Buddhist Circuit

Is 15 kms. from Gaya and 112 km from Patna. About 2500 years ago, Gautam the prince of Kapilvastu attained enlightenment under the Peepal tree to become Buddha ,the founder of one of the greatest religion of world "Buddhism". The tree that stands today is said to have grown from the original Bodhi tree under which lord Buddha meditated. River Niranjana is the river where lord Buddha bathed after attaining enlightenment. The places where Lord Buddha spent seven weeks are now seven sacred shrines.

Places to see

The Bodhi Tree

The present Bodhi tree is the fifth succession of original tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

Lord Buddha At Main Temple

Mahabodhi Temple is the architectural amalgamation of many cultures. The temple bears the stamp of architecture of the Gupta Dynasty and subsequent ages. On the walls of the temple different aspects of Buddha are deciphered. The height of the temple is and on the top of the temple are Chatras symbolizing sovereignty of the religion. Inside the temple is a colossal image of Buddha in a sitting posture touching the earth by his right hand .

Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum

The Bodh Gaya archaeological Museum displays collection of Buddhist sculpture from the 1^st century BC to the 11 century AD. This museum has plenty of relics recovered from the old temple and several other objects excavated from the site. Most of the original sculptured pillars that formed the railing around the Mahabodhi Temple can be seen here . Other attractions are Ratnagar, Animeshlochan, Chaiyata, Tibetan Monastery, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, The Burmese Temple, The Chinese Temple & Monastery

       Barabar Cave (41 Kms from Bodhgaya)                                       Votive Stupas at Bodhgaya

Rajgir

                                  Peace Pagoda                                                                     Aerial Ropeway

10 kms south of Nalanda is located in a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills .An Arial ropeway provides the link with the hill-top Stupa called "The Peace Pagoda " built by the Japanese .This is sacred to the memory of founder of both Buddhism and Jainism . Lord Buddha spend many months of retreat , used to meditate and preach on Griddhkuta, the "hills of vultures " .Lord Mahavir spent 14 years of his life at Rajgir and Nalanda . It was in Rajgriha that lord Buddha delivered some of his famous sermons and converted King Bimbisara of the Magadha kingdom and countless others to his creed .

Other Places of Interest

Venuvana - Site of the monastery Venuvana vihar built by king Bimbisara for lord Buddha to reside . This was the king's first offering to lord Buddha 

Amaravana or Jivakas mango garden - Site of the Royal physicians dispensary where the lord Buddha was once brought to have wound dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician during the reign of Ajatshatru & Bimbisara. 

Griddhakuta or "Vultures Peak" : The place where Buddha set in motion his second wheel of law for three months every year during the rainy season, preached many inspiring sermons to his disciple. The Buddha sangha of Japan have constructed a massive model stupa "the Shanti Stupa" (Peace Pagoda) at the top of hill in commemoration.

Ajatshatru's fort : Built by Ajatshatru the king of Maghadha in 6^th century BC.

Bimbisara's Jail

Swarna Bhandara

Two rather strange cave chambers were hollowed out of a single massive rock. One of the chambers is believed to have been the Guard room. The rare wall has two straight vertical lines and one horizontal line cut into the rock, this doorway is supposed to lead to king Bimbisara's Treasury. The inscriptions in Sankhalipi or Shell Scripts etched into the wall and so far undeciphered are believed to give the clue to open the doorway. The treasure according to folklore is still intact.

Cyclopean wall: Once 40 kms long ,it encircled ancient Rajgir built of massive undressed stone carefully fitted together, the wall is one of the few important pre modern structures ever built to have been found.

Jain Temples: On the hill crests along Rajgir far in the distances there are 26 Jain Temples. They are difficult to approach for untrained but make exciting trekking for those in form.

Hot Spring: At the foot of Vaibhav Hill a staircase leads up to the various temples , the water comes through spouts from Saptdhara "the Seven Streams" believed to find their source behind the "Sapta Parni Caves" up in the hills. 

Pipala Caves: Popularly known as "Jarasandh Ki Baithak" after the name of King Jarasandh. Among the hot springs of Vaibhav hills is a rectangular stone sculpted by the forces of nature which appears to have been used as watchtower.

Nalanda:

Literally means the place that confers the lotus. Just 90 kms south of Patna ,the university of Nalanda , founded by Gupta Emperors, was one of the oldest universities of the world which reached its zenith between 5^th and 12^th century AD . It had nine million books ,ten thousand students ,two thousand teachers and was a great center of learning which attracted many students from foreign countries. Hieun Tsang spent 12 yr. both as a student and teacher The ruins of the great university, the votive stupa and beautiful sculpture, a large Steinway, decorated panels, lecture halls, dormitories and images of Buddha reveal the glimpses of the past glory. Emperor Ashoka built a vihara, king Harshavardhana gifted 26-meter high copper image of Lord Buddha and Kumaragupta endowed a college of fine arts. The remains carefully excavated revealed stupas. At Nalanda one must see Nalanda University ruins, Archaeological Museum, International Center of Buddhist studies, Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall.

Nalanda Archaeological Museum

It has a beautiful collection of Buddhist and Hindu bronzes and a number of undamaged statues of lord Buddha .Two enormous terracotta jars of first century stand intact in the museum.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara

It is devoted to study and research in pali literature and Buddhism..It is a new institute where students from foreign countries also study.

Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall - a new construction in memory of Chinese traveler, Hieun Tsang.

A View Of Nalanda Ruins

Vaishali : The birth place of Lord Mahavira . Lord Buddha preached his last sermon and announced his impeding parinirvan .King Ashoka raised a lion column to commemorate it . In 383 AD. the second Buddhist council met here and stupa was created to recall the assembly . Amrapali the exceptionally beautiful and gifted dancer of Vaishali became a devotee of Buddhism. Worth seeing places are Ashoka Pillar at Kolhua , Ancient tanks ,Jain temples , Buddha Stupa 1&2 , Raja Vishal ka Ghar , Museum and Chandra mukhi mahadeo, Coronation Tank ,Bawan Pokhar Temple & the Harikatora Temple, Miranji ka Durgah.

Places of Interest

Ashokan Pillar The famous Lion pillar at Kolhua ,was built by Emperor Ashoka . It is made up of the highly polished single piece red sandstone surmounted by a bell shaped capital ,18.3 m high . A life size figure of a lion is placed on the top of pillar . There is a small tank here known as Ramkund. Bawan Pokher temple An old temple built in the Pala period stands on the northern bank of a tank known as Bawan Pokher and enshrines beautiful images of several Hindu gods .       Buddha Stupa -I The exterior of this stupa which is now in a dilapidated condition has a plain surface . One eighth of the sacred ashes of the lord Buddha were enshrined here in a stone casket.

Excavations at this site in 1958 led to the discovery of another casket containing the ashes of the lord Buddha .

Raja Vishal Ka Garh

KHUSHINAGAR (Uttar Pradesh): KhushiNagar is 53 Kms. east of Gorakhpur . Gorakhpur is also a convenient base for visiting KAPILAVASTU(110 kms.) , LUMBINI (108) Kms. (both in adjacent NEPAL) & SRAVASTI (195 Kms.) which are also important Buddhist center . The Shakyamuni , Gautam Buddha breathed his last (Mahaparinivana) at KhushiNagar . KhushiNagar is the place where Tathagata , the reciter of truth passed away . The remains lie in three groups : NIRVANA TEMPLE which enshrines statue of Buddha in a reclining position . MATHA KAUR shrine has a 10^th century blue schist image of the Buddha . ANGAR CHAITYA , which is popularly known as the spot where Lord Buddha was cremated by the mallas .

SARNATH : Sarnath is the shorter form of 'sarang Nath' where by Sarang means Deer & Nath means Lord . Lord Buddha , after attaining enlightenment , came to Sarnath and delivered his first sermon here , 2500 years ago . DHAMEKH STUPA of 5^th century AD is the biggest & the most important place where the Lord Buddha first proclaimed his faith . In front of the Dhamekh Stupa is the ASHOKA PILLAR which records the visit of emperor Ashoka to Sarnath . The great brick CHOUKHANDI STUPAS , raised by Emperor Akbar in 1555 A.D , is the actual place where Lord Buddha met his five disciples who had earlier deserted him .