The story of Namo Buddha

Namo Buddha, also known as Namura Buddha (in Nepal Bhasa), is one of the important sites related to the life of Lord Shakyamuni Gautam Buddha. It is situated about 40 km south-east of Kathmandu Valley in Kavre Palanchowk district. I personally have not visited this site, however, I grew up hearing many stories about this sacred site, since my childhood. Here, I would like to share the important and heartfelt incident that took place during one of the previous lives of Lord Shakyamini Buddha.

Many, many eons ago, one of the previous incarnations of Lord Gautam Buddha was Prince Mahasatwa of Panauti. One day, the Prince comes across a starving tigress and her five cubs while roaming around the forest with his brothers. The bodhisattva asks his brothers to return to the palace and tells them that he shall be back in a while. Seeing the tigress and her cubs left in just flesh and bones, in an attempt to save them, out of the immense compassion, the bodhisattva, goes to the tigress and offers himself, to eat. As the tigress was so weak, that she could barely move. With no other choices, the bodhisattva then takes out his own sword, starts cutting parts of his body, himself, and offers it to the tigress and the cubs. Thus, the Bodhisattva sacrificing himself revives the lives of the tigress and her five cubs. When his brothers come to look for him, they find nothing but the bones, nails, clothes, and hair left of the Prince. The brothers gather what's left of their beloving brother, sobbing in sadness, and returns back home. 

Shrine at Namo Buddha, depicting the above incident. 

In this way, he comes closer to perfecting one of the ten Paramitas (Buddhist perfections, those of generosity, renunciation, morality, renunciation, and equanimity), which are needed, for one to become the Buddha.

It is said that the Bodhisattva before sacrificing himself, had wish- "during my last birth before becoming the Buddha, I will be born in the world of mortals as Siddhartha. I want this tigress to be my stepmother in that life and want these five cubs to be my first disciples, upon attaining an enlightenment."

After fulfilling all the paramitas to become the Buddha, the Boddhisattva takes his last birth in Lumbini, Nepal. His mother, Mayadevi passes away after 7 days of giving birth. And his stepmother, Prajapati raises him from thereon. She happens to be the tigress, who he saved in his previous life. Similarly, after attaining enlightenment, he gives his first sermon in Saranath, to the five disciples, known as Pancavaggiya, they are the five cubs of the tigress whom he saved. In this way, the wishes he made before sacrificing his life to revive the tigress and her cubs, were fulfilled after eons.

Today, you can find the stupa, built on the bones and hair of Prince Mahastwa on the same site, known as Namo Buddha, known as Namura Buddha in Nepal Bhasa, located about 40 KM away from Kathmandu city.

Dharma Dhatu Chaitya, built on the bones and hair of Prince Mahasatwa

As stated in Divya vadana, after paying homage to Swyambhu Maha chaitya, Lord Buddha came to Namura Buddha with thousands of his disciples. He explains the incident that took place at this very during his previous life and states the importance of this sacred site. He pays his homage to the remaining of Prince Mahastwa and his disciple does the same. Thus, the Lord Buddha renamed this village, Namo Buddha, which means homage to the Buddha. 

References

• Namo Buddha - http://www.tourismindiamanagement.com/namo.html
• Tuslthim Bhante, Swayambhu, Kathmandu, Nepal.