Dhammayietra
Encyclopedia
The Dhammayietra is an annual peace walk in Cambodia
that originated during the historic repatratiation of refugees along the Thai
border camps during the United Nations
monitored transition to democracy in 1992. The peace walk takes place in early May and usually involves an assemblage of Buddhist
monks and lay persons who travel various routes in Cambodia. The assemblage is often greeted by villagers along the route who expect a blessing (tuk mon or blessing with lustral water). The founder of the Dhammayietra was Maha Ghosananda, a Buddhist monk who ranked among the higher echelons of the Cambodian sangha
; he led the first Dhammayietra as he returned from exile following the war.
In 1995, the Dhammayietra consisted of almost 500 Cambodian Buddhist monks, nuns and precept-taking lay people. They were joined by The Interfaith Pilgrimage for Peace and Life. Together the two groups crossed Cambodia from the Thai border all the way to Vietnam, spending several days walking through Khmer Rouge controlled territory along the way.
Dhammayietra is often translated as "pilgrimage of truth."
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
that originated during the historic repatratiation of refugees along the Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
border camps during the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
monitored transition to democracy in 1992. The peace walk takes place in early May and usually involves an assemblage of Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monks and lay persons who travel various routes in Cambodia. The assemblage is often greeted by villagers along the route who expect a blessing (tuk mon or blessing with lustral water). The founder of the Dhammayietra was Maha Ghosananda, a Buddhist monk who ranked among the higher echelons of the Cambodian sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
; he led the first Dhammayietra as he returned from exile following the war.
In 1995, the Dhammayietra consisted of almost 500 Cambodian Buddhist monks, nuns and precept-taking lay people. They were joined by The Interfaith Pilgrimage for Peace and Life. Together the two groups crossed Cambodia from the Thai border all the way to Vietnam, spending several days walking through Khmer Rouge controlled territory along the way.
Dhammayietra is often translated as "pilgrimage of truth."