Crystal Mirror 9 - Holy Places of the Buddha

Much has changed on our planet since the time the Buddha walked here. Yet, when we visit these sites sacred to the Buddhist tradition, we can imagine ourselves in those ancient times. The more we know about the Buddha and his teachings, the more fully we can open our hearts to the vibrant energy of enlightenment alive at these places of pilgrimage. And, the more the traveler knows about these sacred sites, the more readily the heart will open to their blessings. When we gather at sacred sites to invoke and honor through prayer, meditation, and offerings, we clear the way for compassion and enlightened awareness to manifest in our world. This volume seeks to locate each site, chronicle historical events associated with it, describe the features that a pilgrim would find there, and indicate how the site figured in the transmission of the Dharma. Through citings from the scriptures, journals of early pilgrims, and archaeological reports it conveys the physical reality of the Buddha in place and time, and the continued significance of these holy places. Focusing first on the Eight Great Places of Pilgrimage, the contents then guide us throughout the South Asian sub-continent: the Heartland of the Dharma with its major universities, the Central Valleys, Western India, the Far Northwest, the South, and the Eastern Kingdom. Viewed with the mind of a tourist, the holy places of the Buddha can be interesting, even fascinating, but for the serious student their significance operates at a deeper level. For those who cultivate an attitude of respect and appreciation, pilgrimage can be a powerful and richly rewarding practice. Seeing the extent of the Buddhist civilization that once existed, and how completely it has vanished, is a potent reminder of impermanence. And an invitation to protect and preserve the wisdom of Dharma for the future.