Shortly before his final passing, the Buddha was asked by his attendant Ānanda how the monks and lay followers could continue to feel close to him once he was gone. In reply, as recorded in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16), the Buddha named four places worth visiting by a person of faith — places that would inspire a sense of spiritual urgency (saṃvega). For more than two thousand years, these four holy places have drawn pilgrims from across Asia and now from all over the world.
Cattārimāni, ānanda, saddhassa kulaputtassa dassanīyāni saṃvejanīyāni ṭhānāni.
Ānanda, there are these four places that a faithful person should see, places that stir a sense of urgency. — Dīgha Nikāya 16
The Buddha went on to say that whoever dies with a confident heart while on pilgrimage to these shrines will be reborn in a good destination. The four places mark the four great events of his life:
- Lumbinī — where the Tathāgata was born.
- Bodh Gayā — where he awakened to unsurpassed enlightenment.
- Sarnath (Isipatana) — where he set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion.
- Kusinārā — where he attained final Nibbāna.
Lumbinī: the birthplace
Lumbinī lies in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, close to the Indian border. Tradition says that Queen Mahāmāyā was travelling to her parents’ home to give birth when she stopped in a grove of sal trees, and there Prince Siddhattha was born. See Who Was the Buddha? for his life story.
The most important historical evidence at the site is a stone pillar erected by Emperor Asoka in the third century BCE. Its inscription records that the king visited in person, worshipped there because the Buddha Sakyamuni was born here, and reduced the village’s taxes. The pillar was rediscovered in 1896, confirming the site’s identity. Today pilgrims visit the Maya Devi Temple, built over ancient remains, the sacred pond where the queen is said to have bathed, and the many monasteries built by Buddhist countries nearby. Lumbinī is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bodh Gayā: the place of awakening
Bodh Gayā, in the Indian state of Bihar, is where the Bodhisatta sat beneath the Bodhi tree and realised Nibbāna. It is the holiest site in the Buddhist world. The towering Mahabodhi Temple, whose earliest foundations are traditionally associated with Asoka and whose present structure dates largely from the Gupta period, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
Behind the temple stands a Bodhi tree, regarded as a descendant of the original, and beneath it the Vajrāsana, the “diamond seat”, marking the place of enlightenment. Sri Lankans have a special connection here: the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura grew from a branch of the original tree, and in the late nineteenth century the Sri Lankan reformer Anagārika Dharmapāla founded the Maha Bodhi Society to restore Buddhist care for the site.
Sarnath: the first sermon
At the Deer Park at Isipatana, now called Sarnath, near Varanasi, the Buddha gave his first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, to five ascetics who had once been his companions. It was here that the first members of the Saṅgha were ordained, and so all Three Jewels came into the world.
The great Dhamek Stūpa still stands at the site, along with extensive monastery ruins. The lion capital from an Asokan pillar found at Sarnath is now displayed in the nearby museum and was adopted as the national emblem of India — a reminder of how deeply the Buddha’s legacy is woven into the region’s history.
Kusinārā: the final passing
Kusinārā, today’s Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, was a small town in the Buddha’s day. Lying between twin sal trees, he gave his last words: that all conditioned things are subject to decay, and that his disciples should strive on with diligence.
Pilgrims visit the Mahāparinibbāna Temple, which houses a large reclining Buddha image, and the Ramabhar Stūpa, traditionally identified as the place of cremation. The atmosphere is quiet and reflective, a fitting place to contemplate impermanence.
Tips for pilgrims
- When to go: the cooler months, roughly October to March, are most comfortable. Bodh Gayā is especially busy in December and January.
- Dress and conduct: wear modest, light-coloured clothing, remove shoes at shrines, and walk around stūpas and sacred trees clockwise, keeping them on your right.
- Practise, not only sightsee: spend time sitting, chanting or reflecting at each place. Many pilgrims recite the relevant sutta at each site.
- Travel with care: distances are long and roads can be slow; many people join an organised group led by a monk or experienced guide.
- Go with an open heart: crowds, noise and heat are part of the experience. Let them become part of your practice of patience.
What we can learn
The Buddha did not recommend pilgrimage as a way to gain magic blessings. He recommended it because standing where he was born, awakened, taught and passed away can stir saṃvega — a heartfelt sense that life is short and the path is worth walking now. Even if you never travel to India or Nepal, you can make an inner pilgrimage: reflect on each of the four events, and let them inspire your own practice. In the end, the Buddha said, those who practise the Dhamma honour him most truly.
Reflection: on a Poya day, take a few minutes to recall each of the four places in turn — birth, awakening, first teaching and final passing — and what each one means to you.
