Sravasti : Where the Buddha Spent 25 Retreats

Contents: Preface. 1. The Buddha in Sravasti. 2. Anathapindika, the builder of Jetavana Vihara. 3. The Pious Visakha. 4. King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika. 5. Sravasti in Buddhist literature. 6. Sravasti after the Buddha: a tragic end. 7. Sravasti re-discovered. 8. Jetavana-Sravasti today. 9. Modern temples at Sravasti. Plates. Maps.

"Sravasti (Pali: Savatthi) was, at the time of the Buddha, capital of the Kosala Kingdom. It was also the most prosperous city and a great centre of trade and commerce. This prosperous city came to be associated with the Buddha under dramatic circumstances. Once when the Buddha was staying at Rajagaha, the capital of Magadha, a wealthy merchant of Sravasti, Sudatta, popularly known as Anathapindika, happened to visit Rajagaha. He met the Buddha there; became a lay devotee, and invited the blessed one to visit his home-town, Sravasti. On return to Sravasti, he built a magnificent monastery in Jetavana. He also undertook to provide food and other requisites to all the monks visiting Sravasti. Thanks to his devotion and hospitality provided by him, the Buddha spent as many as 19 retreats during the rainy season in Jetavana. The Buddha spent another 6 retreats in Pubbarama, east monastery, built by Lady Visakha, daughter-in-law, of another rich merchant of Sravasti.

Since the Buddha spent here 25 retreats, out of 45 retreats, Jetavana-Sravasti naturally became the most sacred Buddhist shrine. It also played a very significant role in the history of Buddhism as most of the sermons of the Buddha were delivered at Sravasti. Unfortunately, however, due to some natural calamity, Sravasti was in ruins by the 5 century A.D. The Jetavana shrines survived to some extent up to the 12 century A.D. but thereafter these shrines were also abandoned by the Buddhists, and in due course both Jetavana and Sravasti were engulfed by dense jungle. So much so that even their names were forgotten by the people living in the nearby areas. They called them Sahet-Mahet.

In this treatise, the author, based on all the available archaeological and literary evidence, presents in eight chapters, the origin, development, decline, destruction, re-discovery and restoration of the Jetavana shrines. The efforts of the modern Buddhists to revive the glory of the sacred Jetavana have been described in brief in the last chapter." (jacket)