🙏 Honouring the Buddha
Standing where the Buddha lived shows respect and gratitude to him as the teacher of the Dhamma.
Buddhism: Celebration and Pilgrimage » Buddhist Pilgrimage and Kapilavastu
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 2 Buddhism (4RS1/2A), 2.2
- The nature, history and purpose of pilgrimage in Buddhism
- Why Kapilavastu, the Buddha's childhood home, is a place of pilgrimage
- What pilgrims do there: the Kapilavastu Buddha Mahotsav, the palace site and the stupa complex
- Why pilgrimage to Kapilavastu is important for Buddhists
🔒 Unlock Full Course Content
Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseWhat is pilgrimage in Buddhism?
A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place for religious reasons. In Buddhism it is not a duty. The Buddha did not order his followers to go on pilgrimage, and a Buddhist can follow the path without ever making one. Many Buddhists still choose to go, because the places are linked to the life of the Buddha.
Buddhists believe the Buddha, shortly before his death, named four places worth visiting: where he was born, where he became enlightened, where he gave his first sermon and where he died. You met these events in Siddhartha Gautama: From Prince to Enlightenment and The Buddha's Teaching, Death and Parinirvana. Buddhists also visit other places from his life, and Kapilavastu is one of them.
Key terms:
- Pilgrimage: a journey to a holy place for religious reasons.
- Stupa: a dome-shaped monument, often built over relics (remains) of the Buddha or of a holy person, used as a focus for respect and meditation.
- Kapilavastu: the town where Siddhartha Gautama grew up as a prince, in the land of the Sakya people.
- Kapilavastu Buddha Mahotsav: an annual festival held at Kapilavastu to honour the Buddha (Mahotsav means festival).
The history of Buddhist pilgrimage
- Early days. After the Buddha's death, Buddhists built stupas over his relics, and these places became centres of respect and visits.
- King Ashoka. The emperor Ashoka ruled much of India and became a Buddhist. Buddhists remember that he visited places linked to the Buddha and set up stone pillars at some of them to mark the sites. Some pillars still stand today.
- Today. Pilgrims travel from many countries, often in groups led by monks or nuns, to places in northern India and Nepal.
The purpose of pilgrimage
🧘 Deepening practice
Being in a calm, holy place helps many pilgrims meditate, think about the Buddha's life and feel more committed to his path.
🌟 Making merit
Making offerings and the effort of the journey are ways to gain merit, the good kamma that Buddhists believe leads to a better rebirth.
👫 Meeting other Buddhists
Pilgrims from different countries and traditions meet, share meals and chant together, which strengthens the Sangha.
Kapilavastu: the Buddha's childhood home
Kapilavastu was the home of the Sakya people, whose ruler was the father of Siddhartha Gautama. You met the story in Siddhartha Gautama: From Prince to Enlightenment: Siddhartha grew up in a palace here, married, and had a son, Rahula, before he left to seek an answer to suffering.
The exact site of ancient Kapilavastu is not agreed. Two areas are each identified with it:
- Tilaurakot in Nepal, where the remains of an ancient walled town have been found.
- Piprahwa and Ganwaria in northern India, where a stupa and the remains of buildings have been found.
Many pilgrims visit both. Either way, the Buddha's early life is remembered here.
What pilgrims do at Kapilavastu
🏯 Visiting the palace site
Pilgrims walk among the ruins linked with the Buddha's palace. They reflect on how a prince gave up his comfortable life, and are reminded of the teaching that wealth does not end suffering.
🙏 Visiting the stupa complex
Pilgrims go to the stupa and nearby monastery remains. They walk around the stupa, usually clockwise, to show respect. They chant, meditate and make offerings such as flowers, incense and candles.
🎊 The Kapilavastu Buddha Mahotsav
This is an annual festival held in the area to honour the Buddha. Pilgrims and local people gather for chanting, offerings and ceremonies, and monks and nuns often take part. The exact programme can differ from year to year.
📖 Learning and reflection
Pilgrims listen to talks about the Buddha's early life and teaching, then spend time in quiet reflection on what it means for their own lives.
Why is Kapilavastu important for Buddhists?
- It is where the Buddha spent his early life, so it helps Buddhists understand why he left home to look for the end of suffering.
- It links Buddhists to their founder through real places, which can make the teaching feel real and close.
- The festival and the shared rituals bring Buddhists from different countries and traditions together.
- Not all Buddhists agree on its importance. Some say it matters less than the places of enlightenment and first teaching; others say it is just as helpful. Many say the journey matters only if it strengthens daily practice. Buddhists from different traditions, such as Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhists, may value the sites and the festival in different ways.
Common mistakes
- Saying pilgrimage is compulsory. For Buddhists it is a choice, not a duty.
- Saying Kapilavastu is where the Buddha was born or became enlightened. It was his childhood home.
- Describing what pilgrims do without saying why it matters. Link each activity to a purpose such as respect, merit or practice.
- Saying the site of Kapilavastu is certain. Two areas are each identified with it.
Exam-style question
Paper 2 (a) [AO1] Outline two activities that Buddhists do when they go on pilgrimage to Kapilavastu. [4 marks]
Paper 2 (b) [AO1, AO2] Explain why pilgrimage to Kapilavastu is important for Buddhists. [6 marks]
Paper 2 (c) [AO1, AO2] "Pilgrimage is the best way for a Buddhist to honour the Buddha."
Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other (divergent) points of view, and your own opinion using reasoned arguments. [10 marks]
Model answer
(a) Pilgrims walk around the stupa, clockwise (1), to show respect to the Buddha (1). They also make offerings such as flowers and incense (1), which is a way to gain merit (1).
(b) Kapilavastu is important because it was the Buddha's childhood home (1), where Siddhartha lived as a prince before leaving to seek an end to suffering (1). Visiting the palace site helps Buddhists understand his decision to give up wealth (1). Walking round the stupa, chanting and meditating lets them honour the Buddha and deepen their practice (1). The Kapilavastu Buddha Mahotsav brings pilgrims together, strengthening the Sangha (1). Making offerings lets them gain merit (1).
(c) Plan. For: standing where the Buddha lived, chanting and making offerings shows deep respect; it is a way to make merit and meet other Buddhists; the emperor Ashoka honoured the Buddha's places. Against: pilgrimage is not a duty, and the Buddha taught that the way to honour him is to follow the Dhamma, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Five Precepts; many Buddhists cannot afford to travel. Divergent view: Buddhists in different traditions, such as Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhists, may value pilgrimage differently, and some stress daily practice over travel. Conclusion: pilgrimage is one valuable way to honour the Buddha, but following his teaching every day is the deeper way, so it is not the best way for everyone.
Exam tip
For the 6-mark question, do not just describe the walking, chanting and offerings. After each activity, say why it matters to Buddhists.