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{{short description|Historical city in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox ancient site
{{Infobox ancient site
| name          = Sankissa
| name          = Sankissa
| native_name    =Sankisa
| native_name    =Uttar Pradesh, India
| alternate_name =  
| 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]]
| 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]]
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| relief        = yes
| relief        = yes
| coordinates    = {{coord|27|20|02|N|79|16|16|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates    = {{coord|27|20|02|N|79|16|16|E|display=inline,title}}
| location      = [[Farrukhabad district]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]].
| location      = [[Farrukhabad district]], Uttar Pradesh, India.
| region        =  
| region        =  
| type          = Settlement
| type          = Settlement
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}}
}}
{{BuddhasHolySites}}
{{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.
'''Sankissa''' (also ''Sankasia'', ''Sankassa'' and ''Sankasya'') is an ancient city in India renown for the descent of [[Gautama Buddha]] from the [[Tushita]] heavens where he taught his mother  before landing at Sankissa. Considered among the eight great pilgrimage sites, it was thirty leagues from [[Sravasti]].<ref name="DhA_224">''Dhammapadatthakathā'', iii, 224</ref> Around 300 years after the Gautama Buddha's [[Mahaparinirvana]], king [[Ashoka]] visited and built a [[Pillars of Ashoka|Pillar of Ashoka]] of which the elephant capital survives. He also built a [[stupa]] and a temple commemorating the Buddha's descent from the heavens. The ruins of the stupa are still present, as is a temple of Vishari Devi and an ancient staircase.<ref>Akashdeep Asok, "2600-year-old Stairwcase to Heaven", ''Times of India'', 25 December 2023</ref>


[[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>]]
[[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 has ruins of ancient Buddhist monasteries, and other monuments from Buddhist and Hindu traditions. The Briton Alexander Cunningham explored the site in 1842.


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


==Sankissa at the time of Ramayana==
==The Buddha's return at Sankissa==
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.
<!--"Maudgalyayana#Popular accounts" links here -->


==Ancient Buddhist events at Sankassa==
Events at Sankissa are recorded in the [[Tipitaka]]. It was at Sankissa that the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] returned to earth, after preaching the [[Abhidhamma Pitaka]] in [[Tavatimsa]] heaven to his mother and to the gods, following his performance of the [[Twin miracle]] at [[Sravasti]]. As the time approached for the Buddha to leave Távatimsa after his three month stay, his disciple [[Maudgalyayana|Moggallana]] ([[Anuruddha]], according to Sutta Nipāta Commentary ii 570<ref>cf. ''Visuddhi magga'', p.&nbsp;391</ref>) announced his coming return to the multitude who had been waiting at Sravasti. They had been fed by Culla Anathapindika as Moggallana taught the [[Dhamma]]. They all then made their way to Sankissa to meet the Buddha at his return.  
<!--"Maudgalyayana#Popular accounts" links here -->
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.&nbsp;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.
The descent of the Buddha took place on the day of the Mahapavarana festival. The king of the gods [[Indra]] built three ladders for the Buddha's descent from [[Mount Meru]] to the earth with his retinue: 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. At the top of the ladder, there was a clear view of the nine Brahma worlds above and of the [[Avici]] [[hell]] below. The Buddha was accompanied by many beings including Pañcasikha, Mátali, Mahá Brahmá and Suyáma. His disciple [[Sariputta]] was the first to welcome him, followed by [[Uppalavanna]].<ref name="SNC_570">''Sutta Nipāta Commentary'', ii, 570</ref>


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]].
On this occasion the ''Parosahassa Jataka'' was taught to proclaim to the multitude the unparalleled wisdom of Sariputta.<ref name="DhA_224"/><ref name="SNC_570"/> It is also written that the Buddha's descent at Sankissa had provided opportunities for Moggallana to show his eminence in [[iddhi]] (supranormal knowledge), [[Anuruddha]] in dibbacakkhu (ability to see far), and [[Punna]] in his skills in [[teaching]], while the Buddha wished to give [[Sariputta]] a chance of showing his profound 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>  


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>
The location of the city gate of Sankissa is said to be at one of the "unchangeable" spots of the world, or ''avijahitatthanam'', where all of the Buddhas descend to the human world after preaching the [[Abhidhamma]] to their mothers in the Heavens.<ref>Buddhavamsa Commentary 106, 247</ref><ref>Papañca Sūdanī, Majjhima Commentary i 371</ref> From Sankissa, the Buddha went to [[Jetavana]] grove.<ref>''Jātaka'', ed. Fausboll, i, 193</ref>
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Bharhut Ajatasattu Pillar - Descent From Tavatimsa.jpg|Descent to Sankissa in [[Bharhut]].
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: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: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
File:Thai - Buddha Preaching in Sankassa - Walters 20101231.jpg|The Buddha Preaching in Sankissa, Thailand
</gallery>
</gallery>


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File:Geographical spread of known Ashoka Capitals in India.jpg|Geographical spread of known [[capital (architecture)|capitals]] of the [[pillars of Ashoka]].
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 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>
File:Sankissa_elephant_abacus_detail.jpg|[[Abacus (architecture)|Abacus]] in hellenistico-persian style.<ref name="JI">{{Cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/136703111/Chronology-of-Asokan-Pillars |title=John Irwin, The true chronology of Ashokan Pillars |access-date=23 June 2018 |archive-date=30 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430182342/https://www.scribd.com/document/136703111/Chronology-of-Asokan-Pillars |url-status=dead }}</ref>
</gallery>
</gallery>


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

Latest revision as of 12:10, 7 March 2026


Sankissa
Uttar Pradesh, India

Elephant capital at Sankissa, one of the Pillars of Ashoka, 3rd century BCE
Detail of the abacus.
Sankissa is located in India
Sankissa
Shown within India
Sankissa (Uttar Pradesh)
LocationFarrukhabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Coordinates27°20′02″N 79°16′16″E / 27.33389°N 79.27111°E / 27.33389; 79.27111
TypeSettlement
Pilgrimage to
Buddha's
Holy Sites
The Four Main Sites
Four Additional Sites
Other Sites
Later Sites

Sankissa (also Sankasia, Sankassa and Sankasya) is an ancient city in India renown for the descent of Gautama Buddha from the Tushita heavens where he taught his mother before landing at Sankissa. Considered among the eight great pilgrimage sites, it was thirty leagues from Sravasti.[1] Around 300 years after the Gautama Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, king Ashoka visited and built a Pillar of Ashoka of which the elephant capital survives. He also built a stupa and a temple commemorating the Buddha's descent from the heavens. The ruins of the stupa are still present, as is a temple of Vishari Devi and an ancient staircase.[2]

Descent of the Buddha from the Trayastrimsa Heaven at Sankissa.[3]

Sankissa has ruins of ancient Buddhist monasteries, and other monuments from Buddhist and Hindu traditions. The Briton Alexander Cunningham explored the site in 1842.

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

The Buddha's return at Sankissa[edit | edit source]

Events at Sankissa are recorded in the Tipitaka. It was at Sankissa that the Buddha returned to earth, after preaching the Abhidhamma Pitaka in Tavatimsa heaven to his mother and to the gods, following his performance of the Twin miracle at Sravasti. As the time approached for the Buddha to leave Távatimsa after his three month stay, his disciple Moggallana (Anuruddha, according to Sutta Nipāta Commentary ii 570[4]) announced his coming return to the multitude who had been waiting at Sravasti. They had been fed by Culla Anathapindika as Moggallana taught the Dhamma. They all then made their way to Sankissa to meet the Buddha at his return.

The descent of the Buddha took place on the day of the Mahapavarana festival. The king of the gods Indra built three ladders for the Buddha's descent from Mount Meru to the earth with his retinue: 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. At the top of the ladder, there was a clear view of the nine Brahma worlds above and of the Avici hell below. The Buddha was accompanied by many beings including Pañcasikha, Mátali, Mahá Brahmá and Suyáma. His disciple Sariputta was the first to welcome him, followed by Uppalavanna.[5]

On this occasion the Parosahassa Jataka was taught to proclaim to the multitude the unparalleled wisdom of Sariputta.[1][5] It is also written that the Buddha's descent at Sankissa had provided opportunities for Moggallana to show his eminence in iddhi (supranormal knowledge), Anuruddha in dibbacakkhu (ability to see far), and Punna in his skills in teaching, while the Buddha wished to give Sariputta a chance of showing his profound wisdom.[1][5][6][7]

The location of the city gate of Sankissa is said to be at one of the "unchangeable" spots of the world, or avijahitatthanam, where all of the Buddhas descend to the human world after preaching the Abhidhamma to their mothers in the Heavens.[8][9] From Sankissa, the Buddha went to Jetavana grove.[10]

  • Descent to Sankissa in Bharhut.
    Descent to Sankissa in Bharhut.
  • Descent to Sankissa, in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.
    Descent to Sankissa, in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.
  • Descent from Heaven, 2nd century CE, Mathura.
    Descent from Heaven, 2nd century CE, Mathura.
  • The Buddha Preaching in Sankissa, Thailand
    The Buddha Preaching in Sankissa, Thailand

Architecture[edit | edit source]

The Sankissa elephant under a protective roof.
Possible reconstitution of the elephant.
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.[11] 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.[12][13]

There was, in the Buddha's time, a deer park at Sankissa where Suhemanta Thera heard the Buddha preach.[14] During the Vajjiputta controversy, Revata Thera, on his way from Soreyya to Sahajati, went through Sankissa. The road he took passed through Sankissa, Kannakujja, Udumbara and Aggalapura.[15] 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.[16]

Location[edit | edit source]

Template:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India.svg Sankissa is about 250 km and is a 4 hours 30 minutes' drive from Kanpur Airport.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dhammapadatthakathā, iii, 224
  2. ↑ Akashdeep Asok, "2600-year-old Stairwcase to Heaven", Times of India, 25 December 2023
  3. ↑ Marshall p.56
  4. ↑ cf. Visuddhi magga, p. 391
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Sutta Nipāta Commentary, ii, 570
  6. ↑ Jātaka, ed. Fausboll, iv, 266
  7. ↑ see also Jhánasodhana, Sarabhamiga, and Candábha Játakas
  8. ↑ Buddhavamsa Commentary 106, 247
  9. ↑ Papañca Sūdanī, Majjhima Commentary i 371
  10. ↑ Jātaka, ed. Fausboll, i, 193
  11. ↑ Dhammapadatthakathā, iii, 227
  12. ↑ Samuel Beal, Romantic Legend of the Buddha, i, 203
  13. ↑ Fa Hien, p. 24
  14. ↑ Theragāthā Commentary, i, 212
  15. ↑ Vinaya Pitaka, ed. Oldenberg, ii, 299f
  16. ↑ Sen, Dr. A. C. (2008). Buddhist shrines in India. Kolkota: Maha Bodhi Book Agency. p. 63. ISBN 978-81-87032-78-6.
  17. ↑ "John Irwin, The true chronology of Ashokan Pillars". Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.

External links[edit | edit source]

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