Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
There are number of historical Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the
Places associated with the life of Buddha
Primary sites
Buddha's Holy Sites |
Buddhism offers four primary sites of pilgrimage: Lumbini (birthplace of the Buddha), Bodh Gaya (the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment), Sarnath (the location of the Buddha’s first sermon), and Kushinagar (the location where the Buddha attained parinirvana). All of these sites are located in India except Lumbini, which is located in southern Nepal.
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"Maha Bodhi Temple" at Bodh Gaya
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Ancient Buddhist Monastery at Sarnath
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Remains of ancient stupas in Kushinagar
Places visited by Buddha for discourse
- Andhra Pradesh:
- Nagarjunakonda in Guntur district: Seat of Mahayana
- Thotlakonda and Bojjannakonda in Visakhapatnam
- vihara, meaning monastery, such was the association of the area with Buddhism. In addition to these sites which were visited by the Buddha, other sites in India have become notable:
- Mauryan empireand a significant Buddhist centre
- , one of the most prominent monarchs and supporters during the lifetime of the Buddha
- Bakhtiyar Khaljiduring Islamic attacks
- , one of the most prominent monarchs and supporters during the lifetime of the Buddha
- Second Buddhist Council
- Haryana: Sacred places in the order of travel by Buddha, where he gave several important discourses documented in the Pali texts. After visiting Mathura, he travelled along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana (also see Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana).
- From Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Buddha travelled along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana (also see Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana).
- Kurukshetra Stupa on the banks of sacred Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra city
- 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
- Chaneti Stupa, on outskirts of Yamunanagar city
Other prominent historic Buddhist sites by state
All are the historic ancient sites of learning, and the list includes very few relatively new sites which have been specifically highlighted accordingly. Most of these sites have association with Ashoka and other Buddhist kings.
Andhra Pradesh
- Amaravati
- Bavikonda
- Bojjannakonda
- Bhattiprolu
- Chandavaram
- Dharanikota
- Ghantasala
- Gudivada
- Guntupalli
- Jaggayyapeta
- Nagarjunakonda
- Pavurallakonda museum[3]
- Ramatheertham
- Salihundam
- Thotlakonda
- Undavalli Caves
- Visakhapatnam
Assam
- Namphake in Dibrugarh
- Surya Pahar in Goalpara
- Hayagriva Madhava at Hajo
Bihar
- Kesaria stupa
- Krimila
- Nalanda
- Odantapuri
- Saptaparni Cave
- Sujata Stupa
- Vaishali
- Vikramshila[4]
- Vulture Peak
Goa
Gujarat
Haryana
In 2021, it was announced that Buddha Haryana circuit will be developed by the Centre for yatra (pilgrimage).[6]
Also see above the "places visited by Buddha for discourse" which has additional sites in Haryana.
- Adi Badri, Haryana[7]
- Mounds: Agroha Mound, Sugh Ancient Mound
- )
Jammu and Kashmir
- Harwan, near Mughal Shalimar Garden, dating from the fifth century
- Parihaspore, 20 km northeast of Srinagar
- Panderathan, near Srinagar
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
- Ajanta, site of intricate Buddhist cave paintings depicting Buddhism
- karla cavessite of intricate Buddhist cave paintings
- Ellora, site of intricate Buddhist cave paintings
- Deekshabhoomi, a new 20th century site associated with Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar[9]
Odisha
Telangana
Tripura
- Pilak, an archaeological site in the Santirbazar sub-division of South Tripura district
Uttar Pradesh
- Kosambi
- Mathura
- Pāvā (Fazilnagar)
- Piprahwa
Tibetan Buddhist sites
By state
- Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang
- Himachal Pradesh:
- Dharamsala,
- Dharamsala, the primary seat of current Dalai Lama
- Palpung Sherabling Monastery at Baijnath
- Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
- Rewalsar Lake
- Karnataka: Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe near Mysore
- Ladakh: Leh
Sikkim
- .
- Ralang Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism in southern Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located six kilometres from Ravangla.[13]
- Rumtek Monastery also called the "Dharmachakra Centre", is a gompa located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok. It is a focal point for the sectarian tensions within the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism that characterize the Karmapa controversy.
- Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River.
- Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh is the largest monastery in India and second largest in the world after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
- Buddhist monastery in Kalimpong in West Bengal, India. The monastery is located atop Durpin Hill, one of the two hills of the town. It was consecrated in 1976 by the visiting Dalai Lama.
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The Manadala at the "Kakaling", the entry gate to the Tawang Monastery.
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The Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery atop Durpin Hill.
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Prayer Wheels in the Rumtek Monastery.
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Ornately carved colourful Window of Enchey Monastery.
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The Golden Chorten near Tashiding Monastery.
See also
- Buddhist pilgrimage
- 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) in Japan
References
- ^ Dhamma patthana, dhamma.org.
- ^ Aastha Pugdal Pagoda at Kumaspur (Kamas Nigam in Sonepat, SDBST.
- ^ a b "Dept. Of Archaeology & Museums". Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ "Top Buddhist Sites In India To Visit".
- ^ New Buddha site found in Gujarat
- ^ Cleanliness of tiraths a challenge in Haryana, Hindustan Times, 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Haryana misses the Buddha moment : The Tribune | the Buddhist Forum". Archived from the original on 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
- ^ Lat of Feroz Shah
- ISBN 978-0307595362.
Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din.
- ^ "Monasteries". sikkiminfo.in. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
- ^ "Monasteries in Sikkim are of three types". Dubdi Monastery. Sikkim Info. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ "Pemayangtse Monastery". Buddhist Tourism. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
- ^ "Ralang Monastery". Buddhist-temples.com. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
External links
- Web
- Videos
- Youtube: Lord Buddha & Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in India —A Documentary in Hindi