Buddhist Travel
Traveler Tales

Travel Stories

An ancient town in Laos grapples with modernity

Source: By Seth Mydans, IHT, April 13, 2008

LUANG PRABANG, Laos -- As the sky grows light along the Mekong River here, it is no longer the quiet footfalls of Buddhist monks that herald the day but the jostling and chattering of hundreds of tourists who have come to watch them on their morning rounds.

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Holy sanctuaries in Wutaishan

by ZIYING, The Star, April 9, 2008

Reputedly the home of the Boddhisattava of Wisdom, Wutaishan is one of the holiest Buddhist sanctuaries in China

Wutai Shan, China -- AFTER just a few days in Shanxi, it soon becomes obvious that Buddhism plays an inordinately important role in the province’s history. The trend no doubt began with the invasion of the staunchly Buddhist Tobas who created the Yungang Grottoes and established the short-lived Northern Wei dynasty 1,600 years ago.

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Visiting the birthplace of Japanese Buddhism

By Kate Graham, The Los Angeles Times, March 27, 2008

Guests can stay overnight at one of the temples and participate in the monks' routines

Mt. Koya, Japan -- I was struck by a surprising thought as I slid open the paper screen doors: Monks make wonderful gardeners. Below me was a beautifully crafted oasis, nicely pruned pines and maples swaying gently in the summer breeze. I listened to the soothing sound of trickling water as I sipped bitter green tea. It was serene, peaceful, perfect.

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Land of lotus eaters

by SUDHA MAHALINGAM, The Hindu, March 23, 2008

Luang Prabang is just the ticket if you are seeking something out of the ordinary

Luang Prabang, Laos -- It’s the magical twilight hour before sunrise. The sides of the street are lined with bamboo mats on which the devout and the curious huddle expectantly. Their gaze is fixed on the horizon, but they are not waiting for the sun to emerge.

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Yeongsanjeon of Geojo Hermitage, Sacred Prayer Site

By Jang Eun-hwa, The Korea Times, March 14, 2008

Seoul, South Korea -- With cleanly shaven heads, an unsophisticated appearance, funny expression and short stature, they do not seem very attractive to earthly modern man's eyes.

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Yungang’s treasure

by ZIYING, The Star, March 12, 2008

Shanxi’s Yungang grottoes are renowned for some of the finest Buddhist carvings in China

Shanxi, China -- WHENEVER China’s coal-rich Shanxi province is in the news, it is usually for the wrong reasons. Grim images of the darkened skies and soot-covered streets of Linfen, a coal-mining centre in the southern part of the province, have been featured repeatedly in various international media.

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Leshan: Exploring Sichuan's Buddhist heritage

China View, March 11, 2008

BEIJING, China -- Listed as a World Heritage site in 1996, Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei in Southwest China's Sichuan Province draw tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.

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The Buddha trail

by MAYA NARASIMHAN, The Hindu, March 2, 2008

In Bihar one can still hear legends from the past alternate with the realities of the present.

Bihar, India -- This time our travel plans centred around Patna, for the usual reason; there was “somebody” there who would extend a congenial hospitality to us, a bungalow, cook and a car thrown in.

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Mount Koya, Japan: Red carpet treatment

by Julie Eagleton, The Telegraph (UK), Feb 22, 2008

High on Mount Koya Julie Eagleton is nourished by the graceful rituals – and deliciously delicate food – of the monks of the Daishi religion.

Mount Koya, Japan -- My first prayer session took place on a Sunday morning. The temple was gently lit by flickering candles and as my eyes became accustomed to the dim light I saw an abundance of black and gold boxes, along with offerings of pink perfectly rounded grapefruit, flowers and red candles arranged on a shimmering altar.

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Pilgrimage to a Buddhist past

by LEKHA J. SHANKAR, The Bangkok Post, Feb 21, 2008

The state of Orissa is home to some of the most stunning sacred architecture in all of India

Orissa, India -- Orissa, a state in northeastern India, is an exotic and exciting secret that's only now being unveiled - thanks to the phenomenal range of Buddhist artefacts that have recently been unearthed there.

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