Jain Journal 1967 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 69

196
JAIN JOURNAL
Kusinagara. There is no doubt that we must place all the mentioned towns viz., Bhadrika, Alabhika, Kusinagara in a more or less close vicinity of Sravasti. In Digha Nikaya IV, 1 (Mahāparinibbāṇa) the Buddha comes via Vesali to Bhandagama, Hatthigama (5), Ambagama, Jambugama, and Bhoganagara (6) to Pava (13) (IV, 33), a Mallian pukkusa is passing the high road from Kusinara to Pava. And from there Buddha comes to Kusinara (Digha Nikaya, XVI, 4, 20)48. From Pava to Kusinara led another way from Vesali (Mahāvagga VI 30, 6) via Apana, which is in the Anguttrapa (Mahāvagga VI, 35, 36) and via Atuma from Sravasti (Mahāvagga, VI, 37, 38). The east direction of all these places cannot be in question.
In Digha Nikaya (XXIX, 1) the Buddha receives the news of Mahavira's death in Pava, while staying in the Sakka country. Franke19 remarked in connection with Digha Nikaya (XXXIII, 1, 66) that Buddha was at the same time in the Sakka country and in Pava. Such a conclusion is wrong. In Majjhima Nikaya (II, 243, 1041) we read: ekam samayam bhagavā sakkesu viharati samagāme tena kho pana samayena nigaṇṭho nataputto pāvāyam adhunā kālagato hoti...(p. 244) atha kho cundo samanuddeso pāvāyam vassavuttho yena sāmagāmo yen ayasma anando ten upasankami. The conclusion is possible that Pava must be near Samagama in the Sakka country, but never that Buddha was in Pava. And also the identity of this samaņuddesa Cunda. with the kammaraputta of Digha Nikaya (XVI, 4, 13) is not plausible, because this latter can be the son of the older Cunda of Digha Nikaya (XXIX) and Majjhima Nikaya (II, 244). But that does not involve the necessity that Pava must be situated in the Sakka country. The location of Pava has to be sought, on the foot of the Nepal hills, "to the north of the modern Basti and Gorakphur districts 50." It was necessary to state that, there could arise the problem of another Pava; for in Digha Nikaya (XXXiii, 1, 1) Pava is named mallānām nagaram (XXXIII, 1, 2), the Mallas are named Paveyyaka. Because the Sakka territory was in the neighbourhood of the Malla territory 51, the identity of these two Pavas is out of question. Now there existed still a second Pava, says J. Charpentier 52, near Rajagrha and this scholar denies that this Pava could be the same where Mahavira died. It is quite correct that Mahavira did not pass away in the Pava near Rajagrha.
48 Cf. Cullav. XI, 1, 1.
49 In his Digha Nikaya, 1. c., p. XLII, n. 1.
50
V. A. Smith, Early History of India, p. 29 and n. 2.
1 T. W. Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, p. 26.
53 The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I, Cambridge 1922, p. 163.