Dharma Rajika Stupa the place Vesakh Day is now celebrated

It’s 251 BC. The scene is the magnificent stupa Dharma Rajika in Taxila, which has been constructed for only some months. Ashoka has given this stupa probably the most auspicious standing by means of hanging the ashes of Buddha right here.

Vesakh Day is being celebrated in Taxila during which Ashoka-e-Azam has come to Taxila from his capital Magadha. It’s the month of Might and it’s the evening of the entire moon. In line with Buddhist traditions, Gautama Buddha was once born on a complete moon evening within the month of Might in 564 BC. When he attained Nirvana on the age of 35, it was once nonetheless Might and it was once a complete moon evening, and when he gave up the ghost on the age of 80, it was once nonetheless Might and it was once a complete moon evening.

Ashoka-e-Azam, whose empire stretched from Burma to Central Asia, appears to be a dervish in look. From some distance away priests and pilgrims circumambulate the Dharma Rajika Stupa. Ashoka is one in all them.

On this, the adaptation between priests and strange pilgrims is that he’s accompanied by means of a couple of guards, however the presence of the king and circumambulation make no distinction within the efficiency of this non secular accountability. Atypical pilgrims and priests dangle plants of their arms, which they pile so as across the stupa.

As quickly because the circumambulation is done, the priests and lay pilgrims sit down on their knees. The recitation of Buddha’s precepts additionally stops. On the similar time, the king stood at the closing step of the stupa and addressed the target audience:

‘As you all know I had 99 brothers. My father sought after to make my elder brother Swaim the king. Suim was once in Taxila when the king fell sick. He died and I took the throne with my naked arms. Swaim was once additionally killed on this struggle of succession. My brothers, who supported the swim, additionally died.

‘It’s not that i am excellent having a look. Everybody thought to be me unhealthy and hated me. In flip, the hearth of hatred that burned in me was once cooled when one and a part million folks had been killed within the Kalinga conquest, as many died of starvation and illness.

‘Then I believed, am I now gorgeous? I requested folks how I regarded. Folks used to tremble after listening to my voice.

Then I requested myself this query. got here the answer, ‘Uglier than ever!’

‘Then I met a monk who advised me ‘Good looks is love which is without equal reality and hatred is a lie. Serving to each and every different is an everlasting truth.

Then my center modified. I now command all of you that during my kingdom now not best people however all animals were given peace. Slaughter and looking of animals might be against the law. No timber might be minimize with out permission and extra color timber might be planted.

‘The topic must display moderation and generosity. Kids, aged and ladies must be sorted. I and my officers are at all times to be had to listen to the lawsuits of the topics. Particular consideration must be paid to cleanliness. Buddhist teachings must be made public, however no different faith is assured as a lot freedom as Buddha.

A textual content written all over Ashoka’s reign in Taxila (Onceinawhile – CC BY-SA 4.0)

‘The name of the game of God’s assist and beef up is in love and that now not best people are entitled to it however all dwelling issues. All non secular practices which might be immoral are banned. Useless visits and sightseeing spots of the king also are banned. If there’s delight within the center of the topics, then the king may also sleep in China. I’ve made those decrees of mine engraved on stones in order that they continue to be a report.’

Pronouncing this, Ashok descends the steps. Clergymen, pilgrims and kings all greet each and every different. Now not best the moon but in addition existence is at stake these days at the instance of Vesakh Day in Taxila. Wellsprings of peace and prosperity seem to be welling up.

Nearly two and a part thousand years after this scene, the similar Dharma Rajika Stupa is equal to Taxila, however there are not any pilgrims, no priests, and no Ashoka. Peace and prosperity have additionally been tired from the land right here, the one factor that is still is the title Taxila, the faith of Sir John Marshall’s excavations. Ashoka then gave peace to people in addition to animals, timber and birds, however now this peace has been taken clear of the mountains right here too, that have been minimize and changed into blood.

To offer voice to the bygone days in Taxila, Dr. Nadeem Umar Tarar has established the Gandhara Useful resource Heart which has been celebrating Vesakh Day at Dharma Rajika for the previous 5 years with the purpose of sensitizing the native inhabitants at the significance of Vesakh. There could also be a message to be given to the global group that this maximum auspicious stupa for Buddhism is able to welcome Buddhist pilgrims.

Dharma Rajika Stupa at Taxila (Sajad Azhar)

Engineer Malik Ishtar Malik, creator of ‘Taxila Time’ newspaper, advised Impartial Urdu that ‘Dharma is extra like Ashok Azam than Rajika. This is, the king’s dharma, when he transformed to Buddhism, he first constructed this stupa and taken Buddha’s ashes and tooth to it. When Sir John Marshall excavated them, a few of them had been despatched to Rangoon and Sri Lanka and a few are nonetheless within the Taxila Museum.

“Due to this fact, the standing of this stupa could be very blessed in Buddhism and Buddhists from everywhere the arena are keen to return right here, however because of the stipulations right here and loss of right kind amenities, they don’t seem to be creating a pattern.”

Vesakh Day has been declared by means of the United International locations as a global day that 500 million Buddhists all over the world rejoice the entire moon evening in Might annually. In what’s now Pakistan, India, China and Central Asia, Buddhism was once the dominant faith till the fifth century AD. Even these days, there are Buddhists dwelling in huge numbers in China, Japan, South Korea, Bhutan, Burma, Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Nepal, and so on.

If Pakistan allows it by means of creating Buddhist puts of worship and monuments, lakhs of pilgrims can come yearly, from which Pakistan can earn numerous foreign currency echange thru non secular tourism.

There’s a giant distinction between Baisakh and Baisakh. The Baisakhi pageant is widely known on April 13 annually when farmers rejoice the harvest of wheat. It is usually associated with the Sikh faith. Then again, Vesakh is solely Buddhist and is the auspicious day of Buddhism.

A couple of vacationers visiting the stupa (Sajad Azhar)

The inhabitants of Buddhists in Pakistan is a couple of thousand who most commonly live in Nowshehru Feroze district of Sindh. Within the voter checklist of 2017, there have been 1884 electorate whose faith was once Buddhism. A delegation of Buddhists from Nowshahru Feroz additionally come to Taxila annually with the beef up of Gandhara Useful resource Heart and take part in Vesakh Day celebrations.

Curiously, the Vesakh Day celebrations in Taxila are attributed to the local community who hope that the promotion of non secular tourism in Taxila won’t best build up employment alternatives but in addition revive the antiquity of Taxila.

Dr. Nadeem Umar Tarar advised Impartial Urdu that since 2018, he has began celebrating Vesakh Day right here with the blessings of the native inhabitants, during which priests from Indonesia, South Korea and Europe have additionally participated. Ambassadors of Sri Lanka, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and different nations have additionally come.

This yr, at the moment is being celebrated on Might 7, Sunday. The aim of celebrating Vesakh Day is to restore cultural international relations with Buddhist nations whilst selling non secular tourism. We need to advertise the comfortable symbol of Pakistan and inform the arena that Pakistan is able to welcome the arena. If the federal government can pay consideration to the promotion of Vesakh day, then lakhs of folks can come to Dharma Rajeka annually by myself.