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It is one of the famous Buddhist stupa on the Nagarjuna Hill
which is about 7km. from Kathmandu on western skyline. A
motorable road leads through Raniban [Queen] forest to this
stupa. It takes about 45 minutes to reach there in
motor/jeep while trek is about 5 km. on foot and takes about
2 hours. It is quite steepa and one has to climb about 2480
ft. [754 m.] in altitude as the stupa is situated on the top
of the Nagarjuna hill at 700 ft. [2128 m.] altitude.
Nagarjuna hill is also described in literature as Vindya
mountain.
The Swayambhu chronicles by Nas Lung Ngang-dbang Do-rje,
mention about this place as follows. To the northwest of
Swayambhu, on the peak of the Vindya mountain is the thrones
of the teacher [Sakyamuni] and the thrones of Sariputra and
Maudgallyana. On the eastern flank of the mountain is
Nagarjuna's meditation cave and the spring he brought forth.
Very close on the north sides are the stupas of Shakyamuni's
father, Suddhodaha and his mother Maya Devi. On the eastern
side of the peak is the place of Buddha Makhya [Mahe, the
Buffalo Buddha]. Here is the soil which halumanjhu
[Hanuman], the monkey king brought Vulture Peak. There are
five stupas here. Today, there is Tibetan Charnal ground
here.
At present there is only one stupa to mark the throne of the
Buddha. The hill is called Nagarjuna as cave of residence of
Nagarjuna a famous Buddhist saint exist, here. The stupa is
about 20-30 ft height. It is made of clay standing in the
flat ground with three bases having a dome. Above the dome
are usual stupa structure with harmika and 13 spires. The
canopy is lotus flower and a small linga-like pillar raising
above. The other features are as usual. The niches have four
Buddhas in usual poses.
On the east side of the stupa there are two rows of Buddhist
gods and goddesses. In the first row Mahankala is in
meditation pose and third Vasundhara while second row
includes white Tara, Padmapani green Tara, and Vajrapani.
The legends say that at this place Adi Buddha gave his first
sermon Hi forecasted about Nepal about its religion and
future of Buddhism Tibetans therefor called Nagarjuna as
Ri-glang-ru lung-bstan.
[Ox-horn Prophecy Mountain]. The stupa on the top of this
hill is to mark the throne of the Buddha.
On the Nagarjuna mountain there is a old tree. It is said
that one person cut out a part of it and when he reached his
house he died. Later on people found on exacavating some
elephant headed stones under that tree. This place is
related to Lord Shive. It is said that when there are no
rain in the valley then people come here and pray god for
the rain. It is the belief that rains immediately follow
after prayers. On one side of the stupa there is about 50-80
ft. high view tower recently built for seeing the commanding
view of the adjoining hills and area Recently, several small
shelters are constructed for the devotees and pilgrims.
Tibetans visit this place offer prayer flags. It is the
common belief that those who offer and hang flags at top of
this will get their good luck' as high as flags are fixed.
According to Cho-Kyi-ma in front of the Buddha throne on the
peak is a local cremation ground. In middle of dense forest
beneath the throne of Sakyamuni is the cave of Nagarjuna in
which are stone images of Nagarjuna and Shakyamuni. Near buy
are the tracks of Mahe Buddha [the Buffalo Buddha]. Also
nearby is the cave of Achary Vasubandhu. The tow stupas said
to be the religuarier of the father and mother of the Buddha
are found on the face of the hill behind [the Balaju]
Nilkantha.
There are several caves on the Nagarjuna hill. Out of which
some are empty while other are almost in ruins. Out of these
caves two most important one are situated inside the Rani
Ban forest while another situated outside the gate on the
Balaju-Trishule Road. The cave inside the Rani Ban forest is
said to bge made by Nagarjuna to worship Swayambhu and
placed an image of Akshobhya Buddha when the water felled
the valley during the Naga's attempt to reclaim it for man
it rose upto the navel of this image. Then Nagarjuna caught
Naga [serpent] which was playing in the water lift it up and
conquired him in the cave. D. Weight describes that
according to the legend water required in this cave is
provided by nag and therefore he is called jalpuri [making
full of water]. It is mentioned that the Nagarjunapad made
some Chaitya and composed many tantric shastra, and
discovered many Buddhist deities. Later he died in the cave.
The mountain therefore, become known as Nagarjuna is
regarded very sacred. Wright further mention, "People who
are anxious to again salvation instruct their relatives to
send their skull or frontal bone to this mountain where it
is thrown high in the sir and then buried and a chaitya is
built over it".
On the northen side of the hill outside the forest there is
famous cave of Nagarjuna which still exists. There are
images of Akshobya and Nagarjuna inside. Tibetans call this
caves of Guru Rimpoche, while local population call it as
Lakshmi Gupha. Wighin the cavether are images of
Amoghasiddhi or Nagarjuna. In 1980, during monsoon, a large
boulder fell and broke the old image of Vajrayogini which
can be seen behind the boulder. The way to inside of the
cave is very narrow and one has to crawl to go inside where
is a figure of Buddha. Another tunnel is equally enough and
lead to a chamber having an image of Lakshmi, the goddess of
wealth. Bedsides, there are many caves on Nagarjuna's hill,
some caves are empty while others can not be located. Keith
Dowman [1981] mentions that there is a reputed cave on this
Nagarjuna spur having about 12ft.high image of crystal
Buddha. It is accessible by rope down a 40ft. pit through a
narrow tunnel. However, the author could not trace it beside
best efforts.
Near the Nagarjuna cave is a cave known as Buffalo Buddha by
the Tibetans. There is a legend that once Nagarjuna was
living in this cave. A buffalo herdsman used to visit the
master and was offering milk, curds, etc. Once he invited
the Master to town but Master told him to meditate at the
same cave. But the herdsman was always thinking of his
buffaloes. Later he himself became a buffalo. After
meditation he shot through the roof of the cave and went to
paradise.
Some related legends also mention that few people were not
able to meditate on emptiness [sunyata] therefor, they were
suggested to have creative visualisation which dissolve the
perfect image in the fulfilment process of identification
with their original nature. Untill they attained salvation
and a transubstantiated body. Similarly Nagarjuna also
instructed a thief named Nagbodhi to vesualise a red horn of
avaric protuding fromhis forehead. Later: he was asked to
meditate on emptines [sunyata] after which he attained
salvation. Such legends and that of Buffalo are also
mentioned in Abhayadana Shri's legends of Eighty four
Mahasidhas.
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