Geography of Early Buddhism c12.45

c12.45

From a reference in the Saṃyutta Nikāya,² it seems that the Bahuputta cetiya of Vesālī was a vihāra or monastery. The Buddha was seen seated in this shrine which was situated midway between Rājagaha and Nālandā. The Buddha lived for some time in the Gotamaka shrine at Vesālī and there he addressed the monks thus: ‘I shall teach Dhamma knowing it fully and I shall teach it with cause (sanidānaṃ) and miracle (sappāṭihāriyaṃ).’³ The same shrine has been referred to in the Vinaya Texts⁴ to mean an open shrine, probably a tree. In fact it has been referred to as such by the commentator of the Dhammapada who writes that the Udena and Gotama cetiyas are called tree shrines (rukkhacetiyāni). People being terrified, desirous of becoming free from fear, and with the object of getting sons take refuge in these shrines.⁵ The two shrines have also been referred to in a passage of the Dīgha Nikāya.⁶ An Acelaka had taken upon himself seven rules of life. One of his rules was that he would not go beyond the Udena shrine on the east of Vesālī, the Gotamaka shrine on the south, the Sattamba (or Sattambaka) shrine on the west, and the Bahuputta shrine on the north. This passage indicates the position of these shrines or cetiyas at Vesālī. The Manimālaka cetiya in Magadha, the abode of ManibHadda yakkha, where the Master dwelt for some time, also seems from its description to have been a vihāra shrine.⁷ The Aggālava cetiya also seems to have been a shrine of the same type.⁸ On another occasion the Buddha dwelt with the Bhikkhus at the Supatiṭṭha cetiya near the pleasure garden of Laṭṭhivana near Rājagaha, where Bimbisāra, King of Magadha, came to invite him with the congregation of monks.⁹ This cetiya must invariably have also been a vihāra.