Both the table of rains retreats in the later commentaries and the Chinese Sengqieluocha suoji jing record the Buddha's 20th at Rājagaha. The year-by-year table of the later commentaries ends with this year, and goes on to say that from then on the Buddha had two fixed residences.
Different Accounts
Another commentary on the Vinaya of the Southern tradition also has Rājagaha, and says that after completing twenty years the Buddha wandered from Rājagaha all the way to Vesālī.
More differences between accounts (1)
The Chinese Sengqieluocha suoji jing has “returned to Mount Zheli” for Year 21; the table of rains retreats of the Southern tradition has Sāvatthī from Year 21 on. Taishō Canon
Dating
Year 20 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged fifty-four, during the rains retreat; the year is given by the later commentaries, 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: year only.
Sources
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Bv-a
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.194 p.144b
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Jinacarita
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§37