Pilgrimate 2010 Buddhist Holy Places in India-Nepal

and Visit HH. the Dalai Lama in Dharmashala

with White Sands Monastery and Good Mountain Monastery

By Venerable Dr. Khai Thien -Thich Tam Thien

 and Venerable Thich Hanh Hue

(from September 20 to October 10, 2010)

·        Last day for registration: July 18, 2010

·        Transportation: Airplane, train, bus, express train in New Delhi (5-star accommodations)

·        We will be visiting:

A. THE FOUR PLACES

1. BUDDHA’S BIRTHPLACE AT LUMBINI NEPAL: This is the place where Gautama Buddha was born more than 25 centuries ago. Also here is the Puskarini or Holy Pond - where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he too, had his first bath.  

2. PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT AT BUDDHAGAYA OR BODHGAYA: This is the most sacred place to Buddhists all over the world. We will stop en-route to visit the Mahakala Caves, where Gautama Buddha did the severe penance that resulted in the familiar image of him as a skeletal, emaciated figure. After years of extreme self-denial at Mahakala, he realized its futility and walked down to Bodhgaya, where he eventually achieved Perfect Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.

3. PLACE OF FIRST SERMON AT ISIPATANA: where Gautama Buddha first delivered a sermon that he had discovered in Perfect Enlightenment. This is where the historic Buddha turned for the first time the wheel of dharma, and the first sangha of history was formed. Here he preached his first discourse about the Four Noble Truths. It is in this place that the stream of the Buddha's teaching first flowed.

4. NIBBANA AT KUSINAGARA: This is where the Gautama Buddha took his last breath, at the age of eighty.  This event is called “The last Great Nirvana” (Mahaparinirvana). We visit the Mahaparinirvana Stupa, which is built on the place of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana and the place of his cremation, which is a short distance away. Close by is a 1500 year old image of the Buddha as he attained Parinirvana. The Mahaparinirvana Stupa is surrounded by ruins of ancient monasteries.

B. WE WILL ALSO BE VISITING:

5. SAVATTHI (SARVASTHI): We will to visit the extensive ruins of this ancient city and the Jetavana Monastery. Gautama Buddha spent his last twenty years of his monastic life in Savatthi.

 
6. KAPILVASTU: The ancient capital of the Sakya clan, whose ruler was the father of Gautama Buddha, for which reason Gautama Buddha is also referred to as the Sakyamuni.  Archaeological excavations have revealed stone caskets containing relics believed to be that of Buddha's.

7. RAJGIR, RAJAGAHAR: Rajgir is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site as it was the ancient capital city of the Magadha kings until the fifth century BC, where Gautama Buddha delivered some of his famous sermons and converted King Bimbisara of Magadha to Buddhism.  Gautama Buddha spent 12 years here, and the first Buddhist council was hosted near Griddhkuta, at the Saptaparni caves. He often went into retreat at the Jivkamaravana monastery in a beautiful orchard. One of his most devoted and prosperous devotees, surgeon Jivaka also lived here. The rich merchant community here soon became the Buddha's followers and built many structures of typical Buddhist architecture. We will also visit VULTURE’S PEAK and TRUC LAM PAGODA.

8. GANGES RIVER: The river Ganges is very sacred to the Hindus, according to Hindu mythology, Ganga flowed in the heavens but then was ordered to go down to earth.

9. BENARES, VAISHALI, VARANASI: We will go on an excursion to Vaishali, one of the world’s first democratic republics, where Gautama Buddha gave important teachings, including his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. During Gautama Buddha’s lifetime, this was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people and with abundant food. There were said to be 7,707 pleasure grounds and an equal number of lotus ponds. 

10. DELHI: Eighth largest metropolis in the world, where Gautama Buddha’s relics remain, where Gautama Buddha preached the Four Noble Truths to the Kuru tribe.

C. We will also have this opportunity

11. We will meet HH. the Dalai Lama and listen to His teachings on October 4-7. 

DETAILED PROGRAM

September 19 :      Meet at Good Mountain Monastery in Phelan, California

September 20 :      Depart from Los Angeles International Airport

September 20 :      Arrive in New Delhi, stay overnight at hotel

September 20 :      Breakfast at hotel, check out, depart to Varanasi airport.  Check into Varanasi hotel. Visit the location of Gautama Buddha’s first sermon at Isipatana and museum.

September 21 :      We enjoy a boat ride by Ganges River and tour international temples local to area. Depart to Bodhgaya, and check into hotel in Mahayana near Rajabai Clock Tower.

September 22:       Visit Rajabai Clock Tower in Uniform, take a meditation walk around Buddhagaya and Rajabai Clock Tower.  Visit local temples.

September 23:       Depart to Rajgir in Rajagahar.  Visit Nui Linh Thuu, Thap Hoa Binh, Binh Sa Vuong Jail. Visit Truc Lam tinh xa, NALANDA University, Huyen Trang Ky niem duong

.

September 24 :      Visit Kho Hanh Lam in Sujata; shop and visit Rajabai Clock Tower.

September 25 :      Depart for Vaishali, the first republic of the world.  This is also where Buddha offered spiritual liberation to women by admitting them to the Holy Order, and where he also met Ambapali, a royal courtesan who eventually accepted the Buddhist faith and remained an active supporter of the Buddhist order. Visit Asokan pillar, a series of pillars spread all over the northern part of the Indian sub continent.  Lunch at Kieu Dam Di pagoda.  Visit Kushinagar, where Gautama Buddha died. Check into hotel and eat dinner at Lotus Nikko.

September 26 :      Breakfast at hotel, then we will visit the Mahaparinirvana Stupa, built on the place of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana and the place of his cremation, a short distance away. Close to the Mahaparinirvana Stupa is located a 1500 year old image of the Buddha as he attained Parinirvana. The Mahaparinirvana Stupa is surrounded by ruins of ancient monasteries. Lunch at hotel, visit international Buddhist temples in the area.

September 27 :      Breakfast at hotel, depart to Lambini in Nepal.  Check into hotel, eat lunch.  Lumbini is in the foothills of the Himalaya, where the Buddha is said to have lived till the age of 29. Visit Kapilavastu, the place that has several Stupas.

September 28 :      Breakfast at hotel, visit Lambini and Mayadevi.  Visit Sarvasthi border, where Gautama Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in this city. Stupas, monasteries and several temples are located in Sarvasthi.  Lunch en route.  Check into hotel Lotus Nikko and eat dinner.

September 29 :      Breakfast at hotel and visit Jetavana Vihara,  a beautiful park at the southern edge of Saravasti.  One of the most beautiful spots in Jetavana is under the Anandabodhi tree. An eternal witness to the vicissitudes of history, this sacred tree was brought as a cutting from the Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, which itself grew from a sapling of the original Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya. Lunch at hotel.  Depart from Lucknow airport to fly into New Delhi.  Check into hotel and eat dinner.

September 30 :      Visit Agra, eat breakfast en route.  Visit Taj Mahal, one of the oldest, recognized buildings in the world.  Visit Agra Fort, eat lunch there.  Return to New Delhi hotel.

October 1 :            Breakfast at hotel, tour New Delhi.  Visit India Gate and Akshardham, one of the newest but also recognized buildings in the world.  Lunch at restaurant.  Visit state-owned museums, where the relics of Buddha are stored and displayed. 

October 2 :             Visit Dharamshala, touring Chandigarh, towers and other forms of Indian architecture.  Visit Dharashala, where the Dalai Lama currently resides.

October 3 :            Arrive to Dharamshala, visit monasteries and other buildings of Tibetan architecture.

October 4-7 :         Meet the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala and listen to 3 of his preachings. 

October 8 :            Return to New Delhi, shop and leisure time.

October 10 :          Depart to Los Angeles International airport.  Pilgrimage complete.

Our organization will take care of all tourist visas required to travel into India and Nepal. 

Total cost for entire 20-day pilgrimage: $3,200/person.

This price includes:

-All travel fares, including airfare, bus fare and train fare

-Indian and Nepal visa

-Hotel Accommodations, shared by two people

-Meals

-Services of English- and Vietnamese-speaking guides

-Monuments entrance fees during guided sightseeing

-Assistance on arrival & departure
- All currently applicable tax

All accommodations have air-conditioning. 

Each participant will receive a souvenir CD and DVD, documenting this pilgrimage. 

This price excludes:

-Travel Insurance

-U.S. passport costs and fees

-Personal Expenses

-Overweight luggage costs and fees

-Camera and camcorder taxes

-Individual donations to the temples or monks we visit

-Tip to our tour guides, drivers and hotel employees

Contact Info for registration and questions:

Houston:  Nguyên Hoa: (832) 229- 0717.

New Orleans : Chị Tâm: ( 504) 237- 1361

Los Angeles : Quảng Định: ( 818) 831 - 2095

San Jose : Quảng Nhơn: ( 408) 533 -2771.

Santa Ana : Pháp Niệm: ( 714) 474-8842

Mims: Cát Tường: (407) 718-8914,

Orlando: Trúc Nguyễn: (407)733-1301, Hoàng Thư: (321)388-8351,

Pháp Hạnh: (321) 946-7242, Pháp Nguyệt: (407) 574-0298,

Đình Nguyên: (858) 201-8837, Diệu Thuận: (321) 287-3256.

West Palm Beach: Pháp Đạt-Cường Nguyễn: (561) 251-1969 / (561) 923-6267.

Rules:

-Your passport must be valid at least 6 months from the departure date.

-You must submit 5 passport-sized photos with your registration form.  These photos will be used to obtain your visas to travel throughout India and Nepal and attending His Holiness’s teachings.

-With your registration, you must deposit $500 or $1000 to hold your spot.  You must pay the full balance by July 18, 2010. 

-If you cancel by August 10, 2010, which is 60 days before departure, you are entitled to a full refund. 

If you cancel 50 days before departure, we can refund you your money less 20%. 

If you cancel 40 days before departure, we can refund you your money less 50%. 

If you cancel 30 days before departure, we can refund you your money less 75%. 

If you cancel 20 days or less before departure, we cannot give you any refund.

The organization wishes to meet all interested participants in this pilgrimage so that we can all visit Buddha’s Holy Places.  This program is reserved for Buddhists who have interests in Buddhism and Buddhist blessings and not for idle tourists.  This pilgrimage is voluntary.  Representatives of our organization will guide all participants in the ceremonies conducted at the Holy Places.

We hope to see you!

The organizing committee at Good Mountain Monastery

Ven. Thích Hạnh Huệ, Director of Good Mountain Monastery, California

www.cattrang.org