World’s most famous Buddha temples! These are breathtaking
Priya Srivastava, TIMESOFINDIA.COM Created : Aug 5, 2022, 19:00 IST
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World’s most famous Buddha temples! These are breathtaking
Buddhism is not only a religion, but also a way of living. It’s a philosophy that originated in India, during the 5th century, based on the teachings of Gautam Buddha. Born as Siddhartha, Buddha was the founder of Buddhism, and the main aim of this religion was to get away from earthly sufferings to attain the ultimate nirvana.On that note, let’s have a look at some of the most prominent Buddha temples in the world.
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Wat Arun, Thailand
This beautiful temple is located on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. Also known as the Temple of Dawn, it is among the oldest Buddhisht temples in the world and a landmark attraction in Bangkok. Visit the temple during the sunset to experience its real golden beauty.
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Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
Also known as the Golden Pagoda, the Shwedagon Pagoda is another very famous Buddhist temple in the world. The pagoda was built by the Moon Dynasty between the 6th and 10th century. You’ll be mesmerised with all the glittering and vibrant stupas here.
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Pha That Luang, Laos
Pha That Luang or the Great Stupa in Laos is situated in Vientiane, Laos. The temple features a number of terraces, each representing a different stage of Buddhist enlightenment. For example, the lowest level represents the material world while the highest level represents the world of nothingness.
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Mahabodhi Temple, India
The Mahabodhi Temple or the Great Enlightenment Temple is located in Gaya, Bihar. The temple holds a great religious significance in the world. In 531 BC, Buddha attained the perfect state of enlightenment under a Bodhi tree at the site of Mahabodhi Temple Complex. Then, in 260 BC, Emperor Asoka came here to worship the tree, and commissioned the first temple honouring Gautam Buddha.
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Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet
Another prominent temple of Buddha, Jokhang attracts lakhs of Buddhist pilgrims every year. This 7th century temple was built by King Songtsän Gampo. Though Mongols took over the temple many times, they couldn’t destroy the building.
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Buddhist Temples of Bagan, Myanmar
Bagan is an ancient city, set on the banks of Irrawaddy River. The destination is noted for being home to many Buddhist temples, monasteries and stupas in the world. It is said that the King of Burma had built some 4400 temples here between 1000 and 1200 AD.
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Boudhanath, Nepal
Set in Kathmandu, Boudhanath is counted among the largest Buddhist temples in the world. The temple is also the centre of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The place is noted for the Buddha eyes on the idol here, etched on all four sides of the tower.
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Borobudur, Java, Indonesia
For those who don’t know, Borobudur in Java, Indonesia, is the world’s largest Buddhist temple. This grand 9th century Mahayana Buddhist temple is situated in Central Java’s Magelang Regency. It is said that it took nearly 75 years to build this beauty!
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