By Janu Pandey
Kapilvastu, July 11: Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Shankar Pokharel has unveiled the statues of world’s first and second Buddha in newly constructed parks at their birth places in Kapilvastu on Saturday.
During the unveiling, CM Pokharel requested everyone to conserve and promote the place as it has been proved that the first two Budhhas were born in Kapilvastu.
The park and statue will be conserved and developed further with the coordination from public and local government.
CM Pokharel unveiled the statue of Krakuchhanda Buddha, the first Buddha, in Gotihawa, a place in Ward 5 of Kapilvastu Municipality. It is the first statue for Krakuchhanda Buddha in Nepal.
“The appearance for Krakuchhanda Buddha statue was taken from Myanmar,” said CM Pokharel.
Likewise, the statue of Kanakmuni Buddha, the second Buddha, was disclosed in Aurakot, a place in Ward 11 of Kapilvastu.
“The statue was made of brass and the cost was Rs. 1.6 million for each of them. Likewise, the park in Gotihawa cost Rs. 2 million and that in Aurakot it cost Rs. 3 million,” said Ishwari Paudel, chief at Division Forest Office, Kapilvastu.
The parks were constructed by the consumer committee of the forest division office under the project of Lumbini Provincial government.
In Buddhism, it is believed that five Buddhas are born in every aeon. It is stated that the recent period is the Bhadra-aeon and four Buddhas have been born till now.
Among the four, Krakuchhanda is the first, Kanakmuni the second, Kassapa the third and Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautam the fourth. It is believed that Maitreya will be born as the fifth Buddha for this era.
Alongside Krakuchhanda and Kanakmuni, Siddhartha Gautam was also born in Lumbini.
“Buddhist history doesn’t show any proof of the birth place of Kassapa due to which it is unknown,” said Madhav Prasad Acharya, chief at the Tilaurakot site of the Lumbini Development Trust.
As per the history, Indian emperor Ashoka constructed a pillar to determine the birthplace of Buddha during the third century which is now known as Ashoka Pillar. History states Krakuchhanda was born in Ward 5 and Kanakmani in Ward 11 of recent Kapilvastu.
The first and second Buddha are major deities for Mahayani community of Buddhism. The community is in majority in countries like China, Bhutan, Vietnam and Korea (North and South).