Kunala Stupa
Kunala Stupa circa 1910.
Religion
AffiliationBuddhism
RegionGandhara
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusStupa ruins
Year consecrated2nd century CE
StatusArtifacts removed
Location
LocationPakistan
Kunala Stupa is located in Pakistan
Kunala Stupa
Shown within Pakistan
Kunala Stupa is located in Gandhara
Kunala Stupa
Kunala Stupa (Gandhara)
Geographic coordinates33°45′02″N 72°49′50″E / 33.750424°N 72.830479°E / 33.750424; 72.830479

Kunala Stupa is a Kushan-era Buddhist stupa and monastery complex to the south-east of Taxila, on a hill about 200 meters just south of Sirkap, Punjab, Pakistan, thought to date to the 2nd century CE.[1] It is located on a hill overlooking the ancient Indo-Greek city of Sirkap.[2]

Its name come from Kunala, a son of Ashoka.[3] Kunala, the legitimate heir to the throne had been blinded by one of Ashoka's queens, Tishyaksha, due to jealousy for his beautiful eyes. After years of wandering, Kunala reunited with his father Ashoka, and was treated by a doctor from Taxila.[1][4]

Buddhist pilgrims with eye impairment came to the stupa with the hope of being cured.[1]

The Kunala stupa was visited by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who wrote an account of it.[1][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Marshall, Sir John Hubert (1951). Taxila: An Illustrated Account of Archaeological Excavations. CUP Archive. p. 348.
  2. ^ Boda, Sharon La (1995). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. Taylor & Francis. p. 807. ISBN 9781884964046.
  3. ^ Samad, Rafi U. (2011). The Grandeur of Gandhara: The Ancient Buddhist Civilization of the Swat, Peshawar, Kabul and Indus Valleys. Algora Publishing. p. 160. ISBN 9780875868585.
  4. ^ a b Wriggins, Sally (2008). The Silk Road Journey With Xuanzang. Basic Books. p. 171. ISBN 9780786725441.
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