DHAMMAYATRA '17 (PART V): LUMBINI, THE LAST BIRTH OF SIDDHATTA

Māyāsuto Sugatasākya sīhanātho,

Jātakkhane sapadasā'va bhisamkamitvā
Yasmim udīrayi giram vara lumbinimhi,

Tam jātacetiyamaham vandāmi

Lumbini Park

Entrance arch to Lumbini Park

Lumbini or Lumbini Sanskritik is a place located just at the south of Nepal. Well-known for the site where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Prince Siddhatta, Lumbini is located about 40 minutes of driving distance from Sonauli, the India-Nepal border. It is said that Queen Mayadevi was on her way back to her home country in Devadaha of Koliya kingdom when her birth pangs stroked while she was resting at Lumbini, a park located between Kapilavatthu and her home country. The site in which Prince Siddhatta was born is enclosed in the Mayadevi Vihara. Surrounding the vihara was some of the remaining ruins, a pond believed to be the place where the queen took her bath, and the damaged Asokan Pillar with Brahmi script erected during the King Asoka's pilgrimage to Lumbini. Due to the law forbidding cameras into the vihara, we're unable to capture any photo inside the vihara. Lumbini Park was designated by the Nepali authorities as the place for Buddhist temples and monasteries. Besides Mayadevi Vihara, there are other temples and monasteries as well, divided into temples of Mahayanan and Theravadan tradition with a canal in the middle. Each of the temple was represented by a country. During our tour in Lumbini Park, we managed to visit the temples of Burmese and German. To my surprise, the German stupa looks very Tibetan.

Mayadevi Vihara surrounded by the ruins

The pond beside Mayadevi Vihara that was believed to be the bathing place of Queen Mayadevi during her rest

The Brahmi scripts still visible on the Asokan Pillar

Translation of the Brahmi scripts engraved on the Asokan Pillar

A canal in Lumbini Park, dividing Mahayana and Theravadan monasteries, with the Santi Stupa far in the middle

The Burmese Temple in Lumbini Park

The Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa of German

The night after we toured Lumbini Park, we were honoured to have a Q&A session with Dr Basanta Bidari, the chief archaeologist responsible in discovering Lunbini Park as well as the Nigrodharama in Kudan near Tilaurakot, the Old Kapilavatthu. We really felt gratitude towards Dr. Basanti and his team for their effort in excavating the sites related to Buddhism. It's not easy for them to just discover the site. Behind the discovery, there are sacrifices of time, money and even mental energy.

Dr. Basanta Bidari as the honoured guest with Bro Tan

Tilaurakot, old site of Kapilavatthu

The location of ruins in Tilaurakot today was the place where the country of Kapilavatthu was located before the attack of King Vidudabha of Kosala. Kapilavatthu was once a prosperous country due to its large paddy production. King Suddhodāna, father of Prince Siddhatta, leader of the Sakyan clan and the ruler of Kapilavatthu by then, was named after rice, where his name bore the meaning "the one growing pure rice." The remains of the ruins at the site comprised of old monasteries and other ancient building structures. One could still see the site of the Eastern Gate of the old Kapilavatthu or The Gate of Great Renunciation (Mahabhinikkhamam Dvara), the gate where Prince Siddhatta left the palace for Anoma River to renounce. The excavation at the site of the ruins is still ongoing today.

Some of the excavated ruins at Tilaurakot

The remains of Eastern Gate of Kapilavatthu, Mahabhinikkhamam Dvara

The kingdom of Kapilavatthu faces its downfall after being attacked by King Vidudabha, the son and successor of King Pasenadi who had vowed for revenge against the Sakyans due to their humiliation against him. This had showed how the unwholesome behaviour of the royal Sakyans and the power of King Vidudabha's aversion brought downfall to a whole kingdom. This was the event where the Blessed One had defended Kapilavatthu from king's attack twice, but failed at the third attempt. King Vidudabha finally faces his mortality due to a sudden flash flood while he and his army were resting at the dry river bed of Achiravati River. Due to mortality of the Kosala's king, King Ajattasattu manage to take over the Kosala kingdom. The survivors who manage to evade the attack were believed to have escaped to the site of current Piprahwa in India, located about 30 km south of Tilaurakot, and established the new Kapilavatthu there. Located just nearby the site of ancient city Kapilavatthu was the twin stupa, which was erected to remember King Suddhodāna and Queen Mayadevi. Here, we circumambulated the stupa and made aspirations in gratitude for our parents.

Twin Stupa

Kudan, site of Nigrodharama

Just a few kilometers away from Tilaurakot was a place named Kudan, the site where Nigrodharama or the Banyan Grove was located. Nigrodharama was offered by King Suddhodāna to Lord Buddha and the Sangha community. During His visit to Kapilavatthu, the Blessed One would stay at Nigrodharama. A few notable suttas include the Madhupindika Sutta, Discourse of the Honey Ball (MN 18) was expounded at this place. There are remains of brick foundations of monasteries still visible here in Nigrodharama. Here too was the place where Ven. Rahula was ordained as a novice monk upon asking for his inheritance of Lord Buddha, who was also his father. A mound stupa was erected at a spot in Nigrodharama to commemorate the ordination of Ven. Rahula. The stupa was named Rahula Stupa. An old Hindu worship booth was built on top of the stupa before it was discovered as the site of Nigrodharama. The structure was still visible today.

Ruins of monasteries in Nigrodharama

Rahula stupa with an old Hindu worship structure built on top

Ramagama Stupa

Located about 50 km from Lumbini was the site of the Ramagama Stupa, the only original stupa still remained intact that contains the relics of Lord Buddha enshrined by the Koliyas of Ramagama. Located by the banks of Jahari River, this place serves as the best spot for open air meditation, in my opinion. 

The still-intact Ramagama Stupa

Circumambulating Ramagama Stupa while chanting Tiratanānusaranapātha

Rohini River

This river separates the kingdoms of the Sakyas and the Koliyas. There was an event where the two clans almost started a war over a quarrel on water resources for their respective agricultural activities, which had stemmed from their uncontentment. Lord Buddha had acted swiftly to intervene and stop the war from happening.

Rohini River, divider of the Sakyans and Koliyans

That's all for Lumbini, the site where the Blessed One was born for the last time; and Kapilavatthu, the country where the Bodhisatta had spent his first 29 years of his life before renouncing for the quest to Deathlessness.

My Dhammayatra journey continues...