붓다 살았던 왕궁, 네팔 인도 아닌 ‘네팔 남부’

* ‘아시아엔’ 해외 필진 기고문 한글요약본과 원문을 게재합니다.

네팔 남부 틸라우라코트가 고대 샤키아 왕국의 수도였음이 분명해졌다.

지난 1월부터 진행된 발굴 결 과가 아직 공식 발표되지는 않았지만, 발굴에 참여한 22명의 영국·네팔 고고학자들은 이곳이 고타마 싯다르타의 아버지 슈도다나 왕궁 터임을 확신하고 있다.

이번에 발굴된 가로 2.5m, 세로 3.4m 성곽 벽과 벽돌, 기둥의 구멍 등은 7세기 중국 순례자들의 기록과 일치한다.

붓다는 2600년 전 바로 이 곳 카필바스투 왕의 아들로 태어나 29년간 왕궁에서 살았다. 많은 인도학자들이 국제학회에서 카필바스투가 인도에 있다고 주장해왔기 때문에 발굴 결과는 네팔에 귀중한 성과다.

인도는 심지어 네팔 국경과 몇 km 떨어진 곳에 카필바스투를 인공적으로 조성해 놓았지만 이번 발굴로 장소 논란은 끝나게 됐다.

아직도 붓다 탄생지인 룸비니와 카필바스투가 인도에 있다고 생각하는 사람들이 많다.
그래서 유네스코와 일본 기금의 후원으로 발굴작업이 진행되고 있는 것이다.

1962년에도 인도 고고학자팀의 발굴이 있었지만, 그들은 결과를 왜곡시켜 오류와 논란만 만들어냈다. 그러나 이번 발굴팀은 과학적인 방법을 동원해 모든 혼란을 종식시킬 것이라고 확신했다.

룸비니에서 28km 떨어진 틸라우라코트는 여러 불교 문서에 고대 교역로를 따라 형성된 샤키야 왕국 수도로 기록돼 있다.

인근에 석가모니가 득도한 뒤 머물렀던 쿠단, 붓다의 어머니 마야 데비가 태어난 데바다하 등이 있다. 한국·중국·태국·독일 등 여러 나라가 지원해온 룸비니 마스터플랜에 따라 유적 복원사업이 진행되고 있다.

Excavations confirm real Kapilvastu in Nepal

Nepalese archeologists who have been carrying out excavations in Tilaurakot, the capital of the ancient Shakya kingdom, in southern Nepal since January this year have been encouraged with the findings there.

Although they have not made any official announcement regarding the new findings and their consequences, they seem sure that the findings are likely to prove with scientific evidence that the palace of King Suddhodhana was in Tilaurakot, Kapilvastu of Nepal.

“As we are still carrying out excavation works here, we are not in a position to make any official announcement.

However, we are hopeful that the findings will help establish the fact that the palace of King Suddhodhana was located here,” Dr. Kosh Raj Acharya, former chief of the Department of Archaeology, said.

A team of 22 Nepali and British archaeologists are now carrying out the excavation in Tilaurakot.

Acharya is leading the team of 12 Nepali archaeologists while vice-chancellor of Durham University Prof.

Dr. Robin Coningham is leading the team of 10 British archaeologists.

According to Acharya, they have discovered the fortification walls, which have verified Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang’s description and other materials, trenches and pillar holes.

The key findings this time were undoubtedly the 2.5 metre to 3.4 metre wide fortification walls. Also, the team has found bricks and holes of the pillars in a line just near the fortification walls.

“However, we have to test the new findings in labs to establish the facts,” Acharya said.

Location controversies to end

According to Himal Upreti, an officer at the Department of Archaeology who is also included in the excavation works, the findings match with the descriptions of Fa-hsien and Yuan Chwang, the two Chinese pilgrims who had visited Lumbini in the 7th century.

Lord Buddha was born to Shakya King Suddhodhana of Kapilvastu some 2,600 years ago and had spent 29 years of his life in Tilaurakot Palace.

Indian archaeologist P. C. Mukherji in 1899 had extensively explored Tilaurakot and identified the site belonging to Suddhodhana, father of Lord Buddha.

Two main gates, southern and northern, of the palace were traced earlier.

At a time when a group of Indian scholars have been claiming in international forums that Kapilvastu, the capital city of the Shakya kings is in India, the new findings would be a big achievement for Nepal.

At least, the findings would end all controversies created by the Indians regarding the location of Kapilvastu, as artificial Kapilvastu has also been created in India a few kilometers away from the Nepal- India border.

Moreover, many people in the world still think that both Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and Kapilvastu are in India.

Various archeologists and experts have been carrying out excavation works in the ancient Tilaurakot Palace, also known as Shakya capital where Siddhartha spent the first 29 years of his life.

The second phase excavation in Tilaurakot is now underway with the support of UNESCO and the Japanese Funds-in-Trusts.

The team, comprising of experts and archaeologists from the Lumbini Development Trust, Department of Archaeology and Durham University of England will continue to excavate the site till February 27 this year.

Besides Dr. Coningham and Dr.

Acharya, the former chief archaeologist of the Lumbini Development Trust Basanta
Bidari and chief archaeologist officer of the Department of Archaeology Ram Bahadur Kunwar among others have been carrying out the excavation works.

Findings match pilgrims’ accounts

Before this, Indian archeologist Devala Mitra had carried out an excavation in Tilaurakot in 1962.

However, Mitra had presented a false report. Her excavation report was dragged to controversy when the ancient remnants collected during the excavation were lost. The findings traced by Mitra were also said to be with many errors.

According to Bidari, the excavation is being carried out in a totally different way. “This time, we have applied the first scientific method while carrying out excavation in the entire South Asia,” he said.

“The excavation will end all confusions regarding Tilaurakot and establish Tilaurakot as the real Kapilvastu across the world,” he added.

Tilaurakot has been mentioned as the capital of the Shakya kings in various Buddhist scripts.

It is mentioned in many Buddhist accounts that Kapilvastu was along the ancient trade route.

Tilaurakot is located 28 kilometers west of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

The Indian emperor who visited Lumbini on the 20th year of coronation and erected the Ashoka Pillar in the 3rd century BC also visited Kapilvastu.

This emperor also erected a pillar in Niglihawa and Gothihawa as well.

Near Tilaurakot lies Sagarhawa, where all inhabitants of the Shakya kingdom were believed to have been massacred by Birudhaka.

Anyone willing to visit Kapilavastu or Lumbini could also visit sites linked with Lord Buddha’s life like Kudan, where he stayed for a year after his enlightenment
seven years after he abandoned the palace.

Similarly, Devadaha, the mother’s place of Maya Devi, mother of Lord Buddha, is also not far from Lumbini.

As the Lumbini Master Plan developed in 1967, it is in the final stage of completion; the holy place is now worth visiting.

Construction of beautiful temples by many countries including Korea, China, Thailand and Germany in the Lumbini garden has also added beauty to this holy place.