Buddhist and Jain Sites

Every place on this map

1. LumbiniNepalBirthplace of the Buddha (563 BC); Ashoka's Rummindei pillar marks the exact spot.
2. KapilavastuUttar PradeshThe Shakya capital and the Buddha's home; identified with Piprahwa in Siddharthnagar district.
3. Bodh GayaBiharWhere the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, on the Niranjana river.
4. SarnathUttar PradeshThe Deer Park where the Buddha gave his first sermon, the Dhammachakra-pravartana.
5. KushinagarUttar PradeshWhere the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (483 BC); the Pali texts call it Kusinara.
6. ShravastiUttar PradeshCapital of Kosala; the Buddha spent more rainy seasons here than anywhere else.
7. SankasyaUttar PradeshWhere the Buddha is said to have descended from the Tushita heaven; one of the eight great places.
8. RajgirBiharThe First Buddhist Council (483 BC) met at the Sattapanni cave under Ajatashatru's patronage.
9. VaishaliBiharThe Second Council (383 BC) under Kalashoka; the first split, into Sthaviravadins and Mahasanghikas.
10. PataliputraBiharThe Third Council (about 250 BC) under Ashoka; Moggaliputta Tissa presided.
11. KundalvanaJammu & KashmirThe Fourth Council (1st century AD) under Kanishka; Vasumitra presided with Ashvaghosha as deputy.
12. NalandaBiharThe great mahavihara, flourishing from Gupta to Pala times; founded under Kumaragupta I.
13. VikramshilaBiharThe Pala mahavihara near Bhagalpur, founded by Dharmapala in the 8th-9th century.
14. AmaravatiAndhra PradeshThe great stupa of the Satavahana age; famed for white-limestone sculptures of the Krishna valley.
15. NagarjunakondaAndhra PradeshVijayapuri, the Ikshvaku capital; Buddhist stupas, chaityas and monasteries.
16. PavapuriBiharWhere Mahavira attained nirvana; the Jal Mandir stands in the middle of its tank.
17. ParasnathJharkhandSammed Shikhar in Giridih; the hill where twenty of the twenty-four tirthankaras are believed to have attained nirvana.
18. ShravanabelagolaKarnatakaThe Bahubali (Gommateshwara) monolith on Vindhyagiri, in Hassan district.
19. PalitanaGujaratThe temple city on Shatrunjaya hill near Bhavnagar; over 800 temples.
20. GirnarGujaratSacred to Jains as the nirvana place of Neminatha, the 22nd tirthankara.
21. Udayagiri-KhandagiriOdishaJain rock-cut caves near Bhubaneswar; Rani Gumpha is the finest carving.