Friday, November 4, 2011

Sariputta World Peace Walk -2011

Walk the Path through Bihar to Vihara


Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, in collaboration with the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee, has conceived a series of events tied with the theme “Walk the Path through Bihar to Vihara.”
Invitation Card

The objective of these events is to increase awareness of the rich Buddhist legacy of Bihar among the locals as well as at the national and international levels. The Revival of the Ancient Buddhist Pilgrimage as mentioned in the Buddhist literature is the main focus of these events. The three chief disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta, Maha Moggallana and Maha Kassapa are an important aspect of the pilgrimage and the places and events associated with their lives in the main focus.

As per traditional records, Sariputta attained parinirvana on Kartik Purnima and fifteen days following it Maha Moggallana attained parinirvana on Aghana Amavasya; these events took place just six months before the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha on Veshak Purnima. The awareness events would likely be around these dates based on the lunar calendar.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed to be University), Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee and the District Administration-Nalanda has joined hands for celebrating one such event, ‘the legacy of Sariputta and have organized the 2nd “Sariputta World Peace Walk” to be held on the 12th of November 2011 at Giriyak Hill, part of the “Sariputta Zone.”

All studies to date lead us to believe that Giriyak Hill is the area of Sariputta’s Parinirvana Stupa as visited by Fahein (5th CE) and Xuanzang (7th CE). Their travelogue entries correspond to the area consisting of the villages of Nanand, Chandimau and Giriyak. Great effort is being exercised to develop this area as the ‘Sariputta Zone’, a place to pay tribute to this “Son of the Soil.”

In 2010, the first Sariputta World Peace Walk was a big success and received positive response from the local community and the Bhikkhu Sangha. Involving of local school children at a young age about their own heritage is also a focus in the revival process.

It is time yet again to reunite our efforts and pay respect to our heritage and celebrate the legacy that is ours!





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