The later commentaries of the Southern tradition say that before entering the Buddha's room King Pasenadi entrusted the five emblems of kingship to his general Kārāyana; Kārāyana took the emblems back to the camp and set up the crown prince Viḍūḍabha (King Pasenadi's son) as king, leaving the king only one horse, one sword and one serving woman. Coming out and learning of the coup, the king set off for Rājagaha to borrow troops from his nephew Ajātasattu to recover his kingdom; on the way his eating and drinking were disordered, and when he arrived at night the city gates were already shut, so he lodged in a house by the road outside the city and died that night. Ajātasattu cremated him with royal honours and wished to send troops against Viḍūḍabha, but was dissuaded by his ministers.
Different Accounts
The Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya says the one who set up the new king was the minister Changxing, and renders Viḍūḍabha as Esheng; the king and Lady Vassakārā set off for Rājagaha, and on the way, being hungry, he ate radishes and drank too much water, fell ill with cholera and collapsed and died. Ajātasattu cremated him with royal honours, and the Buddha afterwards explained the kamma (the effects left by past actions) of King Pasenadi's previous lives. Taishō Canon
More differences between accounts (1)
The Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya says only that King Pasenadi lost his throne and the crown prince Viḍūḍabha made himself king; the Chinese Ekottarika Āgama says Viḍūḍabha was made king only after King Pasenadi died a natural death. Taishō Canon
Dating
Estimated in Year 45 after the Awakening (the Buddha aged seventy-nine to eighty). The canonical texts say only that it was in the Buddha's last years; the later commentaries of the Southern tradition and the Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya both say the coup and the king's visit to the Buddha fell on the same day, and the Buddha was eighty at that visit, so this year is derived. The king died on the night of the day he reached Rājagaha.
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
The episode of “Pasenadi losing his throne and Viḍūḍabha becoming king” is recorded by two schools, the Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Sifen lü) and the Chinese Kṣudrakavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. Recorded by two schools. “His death outside Rājagaha” within it is recorded only in the Chinese Kṣudrakavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Converted from the Buddha's age (worked out from the Buddha's age). Time precision: year uncertain, fixed to the day.
Sources
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§364、§374
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，PTS 3.348–3.349
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Dhp-a，PTS 1.337
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.238b–239b
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.238c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.239a
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1428 p.860b
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.690c
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 MN-a，§374