It is mentioned in the commentary on Samaññaphala Sutta that Rajagaha had thirty-two large gates and sixty-four small ones*"Rājagaha kira dvāttimsa mahādvārāni chatusaṭṭhi khudda dvārāni". Both in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahabharata Girivraja is described as a flourishing city, with smiling fields and beautiful houses, free from disease, and surrounded by well-wooded mountains. In the Mahāvastu Avadāna, Rājagaha is described as a rich and delightfully wooded city † (Ramyakānanavane susamriddhe Magadhassa Magadhādhipasya puravare). Yuan Chwang found Kanaka trecs with fragrant, bright golden blossoms on all the paths and in the woods, which imparted to the forests a golden hue in late spring. Hardly a tree can now be seen either on the hills or in the valley in which the old town was situated, due, no doubt, to the ruthless deforestation which has been going on for centuries. A thick growth of tangled, low brushwood is the only thing to be seen all over the valley and on the slopes of the mountains which surround and guard it. The Rāmāyaṇa mentions the name of a river which "lay like a garland in the midst of the five great mountains": "Sumagadha nadi ramya Magadhan viśruta yayau Panchānām sailamukhyānāṁmadhye māleva śobhate." It is very curious that we find a mention, in the Sanyutta Nikaya, of a lake of the same name, viz., "Sumāgadhā Pokkharani", which was situated outside the walls of Rajagaha: "Bhutapubbam Bhikkhave annataro puriso Rājagahā nikkhamitvā lokachintam chintessamiti yena Sumāgadhā Pokkharani tena upasankami. Upasankamitvā Sumāgadhāya Pokkharaniyā tire nisidi." It may be thus rendered into English: "Oh Bhikkhus, in the old days, a person came out of Rajagaha and went to the place where the Sumagadha lake was, in order to think about the people, and after having repaired to the place sat down on the bank of the lake Sumāgadhā." There is ample evidence of the existence of an artificial lake in those days Samaññaphala Sutta Aṭṭhakathā (Burmese Edition), page 3. + Mahāvastu Ava dāna, Vol. I, page 70 (Paris Edition). on the site now known as Akhārā. The characteristic alluvial deposit which covers this area is a sure proof of its having been a lake formed by immense bunds which still exist. A river has now cut a way for itself through the bunds and traverses the whole of the western side of the old city. This perhaps was once known as Sumagadhā river and the lake was made by damming it up. In the walled cities in ancient India, there used to be four parts, viz., the inner parts of the King's palace, the outer parts of the King's palace, the inner parts of the city and the outer parts of the city. In Rājovāda Jātaka, we are told that Bodhistva thought of finding out his own defects and in order to do this, he tried first to ascertain if there was among those who resided inside the palace, any person who spoke ill of him. Finding none inside the palace, he tried the outer parts, then the inner parts of the city, and after that the outer parts of the city. *« Antovalanjakānāmantare kanchi agunavādim adisva attano gunakatham eva sutvā, 'Ete mayham bhayenāpi aguṇam avatvā gunam eva vadeyyun'ti vahivalanjake pariganhanți tatrāpi adsiva antonagran pariganhi, bahinagare chatusu dvāresu dvārāgāmake pariganhi." It is more than probable that Rājagaha had all these four parts. It is said of Bimbisāra that he had once to stay for some time in the outer city as the gates of the inner city had been closed at evening. In other passages, there is mention of fields † and pastures in the outer city. This makes it almost certain that when the Chinese travellers speak of the "palace city", they mean the palace and its environments. It is clear from the accounts of Rajagaha which have come down to us through Pali literature, that the King's palace was built of wood, although stone houses, e.g., the house of Setthi Jyotika, were not unknown. The following passage occurs in the commentary on the Dhammapada‡: "aho andhabalo mama *Jataka, Vol. II, page 2 (Fausbol). Vimanavatthu, page 308, Burmese Edition. Commentary on Dhammapada, Vol. IV, page 211, Păli Text Society. pita; gahapatika nima sattaratanamaye pasāde vasati; eso rājā hutvā dārumaye gehe vasatiti." It means: "Alas, my father (Bimbisāra) is as foolish as a child: a householder lives in a house constructed of seven precious stones, this person, although a king, lives in a house built of wood ". It is said that Jyotika's house was seven stories high. Probably many of the houses in Rājagaha were made of perishable materials. There were many large buildings there, and eighteen big monasteries existed in Rajagaha during Tathāgata's lifetime. Mr. Jackson's "Notes on Old Rajgriha ", a valuable contribution on the subject, makes it clear that, in the southern part of the town, there are important raius. It is on a higher level and broader in extent than the north side, is well protected by high walls, and contains remnants of a strong fort with stone walls apparently of great antiquity. Mr. Jackson says about this fort: *"It appears to be of great antiquity, and as it lies in the very limited portion of Old Rajgriha, from which Griddhrakūta Hill is visible, it may be of interest in connection with the tradition that when King Bimbisāra was shut in prison by his son Ajatasatru he was able to see Buddha on that hill." In the commentary on the Samaññaphala Sutta, we are told, † "So pitaram tāpanagehe pakkhipāpesi" (He caused his father to be thrown into the heating room). "Tapana gehe " is explained as "dhūmagharam or smoke-room' (fire-room) made for doing some work". It is said that Ajātaśatru allowed only his mother to enter into the room in which Bimbisāra was confined. The heroic story of the queen who tried and succeeded in keeping the King alive a long time by bringing him food surreptitiously is well known and need not be repeated here. This makes it almost certain that the alleged room of confinement was supposed to be within the palace precincts and that the Vulture Peak was visible from there. This chain of evidence inevitably leads to the conclusion that the high ground round the stone fort was the palace precinct or palace city" of the Chinese travellers. *Notes on Old Rajgriha, page 209. † Samaññaphala Sutta, Aṭṭhakatha, Burmeso Edition, page 119. The only difficulty in this identification is the distance of the palace city from Griddhrakūṭa as recorded by them. But as they speak of the Gijjhakūta mountain and not particularly the peak, this difficulty is not insurmountable. Yuan Chwang locates some buildings of importance in the southern part of the city and states that not far from these buildings was the site of the village where the wealthy Seṭṭhi Jyotika had his stone mansion. There are other reasons for considering the south-eastern part of the city as the most important locality in it. Bigandet in his *"Legend of the Burmese Buddha", says that Tathāgata on his first visit to the city crossed a river and entered it by the eastern gate † and went through the first row of houses receiving alms from pious hands. The King looking from his apartments over the city saw him passing along the road and was much struck by his appearance and sent messengers who traced him to Pandava mountain (Ratnagiri) where he was taking his meal. It seems that he came through the Giriyak valley and entered the city by the east gate which was nearest to the most important part of it and contained the King's palace. There was at least one good reason for avoiding the northern approach of the city, as, in the immediate vicinity of it, lay the Sitavana where the people of Rajagaha used to deposit their dead. The most frequented entrances leading into the city appear to have been the eastern and the southern gates. It is also significant that Ratnagiri, which is adjacent to the gates, is called Pāṇḍavā Mountain in the Buddhist scriptures of both the schools. There must have been a tradition connecting this mountain with the Pandavas who came to Rājagriha disguised as Snātaka Brahmans and challenged Jarasandha to a single combat. In the commentary on the Samaññaphala Sutta, we are told that, Jivaka, finding that it was difficult to attend upon Tathagata twice or thrice daily on account of the great distance of Pages 62 to 64. Mr. Jackson mentions in his "Notes on Old Rajgriha" (page 268) that the foundations for the columns which supported a bridge at the cast gate still exist. I have seen these myself. Veluvana and Gijjhakūṭī, made a Vihara for the Master in his own mango park: "Mayā divasassa dvatikkhattum Buddhupatthānam gantabbam. Idancha Gijjhakūṭam Veluvaram atidūre. Mayham pana ambavanam uyyānam āsannataram. Yannunāham ettha Bhagavato Vihāram kāreyanti." (I have to go twice or thrice daily for attending upon Buddha. This Gijjhakūta and Veluvana are at a great distance. My mango grove is nearer. Why should I not get a Vihara made here for the Lord?) Jivaka was the court physician at Rajagaha. In Chivarakkhandaka of Vinaya Pitaka, King Bimbisāra is represented as appointing Jivaka his court physician, his duties being to attend upon the king, the ladies of the palace and the Brotherhood of Monks headed by Buddha: "Tena hi bhane Jivaka mam upaṭṭhāhi, itthāgarām, Buddhapamukhancha Samghanti" (Then he said, " Jivaka, attend upon me, the ladies' appartments, and Buddha and his monks ".) Jivaka used to live at the time in the house of Prince Abhaya, which must have been close to the royal residence. Veluvana and Gijjhakūta were at a great distance from the palace. Consequently, he thought of building a Vihara for Buddha in his mango grove which was at a shorter distance. Here is additional evidence for placing the king's palace about the spot indicated above. After this general survey of the old City and its environments, I propose to take up the places of special interest which are associated with Tathāgata and his disciples. Pandava Mountain.-In Buddhaghosha's Commentary on the Dhammapada, the following passage (occurs:1 "Mahabhinikkhamanam nikkhamitvā, Anomānaditīre pabbajitvā, anukkamen Rājagaham gantvā, tattha pindaya chartiva Paṇḍavapabbatapabbhāre nisinno Magadharañño rājjena nimantiyamano tan patikkhipitvă, etc." Here we are told that after having come out from his father's palace and taken to the life of a wandering ascetic on the bank of the river Anomā, Siddhartha arrived, in due course, at Rājagaha, and having received alms in the city returned to the Pāṇḍava mountain where he was visited by the King of ! Commentary on Dhammapada, Volume II, pages 85-86 (Pali Text Society). |