I have been following the teachings of the Buddha for 4 years, studying with Shaila Catherine at Insight Meditation South Bay. Being between jobs, I have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Asia and visit locations significant to Buddhists. My preparations are almost ready. I just need to get an air ticket, finish my taxes, do a little shopping and pack. I should be off in 4 or 5 days.

Mostly, my agenda is open. There are four key prilgrimage sites for Buddhists: Lumbini (Buddha's birth place) in Nepal, and, in India, Bodh Gaya (place of the Buddha's enlightenment), Sarnath (place of the Buddha's first teaching), and Kushinagar (where the Buddha passed). My first stop will be the Dharma Gathering in Sarnath with Christopher Titmuss. From there I will surely visit Bodh Gaya and probably Kushinagar. Since visa restrictions prohibit leaving India for less than two months, a short trip to Lumbini is unlikely.

There are a number of countries significant to Buddhists. My focus is Theravada Buddhism, so Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand are of particular interest. I expect to spend at least a month or two in India, and after that, I will just see what unfolds.