Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.17.1

c23.17.1

**The Buddha's notable Hosts.** As has been already stated, the Buddha was always receiving and accepting invitations to dine out with his disciples. The Buddha, staying in a grove near the hermitage of the Jaṭila Uruvela Kassapa, was offered daily food by him at his place [*Mahāv.*, i, 16]. The next important invitation in his career came from the Magadha King Seniya Bimbisāra who "ordered excellent food, both hard and soft, to be prepared" for the Buddha and the fraternity of Bhikkhus numbering 1,000, "who all had been Jaṭilas before." The king "with his own hands" served the food [*Mahāv.*, i, 22]. King Śuddhodana of Kapilavastu, the father of the Buddha, entertained at his palace at Kapilavastu the Buddha and his Order with a "savoury meal". The Seṭṭhi of Rājagaha similarly invited the Buddha and his fraternity to a dinner for which he gave the following "command to his slaves and work-people: 'So get up at early morn, my men, and cook congey, and cook rice, and prepare curries and prepare delicacies'" [*Chullav.*, vi, 4, 1]. This invitation was followed by that of his brother-in-law, the merchant prince, Anāthapiṇḍika, the invitation which was so big with consequences both to the host and the Order. The meals comprised the usual "sweet food both hard and soft" [ib.]. The same meals were also served by Visākhā, the mother of Migāra, at her "mansion", to the Buddha [*Mahāv.*, viii, 15].