Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c6.163

v1.c6.163

Aggālava Cetiya.—The chief shrine at Āḷavi¹ (hence probably the name), originally a pagan place of worship, but later converted into a Buddhist vihāra. The Buddha stopped here on many occasions during his wanderings, and this was the scene of several Vinaya rules, e.g. against monks digging the ground² and cutting trees,³ using unfiltered water for building purposes,⁴ sleeping in the company of novices,⁵ giving new buildings in hand.⁶ The Chabbaggiyā are censured here for a *nissaggiya* offence.⁷ The Vangīsa Sutta was preached there to Vangīsa, on the occasion of the death of his preceptor, Nigrodhakappa.⁸ In the early years of Vangīsa’s novitiate he stayed at the shrine with his preceptor, and disaffection arose within him twice, once because of women, the second time because of his tutor’s solitary habits,⁹ and later, again, through pride in his own powers of improvisation (*paṭibhāna*).¹⁰ Here, again, the Buddha utters the praises of Hatthaka Āḷavaka, who visits him with a large following, whose fealty has been won (according to Hatthaka) by observing the four characteristics of sympathy (*saṅgahavatthūni*) learnt from the Buddha.¹¹