Sacred Cities Of Buddhism: A Spiritual Route
The sacred route of Buddhism runs through India and part of Nepal through the cities of Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. We want to do this tour and. therefore, we are going to visit the sacred cities of this spiritual way of life.
The four cities determine the route that Sidharta Gautama Sakyamuni (Buddha) traveled during his life and have become places of pilgrimage and tourist interest. On your tour you will relive the wonderful story of Master Buddha.
Buddhist route through the sacred cities
The sites that mark the route of the Buddhist holy cities are the most significant places in the history of the Hindu prince who created one of the great religions in the world, which today has millions of followers.
Lumbini: the cradle of Siddhartha Gautama
It is estimated that the Hindu prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in a palace in Lumbini in 566 BC. At birth, astrologers predicted that he would dedicate his life to spirituality. It was then that his father, the king, ordered to lock him up in the palace with all the comforts and surrounded by young people.
In this way the king would prevent Siddhartha from knowing human suffering. But when Siddhartha turned 29 he left the palace and an older man crossed his path. This was the time when Prince Siddhartha first saw old age, sickness and death.
Lumbini used to belong to India, but today it is in southern Nepal, very close to the Indian border. It has a six-kilometer route where there are various sites of interest, such as the Maya Devi Temple. Here the stone is preserved in the Maya Devi, where Siddhartha’s mother gave birth.
During the Lumbini tour we can also find the pillar built by Emperor Ashoka, a loyal admirer of Gautama and later converted to Buddhism.
Bodh Gaya: the site where Buddha was enlightened
Bodh Gaya is one of the sacred cities of Buddhism that you cannot miss, as it is part of the period of transformation and enlightenment of the Buddha. After knowing the suffering, Siddhartha left the palace and began a path of spiritual search. He joined various schools and tried various forms of asceticism.
One day he sat under a Bohdi tree in Bodh Gaya village and vowed not to get up until he found the answer to his suffering. After 49 days of meditation, he attained enlightenment, left suffering behind, and called himself “Buddha.”
Today, in the Bodh Gaya area there is a complex called the Mahabodi Temple, which contains seven main temples built on the sites where Buddha was meditating.
Sarnath: where Buddha began his teachings
After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha began to ponder whether he should explain how he had achieved it. It was when he decided that he would and gave a sermon in the city of Sarnath.
On this site there are a large number of temples and stupas, such as the huge stupa (Dhamek Stupa) where Buddha taught for the first time, built in 500 BC.
Kushinagar: the place where Buddha died
The last of the holy cities of Buddhism and the end of the Buddhist pilgrimage is the site where Buddha died : Kushinagar.
When Buddha was 80 years old, he announced that he would leave his earthly body. Shortly after, due to food poisoning, he became seriously ill and finally died in a forest near Kushinagar, surrounded by his loyal followers.
Traveling the route through the sacred cities of Buddhism is a tourist trip, but also a spiritual one. In these sites of legends and knowledge you can know the essence of Buddhism, as well as the teachings bequeathed by Buddha.
Without a doubt, this is a trip that is worth it, because the temples, the statues of Buddha and the great amount of constructions and wonderful places to see make this one of those experiences that become unforgettable.
