Gurpa: The mountain where Mahakassapa waits for Maitreya | 2021 |

When Maha Kassapa, the Buddha’s successor, realised that his life was drawing to a close he set out for Kukkutapadagiri, his favourite mountain resort. When his progress to the peak was hindered by rocks he struck them with his staff and they opened to let him through. On arriving at the summit a cavity opened in the rocks, he entered, fell into a deep meditative trance and the rocks closed around him. Legend says that in the distance future when Maitreya appears in the world he will come to Kukkitapadagiri, awaken Maha Kassapa, receive the Buddha’s robe from him and then begin to announce the new dispensation. This sacred mountain is now called Gurpa. When you arrive at the village of Gurpa, cross the railway line and take one of the paths that lead to the mountain. From its foot a rough and rather steep path leads up. This path will eventually stop at the base of a sheer cliff which has a huge narrow crack in it. Enter this crack and proceed upwards. Don’t forget to bring a torch, you’ll need it. After emerging from the dark into the open again keep climbing and soon you will come to another cave. This may be the place where Asanga spent many years meditating. Leaving this cave and continuing to climb you will soon arrive at the summit where their there are several Hindu shrines and a few Buddhist antiquities. The view from the top is conducive to meditation. This is a wonderful place to read and reflect on Maha Kassapa’s beautiful and evocative ’Ode to the Mountains’ from the Theragatha. A translation can be found in K R Norman’s Elder’s Verses published by the Pali Text Society. For more details about Gurpa and its history you can also read my ’Where Maha Kassapa Waits’ in The Middle Way, London, February 1998. To get to Gurpa take the Fatipur road from Gaya via Fatipur to Gurpa, a distance of about 33 kilometres over fairly good roads. It will be a long days journey from Bodh Gaya so leave early. Map location Music used : Martyn Bennett - Blackbird ignore these. bihar tourism ad, bihar tourism chhath, bihar tourism chhath puja, bihar tourism song, bihar tourism video, bihar tourist places, bihar tourism reaction, bihar tourism official video, bihar tourism bus, bihar tourism brand ambassador, bihar tourism bihar sharif, tourism in bihar bpsc, bihar tourism chhath song, bihar tourism chhath geet, bihar tourism chhath 2020, bihar tourism chhath puja status, bihar tourism chhath pooja, bihar tourism chhath video, tourism karu mai bihar dj song, bihar tourism funny slogan, bihar tourism gaya, bihar tourism incredible india, tourism karu mai bihar, tourism karunga bihar, bihar tourism motto, bihar tourism news, valmiki nagar bihar tourism, bihar tourist place, bihar tourist point, bihar tourist places in, bihar tourist places videos, bihar tourism project, chhath puja bihar tourism, bihar tourism rajgir, sasaram bihar tourism, sitamarhi bihar tourism, bihar tourism theme, bihar tourism vlog, vaishali bihar tourism bodh gaya temple, bodh gaya tourism, bodh gaya tree, bodh gaya song, bodh gaya rikshawala, bodh gaya pind daan, bodh gaya news, bodh gaya ki kahani, bodh gaya army rally 2020, bodh gaya after lockdown, bodhgaya airport, bodhgaya all temple, bodhgaya ashram, bodhgaya attack, bodhgaya airport video, bodh gaya army, bodh gaya bihar, bodh gaya bhojpuri song, bodh gaya bodh bhagwan, bodh gaya bodhi tree, bodh gaya blast, bodh gaya bodhi vriksha, bodh gaya bodh mahotsav 2020, bodhgaya blog, bodh gaya city, bodh gaya city tour, bodhgaya chanting, bodh gaya comedy, bodh gaya cartoon, bodhgaya casein, bodhgaya chunav live, bodhgaya chhath puja, bodh gaya darshan, bodh gaya dham, bodh gaya dj song, bodh gaya drone, bodh gaya dance, bodhgaya documentary, bodh gaya dance video, bodh gaya direction, bodhgaya election, bodhgaya eye hospital, bodh gaya eye camp 2020, bodh gaya essay in hindi, bodh gaya enlightenment, bodh gaya falgu nadi, bodhgaya food, bodh gaya festival, bodh gaya famous places, bodh gaya flying beast, bodh gaya facts, bodhgaya fish pond, bodh gaya from patna, bodh gaya gana, bodhgaya ghumne ki jagah, bodhgaya gautam budh ka mandir, bodhgaya glass bridge, bodhgaya gaya, bodhgaya gamer, bodhgaya gudiya ki comedy, bodh gaya guest house, bodh gaya hotels, bodh gaya hai, bodhgaya history, bodh gaya hawai adda, bodhgaya havaldar ki comedy, bodh gaya hotel rates, bodh gaya hindi, bodh gaya history in hindi, bodh gaya in tamil, bodh gaya india, bodhgaya in bihar, bodh gaya international airport, bodh gaya in covid, bodhgaya image, bodh gaya iska wala, bodh gaya iim, bodh gaya ji, bodh gaya japan, bodh gaya jaane ka rasta, bodh gaya junction, bodh gaya kaise jaye, bodh gaya kaha hai, bodh gaya ki nadi, bodh gaya ki comedy, bodh gaya kis rajya mein hai, bodh gaya ke gana, bodhgaya ka video,