veḷuvana

Veḷuvana1Veṇuvana

A park near Rājagaha, the pleasure garden of Bimbisāra. When the Buddha first visited Rājagaha, after his Enlightenment, he stayed at the Latthivanuyyāna. Vin.i.35 The day after his arrival, he accepted the king’s invitation to a meal at the palace, at the end of which the king, seeking a place for the Buddha to live “not too far from the town, not too near, suitable for coming and going, easily accessible to all people, by day not too crowded, by night not exposed to noise and clamour, clean of the smell of people, hidden from men and well fitted to seclusion” decided on Veḷuvana, and bestowed it on the Buddha and the fraternity. This was the first monastery accepted by the Buddha, and a rule was passed allowing monks to accept such a monastery. Vin.i.39f.

The Buddha at once went to stay there, and it was during this stay that Sāriputta and Moggallāna joined the Order. Vin.i.42

Kalaṇḍakanivāpa is the place nearly always mentioned as the spot where the Buddha stayed in Veḷuvana. There many Vinaya rules were passed—e.g., on the keeping of the vassa, Vin.i.137 the use of food cooked in the monastery, Vin.i.210f. the picking of edible fruit in the absence of any layman from whom permission to do so could be obtained, Vin.i.212 surgical operations on monks, Vin.i.215f. the eating of sugar, Vin.i.226 the rubbing of various parts of the body against wood, Vin.ii.105 the use of the kinds of dwelling, Vin.ii.146 and the use of gold and money. Vin.ii.196

During the Buddha’s stay at Veḷuvana, Dabba Mallaputta, at his own request, was appointed regulator of lodgings and apportioner of rations. Vin.ii.74 The Buddha was at Veḷuvana when Dabba also decided to die. He went there to take leave of the Buddha. Ud.viii.9 Sāriputta and Moggallāna brought back the five hundred monks whom Devadatta had enticed away to Gayāsīsa. Vin.ii.200 It was there that the monks of the First Council met Purāṇa, who said he would remember the teachings in his own way. Vin.ii.289f.

25.015773,85.4185871monasteryVeḷuvana2

A bamboo grove in Kajaṅgalā, where the Buddha once stayed. The upāsakas of Kajaṅgalā, having questioned the Kajaṅgalā Bhikkhunī, went to the Buddha there and asked him to verify her answers. AN.v.54f.

25.04579, 87.843932parkVeḷuvana3

A bamboo grove in Kimbilā, where the Buddha stayed and was visited by Kimbila. AN.iii.247 AN.iii.339 AN.iv.84

Kimbilā3park