Being born ……. growing old ….. death and rebirth. This is the cycle of suffering that The Buddha wanted to find a solution for.

To do this he left the life of a prince and went into the world …. travelling ….. meditating ….. undertaking great hardship … and finally gaining enlightenment under the cool shades of a Bodhi tree.

The Buddha began the life of a teacher and a Master with his first discourse in Sarnath. People were so moved by his words that they came in large numbers to listen to him and many of them became monks in the order.

And with this the first Buddhist “sangha” was formed.

Often The Buddha was asked how a person could ensure a “good birth” so that his quest for “knowledge” can continue without a break. The Buddha said that, those who seek with conviction, should visit Lumbini, the place of his birth …….. Bodhgaya, where he got enlightenment …… Sarnath, the place of his first discourse and Kushinagar, the place where he attained Parinirvana.

So the practice of visiting the holy sites became a tradition and many who stayed in the monasteries nearby have gained enlightenment.............