Bodhgaya
...means to the end...
the spiritual quest
Sumit Kundra
Bodhgaya, the place where the
Buddha attained enlightenment, is among the top five places in the bucket list
of every Buddhist seeker. In fact, it is one of the four important sites
related to important events in the Buddha’s life.
The aura or vibrations of this
place makes you sit and contemplate about your life. People, from all over the
world, come there as seekers to find out how the Buddha understood the origin
of suffering and how he liberated himself from it.
As one reaches the main temple–Mahabodhi
temple–one can see an amalgamation of different ethnicities. No matter which
part of the world they belong to, in Bodhgaya they are all equal, all seekers.
Some yearn to learn the Buddha’s teachings, others seek his blessings, while
some are simply on a journey to self introspection.
Despite studying Buddhism and the
Buddha’s life closely, before I visited Bodhgaya, I perceived it only as a place
where the Buddha attained enlightenment. It was after my first blessings, while
some are simply on a
journey to self
introspection. Despite studying Buddhism
and the Buddha’s life closely, before I visited Bodhgaya, I perceived it only
as a place where the Buddha attained enlightenment. It was after my first visit
to this holy town, I understood how ignorant I was. As I walked through this
serene and peaceful site, a sense of calm enveloped me. When I saw people from
diverse backgrounds with the same seeking spirit and soaked in the spiritual ambiance
of the main temple, I finally stopped and looked at life from a different
perspective. As the Buddha emphasised, we have to experience things ourselves
to understand its true meaning.
A walk through Bodhgaya.As soon as you enter the outer areas
of Bodhgaya, you can feel the presence of the Buddha everywhere–whether in a
university named after the Buddha, or in any regular workshop or furniture
store. There are hotels and resorts with the Buddha’s name prominently
displayed.
At the entrance of the main lane–which leads to the
Mahabodhi temple –you are greeted with a beautiful gate, sambodhidwar, meaning full
of knowledge. It sets the tone of your entrance into the town where Siddhartha
became the Buddha.
As you walk through the main road, enthralled by the visual
display of beautiful monasteries from different countries, and places named
after people associated with the Buddha’s life, you forget the tiredness of
your journey. You find everyone courteous, smiling and at peace with their
lives.
With so many people from around the world assembled at the
same place with a common goal, it seems as if life has finally transcended all
boundaries and is one with the universe. When you reach the Maya Sarovar–named after
the Buddha’s mother–near the Thailand monastery, you are almost lost in the
beauty of the garden surrounding the mystic pond.
Of course, one of the main attractions of the town is the Mahabodhi
Temple. A Unesco World Heritage site, the temple earmarks the place where the Buddha
attained enlightenment. It was considered to be built in the 6th century AD, on
top of a temple that was constructed by Emperor Ashoka. The temple had been
invaded by foreigners in the 11th century AD, and since then, underwent several
restorations. As you stroll around the perimeter of the temple, you could see
an assortment of monks and lay people praying or sitting in meditation, each
one seeking the blessings of the enlightened one. However, if you are looking
for solitude, the Meditation Park, built within the temple complex, is a must
visit.
While Bodhgaya so far might have awed you, the majesticness
of the Bodhi Tree, leaves you spellbound. It stands embodying the truth that enligh
tenment comes from within as was with Siddharthawho became the Buddha at that
same spot more than 2500 years ago. It is said that after attaining enlightenment,
the Buddha had stared at the tree unblinkingly. Read our feature on Mahabodhi
Temple in this issue to know more about this ethereal place.
A visit to the Archaeological Museum, near by showcases the
history of Bodhgaya. It houses many Buddhist sculptures made of stone, from the
period between the 8th and 12th centuries. One could also find a collection of
original sandstone railings , pillars and granite that, in fact, predates the
temple by around 700 years.
However, nothing beats the joy of walking along the various
monasteries and temples adorning this sacred town. Each monastery has its
unique Buddhist culture and architectural styles. While Indosan Nipponji Temple
makes a quaint Japanese statement, the nearby Bhutanese Monastery stands in
contrast with its colourful and intricate frescoes. For an unmatched display of
Tibetan decorative arts, Tergar Monastery of the Karmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism
wins the viewer’s admiration hands down. Other attractions include the Thai
Temple, the Tibetan Karma Temple and Namgyal Monastery.
As you come to the end of the temple lane, you find a
towering 25-meter high Great Buddha Statue sitting in meditation. The monument,
unveiled by Dalai Lama in1989,is partially hollow and contains around 20,000 bronze
Buddhas.
Land of spiritual seekers
My visit to Bodhgaya definitely changed my outlook about
life. It made me realise that essentially, we all are same, and if we can
imbibe this truth in our lives, lots of issues in this world would never arise.
Rather than using our energy in proving ourselves, if we can just think that we
are all alike, the world would be a far better place.
As I sat near the Bodhi Tree, contemplating about life, I
thought of asking people around me about their experience in Bodhgaya. I wanted
to understand if we all have the same goal, if we were all seekers of spiritual
knowledge.
Sitting next to me was a young man deep in meditation. As he
stirred to take some photographs, I struck a conversation with him. He was
Edison Xie from Hongzhou,China, who didn’t believe in any religion. He said, “Visiting
Bodhgaya is not a religious trip. Instead, I find Mahabodhi temple to be a very
peaceful and a calm place. Sitting here and meditating for just 20 minutes
makes you peaceful. It is more about understanding yourself than thinking about
religion.”
While walking around the perimeter, I was greeted by Bhante
Anand Bhole from Maharashtra, who was at awe with the energy of the place and
has been living in Bodhgaya for more than a year. He gave me a vital lesson in
life. He said, “Only when you connect with yourself you can connect with
everything else. By knowing yourself you will understand the true reality. It
is similar to you being in a pond right now and not knowing about the ocean at
all. The first step towards connecting with yourself is by controlling your
mind with the breathing–inhale and exhale–exercise.In today’s chaotic world,
Buddha’s path and his teachings should be followed. It is time for to follow Buddha’s
teachings and the only way forward for peace.”
At the meditation garden, I met with a lady who was a vipassana
teacher. She said,“The vibrations of this place are very strong and positive,
and to feel the aura one would need to control his / her mind. It is very
important to control one’s mindand controlling our breath is the easiest way to
control the mind.”
In all these small conversations and the long discourses I
attended, one thing wasclear, each individual visiting that holy town was equal
in his seeking for Buddha’s teachings and blessings, and each one of them was
trying to awaken to their true inner self.
The monks or common people are in harmony at this place and
have the same seeking spirit to awaken their true self. The experience is not
just a one-time incident, but stays with you for a lifetime. And, even after
coming back from Bodhgaya, I am still basking in the aura of that place.
After all, Bodhgaya is not just about the Buddha, but it is
here that the
Buddha found himself.
About the author:
A philosophical seeker, bitten by the travel bug,
Sumit Kundra is an MA
in Buddhist Studies,
who loves to opine on everything
connected with Buddhism.
How to Reach:
Airways: The nearest airport, Gaya airport is around 17
kilometres from the town, catering to domestic as well as international
travelers. Although, the frequency of direct flights is less, there are several
flights that connect the town with main metro cities. The second nearest
airport is Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna, which is around
135 kilometres away from Bodhgaya. This airport is well-connected with major
metro cities in India and international destinations.
Railways:The nearest railway station is Gaya Junction, which
is 13 kilometres away from Bodhgaya. It is well-connected with major Indian
cities. From the Gaya railway station, you can reach the town by hiring a local
taxi. The second nearest railway station is in Patna,around 110 kilometres away
from the town, which is connected with most of the Indian cities including
metros.
Roadways:A main road connects the town with the city of
Gaya. One may take the bus service run by the Bihar State Tourism Corporation
from Patna to Bodhgaya. Bus services are also available from Rajgir, Varanasi,
Nalanda and Kathmandu.
Area:249 km²
Population:45,349 (2015)
Location:In Gaya district, Bihar, India
Climate:Summer–hot and humid;
Winter–pleasant
Best time to visit:October to March
Significance: Known as the place where the Buddha attained
enlightenment
Languages spoken:Magadhi, Hindi, English
#Buddha #Buddhism #Zen #Life #Lifestyle #wisdomwinds
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