Site of Enlightenment
Bodh means wisdom, knowledge, revelation and Buddha means the one who has comprehended, perceived and known the truth. Buddha was born as the son of the king of Kapilvastu. He left behind his princely life at the age of 29 and wandered for six years in the northern plains of India in search of truth. After a long and difficult process of meditation, reflection, and self-transformation, Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of 35 on the night of Vaishaki Purnima (full-moon day of May) under a peepal tree (Ficus Religiosa) in what is today known as Bodhgaya.
For the followers of Dhamma, Buddha’s life is an example of progressing and attaining perfection on the path of Dhamma. Pilgrimage to Bodhgaya is seen as the most visible and enduring expression of Dhamma practice.
According to Buddhist literature, Emperor Ashoka built a shrine at Bodhgaya at the exact spot where Buddha attained enlightenment. This place was called Sambodhi — the place of Complete Enlightenment. Xuanzang mentions an area of 100 paces around the Bodhi tree as Bodhi-manda (bodhi arena). Currently, the Mahabodhi Temple stands at this spot facing the east — the direction in which Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree in the final hours before attaining enlightenment.
In ancient times, devotees from far away undertook pilgrimage to Bodhgaya spending months, even years, to reach the place. They returned with objects considered sacred such as the Bodhi leaf, votive seal, terracotta impressions of prayer seals, and miniature sculptures. One of the popular souvenirs that pilgrims carried back was a miniature of the Mahabodhi Temple. Research suggests that Mahabodhi Temple miniatures helped in development of full-scale replicas in many Buddhist countries.
The present-day Mahabodhi Temple is 50 metres high. In the sanctum of the temple stands a 5.5-foot tall gilded statue of Buddha in earth-touching-posture (bhumisparsa mudra). The mudra literally means ‘gesture of touching the earth’ and portrays the Buddha calling the earth to witness the conquest of mara (evil forces). The temple complex is surrounded by a railing made of sandstone (dating from 1st century BCE) and granite (dating from 7th century CE) and sculpted motifs. Inscriptions on the sandstone railings mention the names of donors. A portion of the railing can be seen at the archaeological museum in Bodhgaya.
In the precinct of the Mahabodhi Temple stands the Bodhi tree. Bodhi means the awakening experience attained by the Buddha under the peepal tree. Tradition says that after attaining enlightenment, Buddha spent the next seven days under the Bodhi tree experiencing the bliss of freedom and contemplating the extent of his new understanding. The Bodhi tree is thus considered sacred by the followers of Dhamma. Buddhist literature mentions that despite people’s attempts to destroy the Bodhi tree in the complex of Mahabodhi Temple, the tree has regenerated each time miraculously. To spread the Dhamma, Emperor Ashoka sent saplings of the Bodhi tree along with the Sangha to Sri Lanka as a symbol of Dhamma. For the followers of Dhamma, the Bodhi tree has a spiritual significance such as no other tree in the world.
