Buddha, Buddhism And India

Buddhist Pilgrimage Destinations - Rejuvenate Yourself!!!

2011-12-31T03:02:00.000-08:00

Lumbini
Lumbini is situated in the district of Rupandehi in Nepal. It is regarded as the holiest place for the Buddhist, where Lord Buddha was born in 623 B.C. The place is considered as one of the four Parinirvana places as preached by Lord Buddha himself. Various Buddhist temples are situated in Lumbini including Maya Devi temple, International Gautami Nuns temple, Myanmar temple, China temple, Dharma Swami Maharaja Buddha Vihara and Nepal Buddha temple. Religious rituals are performed in these temple and festivals are celebrated during the Buddha Purnima.

Bodhgaya
The small town of Bodhgaya is located in the district of Gaya, Bihar. The place is a famous Pilgrimage destination for Buddhist where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The major attractions of the place are Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree under which lord Buddha had meditated while attaining enlightenment. Bodhgaya also offers other pilgrimage sites such Vajrasana, the place at which Buddha sat during his meditation, the Chankaraamana and magnificent statues of Lord Buddha. The town is enhanced with amazing Stupas, Chaityas and the Monestery.

Sarnath
Sarnath is a revered destination for Buddhist pilgrims, located in the city of Varanasi. Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples at Sarnath. The main Buddhist temple is Mulagandhakuti Vihar with an image of Buddha and also houses some of the finest paintings associated with the life history of Buddha. Pilgrims all over the world flocks at this holy place during the Buddha Purnima and the whole ambience gets sacred, due to the enchanting of mantras. There are number of monasteries located at Sarnath like Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamekh Stupa, Digamber Jain temple etc.

Kushinagar
Kushinagar is highly revered place for the Buddhist where Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (great complete nirvana). The place holds the great importance as Buddha died here and was cremated in Rambhar, which falls in the same region. Main attraction of Mahaparinirvana temple is showcasing of “dieing Buddha” laying down on his right side. The other attractions of the city are Ramabhar stupa, Meditation park, Nirvana temple, International Buddha trust etc.

Sankashya
Sankashya is one of the sacred place for Buddhist pilgrims. It is said to be believe that when Lord Buddha returned back to the earth, a great assembly was conducted here which was attended by the kings and people of the eight kingdoms.

Sravasti
Sravasti is an important religious destination for the Buddhists, situated in the Gonda District near the Rapti river in the northeastern region of Uttar Pradesh. At Sravasti Lord Buddha have performed many miracles to astonish rival teachers. Lord Buddha had spent 25 years living in the monastery of Jetavana and Pubbarama. The important shrines of the Buddhist pilgrims in Sravasti are Saheth and Maheth.

Pakistan puts Buddhist tourism back on track

2010-04-06T03:57:00.000-07:00

The violence in 9/11 affected Pakistan tourism very much. But now it is expected to get a lift with the promotion of the Buddhist Heritage site which is 32 km from Islamabad. A group of monks from Thailand visited the place for its promotion. The Buddhist heritage sites in Pakistan hold in arm the first century Gandhian Civilization. The main attraction here is the Taxila or Takshashila university that dates back to the reign of the Kushan dynasty.
The Govt of Pakistan also given his nod to the international Buddhist organisation to preserve and develop the Gandhara heritage and to promote inter-faith harmony and tourism in the country. Besides Taxila there are other places in Pakistan like Mansehra, Swabi, Mardan, Swat, Peshawar and Khyber Agency which possess stupas and monasteries including edicts of emperor Ashoka (304 BC-232 BC) which are very sacred to Buddhists.
Get this good news in detail in Buddhist Channel

Buddha and Chinese astrology

2010-03-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

Today we are discussing about something interesting. Its about how the animals came into Chinese astrology and what does it represent.

Lord Buddha invited all the animals when he was in death bed. Only 12 came: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. For visiting him, Buddha honored each by using them to represent the 12 phases of the Zodiac. Know more about this in Chinese astrology.

The third international Buddhist conclave proposed at Orissa

2010-02-16T02:16:00.000-08:00

Orissa- the east Indian state of India- is all set to organise the 3rd International Buddhist meeting. This point was made by the state Tourism Minister Debi Prasad Mishra at International Buddhist conclave at Nalanda, Bihar. Marking the wealth of ancient monuments and places associated with Buddhism at Orissa, the minister proposed the centre government that such conclave would help the state to make its strong presence on world tourist map. Lalitgiri, Olasuni, Dhauli among others are the places in Orissa which see large influx of tourists interested in Buddhist heritage.

For more information, click: Buddhist Channel

Close to 11000 embraced Buddhism in Ahmedabad

2010-01-28T00:06:00.000-08:00

The famous city of Ahmedabad, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, witnessed the conversion of 11000 people to Buddhism religion. The converted communities hails from koli, kshatriya and from Christian families. This religious changeover was administered by the Buddhist monks from Bhante Pragnyasheel who delivered the pledges to neo-converts. The function was chaired by the five Buddhist monks from different parts of India and renowned Buddhist leader Kalpana Saroj was the chief guest.

For more information, click: Buddhist Channel

Buddhism is more about human emotions

2010-01-18T03:42:00.000-08:00

These were the inspirational words from the Nobel laureate Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. H.H. Dalai Lama was addressing the gathering at a function organised by he Utkal University of Culture in association with Hotel & Restaurant Association Orissa at the city of Bhubaneshwar. Noting the relevance of 2500 years old Buddhism religion, Dalai Lama observed that the teachings of Buddhism such as compassion, kindness, tolerance and self-discipline holds utmost importance in modern times.

For more information, click: Buddhist Channel

Buddha Quote

2009-11-26T03:59:00.001-08:00

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

Buddhist Circuit to be developed in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

2009-08-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Government of India is planning to extensively popularize state of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar while promoting Buddhist tourist circuit. This was inform by Union tourism minister Kumari Selja after a meeting with Uttar Pradesh tourism minister in New Delhi recently.

For more informatio, click: Buddhist Channel

Buddhist Monks pray for rain

2009-08-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

Buddhist monks in Bodhgaya have started performing special prayers and rituals to appease rain god as state of Bihar is facing drought like situation. Monks are performing special puja below the holy Bodhi tree at temple.

For more, click: Buddhist Channel

Karmapa-Voice of young Tibetan

2009-07-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

Gyalwang Karmapa, the young monk of Kargyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism is slowly emerging as hope for younger generation of exile Tibetans. Third in hierarchy after Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama, many Tibetan see him as their future leader after Dalai Lama.

For more, click: Buddhist Channel

Jammu and Kashmir to revive Buddhist sites

2009-07-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to revive some of the ruined Buddhist sites of state. In this regard, they have already sent a plan to Archaeological survey of India and have identified some spot for this project. The development of these place may lead to more tourist inflow into the state.

For more, click-
Buddhist Channel

Buddhist Pilgrimage through the Himalayas

2009-07-09T03:27:00.000-07:00

Buddhist monks from all over India lead by His holiness 12^th Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche completed an strenuous 240 mile journey through mountain passes of Himalaya. This journey which started from Manali in Himachal Pradesh concluded at Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.

For More Information, click-Buddhist Channel

Buddha's Quote

2009-07-09T03:16:00.000-07:00

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
-Buddha

Tibetan's celebrate birthday of Karmapa

2009-06-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Tibetan exiles living in various part of country on Friday celebrated the 25th birthday of 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, the only monk whose reincarnation has been recognized by both Dalai lama and China. This year celebration was low key in comparison to previous year as Tibetans mourn the death of Penor Rinpoche, head of the Nyigma sect of Buddhist and also as a mark of respect for the protesters killed in Tibet during last years agitation against Chinese rule.

For more information, click on to Buddhist channel

Buddhist pilgrimage centre in India

2009-06-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

India the land of all religion has got quit a few Buddhist destinations. So to explore Buddhism in India you can visit such beautiful places, where the young king king sat for to attain Nirvana, the transcendental state of liberation.
Bodh Gaya – Though Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal but the most sacred place for the Buddhists is the Bodhgaya, where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of 29. The tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment still visible today. Bodh Gaya is famous for Maha Bodhi Temple. The atmosphere of Bodh Gaya is excellent. The chant “May all beings be happy” floats on the air of the city.
Sarnath – After attaining enlightenment, it was here in Sarnath Buddha taught the key aspect of Buddhism. Sarnath is also famous for Buddhist Monastries and Stupa. This place is situated near Varanasi, which is also visited by the Buddhist pilgrims.

Shravasti – In the state of Uttar Pradesh, Shravasti is another place where Buddha preached after enlightenment. It is believed that it here that Buddha had performed some miracle here.

Nalanda – Nalanda of Bihar is another Buddhist pilgrimage centre. The University of Nalanda played an important role to spread Buddhism in India.

Rajgir - It is also in the state of Bihar. Buddha spent many years in Rajgir and preached some important discourses. It is here in Rajgir Buddha converted emperior Bimbisar to Buddhism. Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Venu Vana Monastry and Griddhakoota Hill are favourite spots to the tourists.

Kushinagar – It is here in Kushinagar of Uttarpradesh Buddha attained the state of Mahaparinirvana or Permanent Bliss at the age of 80. Tourists all over the world never miss to visit Kushinagar. Even the great Chinese scholars Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang and I-Tsing visited Kushinagar. Main attractions of Kushinagar are - Mahaparinirvana Temple, Nirvana Chaitya, Ramabhar Stupa and Matha Kuar Shrine.

Besides these places there are places like Sanchi, Amaravati, Sankasya, Bharhut also famous for Buddhist monasteries and culture. Ajanta Ellora cave is another must visit place to explore Buddhism in India.

Himalayan communities better placed to preserve Buddhism: Dalai Lama

2009-05-19T00:47:00.000-07:00

Dalai Lama is worried about the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He said the Buddhist nuns from Himalayan region from himalayan regions has an important responsibility to preserve Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He feels that the Tibetan Buddhist traditions is facing an uncertain future in the home land.

Know more about the detail in Buddhist Channel

First Buddhist cultural festival launched in Britain

2009-04-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a good news for the Buddhist follower the first ever arts and cultural festival drawing on Buddhist cultural traditions has been unveiled in Britain. Get the detail in Focus on Tibet

Buddha Purnima celebrations in Bodh Gaya

2009-04-15T23:42:00.000-07:00

The most sacred, most important, and the most special Buddha festival is the Buddha purnima or Buddha Jayanti. The birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha is celebrated as the Buddha Jayanti through out the world. There are several events and celebrations take place in the Buddhist temples through out the world. But the as usual grand celebration will take place at Bodh Gaya near Varanasi.
Followers from across the world throng the holy place to commemorate Buddha Jayanti. The day is celebrated with prayer meetings, religious services, group meditation sessions and a huge procession
with peaceful and joyous manner with great piety. The roads, streets, houses and temples are decorated with colorful lanterns and lights. Bodh Gaya in Bihar and Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh are the main areas where this festival is celebrated the most. These are the places one must visit during the festivities.

The prayers and meditation of the devotees are amazing. People gather under the Bodhi tree for special prayer where the adorers pray for the world peace. It must mention here that devotees all over the world pray for the world peace.
The procession that take place during the festival is also a eye catching thing. The devotees take a procession with a huge portrait of Lord Buddha and event progress with different colourful dance performances.

The worshipper of Buddha who witnessed the grand festival in Bodh Gaya expressed that the experience is like once in a life time achievements which is undoubtedly inspiring and harmonious.
The importance and gaiety of the celebration in Bodh Gaya is described by one British devotee thus -
“It is wonderful to be here today on this wonderful day, the day of Buddha’s enlightenment in this holy land under the Bodhi tree. It was very inspiring to be here and to see the gathering of people who have come here to worship Lord Buddha. Today particularly it was so peaceful and so very harmonious I feel honoured,” said Richard Thero.

Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon day in the month of Vaishakh (April to May), this day holds special significance for the followers of Lord Buddha as the three main events of the life of Lord Buddha took place on the same day. His birth, enlightenment and death all three occurred on the same date more than two millennial ago.
In 2009 the date of Buddha Purnima is on 8th May.

Buddhism and the Four Limitless Qualities

2009-03-24T01:56:00.000-07:00

In her book Comfortable with Uncertainty,Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön states that by practicing four limitless qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity can help to free all beings from their suffering.

Read more: "Buddhism and the Four Limitless Qualities: Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity"

Translating the Words of the Buddha

2009-03-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Hey ... here is a good news for all, as many of the world’s leading Tibetan-English translators are gathering next week in the tiny Indian village of Bir in northern India to map the future of Dharma translation for generations to come. What they decide could help make the Buddha’s core teachings available to millions worldwide. Read full story in Buddhist Channel

Magh Puja

2009-02-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

'Chap Goh Mei' means it is Magh Puja to the Buddhist, a significant festival in Buddhist calender. It is celebrated on the day of full moon in the month of March in the countries like India, Thailand, Srilanka and Laos. The Buddhist festivals are very calm and quiet affair, the followers celebrate the spirit of Buddhism and listen the discussions on Dharma. Distribution of food to the monk and poor are an integral part of the Buddhist festival.

Origin of the Puja
According to the recorded in the commentary to the Mahāsamayasutta, nine months after the enlightenment of Lord Buddha at Veḷuvana Bamboo Grove, near Rājagaha in Northern India four marvelous events occured. These are

1,250 enlightened disciples of the Buddha spontaneously gathered

every one of those enlightened disciples had been given monastic ordination personally by the Lord Buddha

those disciples knew to meet together without any previous appointment

it was the full-moon day.

And this auspicious day is marked as a Magh Puja day. On that special day Lord Buddha gave an important teaching to the assembled monk, 2500 years ago called 'Ovādapātimokkha', and these are laid own the principles of the Buddhist teachings. In Thailand, this teaching has been dubbed the 'Heart of Buddhism'. This festival is also known as the Four fold Sangha because of these four features.

Celebration of the festival
Celebration of the festival varies from country to country but the festival is a time to come together carry out discussions of the various aspects of Buddha's life and teachings. They do group meditation and candle light procession. It is a time to exchange gifts.

Significance of the festival
One of the most important Buddhist festival is Magha Puja. This festival honours the Buddhist community or Sangha. It is a time or chance to reaffirm the faith and commitment to Buddhist practices and traditions.

In 2009 the festival is on 11th March.
Know more about the Buddhist tourism in Buddhist Tourism

Gujarat government discovers’ state’s Buddha links, to develop tourism circuit

2009-02-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

The Government of Gujarat was looking for some sites there which can be linked with Buddhism. Finally The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) has come out with some spots in Gujarat which have some connections with Gautam Buddha. The purpose behind this is to promote Buddhism in the state Gujarat. Know the detail in Buddhist Channel .

Buddha Quote

2009-02-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."
- Buddha

Guj govt to build a Buddhist temple

2009-01-14T01:35:00.000-08:00

“...the life and ideals of Buddha are still relevant and 'continuously inspire us to seek the purpose of our life” said the Chief minister of Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi while expressing his resolve to build a Buddhist temple in the state. He also announced that with the cooperation of other countries Gujarat intends to host a Global Seminar on Buddhism at M S University in Vadodara.

Read full story in New Kerala

The Tale of Monkey Brothers

2008-12-26T23:09:00.000-08:00

This is yet another of the Jataka tales I read on Internet today. The tale goes like this. The Buddha, in one of his earlier birth, was a monkey. Along with his brother, he ruled a band of eighty four thousand monkeys. The two brothers also had a blind mother. Once, the brothers set out in search of food and went far away. However, they sent food to their blind mother through other monkeys. They believed that the mokeys would take care of their mother but to their disappointment, they found their mother in an extremely neglected condition on their return. Saddened by the apathy of their fellow monkies,the two brother went to live in a seclusion along with their mother.

One day, a brahmin spotted the mother monkey and tried to kill her. The two brothers requested him to take their lives and let their mother go. The brahmin killed the two brothers, but even after that he was not satisfied and he killed the mother monkey too. The brahmin was overjoyed to have killed three monkeys in a day and was sure that his family would be proud of his possessions.

On reaching home, he was devasted to find that his entire family had been wiped out when a lightning struck the house. The brahmin went mad at the loss of his family.

The moral of the story is when you are cruel to others, fate treats you with equal cruelty.

Young Buddhist leader waits in the wings

2008-12-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

With his magnetic personality, TIM JOHNSON MCCLATCHY,the Karmapa, is referred as the possible successor of the Dalai lama.

Read Full story in Buddhist Channel

Jataka Tales - The Burried Treasure

2008-11-02T22:40:00.000-08:00

In earlier times when not many people were educated, story telling was the way to instill moral values in them. In Buddhist communities, too, simple stories were used to convey and strengthen moral values. These stories are known as Jataka tales.

Today, I read quiet a few Jataka tales, one of which I am summarizing below.

Once upon a time there was a wealthy old man who had a young wife and a son. The old man had accumulated a lot of wealth and was suspicious that after his death his son would not get it. He suspected that his wife, being young, would get married to another person after his death and all his wealth will go to that another man. To ensure that his son gets all the money after his death, he hid it with the help of his faithful servant. He also directed the servant to reveal the truth to his son at the right time.

Years later after his death, his son inquired the servant about the wealth of his father. The servant took him to the location but every time refused to reveal the truth. The strange attitude puzzled the son and he sought help from his father's wise friend. His father's friend told him that the servant was a weak man and was overpowered by a sense of importance since he was the only person who knew the whereabouts of the treasure. He also advised him to send the servant back the moment he starts abusing him after reaching the jungle and dig the very spot to recover his inheritance.

The son followed the instruction and soon found his wealth. The moral of the story here is that even a bit of power can have a negative effect on a person who is not used to it.

Buddha Quote

2008-10-04T02:18:00.001-07:00

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”

Thiksey Gustor

2008-09-10T03:15:00.000-07:00

Thiksey is considered one of the most beautiful monasteries of the Ladakh region in Jammu Kashmir. Like many other monasteries of Ladakh, Thiksey also celebrates its annual festival. The festival known as Thiksey Gustor is a two day affair that sees the famous masked dance – Chham – being performed by the monks. This year the festival date is on November 15 -1 6.

Buddhist Tour to Leh-Ladakh

2008-08-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Leh-Ladakh is a part of India's northernmost state Jammu and Kashmir. It's an area that is known for its unique landscape (it's a cold desert) and culture. For those of you interested in Buddhism, it's a good place to visit. The large number of Buddhist population of the region ensures that you will get a lot to learn and experience while roaming around in the area. The monasteries of the region are the highlights for any visitor. These are Hemis Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Likir Monastery, Lamayuru Monastery, Spituk Monastery, just to name a few.

Hemis is famous for its two day annual festival by the same name while Thiksey is considered the most beautiful of all monasteries in the region. Actually, there are two well marked out monastery circuits that help tourists to explore the monasteries more conveniently.

Tourists visiting the area can also keep a few days to explore the other two parts of the state - Jammu and Kashmir. The beauty of Kashmir is awesome. Staying in houseboats of the Dal Lake is what many people come to enjoy. Also, high on the list of tourists are the beautiful Mughal Gardens.

You can fly to Leh airport from Delhi, however, a more interesting way to reach Leh is by driving through the Manali-Leh highway. Manali is a beautiful hill station in the state of Himachal Pradesh, just south of Jammu Kashmir. The route is only open between June to October when the weather is good so plan your trip accordingly if this route is what you would like to take to reach Leh.

Buddha Image at Bodhgaya

2008-07-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

Buddha Quote

2008-06-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

Looking for a Buddhist Tour in India?

2008-05-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

This is for all those who have a desire to visit sacred Buddhist places in India but really donot know how to plan out their trip. They find it difficult to locate a reliable tour operator in India who can arrange things for them. Here is a one stop destination - www.itopc.org is what I came across while surfing the net today. It has a number of tour operators listed in its members section. Some of the tour packages they offer are also listed here including the Buddhist tour packages. Also given are the website address of the individual tour operators, in case you would like to know more. The site, however, is not a travel agent site’s, so do not expect to make your bookings from there.

I think this is really going to help those who find it difficult to surf the net and select a tour operator for their trip.

Developing Nalanda

2008-04-30T23:57:00.000-07:00

While surfing the net today, I came across this piece of news which I am sure must have delighted a lot many people. The news says that Nalanda still attracts attention of the Chinese and the hence it is showing great interest in the development of the site. It is great to see that authorities from two great countries are coming together to restore the heritage of Buddhist past. And Nalanda by no means occupies a small place in the past of Indian history. It has a significance which is unparalled. I think, once it is developed properly, it will attract numerous tourists form both India and abroad and this will really help spread awareness about the past of Buddhism.

The article also has another interesting piece of information. In China, there is a place named Rajgir in the Lingsa province. In India, Rajgir is a small town in the state of Bihar. Historically, it is the place where lord Buddha spent around 12 years and delivered many of his sermons. If you wish to know more about about Rajgir, you can visit Buddhist Tourism. The site also has information on number of other Buddhist places of interest in India.

For those who wish to read the above news, here is the link

Buddha Quote

2008-04-02T04:59:00.000-07:00

The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”

Bodhgaya

2008-02-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

This is one place to which a visit cannot be missed out if anyone is interested in exploring Buddhism in India. Bodhgaya is a town in the noth Indian state of Bihar and is regarded the place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Mahabodhi temple complex here is the centre of interest. The bodhi tree here is the first to be visited by any tourist. This tree is considered the fifth descendant of the original bodhi tree under which lord Buddha achieved nirvana. Apart from this, the temple complex also houses the huge Mahabodhi temple and the Vajrasana (seat of stability).

The environment in the temple complex is one of tranquility and spirituality. Anyone can sit there and spend some time meditating. Or else they can also watch monks performing prostrations to the tree. For those who would like to have some guidance, there are recorded commentary in Hindi, English,Japanese and Korean that can be heard via headphones. These are available on hire in the complex itself.

A number of monasteries and temples have also been built by the Buddhist community of various countries. These temples and monasteries serve as the place of worship for the people of the respective countries and also provide tourists an opportunity o enjoy different architectural style.

Bodhgaya is easily accessible. Gaya, 14 kms away, is the nearest airport and railhead. People also use the Patna (state capital) airport (182 kms away) to reach Bodhgaya. By road also, Bodhgaya is well connected to other parts of the country.

Buddha Relics Unearthed in Orissa

2008-01-22T01:59:00.000-08:00

When railway authorities acquired the cremation land in Palei village for construction of a railway line from Haridaspur to Paradip, they must have had little idea of what they would come across during their work. In process of digging the earth for construction of wall, they came across relics that supposedly date back to 8-12 century.Prominent amongst the relics recovered from the site are the images of Lord Ganesha and Buddha.

There are other relics too that have been dug out from the site, however, the bad news goes that some of these relics were stolen.

I think that whenever such relics are recovered, authorities should take proper measures to ensure their safety. Also it becomes the responsibility of the local people to protect these relics. Theft of relics doesn't really sounds good.

More on this news here

Two Indian Buddhist Sites Amongst the World's 10 Endangered Treasures

2008-01-22T01:28:00.000-08:00

In a report released by the world tourism experts, 2 Indian sites are under danger due to the lack of proper preservation and maintenance work as well as changing climatic conditions.Incidentally,the two sites are related to Buddhism.

The first of these is the Dhankar Gompa in Himachal Pradesh faces neglect and also suffers from land erosion. The other one is the old Leh town. The weather patter is causing the damage here. Leh is one place where the Buddhist culture still thrives in India. Monasteries and monks can be spotted easily in this town. Leh is situated in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir

The lovers of culture and heritage, like me, will definitely wish that the two sites in India are given proper care and steps are taken to protect them from getting ruined. These sites should be there for the future generations to see.

Check out more on this news here

Ajanta Ellora Caves

2008-01-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves of Maharashtra are amongst the most visited Buddhist sites of India. The Ajanta caves are around 110 km from Aurangabad while the Ellora caves are only 30 km away. Aurangabad itself is around 380 km NE of Mumbai, the commercial capital of India and capital city of Maharashtra.

At Ajanta, there are 30 Buddhist caves that were dug when Buddhism was thriving in India. Today, not all are in a good state. Cave 16 and 17 are exceptions, they are well preserved. The paintings here are inspired by the jatakas. A reclining Buddha image in Cave 26 is also worthseeing.

The Ellora Caves are not just Buddhist, there are also some Hindu and Jain Caves here. Cave 16 again hogs the highlight here. Known as the Kailashnath Temple, the cave temple was carved out of a single piece of rock top down. The Buddhist caves (1-12) of Ellora are the oldest one here. Most of the Buddhist caves are viharas.

Both MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) and ITDC (Indian Tourism Development Corporation) offer pacakges to tour the Ajanta and the Ellora caves. There are private tour opeartors as well who offer packages for Ajanta and ellora. Staying options are better in Aurangabad, hence most of the visitors on a trip to these caves put up in the city itself.

Check out the link here to find out more details on the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. There are also information on the various nearby tourist sites that can be visited after exploring the caves.

Two Interesting Piece of News

2007-12-27T23:08:00.000-08:00

The first is about Emperor Ashoka, the one who was so much appalled by bloodshed in a war raged by him that he renounced violence and took to the preachings of Lord Buddha. This Mauryan Emperor had a great role to play in the spread of Buddhism in both India and abroad. For so many years nobody was sure of how this powerful emperor looked like but now two statues recovered from Langudi, Orissa have been decalred to be that of the king. The statues were recovered some years back but the confirmation that are of Emperor Ashoka has come now.

I would have liked to provide more details but could not find more recent updates on this news on net. Instead I found this - link which is an old one ut still very relevant.

I am also providing another link which has more details on -Langudi in general

The other news is about the movie of Lord Buddha which reputed Indian film maker Shyam Benegal is going to make. As per reports, he is very keen that Bollywood superstar Hritik Roshan play the role of the Buddha in his film. If Hritik Roshan agrees to do this film, it would be interetsing to see him in a new avtaar. He is also playing Emperor Akbar in soon to be released movie, Jodha Akbar which will show whether the Indian audience will accept the hero in a historical character or not.
You can have more news on this topic - here

Jahangira - Bihar's Little Known Buddhist Heritage

2007-12-11T23:24:00.000-08:00

Today, browsing through the famous Buddhist news site 'The Buddhist Channel', I came across this piece of article that compelled me to think about the number of historical sites about which we know very little.

This site close to the the town of Sultanganj in Bihar is known as Jahangira and is an island. It is well known amongst the local people for its Ajgaibinath Temple. The boulders that make up the island have some worthseeing sculptures. The Buddhist sculptures that can be seen here include a 1.5 m statue of lord Buddha which is quiet similar to the one found in Sarnath. There is also an image of Tara with a lotus in hand, however, it is not in a good condition.

Like me, I know there are a number of people who do not know much about the site but are keen to gather more information. If you want to read more on this topic, you can visit Jahangira: The forgotten temple.

Buddha Quote

2007-11-26T00:56:00.000-08:00

Since everything is a reflection of our minds, everything can be changed by our minds.

Explore Buddhism in India And Nepal - A Package Tour for Those Interested in Buddhism

2007-11-19T21:46:00.000-08:00

Day 01 : Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi. On arrival at the airport, you will meet our representative and be transferred to hotel. Overnight in Hotel

Day 02 : Delhi
Today, leave for sight-seeing tour, which includes Jama Masjid - the largest mosque of Emperor Shahjahan. Later proceed to Red Fort, Raj Ghat- cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, to India Gate - a 42 meter stone arch built in the memory of the Indian Soldiers who died in World War II, Drive past the President's House & Parliament House, Humayun's Tomb (a memorial of the Mughals, its design is inspired by the Taj Mahal), the Qutab Minar & Lotus Temple. Overnight in Hotel.

Day 03 : Delhi - Varanasi
Transfer to Airport to connect flight IC 806 dep. 11:00 / arr. at Varanasi at 12:15 hrs. Afternoon excursion to Sarnath, the place where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. Overnight in Hotel.

Day 04 : Varanasi
Early morning boat ride on River Ganges. After breakfast leave for full day sightseeing of the city. The places of interest are Bharat Mata Temple, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas and the Banaras Hindu University. Overnight in Hotel.

Day 05 : Varanasi - Bodhgaya
Morning proceed for Bodhgaya which is about 250 kms / 7 hrs drive. Bodhgaya is the place where Gautama Buddha attained unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment. On arrival check into hotel and the rest of the day is free. Overnight in hotel.

Day 06 : Bodhgaya
Sightseeing of Maha Bodhi Temple and Bodhi Tree. Visit the Chinese Temple. In the afternoon visit Niranjana River and Sujata Temple. Also visit the school of the destitute. Overnight at Bodhgaya.

Day 07 : Bodhgaya - Nalanda - Rajgir - Patna
Early morning proceed to visit the historical towns of Nalanda & Rajgir.

Nalanda was the most renowned university in ancient India. Established in the 5th century B.C. it remained a live center of learning till the 12th century A.D. Rajgir was the lifetime of the Buddha and was the capital of the powerful Magadhan kingdom, ruled by the virtuous King Bimbisara.

Proceed to Patna after lunch (145 kms / 4 hrs). Overnight at Patna.

Day 08 : Patna - Vaishali - Kushinagar
Morning leave Patna for Kushinagar (260 kms / 8 hrs). En-route visit Vaishali - located 60 kms from Patna and holds special significance for Buddhist devotees. Kushinagar is the place where Buddha passed into Maha-Parinirvana.

Day 09 : Kushinagar: - Sravasti
Morning visit Kushinagar the various stupas and temples. Kushinagar is the Place where Buddha entered perfect tranquility - the state of Mahaparinirvana. Continue to Sravasti (250 kms - approx. 07 hrs drive). O/N Sravasti.

Day 10 : Sravasti - Lumbini
Morning visit Sahet Mahet (Capital of ancient kingdom of Kosla, Jetawana Gardens Buddhist temples etc. Afternoon drive Lumbini, which is 197 kms approx. & 05 hrs drive. On arrival transfer to hotel. Evening visit Buddhist temples for prayer. Overnight at hotel. Lumbini is the place where enlighted Gautam Buddha was born.

Day 11 : Lumbini - Kathmandu
Morning visit Buddhist temple & stupas. Transfer to airport to connect flight for Kathmandu. Afternoon tour of Katmandu City - Durbar Square complex of palaces, courtyards and temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the seat of the ancient Malla kings of Katmandu(Nepal).

Day 12 : Katmandu
Morning visit the Swoyambhunath Stupa : Watches over the valley from the top of a hillock on its western side. The stupa is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal and its establishment is linked to the Katmandu Valley out of a primordial lake.

Afternoon visit Patan City : Like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting melange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and former Royal palace complex is the center of Patan's religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze status and religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 16th century temple dedicated to the Hindu go Krishna, built entirely of stone.

Day 13 : Kathmandu - Departure
Morning visit Bhaktapur. The main tourist attractions are The lion gate and TheGolden gate. Evening transfer to international airport to connect onward destination.

To know more about and book this tour, you can contact Top Travels And Tours through Buddhist Tourism

East Torana At Great Sanchi Stupa in India

2007-10-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

Buddha Sculpture At Ajanta Cave Exterior

2007-10-19T02:36:00.001-07:00

Buddha Quote that's really inspiring

2007-10-03T01:03:00.000-07:00

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

Tourism department in Uttar Pradesh to develop the Buddhist Sites of the State.

2007-10-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

If implemented properly, this can really help boost the number of Buddhist tourists in Uttar Pradesh. The state government is planning to develop a Buddhist circuit in the state. Important Buddhist sites like Sarnath, Sravasti, Kushinagar and Kaushambi will be developed under this project. All these sites mentioned above are related to Lord Buddha himslef and as such will definitely attract a number of tourists if development work is carried out properly.

Chk out the entire news piece here.

A Film on the Buddha to be directed by Shyam Benegal

2007-08-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

This piece of news is simply delightful ! Veteran Indian film director, Shyam Benegal will now direct a movie revolving around the Buddha and Buddhism. The project is a joint venture between Colombo (Sri Lanka) based Light of Asia Foundation and India’s Beyond Dreams Entertainment. The cast of the film is not yet decided but it is scheduled to be released around mid 2009.

For me and all those interested in watching a movie around the Buddha, this is going to be a definite watch out one. More so because such a respected name of Indian cinema is going to direct the movie. With Shyam Benegal around, one can expect a movie which is well made and maintains the dignity of the great soul and his teachings.

It is quiet often seen that these kinds of movie do pretty well abroad but not in India. In India, it is only the a particular segment that watches such movies. A majority of the rest know very little about the movie. I really hope that this movie is promoted well in India and doesn’t remain confined to the niche audience only. It should reach the masses and make them aware of the life and teachings of the Buddha. After all, India is the land where Buddhism originated.

Waiting for the movie to be made and released. For now, you can check out the news piece here

King Sudhodhana, Princess Yashodhara & Prince Rahula

2007-08-20T03:50:00.000-07:00

Lord Buddha was a prince by birth. He was married to princess Yashodhara and even had a son by the name of Rahula. But he abandoned everything to seek enlightenment. He was successful in his endeavour and went on to preach his sermons for next many years.

I have known this story for a long time now, however, what I did not but wanted to know was about princess Yashodhara and her son Rahula. What happened to them after prince Siddhartha left them? Did they ever meet Siddhartha after he became the Buddha? What happened to his father, Suddhodhana, who had tried his best to prevent Siddhartha's renounciation of the world? These questions made me search for their answers and this is what I came across.

Suddhodhana continued to rule over Kapillavattu after Siddharta left the palace. Princess Yashodhara and her son Rahula stayed with him. However, Yashodhara renounced her luxurious life following her husband. She dressed up in a plain yellow robe and ate only one meal a day.

The Buddha returned to his palace when Rahula was seven years of age. All those who knew Siddhartha came upto greet him except Yashodhara. The Buddha himself went to meet her and was given due respect by the princess. Later, she also sent Rahula to meet his father saying he should ask for his inheritance. The Buddha ordained him.

Rahula went on to become an arahant following the Buddha's teachings. Later, Yashodhara, too, entered the order of monks and nuns. She became the chief of the female disciples who attained supernormal powers.

The Buddha met his father for the second time when the latter was close to his death. The Buddha preached him because of which Suddhodhana attained arahantship.

If you wish to know more about any of the three - Suddhodhana, Yashodhara and Rahula - then Buddhanet.net can be a good reference point. It has more information than on the Buddha's life and the people associated with him, both before and after enlightenment. Even Wikipedia has good information on this topic. I found them pretty informative. Check them out.

Ban on private construction in Sirpur

2007-08-14T02:37:00.000-07:00

This seems to be a great news! The government of Chhattisgarh state of India has put a ban on private construction at the famous Buddhist site of Sirpur. Not only this, the ASI is currently carrying out an extensive excavation work at the place to unearth the cultural treasures from the past and the state government is trying hard to get a world heritage site status for Sirpur.

In my opinion, this is a good step from the side of the government to protect a site which was once a famed Buddhist centre for learning. If efforts are not made today to preserve the cultural heritage of the past, nothing will remain for the future generation. If the state government succeeds in its effort to get a world heritage status for the site, the Buddhist heritage property will get more exposure and tourists than it is getting now. This will further help the development process of the site.

Even if the world heritage site status eludes Sirpur, the government should try to create awareness about the site so that people understand the significance and need to protect this site. Also, the local people themselves need to understand the significance of heritage property they are trying to destroy by indulging in construction work for their personal benefit. What say?

If you wish to know more about Sirpur, just visit
http://www.buddhist-tourism.com/countries/india/temples-monuments/sirpur-chattisgarh.html

I found this out while trying to get more information on Sirpur.

By the way, do you know which are the Buddhist world Heritage sites in India? The Mahabodhi Temple complex of Bodhgaya, The Caves of Ajanta and Ellora, the Buddhist Monuments of Sanchi............., please let me know if I missed out any name here. On the tentative list are Buddhist Monastery complex of Alchi, Buddhist site at Sarnath and Hemis Gompa in Ladakh.

How Siddharta Gautama became the Buddha

2007-08-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

The historical Buddha was born as Siddharta Gautama to King Suddhodhana and Queen Maya around 560 B.C.E after 20 years of their marriage. Suddhodhana was the king of the Sakya clan and was extremely happy with the birth of his son. However, the joy was shortlived as Queen Maya died just seven days after the birth of the little prince. Mahaprajapati, the queen's sister married Suddhodhana and became Siddharta's foster mother.

The birth of the child spread happiness around and brought a hermit to the palace. He, on seeing the prince, prophesied that the child on growing up would either become a great king or embrace religious life to save the world. King Suddhodhana was initially very happy with the prediction since it anyway reflected the greatness of the child, however, as time passed the anxiety of the king grew. He could not bear the fact that his only son was not as interested in the worldly life as he would have liked him to be. Because of this, he created an environment around Siddharta in which the latter could only see the luxuries and happiness of life. The King's strict instruction were to keep away all such people from prince who could influence him to abnadon his worldly life. He also got the prince married to a beautiful princess, Yashodhara so as to put more of worldly responsibilities on him.

Despite all this, the prince always seemed to be inclined towards knowing more about the misiries of life. It was this urge to know more about the real life that one day saw the prince getting out of walls of his palace alongwith his servant Channa to see what was happening in the lives of other people. What he saw was very disturbing - a weak old man, a sick man, a corpse and finally a monk. This set him thinking that he too was destined to become what he saw. He therefore decided to abandon his worldly life and seek spiritual enlightenment. Even the beauty of his wife and the innocence of his newly born son's face could not stop him from renouncing his family life as was supposed by Suddhodhana.

Siddharta did not achieve instant enlightenment. He struggled to find a solution to the misiries of life. Initially, he took Alara Kalama, a hermit as his teacher, but was just not satisfied with his teachings. He changed his teacher and later went for yogic practices. Siddharta also indulged himself into extreme austerity, not accepting any food. Very soon, he realised that intense asceticism was as harmful and unproductive as the excessive luxuries he indulged in as a prince. He now knew that striking a fine balance between the two was important. He took food in moderation and restarted his meditation under the Bo tree in Bodhgaya. After several hours of meditation, he attained enlightenment. His happiness, on achieving enlightenment knew no bounds and it is said that he danced for seven consecutive days and nights with joy. Siddharta was now the BUDDHA, the awakened one. There itself, He converted two merchants - Tapussa and Bhallika. Later, He travelled to Derr Park in Sarnath and delivered his first sermon to his five ascetic friends.

This was how Siddharta Gautam became the Buddha and set the foundation for what we today know as Buddhism.