Purposes of Pilgrimage

I wonder when people go for a pilgrimage, what purpose do they have in mind?

There are five categories that I can think of:

1. Accumulation of merit.

People in this category are like saving money in the bank. They always need something in return for all their good deeds. People might have this in their mind: “Please Buddha, please protect me from sickness and I will go for an India Pilgrimage.”; “Please cure my sickness and I will go for a pilgrimage.”. This is just like exchange gifts.

2. Desire for identification with the Sacred Order.

People in this category believe that visiting sacred places is an act of holiness.

3. People go then I go

People in this category have no mean to go for a pilgrimage. They either drag along by someone (most likely their parents or friends) or just go along and see what happen next.

4. Better knowledge of Faith and Self (Outward and Inward Journey)

People in this category want to learn about their faith, deepen their faith and pay respect to places of religious significance.

5. Life cycle purpose

People in this group may have problems in specific social, psychological and economic. It is the life in which rituals, rites, obligations and duties have to be performed in order that one may be recognised as a member of a religion. Several of the importance life-cycle rites are performed at sacred places. For example people want to ordain under the Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya; people want to offer robe to Buddha statue in Bodhgaya or Kushinagar.

People from the third category might be disappointed after their pilgrimage due to no shopping, hotel rooms are not good enough, food is not right for them, people that they don’t like etc. They will find some thing to complaint about. Instead of purify their minds; they might pollute their mind even further with their dislike.

A pilgrimage is not a holiday to have fun and spending money. A pilgrimage takes us away from our daily lives and into new places that provide us with new experiences, perspectives, opportunities for renewal, and deepen our faith. It is a journey to a place of religious significance in order to become closer to our faith and learn about ourselves.

In Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha (translated from the Pali by

Sister Vajira & Francis Story), it has mentioned the four sacred places of pilgrimage. Below is extracted from the translation:

Four Places of Pilgrimage

"There are four places, Ananda, that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.[42] What are the four?

"'Here the Tathagata was born!'[43] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.

"'Here the Tathagata became fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment!'[44] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.

"'Here the Tathagata set rolling the unexcelled Wheel of the Dhamma!'[45] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.

"'Here the Tathagata passed away into the state of Nibbana in which no element of clinging remains!' This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.

"These, Ananda, are the four places that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. And truly there will come to these places, Ananda, pious bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, reflecting: 'Here the Tathagata was born! Here the Tathagata became fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment! Here the Tathagata set rolling the unexcelled Wheel of the Dhamma! Here the Tathagata passed away into the state of Nibbana in which no element of clinging remains!'

As a devotee, we should have a mind of respect to the holy places. In the above text there are four very importance things that we should remember. Which four?

1. Here the Tathagata was born!
2. Here the Tathagata became fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment!
3. Here the Tathagata set rolling the unexcelled Wheel of the Dhamma!
4. Here the Tathagata passed away into the state of Nibbana in which no element of clinging remains!

First Buddha told us we all have Buddha nature; second Buddha told us, our delusions and afflictions are impermanent. We can be free from delusions and afflictions, and reach enlightenment; third there is a way to get out of delusions and afflictions; fourth from the way, we can reach the state of Nibbana.

I wish people go to pilgrimage will remember these four main points and bless them all have a safe and wonderful journey to their heart.