Bodh Gaya Pilgrimage from 2 to 9 Dec 2024 – Contributions to Pilgrimage Offerings

ARRIVING AT BODHGAYA

Bodhgaya is considered the most revered and holiest site for the Buddhist all around the world. During the life time of the Buddha, he sat under a Bodhi tree located in the periphery of the now standing Mahabodhi Temple and attained the complete enlightenment. In Tibetan the term རྡོ་རྗེ་གདན་ ; རྡོ་རྗེ་ means Vajra and གདན་ means seat. Another interpretation is also that Vajra here refers to “Vajra like Samadhi.”

10am to 12pm, OFFERING OF NEW ROBES AND GOLD TO THE BUDDHA STATUE IN THE MAHABODHI TEMPLE

Offering the robe and gold to the Buddha at the main shrine in the temple. This action should not be seen different from actual servitude and offering to buddha. As it is stated in the Samantabadhra’s king of aspiration prayers that “ In every particle of existence presides Buddha” and so even in each idol countless buddha resides. After the offering to do aspiration and prayers along with the Sangha members for all the mother sentient beings who are endlessly suffering.

2pm to 5pm, LONG LIFE PRAYER PUJA ALONG WITH 150-300 SANGHA MEMBERS IN THE MAHABODHI TEMPLE

A monlam session for the long life of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, for the liberation of the mother sentient beings, for the prosperity and good health of the devoted benefactors and their family members, to dispel the suffering of illness, wars, and starvation from the world and utmost for the world peace and harmonious world family.

VISITING THE HOLY SITES IN THE VICINITY OF BODHGAYA

VULTURE’S PEAK – The most holy site where Buddha turned the second wheel of Dharma. The site where the Heart Sutra/ ཤེས་རབ་སྙིང་པོ། was expounded by the Buddha. The Heart Sutra in the introduction stated, “This is what I have heard once, Bhagavata Buddha on the vulture’s peak at Rajagraha along with the sangha of the mahasamghika and the sangha of bodhisattva of mahasamghika sat in the deep meditative absorption of the true nature of phenomena.” One of the accounts of the sixth Dalai Lama states that while he travelled to India, he came to the Vulture’s Peak but dare not climb to it as to him the peak was entirely made of 84,000 bodies of teachings of the Buddha and on the top he could hear Shariputra and Avalokitesvara debating on the ultimate nature of phenomena.

NALANDA UNIVERSITY – The Nalanda University was built by the Guptas in 5th century and became on of the most prominent institute of learning. Where many great Buddhist masters including the 17 Panditas of Nalanda; Nagarjuna, Arya Deva, Chandrakirti and Shanti Deva etc, in the span of 7 centuries studied classical Buddhist texts and wrote their own commentaries. The birth place of the Buddhist tenet system proposed by Bhavāviveka.

7am, TRAVELING TO VARANASI

Tour bus will be arranged to travel from Bodhgaya to Varanasi.

VARANASI – After the attainment of complete enlightenment, Lord Buddha after 49 days of isolation saw that the 5 companions of his during his earlier pursuit of liberation were the suitable recipient disciples of his new found insight. He then travelled to Varanasi to turn the first wheel of Dharma and taught the four noble truths to the five auspicious disciples. And also introducing the trail blazers for the arhats of the hearers and later for solitary realizers and bodhisattvas.

7pm, GURU PUJA GANACAKRA OFFERING AT VARANASI

After reaching Varanasi, visiting the Tibetan monastery and offering of robe to the idol of buddha. A Guru Puja Ganacakra offering will be conducted along with butter-lamp offering.

VISITING THE HOLY RIVER GANGES AND RETURNING BACK TO BODHGAYA

HOLY RIVER GANGES – A river that flows from the Kailash mountain which is one of the 24 holy sites of Chakrasamvara/ Heruka. It significances one of the five great rivers in the land of Jambu or Jam-budhvipa, which is another name for India.

OFFERING CLOTHINGS AND FOOD TO THE POOR AND NEEDY

According to The Sutra; “Generosity begets prosperity,” It is said that the practice of generosity accumulates the merits that assures prosperity in not only this life time but in the next life time as well. Therefore, to put this into action offerings of food and daily needs items like rice, flour, edible oil, lentil, salt, tea packets, and blankets for cold nights.

A DAY TO YOURSELF

There are no particular plans for this day and everyone is free to visit the nearby area according to their preference.

RETURNING BACK TO SINGAPORE

The flight will depart from Bodhgaya with a layover at Bangkok and finally arriving back at Singapore. Signifying an auspicious completion.