{"id":37938,"date":"2025-02-24T18:56:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T13:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=37938"},"modified":"2025-03-04T18:04:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T12:34:58","slug":"relics-of-ratnagiri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/24-02-2025\/relics-of-ratnagiri","title":{"rendered":"Relics of Ratnagiri: Buddhist Heritage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Art &amp; Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Archaeologists have unearthed a 1.4-meter-tall Buddha head along with 1,500-year-old tablets and <strong>stupas at Ratnagiri, Odisha<\/strong>, in December 2023. This significant discovery further establishes <strong>Ratnagiri as a major center of Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism)<\/strong>, which flourished between the 6th and 12th centuries CE.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The recent excavation sheds light on the <strong>artistic, spiritual, and educational importance of Ratnagiri in the ancient Buddhist world.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Historical Significance of Ratnagiri<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ratnagiri, meaning<strong><em> \u2018Hill of Jewels\u2019,<\/em><\/strong> flourished between the<strong> 6th and 12th centuries CE<\/strong> under the patronage of the <strong>Gupta and post-Gupta rulers.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was part of a broader network of <strong>Buddhist sites in Odisha<\/strong>, along with <strong>Lalitgiri and Udayagiri,<\/strong> forming the<strong> \u2018Diamond Triangle\u2019 of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/buddhist-art-and-architecture\/\">Buddhist heritage<\/a><\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The presence of inscriptions, images of Bodhisattvas, and stupas indicate that Ratnagiri was a major center of <strong>Vajrayana Buddhism.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The site is believed to have played a<strong> crucial role in the propagation of Buddhism<\/strong> in <strong>India and beyond<\/strong>, particularly towards <strong>Southeast Asia<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"673a21\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"219\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri-1024x219.webp\" alt=\"Ratnagiri\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-37939\" style=\"--dominant-color: #673a21; width:680px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri-1024x219.webp 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri-300x64.webp 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri-768x164.webp 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri-1536x329.webp 1536w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ratnagiri.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Relics and Artifacts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sacred Stupas and Relic Deposits:<\/strong> The presence of relic caskets, sometimes containing bone fragments, beads, or inscriptions, suggests strong religious reverence associated with these structures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monasteries (Viharas) and Residential Complexes: <\/strong>Ratnagiri houses <strong>two well-preserved monasteries<\/strong><strong>(Viharas)<\/strong>, which served as <strong>centers for Buddhist learning and meditation.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The larger monastery features a grand entrance, a spacious courtyard, and numerous cells for monks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The walls of these monasteries are adorned with intricate carvings, including depictions of <strong>deities such as Tara, Avalokiteshvara, and Manjushri.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exquisite Buddhist Sculptures:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Seated Buddha in Bhumisparsha Mudra<\/strong> (Earth-touching gesture), symbolizing enlightenment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dhyani Buddhas<\/strong> represent different aspects of Buddhist philosophy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Images of Bodhisattvas<\/strong> such as <strong>Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Female deities<\/strong> like Tara, signifying the influence of Tantric Buddhism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inscriptions and Copper Plates: <\/strong>Several inscriptions in <strong>Brahmi and Sanskrit scripts<\/strong> have been discovered, providing valuable historical records.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These inscriptions mention the <strong>patronage of Buddhist kings, <\/strong>donations made to the monasteries, and teachings followed at Ratnagiri.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some inscriptions hint at <strong>connections with distant Buddhist centers like Nalanda and Vikramashila.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Terracotta Seals and Manuscripts: <\/strong>Excavations have also yielded terracotta seals bearing the inscriptions <strong>\u2018Sri Ratnagiri Mahavihariya Arya Bhikshu Sanghasya\u2019 <\/strong>indicating that <strong>Ratnagiri was an important monastic university<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fragments of ancient manuscripts suggest the presence of scriptural studies and Buddhist education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ratnagiri\u2019s Role in Vajrayana Buddhism (A Tantric Form)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Numerous depictions of <strong>Vajrayana deities<\/strong> and the <strong>presence of esoteric Buddhist symbols <\/strong>suggest that this site was a <strong>key center for tantric Buddhist practices.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is believed that Ratnagiri attracted scholars, monks, and practitioners from across India and beyond, contributing to the spread of Buddhist philosophy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism<\/strong><br>&#8211; Buddhism was separated into the <strong>Hinayana and Mahayana <\/strong>sects in the <strong>Fourth Buddhist Counc<\/strong>il (72 AD) held in <strong>Kashmir<\/strong>, under the patronage of <strong>Kushan King Kanishka <\/strong>because of<strong> <\/strong>differences in philosophy, practice, and interpretation of Buddhist teachings.<br><strong>Hinayana Buddhism <em>(Lesser Vehicle, aka Therav\u0101da Buddhism)<\/em><\/strong><br>&#8211; It emphasizes <strong>personal enlightenment (Arhat ideal)<\/strong> through<strong> strict adherence<\/strong> to the Buddha\u2019s teachings.<br>&#8211; It focuses on<strong> monastic discipline<\/strong> and the <strong>earliest Buddhist scriptures <em>(Pali Canon or Tripitaka)<\/em><\/strong>.<br>&#8211; <strong>View of Buddha:<\/strong> Historical teacher<br>&#8211; It is prevalent in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, and is often considered its surviving school.<br><strong>Mahayana Buddhism (Greater Vehicle)<\/strong><br>&#8211; It was <strong>developed later<\/strong> (around the 1st century BCE) <strong>emphasizing compassion (Karuna) and the Bodhisattva ideal<\/strong> (seeking enlightenment for all beings i.e<strong> Universal enlightenment or Bodhisattva path)<\/strong>.<br>&#8211; It includes many <strong>texts beyond the Pali Canon<\/strong>, such as the <strong>Lotus Sutra and Prajnaparamita Sutras <em>(Sanskrit and Chinese texts).<\/em><\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>View of Buddha: <\/strong>Divine figure, multiple Buddhas<br>&#8211; Spread across China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, and Vietnam, leading to further branches like Zen, Pure Land, and Vajrayana.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0f0f0\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> For more details about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/buddhism\/\"><strong>Buddhism<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/odisha\/the-relics-of-ratnagiri\/article69243446.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archaeologists have unearthed a 1.4-meter-tall Buddha head along with 1,500-year-old tablets and stupas at Ratnagiri, Odisha, in December 2023. This significant discovery further establishes Ratnagiri as a major center of Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism), which flourished between the 6th and 12th centuries CE.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37938"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38443,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37938\/revisions\/38443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}