Bodhgayā (बोधगया), Bihār. Brāhmī letter ‘a’ (INBG0002a) on the base of one of pillars of the so-called caṅkramaṇa or Buddha’s cloister walk (OBBG0002a). See Concordance for bibliographic data.

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Inscription ID INBG0002a
Title Bodhgaya letter 'a' inscribed on pillar base of the Buddha's cloister walk
Alternative titles Bodhgayā Brāhmī letter 'a' inscribed on pillar base of the caṅkramaṇa 
Parent Object OBBG0002a
Related Inscriptions INBG0002b INBG0001
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Author Daniela De Simone
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Comment Brāhmī letters are inscribed on the bases of other caṅkramaṇa pillars too. The letters probably represent mason's marks.
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Description 'a' engraved on base of pillar (see Cunningham 1892, p. 16, pl. X 1).
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Bibliography
References Cunningham, A. (1892). Mahâbodhi or the Great Buddhist Temple under the Bodhi Tree at Buddha-Gaya. London: W.H. Allen & Co., pp. 8, 1, pl. X 1. Grierson, G.A. (1897). 'Report on investigation at Bōdh-Gayā'. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1896. Calcutta: Asiatic Society of Bengal, pp. 52-61. Bühler, G. (1898). On the Origin of the Indian Brāhma Alphabet. Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner, pp. 31-33. Lüders, H. (1912). A List of Brāhmi Inscriptions from the Earliest Times to about A.D. 400 with exceptions of those of Asoka. Epigraphia Indica 1909-10, vol. X, p. 95, n. 938. Barua, B. (1934). Gayā and Buddha-Gayā, vol. II. Calcutta: Indian Research Institute, p. 66. Tsukamoto, K. (1996). A comprehensive Study of the Indian Buddhist Inscriptions, part I. Kyoto: Heirakuji-shoten, pp. 136-137, Bodh-Gayā 2.
Add to bibliography For a discussion on the caṅkramaṇa see: Boperachchi, O. (2016). Seven Weeks after the Buddha's Enlightenment: Contradictions in Texts, Confusions in Art. New Delhi: Manohar. Willis, M. (2016). ‘Bodhgayā: from tree to temple’, in Modes of Representing Sacred Sites in East Asian Buddhist Art. Kyoto: The Institute for Research in Humanities. De Simone, D., Balogh, D., and Bretfeld, S. (2020). 'The āsana: where the Buddha sat', in G. Hidas, S. van Schaik, D. De Simone, and M. Willis (eds.) Precious Treasures from the Diamond Throne: Finds from the Site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment. London: The British Museum Press (in press).
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