Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.431

c8.431

Rājagṛha is famous in the history of Buddhism as the place where 500 distinguished elders met under the leadership of Mahākassapa to recite the doctrine and discipline of the Buddha and fix the Buddhist canon (Vinaya, Cullavagga, XI). The main reason for selecting Rājagṛha for the purpose was that it could sufficiently make room for 500 elders. The city of Rājagṛha was much frequented by the Buddha and his disciples (Vimānavatthu Commy., pp. 250-1; Dhammapada Commy., I, pp. 77ff.; Samantapāsādikā, I, pp. 8-9). The Vinaya-Cullavagga speaks of a banker of Rājagṛha who acquired a block of sandalwood and made a bowl out of it for the monks (Vin. Texts, III, 78). Another banker of Rājagṛha built a vihāra for the monks. He had to take the consent of the Buddha as to the dwelling of the monks in it (Vin. Pit., II, 146). It was in this city that the two famous disciples of the Buddha, Sāriputta and Moggallāna, were converted by him (Vin. Pit., I, 40ff.). When the Buddha was in this city, Devadatta's gain and fame were completely lost (Vin. Pit., IV, 71). It was in this city that the great banker of Śrāvastī named Anāthapiṇḍika was converted by the Buddha (Sam., I, pp. 55-56). Merchants used to visit it to buy or sell merchandise. (Vimānav. Commy., p. 301). Many people of Rājagṛha were engaged in trade and commerce (Jāt., I, pp. 466-7; Petavatthu Commy., pp. 2-9). This city had many names in the course of its long history (Sumaṅgalav, I, 132; Udānavaṇṇanā, p. 32, etc.).