Four Great Places of Buddha

Vacations offer more than just a chance to escape from work or enjoy leisure activities. They can also serve as a valuable opportunity to acquire fresh experiences, acquire novel abilities, and rejuvenate your mental and physical well-being. 

We embarked on a pilgrimage on December 28th, 2013, departing from our residence towards the Jalandhar Cantt train station in Punjab at 11:30 PM. At exactly midnight, we boarded the train and embarked on a two-night, one-day journey that culminated in our arrival at Gaya on December 30th at 7 AM. Upon reaching Gaya, we secured an auto for RS. 150/- that conveyed us to Bodhgaya, arriving at approximately 8 AM. After settling into our guest house, we prepared breakfast utilizing our cooking utensils, and by 9 AM, we were ready to commence our circumambulation of the great stupa.

On December 31st, our itinerary comprised visits to a multitude of temples including Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, Tibetan, and Japanese. In the evening, we were joined by three additional members from Bhutan: Dorji Wangchuk, his wife, and child. Together, we celebrated New Year's Eve with a diverse group of individuals from India, America, France, and Hong Kong around a bonfire.

On January 1st, 2014, our group unanimously decided to embark on a circumambulation of the great stupa where Buddha attained enlightenment and liberation from samsara whilst meditating under the papal tree. This particular papal tree is held in high esteem by every Buddhist aficionado and worshiped with great devotion and respect. Many people prostrate and meditate beneath the tree while others wait for its leaves to fall. Obtaining a leaf is quite challenging as everyone rushes to grab one when it drops.

On January 2nd, we visited several sacred locations where Buddha meditated and searched for the truth of life.

Bodhgaya boasts of seven pivotal locations that hold immense significance for Buddhists:

1. Holly Pallanta (The Papal of the Enlightenment): This is where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under the Bodhi tree in 625 BC. The tree is worshiped by Buddhist devotees with great esteem and devotion.

2. Animesa Locana (The place of unwinking gazing): After enlightenment, Lord Buddha spent the second week in meditation, gazing unwinkingly at the Bodhi tree.

3. Cankamana (Cloister Walk): Lord Buddha spent the third week there walking up and down in meditation. The platform has lotuses that indicate the places where the Lord's feet rested while walking.

4. Ratanaghara (The place of basic contemplation): Lord Buddha spent the fourth week there in meditation, reflecting on the Patthana or the causal law.

5. Ajapala Nigrodha Tree (Banyan Tree): After enlightenment, Lord Buddha spent the fifth week meditating under a banyan tree. Here, he replied to a Brahmana that one becomes a Brahmana only by one's deeds and not by birth.

6. Mucalinda Lake (The Abode of Snake King): Lord Buddha spent the sixth week in meditation here. During his meditation, a severe thunderstorm broke out, and a snake came out to protect him from the violent wind and rain.

7. Rajayana (A kind of Forest Tree): After enlightenment, Lord Buddha spent the seventh week in meditation here. At the end of his meditation, two merchants, Tapussa and Bhallika, offered rice cake and honey to Lord Buddha and took refuge in him with the words "Buddham Saranam Gacchami, Dhammam Saranam Gacchami" (there was no Sangha at the time).

We relocated to Rahgir, Bihar on January 3rd, 2014, to visit the famous hot springs known for their medicinal properties. During our visit, we also went to the Bimbisar jail, where the father of the king was imprisoned by his own son, who aimed to take over the throne. According to historical records, the jail was the place where King Bimbisara (558 BC to 491 BC) was kept by his son, Ajatashatru (492 BC to 460 BC). The king himself had chosen the site for the jail, as he could see Lord Buddha ascending to the Mountain retreat at the Griddhakuta hill. Despite being a great devotee and follower of Lord Buddha, the king admitted the audacity of his son, as he believed in peace.  

 

On the 4th of January, 2014, we made our way to Bjagay Phugpo, also known as the hill of the vultures, where Lord Buddha gave his first teachings of the prayer Sherab Nyingpo. The rope way, a popular tourist attraction in Rahgir, was built by the Japanese for the convenience of visitors to access the Griddhakuta hill. At the site, there are remnants of the Nalanda Buddhist University, which was destroyed by Muslims. The history of Nalanda dates back to the days of Mahavira and Buddha in the 6th century BC. It was the birthplace and nirvana of Saviputra, one of the famous disciples of Buddha. The place gained prominence in the 5th century AD with the establishment of a great monastic and educational institution for oriental art and learning, catering to the entire Buddhist world. If it had not been destroyed, it would have become one of the most renowned universities in the world today.

Rahgir has a unique and fascinating mode of transportation called Taagh, which is a horse-driven cart. Unlike taxis and autos that are commonly found in other parts of the world, visitors in Rahgir must hire Taagh to reach their desired destinations. The cost of hiring these carts ranges from thirty thousand to one hundred thousand. This clearly reflects the significance of horses as a vital means of transportation and a source of income in the region.

 
On the evening of the 4th, at 11 PM, we boarded a train headed towards Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. We arrived at 8 AM on the 5th of January and immediately went to visit the ruins of the Buddhist sites where Buddha gave his first teachings at Sarnath. We also took a boat ride on the river Ganga for a few minutes and lit butter lamps while freeing caught fish, as Buddhists believe that this strengthens the longevity of our own lives. At 2 PM, we boarded another train headed to Gorakhpur, arriving at 10 PM. It was 12:30 AM when we finally settled in for the night after having dinner.

On January 6th at 7:30 AM, we began our journey by bus towards the Sonauli border of India and Nepal. The bus dropped us off at the Indian border around 10 AM, and we walked for 7 to 10 minutes to reach the entry gate to Nepal. Luckily, we caught a bus to Lumbini that arrived at 11:30 AM. After checking into our hotel, we headed straight to the Maya Devi Temple, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. We were amazed by the architectural beauty of the various temples and monasteries belonging to different countries. We spent the entire day exploring and revisited the places on the morning of the 7th, ensuring that we didn't miss anything.

At 11 AM, we checked out from the hotel and went to the local market to shop for a few goods. We found the prices to be cheaper as the Nepalese currency value is lower than that of the Indian rupee. At 4 PM, we boarded a bus to Gorakhpur and arrived at 9 PM. We checked into a hotel and had a self-prepared meal in the room.

On the last day of our pilgrimage, which was on January 8th, we visited Kushi Nagar where Lord Buddha was cremated after passing away. We also visited other significant Buddhist temples and sites, which are echoed all over the world. In the evening, around 9 PM, we boarded a train to Jalandhar, Punjab. The train dropped us off at Jalandhar Cantt at 10 PM on January 9th. We hired an auto to take us to our residence, and we finally went to bed around 12:30 AM.

 

The pilgrimage was extremely satisfying as we were able to cover all four important sites of Lord Buddha within a short span of time. The places we visited were incredibly significant, and there is no other place that can compare. We owe a great deal of gratitude to our program planners Norbu and Dorji Wangchuk, who orchestrated every detail of our trip perfectly. It was a wonderful experience, and we hope to visit these places again in the near future. This trip was just the beginning of many more to come.