Geography of Early Buddhism c7.70

c7.70

The Vedabbha Jātaka (No. 48) states that the road from Kāsī to Cedi was full of thieves and was, therefore, unsafe. The Vessantara Jātaka (Jāt., VI, pp. 514-515) tells us that Cetaraṭṭha was 30 yojanas distant from Jetuttara-nagara, the birth place of King Vessantara. Cetaraṭṭha was an important centre of Buddhism. In the Aṅguttara Nikāya (Vol. III, pp. 355-356; V, pp. 41 ff.; pp. 157-61) we find that Mahācuṇḍa while dwelling in the town of Sahajāti among the Cedis delivered many discourses. The same Nikāya (Vol. IV, pp. 228 ff.) also tells us that Anuruddha while dwelling among the Cedis in the Deer Park of Pācīnavaṃsa won Arahatship. From the Dīgha Nikāya (Vol. II, pp. 200, 201, 203) we learn that the Buddha went to the Cedis and other tribes while out in preaching. In the Saṃyutta Nikāya (Vol. V, 436-37) a discussion on the four aryan truths is recorded to have taken place among the bhikkhus who dwelt among the Cedis in the Sahañcanika.