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Professor Siddhartha Singh, Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Deemed University, leads the commemorative Walk to the site. |
Our sincere thanks to Professor Siddhartha Singh, Vice Chancellor, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Deemed University, Nalanda, for celebrating and commemorating the Parinibbāna of Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī (MPG) in the very locality where MPG attained Parinibbāna. This was the second year of celebration.
As per the Buddhist texts, Mahātherī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, along with courageous 500 Shākyan Therīs, entered Parinibbāna in Vaishalī. According to the 7th CE monk scholar Xuanzang, the vicinity of the village Birpur should be the Kśetra (area) of the Parinibbāna of Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī Therī.
Gotamī Theirī Apadāna of the Pali tradition does not give the date, but it is implied. However, the same Chinese and Tibetan translations/parallels give the date. As implied in the Kṣudrakavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya (extant in Tibetan and Chinese translations), Mahātherī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī(MPG), along with 500 Shākyan bhikkhunī, attained Parinibbāna seven days after the Buddha announced his impending Mahāparinibbāna on Magha Masam Pūrṇimā. Therefore, seven days after the Magha Therefore, seven days after the Magha Masam Pūrṇimā, according to the Indian lunar calendar, falls on Phāgun Masam Krishna Paksha Saptamī, i.e., 20th February 2025.
We are thankful to the Vietnamese Nunnery (Vaishali) and the Buddha World School (Vaishali) for their participation. We are grateful to the people of ‘Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī Therī Parinibbāna Kśetra’, i.e. the village Birpur, for taking time out of their busy schedules and welcoming us with enthusiasm and great warmth. Village Birpur had many archaeological mounds until a few years ago. Villagers now realise the significance of this place and are committed to protecting the potential mounds. In the coming years, we hope to engage more stakeholders to facilitate the rejuvenation of the tangible and intangible legacy of Mahātherī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the progenitor of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha.