Prestshila Hills
About
The
Prestshila Hills, Gaya in Bihar is a legendary place in Bihar. It is
said that there used to be a demon called Gaya who was very much shocked
at the distress caused by death. He expressed his sorrow to Lord
Vishnu. Lord Vishnu was very happy to see that a demon had such a kind
heart and gave him a boon by virtue of which he could forgive the
sinners.
Prestshila Hills, Gaya of Bihar is
situated at a distance of 100 kilometers to the south of Patna. The age
old town of Gaya is of tremendous importance to the Hindus as well as
the Buddhists.
Prestshila Hills, Gaya in Bihar lies
in the close vicinity of the Phalgu river. The peculiarity of this river
is that the water cannot be seen from outside. It always remains under a
thick layer of silt and sand. People who go to Gaya dig holes in the
river to take out its water.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: False
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
The
Prestshila Hills, Gaya encloses a region in Bihar which has got the
famous places like that located at around 3 kilometers from the center
of the town of Gaya and which has got the Bodhi tree. This is the place
where Lord Buddha was blessed with enlightenment.
Gaya is noted for many holy shrines of
which special mention should be made of the Vishnupad Temple. On the
south of it you will find the Bodh Gaya.
Dungeshwari Cave Temples, also known as Mahakala caves, is situated 12 km north-east of Bodhgaya, Bihar. There are three caves containing Buddhist shrines, where the Buddha is believed to have meditated. Dungeshwari Cave Temples are the ancient caves, located 12 km northeast of Bodhgaya. These are caves Lord Buddha underwent years of self-mortification before descending to Bodhgaya. Three main caves contain several shrines for Buddhists and one for Hindus. Dungeshwari cave temples are also popular as Sujata Sthan to local people. An interesting story is being famous on this temples. It is believed that when Buddha was doing his self-mortification, he became frail, feeble and starved. When he rested under a Banayan tree, a doomed village women named Sujata offered him food. Buddha accepted her offerings and consumed the food, his explicit approval presented him with a divine truth that neither extreme self indulgence nor self-abasement is the right way to attain enlightenment. Buddha attained the knowledge that folow the middle path was require to attain the supreme nirvana. Sujata Sthan or Dungeshwari Temple stands as a symbol commemorating this event.
The Dungeshwari cave temples are also known as the Mahakala caves located 12 kms northeast of Bodhgaya.Lord Budha underwent years of penance here before he descended to Bodhgaya. A path across the river and up to the temples is 9km from Bodhgaya on the road to Gaya. There are three main caves containing Hindu and Buddhist shrines.
The tree on the top of the stupa is also
very amazing and unbelievable. But the present condition of this
memorial is very pathetic as it is not cared by the concerned people.
This stupa near Bodh Gaya commemorates Sujata, the village girl who offered Siddhartha the milk rice that ended his ascetic practices (fasting) which led to his meditation practice and to enlightenment.
Dungeshwari Temple
About
Dungeshwari Cave Temples, also known as Mahakala caves, is situated 12 km north-east of Bodhgaya, Bihar. There are three caves containing Buddhist shrines, where the Buddha is believed to have meditated. Dungeshwari Cave Temples are the ancient caves, located 12 km northeast of Bodhgaya. These are caves Lord Buddha underwent years of self-mortification before descending to Bodhgaya. Three main caves contain several shrines for Buddhists and one for Hindus. Dungeshwari cave temples are also popular as Sujata Sthan to local people. An interesting story is being famous on this temples. It is believed that when Buddha was doing his self-mortification, he became frail, feeble and starved. When he rested under a Banayan tree, a doomed village women named Sujata offered him food. Buddha accepted her offerings and consumed the food, his explicit approval presented him with a divine truth that neither extreme self indulgence nor self-abasement is the right way to attain enlightenment. Buddha attained the knowledge that folow the middle path was require to attain the supreme nirvana. Sujata Sthan or Dungeshwari Temple stands as a symbol commemorating this event.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: True
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
The Dungeshwari cave temples are also known as the Mahakala caves located 12 kms northeast of Bodhgaya.Lord Budha underwent years of penance here before he descended to Bodhgaya. A path across the river and up to the temples is 9km from Bodhgaya on the road to Gaya. There are three main caves containing Hindu and Buddhist shrines.
Sujata Garh
About
Sujata
Garh, a site situated north of the village in Bodh Gaya, Bihar state of
India. It is named after the maiden Sujata, the daughter of the village
chief. You can see a stupa, which is 11 meter high from the ground
which was built to commemorate Sujata.
It is believed that Buddha, before
attaining enlightenment came to this place and was offered milk by
Sujata.Tourists from all around the world visit this place to see the
stupa. The view of the entire village from the top of the stupa is
captivating.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: False
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
This stupa near Bodh Gaya commemorates Sujata, the village girl who offered Siddhartha the milk rice that ended his ascetic practices (fasting) which led to his meditation practice and to enlightenment.
Born into a royal family in Lumbini
(now Nepal), Siddhartha led a sheltered life. At the age of 29,
Siddhartha ventured outside the palace complex several times, despite
his father's wishes. As a result, he discovered the suffering of his
people through encounters with an old man, a diseased man, a decaying
corpse, and an ascetic. These are known among Buddhists as "The Four
Sights," one of the first contemplations of Siddhartha. The Four Sights
eventually prompted Gautama to abandon royal life and take up a
spiritual quest to free himself from suffering by living the life of a
mendicant ascetic—a respectable spiritual practice at the time.
Ascetics practised many forms of
self-denial, including severe undereating. One day, after almost
starving to death, Gautama accepted a little milk and rice from a
village girl named Sujata. After this experience, he concluded that
ascetic practices such as fasting, holding one's breath, and exposure to
pain brought little spiritual benefit. He viewed them as
counterproductive due to their reliance on self-hatred and
mortification. He abandoned asceticism, concentrating instead on
anapanasati meditation (awareness of breathing), thereby discovering
what Buddhists call the Middle Way, a path of moderation between the
extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
The unveiling and consecration of the Great Buddha Statue took place on November 18, 1989. The consecration ceremony was graced with the presence of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama, who blessed the 25-meter statue, the first great Buddha ever built in the history of India. The Statue is now a symbol of the holy place Bodhgaya, next to Mahabohdi Temple which is a World Heritage site, and enjoys constant visits of pilgrims from all over the world. Among local people, it is nicknamed "the 80-foot (25-meter) Buddha Statue."
The Giant Buddha Statue is one of the many stops in the Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist routes in Bodhgaya, Bihar. The statue is 25 m (82 ft)[1] high in meditation pose or dhyana mudra seated on a lotus in open air. It took seven years to complete with the help of 12,000 masons. It is a mix of sandstone blocks and red granite. It is possibly the largest built in India and was consecrated on 18 November 1989 by the 14th Dalai Lama. The foundation stone for the statue was placed in 1982.
The most holy site for any Buddhist devotee is the Bodhi tree which stands in the middle of the Mahabodhi temple complex. About 2600 years ago Gautama Siddhartha is supposed to have realised the enlightenment at this very place under a Peepal tree known as Mahabodhi tree. His philosophy, the way to lead human life has evolved as Buddhism. The original Mahabodhi temple is believed to have been built by the emperor Ashoka, after about 250 years of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (demise). The present temple had been first restored in 1883, by Sir Alexander Cunningham along with J. D. Beglar and Dr. Rajendralal Mitra to restore Bodh Gaya to its former glory. There is a part of a stone railing surrounding the temple which is the only ancient remains of the past.
Recently a beautiful Meditation Park, a garden space especially designed for meditation with arrangements for suitable seats under the tree shades is built to facilitate the devotees.
There are various spots to commemorate the sacred footsteps of Buddha inside the temple complex
80 foot buddha statue
About
The unveiling and consecration of the Great Buddha Statue took place on November 18, 1989. The consecration ceremony was graced with the presence of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama, who blessed the 25-meter statue, the first great Buddha ever built in the history of India. The Statue is now a symbol of the holy place Bodhgaya, next to Mahabohdi Temple which is a World Heritage site, and enjoys constant visits of pilgrims from all over the world. Among local people, it is nicknamed "the 80-foot (25-meter) Buddha Statue."
Under the slogan "Spread Buddha's rays
to the Whole World," Daijokyo spent seven years on construction of the
Great Buddha Statue, mobilizing 120,000 masons in total. The greatest
driving force for this massive project was the pure heart of people, who
wish for further expansion of Buddhism from the holy place Bodhgaya, as
well as for the realization of world peace. We Daijokyo believers shall
never forget this fact.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: False
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
The Giant Buddha Statue is one of the many stops in the Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist routes in Bodhgaya, Bihar. The statue is 25 m (82 ft)[1] high in meditation pose or dhyana mudra seated on a lotus in open air. It took seven years to complete with the help of 12,000 masons. It is a mix of sandstone blocks and red granite. It is possibly the largest built in India and was consecrated on 18 November 1989 by the 14th Dalai Lama. The foundation stone for the statue was placed in 1982.
Mahabodi Temple
About
The most holy site for any Buddhist devotee is the Bodhi tree which stands in the middle of the Mahabodhi temple complex. About 2600 years ago Gautama Siddhartha is supposed to have realised the enlightenment at this very place under a Peepal tree known as Mahabodhi tree. His philosophy, the way to lead human life has evolved as Buddhism. The original Mahabodhi temple is believed to have been built by the emperor Ashoka, after about 250 years of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (demise). The present temple had been first restored in 1883, by Sir Alexander Cunningham along with J. D. Beglar and Dr. Rajendralal Mitra to restore Bodh Gaya to its former glory. There is a part of a stone railing surrounding the temple which is the only ancient remains of the past.
Recently a beautiful Meditation Park, a garden space especially designed for meditation with arrangements for suitable seats under the tree shades is built to facilitate the devotees.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: True
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
There are various spots to commemorate the sacred footsteps of Buddha inside the temple complex
1. Vajrasana:
Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya Located under the Mahabodhi
Tree, next to the Mahabodhi Temple a platform is built to commemorate
the holy incidence where the Buddha is believed to have experienced the
‘Silent State’ before his enlightenment, which showed him the path of
Buddhahood.
2. Animesh Lochan Stupa: Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya
This place is located at the
north-east side of Mahabodhi Temple Complex, where Buddha is said to
have spent the ‘2nd week’ after his enlightenment. The meaning of
Animesh Lochan is unblinking eyes as the Buddha is believed to have
gazed at the Bodhi Tree for seven days without blinking his eyes as he
was engrossed in a divine pleasure after the Truth of life unfolded
before him. A stupa is built at the spot to commemorate this time.
3. Chankraman
Asthal: Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya Located at
north-west of Mahabodhi Temple inside the temple complex where it is
believed the Buddha spent the ‘3rd week’ after his enlightenment. The
Buddha spent the entire week walking around at this holy place. A stone
structure 53’ long, 3.6’ wide, 3’ high with 19 lotus images in the
memory of the footprints of Buddha while in walking state has been
built. 4. Ratanghar
(Ratnagriha): Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya Located near
the entrance of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex the Buddha is said to have
spent the ‘4th week’ at this place after his enlightenment. The legend
tells that during meditation, a holy light of five colours spread in the
whole atmosphere which radiated from Buddha’s body. In the memory of
this divine state, we now see a statue of the Buddha in meditation
posture at this open place.
These colours now reflect on Buddhist Holy Flag also.
5. Azapal
Tree: Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya It is located near
the entrance of Mahbodhi Temple Complex at the middle of the path that
leads to the main temple. At this place a tree named Azapal stood under
which the Buddha is said to have spent the ‘5th week’ after his
enlightenment.. This divine state is explained in inscription of Burma
(Earlier name of Myanmar) on a ‘white stone plate’ situated here. Buddha
spent the entire week meditating.
6. Muchalind
Tank: Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya Situated at the south
of Mahabodhi Temple as the legend goes that the Buddha spent here the
‘6th week’ after his enlightenment in a sitting posture. The mythical
tale says that a snake king named Muchalind living in this tank saved
the Buddha during meditation from heavy storm and rain sent by the ‘dark
forces’ to distract him from his divine path.
7. Rajayatan:
Inside Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya Located at the south side
of the Mahbodhi Temple Complex here Buddha spent the ‘7th and last Week’
after his enlightenment at this place. In this week he decided to work
for mankind. Two businessmen of Utkal Tapassu and Bhallik, who were
passing by this place, became his first disciples. After this fist
teaching, Buddha started travelling towards Sarnath.
It is said that in ancient period,
here there have been a Rajat (Silver) Tree, a rare plant. Seventy years
back, a plant of the same species was brought from Burma (present
Myanmar) and been planted here in the memory of that week, which have
shown the mankind - the path of peace and non-violence.
Gautama Siddhartha is believed to have piously meditated at this place for six years before he went to Bodhgaya for the final realisation. Two small shrines are built to commemorate this phase of Buddha. A golden emaciated Buddha sculpture memorising the rigid penance is enshrined in one of the cave temples and a large (about 6’ tall) Buddha’s statue in the other. A Hindu goddess deity Dungeshwari is also placed inside the cave temple.
A well maintained concreted path leads to the niche of the hill where the temples are tucked in the hill rocks. There are several Buddha image engravings on the black rocks next to the temple. The gold leafs pasted by the devotees on the black surface of these rocks makes it an exquisite spectacle. There are seven stupa remains on the top of the hill.
View & Feel -One of the oldest foreign monasteries built in the ornamental regal Thai architectural style. The grandeur of the exterior as well as the interior is utterly awe-inspiring. The temple reflects like a red and golden gem over a calm pool at the front patio.
The splendid Buddha idol along with the mural paintings depicting Buddha’s life and some modern events like importance of planting trees painted in a stylized manner are utterly marvellous.
Vishnupad Temple
About
Gautama Siddhartha is believed to have piously meditated at this place for six years before he went to Bodhgaya for the final realisation. Two small shrines are built to commemorate this phase of Buddha. A golden emaciated Buddha sculpture memorising the rigid penance is enshrined in one of the cave temples and a large (about 6’ tall) Buddha’s statue in the other. A Hindu goddess deity Dungeshwari is also placed inside the cave temple.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: True
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
A well maintained concreted path leads to the niche of the hill where the temples are tucked in the hill rocks. There are several Buddha image engravings on the black rocks next to the temple. The gold leafs pasted by the devotees on the black surface of these rocks makes it an exquisite spectacle. There are seven stupa remains on the top of the hill.
Thai Monastery
About
View & Feel -One of the oldest foreign monasteries built in the ornamental regal Thai architectural style. The grandeur of the exterior as well as the interior is utterly awe-inspiring. The temple reflects like a red and golden gem over a calm pool at the front patio.
- Hill Station: False
- Religus: False
- Honeymoon: False
- SeeBeach: False
Other
The splendid Buddha idol along with the mural paintings depicting Buddha’s life and some modern events like importance of planting trees painted in a stylized manner are utterly marvellous.
The minimal aesthetics sense of the
eating quarter for the monks at the side of the main temple built with
bamboo and net structure is truly admirable.
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