The Buddha arrives at Kapilavatthu and stays in the Banyan Park outside the city (the park of the Sakyan Nigrodha). The later commentaries of the Southern tradition say the Sakyans, relying on their seniority, would not bow; the Buddha performed the , and only then did King Suddhodana and the assembly bow together. The next day the Buddha goes for alms from house to house in the city (monastics going from door to door to receive food in their bowls); King Suddhodana reproaches him, the Buddha speaks a verse, and King Suddhodana attains the , later attaining the second and third stages in turn. Taishō Canon
Pali Canon
Different Accounts
The return home itself is found in the texts of every major school; the details of the twin miracle and King Suddhodana's realization were originally found only in the later commentaries and the Buddha biographies, but have since also been found in the Tibetan Vinaya.
More differences between accounts (3)
The twin miracle: the Tibetan Vinaya says the Buddha performed the twin miracle as he entered the city and then descended gradually from the sky; the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say it was in the Banyan Park, to humble the pride of the Sakyans; the Saṅghabhedavastu of the Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya records only the Buddha descending from the sky, without the twin miracle.
King Suddhodana's realization: the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say he attained the first, second and third stages of realization in turn, and at his death; the Tibetan Vinaya says he attained the first fruit after the Buddha taught him the ; the Chinese Ekottarika Āgama says he attained the first fruit.
Those who went forth after the Buddha: the Saṅghabhedavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya says King Suddhodana ordered one son from each family to go forth after the Buddha; the Chinese Ekottarika Āgama says one of every two brothers; the Buddha biography Fangguang da zhuangyan jing says five hundred Sakyans were chosen to become monastics.
Dating
Year uncertain; the same return home as the other entries in this group. Possibly before the of Year 2 after the Awakening (the Buddha aged thirty-six), around Year 6 (aged forty), Year 7 (aged forty-one) or Year 12 (aged forty-six). The later commentaries of the Southern tradition say he arrived in the spring about a year after the Awakening; other sources have “six years” or “twelve years”, and they also differ on whether this return came before or after the donation of the park by Anāthapiṇḍika, so it cannot be fixed to a single year.
Related Entries
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
The episode of “the return to his country” is recorded by four schools: the Pali canon of the Southern tradition, the Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Sifen lü), the Chinese Mahīśāsaka Vinaya (Wufen lü) and the Chinese Saṅghabhedavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. Attested across multiple schools. The “details of the twin miracle and King Suddhodana's attainment” within it are not found in the early sutras and Vinayas of any school.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Stated in the canonical text (the text itself gives the time); commentarial dating (the canonical texts give no date; later commentaries record it). Time precision: year only.
Sources
- Pali Canon巴利律 Kd 1:54.1.1–54.1.4
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1428 p.809c
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1421 p.116c
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.623a–c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1450 p.144a–b
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.196 p.154b–155c
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.187 p.615b–616a
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.186 p.536a
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.190 p.892b
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.192 p.36c
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 94b4–100b5
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1450 p.144b
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.623c
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.187 p.615c
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 95a3–95a7
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 97b7
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 100b4
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 95a3–95a5