“Yes… as soon as Phaya Asoka learned of the Buddha’s passing, he respectfully invited
the body to be taken to the city for the ceremony, but a miraculous event occurred that
prevented the successful movement of the body. Therefore, he conscripted people to
prepare the area for the Buddha’s cremation ceremony, using the area near the stone
platform where the Buddha passed away. That area had low hills, only about 50 meters
high. Phaya Asoka ordered a large number of troops to help clear the forest and stack
stones in layers around the sloping foothills, turning it into a stepped platform. These
platforms were made to set up temporary pavilions to accommodate dignitaries,
royalty, and the general public who would attend the ceremony. That place has been
called ‘Khao Thawai Phra Phloeng’ (Cremation Hill) ever since.”

“That time was the most chaotic time for such an important and urgent ceremony,
because Phaya Asoka, who was like the impromptu host of the funeral, had only 24
days to prepare. Dignitaries, wealthy people, and the general public from nearby areas
who learned of the Buddha’s passing flocked to pay their respects to the body.

And on the last day, the 25th, which was the day of the cremation, people from all
directions rushed to pay their respects to the body and attend the Buddha’s cremation
ceremony for the last time. A small river called the Kakunti, which flowed to Khao
Thawai Phra Phloeng at that time, was crowded with boats of all sizes, mostly rowing
from the communities on the east side, because it was a large community important for
trade. This community may not have had the status of a city because it had no ruler. It
was like a residential area for merchants and wealthy people who came to trade, but
people commonly called it ‘Sri Vijaya City.’ So, it was like a twin city of Kosinarayana.

This city was located in Mueang district, Nakhon Pathom province, about 2 kilometers
east of Phra Pathom Chedi. It was surrounded by an oval-shaped canal. When the
people on both sides of the river saw the numerous boats rushing to the ceremony site,
it was a historic scene that had never happened before, because all the boats were
boats of lords. So, they nicknamed that small river ‘Lam Phaya’ (Lords’ River) because
they saw many beautiful boats of lords heading to the ceremony site,” he explained.

“During the preparation for the cremation, Phaya Asoka brought a special type of cloth,
woven from metal fibers that were highly heat-resistant, to wrap the Buddha’s body, in
order to collect all the relics completely, without losing even a tiny bit. Therefore, after
the cremation ceremony was over, he was able to collect all the relics completely and
carefully categorize them into different parts of the body.”

“Later, when the news of the Buddha’s passing spread to various territories, all seven
major kingdoms, including Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Vamsa, and Pañcāla, sent
envoys to request a share of the relics. Initially, Phaya Asoka intended to keep all the
relics for himself, because he had made a vow to the Buddha that he would enshrine
the Buddha’s relics in the various places where the Buddha and he had previously
buried hair relics. But because he saw that some of the places where they had made symbols were in the territory of the lords who sent envoys, and also because a senior
Brahmin named Dona, whom all the lords respected, advised that it was appropriate to
divide the relics among all the kingdoms, otherwise there might be a war to seize the
relics, causing bloodshed unnecessarily, which was not appropriate in the history of
the Buddha.”

“Therefore, the Brahmin Dona volunteered to divide the relics into eight equal parts
with a golden measuring cup. It was during this time that you, at that time Maha Thera
Achita, one of the chief disciples of the Buddha, arrived. She discussed with Phaya
Asoka and the Brahmin Dona that it was appropriate to build a *chedi* to enshrine the
Buddha’s relics in Phaya Asoka’s kingdom, to match the Buddha’s trust and intention to
pass away here, so that this *chedi* would be like a representative of the Buddha and a
place to remember him.”

“At that time, you, as Maha Thera Achita, a chief disciple, Phaya Asoka, the king of
Kosinarayana, and the Brahmin Dona, agreed to build the first *chedi* to enshrine the
Buddha’s relics in this kingdom. But because you saw that the Sri Vijaya City area was a
more suitable location than Kosinarayana because it was a trading center with many
merchants passing through, a crossroads for people traveling north and south, the
Brahmin Dona donated land on the west side of Sri Vijaya City and decided to build this
*chedi* on a small natural hill only about 25 meters high, which is the current location
of Phra Pathom Chedi. And the Brahmin Dona himself built another *chedi* in the
center of the city to enshrine the golden measuring cup used to divide the relics and to
also enshrine his own bones after he died. Both *chedi* had the same shape and size.”