Buddha's Hometown: A Sacred Journey to India

Author: Lin Xuwen II / Chen Shilan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Invite you to step into the "India of the Heart," with a clear and nimble mind, to witness her reality and illusion, simplicity and grandeur, hustle and tranquility — ancient, mysterious, elegant, and sacred. Millennial legends carve out millennial faces, exploring India: the land of history and faith, the homeland of Buddha.
Excerpt:
The Sacred Land - The Five Royal Cities of Rajgir, the Realm of Dharma Teachings
Kusagrapura, the early capital of Magadha, was named after the abundance of fragrant reeds used for seating during sacrifices. Surrounded by high mountains, it was also known as the "Mountain City," with Vulture Peak being the sacred site where the Buddha often resided and taught. Legend has it that due to its location in a basin and the flammability of reeds, Kusagrapura frequently suffered fires. An accidental fire could lead to the entire neighborhood being destroyed, so King Bimbisara enacted strict laws punishing arsonists: anyone who caused a fire would be forcibly relocated to the cold forest outside the city (a place for discarding corpses). Ironically, shortly after the law was enacted, a fire broke out in the royal palace. Thus, the wise King Bimbisara set an example by relocating the capital to the cold forest himself and establishing a new city. Since it was the "earliest residence of the king," people called this cold forest "Rajgir," and remnants of its ancient walls can still be seen in the suburbs today. Because these two cities were not far apart and were both capitals of Magadha, they came to be known collectively as Rajgir.
Modern Rajgir is often described as "poor," "dirty," and "unsafe," but in the time of the Buddha, it was one of the most cultured and prosperous of the sixteen states along the Ganges, all thanks to the wise governance of King Bimbisara. According to historical records, King Bimbisara was roughly the same age as the Buddha. When he ascended the throne in his youth, he demonstrated grand political ideals. Through marriage with the royal family of Kosala, he showed ambitions for expansion. Moreover, King Bimbisara was one of the earliest rulers in India to emphasize efficiency management. He personally selected his ministers and was praised for never ignoring the advice of his subordinates. By treating wise people with respect and generously supporting ascetics, he attracted many renowned scholars and monastic communities to the borders of Magadha. For the melancholic nobleman Siddhartha in the remote mountainous regions, Rajgir was like New York City in the 20th century: a cultural hub of eccentric teachers and scholars, a powerful magnet drawing countless troubled souls in search of solace and answers. This is why Siddhartha, who left home to seek enlightenment, traveled hundreds of kilometers from Kapilavastu to Rajgir, drawn by the famous spiritual guides of the Ganges region.
Attracted by the renowned spiritual mentors of the Ganges, Siddhartha came to Rajgir in search of truth. Although he did not attain liberation, he became a close friend of King Bimbisara. Throughout his later life of teaching, the Buddha imparted pure and sacred Dharma to King Bimbisara, who in turn generously supported the monastic community's four necessities. Many pivotal events in the Buddha's life took place here, and these events also span the entire life of the Buddha in the timeline of history.
Generally speaking, the following are some notable events of the Buddha in Rajgir worth recording: