Sacred Bodhgaya: Place of Buddha's Enlightenment

[hunnibalhandynas]

In short...Buddha was born into the brahminical tradition and later renounced the world and entered into the Sramana traditions. Hinduism arise at least 300 years after his era hence he cannot have been a Hindu. He was at best born into a Vedic / brahminical tradition

[hunnibalhandynas]

Hi Dzongkha

I am indeed a mahayanist by birth, but the interesting fact is that there is probably more similarity between mahayanism and Hinduism then there is the original Buddhism as the Chinese ritualise things. during buddha's time Vedic beliefs were in vogue, Hinduism is a direct descendent of Vedic religions which had its infancy as Vedānta in around 200 BCE, 300 year after the parinirvana of the buddha

[StarGazzer1984]

I am moved when i see this. the buddha started out on his own spiritual journey to enlightenment. To see what his accomplishments gave birth to are quite incredible. I have never managed to meditate in my life, I have no patients, but im becomming more and more intrigued by this religion and its revalations. I esspecially like the fact that buddha states,rely on your yourself and your own intuition for truth.

[kensei85]

The most sacred place in Buddhism is within us.

"If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?"

-Dogen

[hunnibalhandynas]

The suggestion that the Buddha is a god of some kind in my view is what's unfortunate.

[hunnibalhandynas]

I think nothing's unfortunate that Buddhism arised after the Buddha 's nirvana. Buddha did not reject the continuation of the sangha and the laity, which formed what we called buddhism. People from all over the world revered him as the world honored one and attempt to emulate him on the path to enlightenment through his teaching.

We buddhists see him as the enlightened one who is the teacher of gods and men, I know many, including some buddhists See him as a deity, as an avatar of some gods e

[hunnibalhandynas]

Apologies for the ranting but i cannot accept thescorpionking2010's claim that Buddha was a Hindu since this would be the greatest insult to the Buddha in my opinion.

[contactvickey97]

@hunnibalhandynas there is no doubt that Buddha was born in a Hindu family (Actually i should rather call born in brahmanical tradition. I dont think the word 'hindu' existed then.). But he realized the flaws in the brahmanical practices and taught the people the right way of living which was acceptable to all. Unfortunately his teaching in itself became a religion called buddhism in next few hundred years. Buddha was not a hindu or buddhist.

[contactvickey97]

@hunnibalhandynas He was an enlightened person which has nothing to do with any religion, caste or creed. His teachings lead to enlightenment .

[hunnibalhandynas]

which was total against buddha's own claim that he is not a god but an enlightened being - a status buddhists believe to be far higher then gods or any other beings in samsara.

Buddha attempted to dismiss many of the wrong views in the Brahmin beliefs during his time, including the caste system, the view that women are inferior, the view that animal sacrifice is needed for the gods

[hunnibalhandynas]

I didn't say Buddha is a Buddhist or other religions. like your argument, I am refuting the claim that the buddha was a Hindu.

Buddhism had lost it's vibrancy by the time the Muslim invaders destroyed nalanda and it never recovered in India. Buddhism was absorbed into Hinduism and buddha became a mere hindu deity, the avatar of shiva, I believe, out of the 300 million odd deities in Hinduism - which was total against buddha's own claim that he is not a god but an enlightened being - a status

[Amitaruciamrit]

The Mahabodhi temple is an imposing brick structure that is enclosed on three sides by an ancient stone railing. The temple celebrates the birth of Buddhism, for it is under a tree adjacent to this temple, that Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha by attaining enlightenment.

For more information : bodhgaya.net.in

[Amitaruciamrit]

The Mahabodhi temple is an imposing brick structure that is enclosed on three sides by an ancient stone railing. The temple celebrates the birth of Buddhism, for it is under a tree adjacent to this temple, that Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha by attaining enlightenment.

For more information : bodhgaya.net.in/Default.aspx

[hunnibalhandynas]

The Buddha is not a Hindu and never a Hindu

[wanchoopark]

@hunnibalhandynas you need to know what religion means...buddha is an elightened human, he is free from all identifications ,,he is neither is hindu or buddhist or christian..

[Dzongka]

@hunnibalhandynas Actually, that's false, the only religion that existed in that part of the subcontinent at the time was Hinduism, thus Siddhartha Gautama was born a Hindu. Hinduism and Buddhism are in fact quite similar, it's just that Buddhism rejects ritualism and casteism. You clearly are a Mahayana Buddhist, so you don't see the inherent similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism, since Mahayana is so far from the original path. But no matter. As long as you're not hostile towards Hindus.

[manusapali]

very nice thank you for recording this.

[tsaffarally]

i love buddhism it is so peaceful

i am not buddhist

so what would the ruling be on me attending the holy sites and going to the monastery

also i wanted to know does the bodhi tree produce a fruit

[MountAnalogue]

@tsaffarally

There is no "ruling". Buddhists have no quams about non-buddhists visiting the temple. The temple is not what is really holy, nor the tree. It is the goal of liberation and enlightenment, the becoming of one with bodhisattva awareness and thus the ultimate reality of Bodhi and nirvana.

[supawanich00]

@tsaffarally

The tree produces small fruits and birds love the fruits.Three years ago my sister went there,she sat and mediated .Bird dropping fell on the ground next to her.She wiped it with Kleenex and brought it back home in Bangkok,Thailand.She put it in the potting soil.Amazingly,she got 2 small Bodhi trees.Now both of them were planted two temples out side of Bangkok.

[tsaffarally]

i love buddhism it is so peaceful

i am not buddhist

so what would the ruling be on me attending the holy sites and going to the monastery

[vinayaholder]

When Dalai Lama arrived in Bodh Gaya for teachings and prayers, it was open to all except to those who practice Dorje Shugden. This strikes me as odd - doesnt that mean that Satanists would be allowed in but not Shugden practitioners such as HH Pabongka Rinpoche and HE Gangchen Rinpoche?

[lucius215]

very intresting, nice comments, thanks

im told tho, that that tree isnt the original one? that it had been taken to pakistan, and this is his great grandchild? anyone know more about it?

Blessings

[gk10002000]

This tree was supposedly sprouted from a cutting, taken from a tree in Sri Lanka, that was a cutting from the original tree. That is the best account I am aware of.

[AnnieCurry57]

Thank you so much, I feel like I have been on a guided tour. Much Gratitude to you.

[510shyt]

Gratitude for darshan of this sacred place!

[Sumaleeaiken]

This is a very impressive video. Thanks to producers- Sa-Thu.

[xXJustinWadeXx]

So this is what Buddhism has been reduced to...symbolism and ritualism...exactly what Gautama Buddha taught against.

[Phranky]

I am relatively new to Buddhism (at least in this lifetime) and I often have these same thoughts about the traditions that many practicing Buddhist follow (including small ones like bowing to a statue). The rituals and ways of doing things seem counter to the goal of Buddhism... I've often thought about raising these issues with others but decided against it after I realised I had to follow the buddha's earliest teachings and concentrate on my own transformation.

[Juanster23]

@xXJustinWadeXx totally agree!

[thescorpionking2010]

buddha was the greatest hindu tht ever lived

[Viohead]

This is so inspiring!

[Ataden]

Thanks for the vid

[suaysuay2]

I want to be there one day.

[74n7y]

Thank you for the beautiful video. I am going there someday...

[aznesa]

Prekrasno video!

[waynehyl]

gautama buddha was born in india to lead those indians like yourself to purify their thinking. otherwise they would be on the way to hell eventually.

[jawajaya]

today a terrorist attack in india killed at least 80 hindus.

[hikarucita]

cool! someday i will go there, it's the holiest of the places! ^o^

[surajmehtaw]

i really like the intro!

[waynehyl]

can anyone tell how to go to this place? is it in nepal or india?

[EveSimone]

Way-It is in India in the Bihar area (Bodh Gaya). In fact, in 1987 -when I went on a Buddhist Studies Program for my Anthropology Degree while in College-I visited Bodh Gaya-which is where the Buddha was supposedly enlightened. Brought back so many memories..especially all these temples I visited (including the Mahabodhi temple) featured in this youtube video. So ornate inside also...the Chinese/Tibetan/Japanese and Thai temples:)

[chiragunderthebodhi]

Thank you for posting this. Although i am an Indian, i still do not have the fortune to visit this place yet. Thanks for this video, i can see it virtually atleast

Much Metta

[khinayeyu]

thankyou for the video...

[haribolshanti]

but hello that is not the original boddhi tree

[wuhwuh]

It is a descendant of the original tree.A fourth generation tree so to speak.

dharmadhatu dot web-log dot nl

[OshoSanyasin]

Actually the video commentary mentions that this is a decendent of the actual Bodhitree.