The Vulture Peak (Pali: गिज्झकूट, Sanskrit: गृध्रकूट), also known as the Holy Eagle Peak or Gridhrakūta (or Gādhrakūta), was, according to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha's favorite retreat in Rajagaha - now Rajgir, located in Bihar, India. It is so named because it resembles a sitting vulture with its wings folded, and was the scene for many of his discourses.
In Buddhist literature
Vulture Peak Mountain is, by tradition, one of several sites frequented by
the Buddha and his community of disciples for both training and retreat. Its location is frequently mentioned in
Buddhist texts in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism
and in the
Mahayana sutras as the place where the Buddha gave certain sermons. Among the sermons are the
Heart Sutra, the
Lotus Sutra and the
Śūraṅgama Samādhi Sūtra as well as many
prajnaparamita sutras. It is explicitly mentioned in the
Lotus Sutra, chapter 16, as the Buddha's
pure land:
Gallery
File:Monk in the hills around Vulture Peak Rajgir, Bihar, India.jpg|Monk in the hills around Vulture Peak
File:Meditation area, Griddhakuta Hill, Rajgir.jpg|Meditation area
File:Rajgir - 035 Gijjhakuta from Above (9242176293).jpg|View from above
File:Mulagandhakuti in Vulture Peak.jpg|Vulture Peak
File:Rajgir - 037 Chanting (9242149699).jpg|Buddhist assembly
Notes
Bibliography
External links
