorest and I remembered Rinpoche told us… this is why Buddha chose this place to gain Enlightenment because they were reminders of samsara and they were also our teachers… you cannot help not give something to a child of not more than 10 years old asking you in his dirt for some money for food. Though we were warn to not give because then we’d be swamp with a hundred of them and we’d be rob, but some how cannot ignore him when he is right in you face. So we gave food instead of money discretely.
If given a chance I would definitely go there again to engage in any of the preliminaries such as prostrations… you cannot help but get in to that mode naturally, effortlessly.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching on pilgrimage to holy sites in bodhgaya.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing many holy places, especially where Buddha gained the Enlightenment under Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya. The scenery at Vultures Peak is peace and full of blessed energies. I wish i can visit one of these holy places and bring back the benefits to my local friends and family.
Thank you for this talk. The clear instructions regarding the prayers, offerings, meditation, etc to be done at the various sacred places, prepare us for the pilgrimage. I have listened to the recording a number of times. I am very excited to be going to Bodhgaya.
Thank you Rinpoche for The sharing of the photo and with wording, it was great to know more about those holy places. How fortunate if we able visit the places personally .
Lord Buddha had many times referred to the value of Pilgrimage. In accordance with a quotation found in a commentary of the Vinaya Sutra, Lord Buddha had said, “Bhiksu, after my passing away, if all sons and daughters of good family and the faithful, so long as they live, go to the four Holy places, they should go and remember:- Here at Lumbini, the enlightened one was born; Here at Bodhgaya, He attained enlightenment; Here at Sarnath, He turned twelve wheels of Dharma; and Here at Kushinagar, He entered Parinrvana!” It is in accord with the Doctorine that “a pilgrimage to these four places will greatly help to purify their previously accumulated negative Karmas, even the five Heinous actions”. Our best congratulations to Paul and our Kecharians and friends for partaking with what Lord Buddha had said, we greatly rejoiced for them!
Thank you Rinpoche for the video, we watched it before we started our pilgrimage to Bodhgaya and Varanasi.
We all bear in mind that this is not a holiday or sight seeing trip, this is a trip to Buddha’s places where we have to grab every chance to do as much offerings as possible.
I like every places that Rinpoche mentioned above, especially Sarnath. It’s where Buddha gave the first teaching, the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha’s statue at Varanasi is in the mudra of first turning Dharma wheel. And it’s the place Buddha formed Sangha. I feel overwhelm and grateful that the place still protected for us to see, the place where Dharma starts.
May the wheel of Dharma keep turning until the samsara emptied. _/\_
Thank you Rinpoche for explain so details . This is a nice place to visit.
I will definitely make a trip to these places mention by Rinpoche at least once in my lifetime. Knowing the significance of these places makes the trip much more meaningful as one can look forward and know what is to be expected from each site. Rejoice Rejoice…..Thank you Rinpoche
wow rinpoche well done
many places here
good work
you really are amazing
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the significant of each holy places to us and to set our motivation correctly. I would love to be at these holy place of Lord Buddha – places of His Birth, enlightenment, where He first taught and parinirvana. It will be great to visit these places to get the blessings and to be enlightened and able to benefit more people.
I have not been to pilgrimage, but thank you Rinpoche for explaining to us what should we do and where should we go when we are in pilgrimage. I never know that we can offer monk robes to Buddha Shakyamuni and this is so meritorious. From this video I understand that the purpose of going to pilgrimage, is to plant the seeds and make aspirations to get enlightenment just like the Lord Buddha. At the holy sites, we should recite prayers and mantras, not wasting time to chit-chat or do idle chatter.
And the places where Lord Buddha is born, get enlightened, first turned the Dharma Wheel and the place where He went into parinirvana are very scared and these are the places that every Buddhist should go. To be able to be at these places, we should rejoice for ourselves and others because we have the merits to be there.
I wish to go Nalanda very much too. As this is the place where many Buddhist scholars and Geshes studied many many years back.
I have not been to Bodhgaya yet, but I sure will do what I can to collect merits to have my pilgrimage soon.
I have been to Nepal for pilgrimage before, and thanks to a super knowledgable guide Su Ming, I really felt I get a lot out of the pilgrimage, and not just another tourist.
This short video, though is only less than 20 minutes, gives a lot of insights of what we Buddhists should do when we are in holy places. For me, what I leant the most from this video, is that we should have a good motivation, and never idle chat or gossip.
Also, thank you Rinpoche for giving a concise history of where Buddha Shakyamuni did His meditation, become fully enlightened, where He first turn the Wheel of Dharma.
Rejoice for all Kecharians that going this pilgrimage trip to Bodhgaya. And thanks Rinpoche for the important teaching.
May all Kecharians can visit such holy places in this life time and get nearer to Enlightenment.
Power places such as Bodhgaya have the potential to tap into our latent merits. Bodhgaya is indeed a place of power all the buddhas of this fortunate aeon will manifest at this spot. Why this spot over and over again I don’t know now hope one day I will know it. Be happy no matter what we face during pilgrimage is good and beneficial for us.
Thank you Rinpoche for the important teaching about why visit holy place,what we should set a very good motivation and should do prayer when arrive at holy place.May I have the fortune to visit those holy place with my family and all KHJB groups ^_^ Best wishes to Paul and all Kecharians on this pilgrimage !!
So kind of Rinpoche to compile different prayers to be recited at different holy places while on the pilgrimage. Rinpoche is always so thoughtful and caring towards everyone. The advice from this video is so precious! What better way to experience the holy pilgrimage than having Rinpoche giving us a heads up and a explanation on the significance of the different holy places.
May I be able to visit these holy places in future and hopefully with Rinpoche too. hehe
Thank you for sharing,Rinpoche!
Thank You Rinpoche for the clear instructions on what to do at these holy places. I definitely go to Bodhgaya and the other holy sites one day. These are places that all Buddhists should visit and make offerings. I remember very well must set a good motivation! Rejoice all of them visit the holy places.
Thank You Rinpoche again for the teachings of pilgrimage.
I am glad to know that some of Kecharians are visiting
I was fortunate to visit Bodhgaya with a small group led by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche in year 2003. I like the holy place very much, may I have the fortune to visit the place again with my lovely kids.
Such an amazing place. And Vulture’s peak! I have heard of it so many times in the Sutras. This is a historical place resided by a perfect being in human form who we called him the Buddha, an enlightened being who show everyone of us that there is an end to all suffering we have experience since beginningless time. Now each of the person who is going there will be able to see for themselves these auspicious holy places and come back to tell their friends and families of what we Buddhist can accomplish so much in our short lives living as a human being. Very happy for them and all of us! 🙂
Thank you Rinpoche for taking the time from your busy schedule to record this teaching, as I know that Rinpoche is currently extremely busy in KFR. I found this video very useful and informative for the next pilgrimage to Bodhgaya, and have already taken note of the prayers and offerings to prepare for each stop.
More importantly, I have also noted the motivations to set at each stage. Rinpoche instructions for the Bodhgaya pilgrimage reminds me very much of the teachings Rinpoche gave during the pilgrimage to Kathmandu in 2008. The feeling throughout that particular pilgrimage was very magical, as various holy sites came to life, for example as Rinpoche described the Manjushri teaching site.
I imaging the trip to Bodhgaya will be similar, and I only wish that Rinpoche would be coming for this pilgrimage as well.
Bodhaya looks so beautiful. Rinpoche has recommended that every Buddhist should visit Bodgaya at least once in their lifetime, and I do hope I will have the good fortune of going there one day. Thank you Rinpoche giving this teaching.
Looking at these photos bring back alot of good memories. It was December 1994, going on my first pilgrimage without any clue what I was heading out for and not comprehending the true significance of it. This was the trip I met Rinpoche for the first time.
I had the merits to take refuge from Rinpoche under the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, listened to the teachings on Karma at the Deer Park in Sarnath (this was the first turning of the dharma by Shakyamuni Buddha after he attained enlightenment), visited Nalanda, received the teachings on Heart Sutra from Rinpoche at Vultures Peak and did circumabulation nightly at the Japanese temple. Wow! 11 awesome days with Rinpoche. Talk about having merits!
I wish our pilgrims all the best on this trip and may their lives take on the dharma path now and always.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching and explaination on the significance of visiting holy places. Rejoice for the group of Kecharians there now. Seeing the beautiful photo of these holy sites inspired me to go there right away. Hopefully I can go there one day.
The Best Tour Guide ever, thank you Rinpoche for the explanation. This is so useful for the first timer as they don’t know what to do when going for pilgrimage.
We go for pilgrimage is not for any normal tour or holiday, it is for us to make prayers, offerings to gain merits so it helps in our spiritual practice, so it is very important to make good motivation before going for the trip.
Buddha spent his lifetime doing Dharma, practicing and teaching, going to the place where Buddha walk the path, it is for us to gain aspiration and to develop more faith in Dharma as Buddha was human once too, but he showed us the path to enlightenment and all these are not any tales, he does left signs, traces for us to see.
Many memory brought back when i first visit Bodhagaya and with the Kecharian at year 2004. Rinpoche lead the tour to pilgrimage Bodhgaya,we enjoy every single moment there did our prayer compiled by rinpoche.
At this trip we had taken refuge under bodhi tree from rinpoche. It was so meaningful and auspicious be a Buddhist and received therefuge vow. Everyday,we used up every moment to did prostration, prayer, offering light and Offering robe to lord Buddha statue at Maha Bodhi stupa.Until now i still miss our trip a lot.
I was fortunate to be able to go to Bodhgaya with Rinpoche and other pilgrims. It was a wish come true and I pray that I will be able to visit there again. Looking at the serene Buddha Shakyamuni brought tears to my eyes. All pilgrimages are even more meaningful as Rinpoche always kindly explain its significance and benefits to us before our trip and advises on the prayers and offerings to make for us to collect merits.
Ah yes, Bodhgaya. The memories of this sanctified place are brought back even though I visited twice some 7-8 years ago. There was a large group of us who had the merits to make the pilgrimage then. Now is this best time of the year to visit.
I rejoice for the group of Kecharians there now.
Thank you Rinpoche for making the efforts and time admist your busy schedule in KFR to give advice to those who are on their way to pilgrimage as well as many others who will be going there in the future.
What you have described are not only detailed but also truly useful, for you list out the step-by-step of what to do when we are in these holy places.
Among all these places, I feel more drawn to the Shakyamuni Buddha (and it will be very great to have the opportunity to offer robes and fruits), the Bodhi tree and the Vulture’s Peak.
I believe it will be a great life time experiences to be able to visit to these holy places…
The ancient practice of pilgrimage is very popular and sacred sites remain spiritually meaningful to millions today.These holy places are some of the most beautiful and interesting sights encountered.
Thank you Rinpoche for the clear instruction,explanation and priceless pictures.May all Buddhist have the great fortune to visit these holy sites.
Best wishes to Paul and friends on this pilgrimage.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this very important articles. I think if not of this video, i’ll be blown away by the Bodhi tree alone and start taking pictures..hehe. Hopefully i’ll be there very soon. I wish everyone who’s on this trip all the best and be planted a powerful seed to gain realization and achieve enlightenment!
I was truly fortunate to go on a pilgrimage to Bodhgaya with Rinpoche along with a group of Kecharians and friends way back in December 2004. I love the place admist all the dust, dirt and the poors. Would love to go there again one day.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing and teaching.Your description was very detail as I could have a vivid mental picture of the location as described. I hope in the future I would have a chance to visit those holy location.For all those who is going this year end for the pilgrimage ,all the best and may you all have a safe journey.
I had the great fortune to go on pilgrimage many years ago with Rinpoche to Bodhgaya and the pilgrims took refuge while some renewed their refuge vows. Like what Rinpoche mentioned, very Buddhist must visit this holy places. I wish to go there again in the near future.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this teaching and explanations.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing with us these very valuable information about Bodhgaya and other holy sites around the area and how to get there.
This will be a good preparation for all first timer who will be going to visit, and a reminder for those who have visited and is visiting again this very holy place, where Lord Shakyamuni achieved enlightenment.
May everyone who will be visiting Bodhgaya remember Rinpoche’s advice and set very good motivation and prayer when arrive at this holy place.
Joe
Thank You Rinpoche for the clear explanation about Why Visit Holy Pilgrimages.. Will plan for it. ( Always love India, Nepal and Tibet )
Best Regards : Erickksiow
Thank you, Rinpoche,for this talk which clearly directs and guides us as to the prayers, offerings, practices, meditations and aspirations we should make when we visit this most sacred of spots , Bodhgaya, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment 2600 years ago and changed all our lives to make them meaningful. Furthermore, there are clear instructions on prayers and aspirations for pilgrims to make at Vultures’ Peak, and at Sarnath too.
How meritorious it would be to touch one’s forehead to the seat where Lord Buddha sat and attained Enlightenment and to make aspirations at that very moment that we would also attain Enlightenment!
Then again how meritorious to visit Vultures’ Peak where Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, through the power of Buddha, answered Shariputra’s question on the nature of all phenomena in the form of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra on Emptiness, the Heart Sutra. How great to make aspirations that one would attain the realization of this Emptiness and, with that, cut our Ignorance, the root cause of our suffering.
Indeed,by making this pilgrimage, we would be planting powerful seeds to gain Dharma realizations and attainment of Buddhahood , by being where Lord Buddha was when He attained Enlightenment, where the Heart Sutra was delivered and where He first turned the Wheel of Dharma, and by visiting the site of Nalanda, the great seat of learning established by Lord Buddha’s students and from where great pandits like Shantideva ensured that Buddha’s teachings were recorded and preserved and spread – Nalanda, on which Lord Tsongkapa modeled the great Monasteries of Gaden, Sera and Drepung!
Thank You Rinpoche for the clear instructions on what to do at these holy places. I will definitely go to Bodhgaya and the other holy sites one day! These are places that all Buddhists should visit.
I’m very fortunate to have the honour to visit these holy places with H E Tsem Rinpoche and H E Kensur Rinpoche years ago and this is really a memorable pilgrimage trip for me in this life. Thank you Rinpocche.
My first pilgrimage was to Bodhgaya led by none other than Rinpoche himself. I am unable to join my fellow Kecharians on this trip. I wish them well.
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching on pilgrimage to holy sites in Bodhgaya and some of the surrounding areas. With this teaching in mind, may all the participants be able to gain more knowledge and understand the significance of each of the sites they are going to be visiting.