Buddhism’s Holiest Shrine in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya is All Set to Glitter with Gold

[icy]

What a meritorious deed for all the people who are involved in the sponsorship and leading the setting up of Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya in 289 kilograms of gold!  This is such a rejoicing news.

The much awaited work to inlay with gold the dome of Bodh Gaya's 1,500-years-old Mahabodhi temple began on Wednesday by a team of technical experts from Thailand.

Two days after 289 kilograms of gold donated by Buddhist devotees from Thailand was brought to Bodh Gaya in a special plane from Bangkok, technical experts have finally started the work under tight security in and around the temple, N Dorjee, secretary of the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee, said.
“It is a happy moment for all of us that the spire of the temple will get a glittering look with gold”, Dorjee said.

Gaya district magistrate Balamurugan D, who’s also the BTMC chairman, said that the work by experts from Thailand is being videographed “as the work involves gold”.

“A 40 member team including a dozen of experts and two dozen commandos from Thailand arrived at Bodh Gaya with gold in 13 boxes to complete the work in 40 to 50 days,” he said.

Balamurugan said that the team is lead by Thailand’s former deputy prime minister General Pricha.
“About 24 Thai commandos are providing security to the gold kept in the temple premises,” he said.

Besides, the district administration has deployed additional security for the gold kept under tight security.

A Thailand-based company Kreing Thavorn Containers Co Ltd is doing the work to inlay with gold the dome of the temple.

Dorjee said last year Thailand’s king Bhumibol Atulya had decided to inlay with gold the dome of the temple. But it took some time to get the necessary clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India for the work. The ASI officials will also provide technical supervision for the work, he added.

“A special prayer will be held under the Holy Bodhi tree behind the main temple on November 16 in which around 500 devotees from Thailand, including those who donated gold, are likely to participate”, Dorjee said.

According to him, the first phase of the work involving chemical treatment had been completed in August to prepare the foundation for gold plating. “Now sky-folding stairs have been installed around the temple’s dome to enable experts reach atop the structure to inlay with thin goldsheet” he said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also shown keen interest in the work.

A string of low intensity bombs exploded in the temple complex in July. But there were no casualties and no damage was caused to the structure.

The ancient 180 feet structure of the Mahabodhi temple is estimated to have been built between the 5th and 6th century AD. It was lost and rediscovered in the 19th century by Alexander Cunningham, who founded the ASI in 1861.

The Mahabodhi temple is the holiest pilgrimage centre for Buddhists, as Gautam Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment here.

Image: The Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya

[icy]

Can you imagine aides to the Dalai Lama criticise the King of Thailand's gift of 600lbs of gold worth 8 million pounds for the Mahabodhi temple where Buddha gained enlightenment. 

Thubten Samdup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, said the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama had dismissed the focus on religious rituals and places of prayer and stressed the importance of compassionate works instead. He had highlighted this when in 2012 he gave his £1.1 million Templeton prize money to charity, including £900,000 to Save the Children, he said. 

[samayakeeper]

Thank you for the wonderful rejoicing news! I have visited Bodhgaya a couple of times in the past and making another trip there again would be exciting after the work is completed. I heard from a Thai friend that his country has many experts skilled in the art of apply gold leaf onto Buddha statues. I'm sure the finished work will be spectacular. 

[Tenzin Malgyur]

Rejoice and so happy for all the people who made this offering of gold to the holy Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. Wow. To think of all the merits the sponsors would accumulate by making offerings of precious metals and materials to the 3 Jewels. What more, the Mahabodhi Temple is the site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment more than 2500 years ago. It is one of the four holy sites of Buddhism. I hope to have a chance to visit this holy site when the gilding work is complete.
Here is a photo of work being carried out.

[Galen]

WOW!! THe King of Thailand is very generous in giving gold inlay to the Mahabodhi Temple in Bohdgaya. We know that offering the best to the Buddhas will gain the highest merits, even the King knows it. We should all follow his example to offer the best we could afford to the Buddhas. I am very sure that the dome will be all shiny and glittery with the gold. Will attract more tourists as well as pilgrims to the site.

THe King of Thailand is the people's king where the people's interest taken into consideration and in making sure that his subjects are always taken cared of. He is loved by all his people.

[Manjushri]

Thailand and it's people are extremely spiritual, having a strong Buddhist culture infused with their tradition. You will see people who are very respective to monks, offering food to the monks, paying homage and respect at monasteries and shrines. They even have shrines erected all around the city centre of their capital, Bangkok, so it is no surprise that the King and its people of Thailand has generously and kindly donated and offered all these gold onto the dome at Mahabodhi Temple. Very lovely to see a country with such deep spiritual/buddhist inclination.

Offering gold at the place in which Buddha gained enlightenment shows how much faith and respect they have for Buddha and Buddhism. Offering gold at a holy place where pilgrims from around the world come to gain blessings is extremely meritorious and would create the causes for Thailand for more wealth to come their way. Great great deed.

[icy]

Buddhist monks from Thailand hold candlelight vigil for world peace in Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Nov.16 (ANI): Buddhist monks from Thailand took out a candlelight vigil for 'world peace' in Bodh Gaya, Bihar on Friday.

A Buddhist priest, Bhante Dinanand, said: "Thai devotees are part of the march. They offered 290 kilograms of gold to the idol of the Lord Buddha. The candlelight march is part of that offering."
Buddhism is considered to be a path of practice and spiritual development, which leads to an understanding of the true nature of reality.

Buddhist practices like meditation is a means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom and move closer to spiritualism.

The Mahabodhi Temple complex, one of the holiest Buddhist shrines in the world, is visited by Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and the entire of South East Asia.

This temple is a sacred place for Buddhists around the world as Lord Buddha attained enlightenment at this place.

In July this year, the temple witnessed a series of low intensity explosions in which two monks were injured.
In the year 2002 the UNESCO declared Mahabodhi Temple as a world heritage site. (ANI)


So meaningful and full of rejoice that Buddhist monks from Thailand took out a candlelight vigil for 'world peace' in Bodh Gaya along with the offering of gold at the Mahabodhi Temple.  I wish to make a pilgrimage there once the works of the gold adornment has been completled. I most certain it will be an awesome site and sight.

[Freyr Aesiragnorak]

Can you imagine aides to the Dalai Lama criticise the King of Thailand's gift of 600lbs of gold worth 8 million pounds for the Mahabodhi temple where Buddha gained enlightenment. 

Thubten Samdup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, said the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama had dismissed the focus on religious rituals and places of prayer and stressed the importance of compassionate works instead. He had highlighted this when in 2012 he gave his £1.1 million Templeton prize money to charity, including £900,000 to Save the Children, he said.

I rejoice for this meritorious act, but Icy, I somehow agree with the His Holiness the Dalai Lama's aides. Yes, this is truly an amazing act and fantastic. But seriously, 8 million pounds is A LOT of money and in my opinion could definitely be put to good use elsewhere such as making the lives of the less fortunate more bearable. If the Buddha's Dharma is to spread and benefit more beings, how does gifting all this gold to the Mahabodhi temple accomplish this? Surely if this money was used in helping people, others would see the compassion in our religion and join in to help. If this money was used to help others with a good motivation, the merits collected would bring in even more funds for the growth of the Dharma.....

[dondrup]

This holy initiative by the benefactor the King of Thailand and all the kind sponsors brings cheers to all Buddhists around the world and glory to the magnificent Mahabodhi Temple. It is truly a great and meritorious deed performed that ensure the continued preservation and protection of this important UNESCO world heritage site.

May the Mahabodhi Temple continue to bless all sentient beings.  And may the Dharma flourishes forevermore! 

[bambi]

Wow! How wonderful that the people of Thailand made such offerings to the shrine. Yes, although I must say that with that amount of money, much can be done but an offering is an offering, we cannot tell people what they can or cant do. Maybe the people who needs it dont have the karma to receive it...
I am sure this shrine will be beautiful and it can attract many tourists, Buddhist or non Buddhist, to visit. And from there seed will be planted and hopefully change many people's lives.
I do hope to visit once its done. And I know its going to be spectacular! Rejoice!

[rossoneri]

Great news!!! I am truly happy for the people of the Thailand and especially the effort of the King of Thailand by making this very spectacular gold offering to this holy temple and site. Not only the Buddhist will be attracted to this site but i am sure people around the world which is not a Buddhist could be attracted to this news and decided to pay a visit to this very holy site, and hopefully will plant a Buddha seed to them as a result. It is good always to make an offerings not only to the Buddha but to help and to care for others, offerings can be non-material as well like changing your attitude to become a better person each and every single day.

[Rihanna]

Such a rejoicing piece of news. Some head of countries use their power and name to create more wealth for themselves and family. Some cause destruction to others. The King of Thailand has always been known for and associated with spirituality, love and care for his subjects.

It is said that being born in a powerful and wealthy family can either be the result of good or bad karma, depending on how one uses his position. I am sure the King of Thailand will again take rebirth in a situation where he can be of benefit to many people in future.

[Midakpa]

The Mahabodhi temple will look very different after the devotees have gilded it with gold! What a meritorious deed for all those who have contributed to the offering. I wish I also had the chance to make an offering. The Thai and the Myanmar Buddhists have the tradition of offering gold to the Buddha statues and it is very beautifully done. I rejoice for them.

[pgdharma]

This is rejoicing news. Thank you icy for sharing. I have visited Bodhgaya before but I would to go there again to see the splendour after the gold offerings. It is going to be more spectacular. The King of Thailand is very generous to offer the gold and he will collect a tremendous amount of merits from this offerings. I wish the King of Thailand to have a long stable life and to use his power and wealth to benefit many more.

[RedLantern]

Wonderful!This proves that Thailand is devoted towards Buddha and it shows that the King and the people knows this is a magnificent gift.Buddha doesn't need gold or anything,but as followers we offer the best we can and in this case the gold offering by Thailand.
The Mahabodhi Temple will definitely be a great tourist and pilgrimage attraction spot.It is a long lasting desire for all Buddhist around the world to be able to visit this holy temple.The world will remember the Thais paying homage to Buddha in his land of Enlightenment which will stand in grandeur for generations to come.