In 2021 CE (B.E. 2564), I led a team to film a documentary on Buddhist cave sites for YouTube. One of our destinations was the Bhaja Caves, an ancient monastic complex hewn directly into the mountainside. The journey involved a steep stairway, and reaching the site was quite exhausting. These caves, which date back to around B.E. 400 (1st–2nd century BCE), belong to the Hinayana (Theravāda) tradition.
The main cave is a large hall, carved deep into the mountain in a long, narrow, bullet-shaped form (as seen in images). It is 38 meters long and was used for Sangha ceremonies.
Near the main hall is a cluster of 12 rock-cut stupas arranged closely together. Some stupas have lost their tops due to the passage of over 2000 years, while others still retain theirs. (See photo for details.) The Archaeological Department has since built a protective roof over the stupas to prevent the overhanging rock above from collapsing and causing further damage.
Initially, we didn’t know the exact purpose of these stupas—perhaps they were simply objects of veneration. However, a closer inspection revealed that each stupa bore an inscription, though many are now so faded that they are nearly illegible. Fortunately, a few are still readable, written in Prakrit language using Brāhmī script.
Inscription 1 – Found on Stupa No. 1
Text:
Therāṇaṃ bhayanta Dhammagirināṃ thūpa
(थेरानं भयन्त धमगीरीनं थूप)
Translation:
This stupa belongs to Venerable Bhadanta Dhammagiri.
Inscription 2 – Found on Stupa No. 3
Text:
Therāṇaṃ bhayanta Ambikiṇakāṇaṃ thūpo
(थेरानं भयन्त अम्बिकिणकानं थूपो)
Translation:
This stupa belongs to Venerable Bhadanta Ampikinaka.
Inscription 3 – Found on Stupa No. 4
(Special feature: A swastika symbol precedes the inscription.)
Text:
Therāṇaṃ bhayanta Saṅghadinānaṃ (thūpo)
(थेरानं भयन्त संघदिनानं थूपो)
Translation:
This stupa belongs to Venerable Bhadanta Saṅghadinna.
Inscription 4 – Found on the largest stupa
Text:
Therāṇaṃ bhayanta…
Translation:
Belongs to the venerable monk... (The rest of the inscription is missing.)
Out of the 12 stupas, only 4 inscriptions are legible. From them, we know the names of three revered elders:
-
Venerable Dhammagiri
-
Venerable Ampikinaka
-
Venerable Saṅghadinna
After reading the inscriptions, it became clear that each stupa was dedicated to a specific monk who resided here during the rains retreat, possibly enshrining their relics (ashes). However, upon examination, the stupas appeared solid with no cavity, leading us to assume they were only symbolic memorials.
Then, on a whim, I suggested to Venerable Chaiya Tikkhaviro, our cameraman, to try using his long camera rig to inspect the tops of the stupas.
To our astonishment, we discovered that the summits were hollowed out, with 6-inch-deep cavities—just the right size for holding relic containers. Though we didn’t find any relic boxes ourselves, further research led us to a book titled The Cave Temples of India by James Fergusson, which confirms that the Bhaja stupas did indeed contain relics of these monks. Historical accounts also record the discovery of relic caskets at this site.
How extraordinary it is that after 2000 years, these items survived! The relic caskets are now preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom.
