Dharmarajika Stupa
BCE | |
| Site notes | |
|---|---|
| Archaeologists | Sir John Marshall |
| Official name | Taxila |
| Criteria | iii, iv |
| Designated | 1980 |
| Reference no. | 139 |
The Dharmarajika Stupa (
History
It is believed that the Dharmarajika Stupa was built over the remains of an even older stupa that had been built by the
Small stupas that predate the main stupa are found throughout the Dharmarajika site, and surrounded an earlier core stupa in an irregular layout.
The site came under control of Persian
Destruction
The site was devastated by the
Excavation
The stupa was excavated by
Layout
The location of the stupa and its monastic community about one kilometre outside of Sirkap is in conformity with the Buddha's recommendation that monasteries should be neither "too far" nor "too close" to adjacent towns.[10] Three distinctive types of masonry in the buildings around the main stupa suggest the contributions of different periods to the building activity.
Core stupa
Dharmarajika Stupa is the largest of all stupas in the Taxila region,
The stupa's large anda, or hemispherical mound, is damaged − though the
The stupa's southern gateway was initially considered the most important, though the construction of four smaller stupas (termed G7, G8, S7, Q1) to the west of the stupa indicate that this then likely became the preferred entrance for those performing circambulation.[8] Later constructions around the "Eastern Avenue" then shifted the preferred route for circambulation to the eastern side of the stupa.[8]
Before entering the main sacred areas, visitors to the shrine from Sirkap would pass through a large building, now termed building H, that would openly display relics.[8] Visitors likely venerated the relics at building H before entering the main stupa area.[8]
Peripheral stupas
The stupa was surrounded by a circle of smaller stupas which were built approximately 200 years after the main stupa's construction,[2] and were likely constructed together as part of a project funded by a single patron.[8]
Additional stupas were built further along the northern portion of the site by various patrons, and date from the
Unlike constructions at Sanchi, stupas around the Dharmarajika Stupa were built by individual donors, rather than as part of a communal effort.[11]
Monasteries
Early monastic cells near the stupa were built as a row of rooms, with a
The northern monastery consisted of two courtyards that were each built around a large stupa.[8] The smaller eastern courtyard is believed to have housed 13 monks.[2]
Monastery G, located immediately west of the stupa has at least 50 monastic cells, a stupa, and was likely multistoried.[8] Monastery M in the extreme northwest section of the site, and contained its own stupa in a small courtyard.[8] Monastery M is connected to a long residential monastery,[8] oriented in a roughly north-south direction. At the southern edge of this monastery are the remains of two stupas, now termed E1 and E2.[8] E1 was built in a pre-existing cell, while E2 was a more elaborated stupa that contained a small passageway for circambulation.[8] Neither stupa was likely open to the public.[8]
Relics
Bone fragments of the Buddha
The site is famous for its bone relics – thought to be those of the Buddha,[12] Much of the stupa's precious relics had been looted by the time it was discovered by Sir John Marshall.[1] A silver casket containing a silver inscription was recovered from the stupa's chapel after discovery,[1] The inscription is written in the ancient Kharosthi script that was once common throughout Gandhara,[2] The inscription states that Urusaka of Noacha placed bone relics of the Buddha in his chapel at Dharmarajika in 78 CE.[2]
In 2016, 2 bone relics from the Dharmarajika Stupa were sent to Sri Lanka for one month. The relics were displayed at important shrines in Polonnaruwa, Colombo, Kandy, and Anuradhapura, and attracted 9.3 million visitors.[13]
Reliquary vessels
18 reliquary vessels were also recovered from smaller stupas surrounding the Dharmarajika Stupa that yielded a wide array of relics, including one that encased a cylindrical piece of gold.
Etymology
The name Dharmarajika comes from Dharmaraja, a name given to Buddha who was the true Dharma Raja (Lord of Law), according to Marshall. It is also believed that ‘Dharmarajika’ is derived from the word ‘Dharmaraja’, a title used by Mauryan emperor Ashoka. The stupa is also popularly known as Chir Tope, or "Scarred hill".
Access
The Dharmarajika Stupa lies about 3 kilometers east of the
Gallery
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Coins of theZoilos IIwere found under a peripheral stupa. -
Sculptures from the Dharmarajika Stupa -
The Dharmarajika Stupa is located to the southeast of Sirkap. -
Indo-Corinthianpillars. -
Stucco heads.
)0DharmaRajika_Stupa-Taxila-Pakistan_(74).JPG)
See also
- Bhir Mound
- Jaulian
- Sirkap
- Sirsukh
- Mohra Muradu
- Taxila
- Buddhasacrificed himself to feed seven hungry tiger cubs
Notes
- ^ ISBN 9780521196062. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ ISBN 9781438109961.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9844043-0-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-994823-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-04-18159-5.
- ^ "Taxila". UNESCO. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ "Dharmarajika: The Great Stupa of Taxila". GoUNESCO. UNESCO. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ ISBN 9789004135956.
- ISBN 9780195338102. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Le, Huu Phuoc (2010). Buddhist Architecture. Grafikol.
- ^ ISBN 9781134597987. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ M. S. Moray (1985). History of Buddhism in Gujarāt. Saraswati Pustak Bhandar. p. 46.
- ^ "Sacred Buddha relics returns to Pakistan after month long exposition in Sri Lanka". Colombo Page. 27 June 2016. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ Marshall, "Excavations at Taxila", "The only minor antiquities of interest found in this building were twenty-five debased silver coins of the Greek king Zoilus II, which were brought to light beneath the foundations of the earliest chapel", p248
References
- "Taxila" Sir John Marshall
