Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t4: Vajrasana
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t4
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Vajrasana
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Vajrasana, translated often as Diamond Throne, refers to the stone seat decorated with diamond pattern surface on which Gautam Buddha sat in meditation and attained enlightenment under a peepal tree [Ficus Religiosa or Bodhi tree] in Uruvela village (Bodhgaya). It is also known as the Victory Throne of all Buddhas (Sabbabuddha-nam Jayapallankam) or the Navel of the Earth (Pathavinabhi). The *Vajrasana* and the peepal tree are recognised as the most significant sacred spots for Buddhists. The Mahabodhi Temple, which was later erected to enshrine the place, was called (Vajrasana Gandhakuti). It was believed that when the universe will be finally destroyed, this would be the last place to disappear and that it would also be the first place to form with the beginning of the re-evolution of the universe. Emperor Ashoka built a red sandstone structure with railings here in the 3rd century BCE to mark the exact spot of the meditation seat. Until the popularity of the name Bodhgaya for Uruvela, the place was for some times also known as *Vajrasana*.
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In Pali texts, the most often quoted story is that Buddha went into extreme austerities in the banks of Niranjana River for six years but was not able to attain "supreme knowledge". He then accepted the sweetened rice-milk from a local village girl, Sujata. Gaining strength from it, he sat in deep meditation under a peepal tree facing east on a *kush*-grass mat offered by a local grass-cutter with a strong resolve that he would not rise until the attainment of perfect enlightenment. Disturbed by the power of his meditation, Mara (the god of illusion and worldly vices) first sent his beautiful daughters and *apasaras* (celestial maidens) to break his resolve and lure him to worldly pleasures. When they failed, Mara sent bolts of lightning, wind and heavy rain one-by-one,and finally his demonic armies. None could dissuade Gautam Buddha from his virtuous path.
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Vajrasana
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Meditating on *Vajrasana* with his hand touching the earth, he conquered all of them through the strength of his virtue and compassion and attained the perfect enlightenment on the full moon day of the fourth month of lunar calendar. He became the Buddha, the "Enlightened One".
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Xuanzang's travelogue also provides other legends for the place. He describes that the *Vajrasana* was located in the middle of the enclosure surrounding the Bodhi tree. This "diamond throne" has come up in the beginning of *Bhadra-kalpa* (refers to the recreation of the universe in the present aeon) and stands at the centre of three "meta-thousand" worlds. Appearing on the surface of the earth, it is connected below with the golden wheel. Made up of the hardest stone (diamond), it was known as the *Vajrasana* because in *Bhadra-kalpa*, 1,000 Buddhas had meditated here and were enlightened. It was also known as the Bodhi-*mandapa*. Standing still even at the time of an earthquake, this was the place which provided Buddha protection to pursue his meditation without any interruption. Buddhism, it was believed, would decline with the sliding down of the *Vajrasana* to the earth. To protect it, kings and emperors had installed two statues of Avlokitaeshwara befitting its size. Xuanzang, however, found the statue in the south had already slid down to the chest thus indicating the decline of Buddhism. Similar legends are found in Buddhagosh's discourses too.
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Presently adorned beautifully with golden clothes and colourful umbrella, this is a must-visit place in the Mahabodhi Temple complex for pilgrims.
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(*Kamal Sheel*)