It was here under the Bodhi tree that the prince-ascetic Gotama became the fully enlightened Buddha. For two and a half millennia, Bodh Gaya has been a magnet for pilgrims from all Buddhist cultures. People from the Theravada countries of Southeast Asia, the Mahayana countries of the Far East, and the Vajrayana countries of the Himalayan north still come to venerate this sacred site, each in a fashion unique to his or her own tradition. Thus, within a two- mile radius, temples have been constructed in the architectural styles of Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Bhutan, and Tibet. Antioch Education Abroad interweaves the diverse resources of Bodh Gaya into a fall semester study program.
Emphasis is placed on a comparative approach to both theory and practice.
Participants reach their own understanding of that essence which is common to all the varieties of Buddhism, while learning to appreciate the many cultural and historical environments in which it has flourished. At the heart of the Buddhist Studies Program is the desire to allow students to inquire into this subject from as many different points of view as possible. Western academic models are systematically used in the core courses, while Buddhist philosophies are tested in the meditation traditions course. Students are encouraged to examine their own cultural and intellectual assumptions as they pursue these studies in a challenging and supportive environment. Since the Buddhist Studies Program began in 1979, people from a wide variety of schools have participated.