Alex Wilding

may make a pilgrimage to Rome to see the Pope giving blessings in the square of St. Peter's, or to Lourdes in France in the hope of healing. Less often they may make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, poor suffering Palestine, and perhaps more often to more local sites, such as Croke Patrick in Ireland. That's the one that serious pilgrims climb barefoot.

may make a pilgrimage to Rome to see the Pope giving blessings in the square of St. Peter's, or to Lourdes in France in the hope of healing. Less often they may make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, poor suffering Palestine, and perhaps more often to more local sites, such as Croke Patrick in Ireland. That's the one that serious pilgrims climb barefoot.

Way back decades ago, I knew a group of people who happened to be Roman Catholics. Some had been born into that religion and some were new converts to a circle, mostly consisting of students, who had gathered around an apparently somewhat charismatic priest.

Way back decades ago, I knew a group of people who happened to be Roman Catholics. Some had been born into that religion and some were new converts to a circle, mostly consisting of students, who had gathered around an apparently somewhat charismatic priest.

One of the things that bonded them together was taking part in a pilgrimage in the east of England in which they took turns carrying a heavy wooden crucifix. It's possible that it's the one that finishes at Walsingham, which you can Google, although to be quite honest, I can't remember that for a fact. I wasn't properly a Buddhist then, but I certainly wasn't leaning towards Catholicism.

One of the things that bonded them together was taking part in a pilgrimage in the east of England in which they took turns carrying a heavy wooden crucifix. It's possible that it's the one that finishes at Walsingham, which you can Google, although to be quite honest, I can't remember that for a fact. I wasn't properly a Buddhist then, but I certainly wasn't leaning towards Catholicism.

Anyway, good or bad, it was clearly an experience they valued very much, and it did, as I said, bond them tightly together. If you dig around, you'll find quite a number of pilgrimage sites in Europe, many of them not well known to the wider public. While we're about it, my guess is that the Muslim Hajj is probably the best known pilgrimage in the whole world.

Anyway, good or bad, it was clearly an experience they valued very much, and it did, as I said, bond them tightly together. If you dig around, you'll find quite a number of pilgrimage sites in Europe, many of them not well known to the wider public. While we're about it, my guess is that the Muslim Hajj is probably the best known pilgrimage in the whole world.

Every Muslim is supposed to make that pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime if they possibly can. And I read recently that the number of pilgrims each year passes two million. The Hindus too have at least one massive, massive pilgrimage, the Kumbh Mela, that takes place approximately once in every 12 years.

Every Muslim is supposed to make that pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime if they possibly can. And I read recently that the number of pilgrims each year passes two million. The Hindus too have at least one massive, massive pilgrimage, the Kumbh Mela, that takes place approximately once in every 12 years.

The last one was in 2019, and apparently the estimate of the total number of participants is an astonishing 200 million. The authorities estimate that the busiest day involved 50 million people. Thank goodness, not all at one single site, but it's still a mind-boggling number. So it is very clear that pilgrimage is something that resonates strongly in the religious part of the human mind.

The last one was in 2019, and apparently the estimate of the total number of participants is an astonishing 200 million. The authorities estimate that the busiest day involved 50 million people. Thank goodness, not all at one single site, but it's still a mind-boggling number. So it is very clear that pilgrimage is something that resonates strongly in the religious part of the human mind.

Buddhism doesn't feature any such gargantuan pilgrimages, and maybe that might be partly due to the idea that performing some religious act, such as a pilgrimage, will bring you salvation. Or, on the other hand, the other side of the coin,

Buddhism doesn't feature any such gargantuan pilgrimages, and maybe that might be partly due to the idea that performing some religious act, such as a pilgrimage, will bring you salvation. Or, on the other hand, the other side of the coin,

that failure to perform some religious act will send you down to the bad, bad realms below, is not an idea that sits as well within Buddhist thought as it does within theistic thought. All the same, while going on pilgrimage might not be seen as essential, it can even so be helpful, it can be inspiring and even healthy, and a number of sites are well known as pilgrimage destinations.

that failure to perform some religious act will send you down to the bad, bad realms below, is not an idea that sits as well within Buddhist thought as it does within theistic thought. All the same, while going on pilgrimage might not be seen as essential, it can even so be helpful, it can be inspiring and even healthy, and a number of sites are well known as pilgrimage destinations.

A very short list of some of the most important would include Lumbini in Nepal, where the Buddha of our age was born, Bodhgaya in Bihar, where he reached enlightenment, Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, where he gave his first sermon, and Kushinagara, where he died. These four, and a few others, would be recognised by Buddhists of every stripe.

A very short list of some of the most important would include Lumbini in Nepal, where the Buddha of our age was born, Bodhgaya in Bihar, where he reached enlightenment, Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, where he gave his first sermon, and Kushinagara, where he died. These four, and a few others, would be recognised by Buddhists of every stripe.

but there are famous destinations that are perhaps more closely associated with particular schools. One most notable one that comes to mind is the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka, or the mountains of Wutai Shan in China, and the temples of Kyoto in Japan.

but there are famous destinations that are perhaps more closely associated with particular schools. One most notable one that comes to mind is the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka, or the mountains of Wutai Shan in China, and the temples of Kyoto in Japan.