Nepal. The discovery of the oldest Buddhist temple in Lumbini - News 24

Archaeologists Robin Coningham and Kosh Prasad Acharya found in the Maya Devi temple Buddhist relics wood. Discovery is the birthplace of Buddha in Lumbini, in southern Nepal is proof that the Buddha was born VI. BC

Recent excavations conducted in the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini in Nepal, according to tradition, was erected at the birthplace of the Buddha in the third century BC, in the time of the Indian king Ashoka, allowed determine that the foundation of its hidden relics older structure. So far, the oldest Buddhist monuments believed column Ashoka in the third century BC, the ruler of the Mauryan Empire, who unified India in the range similar to today, with about 250 BC converted to Buddhism. New discovery must be regarded as find much older, the relics of the oldest Buddhist temple.

Archaeological research lead Professor Robin Coningham from the University of Durham and Kosh Prasad Acharya of the Pashupati Area Development Trust in Nepal. The researchers emphasize the importance of the discovery, which is to establish the chronology of the life of Buddha. They state that the temple commemorates the birth in 560 BC Lumbini prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later became Buddha ?akjamunim. According to Buddhist sutras May queen Devi was born there it unexpectedly while traveling.

archaeologists were able to confirm some elements of the legend about the birth of Buddha. According to her Buddha’s mother gave birth to him in Lumbini, holding a branch of a tree. The researchers found the remains of roots, and although it is not possible to determine whether belonged just to the legendary tree, this discovery quite well with the history passed down for generations. “Presence of this tree in Lumbini is one of those rare moments when faith, tradition and science converge “- said Robin Coningham.

This message is of great importance to millions of Buddhists. Lumbini is one of the four main holy places of Buddhism. Is a center of pilgrimage since at least the third century BC, since 1997 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its value in the latest research has greatly increased.