Ancient · Buddhist · India

Mahabodhi Temple

Bodh Gaya, Bihar · 24.6961°, 84.9914°

Buddha (enlightenment site)GuptaShikhara (brick)UNESCO World Heritage

Sacred since

260 BCE

First shrine by Ashoka, c. 260 BCE

Standing structure

current brick temple 5th–6th c. CE

Gupta

History & significance

The navel of the Buddhist world: the 55 m Gupta-era brick tower beside the Bodhi tree under which Siddhartha attained enlightenment. The present tree descends via Anuradhapura's Sri Maha Bodhi from the original; the Vajrasana 'diamond throne' slab placed by Ashoka marks the exact seat. UNESCO-listed in 2002, thronged by pilgrims from every Buddhist nation.

Sthala katha — the legend

Through the night of the full moon of Vaishakha, Mara's armies and temptations broke against the Bodhisattva's stillness; touching the earth as witness, he saw the morning star rise and awakened — vowing beforehand not to rise 'though skin, sinew and bone wither away'.