Buddhist site
Sankassa
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Overview
Sankassa (Sankisa) is an ancient site in Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Buddhist tradition holds that the Buddha descended here from the Trayastrimsa heaven after preaching to his mother.
It is one of the eight great places of Buddhist pilgrimage. An Ashokan pillar capital with an elephant figure was found here.
Chinese pilgrims Faxian and Xuanzang described the site in their travel accounts.
Geography and key facts
- Farrukhabad district, Uttar Pradesh
- Buddha's descent from heaven (tradition)
- One of the eight great Buddhist pilgrimage sites
- Ashokan elephant capital found here
Why it matters for UPSC
The eight great places: Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali, Sankassa.
Note for UPSC
UP.
Expect questions linking sites with events in the Buddha's life and later Buddhist history.
Asked in PYQs
No question in our Prelims bank names Sankassa yet.
Key facts
- Type
- Buddhist site
- State / UT
- Uttar Pradesh
- Coordinates
- 27.334°N, 79.271°E
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.
In the lessons
- Vedic Age, Mahajanapadas, Buddhism and Jainism (map lesson)
- Buddhism: Life of the Buddha, Teachings, Councils and Spread (map lesson)
- Buddhist, Rock-Cut and Early Sculptural Traditions (map lesson)