Vaishali
District is a district in Bihar state, India. It
is named after the Vaishali (ancient city). The
history of Vaishali district is thus very ancient,
and finds mention in the Indian classic Mahabharata,
as well as in Buddhist and Jain tradition.
Vaishali derives its name from King Vishal of the
Mahabharata age. Even before the advent of Buddhism
and Jainism, Vaishali was the capital of the vibrant
republican Licchavi state since before the birth
of Mahavira (c. 599 BC), which suggests that it
was perhaps the first republic in the world, similar
to those later found in ancient Greece.[1] In that
period, Vaishali was an ancient metropolis and the
capital city of the republic of the Vaishali state,
which covered most of the Himalayan Gangetic region
of present-day Bihar state, India. Very little is
known about the early history of Vaishali. The Vishnu
Purana records 34 kings of Vaishali, the first being
Nabhaga, who is believed to have abdicated his throne
over a matter of human rights and believed to have
declared: "I am now a free tiller of the soil,
king over my acre." The last among the 34 was
Sumati, who is considered a contemporary of Dasaratha,
father of the Hindu god, Lord Rama.
Numerous references to Vaishali are found in texts
pertaining to both Jainism and Buddhism, which have
preserved much information on Vaishali and the other
Maha Janapadas. Based on the information found in
these texts, Vaishali was established as a republic
by the 6th century BC, prior to the birth of Gautama
Buddha in 563, making it the world's first republic.
In the republic of Vaishali, Lord Mahavira was
born. Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon at
Vaishali and announced his Parinirvana there. Vaishali
is also renowned as the land of Ambapali (also spelled
as Amrapali), the great Indian courtesan, who appears
in many folktales, as well as in Buddhist literature.
Ambapali became a disciple of Buddha.
A kilometre away is Abhishek Pushkarini, the coronation
tank. The sacred waters of the tank anointed the
elected representatives of Vaishali. Next to it
stands the Japanese temple and the Vshwa Shanti
Stupa (World Peace Pagoda) built by the Nipponzan
Myohoji sect of Japan. A small part of the Buddha's
relics found in Vaishali have been enshrined in
the foundation and in the chhatra of the Stupa.
Near the coronation tank is Stupa 1 or the Relic
Stupa. Here the Lichchavis reverentially encased
on of the eight portions of the Master's relics,
which they received after the Mahaparinirvana. After
his last discourse the Awakened One set out for
Kushinagar, but the Lichchavis kept following him.
Buddha gave them his alms bowl but they still refused
to return. The Master created an illusion of a river
in spate which compelled them to go back. This site
can be identified with Deora in modern Kesariya
village, where Ashoka later built a stupa. Ananda,
the favourite disciple of the Buddha, attained Nirvana
in the midst of the Ganga outside Vaishali.
|