Kusala, a Simple Woman on Cooking and Travelling: (Day 3) Sankissa /Sankassa/Sankasia or Sankissa

According to Dhammapada commentary XIV 2, the lord Buddha told Sakka Devaraja of the return to the earth after completed the rain-retreat in Tavatimsa Heaven. So 3 ladders consists of jewel, gold and silver were created by the sakka Devaraja. All these ladders were placed from the summit of Mt. Sumeru to the Sankissa city gate. Silver ladder placed on the left for Brahmas group; Gold ladder placed on the right for Devas group and Jewel ladder in the middle for Buddha. Both Devas' group and Brahmas' group companied Buddha from heaven descended to the earth.

Based on another legend, Buddha spent about 3 months teaching the Abhidhamma to his mother in Tusita heaven. After completed the teaching, Buddha descended from Tusita heaven to the village of Sankissa.

A group of the Sakyan nobles came to witness Lord Buddha descended from heaven to the Sankissa city gate for the miracle and then settled in Sankissa. There were many Sakyans escaped to Sankissa when Vidhadabu attacked kapilavatthu. So theirs' decendants who are Buddhists and stay nearby will come to Sankissa to celebrate during Pavarana (October, full moon day) to commemorate this event.

Actually little to see in Sankissa. Sankissa is in a village of Sankisa-Basantapur in district of farrukhabad, uttar Pradesh. In Buddha's time, it was a city. It's about 200 km from Agra.

After we took the breakfast in Holiday Inn, first we visited to the 'Devavarohana Maitreya Buddha Vihara' in Sankissa.

Then we did dana offerings and took lunch over there.

Outside of the temple, there were stupa and the standing Buddha statue.

Our journey proceeded. We came to an area which we need to walk up the small hill. There was a high mound consits of brickworks which had been already fell into ruins. Cunningham identified this mound as the Sankissa in the old time based on the position of the 3 flight ladders.

A small Hindu shrines dedicated to a Hindu goddesss Bisari Devi which was built on top of the Buddhist building structure.

Then we went to see the King Asoka pillar which was erected here for his elephant capital.

King Asoka did his pilgrimage in 249 BC.

According to Fa Hsien, King Asoka built a shrine over the spot where Buddha set his foot on the earth. King Asoka also built a pillar about 18.3 meter high, on top of the pillar there was a stone lion and Buddha's image on the four sites.

Fa Hsien went to Sankissa in the early of 5th century AD. He heard that there was an argument for the land right between Brahmins and the Sramanas (Bikkhus) in Sankissa. Anyway an oath was took placed where if the Sankissa belongs to the Bikkhus then the stone lion on top of Asoka pillar would roar. Supernatural event happened so the Brahmins left.

Hsuien Tsang came to Sankissa in 636AD before and he saw this pillar. At that time there were only 4 viharas but 10 deva temples. So looked like the place had been took over by Brahmins sometimes ago.

Now this Asoka pillar was under a big pavilion which surrounded by the iron fence. The head of the elephant already missing.

Under the nearby tree, there was a small shrine with a Standing image of Lord Buddha. The door was closed when we reached. Then the authority personel open the shrine door for us to pay respect.

After visited the Sankissa, we proceeded to Lucknow. We reached there in the evening, then we checked in the Lucknow Clarks Avadh Hotel. It's quite a comfortable hotel.

I took a few photos of mom in the hotel lobby and in the restaurant.