DEVADATTA STONE HOUSE, Rajgir
25.013900,85.472200
Description
The »Stone House of Devadatta« (note 1) is said to be a »large« cave (note 2) of natural origin (note 3). According to Buddhist folklore is this troglodyte retreat associated with Devadatta (note 4) who practiced here spiritual techniques and boulder hurling —bloodstains on a nearby rock prove his achievements (note 5). BEGLAR (a.i.). needs to be checked.SITUATION: At Rajgir, near the western foot of Vipula hill, about one kilometre south of the bus stand in New Rajgir town, and approximately midways (on the east, left hand side) between the latter and the North Gate of Old Rajgir (note 6).
NOTE 1: So far, I saw this stone house calledHouse of Deva-data BALFOUR (1885 edited 1968, 3: 344) House or Residence of Devadatta BURGESS & FERGUSSON (1880 edited: 50) Devadatta Cave of Fa-Hsien WATTERS (1905 edited 1988, 2: 155) Stone House of Devadatta KURAISHI (1939), KURAISHI & GOSH (1958: 40) Devadatta-samadhi Cave WATTERS (1905 edited 1988, 2: 155) Stone Cavern of Thiao tha LAIDLAY (1848 edited 2000: 302, 304). NOTE 2: There is only one literary reference where this cave is called a large cave, and "large“ is used as if to mean important or noteworthy ("Hsuan Tsang" = XUANZANG, also: Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsüan Chwang, Hsüan Tsang, Huan Chwang, Hwen Thsang, Yuan Chwang, Yuén Chwàng 648 A.D. for 629-645 A.D. in WATTERS 1905, 2: 155). NOTE 3: BURGESS & FERGUSSON (1880 edited: 50-51) say »it is only a natural cavern … marked M in General Cunningham's map (Vol. III, Plate XLI), but not described by him nor by Mr. Beglar. But as it is merely a natural cavern this is of little consequence, except as affording another example of the primitive form of all the earlier caves.« FAXIAN (ca. 415 for 399-414 translated by LAIDLAY 1848 edited 2000: 302, 304 + note 7) just mentions »the stone cavern of Thiao tha« and KLAPROTH (in FAXIAN circa 415 A.D. for 399-414 A.D. translated by REMUSAT 1836 in LAIDLAY 1848 edited 2000: 304 note 7) adds »Thiao tha is the transcription… of Devadatta.« BALFOUR (1885 edited 1968, 3: 344-345) notes »the natural cavern called the House of Deva-data« (indicated by Manfred Moser, Regensburg 1998 personal correspondence). KURAISHI & GHOSH (1975: 39-40), in the name of the Archaeological Survey of India, a congenial pair of remarkably talented experts in matters of cave confusion, identify the stone house of Devadatta with a ruined plinth (sic! obviously the base of a wooden structure) which lies immediately behind the Suraj Kund, »some 182 m from the north gate [FAXIAN has 850 m]: This site exactly corresponds to the indications given by Hiuen Tsang [i.e. Xuanzang] … The plinth stands 3.65 metres high. Its western side is well-preserved and measures 13.7 metres but the other sides are ruined.« NOTE 4: BURGESS & FERGUSSON (1880 edited 1988: 50) call Devadatta »the persistent enemy of Buddha.« NOTE 5: XUANZANG (648 A.D. for 629-645 A.D. in WATTERS 1905 edited 1988, 2: 155) notes »large cave in which Devadatta went into Samadhi, and near this is a flat rock, stained as if with blood.« WATTERS (1905 edited 1988, 2: 155): »It was probably in this cave that the ambitious Devadatta practiced samadhi with the design of attaining supernatural powers, and thus becoming perfectly equal to his cousin, the Buddha.« BURGESS & FERGUSSON (1880 edited 1988: 50-51): »In front of [the »House or Residence of Devadatta«] it is still to be seen the rock which, according to tradition, Devadatta rolled down from the mountain athwart Buddha's path and wounded a toe of his foot« (indicated by Manfred Moser, Regensburg 1998 personal correspondence). KURAISHI & GHOSH (1958 edited 1975: 40) note a »piece of stone with crimson marks, popularly believed to be blood-stains.« NOTE 6: FAXIAN (ca. 415 for 399-414 translated by LAIDLAY 1848 edited 2000: 302, 304): »Issuing from the ancient town and descending three li towards the north-east, you come to the stone cavern of Thiao tha [Devadatta].« According to VOST (1903: 91), three li of Faxian correspond to 850 m. CUNNINGHAM (1873 plate XLI = 41) shows an "M" on the location map to mark the position. BURGESS & FERGUSSON (1880 edited1988: 50-51): »… situated at the foot of the hill in the north-eastern corner of the city at a spot marked M in General Cunningham's map …« (indicated by Manfred Moser, Regensburg, 1998 personal correspondence). WATTERS (1905 edited 1988, 2: 155): »The pilgrim [i.e. "Hsuan Tsang" = XUANZANG] proceeds to relate that to the left of the north gate of the mountain city on the north of the south cliff there, going east two or three li, you come to the large cave in which Devadatta went into Samadhi. Near this is a flat rock, stained as if with blood, and beside was a tope … The Devadatta-samadhi Cave of this passage is apparently the Devadatta Cave of Fa-Hsien [FAXIAN], the situations being similar {Fo-kuo-chi, chapter 30).« buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_23.htm (accessed 30.09.2003, probably DHAMMIKA, S. (a.i.): Middle land, middle way: a pilgrims' guide to the Buddha's India.- ) places Devadatta's Cave at »Makdum Kund« (sic! for: Makhdum Kund, a detached hot spring, nowadays enclosed in a Muslim ziarat at the foot of the north-western flank of Vipula Hill) where one finds the small rock shelter of –>Makhdum Shah Sharfu'd Din i Bihar (Hazrat Mukhdum Shah Sharfuddin Ahmed Yalia of Maner).
Documents
Bibliography 27/03/2016- Balfour Edward 1885 edited 1968; Burgess James & Fergusson James 1880 edited 1988; Cunningham Alexander 1871, 1873, 1878; Fa Hian [Fahian, Fa Hien] circa 415 for 399-414 translated by Laidlay J W 1848 edited 2000; Kuraishi Mohammad Hamid 1939 edited 1944, 1951, 1956; Kuraishi Mohammad Hamid & Gosh A 1958 edited 1975; Watters Thomas 1905 edited 1988.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | PIPPALA CAVE | ||
| 0.3 | Makhdum ShahSharfu'd Din i Bihar (Cave of) | ||
| 0.6 | SNAKE-ROCK POND, Rajgir (Cave of the) | ||
| 0.7 | BUDDHA SAMADHI CAVE, Rajgir | ||
| 0.7 | GAMBHIRA GUHA | ||
| 1.5 | SONBHANDAR GUHA | ||
| 1.5 | SATTAPANNA GUHA | ||
| 1.7 | SATTAPANNA GUHA (Stein 1901) 2nd | ||
| 2.4 | GRIDHRAKUTA CAVE 2 |