Over the past eleven years, the Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International (LBDFI) has been working to develop a historic mission, that of restoring the tradition of reciting the words of the Buddha from the Pali Canon under the Most Sacred Bodhi Tree. It has been an amazing experience to see this unfold with all the great Theravada masters from 11 countries seated together and chanting sections of the Pali Canon, and to hear the dharma being expounded on these precious teachings as well as having them translated into Hindi for the local audiences. Now, these ceremonies are expanding to other sites of Sarnath, New Delhi, Sankasya, Kushnigara, Sravasti, Vaishali, and Rajgir. The International Buddhist Association of America will also be joining Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International along with the International Tipitaka Chanting Council among others to make this first gathering of the Mahayana a great success. In all of these ceremonies (Theravada and Mahayana), we celebrate the origins of the Dharma in India by using the traditional Indic languages of Pali and Sanskrit in authentic places of pilgrimage.
This extraordinary pilgrimage to the Sacred Places of the Buddha centers around the 13th International Tipitaka Chanting ceremony in Bodhgaya, the 1st Mahayana chanting ceremony in Rajgir and finally an optional 1st chanting to take place at the historical state of Orissa at the ancient sites of Udagiri and Ratnagiri. By joining together on this sacred pilgrimage, we have a chance to walk directly in the footsteps of the Blessed One where these great sutras were recited according to each vehicle, strengthening our resolve as Buddhist family to reconnect to our lineage. We hope that these ceremonies and dharma talks will inspire others to come forward and see the great merit in offering our collective service to strengthening the Buddhadharma in our Motherland as well as in our heartland of the United States of America where so many of Buddhist temples are located. By making an offering to the IBAA/LBDFI pilgrimage, we would also ask that you also consider contributing towards the travel fund for elders who cannot attend but would also like to participate. Our shared commitment of bringing great senior monastics to the Sacred Lands and/or by contributing to the food sponsorship of the International Tipitaka chanting ceremony or the 1st Mahayana chanting ceremony. LBDFI has been organizing these pilgrimages to the Holy Places for the last six years and have great confidence in the leadership skill of the experienced Buddhapath company. Shantum Seth, the founder of Buddhapath, has been leading intimate groups to the holy sites since 1988 and has developed many guides under his care and experience. Finally, we would ask that all devotees contribute to our pilgrimage elders who will be attending as our group leader. There will be a special section for making offering towards our pilgrimage venerable elders.
With all best wishes,
Wangmo Dixey
President, International Buddhist Association of America
Executive Director, Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International
For more information please visit the LBDFI webiste at http://lbdfi.org/
