朝礼佛陀圣地

On 31 December 2019, on the eve of an extended pilgrimage to some of the most sacred sites associated with the Buddha, OT Rinpoche gave the following address to his monks.

2019年12月31日，在即将展开一段较长的朝圣行程，前往若干与佛陀相关的至圣之地前夕，乌金督佳仁波切向他的僧众作了以下讲话。

Personally, I think pilgrimage is a very good thing to do. When we set out on a pilgrimage, we aim to accumulate merit with our body, speech and mind. Negativity will definitely be eliminated if we strive to purify each one of them, at the same time. Why? Because of the strength of the compassion and aspirations of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. The power of this strength is the result of all the bodhisattvas’ activities, as vast as the ocean, which they performed to help and benefit sentient beings.

我个人认为，朝圣是一件非常好的事。出发朝圣时，我们的目标是以身、语、意积累福德。如果同时努力净化身语意三者，恶业一定会消除。为什么？因为一切诸佛菩萨的悲心与愿力强大。这种力量，来自一切菩萨为了帮助、利益众生，所行持的如海广大菩萨行。

So, we’ve decided to leave for this pilgrimage.

因此，我们决定出发去朝圣。

Once in the past, I organized a full pilgrimage across India visiting all the sacred places associated with the Buddha, including Ajanta Ellora and so on. Later, I organized an even larger one, renting two buses from Delhi that took us on a pilgrimage lasting one month and nine days. We went to most Indian states visiting the sacred sites associated with the Buddha and the Secret Mantra tradition—there are often Hindu shrines in those places that are also worshipped by Buddhists. Then there was another occasion, I went on a middle length pilgrimage. So I’ve been on pilgrimage a few times, and I thought it might be a good idea to go again and to invite all the monks from our monastery to join also. You should know we’ve made a great effort to enable everyone to come. It's been quite expensive to arrange this time, costing around nine lakh rupees for the vehicles, hotels and food. Tomorrow morning we will leave at 7am.

过去，我曾组织过一次遍行印度的完整朝圣，参访所有与佛陀相关的圣地，包括阿旃陀、埃洛拉等。后来，我又组织了一次规模更大的，从德里租了两辆巴士，带大家进行为期一个月又九天的朝圣。我们去了印度大部分邦，参访与佛陀及秘密真言传统有关的圣地；这些地方往往有印度教神祠，佛教徒也会礼拜。之后还有一次，我参加了一个中等长度的朝圣行程。因此，我已朝圣过几次，觉得再去一次或许很好，也邀请我们寺院的所有僧人同行。你们要知道，为了让每个人都能参加，我们下了很大功夫。这次安排费用相当高，车辆、旅馆和食物，大约花了九十万卢比。明天早晨七点出发。

The programme is as follows.

行程如下。

• 1/01/2020: Bodhgaya to Rajgir and all the surrounding places, such as Nalanda. Night in Rajgir.
• 2/01/2020: Morning tsok in Rajgir. Afternoon, travel to Vaishali. This is the place where the Buddha sat under a large tree in the Mango Grove donated by Amrapali, where a monkey offered honey to the Buddha, and where the Buddha taught the medical sutras which are among the most sacred texts in the Kangyur.
• 3/01/2020: Tsok at Khyentse Rinpoche’s kudung^[1] . Then you can make offerings and offer all the lamps you are able to. Travel to Kushinagar.
• 4/01/2020: Kushinagar: tsok, circumambulations etc.
  Actually, we should go to Lumbini from there, but it’s too complicated with the crossing of the border.
• 5/01/2020: Shravasti, which is where the authentic teacher, the perfect buddha Shakyamuni, spent the most time—the Buddha lived 80 years and stayed in Shravasti 24 years. For this reason, Shravasti is the most sacred place for us Buddhists. When the great shravaka disciples of the Buddha such as his regent Kashyapa, Ananda, Maudgalyayana and Shariputra would teach the sutras, they would turn to face Shravasti and say, “I prostrate to the Buddha’s seat”, place their sanghati on the ground, and touch their forehand to the earth, as they prostrated in that direction. In Shravasti there is the famous ‘grove’ sponsored by Anathapindika and presented to the Buddha by King Prasenajit. You will see the three rooms in which the Buddha lived, as well as those of the more than eighty great shravaka disciples of the Buddha such as Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa and Ananda. Many important religious teachers appeared in this world, such as Jesus, Mahomet and several Hindu saints. But we cannot identify with precision where any of them actually lived, only the general area. But we can still show the room where our teacher Shakyamuni Buddha lived. When Gendun Chöpel went on pilgrimage to India, he was very impressed by this and found it quite remarkable. The Buddha is an exceptional person—a description of his qualities can go on for a long time when presented by people who have studied the sacred texts. There is so much to say about him. As it is said “the Buddha’s qualities are inconceivable.” My point is, Shravasti is the place where this extraordinary being lived. We will do a tsok in front of Khyentse Rinpoche’s stupa. And then we will visit Anathapindika’s grove and see the Buddha’s rooms and so on.
• 6/01/2020: Travel to Sarnath, the place where the Buddha turned the wheel of the dharma. I have arranged for us to stay two days there. One day we will offer tsok in front of Khyentse Rinpoche’s kudung. The other we will go on the Ganges in Varanasi. According to the brahmins, every impairment and impurity can be healed by drinking the water of the Ganges. Hindus say that all the negative karma accumulated during billions of kalpas is purified in this way. They say that if we dip in the Ganges seven times, all our past negativities and obscurations will be purified. Tourists come from all around the world to see the water of the Ganges, so we will do that too and take a boat on the river.
• 7/01/2020 Driving back to Delhi.

• 2020年1月1日：从菩提伽耶前往王舍城及周边各处，例如那烂陀。夜宿王舍城。
• 2020年1月2日：上午在王舍城作荟供。下午前往毗舍离。这里是佛陀曾坐在庵摩罗女所供养的芒果园大树下的地方，也是猴子向佛陀献蜂蜜的地方，以及佛陀宣说医药经典的地方；这些经是《甘珠尔》中最为神圣的经典之一。
• 2020年1月3日：在钦哲仁波切的法体舍利^[1]前作荟供。之后，你们可以作供养，尽力供灯。随后前往拘尸那揭罗。
• 2020年1月4日：在拘尸那揭罗作荟供、转绕等。
  实际上，我们应该从那里去蓝毗尼，但跨越国境太复杂。
• 2020年1月5日：前往舍卫城。这是正师、圆满佛陀释迦牟尼住得最久的地方。佛陀住世八十年，在舍卫城住了二十四年。因此，舍卫城对我们佛教徒来说，是最神圣的地方。佛陀的大声闻弟子，如继任者迦叶、阿难、目犍连与舍利弗等，说经时会转向舍卫城，说「顶礼佛陀住处」，把僧伽梨铺在地上，额头触地，向那个方向礼拜。舍卫城有著名的「园林」，由给孤独长者出资，波斯匿王献给佛陀。你们会看到佛陀住过的三间房，也会看到舍利弗、目犍连、大迦叶、阿难等八十多位大声闻弟子的住处。世间出现过许多重要的宗教导师，如耶稣、穆罕默德和一些印度教圣者。但我们无法精确指出他们实际住在哪里，只能指出大致区域。可是，我们至今仍能指出导师释迦牟尼佛住过的房间。根敦群培到印度朝圣时，对此印象极深，觉得十分了不起。佛陀是非凡的人；研究过经典的人，若要介绍他的功德，可以讲很久。关于他，有太多可说的。正如所说：「佛陀功德不可思议。」我要说的是，舍卫城就是这位非凡者住过的地方。我们会在钦哲仁波切的塔前作荟供，然后参访给孤独长者的园林，看看佛陀的房间等。
• 2020年1月6日：前往佛陀转法轮之地鹿野苑。我安排在那里住两天。一天在钦哲仁波切法体舍利前作荟供，另一天去波罗奈的恒河。依婆罗门的说法，喝恒河水可以治愈一切损坏与不净。印度教徒说，这样可以净除数十亿劫所积的一切恶业。他们说，如果在恒河浸身七次，过去的一切恶业与障碍都会净化。世界各地的游客都来观看恒河水，因此我们也会去看看，并乘船游河。
• 2020年1月7日：乘车返回德里。

Generally speaking, while on pilgrimage, we should each try to keep as pure a mind as possible. You should try to arouse great compassion, thinking “In order to purify every single sentient being’s negative karma and obscuration, as well as my own negative karma and obscuration that I have been accumulating in samsara from beginningless time, I will accumulate further merit and wisdom and perfect these accumulations.” That’s from a dharma point of view.

一般来说，朝圣期间，每个人都应尽力保持心的清净。你们应努力生起大悲心，想：「为了净除每一个众生的恶业与障碍，以及我自己无始以来在轮回中积累的恶业与障碍，我要进一步积累福德与智慧，圆满二资粮。」这是从佛法的角度说。

We have spent a lot of money on organizing this pilgrimage. You are all monks from the same monastery and are like one family—in our monastery, we don’t have factions that don’t get along. You all live harmoniously together, which is excellent. These days it’s not like the old times; I see that younger monks help each other and that you all behave as brothers. This is really, really excellent. For example, all the monks who know how to make tormas don’t hesitate to help the chöpön when he has a lot to do. It’s the same with playing the shawm—everyone who knows how to blow the dungchen is there to help. So, you all live harmoniously together, and harmony is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? In fact, there is a core group of fifteen really good people—the others connect with them and are influenced by their positive ways. Therefore, you should keep that harmonious, respectful, loving mindset on this pilgrimage, and all be happy.

组织这次朝圣，我们花了很多钱。你们都是同一座寺院的僧人，如同一家人。在我们寺院，没有彼此不和的派别。大家和合共住，这很好。现在不同于从前，我看到年轻僧人互相帮助，彼此都像兄弟一样，真的是非常非常好。例如，供养师工作繁重时，所有会做食子的僧人都毫不迟疑地帮忙。吹管乐也是一样，所有会吹长号的人都来帮忙。所以，你们和合共住，和合是一件很好的事，不是吗？事实上，有一个由十五位非常好的人组成的核心群体，其他人与他们相处，也受到他们善行的影响。因此，在这次朝圣中，你们应保持这种和合、尊重、关爱的心，人人欢喜。

From my side, I’ve done my best to organize things as well as I can. Therefore, you should visit the pilgrimage places with a happy, joyful mind. Anyway, you have no reason to be unhappy. All you young ones from 14-15 to 35-36 years old, you may have some things that bother you, but whatever worry you might have, don’t think too much “I really need to do this” or “I really need to get that” – just relax, ok? Anyway, you have no reason to be unhappy—you are all well in body and mind. Think of it: other people in the world such as the Europeans and other foreigners, granted they don’t learn about the dharma but their whole life is work, work, work, and accumulating wealth and possessions. Then when they get old, they often have regrets and use their money to travel to see the world. They come to India and visit the places that we visit too—Bodhgaya, Varanasi, Agra and so on. This shows that these places are really worth seeing and are laden with history.

我这边已经尽了最大努力，尽量把一切安排好。因此，你们应怀着快乐欢喜的心参访圣地。无论如何，你们没有理由不开心。你们这些年轻人，从十四五岁到三十五六岁，可能会有一些烦恼。但不管有什么忧虑，都不要太想着「我一定要做这个」「我一定要得到那个」，放松一点，好吗？无论如何，你们没有理由不开心，因为身心都很好。想想看，世间其他人，例如欧洲人和其他外国人，固然不学佛法，却一辈子都在工作、工作、工作，积累财富与财物。等到年老，往往有所遗憾，便花钱旅行、看看世界。他们来到印度，参访我们也会去的地方：菩提伽耶、波罗奈、阿格拉等等。这说明，这些地方确实值得一看，蕴含深厚的历史。

India preserves traces of more than 2,500 years of civilization, which is quite exceptional. Apart from Egypt and a few other countries, this is very rare. For example, in America there is only 300 years of history. In Europe there is Greece for example, but they all look back to India. Therefore, even if you only come as a tourist, that is fine too. But remember, we are not just mere tourists. We have faith in Shakyamuni Buddha, and we practice the three pitakas of the dharma that he taught. You are not just mere practitioners, but you have taken vows in his order and wear the robes of his monks.

印度保留了两千五百多年的文明遗迹，这是很不寻常的。除了埃及等少数国家之外，这种情形非常罕见。例如，美国只有三百年的历史；欧洲有希腊等，但他们都回望印度。因此，即便只是以游客身份来，也很好。不过，要记住，我们不只是普通游客。我们信仰释迦牟尼佛，修持他所传的三藏佛法。你们也不只是一般修行者，而是在他的教团中受戒，身着僧衣。

The disciples of the Buddha who are able to visit the places associated with the Bhagavan are very fortunate—you can only but rejoice. As the Buddha said,

佛陀的弟子能够参访与世尊有关的地方，非常有福，唯有欢喜。正如佛陀所说：

To the places where the Tathagata lived,
Abandoning attachment and grasping,
Like a lion free from fear,
I prostrate to these places.

于如来曾住之处，
舍离贪著与执取，
如狮子无所畏惧，
我向这些地方顶礼。

Once someone asked Buddha Shakyamuni, “In the future, what should we do to remember the Buddha?” You need to go to Shakyamuni Buddha’s four places, the Bhagavan replied. They are:

曾有人问释迦牟尼佛：「未来，我们应怎样忆念佛陀？」世尊回答，应去释迦牟尼佛的四处圣地。它们是：

1. The place where the completely enlightened buddha named Shakyamuni came to this world—his birthplace, Lumbini;
2. The Vajra Seat in the central country of Magadha where our teacher, the perfectly enlightened one, sat under the bodhi tree and reached complete enlightenment as a result of all the bodhisattva practices as vast as the ocean that he cultivated during three countless eons—in other words, the place of enlightenment where he reached liberation;
3. The place where, once he had reached awakening, he began to skilfully work for the welfare of sentient beings—the place of the turning of the wheel of the dharma, Deer Park or Rishipatana near Varanasi; and
4. In order to teach impermanence of the aggregates to those who grasp at permanence he displayed passing into parinirvana at Kushinagar—the place of the passing into parinirvana.

1. 名为释迦牟尼的圆满佛陀来到此世的地方，也就是他的诞生地蓝毗尼；
2. 中土摩揭陀的金刚座，我们的导师、圆满觉者在那里坐于菩提树下，依三无数劫中所修的如海广大菩萨行，圆满觉悟；换言之，就是他获得解脱的成道处；
3. 觉悟之后，他开始善巧利益众生的地方，也就是转法轮处，波罗奈附近的鹿野苑，又称仙人堕处；以及
4. 为了向执著常住者开示诸蕴无常，他在拘尸那揭罗示现般涅槃；这就是般涅槃处。

So on that occasion, the Buddha said that we must visit the four great places of the Teacher and make prayers there. As we go to these places, we need to make prayers. The aspirations we make there will be fulfilled thanks to the blessing of the Buddha, his compassion and his power.

因此，当时佛陀说，我们必须参访导师的四大圣地，并在那里祈祷。我们到了这些地方，就需要祈祷。依靠佛陀的加持、悲心与威力，在那里所发的愿都会实现。

Vaishali, Vulture Peak in Rajghir, and Shravasti are also sacred places of the Buddha.

毗舍离、王舍城的灵鹫山，以及舍卫城，也都是佛陀的圣地。

Vulture Peak is associated with Mahayana. This is where Buddha turned the dharma wheel of the prajnaparamita. For Tibetans like us and Chinese people who also practice the prajnaparamita teachings, Vulture Peak is even more sacred than Sarnath. The Buddha spent seven years at Vulture Peak. It is also the place where King Prasenajit and others made offerings to the Buddha and requested him to turn the wheel of the dharma. Its extraordinary history is often mentioned in the sutras, which say that it is a place where all negativities and obscurations are liberated.

灵鹫山与大乘有关。佛陀在那里转般若波罗蜜多法轮。对我们藏人，以及同样修持般若波罗蜜多教法的华人来说，灵鹫山比鹿野苑更加神圣。佛陀在灵鹫山住了七年。波斯匿王等也曾在那里供养佛陀，请佛转法轮。经典常常提到此地非凡的历史，说它是解脱一切恶业与障碍之处。

Nalanda is the main place from which the teachings of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism originate. The great abbot Shantarakshita, Guru Rinpoche, Vimalamitra, Nagarjuna, the six ornaments and two supreme masters of India the Land of Aryas, all spent a long time there. Only the ruins of the monastery are left but there are still a lot of blessings.

那烂陀是藏传佛教四派教法的主要发源地。大堪布寂护、莲花生大师、无垢友、龙树，以及圣地印度的六庄严二胜，都曾在那里住过很长时间。虽然如今只留下寺院遗址，但仍有许多加持。

Shravasti, Vulture Peak, Vaishali and Nalanda are not one of the so-called four great places of the Buddha, but they are also very important sacred places. So much so that we also speak of the eight great places of the buddha when adding Shravasti, Vulture Peak, Vaishali and Sankisa to the original four.

舍卫城、灵鹫山、毗舍离与那烂陀，不在所谓佛陀四大圣地之内，却也都是十分重要的圣地。因此，将舍卫城、灵鹫山、毗舍离与僧伽施加在原有四处之上，也称为佛陀八大圣地。

You are very fortunate to visit such places. Accumulate merit and eliminate obscurations, and cultivate joy, thinking of the wonderful opportunity that you have to visit these extraordinary places thanks to the power of your past aspirations and to present circumstances. Please follow this pilgrimage as joyfully as you can. A few days ago, I asked Ugyen Norbu and Konchok Tashi to fill the cars with food and drink—including bottles of Coca-Cola which you seem to find indispensable! So please eat and drink them and enjoy yourselves. Leave your worries behind, such as whether your father or your mother died recently, or any difficulty you think you might have, and go on this pilgrimage with a light heart.

能参访这样的地方，你们非常有福。要积累福德、净除障碍，并心生欢喜，想到依靠过去的愿力与现在的因缘，自己才有如此美好的机会，参访这些非凡圣地。请尽可能欢喜地参加这次朝圣。几天前，我让乌金诺布与贡确扎西把车装满食物与饮料，包括你们似乎必不可少的瓶装可口可乐！所以，请吃好喝好，尽情欢喜。放下忧虑，无论父亲或母亲是否最近去世，或你觉得自己有什么困难，都带着轻松的心去朝圣。