The Great Chronicle of Buddhas
by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw | 1990 | 1,044,401 words
This page describes The Buddha’s Last Vassa at Veluva Village contained within the book called the Great Chronicle of Buddhas (maha-buddha-vamsa), a large compilation of stories revolving around the Buddhas and Buddhist disciples. This page is part of the series known as the Buddha Declared the Seven Factors of Non-Decline for Rulers. This great chronicle of Buddhas was compiled by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw who had a thorough understanding of the thousands and thousands of Buddhist teachings (suttas).
Part 16 - The Buddha’s Last Vassa at Veḷuva Village
Then the Buddha, after staying at Ambapāli’s mango grove for as long as He wished, told Ānanda His wish to go to Veḷuva village in the vicinity of Vesālī and He proceeded there accompanied by a big company of bhikkhus.
During His stay at Veḷuva village (which was about the full moon of Vesakha, in his forty-fifth vassa), the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:
“Bhikkhus, enter upon the vassa period in the vicinity of Vesālī at the monasteries of your friends and acquaintances. As for me, I am going to pass the vassa in this Veḷuva village.”
“Very well, Venerable Sir,” the bhikkhus replied, and they entered into the rains-retreat (vassa) period at the monasteries of friends and acquaintances in the vicinity of Vesālī. The Buddha Himself entered the vassa period at Veḷuva village.
(The Buddha told the bhikkhus to dwell, during the vassa period, in the various monasteries in the neighbourhood of Vesālī because Veḷuva village was too small to provide daily alms-food to this great number of bhikkhus whereas the many monasteries around Vesālī could collect alms-food without difficulty.
The reason for the Buddha’s orders to the bhikkhus to stay not far away from Vesālī was that He knew that He would enter Parinibbāna in the next ten months, so if the bhikkhus were allowed to go and dwell at far away places, some of them might not be able to pay their last respects to Him when He passed away, and they would feel very sorry for the lack of any hint from Him about His oncoming demise. By staying around Vesālī, they could get the opportunity of listening to His discourses, eight times a month. So it was out of compassion for the bhikkhus that the Buddha limited the area of vassa dwelling for the bhikkhus to the neighbourhood of Vesālī.)