DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0092
Chap. III.
BUDDIT GAYA.
69
be 28 ft, in diameter by 21 ft. in height, resting on a basement 14 ft.
high, so that its total height, when complete, may have been about
55 ft.1 As it was not mentioned by Fa Iliaii, a.d. 400, and is by
Hiouen Thsang, a.d. 640, its age is probably, as General Cunningham
states, intermediate between these dates, or about a.d. 500.s It is a
bold, fine tower, evidently earlier than that at Sarnath, and showing
nothing of the tendency towards Hindu forms there displayed. It
has, too, the remains of a procession-path, or extended basement
which is wholly wanting at Sarnath, but which is always found in
the earlier monuments. It was erected, as Hiouen Thsang tells us,
in honour of a Hansa—goose—who devoted itself to relieve the wants
of a starving community of Bhikshus.3
The third stupa, if it may be so called, is the celebrated temple
at Buddh (iaya, which stands immediately in front of the celebrated
Bodhi-tree (Ficus religiosa)* under whose shade Buddha attained
complete enlightenment in the thirty-fifth year of his age, b.c. 588.
Its history is told in such detail by Hiouen Thsang6 that there seems
little doubt as to the main facts of the case. According to this
authority, Asoka built a small vihara here, but long afterwards this
was replaced by a temple 1UO ft. high and GO ft. (20 paces) wide,
which are the exact dimensions of the present building, according to
Cunningham,0 and we are further told that it was erected by a
Brahman, who was warned by Maheswara (Siva), in a vision, to
execute this work. In tlr's temple there was a cella corresponding
with the dimensions of that found there, in which the Brahman
placed a statue of Buddha, seated cross-legged, with one hand pointing
to the earth. Who this Brahman was we learn from an inscription
translated by Mr. AVilkins in vol. i. of the 'Asiatic Researches' (p.
284), for it can hardly be doubted that the Brahman of the Chinese
Pilgrim is identical with the Amara Deva of the inscription, who was
one of the ornaments of the court of Vicramaditya of Malwa, a.d.
495-530. From a Burmese inscription on the spot, first translated by
Colonel Burner, we further learn that the place, having fallen into
decay, was restored by the Burmese in the year 1306-I309.7
From the data these accounts afford as we gather, with very
tolerable certainty, that the building we now see before us (Woodcut
1 1 Arohffiologic&l Reports,' vol. i. ]>. Asoka's age in a locality where Buddhism
17. has been so long forgotten. Montgomery
- [bid., p. 19. Martin's ' Eastern India,' vol. i. p. 76.
:1 ' Hiouen Huang,' vol. iii. p. 60. 5 ' Hiouen Thsang,'vol. ii. pp. 464-468.
* Buchanan Hamilton was told by the 6 ' Archfeological Reports,' vol. i. p. 5.
priests on the spot, in 1811, that it wai "'Journal of the Asiatic Society of
planted there 2225 years ago, or B.C. 414, Bengal,' 1834, vol. iv. p. 214. See also
and that the temple was built 126 veal's Cunningham, ' Arehieologieal Reports,'
afterwards, or in 289. Not a bad guess for vol. i. p. 5, ei seqq.
BUDDIT GAYA.
69
be 28 ft, in diameter by 21 ft. in height, resting on a basement 14 ft.
high, so that its total height, when complete, may have been about
55 ft.1 As it was not mentioned by Fa Iliaii, a.d. 400, and is by
Hiouen Thsang, a.d. 640, its age is probably, as General Cunningham
states, intermediate between these dates, or about a.d. 500.s It is a
bold, fine tower, evidently earlier than that at Sarnath, and showing
nothing of the tendency towards Hindu forms there displayed. It
has, too, the remains of a procession-path, or extended basement
which is wholly wanting at Sarnath, but which is always found in
the earlier monuments. It was erected, as Hiouen Thsang tells us,
in honour of a Hansa—goose—who devoted itself to relieve the wants
of a starving community of Bhikshus.3
The third stupa, if it may be so called, is the celebrated temple
at Buddh (iaya, which stands immediately in front of the celebrated
Bodhi-tree (Ficus religiosa)* under whose shade Buddha attained
complete enlightenment in the thirty-fifth year of his age, b.c. 588.
Its history is told in such detail by Hiouen Thsang6 that there seems
little doubt as to the main facts of the case. According to this
authority, Asoka built a small vihara here, but long afterwards this
was replaced by a temple 1UO ft. high and GO ft. (20 paces) wide,
which are the exact dimensions of the present building, according to
Cunningham,0 and we are further told that it was erected by a
Brahman, who was warned by Maheswara (Siva), in a vision, to
execute this work. In tlr's temple there was a cella corresponding
with the dimensions of that found there, in which the Brahman
placed a statue of Buddha, seated cross-legged, with one hand pointing
to the earth. Who this Brahman was we learn from an inscription
translated by Mr. AVilkins in vol. i. of the 'Asiatic Researches' (p.
284), for it can hardly be doubted that the Brahman of the Chinese
Pilgrim is identical with the Amara Deva of the inscription, who was
one of the ornaments of the court of Vicramaditya of Malwa, a.d.
495-530. From a Burmese inscription on the spot, first translated by
Colonel Burner, we further learn that the place, having fallen into
decay, was restored by the Burmese in the year 1306-I309.7
From the data these accounts afford as we gather, with very
tolerable certainty, that the building we now see before us (Woodcut
1 1 Arohffiologic&l Reports,' vol. i. ]>. Asoka's age in a locality where Buddhism
17. has been so long forgotten. Montgomery
- [bid., p. 19. Martin's ' Eastern India,' vol. i. p. 76.
:1 ' Hiouen Huang,' vol. iii. p. 60. 5 ' Hiouen Thsang,'vol. ii. pp. 464-468.
* Buchanan Hamilton was told by the 6 ' Archfeological Reports,' vol. i. p. 5.
priests on the spot, in 1811, that it wai "'Journal of the Asiatic Society of
planted there 2225 years ago, or B.C. 414, Bengal,' 1834, vol. iv. p. 214. See also
and that the temple was built 126 veal's Cunningham, ' Arehieologieal Reports,'
afterwards, or in 289. Not a bad guess for vol. i. p. 5, ei seqq.