Dhammayatra 2025
A Journey of Sacred Pilgrimage and Reflection
Join us in a profound experience as we retrace the sacred footsteps of the Buddha and his great disciples. Dhammayatra 2025 offers a series of ceremonial walks and prayers across the most revered Buddhist sites, highlighting the spiritual history and cultural heritage of these holy places. Led by the International Mahasangha of LBDFI, each event invites participants to walk, reflect, and reconnect with the Dharma.
Here is the map of all the places we are covering:
1. January 06th-09th, 2025
Gurpa Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā
Mahākassapa is one of the most revered disciples of the Buddha. All the ancient Buddhist texts, Pali, Sanskrit and the eyewitness accounts of pilgrims like Faxian and Xuanzang have maintained that the body of Mahākassapa is preserved in the Kukkuṭapādagiri (Gurupāda). According to Buddhist sources, the last journey of Mahākassapa to attain samadhi at Gurupāda began from Veḷuvana. Memorializing the Last Footsteps of Illustrious Mahākassapa. (65 Km Trail) A ceremonial journey retracing the last footsteps of Mahākassapa from Veḷuvana to Gurupāda touching villages Odo and Khanwā.
2. January 18th-19th, 2025
9th Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā, Sankissa
3 km Trail- Circumambulation of the Sankisa Village.
In 2018, 2019,2022 and 2023 during their annual Dhammayatra (Dhamma pilgrimage), the International Mahasangha of LBDFI circumambulated the Kilah mound (i.e. Sankisa village), walked in the streets of the town and chanted Buddhist prayers. The International Sangha also visited the Kārewar Nāga and Kāndaiya Tāl and offered prayers there.
Patha Padakkhiṇā of Ancient Sankissa. (3 kms)
3. January 22nd-23rd, 2025,
6th Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā, Shravasti
Faxian and Xuanzang have described their visit to the Pubbārāma (Purvārāma, meaning eastern monastery). The ancient remains at Khandbari village match the location (i.e. distance and direction) provided by both Faxian and Xuanzang and are the more convincing identification of Pubbārāma. In 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 during their annual Dhammayatra (Dhamma pilgrimage), the International Mahasangha of LBDFI paid pilgrimage to the remains of Pubbārāma.
A Sati Cārikā recounting the contributions of Visākhā, Suddatta and Aṅgulimāla. (7 km Trail)
4. January 24th-25th, 2025,
9th Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā, Kushinagar
1 km Trail- Offering prayers at Ramabhar stūpa.
Ramabhar stūpa is believed to be the place where the Buddha was cremated and his body relics were distributed into eight parts.
5. January 26th-27th, 2025,
9th Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā, Sarnath
Literary and archaeological evidence suggests the Buddha on his journey to Ṝiṣipattana to deliver the First Sermon must have landed at present-day Rājaghāt. It is believed Rājaghāt could be the port and also an entry point into the Vārānasī city for people coming through the route of the river. Xuanzang, mentions visiting an Ashokan stūpa and pillar on the west of River Varuṅā as he left the city on his way to Deer Park from Vārānasī. The study says that the mosque at LātSaraiyā is built over the remains of this Ashokan stūpa while the Ashokan pillar that Xuanzang mentioned is being worshipped as LātBhairava (Shiva Linga).
Sati Cārikā to celebrate‘Day of the First Turning of the Wheel’. (9 km Trail)
6. January 29th-30th, 2025,
Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā, Kosambī
Xuanzang has mentioned a ‘Dragon Cave’ situated 8-9 Li (2-3 km) SW of the capital city of Kosambī (Kosam). A venomous dragon (cobra snake) lived in the cave. As per Xuanzang, the Buddha subdued the dragon and left his shadow in the cave. Remains of the Aśokan stūpa can be seen on the Prabhāsa Hill (also Prabhosā).
Retracing the footsteps of Buddha to Dragon Cave along the river Yamunā. (8 km)
7. February 28th - March 01st 2025,
Vaishali Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā
As per the Buddhist texts, Mahātherī MahāpajāpatīGotamī, the foster mother of the Buddha along with courageous 500 ShākyanTherīs entered Parinibbāna in Vaishalī. According to 7th CE monk scholar Xuanzang the vicinity of the village Birpur should be the Kśetra (area) of the Parinibbāna of Mahāprajāpatī GotamīTherī.
Sati Cārikāto Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī Therī Parinibbāna Kśetra. (3km trail)
8. March 06th - 09th, 2025,
Lumbini Tipitaka Saddhamma Sajjhāyanā
The Palace City of Kapilavastu is the place where the Bodhisattva Siddhārtha spent his younger days. Xuanzang saw shrines to mark many events related to Buddha in this complex. This includes the great Eastern Gate of the Palace City that witnessed the ‘great going forth’ (mahāpravrajyā / mahāpabbajjā) on the night of the Āṣāḍha (Āṣhāla) full moon (i.e. full moon of July). Kapilavastu is surrounded by other important shrines related to Karakachunda and Kanakmuni Buddha. Also, the historical Nigrodha monastery was near the Palace City.
Sati Cārikā in memory of Karakchunda Buddha, Kaṇṭhakaand Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī. (2 km Trail)
