Glimpses Of World Religions

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Navbharat Sahitya Mandir

Page 89

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Glimpses of World Religions
The holy palces for Bauddhas
Each and every follower of Buddhism must go on 'pilgrimage, at least once in his or her span of life, to the important
places connected with the life of Gautama Buddha. The total number of such pilgrim centres are eight :- (1) Lumbinee (2) Sāmāth (3) Bodhgaya (4) Kushinara (Kushinagar) (5) Rajgir (6) Nālandā (7) Shrāvastee (8) Vaishālee
Over and above these eight, from the point of view of historical, artistic and spiritual worthy to be visited places are the Stoop of Sanchi near Bhopal, the Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, the Kanheree and the Karlā caves near Lonawala and the Elephanta caves on the sea-shore near Mumbai are the chief ones. In foreign countries, many Pagoda - Buddhistic temples - are worth visiting. The Festivals
The full-moon day of the month of Vaishakh is the most auspicious day – it being 3 types of anniversaries – viz. birthday anniversary, Bodhi Jayanti (enlightenment) and the Pari-Nirvāna (death) Anniversary. "Jayantee' means victory. The victory is of Bodhi or super enlightenment and actually, in Bodhi-Jayantee only, the other two viz. birth anniversary and Pari-Nirvana Jayantee are rooted. In fact, it is that victory which has made the birth and death anniversaries meaningful. Because 'Samyak Sambodhi' or right knowledge only was instrumental in rendering his birht a last one; even death was turned into the last death. This is Buddha's last birth and now no re-buth would there be. He was able, naturally, to conquer both birth and death. The followers of Bauddha Dharma celebrate the full-moon day of Vaishakh with exquisite pomp and bliss. Bauddha Dharma in foreign countries
After about 12th century A.D., Bauddha Dharma almost