Archive for the ‘Buddhist Temples’

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    The Ajanta Caves Perfectly Exhibits Buddhism
    Located just in the outskirts of the Ajintha village in the Aurangabad District of the Indian state of Maharashtra, the Ajanta caves are rock-cut structures whose construction dates back to the 2nd century BC. They are popular for its spectacular paintings and carvings exemplifying Buddhist religious and universal pictorial art. The caves are now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The purpose of these caves was to act as a residing and meditating site for the Buddhist preachers who had devoted their life towards the aim of spreading the values of Buddhism across the globe. In total, there are 30 caves out of which caves numbered 9, 10, 19, 26, and 29 are chaitya-grihas; while the rest are similar to Buddhist monasteries. Based on the time of construction, you can split the caves into two parts. The most ancient of the Ajanta  [...]
    Posted at March 9th, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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    I was Simply Blessed to Visit the Shanghai-Longhua-Temple
    The Longhua (Luster of the Dragon) temple in Shanghai is the largest and busiest Buddhist temple devoted to the Maitreya Buddha and famous for its graceful pagoda and wonderful peach blooms in spring. Built in 247 AD during the reign of the Three Dynasties, the temple retains its architectural charm of a Song Dynasty monastery in form of the pagoda. Legend Sun Quan, King of the Kingdom of Wu, once gained the Sharira ruins – the remains of the Lord Buddha. The king decided to build 13 pagodas to preserve these sacred relics. One of them is the Longhua Pagoda (Longhua Ta) located in the Shanghai-Longhua-Temple complex. The name of the temple is also given after a local legend that traces the appearance of a dragon on the site. Prime Attractions The layout of the Shanghai-Longhua-Temple is known as the Sangharama Five-Hall Style  [...]
    Posted at March 8th, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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    Bodhi Tree
    Bodhi tree is located at Sri Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya in Gaya district in the state of Bihar in India. The Bodhi Tree (also called ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ or ‘Bo’ in Sinhalese) is a large and ancient sacred fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism and later known as Gautama Buddha, achieved enlightenment. In religious belief, the Bodhi tree is recognized by its heart-shaped leaves, which are prominently displayed. The Mahabodhi Temple has been listed under UNESCO World Heritage site. The Bodhi tree of Bodhgaya is a frequently visited pilgrim destinations and is considered the most important of the all Buddhist pilgrimage sites including Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sarnath.  Anandabodhi tree in Sarvasti and Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka also have great significance in the history of Buddhism. History: As  [...]
    Posted at March 4th, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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    Leshan Giant Buddha
    Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest stone-carved statue of Buddha in the world and located at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers near the city of Leshan (meaning ‘Happy Mountain’) in the southern part of Sichuan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Leshan is located about 120 km from Chengdu. The stone sculpture that was built during the Tang dynasty (618-907) faces Mount Emei while the rivers flow below its feet. The giant Buddha was the tallest statue in the world at the time of its construction. The Mount Emei Scenic Area, along with Leshan Giant Buddha, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot have several restaurants around it where the tourists can relish local dishes of Leshan City. Dimension of the statute: The statue at Leshan depicts a seated  [...]
    Posted at March 3rd, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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    Borobudur Temple
    Borobudur is a ninth century Mahayana Buddhist monument located in Borobudur district south of Magelang in the Central Java province of Indonesia. Borobudur is the biggest tourist attraction in Indonesia. Borobudur is said to be built by architect Gunadharma around 800 AD (during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty). Architecture: The non-monastic Buddhist temple clearly has an architectural influence of the Guptas of India. It comprises six square platforms capped by three circular platforms and is adorned with 2,672 relief panels and over 500 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the middle of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 seated statues of Buddha inside perforated stupa. Borobudur is famous for Buddhist pilgrimage. The temple is built above a bedrock hill, about 265 metres above the sea level. Divine pilgrimage: Here,  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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    Angkor Wat Temple
    Angkor Wat or Angkor Vat (meaning ‘City Temple’) is a famous temple located at Angkor in Cambodia. The temple was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II (ruled from 1113-1150), one of the greatest rulers of the Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia that flourished from 9th to 15th century AD. The temple was originally dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu by its builder. The temple, which epitomizes classical Khmer architecture, has also been represented in the national flag of Cambodia and it is one of the main tourist attractions in the country. Angkor Wat temple is a part of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site. History: Angkor Wat temple was built as king Suryavarman II’s state temple and capital city. Construction work of the temple concluded shortly after the king expired. In 1177, Angkor was vandalized by the Chams, the  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010 in Buddhist Temples
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