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ning, Anāthapiņdika made elaborate preparations for the cooking of food. At the appropriate hour, the Buddha arrived with his monks, Anathapindika served food with his own hands. When, after dinner, the Buddha-sat, Anathapindika made a humble submission:
"Bhante ! What should I do about Jetavana"?
The Buddha said,
"You dedicate it for the use of the monks, present as well as future, coming from anyone of the four directions".
Anāthapindika accepted the Buddha's suggestion and dedicated it at once for the use of the monks, present as well as future, coming from anyone of the four directions. The Buddha gave his approval to the gift made by Anāthapiņdika and departed(19).
After this, the Buddha paid frequent visits to Srāvasti and he mostly stayed at the vihāra in Jeta vana. It was from this place that he propounded many rules for his Sangha.
When his life on this earth was about to come to a close, Anathapiņdika became ill. He sent the following message to the Buddha:
'I am ill. I send my homage and obeisance from here. Please accept them'.
To Sāriputta he sent the following message:
"Be good enough to come so that I may bow before thee".
Sāriputta came to his house with Ananda. Anāthapindika was completely bed-ridden with several complications. Säriputta spoke to him of the utility of restraining one's organs of senses and also on the utility of detachment. With an exuberance of emotion, Anāthapindika began to cry. He said,
