Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c7.800

v1.c7.800

Āḷavī.—A town thirty yojanas from Sāvatthi¹ and probably twelve from Benares.² It lay between Sāvatthi and Rājagaha.³ The Buddha, on several occasions, stayed at Āḷavī at the Aggāḷava shrine (q.v.) which was near the town. In the sixteenth year after the Enlightenment, the Buddha spent the whole of the rainy season at Āḷavī and preached the doctrine to 84,000 listeners.⁴ The King of Āḷavī was known as Āḷavaka and the inhabitants as Āḷavakā. The town later became famous as the residence of Āḷavaka Yakkha and of Hatthaka Āḷavaka. The therī, Selā was born in Āḷavī and was therefore known as Āḷavikā.⁵ There was evidently a large community of monks at Āḷavī, some of whom seem to have chiefly occupied themselves with building vihāras for themselves.⁶