Places where the Buddha lived and taught two and a half thousand years ago are now sites of pilgrimage. Homeland of the Buddha is a book for those who have an interest in Buddhism and who aspire to visit these places. Each chapter narrates the history of that site, its significance within Buddhism, how it was discovered in modern times, and suggests how each location may be visited. Homeland paints a picture of life on the Ganges plain during the Buddha's time. The Buddha is presented as a human being who was subject, as all humans, to the difficulties of being alive, and of dying. That he became an exceptional human being, who became enlightened, is a hope for all humankind. At the time of the Buddha, the Gangetic plain was a region of intense religious activity and political change. The son of a minor royal family, he married and had a son. At the age of twenty-nine he rejected that life of comfort for one of religious exploration. For six years he practiced extreme austerities, seeking religious transcendence by punishing his body. Self-denial brought no relief, so at Bodhgaya he sat under a tree with the resolve to either die there, or to become enlightened. He did attain enlightenment and was profoundly changed, becoming 'The Awakened One' - the Buddha. For the next forty five years he taught his 'middle way' of self-transformation to kings and paupers. Dying at the age of eighty, his message continued to change the world. Places of importance to the Buddha are now pilgrimage sites for thousands. The author has visited the holy Buddhist places many times since the 1960s and, for more than twenty years, has been a practitioner of Zen Buddhism. As a young man, he lived in the Mount Everest region of Nepal as its first doctor. Since then he has been continuously involved with Sir Edmund Hillary's development work in that country. Homeland of the Buddha brings this lifetime experience into focus as a practical, informative guide to the major Buddhist sites of India and Nepal.

A pithy guidebook for Buddhist pilgrims to the four holy sites of India. “The aim of all Buddhist practice is to catch a glimpse of the awakened state. Going on pilgrimage, soaking up the sacred atmosphere of holy places, and mingling with other pilgrims are simply different ways of trying to achieve that glimpse.”—from chapter 1, “Holy Buddhist Sites” Pilgrimage is a powerful method for remembering the Buddha’s teachings and putting them into practice. For Buddhists, the most important holy places are the four sites associated with the Buddha’s life: • Lumbini, where Siddhartha was born as an ordinary human being • Bodhgaya, where Siddhartha became enlightened • Varanasi (Sarnath), where the Buddha taught the path to enlightenment • Kushinagar, where the Buddha passed into parinirvana While it may be an inconvenient, chaotic, and even dangerous journey, traveling to these places can be profoundly affecting and transformative for a practitioner. In his fourth book, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse skillfully lays out how we can make the most of our experience as pilgrims. He explains what makes a person or place “holy,” what pilgrimage is all about, and what we can do when visiting the four holy sites of India and Nepal—or any holy place. This manual shows us how to partake in one of the most potent practices available to remind ourselves of the entirety of the Buddha’s teachings.

The creative and controversial Tibetan intellectual Amdo Gendun Chophel (1903-1951) composed his guide to India during the 1930's while visiting many of the ancient sites of Indian Buddhism, which had only recently been the object of archaeological rediscovery and modern religious revival. His work offered traditionally minded pilgrims from the remote Tibetan highlands clear instructions on the correct identification of authentic Buddhist sites, as well as unique practical guide for using the Indian rail system. The Guide to India is one of the first works of Modern Tibetan Literature and was to become the most used manual contemporary Tibetan pilgrimage.

This book is for anyone who wants to know of the many holy sites that you can visit while traveling within India, how to reach them, and what is the history and significance of these most spiritual of sacred sites, temples, and festivals. It also provides a deeper understanding of the mysteries and spiritual traditions of India. This book includes: Descriptions of the temples and their architecture, and what you will see at each place. Explanations of holy places of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, and Muslims. The spiritual benefits a person acquires by visiting them. Convenient itineraries to take to see the most of each area of India, which is divided into East, Central, South, North, West, the Far Northeast, and Nepal. Packing list suggestions and how to prepare for your trip, and problems to avoid. How to get the best experience you can from your visit to India. How the spiritual side of India can positively change you forever. This book goes beyond the usual descriptions of the typical tourist attractions and opens up the spiritual venue waiting to be revealed for a far deeper experience on every level.