Bihar
- Places of Interest
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Bodhgaya |
Bodhgaya is one of the sacred places for
the Buddhists as well as for the Hindus.Where the quest
of Prince Siddharth was fulfilled after
years of seeking the truth and the saga of Buddha began.
Here under the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained
supreme knowledge to become Budhha, the
`Enlighted One'. The Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya,
under the Bodhi tree which still stands in the temple premises.The
Prince had been wandering in search of supreme peace for
long six years hither and thither. But it was at Bodhgaya
only where his holy mission was achieved. The magnificent Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya is an architectural
amalgamation of many centuries cultures and many heritages
that came to pay their homage here.
The temple definitely has architecture of the Gupta and
later ages,inscriptions describing visits of pilgrims from
Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China between 7th and 10th century
AD. Bodhgaya has naturally developed into the most sacred
spot for Buddhists from all over the world, especially the
affluent south East Asia.
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Lying in sylvan solitude
this sacred place is situated on the bank of river Niranjana
(Modern Falgu). It is 13 km. from Gaya town. Gaya is an important
Centre of 'Hindu Pilgrimage' where people go to offer oblations
for the salvation of their dead forefathers.
Treasures
of Bodhgaya :
The
Bodhi Tree
At the western side of the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya stands
the large and historic Bodhi Tree under which Shakyamuni
Buddha, then known as Gautama, attained
enlightenment some 2540 years ago.
Gautama, had been practicing austerities for six years in
the area of the Niranjana River near Bodhgaya.
Finally understanding that this could not lead to realisation,
he abandoned his austerities and in the nearby village of Senani (now also known as Sujata) the Brahmin
girl Sujata offered him milk-rice. Strengthened by this, he
took some kusha grass for a mat and sat under the pipal tree
facing east. He resolved not to rise until he attained enlightenment.
As he sat in deep meditation,
Mara, Lord of Illusion, symbolising the delusions of one's
own mind, tried tirelessly to distract him from his purpose.
Gautama then touched the earth, calling it to bear witness
to the countless lifetimes of virtue that led him to this
place of enlightenment. The earth shook confirming the truth
of his words. Mara unleashed his army of demons to distract
and tempt Gautama from his purpose, but Gautama triumphed
over the inner obstacles and the power of his compassion transformed
the demons' weapons into flowers. His mind was utterly subdued.
For seven days after the enlightenment, Buddha continued to
meditate under the tree without moving from his seat. Another
week passed in walking meditation, and for a third the Buddha
contemplated under the Bodhi Tree. The earliest records on
the tree are in the 'Kalingabodhi Jataka', which gives a vivid
description of the tree and the surrounding area prior to
the enlightenment, and the 'Asokavadana',
which relates the story of King Ashoka's (3rd century B.C)
conversion to Buddhism. His subsequent worship under the sacred
tree apparently angered his queen to the point where she ordered
the tree to be felled. Ashoka then piled up earth around the
stump and poured milk on its roots. The tree miraculously
revived and grew to a height of 37-metres. He then surrounded
the tree with a stone wall some three-meters high for its
protection. Ashoka's daughter Sangamitta, a Buddhist nun,
took a shoot of the tree to Sri Lanka where the King, Devanampiyatissa,
planted it at the Mahavihara monastery in Anuradhapura. The
fourth direct descendant of the original Bodhi Tree still
flourishes today and is the oldest continually documented
tree in the world.
In 600AD, the tree was again
destroyed; this time by the zealous King Sesanka. The event
was recorded by Hiuen T'sang, along with the planting of a
new Bodhi Tree sapling (taken from the original) by King Purnavarma
in 620AD. At this time, during the annual celebration of Vaisakha,
thousands of people from all over India would gather to anoint
the roots of the holy tree with perfumed water and scented
milk, and to offer flowers and music. Hiuen T'sang wrote,
"The tree stands inside a fort-like structure surrounded
on the south, west and north by a brick wall. It has pointed
leaves of a bright green colour. Having opened a door, one
could see a large trench in the shape of a basin. Devotees
worship with curd, milk and perfumes such as sandalwood, camphor
and so on."
Much later the English archeologist
Cunningham records, "In 1862 I found this tree very much
decayed; one large stem to the westward with three branches
was still green, but the other branches were barkless and
rotten. I next saw the tree in 1871 and again in 1875, when
it had become completely decayed, and shortly afterwards in
1876 the only remaining portion of the tree fell over the
west wall during a storm, and the old pipal tree was gone.
Many seeds, however, had been collected and the young scion
of the parent tree were already in existence to take its place."
The present Bodhi Tree is
most probably the fifth descendant of the
original tree to be planted at this site. It still performs
a very important role to Buddhists of all traditions. Being
viewed as the actual Buddha by some, it is a reminder and
an inspiration, a symbol of peace, of Buddha's enlightenment
and of the ultimate potential that lies within us all.
Mahabodhi
Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple stands east to the Bodhi Tree. Its architectural
effect is superb. its basement is 48 square feet and it rises
in the form of a slender Pyramid, till it reaches its neck,
which is cylindrical in shape. The total height of the temple
is 170 feet and on the top of the temple are Chatras which
symbolise sovereignty of religion. Four towers on its four
corners rise gracefully giving the holy sturcture a poise
and balance. This sacred edifice is like a grand banner unfurled
by time to proclaim to the world the pious efforts of the
Buddha to solve the knots of human miseries to ascend above
worldly problems and to attain transcedental peace through
wisdom, good conduct and disciplined life. Inside the temple
in the main sanctum, on an altar, is a colossal image of Buddha
in a sitting posture touching the earth by his right hand.
In this posture the Buddha accomplished the supreme enlightenment.
The statue is of black stone but it has been guilded by the
devotees. The entire courtyard of the temple is studded with
a large number of varieties of stupas--votive, decorative,
memorative. These stupas are of all sizes built during the
past 2500 years ago. Most of them are extremely elegant in
structural beauty.
Vajrasana
Vajrasana, the seat of stability. The Buddha supposed to have
say in meditation gazing east, under the Bodhi tree, where
the Vajrasana, the stone platform is kept.
Ancient
Railings
The ancient railings which surround the temple are of first
cintury BC and are very interesting monuments of the country.
Chankaramana
This marks the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative perambulation
during the third week after pious enlightenment. It is believed
that wherever the Buddha put his feet lotus sprang up.
Animeshlochana
It is belived that the Buddha spent one week here looking
towards the treat Mahabodhi Tree out of gratitude, without
twinkling his eyes.
Ratnagar
The Buddha spent one week here, where it is believed that
five colours came out of his body.
Lotus
Tank
The sacred tank where it is believed that Buddha had spent
one week.
Altitude: 113 metres.
Climate (deg c):
Summer- Max.47, Min.28. Winter- Max.28, Min.4.
Rainfall: 186
cms ( Mid. June to Mid. September ).
Best Season: October
to March.
How
to reach:
Air : The Patna
airport is 112 Kms.
Rail
: The nearest Railway station is Gaya 16 Kms
Road: Bodhgaya is connected by road to Gaya. 16 Kms to the Delhi-Calcutta
Highway junction (on Grand Trunk Road). Dobhi 22 Kms and Patna
105 Kms (via Jehanabad) or 181 Kms (Via Rajgir).
Gaya
:13 km. from Bodhgaya, Gaya is a very sacred
pilgrim centre for Hindus. . Gaya is one of the most important
pilgrimage places for the Hindus. It is believed that a Hindu
will reach heaven if his last rites are offered under the
celebrated ’Akshayabat’ or immortal banyan tree,
standing in the yard of Vishnupad temple. Believed to be built
on the footsteps of Vishnu, the grand temple was renovated
by Ahalyabai, queen of Indore. The temple of Vishnupad on
the bank of river Falgu attracts a very large number of pilgrims.
Barabar
Cave
The Barabar and Nagarjuni Hills are situated about 41 km.
from Bodhgaya (25 kms north of Gaya) and contain, in all,
seven rock-cut caves of which four are in the Barabar hills.
Barabar Caves is an important achaeological site. The caves
carved out from solid rocks bear details of the life of Buddha.
Two of the caves, dedicated
by Ashoka to Ajivika monks, are in the form of a plain rectangular
outer hall. At one end of which is an inner chamber with carved
wall and over hanging caves.
The
Karan Chaupa cave
The entire interior of the cave, excluding the platform, bears
a high polish. The entrance is in 'Egyptian form'.
The
Sudama cave
The cave entrance is in 'Egyptian form' and consists of two
chambers.
The Lomas Rishi
cave
The entrance is in 'Egyptian form and only walls of the outer
rooms are polished.
The Visva Zopri
cave
Consists of an outer apartment, bearing the high polish on
its walls and flat roof. On the right hand wall, is an inscription
record.
Other
Places of Interest
Tibetan Monastery, Thai Monastery, Myanmar Monastery, Chinese
Monastery, Bhutanese Monastery, Japanese Monastery and Sri
Lankan Monastery etc. |
