Bodhgaya, Bihar, India

Ancient history

Documented history of Gaya dates back to the birth of Gautam Buddha. About 15 km from Gaya town is Bodh Gaya, the place where Gautama Buddha got enlightenment. Since then the places around Gaya (Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Patliputra) had been the citadel of knowledge for the ancient world. These centers of knowledge further flourished under the rule of dynasties like the Mauryans who ruled from Patliputra (modern Patna) and covered the area beyond the boundaries of the Indian subcontinent. During this period, Gaya was a part of the Magadh region.

http://www.bihar.com/dist_gaya.aspx

Mahabodhi Temple Complex

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The first temple was built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period. (https://whc.unesco.org/...)

Bodhi the tree of wisdom, the sacred Bo tree, the fig tree (Assattha, Ficus religiosa) under which Gotama Buddha arrived at perfect knowledge. The tree is near the spot where Bodhgaya is now, about 60 miles from Patna. It is regarded by pilgrims as the centre of the world. ... the spot on which, the Buddha was seated at the time of attaining highest enlightenment....

Bodhi... (supreme) knowledge, enlightenment, the knowledge possessed by a Buddha.... Bodhi consists of seven elements called bojjhanga or sambojjhanga, and is attained by the accomplishment of the perfections called bodhi-pacana dhamma....

They are: sati, dhamma-vicaya, viriya, piti, passaddhi, samadhi, upekha or mindfulness, investigation of law, energy, rapture, repose, concentration and equanimity...

(Pali-English Dictionary, T.W. Rhys Davids, Willian Stede(1921-1925), Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 5th Reprint Delhi, 2018, pp. 490-491)

Place of Buddha attained Enlightenment

Thorn of Buddha inside Mahabodhi Temple,

Place of Buddha attained Enlightenment

Entrance to Thorn of Buddha, Mahabodhi Temple

Five Dreams

Before the Enlightenment Bodhisatta has five great dreams:

(1) That world is his couch with himalaya as his pillow, his left hand resting on the eastern sea, his right on the western, and his feat on the southern;

(2) That a blade of tiriya (kusha)-grass growing from his navel touches the cloud;

(3) That white worms with black heads creep up from his feet, covering his knees;

(4) That four birds of varied hues from four quarters of the world fall at his feet and become white;

(5) That he walks to and fro on a heap of dung, by which he remains unsoiled.

(G. P. Malalasekera, Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, Vol-2 N-H, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd, Delhi,(1937 and reprinted in 1960, First Indian Edition:Delhi 2007) p.327)