H.E. Ling Rinpoche Pays Respect to Eight of Sri Lanka’s Major Pilgrimage Sites in Ancient Kingdom of Anuradhapura
On 29th January, H.E. Ling Rinpoche visited and paid respects to eight of Sri Lanka’s major pilgrimage sites in the ancient Kingdom of Anuradhapura (a UNESCO world heritage site), believed to be visited by Shakyamuni Buddha. This is the place where Buddhism first originated in Sri Lanka and was spread, by Mahinda Thero – the son of King Ashoka. One site contains the Sri Maha Boddhi Tree, the 2329 year old tree descended from the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya, India, where Buddha was enlightened. Each of the stupa and monastery sites are more than 2000 years old and contain holy relics of the Buddha. Some remain as excavated ruins and others have been restored. One site historically housed Vajrayana and Mahayana traditions. Rinpoche was very warmly received by the head monks at the sites that currently have monastic communities.
