In the eras following the 'mahaparinirvana' of Lord Gautam Buddha, His disciples got divided into different sects with vivid thoughts. However, all of them worked towards the same goal - To carry on the teachings of the Buddha, which further led to the foundation of numerous monasteries all around the world, among which the Tibetan monastery in Bodh Gaya, Bihar holds an eminent place.

Established in the year 1938, the Tibetan Mahayana monastery stands across the road from the Maha Bodhi temple complex, the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment in 528 BCE. The monastery houses a huge dharmachakra or the wheel of law, which is 10 meter high metal drum painted in golden and red colour and they say one can be free of all the sins committed, if one spins the wheel three times continuously from left to right. The monastery also consists of an image of Maitreya Buddha, which is believed to be the future incarnation of the Buddha.

Decorated with the Tibetan scriptures, thangkas and other Buddhist symbols and objects, the Tibetan monastery is also a meditation centre and conducts courses based on meditation and the principles of Buddhism. It also shelters the Buddhist tourists who come to visit the holy place of Bodh Gaya.


Bodhgaya
Bodh Gaya is the place where the ascetic Gautama attained enlightenment under the sacred Bodhi tree and became Lord Buddha. Situated in the southern Bihar, Bodh Gaya is one of the four most sacred places for the Buddhists, while others being Lumbini, Sarnath and Kushinagar.


Other Attractions of Bodhgaya

• Maha Bodhi Temple : The Maha Bodhi temple, located in Bodh Gaya, is one of the most prominent Buddhist sites of India. The temple, sacred to both, the Budhists and the Hindus, comprise a large image of the Buddha, a Shiva lingam and other images of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas as well.
  
  
• Maha Bodhi Tree : A descendent of the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment, the Maha Bodhi tree is venerated by the Buddhists from all around the world. Under the 80 feet high and 115 years old Maha Bodhi tree lies a red sandstone slab known as Vajrasana on which the Buddha sat and meditated.
  
  
• Chankramana Chaitya : The Chankramana Chaitya or the Jewel walk is a raised platform where the Budha walked up and down in meditation during the third week following enlightenment.

Festivals
The Tibetan monastery in Bodh Gaya celebrates different festivals to mark the days related to the Buddha and Buddhism. The Buddha Jayanti festival, being the most important one, is celebrated every year on the full moon night in the month of Vaishakha(April-May) to mark the enlightenment day of the Lord Buddha. The Buddhists from all over the world come to Bodh Gaya to attend the celebrations of Buddha Jayanti. The festival is marked with religious discourses, prayers, sermons on the life of the Buddha, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation and worship of the Buddha's statues.

Another major festival held in the monastery is the Kalchakra ceremony, which lasts for 10 days every year in the month of January. The ceremony is presided over by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and religious head of the Tibetan Budhists. It is believed that one can attain salvation if he or she attends this ceremony at least once in a lifetime. A peace payer is also conducted to spread peace and harmony among every being.