BUDDHAVANA STONE CHAMBER

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 24/03/2016

A »stone chamber« reported XUANZANG (648) from »Fo-tho-fa-na« or Buddhavana mountain, situated at a distance of »100 li« (27 km) north-east from »Kiu-kiu-cha-po-tho« (Kukkutapada, the Cock's foot mountain) or »30 li« (8.25 km) west of »Yashtivana« (Jeshtiban village). CUNNINGHAM (ASI report III: 138 sqq; 1871: 461; 1991: 388-389) did not visit the place but anyhow wanted see Buddhavana in a lofty hill called Budhain, about 13 km south-west of Rajgir. This is untenable because Budhain hill lies in the almost opposite direction from Jeshtiban. STEIN (1901: 83) failed to trace the hill and cave on 15th and 16th October 1899. JACKSON (1914) is said to have identified the site (JOHNSTON 1940: 114).Sources: XUANZANG (648 in WATTERS 1905 edited 1988, 2: 146): »… [Xuanzang] came to the Buddhavana mountain , with lofty peaks and closely packed cliffs. Buddha, he adds, had rested in a cave in its steep side. At the side of this was a flat stone which Sakra and Brahma had once used for grinding Oxhead Sandal to rub it over Buddhas body: the stone still retained the perfume.« JULIEN (1853, 3: 10) needs to be checked. JACKSON (1914) needs to be checked. JOHNSTON (1940: 114) reports V.W.H. Jackson's identification of the Buddhavana mountain and its cave with the gosira sandal is unquestionably right.