Temples in Bodh Gaya
Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple is locat the place of Lord Buddha's enlightenment.
The temple has 50m (170 ft) tower. The present temple was restored around 1880. There have been several other temples on this site. A previous temple was destroyed by the Muslims the 11th century. Parts of the intricately carved railings to the south and west of the temple are very old. Some of railings are original and parts of the railings are reproductions.
In the inner sanctuary there is a huge Buddha. In the center of the temple there is also a Siva-linga that was installed. about 860. This temple is also sacred to the Hindus because Lord Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The Bodhi tree here is said to be a descendent of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. A sapling of the original bodhi tree that the Buddha sat under was carried by Emperor Ashoka's daughter (Sanghamitta) to Sri Lanka. That tree is at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. A cutting from that tree was planted in Bodh Gaya when the original tree died. Under the tree is a red sand stone slab that is said to be the diamond throne, that Buddha sat on and attained nirvana. The tree is located behind the temple and is about 80 feet high and about 115 years old.
After attaining enlightenment, Buddha spent seven weeks in the area of the Bodhi Tree. The first week he spent under the Bodhi tree.
The second week he spent looking at the tree from the Animeshlochana Stupa, a spot now marked by a small white temple to your right as you enter temple. Animeshlochana means the place of unwinking gazing.
The Jewel Walk (Chankramana Chaitya) is a raised platform where Buddha walked up and down in meditation during the third week. The platform was originally Ābuilt in the 1st century BC and is 3 ft high and 60 ft long. Carved stone lotuses mark the spots where he put his feet.
The Ratanagraha Chaitya is where he spend his fourth week in basic contemplation. It is said that red, blue, yellow, orange, and white rays emanated from his body when he meditated on the Patthana, or causal law.
It is said that Buddha spent the fifth week under the Ajapala Nigrodha tree.
By the northern wall of the compound is the Lotus Pond, called Mucalinda Lake (abode of the snake king). Buddha is said to have spent the sixth week in meditation here. There is a life size Buddha covered by a cobra here. A cobra is said to have saved Buddha from drowning while he was in deep medation. This pond is full of beautiful lotus flowers. In front of the pond are the remains of an Asoka pillar, which is now about 20 feet high.
The seventh week was spend at Rajayatana, which is a tree under which Lord Buddha sat. The exact location of where this tree was is not known, but a spot has been chosen to mark the place. After the seventh week Lord Buddha went to Sarnath to teach five Brabmins there.
There are many people at this temple that have made vows to pay 400,000 obeisance's at this temple. They do it in groups of 100,000 and then do extras to make sure they did not miscount.
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