Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c16.482

v1.c16.482

Cāpāla-cetiya.—A shrine near Vesālī. Here the Buddha, three months before his parinibbāna, definitely decided to accede to the request of Māra that he should die. When he announced this decision the earth shook.¹ The Aṅguttara Commentary² states that during the first twenty years of the Buddha’s ministry, he sometimes dwelt in Cāpāla-cetiya. It was once the residence of the yakkha Cāpāla, but, later, a vihāra was erected on the site for the use of the Buddha.³ Fa Hsien found a pagoda there and relates a story in connection with it.⁴