How a forgotten Indian ruin became the final resting place of the Buddha
In short: Kushinagar was once lost to history, mistaken for the fortress of a local deity. Today, it is a vital pilgrimage site where the Buddha is believed to have attained parinirvana. Archaeological excavations in the 19th century finally revealed the truth behind the ancient brick ruins and the reclining Buddha statue.
The journey to Kushinagar began when the Buddha, reaching his eightieth year, traveled from Rājagṛha through various regions. After consuming a final meal at Pāvā, he fell ill and eventually arrived at Kushinagar, where he laid himself to rest in a grove of sala trees. According to the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta, he attained parinirvana shortly thereafter, and his remains were cremated seven days later. The resulting ashes were divided into ten portions, including those given to eight clans and a king, and buried in reliquaries within tumuli.
For centuries, the site flourished. Ashoka established a pillar and stupa in the 3rd century BCE, and the Gupta Empire later expanded these structures and added a temple for a reclining Buddha. However, the site was abandoned around 1200 CE as monks fled invading armies. It remained largely forgotten until 1837, when D. Liston identified the ruins but misidentified them as the fortress of a divinity named Mata Koonr. The site was only correctly identified as the Buddha's death place by Alexander Cunningham during excavations in 1861-1862.
Modern visitors to Kushinagar can view the 6.10-metre-long reclining Buddha statue, carved from red sandstone, which rests inside the Parinirvana Temple. Nearby, the Ramabhar Stupa marks the traditional location of the Buddha's cremation. Further excavations in 1876 by Archibald Carlleyle uncovered a copper plate confirming that a figure named Haribala had deposited texts and installed the reclining statue. Today, the site serves as a global hub for Buddhist practice, featuring diverse architectural styles from across Asia, including Thai and Indo-Japan-Sri Lanka temples.
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