The four holy places of Buddhism and History of Buddha

The other day I was with a Thai friend and I was explaining That HAD I recently made ​​a  trip to India to visit some of  the holy places of Buddhism  .  I remembered That I was eleven o'clock one of them,  Sarnath .  Aof My friend sent me I HAD to paper made ​​with His own talking photos of Those places.  That paper has inspired this article.

The Four Holy Places of Buddhism  found in India and  Nepal  even though Buddhism is a minority religion in Both countries country, where 80% of the population is Hindu.  These places are visited every year by Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims, Both branch  Mahayana  (eg Tibet) and  Theravada  (eg Thailand).

These holy places are Associated With the life of  Siddhartha Gautama  , the Indian prince born in Nepal, who attained enlightenment and created this religious and spiritual path called  Buddhism  .

1)  Lumbini  : The town That was born  Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

It is Believed That the Indian prince  Siddhartha Gautama  was born in Lumbini in a palace, a town of Nepal  , more than 2500 years ago.  At birth, astrologers Predicted That He would devote His life to spirituality, so His father put him in the palace and surrounded himself with comforts and young people.  The king did everything I Could Prevent the prince to human Knew Suffering.

One day, When the prince left the palace was 29.  Although His father HAD ordered the streets to preparing for departure, an older man crossed the road and so Siddhartha was first Known as old age, sickness and death.

2)  Bodh Gaya  : The place where Buddha Became enlightened

After seeing The Suffering, Siddhartha left the palace and Began an ascetic life devoted to spirituality.  Supporter of various religious schools was made ​​and perfected His Teachings.  've tried to reach enlightenment based forgo any desire. Stopped eating and went alone to meditate.  So I acerca was to die fainting while taking a bath in a river.  It made ​​him wonder if I was really doing the above and DECIDED to take a middle path, without great pleasures and extreme deprivation.

Then,  Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree in a village called Bodh Gaya With the determination not to get up until you find  the truth  , the answer to Suffering.  After 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35,  I have attained enlightenment  and leave behind The Suffering and the wheel of reincarnation in Which they 'think we're all caught up (samsara).

3)  Sarnath  : where Buddha gave His first sermon

After illuminate and Reflect on Whether I Should Explain how I HAD done it or not, Siddhartha, now the Buddha  gave His first sermon at Sarnath City  (beside Varansi).  I visited the city a few years ago.  In it there is a huge stupa (  Dhamek Stupa  ) built to replace one 500 AD That was built in 250 BC

4)  Kushinagar  : Where Buddha died

At age 80, the Buddha Announced That I would soon leave His earthly body. Shortly after I Suffered food poisoning and Became seriously ill.  died in a forest near Kushinagar  surrounded by His followers.  Buddhism And so was born  .

There is a famous novel inspired by This  time  , it is called  Siddartha  and is Hermann Hesse  .

source:http://www.mundo-nomada.com/articulos/los-cuatro-lugares-sagrados-del-budismo-y-la-historia-de-buda