Oct 18 Bodh Gaya

Roadside Hindu Temple

My driver, VJ, and I left Varanasi at 8am and drove five hours to Bodh Gaya, a place I've wanted to see for a long time; where the Buddha was enlightened. Most of the way I saw desert-like land. VJ stopped at a small Hindu temple on the side of the road to purchase a toran for good luck while traveling.

My driver VJ

Welcome to Bodh Gaya

Looking out the window of the car I pictured the Buddha walking the 200 kilometers from Sarnath to Bodh Gaya. Wow. He walked thousands of kilometers on difficult terrain in his 83 year lifetime. As I entered Bodh Gaya a sign read 'Welcome to Bodh Gaya The Land of Enlightenment.'

I arrived in Bodh Gaya at four o'clock and checked into the Bodh Gaya Regency Hotel, which is in the heart of the city and next to the Japanese Temple.

Regency hotel

Regency hotel lobby

On the walls of the hotel are murals of the Buddha's life.

Buddha lying down before dying

Buddha accepting rice milk from Sujata and realizing the Middle Way

Japanese Temple

My new guide, Ravi, greeted me at the hotel, and we immediately rode on his motorcycle to the Mahabodi temple, where the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodi Tree.

Mahabodi Temple

Mahabodi is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the world, built 250 BCE, about 200 years after the Buddha attained enlightenment, by Emperor Ashoka, who converted from Hinduism to Buddhism. I saw hundreds of worshipers chanting, prostrating, monks from many different orders meditating along with sight-seers. The temple was attacked by terrorists around 5:30 in the morning July 7, 2013, by three from the Indian Mujahideen, who were wearing monk robes.

Ravi

Outside the temple

Mahabodi Temple

Sitting under the Bodhi Tree I asked myself, 'Am I dreaming or is this really happening?' 

Meditators under the Bodhi Tree

Monk holding Alms bowl

Bodhi Tree

I visited the Japanese Buddhist temple to hear the 5pm ringing of the bell of peace.

Japanese temple

Temples

There are several Buddhist temples and monasteries in Bodh Gaya, including the temples of Bhutan, China, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, and Viet Nam. I saw all of them. The name Bodh Gaya only began in the 18th century
After my visit to the temple my guide, Ravi took me by motorcycle to a small tea shop for a chi tea break. The tea is cooked for several minutes over hot coals. It was so good I had three cups. People drink a lot of chi-tea in India, and very little coffee.