Adurru, the ancient Buddhist site in Andhra Pradesh: What it teaches us! [2]

Adurru, the ancient Buddhist site in Andhra Pradesh: What it teaches us! [2]

Vedic / Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religions and their chronology: Buddhism was evolved only out of Vedic or Hindu religion opposing certain principles, but, adapting and adopting most of the other basics of all subjects[1]. They continued to live with them, in all other aspects. Thus, they used the then existed principles of science and technology in constructing their viharas, chaityas, stupas, palaces and other structures. Incidentally, there is no difference found between the Jain and Buddhist Stupas, sculptures, icons etc., and thus the western, European and British Indologists, historians and exerts could not recognize Jainism as separate faith. But, the Jaina faith, icons and their material evidences should predate the Buddhist counterparts. The Jaina stupa, temples, sculptures and other artifacts found at Mathura had been more refined, artistic and excellent than others found[2].

• Jainism preceded Buddhism, however, again historians do not give any decided or conclusive dates for Vardhamana Mahavira[3].
• The approximate and provisional date is 599-527 BCE (commonly accepted) / 549-477 BCE (Hermann Jacobi[4]), though Buddha’s date is c.623-544 BCE (B. V. Bapat, 1977) / 567-487 BCE (Vincent Smith, 1923).
• The date of Pasvanatha, the 23^rd Tirthankara is given as c.872-772 BCE. As this is going beyond the “sheet anchor of Indian history,” i.e, “Akexader’s invasion,” 326 BCE, they did not like it.
• The hundreds of dates given by La De Poussin[5], A. B. Keith[6], H. Jacobi, J. F. Fleet[7], Vincent Smith[8], MaxMueller[9], Jas Burgess[10], prove that they desperately wanted to nail these with that Chandragupta exploiting the divergent versions found in the Jain and Buddhist literatures about the Nirvana of Mahavira and hearing it by Buddha.
• In fact, there are scholars who could not find any difference between Jaina and Buddha faiths and so also in the Idols of their Masters[11].
• Then, slowly, they accepted Jainism as a separate religion different from that of Buddhism.
• Starting with 9^th-7^th centuries BCE, hardly anything is mentioned about Jaina art and Architecture.

First, for understanding, a square with 64 inner squares is taken. A circle is inscribed touching the four sides. As the area of the circle gets reduced, the uncovered portions of the four corners are to be added with the area of the circle, so that both the areas of square and circle would be equal.

So the areas marked black are removed. And they are added, the circle is obtained.

For converting square into a circle, the reverse method is followed.

Squaring a circle and circling a square, pixel etc: If you enlarge any picture in computer, you could see only squares. In digital imaging, a pixel, pel, or picture element is a physical point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable element in an all points addressable display device; so it is the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the screen or printed on paper. The smallest part of any digital picture is square only. However, without circle, square cannot be created. It is understood in the conversion of analog signal into digital, where circle is squared. In other words, it is reduced to zero and one, where, from nothing the wholesome is created, just like numbers are evolved out of zero.

History has to be understood with other subjects: History cannot read, taught and understood in isolation, but it has to be read with the basics of other subjects for complete understanding. In fact, no subject could be read in isolation. I do not claim that I am a marine archaeologist, maritime expert, and so on, but, I have an attraction towards many maritime living animals since my childhood. The Dasavatara and its concept of evolution haunted me. J. B. S. Haldane[12] suggested that Dashavatara gave a “rough idea” of vertebrate evolution: a fish, a tortoise, a boar, a man-lion, a dwarf and then four men (Kalki is not yet born).

Of course, I did Biology and Botany in my PUC. I used to read a lot of books on evolution to find out how man could come out of the monkeys, apes or chimpanzees. Here, the physics gives answer about the conversion of mass and energy, E = mc². Though, such things, historically cannot be shown, but, scientifically proved with much difficulty in a laboratory, but, easily understood in the birth of a child. Similarly, through cosmology, astronomy could be understood with certain examples – symbolism couched with scientific principles. Thus, though, the same subject is taught, depending upon the audience, the narratives differed. The Puranas were meant for common people and therefore, much scientific explanation was not required. In the case of Vedangas, Siddhantas and karanas scientific explanations were required. Thus, the books of Vedangas, Siddhantas and karanas too describe cosmology, cosmogony, geography, geology etc., technical terms were used.

The Indian principles of cosmology, cosmogony, geometry etc., were used in the building of Borobudur in Indonesia.

Thus, the symbolism of “earth or globe on the tortoise, tortoise on the four elephants, and the entire thing is surrounded by a snake” was interpreted differently for various students. The construction of temples, palaces, houses ……and the concepts involved in them made me look at tortoise particularly. The Indian cosmogony was / has been phoophooed by western / European / British Indologists, scientists and astronomers knowingly to fool Indians. But, the cardinal points, location of them, calculation of day and night, eclipses, lunar month, six seasons etc., without any clock, aligning body and mind with them and such other concepts are revealed by reading Veanga Jyotisha, Subha sutras, Surya Siddhanta, and the works of India astronomers.

© K. V. Ramakrisna Rao

04-05-2020

Appendix – Adurru Excavation Report[13]

EXCAVATION AT ADURRU, DISTRICT EAST GODAVARI.— The Hyderabad Circle of the Survey under the direction of H. N. Singh, assisted by D. Hanumantha Rao, M.V. N. Krishna Rao, R.S. Kulkarni, T. Chenchuratnam and Gayasuddin, carried out excavation at Adurru with a view to expose the Buddhist stupa and monastery complex. The Buddhist remains cover an area of 3200 square m Approximately 2.04 acres with a 4m high mound.

The excavation revealed a sprawling stupa built on a plan of spoked wheel within a wheel together with its components. Out of the concentric circles the outer consisted of twenty-four spokes and twenty-four cells and the inner sixteen spokes and sixteen cells. The diameter of the hub was 5.30 m. The dome raised over the outer concentric circle left a lime-plastered 1 m wide space on the drum as an offset. The circumference of the stupa was 64 cm with a diameter of 20.40m with an extant height of 3.45m from the plinth level. Below the plinth level, it had eight brick courses, the last one resting over the natural sand. On all the cardinal directions, the stupa was provided with projected platforms, a salient feature of the Andhra stupas.

There is no evidence for the existence of a railing around the stupa. But there exists a brick wall, 0.60m in breadth, at a distance of 6m from te eastern platform, its function could not be ascertained due to limited excavations. Towards the northern side of the stupa an apsidal chaitya-griha, measuring 16.10 m in length and 6.55m in width, was exposed. The have portion measures 8.80m in length and 3.45m width. Within the chaitya griha, there is a provision for a miniature stupa with a diameter of 2.35m. The chitya has an entrance doorway measuring 1.00m in width. The longitudinal brick wall of the chitya has ten brick courses pl. 1 .

Towards the north eastern side of the stupa a circular shrine in brick was exposed. The shrine had an entrance porch measuring 2.45 X 1.30 m. The diameter of the shrine was 6.30m. The circular wall of this shrine, which was 1.04m in breadth, had eight extant brick courses. It was enclosed within a broad brick wall of 6.20m in length on the northern and southern sides functioning probably as the boundary wall for the entire complex.

The southern endabutted the shrine. The east-west and the north-south sections of the stupa and chaitya revealed 5 layers, of which layer 1 was composed of very thick compact brownish earth. Layer 2 was composed of compact brownish soil, mixed with brick bats and was the sealing layer of the stupa-chaitya and circular shrine and part the stupa and platforms. Layer 2 a being debris was composed of loose brownish soil with brick bats whereas layer 3 was a structural layer composed of brownish soil with small brick-bats which sealed the floor of stupa-chaitya. Layer 4 was composed of brownish earth of rammed floor with brick-bats which was the working level of the stupa, whereas layer 5 was the natural riverine sand. Pottery was recorded in limited quantity. Sherds of jars, troughs, dishes and bowls of red and kaoline potteries were recovered. Only a few antiquities were found. The noteworthy amongst them was a fragment of a carved chalcedony with lime plaster sticking on its back. On the basis of the pottery types and stupa architecture the structures are datable to second-third century AD.

[1] J. G. Jennings, The Vedantic Buddhism of the Buddha – A collection of historical texts from the original Palli  and edited by the author, Geoffrey Cumberlege, Oxford University Press, London, 1948.

[2] Vincent A. Smith, The Jaina Stupa and other Antiquities of Mathura, Archaeological Survey of India, New Imperial Series, Vo.XX, Printed by Frank Luker, Superintendent, Government Press, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, 1901.

[3] Vincent A. Smith, Oxford History of India, 1927 edition.

[4] Hermann Jacobi, SBA, 1930, pp.557-568.

[5] De La Vallee Possin, Indo-europeens et Indo-iraniens, pp.238-248;

……………………., L’ Inde aux Temp des Mauryas, p.50.

[6] A. Berriedale Keith, Mahavira and Buddha, Bulletin of Oriental studies, 1932,Vol.9, pp.859-866 (here, the purpose of this article is to discredit the Jain and Buddhist traditions).

[7] John Faithful Fleet, The Date of Buddhas Death, as Determined by a Record of Asoka, Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1904, pp.1-26 (the exercise has been to read a line “Iyam cha savane vivuthena duve sa-pamnalati sata vivutha ti” / “vyuthena, savane kate sata vivsa ta” / “iyam cha sava.. sa..p..te vyuthena” of Sahasram, Rupnath and Brahmagiri inscriptions respectively as “The Buddha departed 256 years before this sermon”, i.e, Buddha died 256 years before the edict of Asoka, thus bringing down Buddha’s niryana from c.544 BCE to c.440 BCE, though such words are not in the inscriptions. In fact, no word for “years” is available in the inscriptions to consider date or chronology. Different scholars have read as follows only in the context of Buddism:

1. Oldenberg – and the number “256” denotes only “256 beings have appeared” 256 have departed for nirvana” / “the number of the departed on the earth is 256”.

    Buhler – 256 men have gone on missions / there have been 256 setting out of missionaries /  the teaching is promulgated by the missionary 256.

    Rice – And this exhortation has been delivered by the society 256 times.

……………….., The Day on Which Buddha Died, JRAS, 1909, pp.1-34.

[8] Vincent Arthur Smith, The Authorship of Piyadasi Inscriptions, JRAS, 1901, pp.481-512.

………………………., The Identity of Piyadasi (Priyadarsin) with Asoka Maurya and Some Connected Problems, JRAS, 1901, p.821-829.

………………………., The Meaning of Piyadasi, IA, 1903, pp.19-23.

[9] Max Mueller, The True Date of Buddha’s Death, Indian Antiquary, 1884, pp.148-151.

[10] Jas Burgess, The Date of Buddh’a Nirvana, IA, 1884, p.117.

[11] Brahmachari Sital Prasadji, A Comparative Study of Jainism and Buddhism, The Jaina Mission Society, Madras, 1932, p.286-287.

[12]  Science Reporter, “Cover Story: Haldane: Life Of A Prodigious Mind”, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. New Delhi, 29: 46. 1992.

[13] Adurru, Excavation Report, Reference Number: AP14007450; Date/Period: C.1000 – 600 B.C.;

http://nmma.nic.in/nmma/builtDetail.do?refId=7450&CultAff=14

Adurru, the ancient Buddhist site in Andhra Pradesh: What it teaches us! [1]

Adurru, the ancient Buddhist site in Andhra Pradesh: What it teaches us! [1]

Adurru, the Buddhist site in AP: About the Adurru ( ఆదుర్రు )  Buddhist site, perhaps, the Telugu speaking people of Andhra and Telangana take less interest. Some post photographs of the site in the social media without giving details and significance of the stupa. This provoked me to go into the details of the construction, philosophy etc. The 24-wheel chakra arrangement attracted me and therefore, I started analyzing. The specific geometric pattern has significance in the Buddhist and Indian context. The stupa has been constructed east facing with the other cardinal points pointing other three directions. Evidently, the circle-square pattern is followed faithfully, in consonance with the Vedic principles. The main circular Stupa structure has been divided into 24 parts. The squaring the circle and circling the square had been the attempts of the ancient mathematicians, experts of geometry and architects. If a square is converted into a circle, by rounding off the corners, the final circle obtained would be equal to the same areas as that of the square. If a circle is divided into small squares and the not-full squares are adjusted to occupy the four corners, a circle is obtained whose area would be equal to that of the circle.

How Buddhism considered and treated the Cardinal points, 24 spokes etc: According to Buddhist  philosophical text,   a Dharma Chakra has 24 spokes[1],

• the first 12 represent the 12 teachings of dependent origination taught by Buddha and
• next 12 spokes represent neutral state of mind, which happens after following mindfulness and further it leads to Nirvana.

12 links of dependent origination are  ignorance, mental formations/volitions, status consciousness, “name” and “form”, the six senses, contact, feelings , cravings/longings/desires, clinging to generation of factors for rebirth, birth, all the sufferings[2].

• If a square is converted into a circle, by rounding off the corners, the final circle obtained would be equal to the same areas as that of the square.
• If a circle is divided into small squares and the not-full squares are adjusted to occupy the four corners, a circle is obtained whose area would be equal to that of the circle.
• The concept of dividing 360 into many parts with reference to Sun, Moon and earth is found in the Vedanga Jyotisha[3].
• The Buddhist Stupa and Chaitya in ground plan and elevation followed chakra and meru principles.
• Such “ground plan and elevation” principles are traced back to fire-altars of the Vedic period.
• These are found in the Sulbasutras[4], Satapatha Brahmana and other Vedic texts.

Here, in Adurru stupa, I could find the same pattern, as the structure has been divided into 24 parts.

The excavations of stupa at Mathura exposed that the Jaina Chaitya and stupas were also following the square-circle symbolism. Incidentally, here, the sculptures of Mahavira found resembled Budha. In fact, it has to be mentioned that Buddha sculptures perhaps followed the pattern of Mahavira. In the sites of Indus Valley Civilization, such patterns are seen. The bricks arranged in circular pattern was interpreted as Stupas, dancing stages and so on. Now, it is interpreted that the red bricks “form the foundations of ancient workshops at Harappa”. As it involves, mathematics, orientation and  the men with knowledge behind them. Yet, historians and archaeologists called them “pre-historic,” “illiterate” and “Proto-historic”! all these prove a continuous existence  of knowledge percolated through people of ancient India, in spite of their faith changed in between.

32 wheeled Dharmacakras have also been reported: The Dharmachakra carved out in stone at A Kothapalli village of Thondangi mandal in East Godavari district has 32 spokes[5]. The Dharmachakra was not separately carved in the rock. It forms part of a rock panel with 32 spokes. All these relics date back to the pre-Satavahana to Satavahana period[6]. They were probably carved out between the 2nd century CE and the 4th century CE. Historical records show that the Dharmachakra in the middle of the Ashoka’s Lion Capital apparently had 32 spokes. However, the four small Dharmachakras below the Lion Capital contained 24 spokes. The 32 spokes symbolically depict the qualities or attributes of an ideal human being or the Maha Purusha. Earlier, a similar stone-carved Dharmachakra was unearthed at Kanaganahalli-Sannati archaeological site in Karnataka. A terracotta Dharmachakra with 32 spokes was excavated at Lumbini in Nepal. The 32-spoke whell is not at all any deviation, but, elaboration and extension of the structure with mathematics and vastu. In vastu mandalas, the base space is a square that is divided into 64 squares. 2⁰ = 1, 2¹ = 1, 2² = 4, 2³ = 8, 2⁴ = 16, 2⁵ = 32, 2⁶ = 64 and so on. This lead to 2-D of Srichakra and 3-D of Mahameru and they form the basis of building chaitya and stupa. Thus, the series, pattern, mathematics and geometry are consciously followed.

Location of Adurru Buddhist Stupa: Adurru, a 2,400-year old Buddhist site, is located on the western bank of the Vainetaya in east Godavari district. It is located in the Mamidikuduru mandal, on the western bank of Vainateya, a distributary of the Godavari river, around 9.5 km from the Bay of Bengal, Adurru in Mamidikuduru mandal was declared ‘Mahakshetram’ and Kummarilova and A. Kothapalli villages in Thondangi and Tuni mandals attained prominence after archaeologists discovered a Buddhist mahastupa and other votive stupa foundations. As Amaravati attracts many Bhuddists all over the world, now getting ready to become capital  Andhra Pradesh, Adurru also gets attention now. There is hardly any infrastructure or basic amenities in two important places in East Godavari where Buddhism had its roots. Till 1960, people sacrificed animals at the mound during a two-day annual festival called Dubaraju Teertham, which was held on 13-14 January on the occasion of Sankranti. However, when the ruins were confirmed to be a former Buddhist site, the site was taken over by the ASI, and all sacrifices were banned.

World-famous stupa: Adurru (or locally Dubaraju Dibba) is a 2,400-year old Buddhist site located on the western bank of the Vainetaya, a tributary of river Godavari, which is around 9.5 km from the Bay of Bengal in Mamidikuduru mandal of East Godavari district.The site was excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1923 and declared as a protected monument in 1955[7]. Among the three most popular Buddhist stupas in the world, the first one was constructed in Adurru, the second in Ranchi and last one in Sarnath. According to historical evidence the ASI found, the foundation stone for Adurru was laid by Sanghamithra, a Buddhist nun and daughter of King Ashoka, en route to Sri Lanka[8]. However, in Tamil Sangam literature and other evidences, there is no reference to it. As this Buddhist centre is home to the remains of stupas, several upa-stupas, chaityas and viharas, this is considered as ‘Mahakshetram’ by Buddhist monks and followers even today. In 1953, the ASI conducted excavations that brought to light the remains of stupas, chaityas and viharas. The most beautiful and the most famous one is the mahastupa, built like a giant wheel with a platform with a diameter of 17 feet. Located around it are vedika (drum) and ayaka platforms that mark the cardinal directions. In 1955, the ASI declared this a protected monument. The excavations also brought to light artefacts such as jars, troughs, dishes and bowls. On the front side, (on the east) are two upa-stupas with the same wheel-based structure. There are also round and square structures on the west side of the main stupam — all systematically connected with each other from all the sides.

No govt. support: With the State government showing no interest in the Adurru monument, a non-government organisation called Buddha Vihar Trust, Adurru, formed by a group of retired employees, currently takes care of it. “We have been running the trust and taking care of the monument for the last 30 years. There are no infrastructure facilities, basic amenities and even road connectivity to this place,” said S.S.R. Bhupathi, member-secretary of the trust. In contrast, Garima Kaushik in a 2016 comprehensive list of Buddhist stupa sites in Andhra Pradesh and nearby regions, dates this monastic archaeological site to about 2^nd-century CE. Nowadays, every archaeological, temple and other sites are subjected to commercialization, so that local people could thrive only on such business transactions. Imposed and forced tourism are also followed leading to falsification of local history.

© K. V. Ramakrisna Rao

04-05-2020

 

[1] Adrian Snodgrass, Craig J. Reynolds, The Symbolism of the Stupa, Studies in Southeast Asia, Cornell University, New York, 1985.

[2] Anagarika B. Goinda, Some aspects of Stupa Symbolism, Kitabistan, 1935.

[3]  K. V. Sarma (Ed.), Vedanga Jyotisha of Lagada – in its Rk and Yajus recensions, , Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, 1985, pp.37-40, 63-64.

[4]  S. N. Sen and A. K. Bag, The Sulbasutras, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, 1983, pp.224-233.

[5] Times of India, Ancient Dharmachakra, rock inscription unearthed in AP, TNN | Updated: Apr 22, 2016, 16:53 IST

[6] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Ancient-Dharmachakra-rock-inscription-unearthed-in-AP/articleshow/51934197.cms

[7] The Hindu, Adurru Buddhist site lies ignored, VVS Bhaskar, ADURRU (EAST GODAVARI):, DECEMBER 15, 2015 23:49 IST; UPDATED: MARCH 24, 2016 15:39 IST

[8] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/adurru-buddhist-site-lies-ignored/article7992854.ece