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93-516: State Museum, Lucknow is a prominent museum located in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, India. The museum is currently located in the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Gardens , Banarasi Bagh, Lucknow. The museum was established in 1863 from the collection of Colonel Saunders Alexius Abbott , and was given the status of ‘Provincial Museum’ before being renamed the ‘State Museum’ in 1950. The collection housed in

186-411: A Buddha after his resolution ( praṇidhāna ) in front of a past Buddha. During the first incalculable aeon he is said to have encountered and served 75,000 Buddhas, and 76,000 in the second, after which he received his first prediction ( vyākaraṇa ) of future Buddhahood from Dīpankara , meaning that he could no longer fall back from the path to Buddhahood. For Sarvāstivāda, the first two incalculable aeons

279-426: A Noida-based company started operating in the zoo premises on 28 February, 2014. The new track alignment laid from 22 November 2013 onwards ensured that the new train could cover maximum sightseeing areas of the zoo. A British-era train will be an added attraction for visitors to the city zoo. The train was shifted to the zoo from Maharajganj , where it was lying almost discarded. The train belongs to 1924-period and

372-587: A being has entered the path by giving rise to bodhicitta, they must make effort in the practice or conduct ( caryā ) of the bodhisattvas, which includes all the duties, virtues and practices that bodhisattvas must accomplish to attain Buddhahood. An important early Mahayana source for the practice of the bodhisattva is the Bodhisattvapiṭaka sūtra, a major sutra found in the Mahāratnakūṭa collection which

465-518: A bodhisattva, as one edict states that he "set out for sambodhi." By the time that the Buddhist tradition had developed into various competing sects, the idea of the bodhisattva vehicle (Sanskrit: bodhisattvayana ) as a distinct (and superior) path from that of the arhat and solitary buddha was widespread among all the major non-Mahayana Buddhist traditions or Nikaya schools , including Theravāda , Sarvāstivāda and Mahāsāṃghika . The doctrine

558-451: A bodhisattva- mahāsattva is so called." Mahayana sutras also depict the bodhisattva as a being which, because they want to reach Buddhahood for the sake of all beings, is more loving and compassionate than the sravaka (who only wishes to end their own suffering). Thus, another major difference between the bodhisattva and the arhat is that the bodhisattva practices the path for the good of others ( par-ārtha ), due to their bodhicitta , while

651-613: A collection of texts on bodhisattvas alongside the Tripitaka , which they termed "Bodhisattva Piṭaka" or "Vaipulya (Extensive) Piṭaka". None of these have survived. Dar Hayal attributes the historical development of the bodhisattva ideal to "the growth of bhakti (devotion, faith, love) and the idealisation and spiritualisation of the Buddha." The North Indian Sarvāstivāda school held it took Gautama three "incalculable aeons" ( asaṃkhyeyas ) and ninety one aeons ( kalpas ) to become

744-482: A commentary on the Cariyāpiṭaka , a text which focuses on the bodhisattva path and on the ten perfections of a bodhisatta. Dhammapāla 's commentary notes that to become a bodhisattva one must make a valid resolution in front of a living Buddha. The Buddha then must provide a prediction ( vyākaraṇa ) which confirms that one is irreversible ( anivattana ) from the attainment of Buddhahood. The Nidānakathā , as well as

837-562: A frieze of Buddha giving a sermon, and the head of Buddha. The gallery also houses images of Hindu gods such as Lakshmi and Shiva. It houses art of the medieval period including Pala art, as well as the Gajalakshmi from Bhitri, Durga from Sultanpur, Avalokiteshvara seated on a lion. Dr. N.P Joshi highlights the Brahmanical sculptures in the museum in a two volume work and their importance in studying iconographic representations. Joshi

930-596: A hundred thousand, shorter kalpas (aeons) to reach Buddhahood. Several sources in the Pali Canon depict the idea that there are multiple Buddhas and that there will be many future Buddhas, all of which must train as bodhisattas. Non-canonical Theravada Jataka literature also teaches about bodhisattvas and the bodhisattva path. The worship of bodhisattvas like Metteya , Saman and Natha ( Avalokiteśvara ) can also be found in Theravada Buddhism. By

1023-419: A level of dispassion at the time of Buddha Dīpaṃkara many aeons ago and he is also said to have attained the perfection of wisdom countless aeons ago. The Mahāvastu also presents four stages or courses ( caryās) of the bodhisattva path without giving specific time frames (though it's said to take various incalculable aeons ). This set of four phases of the path is also found in other sources, including

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1116-453: A library that is accessible on special request by scholars affiliated to educational institutions. The personal libraries of Prof. B.N. Puri and Dr. C.D. Chaterji are a part of the museum library. The Conservation Cell of the museum houses facilities of chemical treatment and restoration of stone, ceramic, terracotta, metal, wood, coins and ivory objects, The photographic library contains black and white and colour prints documenting objects in

1209-567: A municipal institution in its early days until 1883, when it was given the status of a ‘Provincial Museum’. The museum was shifted to a larger space in the erstwhile coronation hall of the Nawabs of Awadh, Lal Baradari in June, 1884. A special Archeological section for the museum was established in 1909 in the premises of the old Canning College in Qaiser Bagh. The museum was formally organized in

1302-485: A spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings . Mahayana bodhisattvas are spiritually heroic persons that work to attain awakening and are driven by a great compassion ( mahākaruṇā ). These beings are exemplified by important spiritual qualities such as the "four divine abodes" ( brahmavihāras ) of loving-kindness ( maitrī ), compassion ( karuṇā ), empathetic joy ( muditā ) and equanimity ( upekṣā ), as well as

1395-576: Is a 71.6-acre (29.0 ha) zoo located in the heart of the capital city of Uttar Pradesh named after Wajid Ali Shah - the last Nawab of Awadh . According to the Central Zoo Authority of India , it is a large zoo. The Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens, was established in the year 1921 to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales to Lucknow. The idea of establishing Zoological gardens at Lucknow emanated from Sir Harcourt Butler ,

1488-478: Is a period of time in which a bodhisattva may still fall away and regress from the path. At the end of the second incalculable aeon, they encounter a buddha and receive their prediction, at which point they are certain to achieve Buddhahood. Thus, the presence of a living Buddha is also necessary for Sarvāstivāda . The Mahāvibhāṣā explains that its discussion of the bodhisattva path is partly meant "to stop those who are in fact not bodhisattvas from giving rise to

1581-481: Is based principally upon the path of a bodhisattva. This path was seen as higher and nobler than becoming an arhat or a solitary Buddha . Hayal notes that Sanskrit sources generally depict the bodhisattva path as reaching a higher goal (i.e. anuttara-samyak-sambodhi ) than the goal of the path of the "disciples" ( śrāvakas ), which is the nirvana attained by arhats. For example, the Lotus Sutra states: "To

1674-705: Is found, for example, in 2nd century CE sources like the Avadānaśataka and the Divyāvadāna. The bodhisattvayana was referred by other names such as "vehicle of the perfections" ( pāramitāyāna ), "bodhisatva dharma", "bodhisatva training", and "vehicle of perfect Buddhahood". According to various sources, some of the Nikaya schools (such as the Dharmaguptaka and some of the Mahasamghika sects) transmitted

1767-667: Is one of the only two zoos in India to exhibit an orangutan (the other being the Kanpur Zoo). A Toy Train was started in 1969. The rolling stock consisting of engine and two coaches is the gift of Railway Board. The train was inaugurated on the Children's Day 14 November 1969 by the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Chandra Bhanu Gupta. The track is 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) long and has crossings and signals. Rides start from Chandrapuri station and travel to almost every section of

1860-468: Is only one vehicle, the ekayana , which ends in Buddhahood. Classical Indian mahayanists held that the only sutras which teach the bodhisattva vehicle are the Mahayana sutras . Thus, Nagarjuna writes "the subjects based on the deeds of Bodhisattvas were not mentioned in [non-Mahāyāna] sūtras." They also held that the bodhisattva path was superior to the śrāvaka vehicle and so the bodhisattva vehicle

1953-516: Is termed bodhicitta (the mind set on awakening). The bodhisattva doctrine went through a significant transformation during the development of Buddhist tantra, also known as Vajrayana . This movement developed new ideas and texts which introduced new bodhisattvas and re-interpreted old ones in new forms, developed in elaborate mandalas for them and introduced new practices which made use of mantras , mudras and other tantric elements. According to David Drewes, "Mahayana sutras unanimously depict

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2046-446: Is the "great vehicle" (mahayana) due to its greater aspiration to save others, while the śrāvaka vehicle is the "small" or "inferior" vehicle ( hinayana ). Thus, Asanga argues in his Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra that the two vehicles differ in numerous ways, such as intention, teaching, employment (i.e., means), support, and the time that it takes to reach the goal. Over time, Mahayana Buddhists developed mature systematized doctrines about

2139-602: Is the cause and result of bodhicitta) eventually developed into the idea that bodhisattvas take certain formulaic " bodhisattva vows ." One of the earliest of these formulas is found in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra and states: We having crossed (the stream of samsara), may we help living beings to cross! We being liberated, may we liberate others! We being comforted, may we comfort others! We being finally released, may we release others! Other sutras contain longer and more complex formulas, such as

2232-637: Is used in the early texts to refer to Gautama Buddha in his previous lives and as a young man in his last life, when he was working towards liberation . In the early Buddhist discourses , the Buddha regularly uses the phrase "when I was an unawakened Bodhisatta" to describe his experiences before his attainment of awakening. The early texts which discuss the period before the Buddha's awakening mainly focus on his spiritual development. According to Bhikkhu Analayo , most of these passages focus on three main themes: "the bodhisattva's overcoming of unwholesome states of mind, his development of mental tranquillity, and

2325-512: Is very difficult to maintain the necessary conduct and views during periods when the Dharma has disappeared from the world. One will easily fall back during such periods and this is why one is not truly a full bodhisattva until one receives recognition from a living Buddha. Because of this, it was and remains a common practice in Theravada to attempt to establish the necessary conditions to meet

2418-475: The Buddhavaṃsa and Cariyāpiṭaka commentaries makes this explicit by stating that one cannot use a substitute (such as a Bodhi tree , Buddha statue or Stupa ) for the presence of a living Buddha, since only a Buddha has the knowledge for making a reliable prediction. This is the generally accepted view maintained in orthodox Theravada today. According to Theravāda commentators like Dhammapāla as well as

2511-464: The Suttanipāta commentary, there are three types of bodhisattvas: According to modern Theravada authors, meeting a Buddha is needed to truly make someone a bodhisattva because any other resolution to attain Buddhahood may easily be forgotten or abandoned during the aeons ahead. The Burmese monk Ledi Sayadaw (1846–1923) explains that though it is easy to make vows for future Buddhahood by oneself, it

2604-564: The Discourse on an Explanation about the Past (MĀ 66). In this discourse, a monk named Maitreya aspires to become a Buddha in the future and the Buddha then predicts that Maitreya will become a Buddha in the future. Other discourses found in the Ekottarika-āgama present the "bodhisattva Maitreya" as an example figure (EĀ 20.6 and EĀ 42.6) and one sutra in this collection also discuss how

2697-763: The Dutch East India Company , the British East India Company and the Provincial states of Awadh and Garhwal are part of this collection. The museum contains a large number of miniatures and paintings from various schools of the early medieval period. Some notable objects include a Jain Kalpasutra manuscript from the 15th – 16th centuries, Mughal miniature paintings bearing court and battle scenes, Pahari miniatures, Tangka and Tanjore paintings. The manuscript collection of

2790-775: The Gandhari “ Many-Buddhas Sūtra ” (* Bahubudha gasutra ) and the Chinese Fó běnxíng jí jīng (佛本行 集經, Taisho vol. 3, no. 190, pp. 669a1–672a11). The four caryās (Gandhari: caria ) are the following: The bodhisattva ideal is also found in southern Buddhist sources, like the Theravāda school's Buddhavaṃsa (1st-2nd century BCE), which explains how Gautama, after making a resolution ( abhinīhāra ) and receiving his prediction ( vyākaraṇa ) of future Buddhahood from past Buddha Dīpaṃkara, he became certain ( dhuva ) to attain Buddhahood. Gautama then took four incalculable aeons and

2883-632: The Harivansha in Persian with nine illustrations, rare silver and gold coins. Bodhisattva In the Early Buddhist schools , as well as modern Theravāda Buddhism , bodhisattva (or bodhisatta) refers to someone who has made a resolution to become a Buddha and has also received a confirmation or prediction from a living Buddha that this will be so. In Mahāyāna Buddhism , a bodhisattva refers to anyone who has generated bodhicitta ,

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2976-579: The Theravāda monk Bhikkhu Bodhi , while all the Buddhist traditions agree that to attain Buddhahood, one must "make a deliberate resolution" and fulfill the spiritual perfections ( pāramīs or pāramitās) as a bodhisattva, the actual bodhisattva path is not taught in the earliest strata of Buddhist texts such as the Pali Nikayas (and their counterparts such as the Chinese Āgamas ) which instead focus on

3069-490: The royal Bengal tiger , white Bengal tiger , Asiatic lion , gray wolf , hoolock gibbon , Himalayan black bear , Indian rhinoceros , blackbuck , swamp deer , barking deer , hog deer , Asiatic elephant , giraffe , zebra , European otters , hill mynahs , giant squirrels , great pied hornbill , golden pheasant , silver pheasant etc. The zoo is successfully breeding swamp deer, blackbuck, hog deer and barking deer , white tiger, Indian wolf and several pheasants. It

3162-414: The 19th centuries including guns, canons, bow and arrow sets. The musical instruments is a relatively small collection with string instruments such as the veena, sarangi and muraina as well as percussion instruments like tabla, dholak, nagara and damroo, and wind instruments including the flute, conch shell and algoza. This gallery houses items from the culturally unique phase that had been introduced during

3255-534: The Awadh school and oil paintings. The museum's organizing committee consists of the museum director at the apex and two deputy directors. The deputy directors also function as members of the Academic branch because of their qualification as scholars, different from officials in the administrative branch. The deputy directors are in charge of museum collection, its expansion, rotation of exhibits and special programs of

3348-552: The Bhitri seal, Hadaha inscription, as well as more than four hundred metal sculptures with Jain, Buddhist and Hindu affiliations. These objects, however, are part of the museum collection but not regularly displayed in the museum. The State Museum of Lucknow also contains the Uttar Pradesh Coin Committee's headquarters, and the director of the museum is the ex-officio secretary of this committee. Therefore,

3441-504: The Buddha taught the bodhisattva path of the six perfections to Maitreya (EĀ 27.5). 'Bodhisatta' may also connote a being who is "bound for enlightenment", in other words, a person whose aim is to become fully enlightened. In the Pāli canon , the Bodhisatta (bodhisattva) is also described as someone who is still subject to birth, illness, death, sorrow, defilement, and delusion. According to

3534-738: The Governor of the State. The Uttar Pradesh Govt, vide letter No. 1552/14-4-2001-30/90, Van Anubhag-4, dated 4 June 2001, changed the name of "Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens.Trust, Lucknow" to "Lucknow Prani Udyan". The zoo is being managed as a trust by the Zoo Advisory Committee, with Forest Secretary to the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh as Chairman, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Uttar Pradesh as Vice Chairman and Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttar Pradesh as Administrator. An officer of

3627-686: The Indus Valley, clay seals, inscriptions, pottery and other miscellaneous objects including bricks and weights. This collection is divided into two galleries, with the first containing early, medieval and late Stone Age implements from the Uttar Pradesh and Sindh area. The first archeological gallery includes objects of the Bronze Age from the Doab area, Mathura grey schist sculptures and friezes as well as sandstone sculptures, sculptures from

3720-685: The Lucknow Zoo in 1963. The initial collection centered around the arts of Avadh and objects related to the customs, habits, mythology and contemporary objects of Awadh, but later on, it was expanded to more interesting, excavated antiquities from nearby places of Lucknow, particularly from Kapilavastu where Buddha grew up. Today, the Museum has become a centre of Lucknow's (Awadh's) sculpture, bronzes, paintings, natural history & anthropological specimens, coins, textiles and decorative arts. The (1000 BC) Egyptian Mummy and wooden sarcophagus in

3813-546: The Mauryan dynasty and Sunga dynasty, Kushana period terracotta sculptures, terracottas from the Gupta period with significant objects being the inscribed clay tablets of Shravasti and Bhitargaon . The second archeological gallery includes Buddhist sculptures, narrative friezes, decapitated images of Bodhisattva , and an inscription bearing Buddhist sculpture from Shravasti. It displays examples of Gandharan art , such as

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3906-586: The Omniscient One after the attainment of the supreme and perfect bodhi." According to Peter Skilling, the Mahayana movement began when "at an uncertain point, let us say in the first century BCE, groups of monks, nuns, and lay-followers began to devote themselves exclusively to the Bodhisatva vehicle." These Mahayanists universalized the bodhisattvayana as a path which was open to everyone and which

3999-510: The Prince of Wales Zoological Garden (Lucknow Zoo) are a centre of attraction. From the vast number of displayed objects, some hundred are rare and of great value. These include an inscribed wine jar bearing the name of Aurangzeb Alamgir (17th century), a jade chamakali with the name Jahangir and the date 1036 AD, a 16th-century painting of a scene from the Kalpasutra , a 16th-century copy of

4092-419: The arising of bodhicitta. These elements, which constitute a kind of preliminary preparation for bodhicitta, are found in the "seven part worship" ( saptāṇgapūjā or saptavidhā anuttarapūjā ). This ritual form is visible in the works of Shantideva (8th century) and includes: After these preliminaries have been accomplished, then the aspirant is seen as being ready to give rise to bodhicitta, often through

4185-478: The bodhisattva path as being open to everyone, and Mahāyāna Buddhists encourage all individuals to become bodhisattvas. Spiritually advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara , Maitreya , and Manjushri are also widely venerated across the Mahāyāna Buddhist world and are believed to possess great magical power which they employ to help all living beings. In pre-sectarian Buddhism , the term bodhisatta

4278-510: The bodhisattva. The authors of the various Madhyamaka treatises often presented the view of the ekayana , and thus held that all beings can become bodhisattvas. The texts and sutras associated with the Yogacara school developed a different theory of three separate gotras (families, lineages), that inherently predisposed a person to either the vehicle of the arhat , pratyekabuddha or samyak-saṃbuddha (fully self-awakened one). For

4371-420: The compassionate mind aimed at awakening for the sake of all beings, is a central defining element of the bodhisattva path. Another key element of the bodhisattva path is the concept of a bodhisattva's praṇidhāna - which can mean a resolution, resolve, vow, prayer, wish, aspiration and determination. This more general idea of an earnest wish or solemn resolve which is closely connected with bodhicitta (and

4464-539: The field of archeology was reflected in his first contribution to the collection of the museum, excavation at Kankali Mound at Mathura in three consecutive periods— 1888–89, 1889–90 and 1890–91. All the excavated antiquities recovered from the site were relocated to the erstwhile Provincial Museum. The museum undertook other important excavations including one at Ahichchatra in 1891–92, the 1912–12 at Kasia and subsequent excavations at Indor Khera, Sankisa, Unchgaon and Astabhuja. These excavations and subsequent collections from

4557-467: The future Buddha Maitreya and thus receive a prediction from him. Medieval Theravada literature and inscriptions report the aspirations of monks, kings and ministers to meet Maitreya for this purpose. Modern figures such as Anagarika Dharmapala (1864–1933), and U Nu (1907–1995) both sought to receive a prediction from a Buddha in the future and believed meritorious actions done for the good of Buddhism would help in their endeavor to become bodhisattvas in

4650-410: The future. Over time the term came to be applied to other figures besides Gautama Buddha in Theravada lands, possibly due to the influence of Mahayana . The Theravada Abhayagiri tradition of Sri Lanka practiced Mahayana Buddhism and was very influential until the 12th century. Kings of Sri Lanka were often described as bodhisattvas, starting at least as early as Sirisanghabodhi (r. 247–249), who

4743-681: The growth of his insight." Other early sources like the Acchariyabbhutadhamma-sutta ( MN 123, and its Chinese parallel in Madhyama-āgama 32) discuss the marvelous qualities of the bodhisattva Gautama in his previous life in Tuṣita heaven. The Pali text focuses on how the bodhisattva was endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension while living in Tuṣita, while the Chinese source states that his lifespan, appearance, and glory

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4836-456: The holy life." Another early source that discusses the qualities of bodhisattvas is the Mahāpadāna sutta. This text discusses bodhisattva qualities in the context of six previous Buddhas who lived long ago, such as Buddha Vipaśyī . Yet another important element of the bodhisattva doctrine, the idea of a prediction of someone's future Buddhahood, is found in another Chinese early Buddhist text,

4929-651: The idea that Metteya ( Maitreya ), who currently resides in Tuṣita , would become the future Buddha and that this had been predicted by the Buddha Sakyamuni was also an early doctrine related to the bodhisattva ideal. It first appears in the Cakkavattisihanadasutta . According to A.L. Basham, it is also possible that some of the Ashokan edicts reveal knowledge of the bodhisattva ideal. Basham even argues that Ashoka may have considered himself

5022-579: The ideal of the arahant . The oldest known story about how Gautama Buddha becomes a bodhisattva is the story of his encounter with the previous Buddha, Dīpankara . During this encounter, a previous incarnation of Gautama, variously named Sumedha, Megha, or Sumati offers five blue lotuses and spreads out his hair or entire body for Dīpankara to walk on, resolving to one day become a Buddha. Dīpankara then confirms that they will attain Buddhahood . Early Buddhist authors saw this story as indicating that

5115-426: The making of a resolution ( abhinīhāra ) in the presence of a living Buddha and his prediction/confirmation ( vyākaraṇa ) of one's future Buddhahood was necessary to become a bodhisattva. According to Drewes, "all known models of the path to Buddhahood developed from this basic understanding." Stories and teachings on the bodhisattva ideal are found in the various Jataka tale sources, which mainly focus on stories of

5208-594: The museum collection houses a vast number of coins, with most of them in the reserve collection. The collection is divided into three chronological sections— the first section containing coins between the 8th century BC to 2nd century AD, the second containing coins from the Mughal period and the last section displaying military medals awarded to British soldiers sent on missions. Coins from Panchal , Ayodhya as well as Indo-Greek kingdoms along with Indo-Parthian, Kushana and Gupta coins can be found in this collection. Coins from

5301-658: The museum consists of objects from the prehistoric period, Bronze Age, plaster casts of famous figurines from the Indus Valley Civilization, as well as a rich collection of numismatics, paintings, manuscripts and textiles.... The museum began in 1863 with a collection of artifacts that were housed in the building of the Choti Chattar Manzil in Qaisar Bagh by the then commissioner of Lucknow, Colonel Abbott . This repository functioned as

5394-473: The museum corresponding to the primary collection of the institution. The archeological gallery therefore becomes an important part of the museum and is highlighted as a result of it being a primary and vast collection. The archeological collection is considered to be the central most in the museum. It consists of antiquities from the prehistoric period, the Bronze Age, plaster casts of famous figurines from

5487-404: The museum includes notable objects such as the 1593 Padmavat written by Jayasi and an Akbari period Harivamsa . Decorative arts are included separately in the Awadh gallery and are housed in the museum collection with objects including Jade items, wooden cabinets, embroidered or jewel encrusted garments and jewelry. Weapons housed in the museum's collection include objects from the 16th to

5580-495: The museum, including a highly popular annual Art Appreciation course where scholars are invited to lecture on different themes each year, often corresponding with the museum's collections. The museum also organizes the V.S. Agarwala Memorial Lecture and the director and assistant directors also impart lectures in the museum, although the art appreciation course enjoys a wider popularity and garners larger audiences in attendance. The museum's primary function as imparting knowledge to

5673-607: The museum. The publications counter of the museum contains catalogues and brochures of the museum, as well as research publications on specific collections. The auditorium of the museum is located on the ground floor, haring the capacity to house around two hundred people and its used most often to deliver lectures by scholars invited by the museum. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Prani Udyan , earlier known as Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens or popularly known as Lucknow Zoological Garden ( Urdu : Lakhnaū Chiṛiyāghara ), and Banaarsi Baag ,

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5766-406: The museum. The Academic branch is located in the museum premises itself, allowing for those in charge to be in proximity to the museum's collections as well as facilitating the day to day pedagogic functioning of the museum. The primary vision of the museum as defined by its academic branch is for educating the public. This goal of public oriented education drives the primary educational functions in

5859-468: The new museum premises were inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1963. The museum has a varied collection ranging from archeological to painting and a rich numismatic collection. These items are housed in specialized galleries based on the type of collection and display a select few objects. The history of the museum is rooted in practices of colonial collecting, with the vast number of archeological expeditions that had been undertaken by

5952-584: The past lives of the Sakyamuni. Among the non-Mahayana Nikaya schools, the Jataka literature was likely the main genre that contained bodhisattva teachings. These stories had certainly become an important part of popular Buddhism by the time of the carving of the Bharhut Stupa railings (c. 125–100 BCE), which contain depictions of around thirty Jataka tales. Thus, it is possible that the bodhisattva ideal

6045-418: The path beginning with the first arising of the thought of becoming a Buddha ( prathamacittotpāda ), or the initial arising of bodhicitta , typically aeons before one first receives a Buddha's prediction, and apply the term bodhisattva from this point." The Ten Stages Sutra , for example, explains that the arising of bodhicitta is the first step in the bodhisattva's career. Thus, the arising of bodhicitta,

6138-412: The public around and about the collection it houses and preserves corresponds with their efforts to engage the public "from all walks of life" to participate in the same. The museum's primary visitor, however, is the tourist or casual recreational visitor to the zoo premises, tying the role of this museum tightly with the recreational mode associated with a visit to a tourist attraction. The museum houses

6231-428: The rank of Deputy Conservator of Forests is posted as Director for over all day-to-day management of the zoo. In 2012, there was a proposition to start a cell-bank or a 'frozen zoo' for the conservation of endangered species. The proposal is still under consideration. The zoo receives about 1,100,000–1,200,000 visitors annually. The zoo is home to 463 mammals, 298 birds, and 72 reptiles representing 97 species, including

6324-429: The recitation of a bodhisattva vow . Contemporary Mahāyāna Buddhism encourages everyone to give rise to bodhicitta and ceremonially take bodhisattva vows. With these vows and precepts, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings by practicing the transcendent virtues or paramitas . In Mahāyāna, bodhisattvas are often not Buddhist monks and are former lay practitioners. After

6417-493: The reign of nawabs in Lucknow. The gallery is a precipitate of a temporary exhibition from 1985, and houses cultural objects from the area produced during the rule of Nawab Asif-ud-Daula and his successors. This section includes Bidri work objects such as hookah, spittoon, boxes and plates, gold and silver inlay works, ivory carving, glass work and samples of Chikan and Jamdani work.This section also includes miniature paintings from

6510-590: The same contributed to the important Archeological section of the museum. The museum was renamed the ‘State Museum’ in 1950, with an expanded collection that necessitated better organization and a separate space. The museum was eventually shifted to an independent building in Banarasibagh. The building is located in the middle of the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Gardens (formerly the Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens) and

6603-456: The same year with the constitution of a Management Committee. Some important figures who also contributed to the formation of the museum from the colonial period include Mr. A.O. Hume, who was an important member of the management committee. In 1867 the first superintendent of the museum was Emanuel Bonavia , a surgeon. The first curator of the museum, archeologist Dr. A.A. Fuhrer was appointed on 30 March 1885. Fuhrer's expertise and interest in

6696-517: The self-conceit that they are." However, for Sarvāstivāda, one is not technically a bodhisattva until the end of the third incalculable aeon, after which one begins to perform the actions which lead to the manifestation of the marks of a great person . The Mahāvastu of the Mahāsāṃghika - Lokottaravādins presents various ideas regarding the school's conception of the bodhisattva ideal. According to this text, bodhisattva Gautama had already reached

6789-447: The sravakas do so for their own good ( sv-ārtha ) and thus, do not have bodhicitta (which is compassionately focused on others). Mahayana bodhisattvas were not just abstract models for Buddhist practice, but also developed as distinct figures which were venerated by Indian Buddhists. These included figures like Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara , which are personifications of the basic virtues of wisdom and compassion respectively and are

6882-465: The sravakas, he preached the doctrine which is associated with the four Noble Truths and leads to Dependent Origination. It aims at transcending birth, old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress of mind and weariness; and it ends in nirvana. But, to the great being, the bodhisattva, he preached the doctrine, which is associated with the six perfections and which ends in the Knowledge of

6975-504: The state of a śrāvaka not only in Mahayana but also in Theravada. Rahula writes "the fact is that both the Theravada and the Mahayana unanimously accept the Bodhisattva ideal as the highest...Although the Theravada holds that anybody can be a Bodhisattva, it does not stipulate or insist that all must be Bodhisattva which is considered not practical." He also quotes the 10th century king of Sri Lanka, Mahinda IV (956–972 CE), who had

7068-401: The superior goal of sambodhi ( Buddhahood ) and thus must continue to strive until they reach this goal. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra , one of the earliest known Mahayana texts, contains a simple and brief definition for the term bodhisattva , which is also the earliest known Mahāyāna definition. This definition is given as the following: "Because he has bodhi as his aim,

7161-499: The ten vows found in the Ten Stages Sutra . Mahayana sources also discuss the importance of a Buddha's prediction ( vyākaraṇa ) of a bodhisattva's future Buddhahood. This is seen as an important step along the bodhisattva path. Later Mahayana Buddhists also developed specific rituals and devotional acts for which helped to develop various preliminary qualities, such as faith, worship, prayer, and confession, that lead to

7254-414: The term "bodhisattva" can refer to those who follow any of the three vehicles, since all are working towards bodhi . Therefore, the specific term for a Mahāyāna bodhisattva is a mahāsattva (great being) bodhisattva . According to Atiśa 's 11th century Bodhipathapradīpa , the central defining feature of a Mahāyāna bodhisattva is the universal aspiration to end suffering for all sentient beings, which

7347-522: The three vehicles of the Śrāvakayāna , Pratyekabuddhayāna and the Bodhisattvayāna were really just one vehicle ( ekayana ). This is most famously promoted in the Lotus Sūtra which claims that the very idea of three separate vehicles is just an upaya , a skillful device invented by the Buddha to get beings of various abilities on the path. But ultimately, it will be revealed to them that there

7440-524: The time of the great scholar Buddhaghosa (5th-century CE), orthodox Theravāda held the standard Indian Buddhist view that there were three main spiritual paths within Buddhism: the way of the Buddhas ( buddhayāna ) i.e. the bodhisatta path; the way of the individual Buddhas ( paccekabuddhayāna ); and the way of the disciples ( sāvakayāna ). The Sri Lankan commentator Dhammapāla (6th century CE) wrote

7533-482: The two most important bodhisattvas in Mahayana. The development of bodhisattva devotion parallels the development of the Hindu bhakti movement . Indeed, Dayal sees the development of Indian bodhisattva cults as a Buddhist reaction to the growth of bhakti centered religion in India which helped to popularize and reinvigorate Indian Buddhism. Some Mahayana sutras promoted another revolutionary doctrinal turn, claiming that

7626-407: The various bodhisattva "perfections" ( pāramitās ) which include prajñāpāramitā ("transcendent knowledge" or "perfection of wisdom") and skillful means ( upāya ). In Theravāda Buddhism , the bodhisattva is mainly seen as an exceptional and rare individual. Only a few select individuals are ultimately able to become bodhisattvas, such as Maitreya . Mahāyāna Buddhism generally understands

7719-493: The words inscribed "none but the bodhisattvas will become kings of a prosperous Lanka," among other examples. Jeffrey Samuels echoes this perspective, noting that while in Mahayana Buddhism the bodhisattva path is held to be universal and for everyone, in Theravada it is "reserved for and appropriated by certain exceptional people." Mahāyāna Buddhism (often also called Bodhisattvayāna , "Bodhisattva Vehicle")

7812-415: The yogacarins then, only some beings (those who have the "bodhisattva lineage") can enter the bodhisattva path. In East Asian Buddhism, the view of the one vehicle ( ekayana ) which holds that all Buddhist teachings are really part of a single path, is the standard view. The term bodhisattva was also used in a broader sense by later authors. According to the eighth-century Mahāyāna philosopher Haribhadra ,

7905-503: The zoo. The glorious chapter in Lucknow’s history came to an end on Wednesday, 21 November 2013 as the journey of the ‘toy train’ that chugged in the city zoo for the last four decades, came to a halt. The 44-year–old toy train, that carried lakhs on it, was pulled out of service owing to plans of a revamp. The toy train has been parked in front of the state museum in the zoo premises. A new ‘Shatabdi–look–alike’ four–bogey toy train made by

7998-402: Was also the former director of the museum in the 1970s and uses this expertise and access to write two academically significant volumes specifically detailing the sculptural works of the museum. The museum guide mentions a reserve collection of stone and terracotta images, plaster casts, copper plates and royal inscriptions. The reserve collection houses some important and notable items including

8091-507: Was also traditionally considered to be a reincarnation of Maitreya. Paul Williams writes that some modern Theravada meditation masters in Thailand are popularly regarded as bodhisattvas. Various modern figures of esoteric Theravada traditions (such as the weizzās of Burma) have also claimed to be bodhisattvas. Theravada bhikkhu and scholar Walpola Rahula writes that the bodhisattva ideal has traditionally been held to be higher than

8184-480: Was greater than all the devas (gods). These sources also discuss various miracles which accompanied the bodhisattva's conception and birth, most famously, his taking seven steps and proclaiming that this was his last life. The Chinese source (titled Discourse on Marvellous Qualities ) also states that while living as a monk under the Buddha Kāśyapa he "made his initial vow to [realize] Buddhahood [while] practicing

8277-535: Was mainly used for transportation of timber between Ikma and Chauraha over a track of 22.4 kilometres (13.9 mi). In 1978 it was brought over to the forest department for use but being an uneconomical option, it was decided in 1981 that it would be phased out. The Uttar Pradesh State Museum in Lucknow ,earlier situated in the Chattar Manzil and the Lal Baradari, was shifted to a new building in

8370-407: Was popularized through the telling of Jatakas. Jataka tales contain numerous stories which focus on the past life deeds of Sakyamuni when he was a bodhisattva. These deeds generally express bodhisattva qualities and practices (such as compassion, the six perfections, and supernatural power) in dramatic ways, and include numerous acts of self-sacrifice. Apart from Jataka stories related to Sakyamuni,

8463-888: Was renowned for his compassion, took vows for the welfare of the citizens, and was regarded as a mahāsatta (Sanskrit: mahāsattva ), an epithet used almost exclusively in Mahayana Buddhism . Many other Sri Lankan kings from the 3rd until the 15th century were also described as bodhisattas and their royal duties were sometimes clearly associated with the practice of the ten pāramitās . In some cases, they explicitly claimed to have received predictions of Buddhahood in past lives. Popular Buddhist figures have also been seen as bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhist lands. Shanta Ratnayaka notes that Anagarika Dharmapala , Asarapasarana Saranarikara Sangharaja, and Hikkaduwe Sri Sumamgala "are often called bodhisattvas". Buddhaghosa

8556-462: Was taught for all beings to follow. This was in contrast to the Nikaya schools, which held that the bodhisattva path was only for a rare set of individuals. Indian Mahayanists preserved and promoted a set of texts called Vaipulya ("Extensive") sutras (later called Mahayana sutras ). Mahayana sources like the Lotus Sutra also claim that arhats that have reached nirvana have not truly finished their spiritual quest, for they still have not attained

8649-419: Was widely cited by various sources. According to Ulrich Pagel, this text is "one of the longest works on the bodhisattva in Mahayana literature" and thus provides extensive information on the topic bodhisattva training, especially the perfections ( pāramitā ) . Pagel also argues that this text was quite influential on later Mahayana writings which discuss the bodhisattva and thus was "of fundamental importance to

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