Odantapuri Buddhist Monastery- Bihar

Address

Odantapuri Buddhist Monastery Odantapuri, Bihar Sharif, Bihar 803101

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Odantapuri (also called Odantapura or Uddandapura) was a prominent Buddhist Mahavihara in Bihar, India. It is believed to have been established by Gopala I in the 8th century. It is considered the second oldest of India’s Mahaviharas after Nalanda and was situated in Magadha. Inscriptional evidence also indicates that the Mahavihara was supported by local Buddhist kings like the Pithipatis of Bodh Gaya. It is considered the second oldest of India’s Mahaviharas and was situated in Magadha.

Puranic Significance

Gopala, the founder of the Pala dynasty, who ascended the throne of Bengal in 750 CE; founded the monastery at Odantapuri. However, Bu-ston, the Tibetan Buddhist leader, was of the opinion that the Odantapuri monastery was built by Gopala’s son and successor, Dharmapala. Odantapuri was part of a network of five Mahaviharas in eastern India. The others were Nalanda, Vikramashila, Somapura, and Jagaddala. The Odantapuri destroyed by Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji in the late 12th-century.