Bodhgaya is a district to the north of India, and is recorded as being the site where Buddha gained enlightenment. It covers an area of 249 sq kilometres and forms part of the Gaya district.iii Its history dates back to 1100- 6000 BC., however the name Bodhgaya was not actually used until the 18 century. Previously it was known as Urodele and the village with in it came to be known as either Sambodhi, Vajrasana or Mahabodhi.
Bodhgaya is one of 4 significant sites in the Buddha’s life. These sites are Lumbini, the place of his birth, Bodhgaya, where he attained enlightenment; Saranath, the site of his first sermon, and Kushinager where he died. As one of these sites, Bodhgaya has become a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. The first Buddhist ruler of India Emperor Asoka (3rd century BC) is believed to be one of the first pilgrims of significance to visit the site, and built the first monuments at the site.
There are several significant elements to the Bodhgaya site including the Mahabodhi temple. The others are the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha sat and meditated to gain enlightenment and the Living walk, where he travelled for 7 days following his enlightenment. The Mahabodhi monastery is also located at Bodhgaya, which has become a monastic university and is the premier centre for the study of Theravada Buddhism in India.
While Bodhgaya is most well known for the enlightenment of the Guatama Buddha ,viii it is also believed that all Buddha’s past, future and present will gain enlightenment at Bodhgaya.
In considering the Mahabodhi temple, there are several key elements that taken into consideration. Through out the temples long history it has several times fallen into disrepair, with various groups taking up residence. This has lead to alterations being made to the site which divert it from its original plan. To understand the stages of tis we need to understand the various stages of construction it has undergone. A brief snapshot is presented here.
As mentioned previously in the third century BC the first structures of significance were built on the site by emperor Asoka in the form of a shrine to Buddha. However it was not until somewhere between 1st and 4th century that the first temple was built, which resulted in changes to the original site. From earlier observations it would seem that the Bodhi tree was moved from its original site and the alignment of emperor Asoka”s shrine was changed. This can be observed in the position of the Jewelled Walk (where Buddha did his walking meditation after he became enlightened) which is slightly different from the temple itself.
The temple was refurbished somewhere between the 7th and 12th century, but after that it was deserted and fell into ruin. While there were several groups which took up residence within the site and some restoration work was begunxi it was not until General Alexander Cunningham, that significant restoration was completed in the 19 century.
With this in mind we can consider the elements of the Mahabodhi site. Aside from the temple there are two major elements which are related to the temple and site as a whole, however it should be noted that the site is full of various shrines and places of significance, which will not be discussed here. As mentioned earlier they are the Bodhi tree and the Jewelled Walk.
The Bodhi tree, unique with its heart shaped leaves is situated at the west of the Mahabodhi temple. It is said to be a direct descendent of the original tree that Buddha gained enlightenment under. A cutting of the original tree was taken and planted in Sri Lanka in the third century BC, a sapling from that tree was later brought back to Bodh Gaya ,where it is still growing today. However it is said that the tree itself has been cut down, burned and mutilated over the ages and each time by divine intervention it has miraculously recovered.
Related to the Bodhi tree is the seat of Buddha’s mediation or the Vajrasana. A relic from the original Asoka temple the Vajrasana has been incorporated into the building of the Mahabodhi temple. The Vajrasana is placed in the middle of an enclosure around the Bodhi tree which was supposedly constructed to avoid further damage coming to the tree. Some of the original railing is still standing, and is sculpted with various decorative details.This is an early example of Indian relief sculpture.
The other element of significance as mentioned is the Jewelled Walk. Also known as the Cloistered Walk it incorporates 22-pillared bases still in their original positions, each marked with a letter of the Indian alphabet of Asoka. It is said that after he attained enlightenment Buddha walked east and west for ten paces or so in meditation. Each is marked with a lotus relief carving.
One of the main features of the Mahabodhi temple is that it is one of the earliest examples of brick construction in India. This is one of the main points for its world heritage listing. The Mahabodhi temple faces east, the direction Buddha was facing when he sat and meditated under the Bodhi tree. The meaning of Mahabodhi is 'Great Enlightenment'.
The temple is recessed about 5 meters into the ground and is approached by a flight of stairs which lead down to the temple. Throughout the temple and surrounding grounds, there are many shrines and stupas. While many of these were contributed by kings, princes and noblemen, many were also built by laypersons.
The temple itself is approached through a gateway believed to have been originally built by Emperor Asoka and later rebuilt. Following the path from the gateway, small entranceway with small niches each containing the statue of Buddha, can be seen. From the entrance, you can gain access to the sanctum which contains a gilded statue of the seated Buddha
Bodhgaya is described as an experiment zone where various styles come together, not only through the culmination of sculptures over the decades but through transition of styles in the early stages of its development. Prominent throughout the temple as well as its surroundings is the detailed relief culptures. These sculptures are described a having a sense of volume and weight within them, as well as the illusion of movement. There is a careful graduation of the planes of foreground and background achieved by a precise yet deeply incised cutting-of the stone.
Unique to Bodhgaya these relief's are less crowded and less uniform than the relief sculptures of other major sites from the same time period, further illustrating the experimentation that occurred at Bodhgaya.
Within these reliefs there is a pronounced interplay of elements and sense of rhythm. Depth is also addressed through the recessing of elements like a door or wall which shows knowledge of overshadowing. Movement within these reliefs is conveyed in the ripples of drapery and the poses figures are in, however this movement is contained with the one still tableau creating a resolved scene within the confines of the frame.
The statures of the Buddha throughout the Mahabodhi temple and its grounds-number in the thousands however most are believed to have been produced throughout the medieval era, as there are few examples of ancient Buddha statues. Most of the depictions of the Buddha show him seated under the Bodhi tree, for example those featured along the the grand temple walls in various sized niches. Within the temple, above the sanctum is a hall containing a shrine at which the senior monks gather to meditate, which contains another statue of the seated Buddha.
The largest statue of the Buddha in Mahabodhi is just over 5ft tall. It depicts a seated Buddha touching the earth with his right hand (a gesture known as the earth-witness mudra). The statue sits on a portion of the Vajrasana and it is in this posture Buddha accomplished the supreme enlightenment.The statue is of black stone but it has been covered in gold and usually dressed in bright orange robes, which can hide the pose or mudra the Buddha is in.
The Mahabodhi image of the Buddha is one of the most well known and is said to be an exact likeness of Buddha himself. It has been used, with special permission to be carved into exact replicas which appear in temples all over the Buddhist world. Another typical depiction of the Buddha statues appears on the more ornate stupas in and around the Mahabodhi Temple and at the Bodhgaya site.
As with most Buddhist sites-the Mahabodhi temple has many stupas and is considered to be a stupa itself. The meaning behind a stupa is essentially a ‘spiritual monument’ and references variously the Buddha’s ‘Top knot’, a ball of clay. Built as a symbol of the mind of the Buddha, they are often built as a commemoration of the passing of a person for example a great teacher, forging the connection between the oneness of Buddha and the teacher’s forever unchanging mind.
While there are both large highly decorative stupas and small more simple ones, the appearance is largely irrelevant to the meaning,xxxv as long as it contains several basics elements. The stupas are representational of the teaching of Buddha and of the philosophies regarding life.
The basic platform that “holds the earth” symbolizes the ten virtues which are divided into the categories of body, speech and mind, various imagery is also used to convey specific meaning for example the lion throne symbolizes superiority over the whole universe, and the big lotuses symbolize the six transcendental virtues (six perfections). The four corners of the basic throne represent the four immeasurable of love, compassion, joy and equanimity.
As each step of the stupa progresses, they each have their own meanings for example the first step symbolizes mindfulness, while the fifth step represents the five powers of faith, energy, attention, concentration and knowledge. The vase at the top represents the seven branches of awakening and the Noble eightfold path.
As mentioned above the shapes of these stupas vary from those that are low and almost bare which are believed to be from the time of Emperor Asoka to those from medieval times with tall, ornamented spires with elaborately- carved bases.
The Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya is highly significant from various perspectives. From an archaeological perspective, the site is unique in its combination of styles from ancient to medieval times as well as the experimentation within the techniques used. The early use of brick makes it unique as an early example of Indian construction.
From an art perspective the sculptural components of the site are numerous taking the form of relief sculptures depicting narratives from Buddha’s life and teaching to images of the Buddha himself in various positions known as madras’s and finally to the monuments in the grounds like the diamond throne and the various stupas throughout the site and temple.
The different elements of the Mahabodhi Temple site make it a perfect meditative environment and may people make a pilgrimage to the site both for is significance in Buddhism as well as it's beautiful art, architecture and religious experience.
The significance of Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya is one of 4 significant sites in the Buddha’s life. These sites are Lumbini, the place of his birth, Bodhgaya, where he attained enlightenment; Saranath, the site of his first sermon, and Kushinager where he died. As one of these sites, Bodhgaya has become a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. The first Buddhist ruler of India Emperor Asoka (3rd century BC) is believed to be one of the first pilgrims of significance to visit the site, and built the first monuments at the site.
There are several significant elements to the Bodhgaya site including the Mahabodhi temple. The others are the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha sat and meditated to gain enlightenment and the Living walk, where he travelled for 7 days following his enlightenment. The Mahabodhi monastery is also located at Bodhgaya, which has become a monastic university and is the premier centre for the study of Theravada Buddhism in India.
While Bodhgaya is most well known for the enlightenment of the Guatama Buddha ,viii it is also believed that all Buddha’s past, future and present will gain enlightenment at Bodhgaya.
The Mahabodhi Temple
In considering the Mahabodhi temple, there are several key elements that taken into consideration. Through out the temples long history it has several times fallen into disrepair, with various groups taking up residence. This has lead to alterations being made to the site which divert it from its original plan. To understand the stages of tis we need to understand the various stages of construction it has undergone. A brief snapshot is presented here.
As mentioned previously in the third century BC the first structures of significance were built on the site by emperor Asoka in the form of a shrine to Buddha. However it was not until somewhere between 1st and 4th century that the first temple was built, which resulted in changes to the original site. From earlier observations it would seem that the Bodhi tree was moved from its original site and the alignment of emperor Asoka”s shrine was changed. This can be observed in the position of the Jewelled Walk (where Buddha did his walking meditation after he became enlightened) which is slightly different from the temple itself.
The temple was refurbished somewhere between the 7th and 12th century, but after that it was deserted and fell into ruin. While there were several groups which took up residence within the site and some restoration work was begunxi it was not until General Alexander Cunningham, that significant restoration was completed in the 19 century.
The Mahabodi Temple Site
With this in mind we can consider the elements of the Mahabodhi site. Aside from the temple there are two major elements which are related to the temple and site as a whole, however it should be noted that the site is full of various shrines and places of significance, which will not be discussed here. As mentioned earlier they are the Bodhi tree and the Jewelled Walk.
The Bodhi Tree
The Bodhi tree, unique with its heart shaped leaves is situated at the west of the Mahabodhi temple. It is said to be a direct descendent of the original tree that Buddha gained enlightenment under. A cutting of the original tree was taken and planted in Sri Lanka in the third century BC, a sapling from that tree was later brought back to Bodh Gaya ,where it is still growing today. However it is said that the tree itself has been cut down, burned and mutilated over the ages and each time by divine intervention it has miraculously recovered.
The Seat of Buddha
Related to the Bodhi tree is the seat of Buddha’s mediation or the Vajrasana. A relic from the original Asoka temple the Vajrasana has been incorporated into the building of the Mahabodhi temple. The Vajrasana is placed in the middle of an enclosure around the Bodhi tree which was supposedly constructed to avoid further damage coming to the tree. Some of the original railing is still standing, and is sculpted with various decorative details.This is an early example of Indian relief sculpture.
Cloistered Walk
The other element of significance as mentioned is the Jewelled Walk. Also known as the Cloistered Walk it incorporates 22-pillared bases still in their original positions, each marked with a letter of the Indian alphabet of Asoka. It is said that after he attained enlightenment Buddha walked east and west for ten paces or so in meditation. Each is marked with a lotus relief carving.
Mahabodhi Temple and Shrines
One of the main features of the Mahabodhi temple is that it is one of the earliest examples of brick construction in India. This is one of the main points for its world heritage listing. The Mahabodhi temple faces east, the direction Buddha was facing when he sat and meditated under the Bodhi tree. The meaning of Mahabodhi is 'Great Enlightenment'.
The temple is recessed about 5 meters into the ground and is approached by a flight of stairs which lead down to the temple. Throughout the temple and surrounding grounds, there are many shrines and stupas. While many of these were contributed by kings, princes and noblemen, many were also built by laypersons.
The temple itself is approached through a gateway believed to have been originally built by Emperor Asoka and later rebuilt. Following the path from the gateway, small entranceway with small niches each containing the statue of Buddha, can be seen. From the entrance, you can gain access to the sanctum which contains a gilded statue of the seated Buddha
Relief Carving
Bodhgaya is described as an experiment zone where various styles come together, not only through the culmination of sculptures over the decades but through transition of styles in the early stages of its development. Prominent throughout the temple as well as its surroundings is the detailed relief culptures. These sculptures are described a having a sense of volume and weight within them, as well as the illusion of movement. There is a careful graduation of the planes of foreground and background achieved by a precise yet deeply incised cutting-of the stone.
Unique to Bodhgaya these relief's are less crowded and less uniform than the relief sculptures of other major sites from the same time period, further illustrating the experimentation that occurred at Bodhgaya.
Within these reliefs there is a pronounced interplay of elements and sense of rhythm. Depth is also addressed through the recessing of elements like a door or wall which shows knowledge of overshadowing. Movement within these reliefs is conveyed in the ripples of drapery and the poses figures are in, however this movement is contained with the one still tableau creating a resolved scene within the confines of the frame.
Statues of the Buddha
The statures of the Buddha throughout the Mahabodhi temple and its grounds-number in the thousands however most are believed to have been produced throughout the medieval era, as there are few examples of ancient Buddha statues. Most of the depictions of the Buddha show him seated under the Bodhi tree, for example those featured along the the grand temple walls in various sized niches. Within the temple, above the sanctum is a hall containing a shrine at which the senior monks gather to meditate, which contains another statue of the seated Buddha.
The largest statue of the Buddha in Mahabodhi is just over 5ft tall. It depicts a seated Buddha touching the earth with his right hand (a gesture known as the earth-witness mudra). The statue sits on a portion of the Vajrasana and it is in this posture Buddha accomplished the supreme enlightenment.The statue is of black stone but it has been covered in gold and usually dressed in bright orange robes, which can hide the pose or mudra the Buddha is in.
The Mahabodhi image of the Buddha is one of the most well known and is said to be an exact likeness of Buddha himself. It has been used, with special permission to be carved into exact replicas which appear in temples all over the Buddhist world. Another typical depiction of the Buddha statues appears on the more ornate stupas in and around the Mahabodhi Temple and at the Bodhgaya site.
Stupas
As with most Buddhist sites-the Mahabodhi temple has many stupas and is considered to be a stupa itself. The meaning behind a stupa is essentially a ‘spiritual monument’ and references variously the Buddha’s ‘Top knot’, a ball of clay. Built as a symbol of the mind of the Buddha, they are often built as a commemoration of the passing of a person for example a great teacher, forging the connection between the oneness of Buddha and the teacher’s forever unchanging mind.
While there are both large highly decorative stupas and small more simple ones, the appearance is largely irrelevant to the meaning,xxxv as long as it contains several basics elements. The stupas are representational of the teaching of Buddha and of the philosophies regarding life.
The basic platform that “holds the earth” symbolizes the ten virtues which are divided into the categories of body, speech and mind, various imagery is also used to convey specific meaning for example the lion throne symbolizes superiority over the whole universe, and the big lotuses symbolize the six transcendental virtues (six perfections). The four corners of the basic throne represent the four immeasurable of love, compassion, joy and equanimity.
As each step of the stupa progresses, they each have their own meanings for example the first step symbolizes mindfulness, while the fifth step represents the five powers of faith, energy, attention, concentration and knowledge. The vase at the top represents the seven branches of awakening and the Noble eightfold path.
As mentioned above the shapes of these stupas vary from those that are low and almost bare which are believed to be from the time of Emperor Asoka to those from medieval times with tall, ornamented spires with elaborately- carved bases.
The Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya is highly significant from various perspectives. From an archaeological perspective, the site is unique in its combination of styles from ancient to medieval times as well as the experimentation within the techniques used. The early use of brick makes it unique as an early example of Indian construction.
From an art perspective the sculptural components of the site are numerous taking the form of relief sculptures depicting narratives from Buddha’s life and teaching to images of the Buddha himself in various positions known as madras’s and finally to the monuments in the grounds like the diamond throne and the various stupas throughout the site and temple.
Medatative Qualities of the Temple Site
The different elements of the Mahabodhi Temple site make it a perfect meditative environment and may people make a pilgrimage to the site both for is significance in Buddhism as well as it's beautiful art, architecture and religious experience.
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