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According to the
Suttantapitaka (The Basket of Discourses), Dighanikaya (The Collection of Long
Discourses), at that time, 'Kusinara' (present day Kushinagar) was called 'Kusavati Royal City'. King Mahasudassana (Buddha-to-be) ruled it with righteousness. The city was full of beautiful
palaces decorated residences, abandoned natural resources, numerous lotus ponds built of
silver, gold and cat's-eye like bricks, and gardens with flower trees blossoming in
different seasons. Beside all beautiful and pleasant lotus ponds, there were alms houses
for the people who would like to have food, there was drinking water for the people who
would like to drink water, there was money for the people who would like
to have money and there was gold for the people who would like gold. The Dhamma
Palace with a length of one Yojana (about 10 miles or 16 kilometers) was built by
the well known and highly respected engineering deity named
Vissukamma. It was with the
perfection of Emperor Maha Sudassana that all were built and the city was prosperous and
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On full-moon day, Emperor Maha Sudassana observed 8 precepts,
entered meditative attainments and fulfilled 4 noble sentiments. With his Dhamma practise
he was physically smarter than all human beings, was of longevity, had fewer diseases and
was deeply beloved by all Brahmans and householders. This
was the importance of Kusinara in the past which was confirmed by the Buddha with
Venerable Ananda that it was the most suitable place for His Attainment of final Nirvana.
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- It was the city where
the Buddha delivered many important discourses.
- It was the city where
the Buddha, before His Nirvana admitted a mendicant Subhadra, 120 years of age, as his
last follower.
- It was the place the
Buddha chose for His Nirvana.
- It was the place
where the Buddha delivered His last words in the discourse called Mahaparinibbana sutta
centered on diligence.
- It was the place
where the Buddha's relics were divided and presented to 8 kings of 8 different states by
Drona, a wise Brahamana.
- It was the place
where Buddha's relics were enshrined.
- It was the place
where most Arahant disciples of the Buddha gathered to pay the last respect to the
Buddha's body.
- It was the place
where all celestial beings, divine beings, Brahma Gods and Indra Gods from all celestial
realms assembled to pay respect to the Buddha's body.
- It is a holy place
where the Buddha would like all of His followers to visit to strengthen their unwavering
faith, to pay respect and to have a sense of urgency, so that they, after their deaths,
would be born in blissful states of existance in this World and Heaven.
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The Buddha Statue at
the Nirvana Temple
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Currently, Kusinara plays a vital role as a pilgrim center. It is daily
visited by tourists and pilgrims from all corners of the world. The great memorial
Stupa,
built by Mauryan Ashoka the Great, in the place believed to be the area where the Buddha
entered Nirvana, attracts not only buddhists but also people worldwide to visit. The
Buddha's relics were enshrined therein. It is a holy place where all Buddhists visit to pay
their deepest homage to the Buddha and recollect His greatest loving kindness and
compassion. It is surrounded by pagodas and other buildings in different sizes which
are ruins of a large Buddhist monastery. The pagoda called
Makutbandhana was built about 1 kilometer east
of the Nirvana Vihara. This was the
site where the Buddha's body was cremated. The 4 holy places, Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and
Kusinara, were where Buddhism originated in India 2586 years ago. |
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