[TOC] When one has free time in Kathmandu and wants to visit cultural sites, Boudhanath is the perfect place. People of all ages come here for peace of mind away from the monotonous life. Friends all clamp together for a day out, and local bearers come here for some rest. Families come together with kids to enjoy the lovely outdoor air and for the parents to have a change of scenery from the toils of parentage, even for a little while. The place is beautiful for respite to enjoy the open air and the myriad of people who come there.
Boudhanath Stupa, often known as Bouddha by locals, dominates the skyline. The ancient shrine is one of the largest in the world. Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Boudhanath. The influx of large populations of refugees from Tibet has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan monasteries around Boudhanath. As of 1979, Bouddhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Swayambhunath, it is one of Kathmandu's most popular tourist sites.
A stupa is a hemispherical structure containing relics used as a meditation spot by Buddhists. Stupas originated as pre-Buddhist tumuli in which śramaṇas were buried in a seated position called chaitya. Śramaṇa means seeker, one who performs acts of austerity or ascetic. They hold a high place in the Buddhist religion. In Buddhism, the term parinirvana refers to nirvana after death, which occurs at the end of someone who has attained nirvana during their lifetime. It implies a release from the world, karma, rebirth, and the dissolution of the skandhas. A skandha in Buddhism refers to the five aggregates concept that asserts five elements that constitute and thoroughly explain a living being's mental and physical existence. After the parinirvana of Lord Buddha, his remains were cremated, and the ashes were divided and buried under eight mounds, with two other encasing the urn and embers.
Moreover, there is a belief that the stupa entombs the remains of Kassapa Buddha. Kassapa Buddha is one of the ancient Buddhas. There is a biography of him on Buddhavamsa, one of the books of the Pāli Canon. According to Theravāda Buddhist tradition, Kassapa is the twenty-seventh of the twenty-nine named Buddhas. That would be the sixth of Seven Buddhas of Antiquity and the third of five Buddhas of the present Kalpa.
There's a myth of a grumpy, rude, and irreligious man living near to stupa in ancient Nepal. Everyone detested him, and he never did anything pious in his life. He owned a shop in the city complex, but hardly anyone came to his shop because he spoke ill of everyone who came there. When he died, he fell straight to hell. Just before the sentence for his sins, Lord Buddha appeared and nullified his sins. When the demons asked Lord Buddha, he answered, "Yes, this man has committed many sins in his life, but once he circled Boudhanath while chasing a dog, he had gained a little merit. Thus, the Buddha shall grant him one chance to atone." After this incident, people believe they can grant one chance to atone for their sins if they once circle the stupa.
While some people say that Nepalese Lichchhavi King Shivadeva founded Boudhanath, other chronicles date it to the reign of King Manadev.
Indeed, Boudhanath is a must-go religious place to visit in Kathmandu! The Kathmandu Day Tour is the best plan to explore this historic site!
