Chairman Dr Ashwani Lochan, Plants 21 Gifted Gooseberries From Bhiku Pannasara Ji In The Campus of Arunachal University Of Studies Honouring The Holy Tradition Of Gooseberry Donation In Buddhism.
Matter: Bhiku Pannasara Ji visited Arunachal University of Studies on third of December 2020. Chairman Dr Ashwani Lochan presented him with a Thai Lahi Sack. In return, of the offerings, Bhiku Pannasara Ji gave 21 gooseberries as a holy offering to the President and the campus. On this occasion, Dr Ashwani Lochan narrated the audience present during the ceremony the importance of gooseberry donation in Buddhism.
He narrated – “The third queen of Emperor Ashoka, Tishyaraksha, had gotten the eyes of his crown prince Kunal torn. Due to this, the great emperor Ashoka was filled with rage and sentenced her to death by immolation. Immediately after the incident, the emperor realized his mistakes that went against his Buddhist believes and subsequently, decided to donate 100 crores (which was more than the economy of the nation) to the Buddhist Sangha. Out of this, he donated 96 crore to the Sangh and made his grandson Pratistha the crown prince. The ministers of the court stopped the donation of the remaining four crores as the nation’s economy had collapsed. When the emperor heard the news, he was savouring gooseberries and had only half the fruit left. Therefore, he decided to donate half of the gooseberry to the Buddhist Sangha. Looking at the gesture, the Sangha considered the half gooseberry an equal offering to the 100 crores.”
The 21 gooseberries were planted on the fields of Arunachal University of Studies in the presence of Vice Chancellor, O.P. Sharma and other eminent members of the AUS family.