Home›Buddhist Sites›UNESCO World Heritage Status›Not InscribedBrowse ByNot InscribedThis page groups sacred sites by whether UNESCO has formally recognized them. Wikipedia notes elsewhere that cultural traditions can be "recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," the same kind of international listing that applies to World Heritage sites. Browsing by UNESCO status lets a visitor see which sacred sites carry that international recognition and which do not.FactsLearn MoreNot InscribedSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsOverviewWhat Defines This GroupingWell-attestedThe places of the Buddha's own life, together with the monasteries, stupas, cave-temples and sacred mountains of every land Buddhism reached. The group spans Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, and most of its members lie outside the country the tradition began in - Buddhist sacred geography followed the religion's expansion rather than staying with its origin. 2Size of the Traditional SetWell-attestedFour: the places the Mahaparinibbana Sutta names as those a Buddhist should visit - the birth, the awakening, the first teaching and the final nirvana of the Buddha. Later tradition extends the four to a set of eight. 2DirectoryCategoryWell-attestedSacred Sites 1Learn MoreThe Holy Places of Buddhism This group holds the sacred sites of Buddhism, spread across Asia along the paths of the religion's expansion from India. Buddhist sacred geography begins with the places of the Buddha's own life (his birth, awakening, first teaching and passing), and extends to the great monasteries, stupas and cave-temples raised over relics and images. The browser will find the pilgrimage places of the Buddha's biography together with the monastic and devotional centres of the lands to which Buddhism spread. The entries describe each site's history and significance, noting the tradition (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) to which it chiefly belongs.Not InscribedFilter Results13 entriesPilgrimage StatusAllMajor pilgrimage destination today (2)One of a named, enumerated set of pilgrimage places (3)Pilgrimage gathered on a dated festival (1)Cult Centre OfAllShakyamuni Buddha (1)Associated WithAllAvalokiteshvara (1)Shakyamuni Buddha (1)Originated InAllChina (7)East Asia (1)India (3)Indian Subcontinent (3)Japan (1)North America (1)Southeast Asia (1)Tibet (2)United States (1)Holds ElementAllEarth (1)Water (1)Origin Period Start YearAll700 (1)850 (1)1159 (1)1447 (1)1740 (1)1782 (1)1978 (1)Practice StatusAllControl of or access to the site is contested (1)In active religious use (11)Standing, but maintained as a museum or heritage monument (1)Site TypeAllMonastery or monastic community (6)Palace with a sanctuary (1)Sacred mountain, hill or peak (3)Stupa or pagoda (4)Temple or temple complex (4)TraditionAllBuddhism (8)Shinto (1)CountryAllChina (7)India (3)Japan (1)Thailand (1)United States (1)Sacred ToAllBuddhism (1)Shinto (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 13Famen Temple (Famensi)Not InscribedHsi Lai TempleNot InscribedKushinagarNot InscribedLingguang Temple (Badachu)Not InscribedMount JiuhuaNot InscribedMount KuramaNot InscribedMount PutuoNot InscribedPiprahwa StupaNot InscribedRumtek MonasteryNot InscribedTashilhunpo MonasteryNot InscribedTsurphu MonasteryNot InscribedWat Phra Kaew and the Emerald BuddhaNot InscribedYonghegongNot InscribedSources1. Divinity Atlas Directory Taxonomy, First Edition Category Treetier 12. An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, 2nd editiontier 1Peter Harvey, Cambridge University Press, 2013View the SourceDivinity Atlas Directory Prose, First Edition Category Descriptionstier 1Comments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.