Eight Ashokan Period Stupas Found In Orissa

[sabaijai]

Eight Ashokan period stupas found in Orissa

PTI, June 25, 2006

BHUBANESWAR, India -- Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS) has unearthed some 2,300 years-old artefacts in Jajpur district in the state which, it claimed, could change some historical narratives on the Ashokan period.

"The description of Chinese piligrim Hieun-Tsang about Ashoka that he had constructed 10 stupas in Odra country where Buddha had preached may come true. Earlier, historians refused to accept the narrative. We have already analysed five stupas and found three more similar structures," OIMSEAS Director Debaraj Pradhan said here.

He said a huge inscribed monolithic stupa along with other remnants of Buddhist establishments had been detected on top of Panturi hill in Jajpur district.

"The current exploration and excavations is unique since nowhere in India you will find old artefacts in such a small area," Pradhan said.

The stupas were found at Langudi, Tarapur, Deuli Kayama Hills, Neulipur, Bajragiri, Kantigadia and Panturi.

The organisation had extensively surveyed the Brahmani-Kelua river valley since 1996 to explore and excavate Buddhist sites. It had excavated Langudi Hill site and discovered the ancient Pushpagiri vihara, an Ashokan stupa, two rare statues believed to be that of Emperor Ashoka himself, besides 54 rock-cut votive stupas, five 'dhyani Buddha' statues and remains of two monasteries.

The excavation of the fort of Radhanagar indicated that it could be the ancient capital of Kalinga, Pradhan said.

The excavation of the fort of Radhanagar indicated that it could be the ancient capital of Kalinga, Pradhan, also the curator of state archeology, said.

"Either it could be Dantapura mentioned in Cylonese literature Datha-Ddhatu-Vamsa or Tosali mentioned in special Dhauli rock edict of Ashoka," he added.

The artefacts discovered from last year's excavation established that Radhanagar or Tosali was a fort city. But interesting findings of this year indicated that it could be a port city.

"The discovery of roman bullae (an earthen ornament) and roman rowlletted pottery, suggested that the place had connections with Rome. And it could not have happened had Tosali not been a port city," Pradhan said.

He, however, made it clear that only around five per cent of total excavation had been completed.

"Once we excavate the entire archaeologically rich area in Jajpur district, we could come to a concrete conclusion," he said.

Besides, discovery of Ashokan period artefacts, archeologists have also stumbled upon many antiques which implied that the whole area could have been a hub of religious activities.

The current excavation also threw up broken Buddhist images, votive stupas and collection of pottery remains from the surface near Vajragiri.

Pradhan said Vajragiri could have had close cultural contacts with Japan because the highest temple of Japan was the Vajragiri temple (Kongobu-ji) at Kuito, the ancient capital of that country.

Interestingly, at the foot of the present Vajragiri a big ancient village Kotpur was situated, he said adding more research was necessary to establish the connection.

The Vajragiri excavation had yielded one piece of stone trident, designed religious lamp, 12 pieces of heavy iron rods and two pieces of conch in good condition.

Pradhan said most of the inscriptional evidence and its photographs had been sent to Dr K V Ramesh, retired director of epigraphy at Mysore for deciphering.

"The present inscriptional evidence may prove the association of Buddha in Kayama Hill in Kalinga country in his life time," he said.

Meanwhile, Orissa Culture Minister Suryanarayan Patro has directed Jajpur district collector Aurobindo Padhi to visit all hills identified by the OIMSEAS and involve eminent historians in the research work.

[camerata]

Pradhan said Vajragiri could have had close cultural contacts with Japan because the highest temple of Japan was the Vajragiri temple (Kongobu-ji) at Kuito, the ancient capital of that country.

This is really screwed up. There is no Vajragiri temple in Japan and Kongobuji is on Mount Koya. The Calcutta Telegraph said: "Pradhan pointed out that the place could have had close cultural links with the Vajragiri temple in Japan’s Kyoto."

I think they mean Toji, in Kyoto, which has the tallest pagoda in Japan and (like Kongobuji) was one of Kukai's Shingon temples. But it's difficult to see how this place could have had cultural links with any place in Japan unless they are talking about Kukai's own links with a Gandharan pandit.

[sabaijai]

Pradhan said Vajragiri could have had close cultural contacts with Japan because the highest temple of Japan was the Vajragiri temple (Kongobu-ji) at Kuito, the ancient capital of that country.

This is really screwed up. There is no Vajragiri temple in Japan and Kongobuji is on Mount Koya. The Calcutta Telegraph said: "Pradhan pointed out that the place could have had close cultural links with the Vajragiri temple in Japan’s Kyoto."

I think they mean Toji, in Kyoto, which has the tallest pagoda in Japan and (like Kongobuji) was one of Kukai's Shingon temples. But it's difficult to see how this place could have had cultural links with any place in Japan unless they are talking about Kukai's own links with a Gandharan pandit.

It does seem like a leap. We need more info on Vajragiri to begin with, eg, was it a Vajrayana site? If so than it's not Ashokan era. If not related to Tantric Buddhism/Vajrayana/Mantrayana then there's little chance of a link with any Shingon site in Japan. Not to mention these are from completely different eras (if the Orissan finds are truly Ashokan sites -- then again there could have been successive restorations/rebuilds). A lot more research is needed ...

[Suthep_Steve]

Pradhan said Vajragiri could have had close cultural contacts with Japan because the highest temple of Japan was the Vajragiri temple (Kongobu-ji) at Kuito, the ancient capital of that country.

This is really screwed up. There is no Vajragiri temple in Japan and Kongobuji is on Mount Koya. The Calcutta Telegraph said: "Pradhan pointed out that the place could have had close cultural links with the Vajragiri temple in Japan’s Kyoto."

I think they mean Toji, in Kyoto, which has the tallest pagoda in Japan and (like Kongobuji) was one of Kukai's Shingon temples. But it's difficult to see how this place could have had cultural links with any place in Japan unless they are talking about Kukai's own links with a Gandharan pandit.

It does seem like a leap. We need more info on Vajragiri to begin with, eg, was it a Vajrayana site? If so than it's not Ashokan era. If not related to Tantric Buddhism/Vajrayana/Mantrayana then there's little chance of a link with any Shingon site in Japan. Not to mention these are from completely different eras (if the Orissan finds are truly Ashokan sites -- then again there could have been successive restorations/rebuilds). A lot more research is needed ...

The whole of Orissa is very important in the Vajrayana. Orissa was where Mahasiddha Gantapa lived. He is hugely important in the development of the Vajrayana. Also from googleing its clear that some of the finds at Vajragiri were Vajrayana in nature. I visited the Archaeological museum in Bhubeneswa a few years ago and it's like walking into a store of ancient Vajrayana statues. However as you say it doesn't rule out the possibility that the Vajrayana link is a later connection.

I always get the impression that the Indians are very keen on a Japanese link because that's where the money is for large scale Buddhist archaeology and who can blame them.

[sabaijai]

Pradhan said Vajragiri could have had close cultural contacts with Japan because the highest temple of Japan was the Vajragiri temple (Kongobu-ji) at Kuito, the ancient capital of that country.

This is really screwed up. There is no Vajragiri temple in Japan and Kongobuji is on Mount Koya. The Calcutta Telegraph said: "Pradhan pointed out that the place could have had close cultural links with the Vajragiri temple in Japan’s Kyoto."

I think they mean Toji, in Kyoto, which has the tallest pagoda in Japan and (like Kongobuji) was one of Kukai's Shingon temples. But it's difficult to see how this place could have had cultural links with any place in Japan unless they are talking about Kukai's own links with a Gandharan pandit.

It does seem like a leap. We need more info on Vajragiri to begin with, eg, was it a Vajrayana site? If so than it's not Ashokan era. If not related to Tantric Buddhism/Vajrayana/Mantrayana then there's little chance of a link with any Shingon site in Japan. Not to mention these are from completely different eras (if the Orissan finds are truly Ashokan sites -- then again there could have been successive restorations/rebuilds). A lot more research is needed ...

The whole of Orissa is very important in the Vajrayana. Orissa was where Mahasiddha Gantapa lived. He is hugely important in the development of the Vajrayana. Also from googleing its clear that some of the finds at Vajragiri were Vajrayana in nature. I visited the Archaeological museum in Bhubeneswa a few years ago and it's like walking into a store of ancient Vajrayana statues. However as you say it doesn't rule out the possibility that the Vajrayana link is a later connection.

I always get the impression that the Indians are very keen on a Japanese link because that's where the money is for large scale Buddhist archaeology and who can blame them.

That's true about the Tantra connection in Orissa but it's all much later than Ashokan era (3rd C BC), with Udayagiri and Ratnagiri the main Buddhist centres. I've been to Bhubaneshwar twice, first in the late 70s and again last year. Orissa wasn't as important as Bengal or Bihar in the early development of Vajrayana but as you say the school was very much present there from the 6th to 12th C AD.

I don't remember all that much Vajrayana sculpture at the Bhubaneshwar museum, not compared to the Brahmanist sculpture at least. There is that second room to the left that's almost entirely Buddhist.

Orissa was also the main seat of the yogini cult and Shakta Tantricism but that developed separately from Vajrayana there (even though of course there are philosophical connections but these developed in Bengal, best anyone can tell). I studied art of the Lakulisa cult, also centred in Orissa, at university. Jainism was also once big there. It's one of India's most fascinating states, from the perspective of religious history.

Anyway since King Ashoka conquered Orissa (or its predecessor, Maurya), and converted to Buddhism afterwards--in remorse for having caused so many deaths during the conquest--it's possible he built stupas there. But they wouldn't have had a Vajrayana connection as Vajrayana Buddhism as a sect didn't exist there yet. Perhaps later sects rebuilt the stupas.