Bodh Gaya Temple

Bodh Gaya Temple: Since February 2024, nearly 100 Buddhist monks under the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF) have been protesting against the Bodh Gaya Temple Act (BTA), 1949.

• About Bodh Gaya Temple: Bodh Gaya is one of the four sacred sites of Buddhism, along with Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha), Sarnath (first sermon), and Kusinagar (parinirvana).
• Historical Background:

o 3rd Century BCE: Mauryan Emperor Ashoka worshipped the Bodhi tree and built a temple.

o Harshavardhana’s reign (629 AD): Hiuen Tsang visited Bodh Gaya, identifying it as a Buddhist site.

o 13th Century: Bakhtiyar Khilji’s invasion led to the decline of Buddhism in the region.

o 1590 (Akbar’s reign): A Hindu monk established the Bodh Gaya mutt, bringing the temple under Hindu control.

o 1949 (Post-Independence): Bihar Assembly passed the BTA, transferring temple control to the management committee.

• About Buddhism: Founded by Siddhartha Gautama in 6th century BCE in ancient India.

o Emerged during the second urbanization in the Gangetic plain, amid social changes.

o Spread rapidly as Buddha’s teachings appealed to those discontented with Vedic rituals and caste system.

o Merchants and artisans politically and economically supported Buddhism.

• Mauryan Empire (Ashoka’s rule): Buddhism expanded within India and internationally.

o Doctrinal divisions led to the emergence of Theravāda and Mahāyāna schools.