• Understand
• See
• Do
• Eat
• Drink
• Respect
• Get out

The Mahabodhi Temple

Bodh Gaya [1] is a sacred Buddhist village in the state of Bihar.

[edit] Understand

As the site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment, Bodh Gaya is the most revered of all Buddhist sacred sites. The main complex houses the famous Mahabodhi temple/stupa and a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment.

“Six miles south of Gaya is the great temple of Bodh Gaya, one of the holiest places in the world, and the most sacred of all places to the Buddhists. It was near the sacred Bodhi tree, the descendant of which stands at the base of the temple, that Gautam Buddha attained Enlightenment. Many places in the vicinity are hallowed by associations with him. It was in the third century B.C. that Asoka built a monastery and temple here, and gave 100,000 pieces of gold for the purpose.

The tree was already held in the greatest veneration during Asoka’s time, as is shown by the magnificence of the ceremonies when a branch was sent to Ceylon in his reign. There are stories that Asoka himself cut the tree down in his unregenerate days, and that after he had begun to reverence it, his wife had cut it down again in a fit of jealousy. In the course of time the temple fell into decay and the present temple was built. Experts differ about the date, but it was probably before A.D. 500. A great monastery was built to the north of the Bodhi tree by Meghavarna, King of Ceylon, in the reign of Samudra Gupta, and was richly adorned with gold and precious stones. About A.D. 600 king Sasanka, a fanatical enemy of Buddhism, again destroyed the Bodhi tree, but it was soon replaced by the king of Magadha. Hieun Tsiang saw the temple in the first half of the 7th century, and at that time the tree was flourishing, and there were hundred of stupas and chaityas (Buddhist shrines) around it, erected by faithful pilgrims. In the time of the temple’s prosperity hundreds of Chinese pilgrims visited it, and left memorials of their visit. Burmese pilgrims and Missions also came.

It is probable that the temple was sacked and its treasures (or such as had not been hidden) removed, in the first Muhammadan invasion of the end of the 12th century. With the decay of Buddhism the temple was more and more neglected. It stood almost deserted for centuries, gradually falling into ruin. Until, when Buchanan Hamilton saw it in 1811, it was in state of extreme decay.

In 1876 the king of Burma obtained permission from the government of India to restore it, but in the end the Government itself undertook the work and the Public Works Department rebuilt the temple with the results we see now. The general design of the building has no doubt been retained, but in details of sculpture and ornamentation it can give only a faint idea of what it must have looked like in its prime.”

- Sir John Houlton in Bihar the Heart of India.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• The nearest airport is at Gaya (16km) - Druk Air offer competitive prices on their flights from Bangkok.

[edit] By train

• The nearest Railway station is Gaya (16km). From there you can take a bus or a three wheel taxi to Bodh Gaya. Three-wheel taxi price is extremely variable, depending on time of day. You should bargain considerably, there is rarely a shortage of service.

The train from Patna (which as the nearest good size airport and railhead) to Gaya costs 34 rupees (as of January 2008). The express trains take about two hours. Best train travel from Calcutta is about 8 hours; from Delhi, about 15 hours.

The road from Patna is in very poor shape and train is recommended

[edit] By bus

• There is a main road connecting Bodhgaya and Gaya.
• The Bihar State Tourist Development Coporation (Tel: 0612-225411) runs daily deluxe bus services to and from Bodh Gaya.

[edit] See

• The Bodhi Tree - it is believed that this tree is a direct descendant of the one under which the Buddha Sakyamuni attained enlightenment.

• The Mahabodhi Stupa.

• Thai Monastery

• Japanese temple

[edit] Do

Bodh Gaya is essentially a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and all of its main attractions are related to this. The subsidiary tourist industry that has grown up around it (shopping, eating, and accommdation)is not really the main attraction. Most of the goods for sale in Bodh Gaya come from elsewhere in India and can be found for better prices and at better quality elsewhere. Perhaps unique to Bodh Gaya are the rather cheesy CDs for sale near the temple entrance that purport to be monks chanting Buddhist texts. You will know whether you want to take this home with you!

Whether you're a Buddhist or not, the main thing to do in Bodh Gaya is just to absorb the vibe of the place where the Buddha attained awakening: the vapor trail of that energy is still in the air!

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

Monastery guest houses offer a cheap option to hotels, though guests are expected to adhere to their house rules. They do not charge fixed nightly rates, but instead accept donations (ask other guests for the going rate).

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid range

[edit] Cope

[edit] Internet

• Several rooms near Mahabodhi Temple.

• ALAO, bodhgaya2007@hotmail.com, [2]. Enjoy wifi (hotspot) in solar cyber park, near Hotel Mahayana, opp of Jai Prakash garden, burn cd/dvd from digital camera Internet 30 Rupees/hr, burn CD @ 50 Rupees, DVD burning 100 rupee.

[edit] Media

• Bodhgaya News Offers up-date information on events and news: [3]

[edit] Respect

• Take of your shoes before entering the inner parts of the main temple/stupa complex.
• Circumambulate the stupa and other sacred objects in a clock-wise direction.
• Preserve the peace and tranquility.
• Do not climb onto statues or other sacred objects.

[edit] Get out

• Rajgir. The site of Gridhakuta (Vulture's Peak), where the Buddha stayed and gave teachings on the Mahayana (the second turning of the wheel), and Venuvana, the first Buddhist monastery. Rajgir is also an area known for its hot springs, which are open to the public. Buses depart from Bodhgaya, but often require a change in Bihar Sharif.
• Nalanda. This Buddhist university was established in 450CE. Currently, there are extensive ruins, but no inhabitants. Nalanda Museum is open 10AM-5PM daily except Friday. Shared jeeps plying the route between Rajgir and Bihar Sharif make a stop at the turnoff for Nalanda. Rickshaws and other vehicles are available from there to the main gate, a distance of 2km. PWD operates a guest house near the gate.

• Deo. Visit this place for a glimpse of Famous Sun Temple.