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Sarnath Dhamek Stupa 1814
Sarnath (Hindustani pronunciation: aːɾnaːtʰ also referred to as Sarangnath, Isipatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya, or Mrigadava) is a place located northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha taught his first sermon after attaining enlightenment, and where the Buddhist ''sangha'' came into existence through the enlightenment of his first five disciples (Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama). According to the '' Mahaparinibbana Sutta'' ('' Sutta'' 16 of the ''Digha Nikaya''), the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit. Singhpur, a village approximately north of Sarnath, is believed to be the birthplace of Shreyansanatha, the 11th ''tirthankara'' of Jainism. A temple dedicated to Shreyansanatha in Sarnath is an important pilgrimage site for Jains. Etymology The name ''Sarnath'' derives from the Sanskrit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dhamek Stupa
Dhamek Stupa (also spelled ''Dhamekh'' and ''Dhamekha'') is a massive stupa located at the archaeological site of Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Dhamek Stupa marks the precise location where the Buddha preached his first discourse to his first five disciples (Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama), and where all five eventually became fully liberated. Location Dhamek Stupa is located to the east of Dharmarajika Stupa at the archaeological site of Sarnath. Sarnath is located to the northeast of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Description Dhamek Stupa is the most massive structure in Sarnath. In its current shape, the stupa is a solid cylinder of bricks and stone reaching a height of 43.6 meters and having a diameter of 28 meters. The basement seems to have survived from Ashoka's structure, while the stone facing displays delicate floral carvings characteristic of the Gupta era. The wall is covered with exquisitely carved figures of humans and bi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late Bronze Age. Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism, the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and of historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It was a link language in ancient and medieval South Asia, and upon transmission of Hindu and Buddhist culture to Southeast Asia, East Asia and Central Asia in the early medieval era, it became a language of religion and high culture, and of the political elites in some of these regions. As a result, Sanskrit had a lasting impact on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, especially in their formal and learned vocabularies. Sanskrit generally connotes several Old Indo-Aryan language varieties. The most archaic of these is the Vedic Sanskrit found in the Rig Veda, a colle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tirtha (Jainism)
In Jainism, a ''tīrtha'' ( sa, तीर्थ "ford, a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the ''sangha''. A ''tirtha'' provides the inspiration to enable one to cross over from worldly engagement to the side of ''moksha''. Jain ''tirthas'' are located throughout India. Often a ''tirtha'' has a number of temples as well as residences (dharmashala) for the pilgrims and wandering monks and scholars. Types ''Tirtha'' sites include: * ''Siddhakshetra''s or site of ''moksha'' liberation of an '' arihant'' (''kevalin'') or Tirthankaras like Ashtapada Hill, Shikharji, Girnar, Pawapuri, Palitana, Mangi-Tungi and Champapuri (capital of Anga) * ''Atishayakshetra''s where divine events have occurred like Mahavirji, Rishabhdeo, Kundalpur, Aharji etc. * ''Puranakshetra''s associated with lives of great men like Ayodhya, Vidisha, Hastinapur, and Rajgir * ''Gyanakshetra'': associated w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sarnath Jain Tirth
Sarnath Jain Tirth, also called the Shreyanshnath Jain Temple, is a Jain temple in Sarnath. It is located roughly 50 meters to the southeast of Dhamek Stupa. History Simhapuri, present-day Singhpuri village, is believed to be the birthplace of the Shreyansanatha, the 11th ''tirthankara''. The place also marks four of five Kalyanaka (auspicious events) of Shreyansanatha: ''Chyavan'' (tirthankara enter's their mother's womb), ''Janm'' (birth), ''Diksha'' (renunciation) and '' Kevala Jnana'' (omniscience). Mahavira also delivered sermons at Sarnath and Varanasi. The ruins near the main temple are believed to be of an ancient Jain temple erected by Śvētāmbara. About temple The temple was constructed in 1824 CE to commemorate the birthplace of Shreyansanatha. The ''mulnayak''(primary deity) of the temple is a large image of Shreyansanatha and impressions of footprints. The temple also features attractive frescoes depicting the life of Mahavira. Gallery File:Jain Temple at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being Rishabhadeva, whom the tradition holds to have lived millions of years ago, the twenty-third ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha, whom historians date to the 9th century BCE, and the twenty-fourth ''tirthankara'' Mahāvīra, Mahavira, around 600 BCE. Jainism is considered to be an eternal ''dharma'' with the ''tirthankaras'' guiding every time cycle of the Jain cosmology, cosmology. The three main pillars of Jainism are ''Ahimsa in Jainism, ahiṃsā'' (non-violence), ''anekāntavāda'' (non-absolutism), and ''aparigraha'' (asceticism). Jain monks, after positioning themselves in the sublime state of soul consciousness, take five main vows: ''ahiṃsā'' (non-violence), ''satya'' (truth), ''Achourya, asteya'' (not stealing), ''b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tirthankara
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths, the '' saṃsāra''. According to Jains, a ''Tirthankara'' is an individual who has conquered the ''saṃsāra'', the cycle of death and rebirth, on their own, and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the ''Tīrthaṅkara'' attains '' Kevala Jnana'' (omniscience). Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow the new teacher from ''saṃsāra'' to ''moksha'' (liberation). In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided in two halves, Utsarpiṇī' or ascending time cycle and ''avasarpiṇī'', the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cosmic time cycle, exactly twenty-four ''tirthankaras'' grace thi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shreyansanatha
Shreyansanath was the eleventh Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a Siddha – a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Shreyansanatha was born to King ''Vishnu'' and Queen ''Vishna'' at Simhapuri, near Sarnath in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the twelfth day of the Falgun Krishna month of the Indian calendar. Main Temple The Sarnath Jain Tirth temple located at Sarnath, Varanasi is one of the main shrines of Shreyansanatha. Gallery File:Digamber Jain Temple, Sarnath.jpg, Sridigamber Jain Temple, Simhapuri, Sarnath, near Varanasi, the birthplace of Shreyansanath. File:Shreyansanatha Gujarat.jpg, Gouche and Silver on paper painting, Gujarat, 18th century. File:Three_sculptures_of_Jain_tirthankaras_in_the_Bhand_Dewal_Temple,_Arang.jpg, Shreyanasanatha idol in Bhand Dewal along with Neminatha and Ajitnatha dated back to 9th century File:Shreyansanath Tonk, Shikharji.jpg, Shreyansanath Tonk, Shikharji F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Access To Insight
Access to Insight is a Theravada Buddhist website providing access to many translated texts from the Tipitaka, and contemporary materials published by the Buddhist Publication Society and many teachers from the Thai Forest Tradition. History Access to Insight began in 1993 as a bulletin board system run by a volunteer with support from the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Originally, Access to Insight was one of several publishers of the results of the Dharma Net Dharma Book Transcription Project. As the internet grew in popularity compared to bulletin board services, ATI began to transition to a web-based format. In March 1995 the website became ATI's primary electronic presence; the BBS service was discontinued before the end of the year. In 1998, Access to Insight published a CD version of the website entitled ''A Handful of Leaves''. In the spring of 2005, the editor began The Dhamma Transcription Project, which formalizes transcription procedures that he had been fol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites
The most important places in Buddhism are located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of northern India and southern Nepal, in the area between New Delhi and Rajgir. This is the area where Gautama Buddha lived and taught, and the main sites connected to his life are now important places of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. However, many countries that are or were predominantly Buddhist have shrines and places which can be visited as a pilgrimage. Sites associated with Buddha's life Four main pilgrimage sites listed by Buddha himself Gautama Buddha himself had identified the following four sites most worthy of pilgrimage for his followers, observing that these would produce a feeling of spiritual urgency: * Lumbini: birthplace of Prince Siddhartha (in Nepal) * Bodh Gaya: (in the current Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar, India), is the most important religious site and place of pilgrimage, the Mahabodhi Temple houses what is believed to be the Bodhi Tree where Prince Siddhārtha attain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dīgha Nikāya
The Digha Nikaya (dīghanikāya; "Collection of Long Discourses") is a Buddhist scriptures collection, the first of the five Nikāyas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism. Some of the most commonly referenced suttas from the Digha Nikaya include the ''Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta'' (DN 16), which described the final days and passing of the Lord Buddha, the ''Sigālovāda Sutta'' (DN 31) in which the Buddha discusses ethics and practices for lay followers, and the ''Samaññaphala Sutta'' (DN 2), ''Brahmajāla Sutta'' (DN 1) which describes and compares the point of view of Lord Buddha and other ascetics in India about the universe and time (past, present, and future); and the '' Poṭṭhapāda'' (DN 9) Suttas, which describe the benefits and practice of Samatha meditation. Structure and contents The Digha Nikaya consists of 34 discourses, broken into three groups: *Silakkhandha-vagga—T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sutra
''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a condensed manual or text. Sutras are a genre of ancient and medieval Indian texts found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. In Hinduism, sutras are a distinct type of literary composition, a compilation of short aphoristic statements.Gavin Flood (1996), ''An Introduction to Hinduism'', Cambridge University Press, , pages 54–55 Each sutra is any short rule, like a theorem distilled into few words or syllables, around which teachings of ritual, philosophy, grammar, or any field of knowledge can be woven. The oldest sutras of Hinduism are found in the Brahmana and Aranyaka layers of the Vedas. Every school of Hindu philosophy, Vedic guides for rites of passage, v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
