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India Perspectives April 2002 INDIA PERSPECTIVES APRIL 2002 5 RAJGIR CONFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM & JAINISMText & Phogographs: SHAHID AKHTER MAKHFI One of those dexterous superlatives that light up a whole spectrum of ancient history and stimulates the imagination... t is exciting and thrilling to stand at a place where thousands of years ago other people Ilived and whose spiritual insights informed the tradition of which we are now a part. One such spot is Rajagriha or modern day Rajgir. Imagine Lord Buddha on his first alms begging mission while staying in a cave on the Rajagriha hills. Bypass your imagination to the hill of vultures - Gridhrakuta, the site where Lord Buddha returned after his enlightenment to deliver his sermons and converted the powerful Magadhan King, Bimbisara, into the Buddhist order. Empathize with Fahein, the Chinese scholar who ventured to this site 900 years later and wept bitterly that he had not been fortunate enough to listen to the sermons of Lord Buddha delivered here. Conjure an intoxicated elephant let loose by Devadutta to kill Lord Buddha, the next sequence on these hills of Rajgir may be the big boulder rolled down from the cliff to crush him. The elephant, no doubt, was subdued and the boulder broke into splinters. And finally it was from Rajgir that Lord Buddha set out on his last journey. Let your imagination attend the first Buddhist Council held in the Saptaparni cave, the oldest in Rajgir, wherein the teachings of Buddha hitherto unwritten were penned down after his death. Ruins of Jivakas mango grove. INDIA PERSPECTIVES APRIL 2002 6 Above: Ajatsatru Stupa. The story of Rajgir is not just Buddhas Magadhan empire in the fourth century Facing page: Maniyar Math. love for Rajgir and the events of his life B.C. (also construed as the first recorded that took place here; the place is equally capital in Indian history). Prior to the revered by the Jains. Out of the 32 years advent of Buddhism, Rajagriha was of his missionary life, Mahavira spent 14 known as Girivaraja and Kusagarapura rain retreats in these surroundings. It which implies an abundance of tall was here on the Vipulachala hill that scented grass. Ramayan and Mahabharat Mahavira delivered his first sermon. The frequently refer to this place and depict it 72-feet high Samvasran temple as full of wealth and water. It has been commemorates this sacred event. Of the depicted as a beautiful capital with trees eleven ganadharas or chief disciples of standing everywhere on the hill and Mahavira, everyone is said to have died peaks which make it impregnable. The on the top of one or the other of the cheerful inhabitants are given to Rajagriha hills. Asoka (474-37 B.C.) too perennial festivities. is believed to have died on one of these The pride, power and prowess of pre- hills and his stupa can be seen here. historic kings of Magadha like A still earlier stupa has been identified as Brahadratha, Dirga, Jarasandha, that of Ajatasatru Meghasandhi, etc was an established fact. (497-459 B.C.) In those days issues were settled by the A good deal of history finds shelter in wrestling duels between kings and the lush green forests and hills of warriors. Meghasandhi is believed to Rajagriha - the capital of the mighty have attacked Arjuna while a duel on the INDIA PERSPECTIVES APRIL 2002 7 advice of Krishna was fought between The reigns of Bimbisara and his son the king had passed a law to punish the Bhim and Jarasandha. Krishna is Ajatsatru saw Rajagriha attain the zenith guilty person. Unfortunately the king believed to have left for Dwarka when of its prosperity. The main interest of himself was the first victim, so he left the Mathura was repeatedly raided by this period lies in the close association of kingdom under the care of his son. Jarasandha. both kings with the lives of Gautam Finding the king alone, the neighbouring In the words of Harivamsa, The highly Buddha and Vardhamana Mahavira. enemies thought of vanquishing him. powerful, effulgent and persevering Lord Within the ruins of the cyclopean walls However, people surrounded the king Paramount Jarasandha came to Mathura of Rajgriha there are visible landmarks of and gradually the city of Rajagriha sprang encircled by four-fold ocean like forces, tumultuous times, when empires up which was possibly a burial ground consisting of war chariots, containing flourished and disappeared. Until the earlier for the people of the old town. beautiful seats and drawn by powerful discovery of Mohenjodaro and Harappa, The new city sprang up with all houses steeds, whose course is never obstructed this wall was deemed to be the oldest resembling the royal palace and it anywhere, cloud like elephants architectural remains of India. The 12 feet prospered until the last days of Buddha embellished with bells and golden seats, high and 18 feet thick wall consists of when the capital was shifted to ridden by car warriors well read in the undressed stones that are so well piled Patliputra. science of war and driven by clever up that they still hold together at various charioteers, horses going by leaps and places. A visitor to Rajgir first encounters the bounds, driven by horsemen and long stretch of dry stone wall that criss- The name Rajagriha (royal city) stems resembling clouds and numberless foot crosses the road at various points. from the town where king Bimbisara soldiers armed with swords and coats of Originally the 40 km stretch of the banished himself as punishment for the mail, who could bound up in the sky like cyclopean wall encircling Rajgir had 32 outbreak of fire in the palace. In order to serpents. large gates and 64 posterns. However, prevent the occurrences of fire in the city INDIA PERSPECTIVES APRIL 2002 8 Walls that protected the Rajgir city. only one such gateway in the North has west was possibly the kings palace while survived the ravages of time. At regular the dwelling of common people centered intervals, the defensive wall was in the eastern fringe, as is evident from strengthened with bastions and watch the mud walls. towers while rivers and canals took care of the entire surroundings. Once the city The Jain and Buddhist literature describe gates were closed in the evening, no one, Rajgir as a populous and prosperous city not even the king could gain entry into which was abundantly beautiful. the city. High stone walled area in the Ananda, a disciple of Buddha, considers INDIA PERSPECTIVES APRIL 2002 9 Amongst the various spots around quarters for the picket. Another Rajagriha, the most sacred are the interesting spot associated with Venuvana and the Gridhrakuta as devout Jarasandha is the Ranbhumi or Jarasandha Buddhists can be seen prostrating at ka Akhada. It marks the legendary these places in particular. Venuvana or the wrestling arena that witnessed the forest of bamboos was the royal park month-long duel between Jarasandha gifted to Buddha in order to make it and Bhima, who had entered Rajgir easier for his devotees to visit him. It along with Lord Krishna and Arjun is started with king Bimbisara, who was disguise. The soil of the Ranbhumi was first attracted by the dignified and high once soft and white. It has now born demeanor of Buddha, much before exhausted as wrestling enthusiasts carry his enlightenment when he was away a good quantity of it. Two parallel wandering through Rajgir in search of an cuts on the rock stretching for about 30 ideal teacher. The king lured the feet are believed to be the prints left wandering prince with wealth and behind by the chariot of Krishna. territory but when the future Buddha Other points of interest include the refused, he was requested to visit the Maniyar Math, a cylindrical brick shrine king after his enlightenment. Bimbisara dedicated to the worship of the presiding was impressed by the Buddhist doctrine deity of Rajagriha - Mani Naga. Naga and accepted the Buddhist faith. He was (snake) worship was a distinctive feature equally enlightened by the Jain school of non-Vedic religion and Rajgir was a and it is not surprising to hear about great centre of pilgrimage. People of Mahaviras claim about the conversion of Magadha regarded Nagas as generous Bimbisara to Jainism. Mahavira is further deities who, they believed, could bring believed to have brought 23 sons and 13 rains if properly appeased by worship. queens of Bimbisara into the Jaina fold. Excavations have brought to light large Today the new Venuvana Vihar is groups of multi spouted jars, the spouts identified by the site of a stupa built by of which having the form of serpent Ajatsatru to enshrine the relics of hood. Possibly these were used for Buddha. offering milk to the snakes. A little further up the Vaibhara hill is the Amravana or Jivakas mango garden Pipali cave, well known in the Pali marks the site of the dispensary of the literature. It is named because of the royal physician, Jivaka, who happened to sacred pipal tree at the entrance of the dress the wounds of Buddha here when cave that was occasionally used by he was injured by his unfriendly cousin, Buddha for meditation after his midday Devdutta. Jivaka converted this site into meal. If one manages to climb the hill, a Vihara and gifted it to the Buddhist one is rewarded with a view of order. It was amidst this thicket of multicolour crops and variegated patches Amravana that Buddha dwelt for some of cornfield. Buddha never missed time and King Ajatsatru came to him passing through such scenic beauties seeking spiritual guidance.
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