His name was Ashoka, the grandson of the founder of the Mauryan empire, a powerful dynasty centered on the city of ancient Pataliputra near modern-day Patna.
Ashoka the Great became emperor circa B. In the eighth year of his reign, he underwent a profound spiritual change. After observing the suffering caused by his war, the king felt such remorse that he renounced violence and embraced Buddhism. Ashoka imposed Buddhist teachings as a state policy and inscribed his new principles and strategies on landmarks and pillars across his empire. See 20 beautiful Buddhist temples around the world.
By around 50 B. Buddhism started taking root thousands of miles east of its homeland, reaching Japan by the fifth century. In the s a pillar was found there with a third-century B. Excavations at Lumbini have revealed a complex site with many structures erected over centuries. One of the most sacred is the Shakya Tank, a pool where Maya is believed to have bathed before giving birth.
Remains of Buddhist monasteries have been found dating from the third century B. Archaeologists have also uncovered ruins of stupas sacred shrines from as recent as the 15th century A. Until recently, the earliest archaeological evidence of established Buddhist practice has been from the third century B. An international team had been excavating beneath an Ashokan-era brick pavement at Lumbini.
Led by archaeologists Robin Coningham and Kosh Prasad Acharya, the team removed the pavement to find remnants of a wooden structure. When analyzed, the samples were found to date to around B. Mineralized tree roots found there suggest the wooden structure was likely a bodhigara, a tree shrine. According to tradition, the Buddha designated Lumbini as a pilgrimage site during his lifetime.
As the tree shrine has been dated to around the sixth century B. All rights reserved. History Magazine. Buddha's birthplace yields clues about his mysterious life Facts about the life and times of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would become the Buddha, are elusive, but scholars are finding answers in Lumbini, Nepal. A Buddhist sage, known as a sadhu, sits under a bodhi tree in Lumbini, which is an active Buddhist pilgrimage site even as archaeologists are excavating it. Share Tweet Email. People come here to make wishes in hope of them becoming true.
They tie a flag around the tree per wish. The place is very peaceful and people generally do meditation there. It is also believed that the first bath of Siddhartha Gautama also took place here. Lumbini Museum,displays artifacts from Mauryan and Kushana periods. The museum possess religious manuscripts, metal sculptures and stamps from all over the world depicting Lumbini. Lumbini is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.
The closest airport to Lumbini is at Bhairahawa , 22km from Lumbini. He was then given a purification bath in the same pond his mother had bathed in. The year was BC and it was just the start of a long journey for Prince Siddhartha to become Buddha, and an even longer journey for the religion that would take his name.
Surrounding the Mayadevi Temple are the foundations of ancient monasteries that were built here for pilgrims as early as the 3rd century BC. For visitors, Lumbini is an incredibly spiritual place and the tranquillity of the site is felt the strongest in the Sacred Garden that surrounds the central Mayadevi Temple. A large water feature, said to be the same pond where Prince Siddhartha was given his purification bath, reflects the trees of the garden.
Prayer flags hang from the branches and gently sway in the breeze as worshippers sit below in deep meditation. For pilgrims who have made the long journey to get here, this is the moment they have been travelling towards. While Lumbini is a focal point for Buddhist pilgrims, there are visitors with a variety of faiths and beliefs who come for a spiritual experience.
However, there is much more to Lumbini than just the central temple and garden. Even further afield, in the area around the Lumbini, there are thousands of years of history to explore.
For pilgrims, Lumbini is one of the holiest places to visit. In fact, it is one of the four sacred sites that Buddha reportedly advised his disciples and followers to see for themselves. Rich and poor, healthy and sick, people come all year long from all across the world to realise this dream.
It is impossible to see the physical here without also thinking about the spiritual, for everything here is intrinsically linked to the story of Buddha and his teachings. His messages to his followers were strongly influenced by what he saw in this region while growing up, and the encounters he had with followers here after his enlightenment also helped shaped his legacy.
In the serene natural setting of the Sacred Garden, ancient shrines and religious buildings blend together with modern spiritual iconography. Regardless of faith, many visitors find it is the atmosphere of Lumbini that creates a special spiritual energy and serenity.
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