| Buddhist
Places of india |
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 Buddhist
Pilgrimge started
after the death of
Lord Buddha when disciples
started to visit the
places associated
with the important
aspects of Buddha's
life. Lumbini, Bodh
Gaya, Sarnath, and
Kushinagar became
the most important
Buddhist pilgrimage
sites. These sites
are visited by a large
number of tourists
from all over the
world, specially the
countries where Buddhism
is widely followed
today. The Mahabodhi
temple in Bodhgaya
is one of the most
important Buddhist
pilgrimage sites in
India. It may also
be called the symbol
of Buddhism in India.
The temple is located
right next to the
Bodhi tree at the
spot where Lord Buddha
attained enlightenment.
The structure of the
temple is very impressive
with a 52 meter dome
and beautiful statues,
and panels depicting
Buddhist themes.
The Bodhi tree is
perhaps the most famous
spot of Buddhist pilgrimage
in the world. The
spot where Lord Buddha
is said to have attained
enlightenment is now
marked by a diamond
throne, or Vajrasana.
A gilded statue of
Buddha is placed next
to the site. The tree
is believed to be
a sapling from the
Sri Bodhi tree in
Sri Lanka, which in
turn, is said to be
sapling form the original
Bodhi tree. The Bodhi
complex has other
structures that are
important as Buddhist
pilgrimage sites.
These include the
Chakramana or Jewel
walk, the Animeshlochan
Chaitya, the Tibetan
monastery, and the
Thai , Japanese and
Bhutanese temples.
Rajgir is the ancient
capital of the Marya
kings. Lord Buddha
started the second
wheel of law from
the Vultures peak
in Rajgir and preached
to his disciples here
during the three rainy
months. The Shanti
stupa was constructed
by the Buddha Sangh
of Japan and it is
an important Buddhist
monument in India.
Nalanda used to be
a famous University
during the heydays
of Buddhism in India.
Great Buddhist thinkers
like Nagarjuna, Dharmapala,
and Padmasambhava
were among the teachers
of Nalanda. Lord Buddha
is said to have delivered
many sermons here.
As many as ten thousand
students were studying
here when the Chinese
scholar Hiuen Tsang
visited India.
Vaishali is another
famous Buddhist Pilgrimage
site in India. This
place was often visited
by Lord Buddha. He
delivered his last
sermon at Kolhua,
near Vaishali. A stone
pillar erected by
emperor Ashoka commemorates
the last journey of
Buddha.
Sarnath and Kushinagar
are the other two
sites counted among
the most important
Buddhist pilgrimage
sites in the world.
Lord Buddha delivered
his first preaching
in the deer park at
Sarnath. The Dhamek
Stupa and the Ashokan
pillar are the two
major structures that
can be seen here.
Kushinagar is revered
by Buddhists from
all over the world.
It was here that Lord
Buddha breathed his
last. The cremation
site is marked by
the Muktabandhana
stupa which is believed
to house the relics
of Lord Budddha. There
are some other ruins
of ancient monasteries
and stupas in the
complex.
The Buddhist pilgrimage
sites in India are
important for Indian
tourism as they attract
a large number of
tourists every year.
 LUMBINI:
One of the most important
place of Buddhist
pilgrimage is Lumbini,
located near the Nepal-India
border. This is where
Gautam Buddha was
born to a royal family
in 556 B.C.E. Many
auspicious signs accompanied
the Buddha's birth,
including the sprouting
of the bodhi tree.
The great Buddhist
ruler Ashoka visited
the site two centuries
later, constructing
a stupa (mound, usually
of earth) and pillar
in recognition. Although
largely destroyed
now, these remain
important marks of
the Buddha's birthplace.
BODHGAYA:
The Buddha attained
enlightenment at the
age of 29 in the town
of Bodhgaya in India.
After settling under
a tree, the Buddha
made the resolve not
to move until he had
achieved enlightenment.
After three days and
nights of profound
meditation this goal
was realised. The
bodhi tree under which
the Buddha sat has
been destroyed both
intentionally and
naturally many times
since this time of
enlightenment. It
has continued to re
sprout and is visible
today.
The Mahabodhi Temple
marks Bodhgaya. The
origins of the Temple
are unclear. Some
claim the Temple could
have been built as
early as the third
century by Ashoka,
others claim the Temple
was built between
the fifth and seventh
centuries. A thriving
Monastic Order continues
in the area today,
with three monasteries
catering for locals
and foreigners alike.
 SARNATH:
At Sarnath in the
Ganges Valley of India,
the Buddha proclaimed
the law of faith.
It was here that he
taught the keys aspects
of Buddhism: the four
noble truths, the
eightfold path and
the middle way philosophy.
The Buddha encouraged
followers to avoid
extremes of austerity
or pleasure. The remains
of monasteries dating
from the third century
B.C.E. to the first
century C.E. indicate
a thriving monastic
community.
SHRAVASTI:
Another of the most
commonly visited places
of Buddhist pilgrimage
is Shravasti. It is
here that the Buddha
is said to have performed
great miracles. One
story tells of how
on throwing down the
seed of a mango, a
great mango tree instantly
arose. Another story
tells of how the Buddha
stood in the air,
the lower part of
his body engulfed
in flames, with five
hundred jets of water
streaming from the
top of his body.
SANKASHAYA:
In Sankashaya the
Buddha descended from
the Tushita Heaven.
It is said that during
the forty-first year
of the Buddha's life,
he went to the Tushita
Heaven to teach Dharma
to his mother, who
had died shortly after
the Buddha's death.
Ashoka later built
a Temple on the site.
Today, little of the
site's glory remains.
This is the only important
place of Buddhist
pilgrimage where no
temples, or monasteries
exist today.
 NALANDA:
Nalanda is important
both because it was
blessed with the presence
of the Buddha, and
because of the famous
monastic university
developed there. This
university also named
Nalanda (meaning 'insatiable
in giving') played
a central role in
the development of
Buddhism in India.
RAJGIR:
Rajgir is another
place in the Ganges
Valley where the Buddha
walked and preached.
Perhaps the most important
event of the Buddha's
visits to Rajgir was
the conversion of
two future disciples,
Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.
While Sariputra was
credited with greater
intelligence, Maudgalyayana
wielded a greater
power for miracles. |
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