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Deekshabhoomi is a sacred monument of Buddhism at the place where the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, went back to Buddhism along with his about followers on 14 October 1956.〔This was Ambedkar's own figure given by him in a letter to Devapriya Valishinha dated 30 October 1956. ''The Maha Bodhi'' Vol. 65, p.226, quoted in (Dr. Ambedkar and Buddhism ) by Sangharakshita.〕 Ambedkar's return to Buddhism is still an important matter for many in India. Deekshabhoomi is situated in Nagpur, Maharashtra, a location regarded as a pilgrimage center of Buddhism in India. Millions of pilgrims visit Deekshabhoomi every year,〔 especially on ''Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din'' (Mass Conversion Ceremony Day) and 14 October, the memorial day when Dr. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism here.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://nagpur.nic.in/zpnagpur/English/Tourism1.htm )〕 Now, the biggest stupa in Asia is erected in his memory at this divine point. ''Deeksha'' literally means 'act of ordaining',〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.shabdkosh.com/hi/translate?e=%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE&l=hi )〕 ''Bhoomi'' means the 'ground'. So, literally ''Deekshabhoomi'' means the ground where people got ordained as Buddhist. This religious mass conversion at one place was the first ever of its kind in history.〔 Deekshabhoomi is one of the two places of great importance in the life of Dr.Ambedkar, another being Chaitya Bhoomi at Mumbai. ==History== Ambedkar had already declared in 1935 that although he was born as a Hindu he would not die as one, as conversion was the solution to abandon the caste system. After this declaration, he extensively studied the doctrines of all the major religions to choose Buddhism for himself and his followers.〔 Buddhism was 2,550 years old in 1956, so it was notable year for global celebration and 14 October was the traditional date of conversion of greatest Buddhist King, Ashoka Maurya, the celebration of Ashok Vijaya Dashmi. He selected Nagpur for his conversion ceremony, as he explained in his speech at that occasion, because Nagpur was the homeland of ''Nag'' people who embraced Buddhism, supported it with great efforts in its early period and propagated it throughout India. Ground near the Ramdaspeth area in Nagpur was selected for the ceremony. On 14 October 1956, Ambedkar and his wife took the oath of Three Jewels and Five Precepts from the Burmese monk ''Mahasthavir Chandramani'' from Kushinagar.〔 Ambedkar then gave the oath of Three Jewels, five precepts, and 22 Vows to his thousands of followers. In this way, Nagpur became the birthplace of Neo Buddhist movement. Ambedkar died on 6 December 1956, one and a half months after the ''Deeksha'' ceremony. However, this ceremonial conversion continued after his death, converting 15-20 million by March 1959. After his death ''Dr. Ambedkar Smarak Samiti'' (Dr. Ambedkar Memorial committee) was organized for the management of Deekshabhoomi. The committee decided to build a Stupa at the place as a monument of that ceremony and a mass conversion of people to Buddhism. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Deekshabhoomi」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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