Ramagrama stupa (, also Ramgram, Rāmgrām, Rāmagrāma) is a

stupa In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...

located in Ramgram Municipality, in the Parasi District of

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

. This

Buddhist pilgrimage The most important places in Buddhism are located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of southern Nepal and northern India. This is the area where Gautama Buddha was born, lived, and taught, and the main sites connected to his life are now important plac ...

site containing

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

was constructed between the

Mauryan The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary sourc ...

and Gupta periods, according to research by Nepal’s Department of Archaeology.

History

Gautama Buddha's parents were from two different mahājanapadās (kingdoms) of the

Solar dynasty The Solar dynasty or (; ), also called the Ikshvaku dynasty, is a legendary Indian dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu texts, Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom, with its capital at Ayodhya (Ramayana), Ayodhya, ...

— his father (

Śuddhodana Śuddhodana (; Pali: ''Suddhodana''), meaning "he who grows pure rice," was the father of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha. He was a leader of the Shakya, who lived in an Oligarchy, oligarchic republic, with their capital at Kapil ...

) belonged to the

Shakya Shakya (Pali, Pāḷi: ; Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indo-Aryan clan of the northeastern region of South Asia, whose existence is attested during the Iron Age in India, Iron Age. The Shakyas were organised into a Gaṇasaṅgha, (an Aristocrac ...

kingdom, while his mother (

Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...

) was from the

Koliya Koliya (Pāli: ) was an ancient Indo-Aryan clan of north-eastern South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The Koliyas were organised into a (an aristocratic republic), presently referred to as the Koliya Republic. Locat ...

kingdom. According to

Buddhist texts Buddhist texts are religious texts that belong to, or are associated with, Buddhism and Schools of Buddhism, its traditions. There is no single textual collection for all of Buddhism. Instead, there are three main Buddhist Canons: the Pāli C ...

, after Buddha's

Mahaparinirvana In Buddhism, ''Parinirvana'' (Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') describes the state entered after death by someone who has attained ''nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth as well as the dissolution of the ''sk ...

, his cremated remains were divided and distributed among the princes of eight of the sixteen mahājanapadās. Each of the princes constructed a stupa at or near his capital city, within which the respective portion of the ashes was enshrined. These eight stupas were located at: # Allakappa, a settlement of the Bulī people. The precise location of this place is not currently known. # Kapilavastu, capital city of the

kingdom (the location of this stupa is the subject of some controversy; there is evidence it was actually constructed at

Piprahwa Piprahwa is a village near Siddharthnagar city in Siddharthnagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Kalanamak rice, a scented and spicy variety, is grown in this area. It lies in the heart of the historical Buddha's homeland and ...

) # Kusinārā, capital city of one of the two Malla republics #

Pāvā Pāvā was an important city of the Malla (tribe), Malla tribe of History_of_India#Second_urbanisation_(c._600_%E2%80%93_200_BCE), ancient India at the time of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha (Mahajanapada), Magadha. It is located about sout ...

, capital city of the other Malla republics # Rājagaha a major city of the

Magadha Magadha was a region and kingdom in ancient India, based in the eastern Ganges Plain. It was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas during the Second Urbanization period. The region was ruled by several dynasties, which overshadowed, conquered, and ...

kingdom # Rāmagrāma, a major city of the

kingdom (this settlement is sometimes referred to as ''Koliyanagara'') # Vesāli, capital city of the

Vajjika League The Vajjika (Pāli: ) or Vrijika () League, Confederacy, or Sangha, also called simply Vajji (Pāli: ) or Vriji (), was an ancient Indo-Aryan league which existed during the later Iron Age period in the north-eastern Indian subcontinent. Na ...

# Veṭhadīpa, a settlement of Veṭhadīpaka Brahmins. The precise location of this place is not currently known. King Ajasat of Magadha, according to the instructions of Maha Kassapa, took relics from seven Stupas of different countries and made a great treasure of relics as an underground stupa for the protection of the relics. Of these, the only one which remains intact is the Ramagrama stupa in Ramgram, Nepal. At that time, King Ajasat (c. 492 – c. 460 BCE) did not take the relic parts from Ramagrama stupa because they were to be given to Ruwanwelisaya Maha Stupa in Sri Lanka in the future by the order of Maha Kassapa Thero. According to this text, the Buddha's relics were protected by spirit-powered mechanical robots until they were disarmed two centuries later by Emperor

Ashoka Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka ( ; , ; – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was List of Mauryan emperors, Emperor of Magadha from until #Death, his death in 232 BCE, and the third ruler from the Mauryan dynast ...

(c. 304 – 232 BCE). He opened the Underground Stupa in Magadha and removed the Buddha relics with the goal to redistribute the relics into 84,000 stupas which he planned to construct throughout the

Maurya Empire The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...

. According to legend and Mahavamsa, the Nagas was guarding the Ramagrama stupa, and prevented Ashoka from unearthing the relic, making it one of the eight undisturbed stupas. Later, Moggaliputta Tissa Maharath Thero, who performed the third Dhamma Council, said that in the future, the relics of the Ramagrama Stupa would be transferred to the Ruwanwelisaya Maha Stupa in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the king did not open the Stupa.

Archaeological research

To this day, Ramagrama stupa remains the only intact and original stupa containing relics of Buddha. Even so, no relics have yet been found by archeological excavations. This is because according to sources such as Mahavamsa, Thupavamsa (Great Chronicles of Sri Lanka), and sources of Theravada Buddhism such as Sri Lankan and Southeast Asian sources, the relics of Ramagrama Stupa were received in Sri Lanka. The Ramagrama stupa has been an object of great reverence and pilgrimage site since its original construction. The stupa is now buried under a mound of earth and is awaiting further research. The dimensions of the stupa complex are 10m high and 23.5m in diameter. A geophysical survey revealed a perfect quadrangular Kushan monastery buried below the surface, whose dense concentration of brick prevented crops from growing, leading to the area being known as an "unlucky field".

According to sources such as Mahavamsa, the relics of Ramagrama Stupa were received in Sri Lanka

In the ''Mahavamsa'',

of the

Maurya dynasty The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...

chooses not to retrieve Buddha relics in the possession of Nagas at Ramagrama. It was said that on his deathbed, Buddha told a

prophecy In religion, mythology, and fiction, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain di ...

that of the eight donas of his body relics, one would be venerated by the

s of Ramagrama, then the relics would belong to the Nagas until being enshrined in Sri Lanka. Ashoka is told more prophecy by

arhat In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana (Buddhism), Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the Rebirth (Buddhism ...

s, who speak of the future enshrinement of these relics by king Dutthagamani. King Dutthagamini then received from the Sangha the Buddha’s relics upon his head in a casket and departed from the golden pavilion in the midst of manifold offerings and honours made by gods and ‘‘

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

s’’. He circumambulated the relic-chamber three times, entered to it from the east, and when laid the relic-casket on a silver couch one ‘‘koṭi’’ worth, that was arranged in the north side. An image of the Buddha was then, according to the Buddha’s determination, created in the lion’s reclining posture (‘‘sīhaseyya’’), and all the relics were enshrined within that image. When the enshrining of the relics in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli was completed, the two novices Uttara and Sumana closed the relic-chamber with the stone-blocks that were previously hidden to be used as a lid. Ruwanwelisaya

In the Thupavamsa numerous types of beings attended the enshrinement of the relics into the Mahathupa; including the Naga king Mahakala who until recently guarded them. The relics were to be placed atop a golden throne crafted by Visvakarman the divine artificer; the throne brought by Indra. Brahma offers his invisible umbrella of sovereignty, with the king Dutthagamani offering his own. The arhat Indagutta creates a metal canopy over the universe, so that Mara will not interfere, as monks chanted the

Sutta Pitaka Sutta may refer to: *The Pali version of the Sanskrit term Sutra **In Buddhism, a discourse of the Buddha: see Sutra ''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indi ...

(the Collection of Discourses delivered by the Buddha). Dutthagamani ceremoniously enters with the urn atop his head; but as he is about to place the urn on the golden throne, the relics rise into the air and form Buddha, with each of the 32 major signs and 80 lesser signs of a great man. In this form he performs the twin miracle of fire and water, fulfilling the fifth of his death bed resolutions. One hundred and twenty million gods and humans gain arhatship from this experience. The relics return to the urn and they are laid to rest and the chamber sealed with forty meter stone slabs. "The relic-chamber shall not shake even by an earthquake; flowers such as

jasmine Jasmine (botanical name: ''Jasminum'', pronounced ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family of Oleaceae. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are wid ...

that were offered on that day shall not wither till the end of Buddha Gotama’s Dispensation; the lamps that were kindled with ghee-oil shall not be extinguished; the clay that was mixed with perfume and sandalwood shall not dry; even a single scratch shall not appear within the relic-chamber; stains shall not appear in any of the golden goods that were offered.’ All this occurred by the determination-power of all Arahants present. They determined also that inimical persons should not be able to even see the relic-chamber. Furthermore, by order of king Dutugemunu, the people of Srī Lanka enshrined, along with many other objects such as golden and silver caskets, thousand more of the Buddha's relics over the relic-chamber."

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the

World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

Tentative List by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

on May 23, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Conservation and Enhancement

The Promised Land
an
The Lumbini Development Trust
signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 23, 2023, dedicated to the protection, preservation, conservation, development, and management of the Ramagrama Stupa with the support fro
Moksha Foundation
This was undertaken by Lharkyal Lama who is currently the vice-chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust. On December 12, 2023, Ramagrama hosted a gathering for the World Peace Program. Graced by the Right Honorable

Pushpa Kamal Dahal Pushpa Kamal Dahal (; born Ghanashyam Dahal, 11 December 1954), alias ''Prachanda'' (, , "fierce"), is a Nepalese politician, currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition, since July 2024. He has served as the Prime Minister of Nepal o ...

(Prachanda), the Prime Minister of Nepal, renowned architect Stefano Boeri unveiled the masterplan for the Conservation and Enhancement of the Ramagrama Stupa.

Gallery

Ramgram Stupa 8.jpg, Statue and entrance gate at Ramagrama stupa, Parasri district, Nepal Ramgram Stupa Gate Statue.jpg, Statue and entrance gate at Ramagrama stupa, Parasi district, Nepal Ramgram Stupa Entry View2.jpg, Pathway leading to Ramagrama stupa, Parasi district, Nepal Ramgram Stupa 12.jpg, View of Ramagrama stupa, Parasi district, Nepal Ramgram Stupa 4.jpg, View of Ramagrama stupa, Parasi district, Nepal Ramagrama Stupa.jpg, Sacred Bodhi tree (''

Ficus religiosa ''Ficus religiosa'' or sacred fig is a species of fig native to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina that belongs to Moraceae, the fig or mulberry family. It is also known as the bodhi tree, bo tree, peepul tree, peepal tree, pipala tree or ...

'') at Ramagrama stupa, Nepal Ramgram Stupa 15.jpg, Sacred Bodhi tree at Ramagrama stupa, Nepal Stupa of Ramagrama - Bottom Architrave - Rear Side - East Gateway - Stupa 1 - Sanchi Hill 2013-02-21 4464.JPG, A

bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...

of the Ramagrama stupa, from the east gateway of Great Stupa at

Sanchi Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist art, Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District of the States and territories of India, State of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located, about 23 kilometers from Raisen ...

, in

Raisen District Raisen District () is a Districts of Madhya Pradesh, district of Madhya Pradesh States and union territories of India, state of India. The town of Raisen is the district headquarters. The district is part of Bhopal Division. Sanchi University of ...

of the

State State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

, India Ramagrama lintel.jpg, A bas-relief of the Ramagrama stupa, from the Catalogue of the Museum of Archaeology at Sarnath in 1914

References

External links

Ramgram Stupa, the Buddha relic stupa of NepalRamgram Stupa ko Behal-Nawalparsi
(video in Nepali language) {{Buddhist temples in Nepal Archaeological sites in Nepal Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal Buddhist relics Buildings and structures in Parasi District Nāgas Religious buildings and structures in Nepal Stupas in Nepal