Kunala Stupa
| Kunala Stupa | |
|---|---|
 Kunala Stupa circa 1910. | |
  Location within Pakistan  Location within Gandhara | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Jainism |
| Region | Gandhara |
| Stupa ruins | |
| 2nd century CE | |
| Status | Artifacts removed |
| Location | |
| Location | Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 33°45′02″N 72°49′50″E / 33.750424°N 72.830479°E |
Kunala Stupa is a Kushan-era Jain stupa and monastery complex to the south-east of Taxila, on a hill about 200 meters just south of Sirkap, Punjab, Pakistan, thought to date to the 2nd century CE.[1] It is located on a hill overlooking the ancient Indo-Greek city of Sirkap.[2]
Emperor Samprati built a Jaina temple known as "Kunala Stupa" in honor of his father Kunala. During Samprati's rule, the extent of the wandering of Jaina monks developed multifold times, and later also included this region.[3]
Its name come from Kunala, a son of Ashoka.[4] Kunala, the legitimate heir to the throne had been blinded by one of Ashoka's queens, Tishyaksha, due to jealousy for his beautiful eyes. After years of wandering, Kunala reunited with his father Ashoka, and was treated by a doctor from Taxila.[1][5]
Buddhist pilgrims with eye impairment came to the stupa with the hope of being cured.[1]
The Kunala stupa was visited by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who wrote an account of it.[1][5]
Kunala stupa and monastery are on the hill just south of Sirkap.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Marshall, Sir John Hubert (1951). Taxila: An Illustrated Account of Archaeological Excavations. CUP Archive. p. 348.
- ↑ Boda, Sharon La (1995). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. Taylor & Francis. p. 807. ISBN 9781884964046.
- ↑ Jaina Trust, Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi. "Jaina Tirtha Sarva Sangraha".
- ↑ Samad, Rafi U. (2011). The Grandeur of Gandhara: The Ancient Buddhist Civilization of the Swat, Peshawar, Kabul and Indus Valleys. Algora Publishing. p. 160. ISBN 9780875868585.
- 1 2 Wriggins, Sally (2008). The Silk Road Journey With Xuanzang. Basic Books. p. 171. ISBN 9780786725441.
