Description
Copyright infringement not intended
Picture Courtesy: Wikipedia
Context:
India issued a court notice to Sotheby’s auction house and the Peppé family, requesting the immediate cessation of an auction of historic artefacts from Piprahwa Stupa, which are thought to be associated with the cremated remains of Lord Buddha.
About Piprahwa Relics
- During an excavation in the Siddharthnagar district of UP, close to the Nepal border, the artefacts belonging to the Piprahwa were found in 1898 by an English engineer named William Claxton Peppe.
- Uncovering a massive stone coffer hidden beneath a stupa was Peppe's excavation feat.
- Among the artefacts found in the sandstone chest were various gold jewellery and gemstones, as well as bone fragments thought to be the Buddha's ashes, soapstone and crystal coffins, and a sandstone coffer.
- British authorities used the Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878 to stake a claim to the artefacts.
- The Indian Museum in Kolkata received the bulk of the artefacts, which included over 1,800 pieces of pearls, rubies, topaz, sapphires, and gold sheets.
Historical Importance
- With Buddha's cremation around 480 BCE, Peppé uncovered what is thought to be one of the first eight stupas housing his remains.
- It is thought that the stupa, which houses Buddha's relics, was built by the Sakya clan, who were his relatives.
- All across the world, Buddhists hold the relics in the highest regard as sacred artefacts and intangible religious treasures.
Stupas with Buddha’s Relics:
- Following the Buddha's death (Mahaparinirvana), his burned relics were distributed among eight kingdoms, with a Brahmin named Drona coordinating their distribution.
- Each recipient constructed a Stupa to house their portion of the relics, resulting in significant pilgrimage destinations and early centres of Buddhist worship.
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Original 9 Stupas Locations
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Rajagriha
Vaishali
Kapilavastu
Allakappa
Ramagrama
Vethadipa
Pava
Kushinagar
Pippalivana
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Ashoka’s Role (3rd century BCE)
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Redistributed relics from original stupas into thousands of new stupas across his empire
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Unique Feature of Ramagrama Stupa
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Believed to be untouched and still holds the original relics
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Structure of Early Buddhist Stupa
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Hemispherical mound (anda)
Square railing (harmika)
Central pillar (yashti) with umbrellas (chatra)
Path for circumambulation (pradakshinapatha)
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Practice Questions
Q.With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: [UPSC 2023] Question:
- The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
- Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
- Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Options:
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer:
(b) Only two
Explanation:
- Statement 1: The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
Incorrect.
The stupa concept predates Buddhism. Mounds and burial tumuli were part of pre-Buddhist traditions in India, used for funerary purposes by various indigenous communities. Buddhism adopted and popularized the stupa form, giving it distinct religious significance, but the idea itself is not originally Buddhist.
- Statement 2: Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
Correct.
Stupas are traditionally associated with enshrining the relics (śarīra) of the Buddha or other significant monks and teachers. The earliest stupas, including the famous ones at Sanchi and Bharhut, served this purpose.
- Statement 3: Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
Correct.
Apart from housing relics, stupas also served as votive offerings and commemorative monuments to mark significant events, places, or as a form of merit-making by devotees.
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