A three-day International Buddhist Conclave ended in Rajgir on Sunday. The former Magadha capital has been closely associated with Buddhism. The Vulture’s Peak in Rajgir is said to have been one of Siddhartha Gautama’s favourite retreats and he is said to have preached The Lotus Sutra, Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra from there
Buddha’s first patron
Gautama visited Rajir even before his enlightenment. According to the Sutta Nipata, Bimbisara, the then king of Magadha, is said to have been struck by the young Gautama’s radiant demeanor and followed him to the mountains
Enlightenment, before and after
The king told Gautama, “You are in the prime of your life, a kshatriya of good birth who should be adorning an army ... I would be happy to grant you position and wealth”.
Rejecting the king’s offer politely, the Buddha told him that he had seen the peril in sensual pleasures. “I shall go in order to strive. In that my mind delights”
Bamboo Grove
After enlightenment, Gautama returned to Magadha. On learning of his return, Bimbisara went to hear him speak and is said to have “gone beyond doubt and become independent” in his understanding of what the Buddha taught.
Bimbisara then offered Gautama a disused park called Bamboo Grove in Rajgir, where he could base his community
When Gautama arrived in Rajgir from Kapilavasthu around 450 BCE, he would have found himself in one of the most populous and thriving cities of the day.
Rajgir with its dramatic ring of hills that form a natural protective circle, was a busy commercial center blessed with hot springs that provided a constant source of water. It was an industrial town, with iron and copper mines nearby, and a heavily fortified military base