The four holy sites of Buddhism – Lumbini in Nepal, Bodh Gaya, Rinjaya in India, and Kushnara – are the supreme pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, each of which carries a pivotal moment in the Buddha's life: birth, enlightenment, the first teaching, and nirvana.
Lumbini: The birthplace of Lord Buddha
Lumbini, a quiet town in Nepal, is revered as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Legend has it that in the 6th century BCE, the Buddha's mother, Lady Maya, gave birth to Prince Siddhartha in the garden of Lumbini on her way to her father's house. This moment heralded the beginning of a profound religious and philosophical thought.
Today's lumbini, most famously known is the Ashoka Pillar, a towering stone pillar with inscriptions proving that this is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. At the same time, there is an iconic monument to the birth of Lord Buddha that attracts devotees and tourists from all over the world.
Tourists and pilgrims can visit the sacred pool where the Buddha was born and the statue of Lady Maya, as well as follow the tranquil garden paths to experience the unique tranquility and harmony.
Every piece of land and every stone here seems to tell the story of Prince Siddhartha, and people can't help but want to know more about the life of the Buddha and his wisdom beyond the times.
Bodh Gaya: The Land of Enlightenment
Bodh Gaya, located in present-day Bihar, India. Here, after a long period of deep meditation under a Bodhi tree, Siddhartha Gautama finally realized the true meaning of life and became a Buddha.
At the moment under the Bodhi tree, the core of Buddhist teachings: the "Four Noble Truths" and the "Noble Eightfold Path" were born. This site has become a sacred place for Buddhist believers to seek spiritual awakening and inner peace in their hearts, and it is a must-stop for countless seekers on their spiritual journey.
Today's Bodh Gaya, around the Bodhi tree and the Great Buddha statue, many temples and places of practice have been built. Visitors can see first-hand the sacred tree, which is believed to be the descendant of the Bodhi tree, as well as numerous masterpieces of Buddhist art and architecture, including the magnificent Big Buddha Temple.
Every corner of the place is filled with the breath of history and the solemnity of religion, which makes people involuntarily slow down, and the air is full of piety and awe, where countless monks and pilgrims chant and meditate in search of spiritual liberation.
Bodh Gaya shows the historical moment of Buddha's enlightenment and, more importantly, conveys the message that through deep inner exploration and meditation, it is possible for everyone to awaken and find the true meaning of life and inner peace.
Wangsha City: The place where the Dharma was first taught
Sarnath, also known as Sarnath, is the place where the Buddha first taught his teachings. Here, the Buddha taught the "Four Noble Truths" to the five forerunners, this time it was a religious ceremony and a profound philosophical revelation.
As a result, the city has become a symbol of wisdom and enlightenment, attracting countless people seeking spiritual growth and understanding. At the same time, it was also the starting point for the spread of Buddhism, from which the teachings of Buddhism began to spread to all parts of the world.
Today, although most of the monuments of the city have disappeared into the long river of history, it is still a place that touches people's hearts. Pilgrims and tourists come here to feel the power of history and contemplate the profound significance of the Buddha's first teachings.
The city is a testament to the Buddha's historical footprints, and although the external environment has changed, the spiritual value of the city as the place where the Buddha first preached the Dharma is still far-reaching.
The City of Shōnara: The Land of Nirvana
The city of Kushnara, the place where the Buddha finally attained nirvana. When the Buddha was eighty years old, he gave his last teachings to the ** people here, and then he entered Nirvana.
As a result, the city has become a place that symbolizes the completion and fulfillment of the Buddha's teachings, attracting pilgrims from all over the world to remember the Buddha's life journey and explore the Buddhist teachings profoundly.
Although the appearance of Kushnara today is very different from that of the Buddha's time, its spiritual and religious significance has not diminished in the slightest. Here, time seems to freeze, allowing every visitor to transcend thousands of years of time and space and directly come into direct contact with the Buddha's wisdom and his deepest understanding of life.
A visit to Kushnara is a journey of the soul to find one's own peace and liberation deep within, reflecting each person's innermost thoughts and perceptions of life, death, and transcendence.
Exploring the four holy sites of Buddhism is not only to trace the footsteps of the Buddha geographically, but also to come into contact with and understand the teachings of Buddhism spiritually, and to vividly demonstrate how Buddhist culture has been passed down and how it has influenced today's society across time and space.