According to the later commentaries, because of the merit of the two households of Anāthapiṇḍika and the lady Visākhā (the female devotee who built Migāramātā's Mansion in the Eastern Park), in his later years the Buddha makes the Jetavana and Migāramātā's Mansion in the Eastern Park at Sāvatthī his fixed residences: outside the rainy season he wanders from place to place, and during the he stays only at these two. This year's retreat is also spent there. Neither the canonical texts nor the commentaries state which discourses were given during this retreat.
Different Accounts
One reading of the Chinese Sengqieluocha suoji jing places this year's retreat in the realm of spirits, the third of four successive retreats there; another reading counts Years 21 to 24 as four successive retreats in the realm of spirits on Mount Zheli (the name of a mountain), this year among them. Taishō Canon
More differences between accounts (2)
On how the two places were used, the later commentaries give three accounts: going back and forth, at one place by day and the other by night; alternating a year at the Jeta Grove and a year at the Eastern Park; or nineteen years at the Jeta Grove and six at the Eastern Park.
The total number of rains retreats at Sāvatthī is recorded by the later commentaries as twenty-five; the arrangement here and modern scholarly reconstructions both count twenty-four.
Dating
Year 24 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged fifty-eight, during the rains retreat; that “in his later years the Buddha resided permanently at Sāvatthī” is given by the later commentaries, and the number 24 is inferred from the sequence of events (worked out from the order of the retreats), so only the year is known, and the place of this year's retreat is itself not entirely certain.
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
Commentarial dating (the canonical texts give no date; later commentaries record it); converted from the Buddha's age (reckoned from the Buddha's age). Time precision: year uncertain.
Sources
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§37，VRI 2.31、緬甸版 2.31
- 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 MN-a，§272，VRI 2.69、PTS 2.165
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 DN-a，§111，PTS 3.860
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§390，PTS 2.297
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a，§1，VRI 1.4
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.194 p.144b
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§37
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 DN-a，§111
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§390
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a，§1
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§272