Vaishali, Vesali or Vaiśālī was a city in present-day
Bihar, India, and is now an archaeological site. It is a part of the
Tirhut Division.
It was the capital city of the
Vajjika League of Vrijji
mahajanapada, considered one of the first examples of a
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
around the 6th century BCE.
Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before his death in c. 483 BCE, then in 383 BCE the
Second Buddhist council was convened here by King Kalasoka, making it an important place in both
Jain and
Buddhist religions. It contains one of the best-preserved of the
Pillars of Ashoka, topped by a single
Asiatic lion.
Vaishali is also home to possibly the earliest known example of a
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
, the Buddha relic stupa which is said to contain the ashes of the Buddha.
The city finds mention in the travel accounts of Chinese explorers,
Faxian (4th century CE) and
Xuanzang (7th century CE), which were later used in 1861 by British archaeologist
Alexander Cunningham
Major General Sir Alexander Cunningham (23 January 1814 – 28 November 1893) was a British Army engineer with the Bengal Engineer Group who later took an interest in the history and archaeology of India. In 1861, he was appointed to the newly ...
to first identify Vaiśālī with the present village of
Basarh in
Vaishali District,
Bihar.
Etymology
Vaishali derives its name from
King Vishal of the
Mahabharata age.
History
Even before the advent of
Buddhism and
Jainism, Vaiśālī was the capital of the
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
an
Licchavi state. In that period, Vaiśālī was an ancient
metropolis and the
capital city of the
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
of the Vaiśālī state, which covered most of
the Himalayan
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...
Gangetic
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
region of present-day
Bihar state, India. However, very little is known about the early history of Vaiśālī. The
Vishnu Purana records 34
kings of Vaiśālī, the first being ''Nabhaga'', who is believed to have
abdicated
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
his
throne over a matter of
human rights and believed to have declared: "I am now a free tiller of the soil, king over my acre." The last among the 34 was ''Sumati'', who is considered a contemporary of
Dasaratha, father of the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
god,
Lord Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...
.
Vaiśālī is also renowned as the land of
Amrapali, the great Indian
courtesan, who appears in many
folktale
A folktale or folk tale is a folklore genre that typically consists of a story passed down from generation to generation orally.
Folktale may also refer to:
Categories of stories
* Folkloric tale from oral tradition
* Fable (written form of the a ...
s, as well as in
Buddhist literature. Ambapali became a disciple of
Buddha. Manudev was a famous king of the illustrious Lichchavi clan of the confederacy, who desired to possess
Amrapali after he saw her dance performance in Vaishali.
A kilometer away is ''Abhishek Pushkarini'', the coronation tank. The
sacred waters of the tank anointed the elected representatives of Vaiśālī. Next to it stands the Japanese temple and the Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World Peace Pagoda) built by the
Nipponzan Myohoji sect of Japan. A small part of the Buddha's relics found in Vaiśālī have been enshrined in the foundation and in the ''chhatra'' of the Stupa.
Near the coronation tank is Stupa 1 or the Relic Stupa. Here the Lichchavis reverentially encased one of the eight portions of the Master's relics, which they received after the Mahaparinirvana. After his last discourse the Awakened One set out for
Kushinagar, but the
Licchavis kept following him. Buddha gave them his alms bowl but they still refused to return. The Master created an illusion of a river in
spate
Spate is a surname, and may refer to:
* Clive Spate (born 1952), British game show contestant
* Oskar Spate (1911–2000), geographer
* Virginia Spate (1937–2022), Australian art historian
* Ute Späte (born 1961), German chess master
Spate may ...
which compelled them to go back. This site can be identified with Deora in modern
Kesariya
Kesariya or Kesaria is a town in the district of East Champaran, in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the site of a stupa built by the Mauryan king Ashoka.
Geography
It is near Rampur Khajuria. The nearest villages are Noori Mohalla Trilok ...
village, where
Ashoka later built a stupa.
Ānanda
Ānanda (5th4th century BCE) was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist '' Sutta-Pi ...
, the personal attendant of the Buddha, attained Nirvana in the midst of the Ganges outside Vaiśālī.
Visits of the Buddha to Vaiśālī
Vaishali is well known for its close association with the Buddha. After leaving Kapilavastu for renunciation, Prince Siddhartha came to Vaishali first and undertook his initial spiritual training from
Uddaka Rāmaputta (Rāmaputra Udraka) and
Āḷāra Kālāma. After the Enlightenment the Buddha frequently visited Vaishali. He organized the
sangha on the pattern of Vaishalian democracy. It was here that he first allowed females to join the sangha, initiating his maternal aunt
Mahaprajapati Gautami into the order. His last
Varshavasa (rainy season resort) was here and he announced his approaching
Mahaparinirvana
In Buddhism, ''parinirvana'' (Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') is commonly used to refer to nirvana-after-death, which occurs upon the death of someone who has attained ''nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth a ...
(the final departure from the world) just three months in advance. Before leaving for Kusinagara, where he died, he left his alms-bowl (Bhiksha-Patra) here with the people of Vaishali.
Jainism at Vaishali
The
Svetambaras state that the final
Tirthankara,
Lord Mahavira
Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6t ...
, was born and raised in Kshatriyakund district, Vaiśālī to King
Siddhartha. and
Queen Trishala. According to
Jain text
Jain literature (Sanskrit: जैन साहित्य) refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the ca ...
''
Uttarapurāṇa
''Uttarapurana'' is a Jain text composed by ''Acharya
In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any othe ...
'',
King Chetaka ruled as a
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
an
President in Vaishali and was a famous and complaisant king. He is mentioned as a staunch follower of
Jainism. According to the text, Chetaka had ten sons and seven daughters. His sister Priyakarini (also known as
Trishala) was married to
Siddhartha. His daughter Chellana married
Shrenik
Bimbisāra (in Buddhist tradition) or Shrenika () and Seniya () in the Jain histories (c. 558 – c. 491 BCE or during the late 5th century BCE) was a King of Magadha (V. K. Agnihotri (ed.), ''Indian History''. Allied Publishers, New Delhi ...
(also known as
Bimbisara). As per Indologist
Hermann Jacobi,
Vardhaman Mahavira's mother Trishala was sister of
King Chetaka.
Vaiśālī was also the residence of Kandaramasuka and Pātikaputta.
Notable Buddhist sites in Vaishali
Relic stupa
Near the coronation tank is Stupa 1 or the Relic Stupa. Here the
Licchavis reverentially encased one of the eight portions of the Master's relics, which they received after the Mahaparinirvana. After his last discourse the Buddha set out for
Kushinagar, but the Licchavis kept following him. The Buddha gave them his alms bowl but they still refused to return. He then created an illusion of a river in spate which compelled them to go back. This site can be identified with Deora in modern
Kesariya
Kesariya or Kesaria is a town in the district of East Champaran, in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the site of a stupa built by the Mauryan king Ashoka.
Geography
It is near Rampur Khajuria. The nearest villages are Noori Mohalla Trilok ...
village, where
Ashoka later built a stupa.
As per recent research, the relic stupa is potentially one of the earliest archaeologically known stupas.
Kutagarasala Vihara
Kutagarasala Vihara is the monastery where Buddha most frequently stayed while visiting Vaiśālī. It is located 3 kilometres from the relic Stupa, and on its ground can be found the
Ānanda Stupa, with an
Asokan pillar
Ashoka (died 232 BC) was a monarch of the Mauryan Empire of India.
Ashoka, Asoka, or Ashok may also refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Ashok'' (film), a 2006 Telugu film directed by Surender Reddy
* ''Ashoka'' (2006 film), a 2006 Kannada film directe ...
in very good condition (perhaps the only complete Asokan pillar left standing), and an ancient pond.
Coronation Tank
A few hundred
metres from the Relic Stupa is
Abhishek Pushkarini, the coronation tank. The sacred waters of the tank anointed the elected representatives of Vaiśālī.
World Peace Pagoda
Next to the coronation tank stands the Japanese temple and the ''Viśvā Śānti Stūpa'' (
World Peace Pagoda
Kaba Aye Pagoda ( my, ကမ္ဘာအေးစေတီ; ; also spelt Gaba Aye Pagoda; lit. World Peace Pagoda), formally Thiri Mingala Gaba Aye Zedidaw, ), is a Buddhist pagoda located on Kaba Aye Road, Mayangon Township, Yangon, Myanma ...
) built by the Japanese
Nichiren Buddhist
Nichiren Buddhism ( ja, 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū ( ja, 法華宗, meaning ''Lotus Sect'') is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one of ...
sect
Nipponzan-Myōhōji. A small part of the Buddha's relics found in Vaiśālī have been enshrined in the foundation and in the chhatra of the Stupa.
The Vaishali Museum was established in 1971 by the Archaeological Survey of India to preserve and display the antiquities found during the exploration of sites around ancient Vaishali.
Recent development
*In February 2019, Chief Minister of
Bihar Nitish Kumar laid the foundation stone of
Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum and Memorial Stupa
The Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum and Memorial Stupa is a proposed museum and stupa to house a relic of the The Buddha which was discovered in an archeological excavation in Vaishali. The Bihar state cabinet approved its construction on 9 Fe ...
to house
Buddha relics.
*In September 2020,
Prime Minister of India
The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...
Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishali Railway station. This rail line now connects the city with
Hajipur
Hajipur (, ) is the headquarters and largest city of Vaishali district of the state of Bihar in India. Hajipur is the 16th most populous city of Bihar, besides being the second-fastest developing city, next to Patna. It had a total population ...
and
Patna.
Historical figures from Vaishali
*
Mahavira
Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6t ...
, the 24th
Tirthankara of Jainism. Born into a royal
kshatriya family in what is now
Vaishali district of Bihar. He abandoned all worldly possessions at the age of 30 and became an ascetic. He is considered a slightly older contemporary of the Buddha.
*
Chetaka, King and ruler of the
Vajjika League which had its capital in Vaishali.
*
Vimalakirti, the central figure of the
Vimalakirti Sutra
The ''Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa'' (Devanagari: विमलकीर्तिनिर्देश) (sometimes referred to as the ''Vimalakīrti Sūtra'' or ''Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra'') is a Buddhist text which centers on a lay Buddhist meditat ...
and a lay practitioner of Buddhism.
See also
*
Mithila (region)
*
Pillars of Ashoka
*
Chaumukhi Mahadev Mandir
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
{{Tourist sites in Bihar
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Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Ancient Indian cities
Former populated places in India
History of Bihar
Archaeological sites in Bihar
Former capital cities in India
Buddhist sites in Bihar
Jain temples in Bihar
Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
Hindu holy cities
Mauryan art
Edicts of Ashoka
Indo-Aryan archaeological sites
Vaishali district