Pilgrimage to Buddhist sacred relics:
practicing late Master Sheng Yen’s compassionate vow
With the approaching of the 10th anniversary of late Master Sheng Yen’s passing, DDM sangha ushered their lay followers on a pilgrimage to the sacred relics in India. It is the hope of the DDM that all participants can give rise to their Bodhi minds for commemorating and repaying the kindness to late Master Sheng Yen
“Through our sincere prostration to the remaining relics, we pay our highest respects to Buddha and his grace left in the world, as a way to show our gratitude, and veneration for the Buddha.” In 1989, in looking back at and returning to the origins of Buddhism, late Master Sheng Yen led 80 Buddhist disciples on a pilgrimage in India. Twenty-nine years later, right before the 10th anniversary of the Master’s passing; DDM Sangha and the Lay Community have organized six pilgrimage trips in India, from Oct 2 2018 to the end of March 2019, to commemorate Master Sheng Yens’ teachings, show their sincere gratitude to the devoted lay followers, and unify the aspirations of the monastics and lay followers. More than four hundred followers are going to follow Master Sheng Yen’s footprints to pay respect to the holy relics of Buddhism.
As it has been seventeen years since Master Sheng Yen led five hundred disciples to visit the Chinese Buddhists’ ancient monasteries in China, in 2002, this Indian pilgrimage got overwhelming responses.
Among the six pilgrimages, each lasting 11 days, at every sacred site all participants listen to Master Sheng Yen’s dharma talks recorded from the previous pilgrimage in 1989. Each location possessed such a serene atmosphere: they visited the relics of Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha; Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment; Sarnath, where he started his first discourse in the deer park to set in motion the 'Wheel of the Dharma', and the last Kushinagar, where the Buddha attained Parinirvana upon his death. In addition, they visited Gridhakuta Hill (Vulture Peak), Kalaṇḍaka Veṇuvana where the Buddha often gave his dharma talks; Vesali, where he firstly established the Bhikshuni Sangha as well as the place of the Ananda Stupa; Nalanda University, the highest academic institution in an ancient era of Buddha, and of course the Ganges River, also known as the mother of India.
Besides the Maha Bodhi Temple (正覺大塔), members from the 1st pilgrimage trip made their Buddhist chanting, with peace in their minds, to praise the enlightenment of Buddha. “Thus, I have heard, one time, Buddha was….” The traditional farming life styles near the sacred sites portray the ancient lives from the time of Buddha. Surrounded by the scenes as described in the Buddhist sutras, all participants could vividly manifest the teachings from the sutras as if they had witnessed the scene with their very own eyes. Surpassing all temporal and spatial barriers from over two thousand and six hundred years ago, they could spiritually reunite with the Buddha, the Sages, and Master Sheng Yen. Other Buddhists with different traditions from other countries also pay their respects to Buddha and commemorate his teachings. Furthermore, doing their practices at each sacred site could help them to create a great appreciation towards the teachings of Buddha, as if the Buddha’s dharma gatherings at Gridhakuta Hill still continued to this present moment. In blissful gratitude, the monastics and lay followers have much resonance with Buddha’s teachings throughout the entire journey.
Jamie Yang (楊展楣), Deputy Director of Sheng Yen’s Education Foundation, shared that among all the remaining relics the Nalanda University was the one that impressed her the most. She realized with all of her heart that everything was impermanent, no exceptions, even in the historic development of Buddhism. Therefore, she also realized the true mission of Sheng Yen’s Education Foundation, which is to propagate Buddhadharma through academic education to sustain Buddha’s teachings in the world.
Venerable Chang Yuan (常遠法師), the Director-in-chief in DDM Sangha as well as the Head of the 3rd pilgrimage trip, shared that the journey is a premium pilgrimage that aids in self-development, as we are with the best mentor ever, Shakyamuni Buddha. Along the riverbank of Ganges, Buddha ceaselessly gave his dharma talks for over 40 years; he kept his efforts on the deliverance of all beings through spreading his teachings even as he was close to his death. In the same way, he tried to help all beings benefit from Dharma teachings, late Master Sheng Yen laboriously travelled around the world. And, right before his death, he still exhorted the monastics and lay followers, “As a Buddhist disciple, the best way to repay kindness is to learn, practice, spread and protect Buddhadharma.”
All the participants return to their initial aspirations to Buddhahood, and gave rise to their Bodhi minds through a premium pilgrimage trip to the Buddhist sacred relics.
Texts / Photos: Dharma Drum Monthly (法鼓雜誌)
Translation: Elenda Huang
Editing: Christine Huang; DDM Editorial Team