The Place Where Sujata Offered Milk from a Thousand Superior Cows
The place where Sujata offered milk porridge to the Buddha, known in Sanskrit as "Sujata Ghar," is where the village girl Sujata first met the Buddha and offered him milk porridge. This site is located about twenty minutes' walk east of Bodhgaya, across the Nairanjana River along a sandy path by the roadside. At this place, there are six stupas arranged in a row. On the eastern side of Bodhgaya, near the Nairanjana River, there is a stupa marking the spot where the Buddha consumed the milk porridge and then cast his bowl into the water before returning. It is said that inside stone pillars measuring more than a fathom each, there are stone stupas enshrined. Today, what may be the remains of this site can be found behind a small village at the end of the large bridge over the Nairanjana River, near the place where the Buddha practiced austerities for six years. Nearby, in a village called Senani, one can see a newly constructed statue.
Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya is the place where Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, attained complete enlightenment. It is the foremost among all Buddhist holy sites and one of the four major pilgrimage places—the extraordinary site where Buddha practiced austerities, went to the Bodhi tree, conquered Mara, and attained Buddhahood. According to Gendun Choepel's pilgrimage guide, this Gandola (temple) was initially built by the youngest son of the Brahmin woman Jasa, though some say it was built by King Ashoka. In any case, at one point the supreme site of Bodhgaya fell into great disrepair but was restored by a householder from Magadha named Amara, and about a thousand years have passed since then. Later, when it fell into disrepair again, Buddhists from Burma restored it, and more than six hundred years have passed since that restoration. The supreme holy place of Bodhgaya is highly revered by followers of Buddhism. At this place, the Bodhisattva arose from his austerities and, fulfilling a wish made long ago, accepted milk porridge offered by the village girl Sujata in a golden vessel, made from the essence of milk from a thousand superior cows. On his way to the Bodhi tree, a grass seller named Khewu Tashi (Svastika) offered him kusha grass. At the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, he arranged the kusha grass with the tips pointing to the right to form a seat, sat in the lotus position, straightened his body, faced east, and entered into meditation with the determination: "Until I attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, I will not move even slightly from this seat." The hosts of Mara became extremely disturbed, and more than a million Mara soldiers showered down weapons, but all these transformed into garlands of flowers and did not harm his body. On the evening of the fourteenth day of the Saga month (fourth lunar month), he conquered the forces of Mara. At midnight, he remained in meditative equipoise. At dawn on the fifteenth day, the Blessed One demonstrated the attainment of the state of unsurpassed, perfect Buddhahood.
Dungeshwari Cave (Shawari Cave)
The Glorious Dungeshwari Meditation Cave is located in the mountain range called Gaya Giri to the north after crossing the large bridge from Gaya city. From there, in the east of Bodh Gaya, one can visit the cave where the glorious Lord Shawari had a vision of the six-armed Wisdom Protector, as well as a place called "Single-legged Sandalwood tree." Currently, there is also a monastery administered by Namgyal Monastery. In front of it, there is what is claimed to be the charnel ground of Cool Grove (Śītavana). However, Chag Lo Choephel stated that the great charnel ground of Cool Grove is a forested area with animals near Nalanda. There is a historical account that when the Buddha traveled from Gaya Giri to Rajgir, he stayed for one night at Cool Grove and first met King Bimbisara who came to welcome him. These two places are completely different, so this is not the actual Cool Grove.
The Terrifying Charnel Ground
The Terrifying Charnel Ground is located about 58 kilometers south of Bodh Gaya, at a place called Kauleshwari Hill. After traveling by vehicle for about 1.5 hours, one must hike from the base of the hill for more than half an hour, passing through dense black forests and mountains. According to historical accounts, in ancient times, the entire surrounding area was encircled by mountains and dark forests, with great dangers from wild animals and other creatures. However, at present, there seem to be no dangers from wild animals or difficulties on the path when visiting this place. On top of the hill, there are Hindu temples including Kauleshwari and a few others, but there are no significant signs of Buddhist sites. If one proceeds to the left side, not only can one see the remains of the Terrifying Charnel Ground, but also some meditation caves where Ācārya Nāgārjuna, Ārya Asaṅga, and others practiced and meditated. This place is indeed the actual site of the Terrifying Charnel Ground.
Kaushambi
Kaushambi (Kosambi) is not only the birthplace of Prince Sharba, son of King Shatabrahma, who was one of the four great kings who each had a son born at the same time as the Bodhisattva's birth. It also contains Ghositarama Monastery, which was the Buddha's residence, and where Minister Ghosita invited the Buddha to stay for one year. Today at this site, there are remains of the ancient palace, an Ashokan pillar, and in the middle of the fields, faint traces of the city's walls are still visible. From Kaushambi, one can clearly see Mount Vindhya in the far distance to the south. Currently, the ruins of Kaushambi are located along the Yamuna River near the city of Kanpur-Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, India. The distance from Varanasi to Kaushambi is approximately 201 kilometers.
Vulture Peak Mountain
Vulture Peak Mountain, or Gridhakuta, Rajgir, is located about 71 kilometers from Bodhgaya. It is the site where the Buddha taught the second turning of the Dharma Wheel, the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, to sharp-faculty bodhisattvas of the Mahayana lineage. The name comes from the mountain's shape, which resembles a gathering of vultures. This mountain is higher than the surrounding hills, and at its waist there is a small rocky hill where one can visit the place where the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras were taught. On the right side of the teaching site, at the mountain peak, there is a temple built by Japan and a large stupa with images of the Buddha's four main deeds in the four directions. This site is located 75 kilometers east of Bodhgaya and can be reached by climbing stone steps up the mountainside to the place where the precious Perfection of Wisdom Sutras were taught. In the front courtyard, there are ruins of a large ancient building, and behind it is a cave shaped like a doorway that is spacious and wide inside. On the rock face, there are inscriptions and images, and Indian guides tell stories about gold supposedly hidden behind it. This cave is where the First Buddhist Council was held during the summer of the year the Buddha passed into parinirvana. King Ajatashatru was the patron, and Mahakashyapa, Ananda, and five hundred arhats compiled the Buddha's teachings in the Saptapani Cave in Rajagriha. In the local language, it is called the Saptapani Cave (Rajgir). According to the images and historical accounts displayed there, it clearly states that this is where Mahakashyapa and five hundred monks held the First Buddhist Council. This matches the historical records that state the First Council was held in the Nyagrodha Cave in Rajagriha. Gedun Choephel’s guidebook mentions that the cave where the First Council was held is near the hot springs, which is consistent with this location. In the local language, there are two caves: the "Seven-Handed Cave" (Saptapani Cave) and "Kashyapa's Cave" (Urvila Kashab Cave). These two are said to be located on either side of the mountain with the hot springs, quite a distance away. Most visitors to these sites are Hindus.
Nalanda
Nalanda is located in Bihar state, about 86 kilometers from Bodhgaya. It was a great Buddhist academic institution established around the beginning of the 5th century CE. This great monastic center was initially founded by the great Indian king Lojategi (Jagadityā or "Sun of the World"), who sought out excellent land and established the first temple. His son, Buddha Gupta, then ruled the kingdom, and his grandson successor, Tathagata Gupta, restored the damaged temples and courtyards. The later king Bhurateja ("Magical Sun") completed the construction of temples on the eastern side and northeastern direction of Nalanda. Currently at Nalanda, there is a stone inscription with historical records stating that it was built by Kumara Gupta of the Gupta dynasty between 413 and 455 CE. Then, during the sixth century, Kannauj provided significant expansion and support. From the eighth to twelfth centuries, the Pala dynasty kings provided further expansion and support. Finally, in 1200 CE, the Muslim king Bakhtiyar Khilji destroyed it. In this great center of study and practice, there was exceptional teaching and learning of all the greater and lesser vehicles, sutra and tantra, as well as the five major sciences (grammar, logic, arts, medicine, and astrology) and the five minor sciences. When the Chinese monk Tang Xuanzang visited this place, he reported that there were ten thousand monks residing there. Ancient texts state that each year there were more than a thousand scholars who had mastered the three baskets of the Dharma. From this great monastic center came most of the famous Indian teachers and great scholars, including Acharya Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Arya Asanga, Acharya Dignaga, Glorious Chandrakirti, Glorious Dharmakirti, and Great Abbot Shantarakshita. Moreover, many Tibetans also studied there and became great translators. In particular, the source of Tibetan Buddhism originated from glorious Nalanda itself.
King Ashoka's Capital, Patna
The city of Patna is called "skya nar bu'i grong khyer" in Tibetan. It was the capital of King Ashoka, also known as the Dharma King Ashoka and is the capital of Bihar state. At this place, there are ruins of King Ashoka's palace, and a short distance from the train station, there is a large museum containing ancient statues and various types of antique artifacts. There is also a white marble sculpture said to be an image of King Ashoka's queen. In the museum, one can also see many ancient Buddhist sacred objects (body, speech, and mind supports) that were brought from Tibet by the Indian scholar Rahula in 1929. Walking a short distance in front of the train station, there is a newly created park with a newly constructed stupa. Inside this stupa, one can see several pieces that are said to be the authentic relics of the Buddha found in a stupa in Vaishali, which have been placed inside this stupa for viewing.
Vaishali
Vaishali is the place where the Buddha turned the third Wheel of Dharma for disciples of the Mahayana lineage with medium faculties, teaching the well-differentiated Dharma. According to the Vinaya, it is a sacred site where the Blessed One stayed at the multi-storied dwelling near the Monkey Pond and the Mango Grove. It is also where the Second Buddhist Council was held at the Kusumpuri Temple in Vaishali by seven hundred arhats including the Arhat Yashas, with King Ashoka as the patron. As mentioned in "The Ornamental Flowers: A Commentary on Bodhgaya," King Ashoka built eight great stupas called " Dharmarajika" at eight sacred sites: Kapilavastu, Varanasi, Shravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali, Kusinagara, Kushinagar, and Bodhgaya. In Vaishali, one can see a pillar erected by King Ashoka topped with a lion capital, and in front of it, a circular stupa that may have been built by King Ashoka, as well as extensive ruins of what was once a large monastic community in ancient Vaishali. Going a short distance to the south, one can visit the place where, after the Buddha's parinirvana, his relics were divided into eight portions, with the Licchavis receiving their share. About a mile in front of this is the Monkey Pond, where a group of monkeys offered honey to the Buddha. Nearby is the place where Ananda, at the time of his passing, displayed various miraculous feats and divided his body into two parts—half going to the people of Vaishali and half to King Ajatashatru—after which the Licchavis built a stupa in Vaishali. According to the Chinese master Xuanzang, the ruins of the city of Vaishali had a circumference of about seventy li (miles), with very few houses, and there were eight stupas at this site.