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
On one reading of the Chinese Sengqieluocha suoji jing, the Buddha kept nineteen rains retreats in the country of Sāvatthī, and this year is the fifth; on another reading Years 25 to 43 are counted in the Sāvatthī area, and this year is also among them. On both readings this year is in the Sāvatthī area. 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 30 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged sixty-four, during the rains retreat; that “in his later years he lived mainly at Sāvatthī” is given by the later commentaries, and the number 30 for this year is inferred from the sequence of events (worked out from the order of the rains retreats), so only the year is known; whether he stayed at the Jeta Grove or the Eastern Park is not recorded year by year.
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