PilgrimTrips - India Pilgrimage

Sanctity

At Sankasya, the Buddha is believed to have descended to the earth from the Trayastrimsa Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods) after preaching to His mother and other Gods. This event is said to have occurred after the great miracle performed by the Buddha came down by a triple ladder, accompanied by the Gods Brahma and Sakra (Indra).

The story of the Buddha’s descent from heaven at Sankasya has been a popular theme in early Buddhist art. In the harhut illustration, the triple ladder is at the centre of the scene with a Bodhi Tree and Vajrasana at its foot. There is one foot print (of the Buddha) on the top step and a second foot print on the bottom step of the middle ladder. Around the ladder on all sides are a number of spectators, kings, ministers and people awaiting anxiously the return of the Buddha. Somewhat similar scene is depicted at Sanchi.

History

Because of its sacred association with Lord Buddha, Sankasya became an important Buddhist shrine and a number of Stupas and monasteries were erected there in ancient times. Fa-hian, who visited the site in the first decade of A.D. 5th century, says. "When Buddha was about to come down from heaven to earth, he produced by a miracle three flights of jeweled steps and he himself came down the middle flight which was made of the seven preciosities. Brahma also produced a flight of silver steps to the right, where he was in attendance with a fly-brush in his hand. The God of Heaven, Indra, produced a flight of copper steps to the left, where he was in attendance with an umbrella of the seven preciosities in his hand. Countless hosts of Devas followed Buddha down; and when He reached the earth, the three flights disappered into the ground except seven steps which remained." Continuing, Fa-hian says: "Asoka built a shrine over the steps, placing on the middle flight a full length image of Buddha. Behind the shrine he raised a stone column sixty feet in height; upon the top he placed a lion, and within the column, at the four sides, images of Buddha."

Fa-hian also notices other stupas and monasteries and says that ‘there are here about 1000 priests and nuns, all of whom obtain their food from a common stock and belong, some to the greater vehicle and some to the lesser one.’ When Hiuen-Tsang visited Sankasya in A.D. 636, a number of shrines were still standing. Hiuen-Tsang says: "To the east of the city 20 li or so is great Sangharama of beautiful construction, throughtout which the artist has exhibited his greatest skill. The sacred image of the holy form (of Buddha) is most wonderfully magnificent. There are about 1000 priests here, who study the doctrines of the Sammatiya school. Several myriads of ‘Pure men’ (religious laymen) live by the side of this Sangharama or Convent.

"Within the great enclosure of the Sangharama there are three precious ladders, which are arranged side by side from north to south, with their faces for descent to the east. This is where Tathagata came down on his return from the Trayastrimsas heaven. In old days Tathagata, going up from the ‘Wood of the conqueror’ ascended the heavenly mansions, and dwelt in the Saddharma Hall, preaching the law for the sake of his mother. Three months having elapsed, being desirous to descend to earth, Sakra, King of the Devas, exercisiong his spiritual power, erected these precious ladders. The middle one was of yellow gold, the left-hand one of pure crystal, the right-hand one of white silver.

"Tathagata rising from the Saddharma hall, accompanied by a multitude of Devas, descended by the middle ladder. Maha-Brahma-raja holding a white chamara, came down by the white ladder on the right, whilst Sakra, King of Devas (Devendra) holding a precious canopy (parasol), descended by the crystal ladder on the left. Meanwhile the company of Devas in the air scattered flowers and chanted their praises in his honour. Some centuries ago the ladders still existed in their original position, but now they have sunk into the earth and have disappeared. The neighbouring princes, grieved at not having seen them, built up of bricks and stones ornamented with jewels, on the ancient foundations (three ladders) resembling the old ones. They are about 70 feet high. Above them, they have built a Vihara in which is a stone image of Buddha, and on either side of this is a ladder with the figures of Brahma and Sakra, just as they apperared when first rising to accompany Buddha in his descent.

"On the outside of the Vihara, but close by its side, there is a stone column about 70feet high which was erected by Asoka-raja. It is of a purple colour , and shining as if with moisture. The substance is hard and finely grained. There are carved figures inland, of wonderful execution, on the four sides of the pillar and around it."

Hiuen Tsang further says: "Besides the precious ladder (temple) and not far fromit. There is a Stupa, where Tathagata when in the World, bathed himself. By the side of this is a Vihara on the spot where Tathagata entered Samadhi. By the side of the Vihara there is a long foundation wall 50 paces in length and 7 feet high; this is the place where Tathagata took exercise. On the spot where his feet trod are figures of the lotus flower. On the right and left of the wall are (two) little Stupa, erected by Sakra and Brahma-raja. In front of the Stupas of Sakra and Brahma is the place where Utpalavarna the Bhikhuni, wishing to be the first to see theBuddha, was changed into a Chakravarin-raja whe Tathagata was returning (from heaven)."

After centuries of oblivion, the ancient Sankasya was identidied by General Cunningham in 1842 with the modern village of Sankisa in the district of Farrukhbad in Uttar Pradesh. The village of Sankisa is situated on a high plateau near the Kali river where the borders of the districts of Farrukhabad, etah and Mainpuri meet.

From Delhi, Sankisa is315 Kilometres

by road

via Ghaziabad-Aligarh-Etah-Bewar on National Highway No.22 (G.T. Road) and from Bewar via Mohammadabad-Pakhna. From Agra, Sankasya is 175 kilometres via Firozabad Shikohabad- Mainpuri-Bewar-Mohammadabad-Pakhna. The nearest railway station is pakhna on the Shikohabad Farrukhabad line.

Tourist Attractions in Sankasya

An important relic of the past at Sankasya is the stump of the broken Asoka pillar surmounted by the elephant capital. It has beautiful carvings of lotus and leaves of Bodhi tree.

Nearby is a small modern Buddhist temple under the Bodhi tree. It was constructed in 1957 by Ven. Vijaya soma, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka. The modern shrine has a standing image of Lord Buddha flanked by Brahma and Sakra who are believed to have accompanied the Buddha on His descent from heaven to earth.

About 20 yards to the south of the Asoken Pillar, there is a highmound of solid brick work which was once a Buddhist structure. But it is now surmounted by a temple dedicated to Hindu Goddess Visharidevi. It is believed that the Buddha had descended from heaven at this place.

The Buddhists visit Sankasya in large numbers every year on the Ashvina (Sharad) Purnima (in October) when a religious congregation takes place.

About the people of Sankasya (Kapitha), Hiuen-Tsang had said that "the manners of the people are soft and agreeable. The men are much given to learning." But the modern Sankisa had no school till 1960 when the late Ven. Vijaya Soma of Sri Lanka established a school there. This school now named as ‘Bhadant Vijaya Soma Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School’ is playing a very useful role in spreading education in and around Sankisa. From Pewar, a shorter route to Sankisa is also available via Dheerpur Junction (Madanpur) and Pakhna Railway station.