Fortress City and Sacred Hill
Rajgir — ancient Rajagriha, “the Royal House” — was one of the great cities of Buddha’s world. As the capital of the kingdom of Magadha, ruled during Buddha’s lifetime by King Bimbisara and later by his son Ajatashatru, it was a centre of political power, trade, and intellectual life. The Jain teacher Mahavira also spent time here. Extensive ruins of the old city walls still trace the hills and valleys around the town.
For Buddhist pilgrimage, Rajgir’s most significant feature is Gridhakuta — the “Vulture’s Peak” or “Vulture’s Beak Hill,” a rocky outcrop rising above the valley, where Buddha delivered many important discourses. The Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, the Vimalakirti Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra are among those whose setting is located here by tradition, making Gridhakuta one of the most significant sites in Mahayana Buddhism.
