Explore Buddhist pilgrimage across Asia from the most famous Indian sites associated with the Buddha's life to more distant sites in Korea, China and Japan. Read about the most famous Buddhist pilgrims of the past and follow the routes of the two most important early Chinese pilgrims to India.
Buddhist Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage formed an important part of Buddhist devotional practice from ancient times. The Rg Veda, a Brahmanical text composed in c. 1200 BC, refers to the spiritual bene…
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Buddhist Pilgrims
A look at some of the best-known Buddhist Pilgrims from China, India and Japan: Atisha, Dogen, Eisai, Ennin, Faxian, Hye-ch'o, Kukai, Saicho, Xuanzang and Yijing
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: The Astamahapratiharya
Lumbini (25 km E of Kapilavastu, Nepal) is where Queen Maya gave birth to the Buddha. The emperor Ashoka is thought to have visited the site in 250 BC with his teacher, Upa…
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Cambodia
The city of Angkor was the home of the Khmer kings who ruled an empire that flourished from the 9th-15th century.
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: China
After the spread of Buddhism in China, pilgrimage became an important part of the devotional practice of monks and lay people. Chinese monks, such as Xuanzang, Faxian and Y…
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: India
Within a short time of the Buddha's death in around 405 BC, lay devotees and members of the ordained community were making pilgrimages to sites in India associated with the…
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Indonesia
Chinese literature of the 5th and 6th centuries mentions the significance of Palembang-Srivijaya as a centre for maritime trade, providing an important link between China, …
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Japan
According to Nihon Shoki (the Chronicles of Japan), Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 552 AD by Korean monks. Sutras were later brought from China, temples and shrines we…
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Korea
Buddhism was introduced to Korea from China in 372 AD and was accepted in each of the three kingdoms of the Korean peninsula.
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Laos
Theravada Buddhism first reached Laos during the 7th-8th centuries from the early Thai kingdom of Dvaravati
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Nepal
As the birthplace of the historical Buddha, Nepal is one of the main centres of Mahayana Buddhism. Over a long period of time it has been a meeting place for Buddhist teach…
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: The Silk Routes
Bordered by mountain ranges, a network of trade routes (that later became known as 'Silk Routes') encircled the Taklamakan Desert in Chinese Central Asia. A northern route …
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Sri Lanka
From the 4th century BC until the beginning of the 11th century AD, Anuradhapura (in Sri Lanka) was one of the most stable and wealthy centres of power in South Asia.
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Thailand
Buddhism became the state religion during the 13th century and pilgrimage to various sites throughout Thailand continues today
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Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites: Tibet
The Tibetan monasteries which were the bases of important Buddhist hierarchs such as re-incarnate lamas also became major pilgrimage destinations.
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