View source for Buddhist pilgrimage sites

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{{BuddhasHolySites}}

The most important places in [[Buddhism]] are located in the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]] of southern [[Nepal]] and northern [[India]]. This is the area where [[The Buddha|Gautama Buddha]] was born, lived, and taught, and the main sites connected to his life are now important places of [[pilgrimage]] for both Buddhists and [[Hinduism|Hindu]]s. Many countries that are or were predominantly Buddhist have shrines and places which can be visited as a pilgrimage.
[[File:Pilgrims, Tsurphu 1993.JPG|thumb|Pilgrims, [[Tsurphu]] [[Gompa]], Tibet, 1993]]

==Sites associated with Buddha's life==

===Four main pilgrimage sites listed by Buddha himself===
{{anchor | Ananda}}

Gautama Buddha himself had identified the following four sites most worthy of pilgrimage for his followers, observing that these would produce a feeling of spiritual urgency:<ref>The Buddha mentions these four pilgrimage sites in the [[Mahaparinibbana Sutta]]. See, for instance, Thanissaro (1998)[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html#pilgrim] and Vajira & Story (1998)[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html#t-42].</ref>

* [[Lumbini]]: birthplace of The Buddha as Prince Siddhartha Gautam (in [[Taulihawa]], [[Lumbini]], [[Nepal]]) is the most important religious site and place of pilgrimages for Buddhism. It is also approved by UNESCO for World Heritage sites as most holy place for Buddhism and world religions. 
* [[Bodh Gaya]]: (in the current [[Mahabodhi Temple]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]), is the religious site and place of pilgrimage, the [[Mahabodhi Temple]] houses what is believed to be a direct descendant of the [[Bodhi Tree]] where Prince Siddhārtha attained enlightenment (Nibbana) and became known as Gautama Buddha.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya |url=https://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1056 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Sarnath]]: (formally [[Isipathana]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]) where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon ([[Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta]]), and He taught about the [[Middle Way]], the [[Four Noble Truths]] and [[Noble Eightfold Path]].
* [[Kushinara|Kuśinagara]]: (now [[Kushinagar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]) where Gautama Buddha died and attained [[Parinirvana]].

=== The Eight Great Places of pilgrimage ===
{{anchor | The Eight Great Places }}

{{LayBuddhistPractices}}

In addition the four sites mentioned earlier ([[Lumbini]], [[Bodh Gaya]], [[Sarnath]] and [[Kushinagar]]), the Buddhist texts later written by Buddha's followers also mention four more sacred sites where a certain miraculous event is reported to have occurred, thus completing the list of ''"Attha-mahathanani"'' ([[Pali]] for ''"The Eight Great Places"'') in India:<ref>See Chan for all</ref>

*[[Rajgir]]: Place of the subduing of Nalagiri, the angry elephant, through friendliness. Rajgir was another major city of ancient India, with [[Nalanda]] nearby (14&nbsp;km), a major center of Mahayana Buddhist learning.
*[[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]]: Place of receiving an offering of honey from a monkey. Vaishali was the capital of the Vajjian Republic of ancient India.
*[[Sravasti]]: Place of [[the Twin Miracle]], showing his supernatural abilities in performance of miracles. Sravasti is also the place where Buddha spent the largest amount of time, being a major city in ancient India.
*[[Sankassa]]: Place of the descending to earth from [[Tavatimsa]] heaven (after a stay of 3 months teaching his mother the [[Abhidhamma]]).

<!--In the template below, the coordinates were retrieved from each corresponding article except "Sankasia" (also called Sankassa, Sankissa and Sankasya). I got its coordinates from  "http://www.maplandia.com/india/uttar-pradesh/mainpuri/sankasya/".-->

{| align=center
|-the best

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{{Location map many | India |relief=1
| label=[[Lumbini]] | pos=right | label_size=85| lat=27.467155| long=83.274908 | marksize=6
| label2=[[Bodh Gaya]] | pos2=bottom | label2_size=85 | lat2=24.695102  | long2=84.991275 | mark2size=6 
| label3=[[Sarnath]] | pos3=left | label3_size=85 | lat3=25.3811  | long3=83.0214 | mark3size=6
| label4=[[Rajgir]] | pos4=right | label4_size=85 | lat4=25.03  | long4=85.42 | mark4=Blue_pog.svg | mark4size=6
| label5=[[Sravasti]] | pos5=top | label5_size=85 | lat5=27.517073  | long5=82.050619 | mark5=Blue_pog.svg | mark5size=6
| label6=[[Sankasia]] | pos6=left | label6_size=85 | lat6=27.333333  | long6=79.366667 | mark6=Blue_pog.svg | mark6size=6
| label7=[[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]] | pos7=right | label7_size=85 | lat7=25.99  | long7=85.13 | mark7=Blue_pog.svg | mark7size=6
| label8=[[Kusinara]] | pos8=right | label8_size=85 | lat8=26.741  | long8=83.888 | mark8size=6
| width=500 
| float=center
| caption = The Eight Great Places in Buddhism (Four Great Places are plotted in red.)
}}
|}

=== Other sites related to Buddha's travels ===
{{anchor | Other }}
{{ main | Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India }}

[[File:Tibetan pilgrim, Rewalsar, India.jpg|thumb|Tibetan pilgrim, [[Rewalsar Lake]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]]]
Some other pilgrimage places in India and Nepal connected to the life of [[Gautama Buddha]] are mostly located in the [[Gangetic plain]].

====Alphabetically by states====
{{anchor | Alpha | Alphabetical | Alphabetically | Alphabetically by states }}

* [[Andhra Pradesh]]: [[Amaravathi village, Guntur district|Amaravati]], [[Nagarjuna Konda]]
* [[Bihar]]: [[Bodh Gaya|Gaya]], [[Kesariya]], [[Nalanda]], Vaishali, [[Patna|Pataliputta]], [[Vikramshila]]
* [[Haryana]] (in the order of travel by Buddha): [[Kumashpur#Pagoda|Kamashpura Aastha Pugdal Pagoda]] (Kumashpur, place where Buddha delivered the [[Mahasatipatthana sutta]]),.<ref name=kamas2>[https://patthana.dhamma.org/en/dhamma-patthana/ Dhamma patthana], dhamma.org.</ref><ref name=kamas1>[http://sdbst.org/Kumaspur.aspx Aastha Pugdal Pagoda at Kumaspur (Kamas Nigam in Sonepat], SDBST.</ref> [[Bodh Stupa|Kurukshetra Stupa]], [[Topra Kalan#Topra Ashokan Edicts Archaeological Park and Museum|Topra]], [[Srughna]] ([[Sugh Ancient Mound|Sugh Stupa]]) and [[Jagadhri#Chaneti|Chaneti Stupa]] were all visited by the Buddha where he gave discourse after visiting Mathura he travelled along [[Grand Trunk Road]] in Haryana (also see [[History of Haryana#Buddhism|Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana]]).
* [[Madhya Pradesh]]: [[Sanchi]]
* [[Uttar Pradesh]]: [[Devadaha]], [[Kausambi|Kosambi]], [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], [[Pāvā]] ([[Fazilnagar]], [[Varanasi]]

==== Chronologically by routes ====
{{anchor | Chrono | Chronological| Chronologically | Chronologically by routes }}

In the order of places traveled by Buddha. Please help expand this incomplete list.

* [[Uttar Pradesh]]-[[Haryana]] travel route of Buddha
** From [[Mathura]] in Uttar Pradesh, Buddha travelled along [[Grand Trunk Road]] in Haryana (also see [[History of Haryana#Buddhism|Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana]]).
** [[Kumashpur#Pagoda|Kamashpura Aastha Pugdal Pagoda]] (Kumashpur) in Sonipat city, the place where Buddha delivered the [[Mahasatipatthana sutta]]),.<ref name=kamas2/><ref name=kamas1/> 
** [[Bodh Stupa|Kurukshetra Stupa]] on the banks of sacred [[Brahma Sarovar]] in Kurukshetra city
** [[Topra Kalan#Topra Ashokan Edicts Archaeological Park and Museum|Topra]] between Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, now has a large open air museum park housing several replica of [[Ashoka]]'s edicts including largest [[Ashoka Chakra]] in the world
** [[Srughna]], now known as the [[Sugh Ancient Mound]], on outskirts of Yamunanagar city
** [[Jagadhri#Chaneti|Chaneti Stupa]], on outskirts of Yamunanagar city

==Other pilgrimage places by country==

Other famous places for Buddhist pilgrimage in various countries include:

*[[Bhutan]]: [[Paro Taktsang]], [[Kurje Lhakhang]], [[Singye Dzong]], [[Punakha Dzong]], [[Chimi Lhakhang|Chimi Lhakhang Temple]], [[Jambay Lhakhang|Jampa Lhakhang]], [[Kyichu Lhakhang]], [https://bhutanpilgrimage.com/nabji-lhakhang-a-place-where-guru-rinpoche-erected-a-stone-pillar-of-oath/ Nabji Lhakhang], [[Gangtey Monastery]], [https://bhutanpilgrimage.com/gomphu-kora-a-meditative-cave-of-guru-rinpoche-for-circumambulation/ Gomphu Kora], [[Chagri Monastery|Chagri Dorjeden Monastery]], [https://bhutanpilgrimage.com/dzongdrakha-a-cliff-of-guru-rinpoche-from-where-a-relic-of-chorten-and-sangay-youelsum-was-discovered/ Dzongdrakha Monastery], [[Phajoding Monastery]], [https://bhutanpilgrimage.com/aja-ney-a-sacred-site-of-hundred-inscriptions-of-the-syllable-aa/ Aja Nye]
*[[Cambodia]]: [[Wat Botum]], [[Wat Ounalom]], [[Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh|Silver Pagoda]], [[Angkor Wat]], [[Angkor Thom]]
*[[China]]: [[Yungang Grottoes]], [[Longmen Grottoes]]. The [[Five Sacred Mountains|Four Sacred Mountains]] namely [[Wutai Shan|Wǔtái Shān]](五台山), [[Emei Shan|Éméi Shān]](峨嵋山), [[Jiuhua Shan|Jiǔhuá Shān]](九华山).
[[File:Elderly Pilgrim, Tsurphu 1993.JPG|thumb|180px|Elderly pilgrim, [[Tsurphu]] Gompa, Tibet, 1993]]
*[[India]]: [[Sanchi]], [[Nalanda]], [[Ellora]], [[Ajanta Caves|Ajanta]], also see [[Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
*[[Indonesia]]: [[Borobudur]], [[Mendut]], [[Candi Sewu|Sewu]].
*[[Japan]]: [[Kyoto]], [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], [[Shikoku Pilgrimage]], [[Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage]]
*[[Laos]]: [[Luang Prabang]]
*[[Malaysia]]: [[Kek Lok Si]], [[Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields]]
*[[Myanmar]]: [[Shwedagon Pagoda]], [[Mahamuni Buddha Temple]], [[Kyaiktiyo Pagoda]], [[Bagan]], [[Sagaing|Sagaing Hill]], [[Mandalay Hill]]
*[[Mongolia]]: [[Erdene Zuu Monastery]], [[Gandantegchinlen Monastery]], Zayiin Gegeen Monastery, [[Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery]], [[Amarbayasgalant Khiid]], [[Shankh Monastery]]
*[[Nepal]]: [[Maya Devi Temple, Lumbini|Maya Devi Temple]], [[Boudhanath]], [[Swayambhunath]], [[Kapilavastu (ancient city)|Kapilavastu]]
*[[Pakistan]]: [[Gandhara]], most notably [[Taxila]] and [[Swat District|Swat]].
*[[Sri Lanka]]: [[Anuradhapura]] (the [[Atamasthana]] or 'eight places'), [[Mihintale]], [[Polonnaruwa]], the [[Temple of the Tooth]] ([[Kandy]]), [[Sri Pada]] (the [[Solosmasthana]] Lewenth places'),
*[[North Korea]]: [[Pohyonsa]], [[Anguksa]], [[Jangansa]] 
*[[South Korea]]: [[Bulguksa]], [[Three Jewel Temples of Korea|Three Jewel Temples]]
*[[Thailand]]: [[Wat Phra Kaew]], [[Wat Pho]], [[Wat Doi Suthep]], [[Phra Pathom Chedi]], [[Sukhothai historical park|Sukhothai]], [[Ayutthaya historical park|Ayutthaya]], [[Wat Phra Phutthabat]], [[Wat Phra Thaen Dong Rang]] (Buddha Death bed), [[Chedi Phukhao Thong]], [[Phra Pathommachedi]]
*[[Tibet]] བོད: [[Putuo Shan|Pǔtuó Shān]], [[Potala Palace]], [[Mount Kailash]], [[Lake Manasarovar]], [[Lake Nam-tso]].
*[[United States of America]]: [[City of Ten Thousand Buddhas]]
*[[Vietnam]]: [[Dâu Pagoda]], [[Perfume Pagoda|Hương Pagoda]], [[:vi:Quần thể di tích danh thắng Yên Tử|Mount Yen Tu]]

==See also==
*[[Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
*[[Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal]]
*[[Shikoku Pilgrimage]], Eighty-eight Temples pilgrimage in the Shikoku island, Japan
*[[Japan 100 Kannon Pilgrimage]], pilgrimage circuit that is composed of three independent pilgrimages (Saigoku, Bandō and Chichibu), consist of one hundred Temples.
* [[Parikrama]]
* [[Yatra]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
*Chan, Khoon San, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150325023108/http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddhistpilgrimage.pdf Buddhist Pilgrimage] (e-book - the eight major Buddhist sites in India)
*Coluzzi, Paolo (2021). Buddhism and Pilgrimage: A Journey to the Four Sites. Mud Pie Slices.

==External links==
*[https://sites.google.com/site/buddhafootprints/ Virtual Tour of Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites on Google Map (Interactive 360° View available on certain sites) ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019234425/https://sites.google.com/site/buddhafootprints/ |date=2020-10-19 }}
*[http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/places.htm Buddhist Pilgrimage in India and Sri Lanka]
* {{cite web |publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] 
 |url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/b/buddhist-pilgrimage/
 |title= Buddhist Pilgrimage
 |work= Asia
 |access-date= 2011-04-03}}
* [https://tricycle.org/beginners/buddhism/buddhist-pilgrimage/ Why do Buddhists go on Pilgrimage?] [https://tricycle.org/beginners/ Buddhism for Beginners]

{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Gautama Buddha}}

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[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites| ]]