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128
Mahāvīra and Buddha
born, the Śākya sage," a great (?) railing of stone was prepared and a stone pillar erected.
Because "Here the Venerable one was born” the village of Lumini was made free of religious cesses and declared entitled to the eighth share (of the produce claimed by the crown).
In addition to this, the way in which the famous Buddhist work Aśokāvadāna describes the pilgrimage of Asoka, suggests that the expression “Samghe Upete” is quite competent with the pilgrimage of Asoka. 'The pilgrimage of Asoka' is described thus:1
“The King said “I desire to visit all the places where the venerable Buddha stayed, to do honour unto them, and to mark each with an enduring memorial for the instruction of the most remote posterity.' The Saint (Upagupta) approved of the project, and undertook to act as a guide. Escorted by a mighty army, the monarch visited the holy places in Order.
“The first place visited was the Lummini garden. Here Upagupta said: 'In this spot, great king, the Venerable one was born; and added: "Here is the first monument consecrated in honour of the Buddha, the sight of whom is excellent. Here, the moment after his birth, the reculse took seven steps upon the ground.'
“The king bestowed a hundred thousand gold pieces on the people of the place, and built a Stūpa. He, then passed on to Kapilvastu.
“The royal pilgrim next visited the Bodhi-tree at Bodhi Gayā, and there also gave a largesse of hundred thousand
1. Translated from Ašokāvadāna by Dr. Vincent A. Smith, in Asoka
(The Rulers of India), pp. 227-228.
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