Geography of Early Buddhism c7.s1.95

c7.s1.95

In the Saṃyutta Nikāya (Vol. II, p. 135; Vol. V, pp. 401, 460-461) as well as in the Anguttara Nikāya (Vol. IV, p. 101; Vol. V, p. 22), Aciravatī is mentioned as one of the five great rivers or Mahānadī. The four other rivers mentioned are: Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Sarabhu, and Mahi. In the Sālittaka Jātaka (Jāt., Vol. I) and in the Kurudhamma Jātaka (Jāt., Vol. II) we find that the river Aciravatī was near Sāvatthi. This is also borne out by a story in the Dhammapada Commentary (Vol. III, p. 449) in which we read that there was a certain village named Pandupura not far off from the city of Sāvatthi, where dwelt a certain fisherman who on his way to Sāvatthi saw some tortoise eggs lying on the bank of Aciravatī. In the Dhammapada Atthakathā (Vol. I, pp. 359-360) we are told how Pasenadi’s son Viḍūḍabha met the Śākyas in battle on the bank of Aciravatī river and completely routed them. In vain did the Buddha try to save the Śākyas. But Viḍūḍabha and his army