The Four Avijahitaṭṭhāna (Four Sacred Places)

Here, being appropriate and to be specially noted, a brief mention will be made of the four Avijahitaṭṭhāna. The permanent sacred sites utilized by all Buddhas for the same purposes with unchanging uniformity are known as Avijahitaṭṭhāna.

They are four in number, namely:

(1) The site of the Mahābodhi tree, the Victory Throne (Aparājita throne) where all Buddhas had conquered the Five Maras. (i.e. the very spot where there arose the Aparājita throne for our Buddha Gotama had been site of the Aparājita thrones of all Buddhas. There is no change of location. )

(2) Isipatana, Migadāya where our Buddha Gotama preached the Dhammacakka, the first Discourse: (This is the location where all the Buddhas had also preached the Dhammacakka. It is not preached at any other place).

(3) The spot on which the Buddhas usually first set their right foot on their return from Tāvatiṃsa after preaching the Abhidhamma there. (The gate of Sankassa town is that sacred place in our Buddha Gotama’s time.)

(4) The location of Buddhas' bedstead (where the four legs of Buddhas' bedstead usually rested without change.) The Scented Chamber of Buddha Gotama in the monastery of Jetavana was the site of where His bed-stead lay).

As regards the monasteries of the Buddhas, they differ in size due to the circumstances prevalent at the time.

To clarify:

(a) BUDDHA VIPASSI: A plot measuring one yojana, donated by a rich man, Punabba Sumittā, at a cost of gold bricks placed edge to edge on the surface of the plot.

(b) BUDDHA SIKHI: A plot measuring three gavutas, donated by richman Sirivatta, at a cost of gold bars touching one another throughout the plot.

(c) BUDDHA VESSABHU: A plot measuring half a yojana, donated by richman Sotthija, at a cost of gold-cups (gold teeth of harrow) touching one another throughout the surface of the plot.

(d) BUDDHA KAKUSAN: A plot measuring one gāvuta, donated by richman Accuta, at a cost of gold blocks (moulded like elephants' feet) touching one another through out the plot.

(e) BUDDHA KONAGAMANA: A plot measuring half a gavuta, donated by richman Ugga, at a cost of gold bricks placed edge to edge throughout the surface of the plot.

(f) BUDDHA KASSAPA: A plot measuring twenty ussaba, donated by richman Sumangala, at a cost of gold tortoise figure placed side by throughout the plot.

(g) BUDDHA GOTAMA: A plot measuring eight pais, donated by richman Suddatha, also known as Anāthapiṇḍika, at a cost of gold coins touching edge to edge throughout the plot.

     ——Excerpts from Buddhavaṃsa Athakatha and Vinaya Cula Vagga Athakatha——

Although the size of the location of the monasteries differs through the passage of time, the location of the Buddha’s Scented Chamber remained the same without any change (The above is a short account of the four sacred places (Avijahitaṭṭhāna).