Meeting the Buddha : on pilgrimage in Buddhist India /

The earliest Buddhists were wanderers or "spiritual goers-forth," as Andrew Schelling writes in his engaging introduction to this unique collection of Buddhist pilgrimage literature. India is inlaid with holy places, from mountains, caves, and rivers to gardens, temples, and monasteries, and has long been a mecca for spiritual seekers of many persuasions. Buddhists and kindred spirits attracted to Buddhist teachings and practice find that traveling, especially walking, is a form of knowing, so journeying to such sacred sites as Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace; Bodh Gaya, where he attained enlightenment; Sarnath, where he first taught; and Sravasti and Sankasya, places of miracles and the commitment to spreading the dharma, are invaluable steps along the path to wisdom. Vivid and revelatory writings of pilgrims both historic and modern are gathered together in this handsomely designed and quite engrossing volume. This blend of the past with the present, the outer with the inner, reflects Buddhism's vitality. Modern writers include the Dalai Lama, Walter del Mare, Allen Ginsberg, Peter Matthiessen, Gary Snyder, Anne Waldman, and Kate Wheeler. --Donna Seaman

Aitken has edited a marvelous work on pilgrimage to the seven most important places in India for Buddhists, including the place where the Buddha was born, where he attained enlightenment, and the site of his first teaching. Though there have been other recent Buddhist pilgrimage books (Holy Places of the Buddha, LJ 6/1/94), what makes this one special are the accounts from sacred Buddhist texts and writings of Buddhist pilgrims throughout the ages describing the site, indicating its importance for the Buddha, and each pilgrim's description of his/her thoughts and feelings when at the site. Selections include writings by John Blofeld, Sandy Boucher, Allen Ginsburg, and Gary Snyder. The contrast between the flowery, idealized presentation of the sites in some Buddhist sacred texts and the accounts of the difficulties of traveling in India in modern times is especially interesting. Andrew Schelling's introductory essay captures the romance and hardship of pilgrimage as religious journey. The work includes notes about the contributors and a very useful list of sources from which the selections have been taken. Highly recommended for religion collections.‘David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.