As a Buddhist, we should perform wholesome actions and think wholesome and beneficial thoughts. One wholesome thought or action is to plan for and participate in a pilgrimage. Buddha Shakyamuni said that after he entered parinirvana, all the places he has visited to give teachings and performed special activities should be visited by followers. By visiting these places, Buddhists would gain inspiration for practice, remember the Buddha’s teachings and reflect upon their own practice.
In this relation, we
should also visit the 4 main holy places of Buddha Shakyamuni - Lumbini
(where Buddha was born), Sarnath (where Buddha first turned the Wheel
of Dharma), and Kushinagar (where Buddha passed into Parinirvana).
Likewise we should also visit Rajgiri (where Buddha gave the teachings
on the Prajna Paramita) Vaishali and Shravasti where Buddha spent much
of his time during the rains and gave many important teachings.
For a Vajrayana
practitioner, there are 24 sacred places and many other holy places
mentioned in many teachings of Tantras. These are connected to the
outer (phenomena) and the inner (our own body with channels and bindu).
By visiting these holy places and meditating there, we purify our
defilements and correct our inner body’s channel, Bindu and energy
wind. With that, we feel physically comfortable as well as have a
clearer mind. For that reason, practitioners while in practicing
occasionally should visit holy places to do meditation and practices.
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