Buddha Temples

Rumtek Buddhist Monastery, Sikkim

September 8, 2019, Sasidhar Darla Leave a Comment Filed Under: North - East Temples Tagged With: Buddha Temples

Rumtek Monastery is a Gompa. It is also known as the Dharma Chakra Centre. This monastery is located at Sikkim, Gangtok. The monastery was originally built in the mid-1700s, under the direction of Changchub Dorje. It is one of the most significant monasteries in Sikkim. The shrine was established to spread the teachings of the Buddha throughout the world.

This monastery is a storehouse of many religious art objects. It also houses some of the world’s most unique religious scriptures. Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies, a Buddhist college, is situated opposite to the monastery. The monastery gained its importance after China annexed Tibet because of which many religious gurus relocated from Tibet to Sikkim.

What is the history of Rumtek Monastery?

The Rumtek Monastery was originally built in the mid-1700s, under the direction of Changchub Dorje. This monstery served as the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Sikkim for some time. However, when the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1959, he found that the monastery was in ruins. Rangjung Rigpe Dorje fleed from Tibet. He then decided to rebuild Rumtek. The construction of the monastery was completed after 4 years.

The 16th Karmapa officially inaugurated the new seat, on Losar in 1966. It was called ‘The Dharmachakra Centre’: a place of erudition and spiritual accomplishment, the seat of the glorious Karmapa.

It is said that the 1st Karmapa spent many years meditating in a cave here. Ten thousand fairies came to congratulate the Karmapa and each offered him a strand of their hair. The Karmapa wore these strands of hair as a black hat. This was passed down and is still worn by the karmapa on ceremonial occasions.

What is the architecture of Rumtek Monastery?

The Rumtek Monastery is a fabulous and piece of work. It has used some of the rarest Buddhist religious artwork in the form of wall murals and thanks.

The Rumtek Monastery is a three-storeyed building. The monastery contains a marvelous main temple. It has a monastic college where the relics of the Sixteenth Karmapa are preserved. The monastery also has a golden stupa and a magnificent Buddha statue.

The main structure of the Monastery has been made in accordance with the traditional designs of the Tibetan monasteries.
The top floor of the monastery has a terrace and also a tiny stupa.
The ground floor of the Monastery has a large prayer hall. The floor is decorated with large hand painted and intricate murals, statues. silk paintings and thankas.
There is a shrine in the main building. The decoration of the shrine is a traditional manner with religious texts.
There are buildings for the monks to live in front of the main monastery.

How to reach Rumtek Monastery?

The Rumtek Monastery is located at a distance of 23 km from Gangtok.

Train: Take a train to Siliguri or New Jalpaiguri (NJP). From there you can drive to Gangtok. It takes around 4-5 hours.

Air: Take a flight to Bagdogra, West Bengal. From there you can drive to Gangtok.

Road: Sikkim is well-connected to all major places via road.

What are the timings of Rumtek Monastery?

The Rumtek Monastery is open for the tourists on all days a week.

The timings are 7:00 am – 7:00 pm.

What is the entry fees of the Rumtek Monastery?

The entry fees of the Monastery is Rs. 10 per person.

What are the festivals observed in the Rumtek Monastery?

There are two festivals that are observed in the Rumtek Buddhist Monastery.

Vajrakilaya Drupchen: This is celebrated on the fifth month of the lunar calendar of Tibet. It pays homage to the Guru Padmasambhava – the most important monk. This festival is celebrated for ten days.
‘Lama’ dance: This traditional and holy dance is performed on the last day. It is a delight to watch the performance.

The Great Stupa- Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

May 4, 2019, Sasidhar Darla Leave a Comment Filed Under: Madhya Pradesh Temples Tagged With: Buddha Temples

The Great Stupa is not only an important Buddhist monument but also one of the oldest stone structure in India. The stupa is a Sanskrit term that means ‘heap’. It was built by Emperor Ashoka in honor of Lord Buddha in 3rd century BCE. The Stupa was built during the Mauryan period. It is located in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh. It has its listing in UNESCO’s world heritage sites. It is believed that this Stupa houses ashes of Buddha.

Originally the Stupa was a simple structure. However, it got destroyed in the 2nd century BCE. The Stupa reached its final form after repairing and enlarging it in the 1st century BCE. Currently, the Stupa is 54 feet high and 120 feet high.

The Great Stupa is located 46 km north-east of Bhopal, on the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, India. One can visit the Stupa from Sunrise to Sunset. The Stupa remains open for visitors from 8 am to 5 pm.

What is the architecture of The Great Stupa?

Every Stupas has three identical features.

Anda (hemispherical mound): The Anda is a dome-shaped mound of dirt. It was made to cover Buddha’s remains. The earliest Stupas contained actual relics of the Buddha. With time, the hemispherical mound has got a grander symbolic meaning. It represents the mountain home of the gods at the center of the universe.
Harmika (A square railing): The Anda is surrounded by a Harmika. It represents the world mountain. It is inspired by a square railing or fence that surrounded the mound of dirt, marking it as a sacred burial site.
Chattra (A central pillar supporting a triple-umbrella form): The Chattra is a triple umbrella structure. It represents the three Jewels or Triantha of Buddhism—the Buddha, the Dharma (doctrine), and the Sangha (community). These three Jewels are the keys to a true understanding of the faith It was placed over the mound to protect it from the elements.

The other unique features of the Sanchi Stupa is:

Medhi (A circular terrace): Medhi is a circular terrace. It is surrounded by a similar three-bar railing. The railing supports the Anda and raises it off the ground. It likely served as a platform for ritual practice.
Toranas(wall with decorated gateways): The wall is marked in light blue highlights. The toranas are marked in yellow. Torans are the wall that surrounds the entire structure, with its trademark three horizontal stone bars. The Toranas of the Great Stupa are the greatest achievement of Sanchi sculpture. Each gateway is made up of two squared posts. These posts are topped by capitals of sculptured animals or dwarfs, which are surmounted by three architraves.

All the elements are covered with relief sculpture that depicts the events of the Buddha’s life. There are Jataka stories -about the Buddha’s previous lives, scenes of early Buddhism, and auspicious symbols. The names of donors are also inscribed. The most notable is the ivory workers of Vidisha.

What is the significance of The Great Stupa?

Stupas were made to remind the Buddhist practitioner of the Buddha and his teachings. These were made almost 2,500 years after Buddha’s death. The practice of building stupas spread with the Buddhist doctrine to Nepal and Tibet, Bhutan, Thailand, Burma, China and the United States where large Buddhist communities are centered.

Building Stupas has Karmic benefits for the Buddhists. Karma plays a key role in Buddhism and Hinduism. Karma means the energy generated by a person’s actions and the ethical consequences of those actions. A Buddhists believe that building a Stupa would help them be born in a good location and they will not suffer from extreme poverty.

Buddhists visit Stupas to perform rituals that help them to understand the Buddha’s teachings. Buddha’s teachings are pointed in Four Noble Truths. Once a person fully understands The Four Noble Truths, they are able to achieve Enlightenment (the complete knowledge of the dharma).

The Four Noble Truths are:

Life is suffering. Suffering means Rebirth.
The cause of suffering is Desire.
The cause of desire must be overcome.
When desire is overcome, there is no more suffering.

Buddha means ‘The Enlightened One’. Buddhist practitioners seek the knowledge that the Buddha gained on his way to achieving Enlightenment.

What are the timings of The Great Stupa?

The Great Stupa is open for the visitors on all days.
The timings are from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM.

What are the entry fees of the Great Stupa?

The entry fees of the Great Stupa is:

Entry fee for Indians: Rs. 10.
Entry fee for Foreigners: Rs. 250.
Entry fee for Children up to 15 years: Free.

What is the best time to visit The Great Stupa?

The best time to visit Sanchi Stupa is during the months of November to March. Majority of the festivals take place during this time.
The climate of the great Stupa remains moderately hot throughout the year.
Avoid making a trip during the hot summer months.

How to reach The Great Stupa?

Air: Nearest airport for reaching Sanchi stupas is Raja Bhoj airport at Bhopal city. Sanchi lies in 55 km north-east of Bhopal airport.
Train: The nearest railway station is Bhopal. It is connected with direct trains from major cities.
Road: Sanchi is well connected by road with other cities. It lies on Bhopal-Sagar state highway.

Mahabodhi Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

September 28, 2019, Sasidhar Darla Leave a Comment Filed Under: Bihar Temples Tagged With: Buddha Temples

Mahabodhi Temple is an ancient Buddhist Temple in Bodh Gaya. Bodh Gaya is about 96 km from Patna, Bihar, India. Mahabodhi literally means the Great Awakening and it is said that Buddha has attained enlightenment in this location. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mahabodhi Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Buddha (Gautam Buddha)
Location	Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Entry Fee	Free
Best Time to Visit	November to February; April to May
Darshan Timings	5:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Festivals	Buddha Jayanti, Kalachakra Festival
Other Buddha Temples	Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex, Hemis Monastery, Tawang Monastery, Sanchi Supa, Rumtek Monastery

Mahabodhi Temple – Video

What is the significance of the Mahabodhi Temple?

The significance of the Mahabodhi Temple is that it is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Buddha. This temple was built in the late Gupta period. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, which is still standing in India. This temple is said to have a significant influence on the development of brick architecture over the centuries. This temple was the first temple built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C.

What is the history of Mahabodhi Temple?

Gautama Buddha once reached the Slyvan Banks of Falgu River, wandering as a monk. He sat under a peepul tree for meditating. it is said that after three days and three nights of meditating, he finally received enlightenment and all the answers that he sought. The peepul tree later came to be known as Bodhi Tree. The Mahabodhi Temple was built here by the devotees to mark the location.

After this, Buddha spent seven weeks in seven different spots meditating.

He spent the first week under the Bodhi tree.
On the second week, he just stood and stared at the Bodhi tree uninterrupted. an unblinking Stupa was built to mark this place. This Stupa is called Animeshlocha Stupa. Located at the north-east of Mahabodhi Temple, this shrine houses a statue of Buddha with his eyes fixed towards the Bodhi tree.
It is said that Buddha walked back and forth from Bodhi tree and Animeshlocha Stupa. That place is called Ratnachakarma which means the Jewel walk. It is said that lotus flowers sprung across this place.

What is the architecture of this temple like?

The Mahabodhi Temple is 50 metres high and grand. The property of the temple has a total area of 4.8600 ha. The temple comprises of a sacred Bodhi Tree and other six sacred sites of Buddha’s enlightenment. These are surrounded by numerous ancient Votive stupas which are well maintained and protected by inner, middle and outer circular boundaries. A Lotus Pond is located outside the enclosure to the south. This is usually called the seventh sacred place. Both the temple area and the Lotus Pond are surrounded by circulating passages at two or three levels. Emperor Ashoka first built this temple in the 3rd century B.C.

The style of the edifice declares that it was built primarily to form a monument, not a shrine of Buddha. The Main Temple is built in the classical style of Indian temple architecture. The wall of the main temple has an average height of 11 m. It has entrances from the east and from the north and has a low basement.

What are the timings of the Mahabodhi Temple?

The Mahabodhi Temple opens at 5:00 AM and closes at 9:00 PM. The temple also performs various rituals during this time which the devotees can be a part of. The temple is open all days throughout the week. Also, 30-minute chanting sessions take place at the temple at 5:30 AM and 6:00 PM.

Timings	Rituals
5:00 AM	The opening of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara (main shrine)
5:30 AM to 6:00 AM	Sutta chanting and meditation
10:00 AM	The offering of Kheer (rice pudding cooked with rice, milk, and sugar)
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM	Shrine is closed for darshan
6:00 PM to 6:30 PM	Sutta chanting (Mahayana tradition)
6:30 PM to 7:00 PM	Sutta chanting (Pali)
9:00 PM	The closing of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara

How to reach the Mahabodhi Temple?

Air: You can fly to Patna. All major cities have direct flights to Patna Airport.
Train: The nearest station is Gaya. The distance of the temple from Gaya is 16 km.
Road: You can drive to Gaya and then to the temple. The Grand Trunk Road connects Gaya to cities like Jamshedpur, Patna, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kolkata, Kanpur etc.

What are the entry fees of the Mahabodhi Temple?

There’s no entry fee.
However, the charge for cameras is Rs. 100, and Rs. 300 for video cameras.
A small entry fee is payable for the meditation park. It is open from sunrise until sunset.
There is a prohibition of cell phones and other electronic devices on the temple complex. Free storage of the same is provided at the baggage counter at the entrance of the temple.

What are some places to visit in Gaya?

Vishnupad Temple: Vishnupad Mandir is located in Gaya which is 100 km away from Patna, the capital of Bihar and is one of the most attractive temples. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it is believed that Lord Rama, along with his wife, Sita, visited this temple.
Tibetan Refugee Market: It is a place where you can buy lots of junk jewellery, bags and clothes. This is a very good market and all the product has a reasonable price. There are also books which help in knowing the history and culture of the Buddhist community very well. One can even buy Lord Buddha’s statue made of sandalwood or metal with various poses and moods. One can every buy handicraft items. This market has an open-bazaar system.
Dhamma Bodhgaya International Vipassana Meditation Centre: One of the most popular Vipassana centres in Bodh Gaya is Dhamma Yoga which is a favourite centre all across India. Courses here are usually of 10 days long, with some special one lasting for up to 20 days. There is a strict code of discipline which one must follow, so make sure you understand these rules before applying. You’ll need to take a form from their website and check for availability and course schedules to be a part of their Vipassana camps.
International Meditation Centre: Head to the International Meditation Centre to learn and participate in Vipassana Meditation, one of the most sophisticated forms of Yoga. This centre is run by trained professionals. The camps help by this centre helps in throwing away stress. You can join and complete a course of any duration that you please, at any time of the year. Run mostly on donations since 1970, the prices here are pretty affordable.

What are some other temples to visit in Bihar?

Baidyanath Dham: Baba Baidyanath Dham or Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India. This temple of Shiva is in Deoghar in Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand. According to beliefs, the light of Jyotirlingam is the light of cosmos which is realized by the power of the soul as a whole.
Patan Devi Temple: This temple is one of the oldest and the most sacred temples of Patna, the capital city of Bihar state in India. This ancient temple, which was originally called Maa Sarvanand Kari Patneshwari, is believed to be the abode of the goddess Durga. The temple is regarded as one among the 51 Siddha Shakti Peethas of the country.
Mahavir Mandir: Mahavir Mandir Patna is located near Patna Junction and is devoted to Lord Hanuman. Thousands of devotees come here each day to offer prayer and seek the blessing of Lord Hanuman. It is also called “Manokamana Temple” as it is said that each and every wish of devotees is granted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mahabodhi Temple open throughout the year?

Yes, the Mahabodhi Temple is open all 365 days of the year.

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Mahabodhi Temple is free of cost.

Is there any online darshan facility available?

No, there is no online darshan facility available.

Can one carry mobiles and gadgets into the temple?

No. All electronic gadgets are prohibited in the temple premises (viz. mobile, camera, laptop). Free storage of the same is available at the entrance of the temple.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizen?

No. No such facilities are available. Although, a wheelchair can be made available upon request.

Is there any facility available for site seeing or nearby temple visit?

No. No such facilities are available.

What is the best time to visit Gaya?

The months of November to February is very ideal to visit the Mahabodhi and the other temples located in Gaya. However, since Buddha Purnima takes place in the month of April or May, many devotees visit the temple during this time.

What is the weather like during the summers?

The summers at Gaya start from March and continues until June. The summers here can be very hot. Temperatures during the daytime often go up to 45 º C.

What are winters like in Gaya?

In Gaya, winters start in November and continue until February. The temperatures during this time are around 20 º C. The weather during this time is cool and pleasant.

If you have any questions about The Mahabodhi Temple, please leave your comment below and we will get back to you within one hour.