Part 2 - The Veḷuvana Park

King Bimbisāra’s Dedication of The Veḷuvana Park

The Buddha, accompanied by the one thousand bhikkhus, entered the city of Rājagaha along the route cleared by Sakka, the King of Devas. King Bimbisāra conducted the bhikkhus, headed by the Buddha, to his palace, and served them hard and soft food of excellent quality with his own hands. After which, he sat at an appropriate place, free from the six faults, then this thought occurred to him: “At which place with the following five characteristics of: (i) being not too far from the city, (ii) being not too near the city, (iii) roads for going to and coming from it, (iv) easy access to it for everybody at any required time, (v) devoid of noise of the city, village and people clamouring for the five sense objects, would the Buddha take up His residence?”

Veḷuvana Park, which was his, was complete with these five characteristics. Having considered that it would be excellent to donate it to the community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha, the King addressed the Buddha: “Glorious Buddha, I cannot keep myself away from the Three Jewels, as I wish to come to the presence of the Buddha on all occasions, appropriate or not. The Palm Grove where you at present residing is too far from the city, our Veḷuvana Park is neither too far nor too near the city. There are also great roads leading to and coming from it. It is an accommodation worthy of the Blessed Buddha. May You therefore kindly accept my offering of this Veḷuvana Park.”

Having thus addressed the Buddha, and wishing to make a gift of Veḷuvana, King Bimbisāra poured flower-scented clear water onto the hand of the Buddha from a golden pitcher while saying these words of presentation:

“Etāhaṃ Bhante Veḷuvanaṃ Uyyānaṃ Buddhappmukhassa Bhikkhusaṃghassa dammi.—Exalted Buddha, I offer this Veḷuvana Park to the community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha.” When the Buddha accepted Veḷuvana, the great earth quaked swaying from side to side and rocking to and fro, like a damsel who, being carried away by joyous emotions, breaks out into dancing.

(N.B. In the whole of Jambudia [Jambudipa?], there is no park, the acceptance of which by the Buddha occasioned a tremor of the earth except Veḷuvana.)—Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā etc.

The Ten Verses in Appreciation of The Dedication of A Dwelling

(as contained in The Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā)

Having accepted the gift of Veḷuvana, the Buddha delivered a sermon to King Bimbisāra, Ruler of Magadha, in appreciation of a dwelling as follow:

1. Āvāsadānassa pan’ānisaṃsaṃ,
ko nāma vattum puriso samattho;
aññatra Buddhā pana lokanāthā,
yutto mukhānaṃ nahutena c’āpi.

(Great King!) Apart from the Omniscient Buddha, Lord of the world, what man, even if he is strangely equipped with ten thousand mouths, could fully reveal and explain completely the advantages that would accrue from giving a dwelling-place in charity? (Excepting the Buddha Himself, no ordinary people of the world can in any way do so).

2. Ayuṅ ca vaṇṇan ca sukham balañi ca,
varaṃ pasatthaṃ paṭibhānam eva;
dadāti nāmāti pavuccate so,
yo deti sanghassa naro vihāraṃ.

(Great King!) A person, who builds and generously offers a monastery to the community of bhikkhus as a dwelling place for them, may be said to have bestowed on them in joyous faith, the boon of longevity, fairness, happiness, strength and admirable higher intelligence.

3. Dātā nivāsassa nivaranasso,
sitādino jīvitupaddavassa;
pāleti āyuṃ pana tassa yasmā,
āyuppado hoti tam āhu santo.

(Great King!) A person, who builds and generously offers a monastery as a dwelling place which wards off dangers, such as heat and cold, etc., that may cause harm to life, may be said to have given protection to the life of the community of bhikkhus residing there. All good, virtuous people, headed by the Buddha, speak in praise of such a monastery donor as one who makes a gift of life.

4. Accuṇhasīte vasato nivāse,
balañ ca vaṇṇo patibhā na hoti;
tasmā hi so deti vihāradātā,
balañ ca vaṇṇaṃ paṭibhānaṃ eva.

(Great King!) A bhikkhu, living in a place of extreme cold or extreme heat such as an open space, etc., is oppressed by severity of climate due to lack supporting condition (upanissaya paccaya), his strength, fairness, high intelligence cannot steadfastly exist. (Such existence is possible only in a secure dwelling place). That donor of monastic buildings may be said to be one who makes a gift, in joyous faith, of strength, fairness, and intelligence.

5. Dukkhassa sītuṇhasarīsapā ca,
vātātapādippabhavassa loke;
nivāraṇā ‘nekavidhassa niccam,
sukhappado hoti vihāradātā.

(Great King!) A person, who donates a dwelling place, may be said to be a giver of happiness and wellbeing, because the dwelling place wards off all the suffering in the world which are caused by hostile elements of heat, cold, reptiles, scorpions, and fleas and various kinds of troubles due to wild winds and extreme intensity of heat.

6. Sit’uṇhavātātapaḍaṃsavuṭṭhi Sarīsapāvāla migādidukkham;yasmā nivāreti vihāradātā, tasmā sukhaṃ vindati so parattha.

(Great King!) A person, who donates a dwelling place, wards off, through his dwelling place, the suffering caused by cold, heat, wind, sun, gnats, mosquitoes, unseasonal rain, poisonous snakes, scorpions, fleas, wild beasts, etc.. Therefore, that residence donor can, without any vestige of doubt, acquire happiness of both mind and body in his future existence.

7. Pasannacitto bhavatogahetuṃ,
manobhirānaṃ mudito vihāraṃ;
yo deti silādiguṇoditānaṃ,
sabbaṃ dado nāma pavuccate so.

(Great King!) A person, having pious devotion caused by faith and with joy in his heart, builds and gives away, in charity, a pleasant, delightful dwellingplace, which would cause the attainment of happy existence and prosperity, to be used as a monastery by noble bhikkhus who are possessed of five virtuous qualities, such as sīla, etc. All the former Buddhas had successively spoken in praise of such a donor as one who makes a gift of all four things: strength, fairness, happiness and insight or intelligence. (with reference to “so ca sabbadado hoti, yo dadāti upassayaṃ” of Saṃyutta Pāli Text).

8. Pahāya maccheramalaṃ salobhaṃ,
guṇālayānaṃ nilayaṃ dadāti;
khitto‘va so tattha parehi sagge,
yathābhatam jāyati vitasoko.

(Great King!) A person, having abandoned the defilement of stinginess together with greed which is craving and attachment, builds and gives away, in charity, a monastery as a residence of noble bhikkhus who are possessed of virtuous qualities, such as sīla, etc. Just as labourers who transport and deliver goods to the desired destination, so the carrier kamma, the volitional activities, convey that faithful donor to a happy destination; consequently he is reborn in the realms of devas where pleasant objects of five sensual pleasure abound and where no trouble arises for one’s food or shelter:

9. Vare cārurupe vihāre uḷāre,
naro kāraye vāsaye tattha bhikkhū;
dadeyy’annapānañ ca vatthañ ca nesaṃ,
pasannena cittena sakkacca niccaṃ.

(Great King!) A wise man, therefore, who cares for his own interest, should cause to build a splendid monastery which is praiseworthy, delightful and commodious. He should then request bhikkhus, who possess much knowledge and experience, to take up residence in his monastery. He should always be in devotional faith, regarding the resident bhikkhus with deference and make joyous offering to them of various kinds of food and drink and robes.

10. Tasmā Mahāraja bhavesu bhoge,
manorame paccanubhuyya bhiyyo;
vihāradānassa phalena santaṃ,
sukhaṃ asokaṃ adhigaccha pacchā ti.

(Great King!) As a result of this donation of the monastery in pious faith, you will, therefore, repeatedly enjoy in various happy existences with more and more delightful wealth. After which, you will, through realisation of the four maggas and the four phalas, attain the bliss of Nibbānic Peace to be entirely free of sorrow.

Having thus blessed King Bimbisāra with the sermon appreciating the dedication of the monastery, the Buddha rose from His seat and, accompanied by one thousand bhikkhus moved to Veḷuvana to take up residence.

(N.B. This narrative of King Bimbisāra’s donation of the Veḷuvana to the community of bhikkhus, headed by the Buddha, mentions his offering by way of naming what is most essential and what is most important, which, in this case, was the Park. As a matter of fact, the King’s donation included dwellings with tiers and other buildings for the bhikkhus to dwell in (as the Buddhavaṃsa Commentary describes Veḷuvana as a site adorned with pleasant spired buildings (pasāda), flatroofed buildings (hammiya), mansions (vimāna), abodes with roofs on four sides (vihāra), those with roofs on two sides (aḍḍhayoga), pandals (mandapa) and the like.)

The Buddha’s Permission to accept A Dwelling Place as A Gift

Having given the Dhamma talk on the offer of the Veḷuvana Park by King Bimbisāra, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus thus:

“Anujānāmi Bhikkhave ārāmaṃ—I allow you, bhikkhus, to accept an offer of a park.”