Mathakaut Temple is one of the most famous and most
visited shrines in Kushinagar. The Mathakaut shrine is situated at the
distance of 300 meters from Maha-Parinirvana Stupa, another famous
Buddhist shrine in Kushinagar. The shrine falls by the side of the road
when you start moving Southwest of Maha-Parinirvana Stupa.
The place is famous for because this is the site from where a black
stone image of the Buddha in the 'Bhumi Sparsha Mudra' was recovered
during early excavations. 'Bhumi Sparsha Mudra' in Hindi means 'Kneel
Down Posture'. It is widely perceived that the last sermon of Lord
Buddha was given here.
The place has been christened Mathakaut because of the fact that the
head of Lord Buddha rests on the ground in kneel down posture. 'Matha'
in Hindi means 'Head'. The statue that measures 3.05 meters in height is
in deep blue color. The statue has been carved out of stones from the
hills that surround Bodh Gaya. The statue has been carved to represent
Lord Buddha seated under the Bodhi tree in 'Bhumi Sparsa Mudra'. This
pose has a deep meaning attached to it. This particular pose
symbolically expresses the supreme moment in Buddha's life just before
his Enlightenment, when he called upon the Earth to bear witness to the
pieties performed by him in his previous births. Therefore this statue
and the shrine as a whole have a deep significance in Buddhism
philosophy.
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