India As Described In Early Texts Of Buddhism and Jainism

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Bimlacharan Law

Page 34

26 INDIA AS DESCRIBED IN EARLY TEXTS
The Sappini, modern Pancāna, was a small stream at Rājagaha. Similarly Sutanu was a small stream at Săvatthi2 which must have fallen into the Aciravati. The Salalavati (Sarāvati in the Divyāvadāna, better Saranavati), probably modern Suvarnarekhă, formed, as we saw, the south-east boundary of the Middle country. And the Vettavatī, modern Betwa in Bhopal, is an affluent of the Yamunā on the bank of which stood the city of Vetravati, and farther south-west, stands Bhilsā or ancient Vidisā.8
As regards the hills, mention is froquently made of Gayāsīsa, the principal hill of Gayā,4 which is the modern Brahmayoni and identical with what is called Gayasira in the Mahābhārata, 5 and Gayāśira in the Purānas. The Pali commentaries account for the origin of its name by the striking resemblance of its shape with that of the head of an elephant (gajasīsa). The Mahobhārata speaks of twenty-five hills of Gayā including the Gayasira, but the early texts of Buddhism ignore all but the Gayāsisa. The hills called Prägbodhi by Hinen Tsang 8 on the
1 Anguttara, 11, p. 29. 2 Samyuta, v, p. 297. 8 Jātaka, iv, p. 388. 4 Vinaya, i. p. 34f.; ti, p. 199. 6 Mahabharata, ii, 95.9; Barua, op. oit., i, p. 74.
Barua, op. cit., i, p. 88. 7 Săratthappakäsint, ili, 4. 8 Real, Buddhist Records, ii, p. 114.