Accepting the invitation of a brahmin of Verañjā, the Buddha keeps his twelfth at Verañjā with five hundred monks, in a year of famine. That the Buddha kept a rains retreat at Verañjā by invitation and met with famine is recorded in the Vinaya texts of every major school; the year, “Year 12”, comes from the table of rains retreats in the later commentaries.
Different Accounts
The host: the Pali Vinaya of the and the Chinese Dharmaguptaka and Mahīśāsaka Vinayas have the brahmin of Verañjā (the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says the town had been granted to him by King Pasenadi); the Chinese Sarvāstivāda Vinaya has the brahmin king Aqida; the Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya says his name was Huoshou (“Fire-given”, a translated form of the name) and that he was the local king. Taishō Canon
More differences between accounts (3)
Where the invitation was given: the Pali Vinaya and the Dharmaguptaka and Mahīśāsaka Vinayas say the Buddha was invited when he wandered to the place; the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya and the Buddha biography Zhong benqi jing say this brahmin went to the Jetavana at Sāvatthī (Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, outside Sāvatthī, the capital of Kosala) to invite the Buddha.
Numbers: most have five hundred monks; the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya has four hundred and ninety-eight, because Sāriputta and Moggallāna went elsewhere to receive offerings.
The Chinese Sengqieluocha suoji jing records this year's retreat at a secluded place in Magadha; another later commentary of the Southern tradition says only that this happened in the early years after the Awakening, without giving a year number. Taishō Canon
Dating
Year 12 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged forty-six, during the rains retreat, lasting three months; the year is given by the later commentaries, the “three months” are stated in the canonical texts, and only the year is known.
Related Entries
- Year
- Places
- People
- Discourses
Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
Not recorded in the early sutras and Vinayas of any school; found only in the commentaries or later Buddha biographies. Later addition.
- 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: month only, year only.
Sources
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§37，PTS 2.125
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Bv-a，序分
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Bv-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 《Vajirabuddhi-ṭīkā》，§20–21，VRI 0.52 前後；，§36，VRI 0.65、緬甸版 0.71
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a，§82，PTS 2.155
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1428 p.568c
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1421 p.1a
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1421 p.1a–b
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1435 p.98c–99a
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1435 p.187b–c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1464 p.885b–c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1448 p.45a–b
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1448 p.47c
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.196 p.162c–163a
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.194 p.144b
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1435 p.98b
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1464 p.885b
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1448 p.45a
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.196 p.162c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1448 p.46a
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1448 p.48b
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1435 p.99a
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1435 p.187c
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a，§82
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Vin-a，§22
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§37
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Vajirabuddhi，§20–21
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Vajirabuddhi，§36