Buddhist Circuit Tour

Buddhist Circuit Tour

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Buddhist circuit is a route that follows the footsteps of Gautama Buddha starting from his place of birth to his place of death. The international circuit spanning over India and Nepal included Lumbini (place of birth), Bodh Gaya (place of enlightenment), Sarnath (place of first preaching) and Kushinagar place of death).
Apart from the four major sites there are several Buddhist pilgrim sites like, Rajgir, Nalanda and Sarnath nearby and can be clubbed with the Buddhist circuit. Also the famous Hindu pilgrimage of Varanasi can also be clubbed in the same circuit.

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Major Sites : -

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Lumbini

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Lumbini, Nepal is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha. It is located in the Indo-Nepal border. A pillar erected by Ashoka stands on the place of Buddha's birth. There is also a Buddhist monastery, a peace stupa, a museum, and a Lumbini International Research Institute.

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Bodh Gaya

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Bodh Gaya. Buddha attained enlightenment under a peepal tree in Bodh Gaya. The tree is no longer there but a descendant of the tree still stands and is a prime attraction for Buddhist pilgrims. The tree is housed inside the main temple complex of Bodh Gaya. Many of the structures date back to the time of Buddha and others were built during the reign of Ashoka (268 – 232 BCE). The main temple is built in pyramidical style and towers to a height of 55 ft. The brick temple dates back to the Gupta period and is datable to the 5th–6th century CE. Bodh Gaya also has a giant Buddha statue in sitting posture. There are several other temples built by Buddhist countries such as Bhutan, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan. There is also an archaeological museum and a multimedia center

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Sarnath Sarnath

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Sarnath. Sarnath is a small village in Uttar Pradesh, India, about 13 km north-east of Varanasi. It's famous as the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma and also where the original Sangha was formed. Within the deer park complex is the large Dhamekha Stupa, constructed by the Emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE, and several other Buddhist structures that were added between the 3rd century BCE and the 11th century CE.

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Kushinagar

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A Religious pilgrimage center in Kushinagar District in the beautiful state of Uttar Pradesh, Kushinagar is a place where Lord Buddha attained Nirvana. It is famous for numerous monasteries and stupas dating back years ago are almost in relics now. The much explored site of this beautiful town is Mahaparinirvana Stupa which is positioned above the location where Gautam Buddha is finally resting.
When the Buddha reached his eightieth year, he felt that his time in this world was approaching an end. At that time, according to the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta (Sutta 16 of the Dīgha Nikāya), he and some of his disciples undertook a months-long journey that would take them from Rājagṛha, through Pāṭaliputta, Vesāli, Bhoganagara, and Pāvā, to their final destination at Kushinagar. It was at Pāvā that Cunda, a resident of Pāvā, invited the group to a meal that featured a food called sukaramaddava. This would prove to be the Buddha's last meal, as he was afflicted by a painful illness resembling dysentery soon after consuming the meal. After the meal, the Buddha crossed the Kakkuttha River (now called the Khanua River) and completed his journey to Kushinagar.
According to the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta, the Buddha attained parinirvana shortly after his arrival in Kushinagar. Seven days after his parinirvana, the remains of the Buddha were cremated at that location.
The statue of the reclining Buddha is inside the Parinirvana Temple. The statue is 6.10 metres long and is made of a single block of red sandstone. It represents the Buddha in the position he was in when he died and attained parinirvana — reclining on his right side with his head to the north, feet to the south, and face towards the west. It is situated on a large brick platform with stone posts at the corners.

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