Sankassiya (Sankisa Basantpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad district) is the place where Gautam Buddha had descended from the Sineru mountain to earth after preaching his mother Mayadevi and other divinities in the Trayastrimsa (Heaven).
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed a ceremony in celebration of International Abhidhamma Divas (IAD) and recognition of Pali as a classical language.
Abhidhamma Divas (IAD) commemorates the descent of Lord Buddha from the celestial realm of the thirty-three divinities (Tāvatiṃsa-devaloka) to Sankassiya, one of the ‘Eight Great Places’ (Ashtamahasthan) of the Buddhist pilgrimage.
Sankassiya or Sankissa occupies a place of prominence in the history of Buddhism and is associated with several legends and myths related to the Buddha. Tradition has it that after preaching Abhidhamma to his mother Mayadevi and other divinities in the Trayastrimsa (Heaven) the Buddha descended from the Sineru mountain to earth at Sankisa.
Sankisaa finds mention in the travelogues of Fa-hsien and Hiuen Tsang who had visited the place in the fifth and seventh centuries AD respectively. Sanskisa was known to Huen Tsang as Kapittha.
Sanskisa's main attraction is the Buddha Temple located on the exact spot where the Buddha returned to the earth after his descent from the Trayastrimsa (Heaven). Enshrined in the Buddha temple is an image of the Buddha. Maya Devi Temple sculpted with mythological scenes from Buddhism is another attraction.
A trip to Sanskisa is incomplete without having a glimpse of the ruins of Ashokan Pillar. What sets this Ashokan pillar from others is the presence of elephants on the top of the pillar in place of lions which are placed with other Ashokan pillars.
Abhidhamma Pitaka: Third Section of the Pali Canon
The Abhidhamma Pitaka is the last of three Pitakas that constitute to Pali Canon, one of the most popular scriptures of Theravada Buddhism.
Abhidhamma And Pali
Popular in ancient India, Pali was recently accorded Classical Language status by the Indian government. Pali is still the religious language of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and South-east Asia.
The story of the Abhidhamma and its profound teachings is deeply intertwined with the ancient Pali language, a sacred medium that has preserved the essence of Buddhist wisdom for centuries.
Pali highlights its literary significance within Buddhism and Jainism. It is believed that this ancient language, shaped from various dialects, served as the vehicle for delivering Lord Buddha's teachings around 500 B.C., ensuring that his insights could resonate through time.
The entire body of Buddhist canonical literature is written in Pali, with the Tipitaka or "Threefold Basket" being its most notable collection. This includes the Vinaya Pitaka (rules of the order), which outlines ethical monastic rules, the Sutta Pitaka, a rich compilation of the Buddha's sermons on matters of doctrines and ethics, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, which delves into metaphysics, psychology, and the intricate analysis of mind and reality.
A rich commentarial tradition has developed around these texts, with works such as the Aṭṭhasālinī and Sammohavinodanī being crucial for understanding the nuanced teachings of the Abhidhamma, all composed in Pali.
