Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pilgrimage to India (Jambuddhepa)









Latha and I went on a pilgrimage to India, in other words to Jumbuddeepa, to venerate and worship the holy Buddhist sites from 12 October to 22 Ocotober 2011.

There are four places that a Buddhist layman should visit and look upon with feeling of reverence according to Maha Parinibbana Sutta. We were blessed to worship the following during our stay in India:

* Lumbini, where the Thathagatha was born;

* Bodhgaya, where the Thathagath attained the supreme Enlightenment;

* Saranath, where The Buddha gave his first discourse which set rolled the Wheel of Damma !, Patticca Samuppada Dhamma, a unique concept in the Buddhism

* Kusinara, where the Buddha attained Parinibbana.

Apart from the above, we visited Jethavana temple in Savasthi, Sankassa where Buddha came back to earth from Tavatimsa heaven having preached to God Maha Maya, his mother. Gijjakuta and Durgeshwari mountains and the Taj Mahal.

We formed a society of the sixteen families who participated in the pilgrimage for subsequent association , the name of which is " The Society of G16".