Providentecopoliten: basic cleaned up structure for accuracy and updated info

2026-03-07T06:40:32Z

basic cleaned up structure for accuracy and updated info

Kamal Guha: Uttar Pradesh Buddhist sites added

2023-11-23T03:44:03Z

Uttar Pradesh Buddhist sites added

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:14, 23 November 2023
Line 106:		Line 106:
	* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.500106,82.052357&spn=0.006014,0.013078&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=0&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha show Twin Miracle (Pali:Yamaka Patihara). - Sravasti]		* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.500106,82.052357&spn=0.006014,0.013078&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=0&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha show Twin Miracle (Pali:Yamaka Patihara). - Sravasti]
	* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.334641,79.27434&spn=0.024094,0.052314&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha came down from Daowadung. - Sankisa]		* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.334641,79.27434&spn=0.024094,0.052314&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha came down from Daowadung. - Sankisa]

			{{Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh}}
	{{Buddhism topics}}		{{Buddhism topics}}

2405:201:A406:E028:7959:B8C3:1692:2F5: /* Sankissa at the time of Ramayana */Used a better word.

2021-05-14T14:53:20Z

Sankissa at the time of Ramayana: Used a better word.

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Sankissa
| native_name =Sankisa
| alternate_name =
| image = [[File:Elephant capital Sankasya.jpg|270px]]<br>Elephant capital at Sankissa, one of the [[Pillars of Ashoka]], 3rd century BCE<br>[[File:Sankissa elephant abacus detail.jpg|270px]]
| alt =
| caption = Detail of the abacus.
| map_type = India# India Uttar Pradesh
| map_alt =
| map_size =
| relief = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|27|20|02|N|79|16|16|E|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Farrukhabad district]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]].
| region =
| type = Settlement
| part_of =
| length =
| width =
| area =
| height =
| builder =
| material =
| built =
| abandoned =
| epochs =
| cultures =
| dependency_of =
| occupants =
| event =
| excavations =
| archaeologists =
| condition =
| ownership =
| management =
| public_access =
| website =
| notes =
| designation1 =
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_type = C
| designation1_criteria =
| designation1_date =
| delisted1_date =
| designation1_number =
| designation1_free1name =
| designation1_free1value =
}}
{{BuddhasHolySites}}
'''Sankissa''' (also '''Sankasia''', '''Sankassa''' and '''Sankasya''') was an ancient city in India. The city came into prominence at the time of [[Gautama Buddha]]. According to a Buddhist source, it was thirty leagues from [[Savatthi]].<ref name="DhA_224">''Dhammapadatthakathā'', iii, 224</ref> After the Gautama Buddha's Mahaparinirvana (passing away) king [[Ashoka]] developed this place and installed one of his famous [[Pillars of Ashoka]] in the city, from which the elephant capital survives. He also built a [[stupa]] and a temple commemorating the visit of the Buddha. This temple exists even today and the ruins of the stupa are also present as a temple of Vishari Devi. It is said that the name Visahari Devi is given to the mother of the Buddha.

[[File:Descent of the Buddha from the Trayastrimsa Heaven Sanchi Stupa 1 Northern Gateway.jpg|thumb|left|Descent of the Buddha from the [[Trayastrimsa]] Heaven at Sankissa.<ref>Marshall [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.459148 p.56]</ref>]]
Currently it has ruins of old monasteries and Buddhist monuments. It is rarely visited by [[pilgrim]]s since it is difficult to go to, and there are not many facilities. After a long time Alexander Cunningham (British) discovered the place in 1842. Eighty-seven years later Sir [[Anagarika Dharmapala]] (Sri Lanka) came here on spiritual quest. In 1957 Panditha Madabawita Wijesoma Thero (Sri Lanka) came to 'Sankissa' for few years and started a Buddhist school (Wijesoma Widyalaya) for poor people.

Sankissa is now identified with Sankisa Basantapura on the north bank of the [[Ikkhumati]] river (Kalinadi), between [[Kampil]] and [[Kannauj]], twenty-three miles west of [[Fatehgarh]], twenty-five south of [[Kaimganj]] and forty-five north of [[Kannauj]], in [[Farrukhabad district]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]] state of [[India]].

==Sankissa at the time of Ramayana==
It was known as Sankasya Nagar and was ruled by king [[Kushadhwaja]], was a younger brother of [[Janaka]], the father of [[Sita]], the female lead of [[Ramayana]] and wife of Lord Rama. Once Sudhanva, supposedly an evil king of Sankasya Nagar, demands the hand of Sita from Janaka. In a war that ensues, Janaka defeats and perhaps kills Sudhanva. He bestows the kingdom of Sankasya to Kushadhwaja.

==Ancient Buddhist events at Sankassa==

Sankissa received its fame from statements and claims recorded in the ancient commentaries to the [[Tipitaka]]. However, in the Tipitaka itself the events that are supposed to have occurred at Sankissa are not mentioned at all.

It was at Sankissa that (according to the commentaries) the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] returned to earth, after preaching the [[Abhidhamma Pitaka]] in [[Tavatimsa]], following the performance of the Twin Miracle under the Gandamba tree. As the time approached for the Buddha to leave Távatimsa, [[Moggallana]] ([[Anuruddha]], according to Sutta Nipāta Commentary ii 570<ref>cf. ''Visuddhi magga'', p. 391</ref>) announced his coming return to the multitude, who had been waiting at [[Savatthi]], fed by [[Culla Anathapindika]], while Moggallana expounded the Dhamma. They then made their way to Sankissa. The descent of the Buddha took place on the day of the [[Mahapavarana]] festival. [[Śakra (Buddhism)|Sakka]] provides three ladders for the Buddha's descent from [[Sineru]] to the earth: on the right was a ladder of gold for the gods; on the left a silver ladder for [[Maha Brahma]] and his retinue; and in the middle a ladder of jewels for the Buddha. The assembled people covered the earth for thirty leagues round. There was a clear view of the nine Brahma worlds above and of [[Avici]] (a [[hell]]) below. The Buddha was accompanied by Pañcasikha, Mátali, Mahá Brahmá and Suyáma. [[Sariputta]] was the first to welcome him (followed by [[Uppalavanna]],<ref name="SNC_570">''Sutta Nipāta Commentary'', ii, 570</ref> and the Buddha preached the Law, starting with what was within the comprehension even of a [[puthujjana]], and ending with what only a Buddha could understand.

On this occasion was preached the Parosahassa Játaka to proclaim to the multitude the unparalleled wisdom of Sáriputta.<ref name="DhA_224"/><ref name="SNC_570"/> It is said that the Buddha's descent to Sankissa had provided opportunity for Moggallána to show his eminence in [[iddhi]], [[Anuruddha]] in [[dibbacakkhu]], and [[Punna]] in skill in [[preaching]], and the Buddha wished to give [[Sariputta]] a chance of shining in his wisdom.<ref name="DhA_224"/><ref name="SNC_570"/><ref>''Jātaka'', ed. Fausboll, iv, 266</ref><ref>see also Jhánasodhana, Sarabhamiga, and Candábha Játakas</ref> He therefore asked of Sáriputta questions which no one else could answer. The opening words of the Sáriputta Sutta are supposed to refer to this descent from [[Tusita]].

The site of the city gate of Sankissa is one of the "unchangeable" spots of the world ([[avijahitatthanam]]). All Buddhas descend at that spot to the world of men after preaching the [[Abhidhamma]].<ref>Buddhavamsa Commentary 106, 247</ref><ref>Papañca Sūdanī, Majjhima Commentary i 371</ref> From Sankissa the Buddha went to [[Jetavana]].<ref>''Jātaka'', ed. Fausboll, i, 193</ref>
<gallery>
File:Bharhut Ajatasattu Pillar - Descent From Tavatimsa.jpg|Descent to Sankissa in [[Bharhut]].
File:Buddha Panel from Afghanistan.jpg|Descent to Sankissa, in the [[Greco-Buddhist art]] of [[Gandhara]].
File:Life Scenes of Buddha - Birth-Enlightenment-Descent from Heaven-First Sermon-Passing Away - Circa 2nd Century CE - Rajghat - ACCN 00-H-1 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5843.JPG|Descent from Heaven, 2nd century CE, Mathura.
File:Thai - Buddha Preaching in Sankassa - Walters 20101231.jpg|The Buddha Preaching in Sankissa
</gallery>

==Architecture==
[[File:Ancient Site, Sankissa-002.jpg|thumb|left|The Sankissa elephant under a protective roof.]]
[[File:Sankissa elephant simulation.jpg|thumb|Possible reconstitution of the elephant.]]
[[File:Mahabodhi pillar of Ashoka.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Bodh Gaya]] [[Mahabodhi Temple]] pillar, another Ashokan elephant pillar, portrayed in a [[Bharhut]] relief, 100 BCE.]]
A shrine was erected on the spot where the Buddha's right foot first touched the ground at Sankissa.<ref>''Dhammapadatthakathā'', iii, 227</ref> When the Chinese pilgrims, [[Xuanzang]] and [[Faxian]], visited the place, they found three ladders, which had been built of brick and stone by the ancients, to commemorate the Buddha's descent, but the ladders were nearly sunk in the earth.<ref>[[Samuel Beal]], ''Romantic Legend of the Buddha'', i, 203</ref><ref>Fa Hien, p. 24</ref>

There was, in the Buddha's time, a deer park at Sankissa where [[Suhemanta Thera]] heard the Buddha preach.<ref>Theragāthā Commentary, i, 212</ref> During the [[Second Buddhist Council|Vajjiputta controversy]], [[Revata]] Thera, on his way from [[Soreyya]] to [[Sahajati]], went through Sankissa. The road he took passed through Sankissa, [[Kannauj|Kannakujja]], [[Udumbara]] and [[Aggalapura]].<ref>''Vinaya Pitaka'', ed. Oldenberg, ii, 299f</ref> The excavations carried out in the place did not reveal any artifacts of importance.

An elephant capital from the period of the [[Mauryas]] was found at the site.<ref name=Sen>{{cite book|title=Buddhist shrines in India|last=Sen|first=Dr. A. C.|publisher=Maha Bodhi Book Agency|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87032-78-6|year=2008|page=63}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Geographical spread of known Ashoka Capitals in India.jpg|Geographical spread of known [[capital (architecture)|capitals]] of the [[pillars of Ashoka]].
File:Sankissa elephant drawing.jpg|Sankissa elephant (drawing).
File:Sankissa_elephant_abacus_detail.jpg|[[Abacus (architecture)|Abacus]] in hellenistico-persian style.<ref name="JI">[https://www.scribd.com/document/136703111/Chronology-of-Asokan-Pillars John Irwin, The true chronology of Ashokan Pillars]</ref>
</gallery>

==Location==
{{Buddhist_pilgrimage_sites_in_India.svg}}
Sankissa is about 250 km and is a 4 hours 30 minutes' drive from [[Kanpur Airport]].

==References==
{{Commons category|Sankissa}}
{{reflist|24em}}

==External links==
*{{ppn|sa/sankassa.htm|Sankassa}}
*{{RBK|17|Sankasya}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wArCYCA2xJA Sankassa Video Documentary (in Sinhalese)] Ancient Buddhist events at Sankissa
* http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/sankassa.htm
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.500106,82.052357&spn=0.006014,0.013078&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=0&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha show Twin Miracle (Pali:Yamaka Patihara). - Sravasti]
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.334641,79.27434&spn=0.024094,0.052314&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6&lci=com.panoramio.all maps.google The place where Lord Buddha came down from Daowadung. - Sankisa]
{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Ancient Indian cities]]
[[Category:History of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Places in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Farrukhabad district]]

Sankissa - Revision history

Providentecopoliten: basic cleaned up structure for accuracy and updated info

Kamal Guha: Uttar Pradesh Buddhist sites added

2405:201:A406:E028:7959:B8C3:1692:2F5: /* Sankissa at the time of Ramayana */Used a better word.