✅ Pilgrimage helps
Many Buddhists, including many Tibetan and Theravada Buddhists, say pilgrimage deepens practice and gains merit. Seeing the real places makes the Buddha's life feel close.
Buddhism: Celebration and Pilgrimage » Pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya and Sarnath
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 2 Buddhism (4RS1/2A), 2.2
- What pilgrims do at Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha became enlightened, and why it matters
- The Great Buddha Statue, the Mahabodhi Temple and the Sujata Temple
- What pilgrims do at Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught, and why it matters
- The Dhamek Stupa, the Ashoka Pillar and the Chaukhandi Stupa
- Different Buddhist attitudes to pilgrimage today
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Unlock This CourseBodh Gaya: the place of enlightenment
Bodh Gaya is a town in northern India. Buddhists believe this is where Siddhartha Gautama sat under a bodhi tree and became the Buddha, after the struggle with Mara that you met in Siddhartha Gautama: From Prince to Enlightenment. It is one of the four places the Buddha is said to have named as worth visiting (see Buddhist Pilgrimage and Kapilavastu). Pilgrims come from many countries, and the town has monasteries and temples built by Buddhists from places such as Thailand, Japan, Bhutan and Tibet.
Key terms:
- Bodh Gaya: the place of the Buddha's enlightenment.
- Mahabodhi Temple: the temple beside the bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya ('Mahabodhi' means 'great enlightenment').
- Prostration: bowing down to the ground, with hands, knees and forehead touching, as a sign of deep respect.
- Chanting: reciting sacred words aloud, often together.
The three sites at Bodh Gaya
🌳 Mahabodhi Temple
A tall temple stands beside a bodhi tree, which Buddhists see as a descendant of the tree under which the Buddha sat. Next to it is a stone slab marking the seat of enlightenment. The temple is a World Heritage Site.
🙏 Great Buddha Statue
A huge seated Buddha, about 25 metres (80 feet) high, unveiled in 1989. Pilgrims look up at it, meditate in front of it, chant and make offerings of flowers and incense.
🥛 Sujata Temple
This remembers Sujata, a village woman. Buddhists recall that she gave Siddhartha a bowl of milk-rice when he was weak from fasting. Pilgrims remember her kindness and the Middle Way.
What pilgrims do at Bodh Gaya
- Meditate. Many sit quietly near the bodhi tree, hoping to feel the calm of the place and to think about the Buddha's enlightenment.
- Chant. Groups chant verses in praise of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
- Prostrate. Pilgrims, especially Tibetan Buddhists, bow to the ground many times as a sign of respect.
- Make offerings. They leave flowers, candles and incense, a way to show gratitude and to make merit.
- Circle the temple. They walk around it clockwise, keeping it on their right, as a sign of respect.
Why Bodh Gaya is important
- It is where the Buddha found the answer to suffering, so it stands for the goal of all Buddhist practice.
- The bodhi tree and the seat of enlightenment connect pilgrims to the event itself.
- The Sujata Temple reminds Buddhists that the Middle Way avoids both luxury and starvation.
- Pilgrims from every tradition meet here, which strengthens the Sangha.
Sarnath: the place of the first sermon
Sarnath is near the city of Varanasi in northern India. Buddhists believe the Buddha came here to the deer park after his enlightenment and taught his first five followers, as you met in The Buddha's Teaching, Death and Parinirvana. This started the Sangha. Sarnath is therefore the place where the Dhamma was first taught.
🏛 Dhamek Stupa
A large, solid stupa that marks the spot where the Buddha is said to have first taught. Pilgrims walk round it, chant and make offerings.
🚩 Ashoka Pillar
The emperor Ashoka set up a stone pillar at Sarnath. Only the broken base remains in place. Its lion top is kept in the nearby museum.
🚶 Chaukhandi Stupa
Buddhists say this is where the Buddha met his first five followers again on the road to Sarnath. Pilgrims remember how they became his first students.
What pilgrims do at Sarnath
- Walk around the Dhamek Stupa, often many times, while chanting or reciting the Buddha's teaching.
- Meditate in the quiet park and think about the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Way, the core of the first sermon.
- Make offerings of flowers, incense and candles.
- Listen to talks and teachings from monks and nuns, since this is the place where teaching began.
Sarnath matters because it is where the Dhamma began to be shared, so Buddhists connect it with learning, teaching and the beginning of the Sangha.
Different attitudes to pilgrimage today
❌ It is unnecessary
Other Buddhists say enlightenment is found within, through meditation and good conduct, so travelling is not needed. Some Zen Buddhists stress this, and many Buddhists cannot afford the journey.
Most would agree that a pilgrimage only helps if it changes how a person lives afterwards.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the two places. Bodh Gaya is enlightenment; Sarnath is the first sermon.
- Saying pilgrimage is a duty. It is a choice.
- Listing what pilgrims do without saying why it matters.
- Saying all Buddhists agree. Views differ within and between traditions.
Exam-style question
Paper 2 (a) [AO1] Outline two things that Buddhists do on pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya. [4 marks]
Paper 2 (b) [AO1, AO2] Explain why pilgrimage to Sarnath is important for Buddhists. [6 marks]
Paper 2 (c) [AO1, AO2] "Buddhists do not need to go on pilgrimage to become enlightened."
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 meditate near the bodhi tree (1) to reflect on the Buddha's enlightenment (1). They also make offerings of flowers and incense (1), which shows gratitude and gains merit (1).
(b) Sarnath is important because it is where the Buddha gave his first sermon (1) and started the Sangha by teaching his first five followers (1). Pilgrims see the Dhamek Stupa and remember the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Way (1), the heart of the Dhamma. Walking round the stupa and chanting shows respect for the teaching (1). The Ashoka Pillar shows that Ashoka honoured the place, so pilgrims feel part of a long tradition (1). Meeting other Buddhists there strengthens the Sangha (1).
(c) Plan. For: the Buddha taught that enlightenment comes from following the Noble Eightfold Path, through meditation, wisdom and good conduct, which can be done anywhere; pilgrimage is not a duty; some Buddhists cannot travel. Against: many Buddhists find that visiting Bodh Gaya inspires them, deepens their practice and gains merit; a pilgrim may feel closer to the Buddha's example. Divergent view: some Buddhists in Theravada and Tibetan traditions value pilgrimage highly, while some Zen Buddhists stress that enlightenment is found within. Conclusion: pilgrimage can help but is not necessary; the Buddha's own path of practice matters most, so I agree with the statement.
Exam tip
In the 6-mark question, do not just name the Dhamek Stupa or the Ashoka Pillar. Say what each one shows and why that matters to Buddhists.