The Great Awakening Temple (Mahabodhi Vihāra)

The Mahabodhi Vihāra is indicated as the Great Awakening Temple, and is also a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya. This temple was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Practitioners of Buddhism believe that, Bodh Gaya is one of the four holy places of the life of the Buddha.

A young prince was called with the name Siddhārtha, who saw the suffering of the world. There is suffering through the main issues, such as, birth in this world, old age, sickness, and the end of living. After seeing the true images of the life, he wanted to seek the way to go out the cycle of existence, the cycle of death and birth. Of course, Siddhārtha gave up the life of prince, and choose the life of ascetic. According to the Buddhist account, he reached the forest banks of Phalgu river, near the Gaya. There, he sat meditation under Bodhi tree (Peepul tree, Ficus Religiosa, or Sacred Fig) until he became the Awakened One, Enlightened One in the world. Thus, Buddhists believe that, after attaining of awakening, the Buddha spend the seven weeks at Bodh Gaya, and these actions manifested through the meaningful events in the Buddhist traditions as following:

The first week, Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree with enjoying the happiness of enlightenment.

The second week, the Buddha manifested deep thankful and gratitude to the tree, he stood without moving his eyes as the manifestation of the thankful and gratitude to the Bodhi tree which had sheltered him during his struggle for Buddhahood.

The third week, Buddha walked back and forth at the Bodhi tree.

The fourth week, the Buddha sat meditation in the jeweled house.

The fifth week, the Buddha was sitting under the Ajapala Banyan tree near the Bodhi tree. There were the three beautiful and charming girls, such as, Tanha, Rati, and Raga came to disturb his meditation by dancing. Later, they left him with their failure.

The sixth week, the Buddha sat meditation under the Mucalinda tree. There was a huge king cobra came and coiled round the Buddha’s body and kept the hood over the Buddha’s head with the aim in order to protect the Buddha from the heavy rain.

The seventh week, the Buddha meditated under the Rajayatana tree. Two merchants were named Tapussa and Bhallika. They came to offer the Buddha with the rice cakes and honey, the Buddha told them of what he had found in his enlightenment, and gave them some his hair which was to worship when they went back their hometown.

Mahabodhi Vihāra was built by Empiror Aśoka in around 260 BC.