Jetavana

• 1. The Gold-Covered Park

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  Anathapindika, the chief male patron of Gautama Buddha, sought a peaceful place to build a monastery for his teacher and monks. He found a park belonging to Prince Jeta, son of King Pasenadi of Kosala. The prince initially refused to sell the land. When Anathapindika persisted, Prince Jeta jokingly said he would sell it if the buyer covered the entire ground with gold coins. Anathapindika agreed to this impossible condition. He returned with wagons full of gold pieces to cover the park. Prince Jeta claimed he was only joking and still refused to sell. Arbitrators concluded that Prince Jeta had to sell the park at the mentioned price. The money brought in the first journey was insufficient to cover one small spot near the gateway. Anathapindika sent servants back for more gold. Jeta, inspired by the earnestness, offered to give this specific spot himself. Jeta erected there a gateway with a room over it. Anathapindika paid eighteen crores for the purchase of the site. Jeta spent all of that money on the construction of the gateway he gifted. Anathapindika himself spent fifty-four crores in connection with the purchase and buildings.

• 2. A Complex of Halls And Ponds

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  The ancient Jetavana complex contained sixty large halls and sixty small ones according to Tibetan sources. Some chief buildings attached to the monastery were named Mahagandhakuti, Kaverimandalamala, Kosambakuti, and Candanamala. Another large building called Salalaghara was erected by King Pasenadi. Over the gateway lived a guardian deity to prevent evildoers from entering. A raja yatana tree stood just outside the monastery as the residence of god Samiddhisumana. In the grounds lay a large pond known as the Jetavanapokkharani. The Buddha often bathed in this water. Devadatta was swallowed up in Avici near this pond. The grounds themselves were thickly covered with trees giving the appearance of a wooded grove. On the outskirts grew a mango-grove. In front of the gateway stood the Bodhi-tree planted by Anathapindika. This tree later came to be called the Anandabodhi. Not far from the gateway was a cave famous as the Kapallapuvapabbhara due to an incident involving Macchariyakosiya. The thupas of Sariputta and Moggallana existed in the grounds until the time of Asoka.

• 3. Discourses And Daily Life

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  The Buddha stayed at Jetavana for nineteen out of forty-five vassas more than any other monastery. He gave the majority of his teachings and discourses here. After the Migaramatupasa, a second vihara erected at Pubbarama close to Savatthi was built by Visakha, the Buddha dwelt alternately between Jetavana and that place. He would spend the day in one and the night in the other. One day a rat holding a lamp wick set fire to banners and canopies inside the Mahagandhakuti. All seven sections of the vihara were entirely destroyed in this fire. The vihara was later rebuilt in two sections with two main entrances on east and west sides. Faxian found thupas erected at all places connected with the Buddha each with its name inscribed. Near Jetavana lay a monastery of rival teachers where Cinca Manavika spent her nights hatching a paternity-fraud smear campaign against the Buddha. Behind Jetavana was a spot where Ajivakas practiced their austerities. Heretics once bribed Pasenadi to let them make a rival settlement behind the monastery but the Buddha frustrated their plans. A playground just outside Jetavana was used by neighborhood children who drank water from within the grounds when thirsty.

• 4. Pilgrim Accounts From China

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  Fa Hien and Houien Thsang gave descriptions of incidents connected with the Buddha which took place near Jetavana. These included the murder of Sundarika and the calumny of Cinca. Fa Hien described the vihara as originally being in seven sections filled with offerings embroidered banners and canopies. Lamps burned from dusk to dawn until the fire incident. Faxian found thupas erected at all places connected with the Buddha each with its name inscribed. Houien Thsang provided details about other events occurring in the vicinity. Both pilgrims documented the physical state of the site during antiquity. Their accounts helped later scholars identify the ruins. The Chinese records described the grandeur of the original complex before its destruction. They noted the presence of multiple halls and gardens that defined the sacred space. These travelogues remain crucial for understanding the scale of the ancient establishment.

• 5. The Discovery Of Sahet-Mahet

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  Alexander Cunningham used ancient sixth century AD accounts of Chinese pilgrim-monks to determine that Sahet-Mahet actually referred to Jetavana and Savatthi. The Archaeological Survey of India published findings on this identification between 1907 and 1908. Local people knew the remains of Jetavana and Savatthi simply as Sahet-Mahet. Cunningham matched these names with historical records to confirm their identity. This discovery linked the physical ruins to the famous monastery described in Buddhist texts. The work established the location as a significant archaeological site. It allowed researchers to study the layout of the ancient buildings. The identification opened the door for further excavation and preservation efforts. Without this connection the true history of the place might have remained lost.

• 6. A Modern Pilgrimage Destination

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  Jetavana is currently a historical park containing remains of many ancient buildings such as monasteries huts and stupas. The Gandhakuti where Buddha stayed is the most revered place in the complex. In Jetavana stands the second holiest tree of Buddhism known as the Anandabodhi Tree. A visit to Savatthi and Jetavana forms part of the Buddhist pilgrim route in North-India. The site serves as both a protected historical area and an active destination for devotees. Visitors can see the remains of the original structures that once housed thousands of monks. The park preserves the legacy of Prince Jeta and Anathapindika who built it. Today the grounds continue to attract those seeking spiritual connection to the past. The Archaeological Survey maintains the site for public access and research.