A personal narrative of the author's experiences in tracking the pilgrimage route encompassing the most sacred sites hallowed by association with the historical Buddha's birth, awakening, preaching career, mission and death. Swarna Wickremeratne is the author of the book Buddha in Sri Lanka. She was educated firstly in Sri Lanka then in Oxford, England and at Harvard, spent most of her adult life as a student, teacher, librarian, writer, philanthropist as well as housewife. This work on Buddhist pilgrimage intended for average reader and pilgrim presents her reactions to what she experienced as a lay person going on pilgrimage in Dambadiva in search of experiences of the historical Buddha, interpretations of her religious as well as mundane experiences at sacred Buddhist sites, which, of course, now have become multifaceted in meaning. Her penetrating observations and experiences at the sacred sites and difficulties that pilgrims encounter in travelling in India and most importantly her reflections on what it means to be a practicing Buddhist, who is ever eager to attempt to have a glimpse of the Buddha's experiences.
In Search of the Buddha: A Pilgrim's Progress, Swarna Wickremeratne, Xlibris LLC, Paperback, 170 pages, $14.99
Foreword 9
Acknowledgements 13
Introduction: My Story 17
Chapter 1 Jambudipa: The Rose Apple Land 25
Chapter 2 Lumbini: The Place of Divine Birth 50
Chapter 3 Kapilavastu: Where Prince Siddharta
Spent His Childhood 57
Chapter 4 Durgeshwari Mountain: Prince Siddartha
Practice Self-Mortification 65
Chapter 5 Both Gaya: Siddartha's Enlightenment 73
Chapter 6 Saranth: Place of The First Sermon 97
Chapter 7 Rajgir: Rajagaha, Kingdom of Bimbisara 108
Chapter 8 Nalanda: Place of the Great Monastic University 119
Chapter 9 Vaishali-Bihar: City of the Lichchavis 121
Chapter 10 Kushinagar: Place of the Mahaparinibbana 128
Chapter 11 savasti: Jetavana Grove 136
Chapter 12 Sankassa: Buddha Descends from Tushita Heaven 149
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