The Buddha keeps the three months of the on a stone seat beside a great tree (the Pāricchattaka tree) in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, teaching his mother Queen Māyā and the gods of that heaven; meanwhile his disciple Mahāmoggallāna (the chief disciple famed for supernormal powers) keeps the rains retreat at the Jetavana in Sāvatthī. The later commentaries of the Southern tradition say that, with his mother as witness, the Buddha taught the seven books of the Abhidhamma to the gods of ten thousand world-systems for three months without interruption; at the end, eight hundred million gods attained realization, and his mother attained the . Taishō Canon
Pali Canon
Different Accounts
The seat in heaven: the Chinese Saṃyukta Āgama has a soft bluish-white stone not far from the Boliyeduoluo tree; the Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya has a jade hall beside the Yuansheng tree; the Pali texts and commentaries have a white stone seat beneath the Pāricchattaka tree.
More differences between accounts (2)
The reason for going to heaven: the Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya says it was to escape excessive offerings; the Chinese Ekottarika Āgama says Sakka invited him, since a Tathāgata who appears in the world must convert his parents; the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say it followed the custom of the Buddhas of the past; the Buddhacarita and other Buddha biographies say it was to teach his mother. Taishō Canon
Sāriputta's place of retreat: the commentary on the Dhammapada of the Southern tradition says Sāriputta kept the rains retreat at Saṅkassa.
Dating
Year 7 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged forty-one, the three months of the rains retreat; the year is given by the later commentaries, and the three-month retreat is stated in the Chinese Saṃyukta Āgama and elsewhere; it is known only to fall within these three months.
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
The episode of “the Buddha staying in the Heaven of the Thirty-three and teaching” is not recorded in the early sutras and Vinayas of any school; found only in the commentaries or later Buddha biographies. Later addition. “The rains retreat in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, teaching his mother” within it is recorded only in the Chinese Saṃyukta Āgama.
- 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.
Sources
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.99 p.134a–c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.346a
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.703b–706c
- Pali Canon巴利 MN 134:2.11
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Bv-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Vajirabuddhi
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 SN-a，§82
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§286
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 AN-a，§170
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhs-a〈Atthasālinī〉
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Abh-a〈Pañcappakaraṇa〉
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Ap-a，§82
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.194 p.144b
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.192 p.39c
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.193 p.88b
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.198 p.184c–185a
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.203 p.450a
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.200 p.247a
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.156 p.136b
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Abh-a〈Pañcappakaraṇa〉，§209，PTS 0.1–2