The visit to this Buddhist Monument at Sanchi, one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites, was a part of the “Bhopal, Udayagiri Rock Cut Caves, Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Sanchi, Bhojpur, and Khajuraho – of Madhya Pradesh Heritage Walk” organized by the எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு, between 25th and 28th December 2024.
A WORLD HERITAGE MONUMENT SANCHI
Sanchi monuments have been inscribed on the world heritage list of the Convention on the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage. Inscription on this list confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural or natural site that deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity.
During the third century BC, the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (circa 273-36 BCE) the great patron of Buddhism, selected Vedisa Giri (Sanchi hill) for the foundation of a Buddhist establishment, because the hill ensured quietitude and seclusion necessary for monastic life and also was situated near the rich populous and patronizing city of Vidisha. He erected here a stone column and a brick stupa. The Sunga period (second century BC witnessed the stone encasing and enlargement of the stupa of Ashoka (stupa 1). Erection of balustrades around its ground, berm, stairway, and harmika. Reconstruction of temple 40 & building of stupa-2 and 3. During the Stavahana regime (first century BC). Four lofty gateways were added to stupa-1 and one gateway to stupa-3. Structural activities were on a slow pace during the reign of the Kshtrapas of Malwa (early centuries of the Christian era) and Sanchi imported images from Mathura. Four images of the Buddha are placed against the berm of stupa-1 facing the four entrances. Temple-17 and some other edifices were the contributions of the Gupta age. During the Seventh century CE, several Buddha images were installed and Temple 18 was erected on the foundations of an earlier edifice at the site. Several temples and monasteries were built. During the medieval period when the site of the Pratiharas and Paramaras of Malwa flourished in the region, the temple-45 is typical for its dimensions and exuberant ornamentation.
STUPA 1-(SECOND CENTURY B.C.)
The Stupa-1 consists of a plastered dome crowned by a triple umbrella within a railing and contains the brick stupa of Asoka within its core. A circumambulatory path approached by a double stairway is built against its base. The ground balustrade marks another procession a path around it. Four gateways (first century BCE) provide access to the stupa from the cardinal directions the height and the diameter of the stupa are 16 46 and 36.60 meters respectively. The inscribed parts of the railings pavements and gateways are the donations of a large number of devotees from Vidisha and other parts of the country. The scenes carved on the gateways generally depict jataka, legends, scenes from the life of Gautama Buddha, subjects connected with the history of Buddhism, past Buddhas, and miscellaneous decorative motifs. The four images of Buddha installed against the drum are the additions of the fifth century CE.
NORTHERN GATEWAY
The Gateway has many individual and panel sculptures, the panel sculptures, depict the scenes from the life of Buddha since Buddha was directly worshipped during that time. They are Bodhi trees and stupas of Manushi Buddhas, Bodhi trees of Manushi Buddhas, The vessantara jataka: Bodhisattva as prince Vessantara and is banished from the country by his father, Buddha visits Shravasti city and miraculously grows a mango tree, In the famous Jetavana of Shravasti, Buddha's Sangh stayed established in hutments, A scene related to the Buddha and citizens, Travel view, Scenes of revelry, Alambusa jataka, the hermitage of Kashyapa Bodhisattva and a one-horned son born of a deer is nearby, Miracle of Sankashya in this, Buddha has been depicted, As going to heaven through the steps to preach his mother, In the scene Buddha is depicted as leaving Kapilvastu.
The arrival of Buddha in Kapilvastu and preaching to Sakyas, Chhaddanta jataka - the Bodhisattva is described as a six-tusked elephant with his group, In the center is Indra sabha and alongside Sujata is shown offering pudding to Buddha, Vessantar jataka: the Bodhisattva Vessantar has been described as giving everything in charity, Arrival of Shakra to see Buddha, another Travel view, Arrival of Bimbisara, ruler of Magadha, at Venuvana to worship Buddha, Welcoming gatekeeper, Scene of stupa worship by foreign Greeks, Offering of honey by a monkey in addition to the devotees on the arrival of the Buddha in Vaishali, and Arrival of the Buddha in Kapilavastu through the sky route
EASTERN GATEWAY
In this Eastern Gateway, the sculptures are similar to Northern Gateway. Some of them are not in the Northern Gateway. They are Mahabhinishkramana, this is the scene of the renunciation of the Buddha, in which the umbrella on the horse has been shown, which is the symbol of the Buddha sitting on the horse, Buddha's travel and worship after attaining enlightenment, Buddha showing the miracle of walking on the waters of Niranjana River in spate near Uruvela village, Scene of the royal ceremony in which the king with soldiers is shown outside the city, going to worship Buddha, Scenes from the celestial world of seventh heaven where Indra (Shakra) is depicted holding thunderbolt and accompanied by Apsaras, animals, birds and imaginary animals worshipping Buddha in the form of a Stupa, Buddha being worshipped in the form of a stupa by elephants (This scene is of Ram Gram Stupa), Arrival of Buddha in Unuvela village and tableau of life has been described, The Miracle of the Serpent: The miracle of Buddha suppressing the poisonous cobra living in the fire temple in Uruvela village, After the suppression of the snake, the sages start the yagya and without the permission of the Buddha, neither the wood is burnt nor cut, Scene of worship of Buddhas symbol, The upper part depicts the dream of Mahamaya and the elephant entering the womb. In the middle and lower part of the scene, the ruler of Kapilavastu is leaving for the worship of the Buddha, here the Buddha is said to have come to the city through.
ASHOKA PILLAR
A local Zamindar reduced the highly polished monolithic column of Chunar Sandstone erected by Asoka to pieces. The lower portion of the shaft alone is in situ, while the Therematang portion lies inside a nearby shed. In its inscription, Asoka warned monks and nuns who tried to create a schism in the Buddhist community of expulsion. The magnificent capital with four lions is now exhibited in the museum.
Now in museum
SOUTH GATEWAY
In this Southern Gateway, the sculptures are similar to Northern and Eastern Gateways. Some of the unique sculptures are..., Symbolic depiction of the birth of Buddha in which the goddess is said to be standing on a lotus, Emperor Ashoka is going to open the stupa of Ramgram but is worshiping when the bones are not received, The scene of Buddha giving the first sermon of knowledge in Sarnath and the pillar and the antelope have been depicted, Scenes of ceremonies and procession, as well as attacks by Mar, are shown, The fragmentary pillar of this place has been preserved in the museum, Renunciation of the house: Buddha is depicted as a canopy on the horse, The Chhaddanta Jataka Budhisattva is described in the form of a six-tusked elephant with his herd in the forest of banyan trees where Chhaddanta is being killed by a hunter, After the death of Buddha, there was a war in Kushinagar for the distribution of the ashes and equal distribution of the ashes on the persuasion of a Brahmin named Drona, In Sambodhi and Bodhivriksha, the tree has been described with the temple and the king has been depicted with the queens and Scene of worship of Buddha's hair in heaven with people dancing around.
WEST GATEWAY
In this Western Gateway, the sculptures are similar to all the Gateway. Some of the unique sculptures of this Gateway are… Scene of the first sermon of Buddha in Sarnath, in which Dharmachakra and Mrigadav are shown, Scenes of revelry in which couples in the mountain ranges are shown playing or having a free ride, Mahakapi Jataka: Bodhisattva as the great monkey (mahakapi) sacrifices his life by stretching across the river as a to protect his subjects, Rulers of various regions are carrying the ashes of Buddha from Kushinagar, The Mallas of Kushinagar are obstructing the handing over of the ashes of Buddha. In the scene the Malla ruler is sitting with the queens in his palace, After attaining enlightenment, Buddha conquered Mara (Indra) and his army, (In the scene, Mara's army is said to be running away), Buddha is being protected by Nagraj Muchlind during of penance, Scene of Mara trying to break Buddha's penance and going back after a defeat, The Sakyas being preached by the Buddha in Kapil Vastu and Dvarapala - Depicted in Greek dress and carrying weapons in his hands, but because of the Triratna symbol on his sword, he is a Buddhist follower.
Ref
Archaeological Survey of India Display board.
Gupta Period Inscription
It occurs on the outer face of a railing on the south side of the East Gateway. The complete inscription is in Sanskrit and written in prose. It refers itself to (Gupta) the year 131 i.e.450-451 CE. the 5th day of the month Asvayuj (Sept.- Oct.) and records an endowment of sixteen gold coins (dinaras) to the Buddhist community residing in the monastery at Kakanada bota (Sanchi) namely twelve coins for feeding a monk day by day and three coins for the Jewel House (Ratna-griha) and one for the place of the Four Buddhas (catur- Buddh-asana), in both cases for maintaining lamps. The grant is made by the upasika Hariswamini, the wife of the upasaka Sanasiddha.
Text
01.S[iddha]m[II*] Upasaka-Sanasiddha-bhayyaya upasik(a*)-Hariswaminiya mata
02.pitaram-uddisya Kakanadabota-sri-mahavihare caturddisay-aryyasam-
03.ghaya akshaya-nivi data dinara dvadasa [I*] esham dinaranam ya vriddhi-
04.r-upajayate taya divase-divase samgha-madhya-pravishtaka-bhikshurekah bhoja-
05.yitavyah [I*] Ratna-grihe=pi dinara-trayam dattam [I*] (ta)d-dinaratrayasa vri(d*)dhya ratna-grihe
06.bhagavto Buddhasya divase-divase dipatr- ayam pravalayitavyam [I*] Catur-Buddh-asa
07.ne=pi dattah dinara ekah [I*] tasya vriddya catur-Buddh-asne
bhagvato Buddhasya
08.divase divase dipah pravalayitavyah [I*] Evam=esh=akshyanivi
09.acandr-arkka-sila-lekhya svamini-Sanasiddha-bharyayyaya
10.upasik(a *)-Harisvaminya pravarttit iti [I*]
11.Samvat 100 30 1 Asayug-di 5
Translation
(Lines 1 to 4)- Perfection! By the lay worshipper Hariswamini, the wife of the lay worshipper Sanasiddha, twelve gold coins (dinaras) are given for the benefit of (her) parents (as) a permanent endowment, to the order of the faithful, (assembled) from the four quarters, at the Great Monastery of Kakanada-bota with the interest that accrues from these gold coins, day by day one monk from among the order should be fed.
(Lines 5 to 6)- Also, three gold coins are given at the Jewel house. With the interest of these three gold coins, day by day three lamps of Lord Buddha should be lit in the Jewel house.
(Lines 6 to 8)- Also one gold coin is given in the place where (the images of ) the four Buddhas are seated. With the interest of this, day by day a lamp of Lord Buddha should be lit in the place where (the images of) the four Buddhas are seated.
(Lines 8 to 10)- Thus this permanent endowment,- written upon stone (to ensure) for the same time as the moon and sun,-has been established by the lay worshipper Hariswamini the noble lady wife of Sanasiddha.
(Line 11)-The year 100 (and) 30 (and) 1; (the month) Asvayuj; the day 5.
Ref
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
PC- website
STUPA No.2 -(SECOND CENTURY B.C.)
The relics of the Buddha's two chief disciples were found in the ruins of Stupa No.3 at Satdhara (six and a half miles west of Sanchi) which measured about forty feet in diameter and was smaller than the Great Stupa.
Stupas and monastries
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
No comments:
Post a Comment