Four Places Which Should Arouse Confidence in the Dedicated

‘Venerable Sir, formerly Monks who had spent the rains in various places used to come to see The Tathāgata, and we used to welcome them so that such well trained Monks might see you and pay their respects. But with The Perfectly Enlightened One’s passing, we shall no longer have a chance to do this.’

Ānanda, there are four places the sight of which should arouse confidence in the dedicated.

Which are they?

Here The Tathāgata was born is the first.

Here The Tathāgata attained supreme Enlightenment is the second.

Here The Tathāgata set in motion the Wheel of The Teachings (Dhamma Wheel) is the third.

Here The Tathāgata attained Final Enlightenment (Final Nibbāna; Death of Physical Body for an Enlightened being) without remainder is the fourth.

And, Ānanda, the dedicated male and female Ordained Practitioners, male and female Household Practitioners will visit those places. And any who dies while making the pilgrimage to these shrines with a devout (committed) heart will, at the breaking-up of the body after death, be reborn in a heavenly world.

(Reference: DN 16)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares four (4) places that Practitioners can visit, after his death, to arise confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, and The Community.

(1) the location of his birth.

(2) the location attributed with the attainment of his Enlightenment.

(3) the location of his first Teaching.

(4) the location of his death.

All of these locations are well known today and available for Practitioners to visit. These are all located in modern day Nepal and northeastern India.

The Buddha explains that should anyone die in their journey to visit these places, they will be reborn in the heavenly realm.