Much has changed on our planet since the time the Buddha walked here.
Yet, when we visit these sites sacred to the Buddhist tradition, we can
imagine ourselves in those ancient times. The more we know about the
Buddha and his teachings, the more fully we can open our hearts to the
vibrant energy of enlightenment alive at these places of pilgrimage.
And, the more the traveler knows about these sacred sites, the more
readily the heart will open to their blessings. When we gather at sacred
sites to invoke and honor through prayer, meditation, and offerings, we
clear the way for compassion and enlightened awareness to manifest in
our world. This volume seeks to locate each site, chronicle historical
events associated with it, describe the features that a pilgrim would
find there, and indicate how the site figured in the transmission of the
Dharma. Through citings from the scriptures, journals of early pilgrims,
and archaeological reports it conveys the physical reality of the Buddha
in place and time, and the continued significance of these holy places.
Focusing first on the Eight Great Places of Pilgrimage, the contents
then guide us throughout the South Asian sub-continent: the Heartland of
the Dharma with its major universities, the Central Valleys, Western
India, the Far Northwest, the South, and the Eastern Kingdom. Viewed
with the mind of a tourist, the holy places of the Buddha can be
interesting, even fascinating, but for the serious student their
significance operates at a deeper level. For those who cultivate an
attitude of respect and appreciation, pilgrimage can be a powerful and
richly rewarding practice. Seeing the extent of the Buddhist
civilization that once existed, and how completely it has vanished, is a
potent reminder of impermanence. And an invitation to protect and
preserve the wisdom of Dharma for the future.
