| We ma briefly
mention here some of the places in Bihar that are important to Buddhism and said to be
sanctified by Buddha's personal visits. Naturally, Bihar, the land where Gautama became
the Buddha, has a large number of places with important Buddhist relies. Some of these
places are Barabar, Nagarjuni; Konch, Ganjam, Bakraur, Garpa and Kurkihar. But we have no
concrete evidence that these places were actually visited by Lord Buddha. One of them,
namely, Kurkihar, has given us a very fine collection of bronze relies which depict the
phases of the later Buddhism of the Pala period. Among the other places that were actually
visited by Buddha, Rajgriha comes first. Buddha had once visited Rajgriha before he had
obtained spiritual enlightenment. Rajgriha was also the scene of his activities after lie
had become the Buddha.
King Bimbisara of Rajgriha made a monastery there for the
stay of Lord Buddha. 'Some of the references to Rajgriha in the very old literature of
Buddhism, namely, Gridhrakuta orVulture's peak, the Velubanarama, and the Sapta-
parni caves, have now been properly identified. Maha Kassyapa held the first council of
the Buddhist arhats in the now identified Saptaparni cave at Rajgriha. |
