Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c8.168

v1.c8.168

Buddhaghosa² says that the cave lay between two overhanging rocks, with a large sāla-tree at the entrance. The village community had added walls with doors and windows and had ornamented it with polished plaster scroll-work and garlands and had presented it to the Buddha. In Fa Hsien’s time,³ it was still inhabited and he describes it as being one yojana north-east of Nālandā. Hiouen Thsang,⁴ however, found it deserted. Both pilgrims noticed marks on the rock; according to Fa Hsien they were the answers to Sakka’s questions written by the Buddha with his finger, while Hiouen Thsang says that both questions and answers were written on the stone.