STILL LIFE : Where Buddha attained Enlightenment - BODH GAYA

Come walk with me to Bodh Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment

Recently, I have traveled to Patna for one of my Interior Projects. Bodh Gaya is the most revered holy sites associated with Buddha, the place where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment. Since I have special affinity for the thoughts of Buddha from childhood, (I was born in Kushinagar Distt in Uttar Pradesh INDIA – where Lord Buddha attained Nirvana - click here to journey with me to that place as well...) I enjoyed the powerful spiritual energy that permeates in each and everything in and around the temple.  Specially, sitting under the Boddhi Tree in meditation, was a serene and spiritually uplifting experience. 

I have been fortunate enough to travel to most of the places associated with Buddha in India as well as some of the powerful temples in South East Asia but Bodh Gaya makes me feel more at peace with myself, whenever I have had visited. After reading one beautiful book by Thich Nhat Hanh (Old Path, White Clouds), I have had developed a sense of deep devotion and understanding about this place. This time, I thought of capturing those moments of bliss and share with a hope that the spiritual energy reach my friends. So here I am with my impressions from the journey... Hope you will enjoy them.

But before that here is a brief History about Bodh Gaya...

Brief History about Bodh Gaya 

________________________

According to Buddhist traditions, circa 500 BC Prince Gautama Siddhartha, wandering as an ascetic, reached the sylvan banks of Falgu River, near the city of Gaya. There he sat in meditation under a bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa). After three days and three nights of meditation, Siddharta claimed to have attained enlightenment and insight, and the answers that he had sought. He then spent seven weeks at seven different spots in the vicinity meditating and considering his experience. After seven weeks, he travelled to Sarnath, where he began teaching Buddhism.

It is believed that 250 years after the Enlightenment of the Buddha, Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya. He is considered to be the founder of the original Mahabodhi temple. It consisted of an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper sanctum. The mouldings on the spire contained Buddha images in niches. Some historians believe that the temple was constructed or renovated in the 1st century during the Kushan period. With the decline of Buddhism in India, the temple was abandoned and forgotten, buried under layers of soil and sand.

The temple was later restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in the late 19th century. In 1883, Cunningham along with J. D. Beglar and Dr Rajendralal Miitra painstakingly excavated the site. Extensive renovation work was carried out to restore Bodh Gaya to its former glory.

___________________________________
Text from Wikipedia – Click here to read

The journey started with a morning bath at Holy Ganges at Patna

The journey along with winding road in the country side,  was as
refreshing as the early morning bath at Holy Ganges

The morning winter sun rays were inviting to soak in the warmth...

After 3 hours of journey, I finally reached the Falguni river, along
side Gaya and Bodh Gaya

The path to the entrance of Maha Bodhi Temple was lined
up with Shops selling souvenirs 

Maha Bodhi Temple greets you with one of the most beautiful
Buddha statues, I have ever seen. Notice the crystal cup in the lap...

This is the direct descendant of the Bodhi Tree, under which
Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment around 2600 years
ago. The environment here pulsates with spiritual energy...

This is the exact place - The diamond throne, where Buddha
sat down in deep meditation and attained Buddhahood...

After hours of meditation, I had to reluctantly leave the place
in order to get back to Patna... to catch early morning flight to Delhi

It was a beautiful moment, when this group of Thai Women sat
around the place where I was sitting in meditation, chanting mantras

Around the Maha Bodhi temple, there are place, where Buddha sat
in meditation for weeks together, after his enlightenment. A perfect place
for the monks and people to perform rituals and meditate.... 

Every one has their own way of worship and rituals, here some are
reading and Chanting Mantra...

Some are performing specific rituals - Kind of Surya Namaskar...

.... and some are away from this physical world, in realms of
their own spiritual bliss 

An afternoon relaxation and food; some take their time out to connect
to the world they have left behind... 

All over the place, there is deep spiritual connection ... trying to find that
enlightening spark, that changes the way we look at living...

Finally sun sets down at Maha Bodhi Temple... for
the day, time for me to leave too, with a promise to
be back soon....

To celebrate this journey and this beautiful sunset at
Bodh Gaya, here is one of my Haiku...
__
Buddha waits within,
In ignorance, we run around
Looking for him
__
@Shashi

To know more about thoughts and philosophy of Buddhism, read "Old Path White Clouds" which I have featured here at my blog, Click here....
Its one of the most comprehensive books on Buddha, I have read, written by a great spiritual Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.

Hope you have enjoyed this journey with me.... 
____________

ॐ नमः शिवाय 

Om Namah Shivaya

PREV                                        HOME                                          NEXT
Searching for spirituality - Varanasi