Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t2.3

v1.c7.s2.t2.3

Yet recently, some archaeologists have made claims that Piparhawa, in the border-district of Siddharthnagar in India and about 40 km from Tilaurakut in Nepal, is the site of historical Kapilvastu. Remains of a large Asokan Stupa over a Shakyan stupa with Buddha's urns in it and an inscription proclaiming it to be the the Kapilvastu Buddhist Mahavihara were found there. Some historians link Kapileshwar in Orissa (now Odisha) with historical Kapilvastu. The controversy remains unresolved. Near ancient Kapilvastu was Nigrodhārāma (in the present village of Kudan which is about 6 km from Tilaurakaot, Nepal) where archaeologists have found a site of monastery. According to several accounts, Buddha was provided a residential place here in the banyan grove by a Shakyan-turned-Buddhist monk to stay during his visits to his home town. It is believed that he preached cula *dukkhakkhandha sutta*, *sakka sutta*, *madhupindika sutta* and promulgated several *vinaya* rules here. Yet in the absence of further concrete evidences, Tilaurakut in Nepal is widely believed to be historical Kapilavastu and the site at Piparhawa was located, an extension of large Kapilvastu kingdom where a large Shakyan Monastery under the control of Buddhist *sangha*.