The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s5.55.1

c5.s5.55.1

The Beṇuvana Vihāra called also Karaṇḍa Beṇuvana Vihāra, which was given by Bimbisāra to Buddha and where Buddha usually resided when he visited Rājgir, was situated at a distance of three hundred paces from the extreme east toe of the Baibhāra hill (i. e. outside the valley and on the northern side of the Baibhāra hill). In this Vihāra, Sāriputra, whose real name was Upatishya, (*Kern, Saddharma-puṇḍarika. SBE. XXI*, p. 89), and Maudgalāyana (called also Kolita) became Buddha’s disciples, having learnt first the doctrines from Aśvajit in the celebrated couplets which mean, ‘Tathāgata has explained the cause of all things which have proceeded from a cause, and the great Śramaṇa has likewise explained the cause of their cessation.’ They had been formerly the disciples of Sañjaya Vairatthi Putra of Rājgir. Near it was the Pippala cave where Buddha used to sit in deep meditation (*Dhyāna*) after his midday-meal. This cave is at a short distance from the Jaina temple on the top of the Baibhāra hill, down a narrow ledge on the west. The Saptaparṇī (called also Saptaparṇa and Sattaparṇī) caves have been identified by Mr. Beglar with a group of caves situated at a distance of about a mile to the west of the Pippala cave and the northern side of the Baibhāra hill, where the first Buddhist synod was held after the Nirvāṇa of Buddha under the presidency of Mahākāśyapa (*Vinaya Texts*, pp. 370-385; *SBE.*, vol. XX; *Arch. S. Rep.*, vol. VIII).