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ALL THE MAGADHAS EST
A.D.), made no attempt to restore the old Magadhan Imperial capital, Pataliputra.1 About 600 A.D. Saśānka Narendragupta, king of Gauda and Karnasuvarna, destroyed the 'Buddha's footprints' at Pataliputra, and smashed many Buddhist temples and monasteries.2 Dharmapala, the most powerful of the Pala kings of Bengal and Bihar, took some steps to renew the glory of Pataliputra, but the interests of the Pala monarchs seem to have been centred in Bengal rather than in Magadha.3
As might be expected, the Pali Buddhist literature has references to Pataliputra, but as it had not grown up into a city in the Buddha's lifetime, it does not find such frequent mention as Rajagṛha, the ancient capital. However, on one occasion, the upasakas of Pataligama, as it then was, built an Avasathāgara (living-house), and they invited the Buddha on the occasion of its opening ceremony. An influential Brahmin householder of Benares named Ghotamukha built a vihara at Pataliputra for Udena, a bhikkhu, and the vihara was called Ghoṭamukhi. Another bhikkhu, Bhadda, dwelt at Kukküṭārāma near Paṭaligāma, and had conversations with Ananda, the Buddha's famous disciple. ban 11
The Daṭhāvamsa contains a long story concerning King Pandu of Pataliputra, the heretical Niganthas, and King Guhasīva, a vassal of Pandu. In brief, the Niganthas went to Pandu to complain that Guhasiva worshipped the tooth-relic of the Buddha, instead of Pandu's gods Brahma, Śiva and the rest. Pandu, angered, sent a subordinate king called Cittayana to arrest and bring Guhasīva to him with the tooth-relic. However, Cittayana was converted by Guhasīva to be a follower of the Buddha, and together they went to Pataliputra, where a series of miracles ensued, as every effort made by Pandu to destroy the relic failed. Finally, King Pandu was convinced of the relic's miraculous properties, and gave up his false belief."
229
Sthulabhadra, leader of some of the Jaina bhikkhus, summoned a council at Pațaliputra (about 200 years after Mahāvira's death), in the absence of Bhadrabahu and his party, to collect the Jaina sacred literature. Bhadrabahu on his return refused to accept the work of the Council of Pațaliputra.8
1 Smith, Early History of India, 4th Ed., p. 310.
2 S. C. Vidyabhuṣaṇa, History of Indian Logic, p. 349. 3 Smith, Early History of India, 4th Ed., pp. 310-11. 4 Vinayapitaka, I, pp. 226-8.
* Majjhima Nikaya, II, pp. 157 foll.
6 Samyutta Nikaya, V, pp. 15-16, 171-2.
7 See B. C. Law, Dathavamsa, Intro., pp. xii-xiv.
8 Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson, Heart of Jainism, p. 72.
