[The discovery of the block of stone known now as the Marker Stone on the platform made of seven layers of bricks (from the natural soil) and an arched niche with two sandstones on the east of the Marker Stone are unique features in the entire Maurya terracotta structure at Lumbini. Moreover these stones are found vertically under the spot where the Nativity image was placed. So the Marker Stone and an arched niche with two sandstones have an important message to convey i.e. pointing out the exact spot here Prince Siddhartha Gautam was born. Ashokan pillar inscription also mentions hidabuddhajate and hidabhagavanjateti. The Divyavadana refers that royal preceptor Upagupta had said Asmin Maharaja pradeshe Bhagawna Jata. It also mentions that Idarn hipratham caityam Budddhasyotam Cakshyusa (This is the fitst chaitya of Buddha the Enlightened One).]
By: Prof. Tulasi Ram Vaidya
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| The Buddha birth place marker stone |
Lumbini, situated in the Tarai of south-western region of Nepal, is renowned in the world as the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, the Apostle of Peace. On the Vaisakha full moon day of 623 B.C.'. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the future Buddha was born there when his mother Mahamaya was on the way to Devadaha, her native home.
Importance of Lumbini
It is mentioned in the Buddhist texts that Siddhartha Gautam immediately after birth walked seven steps, raised the second finger of his right hand and proclaimed Aggohamasrni Lokassa. “I am the foremost of all the creatures of the world to cross the riddle of the ocean of existence. I have come to the world to show the path of Emancipation. This is my last birth and hereafter I will not be born again" The Nativity sculpture of Lumbini (dating 4th- 5th century A.D.) shows Mayadevi, mother of Lord Buddha, supporting herself by holding a branch of a tree by her right hand. The newly born Siddhartha Gautam is depicted standing upright on the lotus flower. Two other celestial figures are seen pouring water. Lotus flowers are also seen scattered from heaven. Later on after attaining Buddhahood, while visiting Kapilavastu, Lumbini and nearby areas in connection with his preaching, Lord Buddha is described to have said, while discussing with his disciple Bhikshu Anand:
"Anand! There are four places which should be (visited and) seen by a person of devotion and which would cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence" The Digha Nikaya further mentions: "Anand! all those who are on a pilgrimage to (these) shrine, should they die with devotion in their hearts during the course of their pilgrimage, will after (the dissolution of the body) be reborn in good destination, a fortunate celestial (deva) realm.
Pilgrimage Shrine
Being the birthplace of Lord Buddha Lumbini has been revered a holy pilgrimage shrine since ancient times. In the 20th year of his coronation i.e. in 249 B.C. Emperor Ashoka of India, guided and accompanied by his royal preceptor Upagupta, visited the spot, erected the stambha (pillar) with a typical Asokan inscription and placed a commemorative stone (Silavigadabhicha) to mark the birth place of Lord Buddha (at the exact spot where prince Siddhartha Gautam touched on earth) for the benefit of the future generations of mankind. The five line inscription of the Ashokan pillar gives us the exact information that King Piyadasi (Ashok), the beloved of Devas, in the 20th year of the coronation, himself made a visit to Lumbini and paid homage to Lord Buddha. Realizing that Buddha Sakyamuni was born here, Silavigadabhica was placed and stone pillar (stambha) erected. As Bhagavan (Buddha) was born here, Lumbinigrama was declared ubalikekate athabhagiyecha.
In the translation of the text (inscription) there is much controversy about the word Silavigadabhica. Different scholars have given different interpretations about the word. A. Barth and R. Basak explained it as "a stone image of she-ass as the capital", R. Pischel and G. Buhler "not as uncouth as a donkey" or "by finely wrought, polished", Dr. B.C. Law, V.A. Smith and J. Charpenlier "a stone horse (capita) not a donkey", or "a stone bearing a horse", R. Pischel (later on) "a flawless block of stone" from which the pillar was made, J. F. Fleet "a stone wall which is an enclosure and a screen", P. Thieme "a featherless horse", Kenneth R. Norman "a wall made from or decorated with stonew6. R. K. Mookherji has interpreted it as "a stone bearing a figure"'. Rajbali Pandey, Amulyachandra, Dinesh Chandra Sircar, Romilla Thapar and Janardan Bhatta have interpreted the word as the "railing of stone".
Bhikshu Sudarshan Mahasthavira of Nepal has written that a meeting, conducted on his request, attended by the monks, scholars and professors of Chulangkorn University, Dhammasaha University and Chakravat of Bangkok, the word silavigadabhicha was interpreted as "disfiguring a stone or engraved the inscription on a stone." Bhikshu Sudarshan is also of the opinion that all participants in that Bangkok meet were unanimous in their opinion that a stone figure, probably a prototype of the famous Nativity image of Lumbini was made.
The discovery of the block of stone known now as the Marker Stone on the platform made of seven layers of bricks (from the natural soil) and an arched niche with two sandstones on the east of the Marker Stone are unique features in the entire Maurya terracotta structure at Lumbini. Moreover these stones are found vertically under the spot where the Nativity image was placed. So the Marker Stone and an arched niche with two sandstones have an important message to convey i.e. pointing out the exact spot here Prince Siddhartha Gautam was born. Ashokan pillar inscription also mentions hidabuddhajate and hidabhagavanjateti. The Divyavadana refers that royal preceptor Upagupta had said Asmin Maharaja pradeshe Bhagawna Jata. It also mentions that Idarn hipratham caityam Budddhasyotam Cakshyusa (This is the fitst chaitya of Buddha the Enlightened One).
'I'hus the inscription and the literary evidence clearly mention the exact spot of birth of Lord Buddha. Emperor Ashoka, having erected the stambha (pillar) with inscription, seems to have constructed a vihar in that complex. The excavations have indeed revealed the Mauryan terracotta structure around the pillar.
Ashoka erected inscribed pillars also at Gotihawa and Niglihawa to mark the birth places of Krakuchhanda Buddha and Kanaka,Muni Buddha, respectively. The Niglihawa pillar inscription of Ashoka mentions that King Piydashi, beloved of Gods, (Ashoka) after 14 years of his anointment enlarged for the s ie the stupa of Kanaka Muni Buddha and ' year of his anointment he came himself anu worshipped and caused (this) stone pillar to be erected. (read more)
