Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t3.6

v1.c7.s2.t3.6

According to Buddhist texts, more than 2,550 years ago, Siddharth Gautam spent six years in Uruvela [Bodhgaya] subjecting himself to intense penance and fasting. Failing to attain the required knowledge, he accepted the rice pudding from a local woman devotee Sujata who lived just across the Niranjana River. Finally after deep meditation for three days under a peepal tree, he attained enlightenment and became the Buddha on *Vaishakh Purnima* (full moon day in April-May). He then spent seven weeks in seven different sites here in contemplation before setting off to Sarnath in Varanasi to announce his newly discovered knowledge, wisdom and truth. From Sarnath, he returned to Uruvela again on the way to Rajgriha. He met here three ascetic brothers, Nadi Kasspa, Gaya Kassap and Uruvela Kaasap. Deeply impressed by his serenity and wisdom, they along with their 1,000 disciples requested to be ordained as monks and proceeded to Rajgriha with him. Buddha probably never returned to this place again.