Excavated Remains, Kushinagar
Kushinagara, the capital of Mallas, also called as Kushinara, Kushighama according to the Mahaparinirvana Sutta, is one of the four most sacred places as declared by Buddha himself. Here Buddha breathed his last and attained Parinirvana on the full moon-day of the Vaishakha (April-May) month. The body is believed to have been cremated with due honours by the Mallas of Kushinagara near Makutabandhana Chaitya. After a gap of about two centuries, Kusinagara again came to prominence during the Mauryas and reached its peak of glory under the Guptas as revealed by numerous structural activities in the form of stupas, monasteries build during that period. The Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien (5th century A.D.) Hiuen-Tsang (7th century A.D.) and I-Tsing (8th century A.D.) who visited this place have left an elaborate account of the structural remains in their memoirs.
The remains unearthed here are the results of extensive excavations by Carlleyle in 1876 and later by Archaeological Survey of India between 1904-12. They comprise the main stupa, the Nirvana Temple on a raised platform surrounded by a group of monasteries on the western side, a group of small sized stupas with carved bricks and ornamental pilasters on the southern side, a large two tiered brick platform and small sized stupas partly concealed beneath the main stupa on the eastern side and votive stupas and monasteries on the northern side ranging in date from Mauryan period (3rd century B.C.) to (10th century A.D.) numerous antiquities such as inscribed clay seals, gold and silver coins, terracotta figurines have been recovered during the course of archaeological excavation.
[My Note: In the small booklet Kushinagar (Archaeological Survey of India), the Buddha makes a statement before leaving his mortal body (p.8) – There are four places believing man should visit with feelings of reverence and awe:
(1) The place at which can be said: “Here the Tathagata was born.” (Lumbini)
(2) The place at which can be said: “Here the Tathagata attained to the supreme and perfect insight.” (Bodh Gaya)
(3) The place at which can be said: “Here was the kingdom of righteousness set on foot by the Tathagata.” (Sarnath)
(4) The place at which can be said: “Here the Tathagata passed finally away in that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever to remain behind.” (Kusinagar)]
Tathagata = “real truth,” one who has found the truth. It is the name the historical Buddha used when referring to himself while he was alive. This serves to emphasize by implication that the words are uttered by one who has transcended the human condition, and is beyond the otherwise endless cycle of rebirth, beyond all death and dying, beyond all suffering. The Tathagata, in other words, is beyond all coming and going.
