It is indeed a land of monasteries. Hindu, Buddhist,
Jain, Muslim and Sikh shrines abound in this ancient land where
India's first major empires rose and fell. Where the ruins of the
worlds' earliest university slumbers in the void of time. Forty
percent of India's mineral wealth lies buried in its boosom. The
passage of Ganga. This landlocked state international boundary with
Nepal and state boundaries with states of India Bengal, Orissa,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh.
Among all Indian states, Bihar is the one most intimately linked to the Buddha’s
life, resulting in a trail of pilgrimages which have come to be
known as the Buddhist circuit. The Buddhist trail begins at the
capital city, Patna, where a noteworthy museum contains a collection
of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.
Vaishali, was the site for the second Buddhist Council is the presence
of ruins testify. 90 km south of Patna is Nalanda which translates
as the place that confers the lotus’ (of spiritual knowledge).
A monastic university flourished here from the 5th to the 11th century.
It is said to have contained nine million books, with 2,000 teachers
to impart knowledge to 10,000 students who came from all over the
Buddhist world.
The Buddha spent five years at Rajgir after having attained enlightenment,
and many of the remains at Rajgir commemorate various incidents,
the hill of Gridhrakuta being perhaps the most important, as this
is where the Buddha delivered most of his sermons. Bodhgaya is the
spot where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, with the Mahabodhi
Temple marking the precise location. Bihar’s Buddhist circuit
has modest back-up facilities by way of accommodation, international
dining and surface transport.