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SRAVASTI or SAVATH was the capital of the mighty
Kosala kingdom during Buddha's time. It is situated in the Uttar
Pradesh and ten miles distance from Balrampur. It was at Sravasti
that the Buddha displayed his great miracle sitting on a thousand
Pettaled lotus in front of an audience consisting of the king of
Kosala. There the Buddha displayed the multiplied forms of himself a
million times going up to the highest heavens, in order to confound
the Tirthikas and to established his supremacy. This was a unique
feat performed by the Buddha and as the local of this unprecedented
event Sravasti acquired foremost celebrity. Jethavanarama Monastery
was built by Anathapindika whose family name was Sudatta. He was the
wealthiest trader of Sravasti and later became the chief minister of
King Pasenadi. When he visited Raj Griha he went to the Buddha,
listened to his sermon, became a Buddhist and invited Buddha to
Sravasti. He purchased a land and a seven stored building for the
residence of the Buddha. The Blessed One spent twenty four Vassana
(rainy) seasons here. Mangala Sutta and the Karaneiya Metta Suttas
were preached by the Buddha at Sravasti. It is stated in history
that the wealthy merchant Anathapindika, to purchase the site to
built the splendid monastery laid many gold coins as would cover the
ground.
Ananda Thera, who was constantly with the Blessed One for twenty
five years became His personal attendant at Sravasti. Ananda, from
Kapilvastu was a kinsman of the Lord. He is one, ordained by Buddha
when he first visited Kapilvastu after enlighten. It was here that a
woman brought a false accusation saying that she was with child by
the Buddha and trying a wooden bowl over her belly to pretext it. At
the that very moment she came before the Buddha, the wind blew up
her clock, and the bowl felt to the ground, and the earth opened and
flame shot up and she was swallowed up as if in a scarlet blanket.
And it was here that a bereaved woman came to the Buddha, begging
healing for her dead son, and was told to get a grain of mustard
seed from a house where son or daughter had yet died. Then she went
house after house and asked "Friends", in this house has any son or
daughter died ?" The house holders said "what ask you woman ?. As
for living there are few. Only the dead or many. By this way the
blessed one taught a lesson to the bereaved women at Sravasti. Upali,
a member of low caste barber family came to the blessed One at
Sravasti with Ananda and five others, became his disciple and later
he became one of the greatest Buddhist teachers. This was one
example among many of the way that Buddhism ignored caste.
The Buddhist scriptures consist of three 'Pitakas' according to
tradition, they were recited and memorized at the council held at
Rajgir just after the Buddha's death. Upali the barber reciting the
first. Vinaya Pitaka and Ananda the second the Sutta Pitaka. Since
the Buddha, except during the vas seasons was away from Sravasti and
Rev. Ananda wanted an object to worship during the absence of
Buddha. He obtained the Lord's permission to plant a sapling from
the Bodhi tree at Boddha Gaya and it was called Ananda Bodhi. This
Bo-tree was planted by Anathapindika himself in front of the seven
storied monastery. There at Sravasti, lived a notorious robber
Angulimala, who used to kill people and cut a finger of each person
for a garland. He was later converted by the Buddha.
The Purvarama Monastery built by Visaka who was also called Migara
Matha, the wife of a very much rich merchant of Sravasti is situated
at the east of the city. It is said in the history that when she
decided to sell her necklace to put up a building for Buddha and
since there was no one rich enough to buy it she her self fixed a
price and put up a building to cover that amount. Through it is not
yet identified, it said that this building is second to Jetavana
Monastery only. There are two other important places where Dev Dutta
and Chinchimanika were said to have been taken to hell. The Yamamaha
Stupa is situated on the way from Balrampur to Sravasti about a mile
before. It is the place where the Buddha performed the miracle
called Yamamaha Perahera to confound the heretical teacher Purna
Kasyapa. Having performed the miracle on a full moon day he ascended
to Thusitha heaven to preach his mother. King Asoka visited the
Jetavana and worshipped the Stupas there.
At this place two Asoka pillars were seen by the Chinese pilgrim
Hienutsang. It is recorded that he saw Stupa with the relics of
Buddha, built by Asoka. In Srasvati, most notable are the remnants
of the Jetavana which lie within enclosure wall. The Stupas and the
temples belongs to the Kusana and Gupta periods. Presently there are
two monasteries, six temples and five Stupas to be seen. Srasvati
was one of the richest and greatest cities of ancient India and it
is now preserved by the archeological authorities. Pakki Kuty,
Kachchi Kuty, Angulimala Stupa, Sudatta Stupa, Purvarama monastery
and the Punya Sala are other important places with in the city. Oan
reach Sravasti city from Balramapur station and proceed by bus. |
India
