March 2, 2023 (Day 81)
 
 
On the road to Rampurwa, where two Ashokan stone pillars were located, the foot-traveling Sangha traversed through mango groves in full bloom. The pleasant and subtle aroma of the mango blossoms wafted through the air, providing some relief to the Sangha, who had been exposed to the scorching sun for hours, leaving them drenched in sweat.
 
We stayed overnight at a mango grove where every tree was bursting in full bloom. The branches were luxuriant, and prominent bumps on the trunks gave the impression that the trees were likely several decades old.
 
In the morning, the entire group carried their alms bowls, heading towards a remote village called Rampurwa, near the Nepal border. Under a metal sheet roof surrounded by iron bars lay two stone pillars arranged parallel to each other. One pillar was large, the other was small, one adorned with a Lion’s head and the other with an Ox’s head. However, the two heads were removed by archaeologists in 1876 and are currently housed in the New Delhi museum. King Asoka had erected both pillars to mark the spot near Kusinara where Buddha entered Parinibbāna, approximately 300 meters away.
 
The Sangha recited protection suttas together and bid farewell to this place. It is said that about 300 meters from this location lies the Anoma River, where the Bodhisatta cut his hair and threw it into the air as a symbol of his renunciation of worldly life. However, the accuracy of this information has not yet been confirmed, so it remains an open question.
 
 

#chuahuongdao #chuahuongdaotemple #sbsstupas
#buddha #buddhism #Dhutanga #dhammajourney
 
Source: Dhammacetiya