According to the later commentaries of the Southern tradition, while the Buddha was staying in the Hall with the Peaked Roof at Vesālī, his father King Suddhodana, in the palace at Kapilavatthu, attained beneath the white parasol (the emblem of kingship) and then . King Suddhodana had already attained the at the Buddha's first return home, and later attained the second and third stages of realization. At this point Mahāpajāpatī conceived the wish to go forth.
Different Accounts
The circumstances of his death: some commentaries say he attained arahantship beneath the white parasol; the commentary on the Jātakas says he lay on a bed beneath the white parasol.
More differences between accounts (2)
The stages of realization: all the commentaries say he attained the first fruit when the Buddha returned home and arahantship at his death; the commentary on the Jātakas adds that he attained the first fruit on hearing a verse, then the second stage, and the third stage on hearing the Mahādhammapāla Jātaka.
The year of his death: the canonical texts themselves do not record it; the claim circulating online that it was “four years later” is not found in any original text seen so far.
Dating
Conjecturally placed in Year 5 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged thirty-nine; its order relative to the is unknown. The commentaries say only “while the Buddha was staying in the Hall with the Peaked Roof”; the year is inferred from the rains-retreat location, 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
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 Thig-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Ja-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§235
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，PTS 1.341
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Thig-a，§156
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Thig-a，PTS 0.141