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Rajagriha
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Rajagriha
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Rajagriha
INDIA, Bihar, Rajgir
ay the identified Buddhist sites in the area include: Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak), where the Buddha delivered major teachings; Venuvana Monastery, which was donated by King Bimbisara (reigned 543-491 BCE) and which was the first Buddhist monastery; Bimbisara’s Jail, where King Bimbisara was imprisoned by his son Ajatasatru, and where he spent his last days; the Pippala Stone House, believed to be the dwelling place of Mahakasyapa; the Saptaparni Cave, where the First Buddhist Council took place; and the Ajatasatru Stupa, Asoka Pillar, and Asoka Stupa.
Rajagriha is mentioned in numerous Buddhist sutras and many well-known events in the life of the Buddha took place here. After the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel in Sarnath, the Buddha traveled to Rajagriha and taught the Dharma to King Bimbisara. This is the place where the Buddha converted Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, the two principal disciples of the Buddha, and added 500 members to the sangha. The Buddha’s calming of a drunken elephant, an event often depicted in Buddhist art, also took place in this city. |
