Sunnataram Forest Monastery : Research Trip to Egypt in Feb. 2008 (Part 1)
225 Teudts Road, Bundanoon NSW 2578
02 4884 4262
Research Trip to Egypt in Feb. 2008 (Part 1)
FORGOTTEN PATHWAYS OF BUDDHISM ITINERARY
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Day |
Date |
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During the day |
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At night |
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1 |
13/2/08 |
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Pyramids |
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Giza |
2 |
14/2/08 |
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Egyptian Museum Cairo |
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Giza |
3 |
15/2/08 |
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Egyptian Museum Cairo, Saqqara |
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Giza |
4 |
16/2/08 |
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Sphinx, pyramids, Luxor Museum |
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Luxor |
5
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17/2/08
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Luxor Temple, Valley of the Queens, Ramesses II and III, Workers Village |
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Luxor
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6 |
18/2/08 |
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Temple of Hapshepsut, Valley of the Kings |
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Luxor |
7 |
19/2/08 |
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Denderah and Karnak |
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Luxor |
8 |
20/2/08 |
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Balloon and boat |
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Luxor |
9
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21/2/08
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Library of Alexandria, Dr Sahar Humoda and Dr Jean-Yves Empereur |
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Alexandria
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10
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22/2/08
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Catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar, lighthouse and Alexandria National Museum |
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Cairo
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11 |
23/2/08 |
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Flight to Athens |
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Athens |
12 |
24/2/08 |
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Acropolis and Agora |
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Athens |
13 |
25/2/08 |
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National Museum |
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Athens |
14 |
26/2/08 |
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Flight to Cairo and bus trip to Giza |
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Bangkok |
15 |
27/2/08 |
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Funeral for senior monk |
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Bangkok |
16 |
28/2/08 |
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Flight to Gaya and Meditation Centre |
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Bodh Gaya |
17 |
29/2/08 |
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Visit old friends and Mahabodhi Temple |
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Bodh Gaya |
18 |
1/3/08 |
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Bodh Gaya Museum and Mahabodhi Temple |
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Bodh Gaya |
19
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2/3/08
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Nalanda and site museum, ancient chaitya or shrine, Vulture Peak |
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Bodh Gaya
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20 |
3/3/08 |
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Big Buddha, temples of other traditions |
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Bodh Gaya |
21 |
4/3/08 |
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Patna Museum, Ashoka Pillar |
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Patna |
22 |
5/3/08 |
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Delhi Museum, book shops |
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Delhi |
23 |
6/3/08 |
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Mathura, Agra, Taj Mahal |
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Bangkok |
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INTRODUCTION
This is the second book recording the pilgrimages of Phra Mana Viriyarampo, tracing the footsteps of the Buddha and the early history of Buddhism.
The first book, A Buddhist Pilgrimage to Northern India, concerned travel in India in February 2007 to places central to the life of the Buddha, including the four pilgrimage sites nominated by the Buddha, other significant Buddhist sites from later times, such as the Great Stupa at Sanchi and the caves of Ajanta and Ellora, and several museums which displayed Buddhist art and early coins.
This second book concerns travel in Egypt, Greece and India in February and March 2008, examining contacts of Buddhism with the Mediterranean world and two of the great powers of the early Buddhist era, Pharaonic Egypt and Hellenist Greece. These contacts were greatly facilitated and enhanced by the arrival of the armies of Alexander the Great on the north western boarders of India in 327 BCE, which opened up the trade routes to allow unprecedented freedom, safety and ease of movement of goods and people between India and the Mediterranean.
So far as practical, I have attempted to avoid repeating in this second book material contained in the first book. However a certain amount of repetition is unavoidable, particularly in regard to Alexander, Ashoka and Gandharan Buddhist art.
PILGRIMAGE SITES
The Buddha nominated four sites that would be appropriate destinations for those who wished to undertake pilgrimages. Those sites were :-
Lumbini, in present day southern Nepal, where he was born;
Uruvela, present day Bodh Gaya, where he attained enlightenment;
Sarnath, where he delivered his first discourse after his enlightenment; and
Kushinagar, where he died.
The events which took place at those sites were at first represented symbolically, as depicted on page 13, and later featuring the Buddha image, as depicted on page 15.
THE BUDDHA IMAGE
For many years, there was considerable debate amongst historians as to when and where the Buddha image first appeared, with a time frame mooted at around the beginning of the common era, and the location as between Gandhara and Mathura, although the weight of evidence favoured Gandhara.