Buddhist Circuit
Pilgrimage
- Bodhgaya
- Rajgir
- Nalanda
- Varanasi
- Sarnath
- Lumbini
- Sravasti
- Kushinagar
In the Mahaparinirvana sutra, Buddha tells his followers that they can attain merit and a noble rebirth from pilgrimage in Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. These are some of the major spots where he was born, got enlightenment, first taught, and attained Nirvana
Sites covered on this Pilgrimage
Lumbini, Nepal – Birthplace of Sakyamuni
Bodh Gaya, Bihar – Gautama’s enlightenment
Rajgir, Bihar – Lived and preached his two sermons in Rajgir
Kapilavastu, Uttar Pradesh – Gautama Buddha spent his early years
Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – Gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment
Kausambi, Uttar Pradesh – Kausambi is the region where after his enlightenment, he stayed and preached
Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh – Spent more than 18 rainy seasons in Shravasti
Vaishali, Bihar –The region where Gautama Buddha held his last sermon
Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh – Attained Parinirvana or nirvana-after-death, which occurs at the death of a being who attain nirvana in lifetime