India India image, video clip, background information of Buddhism places in India and Nepal

10/6/59
Shravasti, India part 1

Saheth Jetavana

The ancient city of Shravasti , venerated by Buddhists and Jainas alike, is at present a collection of ruins called SAHETH - MAHETH. This twin name is applied to two distinct groups of remains, Saheth and Maheth.

Sahet is the site of the famous Buddhist monastery anciently known as JETAVANA VIHAR, which lay outside the limits of the ancient Shravasti city. The latter is identified with modern Mahet. The ruins at Sahet consist mainly of plinths and foundation of monasteries and stupas, all Buddhist. The other site i.e., Mahet situated about 500m from the site, denotes the ancient Sravasti city proper.

Very little is known of the city of Shravasti till the sixth century B.C. when it rose to fame owing to its association with Buddha and Mahavira. Buddha performed here the great miracle. scultural representations of the miracle are profuse in Buddhist art.

Prasenajit was the king of Shravasti at the time of Buddha. Prince Jeta was his son. Sudatta, a wealthy merchant of Shravasti, and known as Anathapindika, is said to have built at Sahet a suitable monastery for Buddha owing to his great devotion to him.

This site of Saheth is said to be the park of Prince Jeta, son of King Prasenajit, hence named Jetavan. Sudatta bought this park from Prince Jeta by paying him as many gold pieces as will cover it. This episode is found in a bas-relief sculpture of the second century B.C. from Bharhut. A Jetavana scene is also found depicted on an early Amaravati stele. The earliest structural activities at Saheth are attributed to mainly Sudatta as well as Prince Jeta and his father King Presanajit.

history of Ancient Shravasti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti
Uttar Pradesh India

In the third rainy season after his enlightenment Buddha visited Jetavana and since then he regularly made his sojourn to the monastery spending here twenty-four rainy seasons in all.

One of the most stirring episodes in the ministry of Buddha at Shravasti was the conversion of a robber named Angulimala, an off-told story.

After the age of Buddha and Mahavira, the history of Shravasti is obscure till we come to the period of Ashoka in the third century B.C. .The material prosperity of Shravasti was at its height in Ashoka's time. Who is credited with the erection of two pillars, each 21m high, in addition to several monasteries and stupas. During the early centuries of the Christian era under the patronage of Kushanas the monasteries and shrines of Jetavana were resuscitated. Under the Guptas the Buddhist establishment at Jetavana was prosperous as before. FA-HIEN visited this place in early fifth century .

In the reign of King Harsha (A.D. 606 - 647) Hiuen - Tsang visited Shravasti and found it a wild ruin. There is evidence to show that some Buddhist establishments survived in Jetavana down to the middle of the twelfth century due mainly to the patronage of the Gahadvala kings of Kannoj. The history of Sravasti thereafter is quite unknown.
The ruins of Shravasti remained long forgotten until they were brought to light and identified with Shravasti by Alexander Cunningham in 1863. Successive excavations have yielded the remains of several stupas, temples and monsteries,etc.

history of Ancient Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

Map of Ruins Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

Temple-2
the spot of Gandha Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

TEMPLE-2

Temple-2 is believed to stand on the spot of the original edifice called ‘Gandharuti’. Built by Anathapindika when he laid the Jetavana Monastery, Gandhakuti was, like Kosambakuti, one of the most sacred edifices in Jetavana, having been hallowed by the personal use of Buddha. The lowermost visible portions are assignable to the Gupta period.

Temple-2
the spot of Gandha Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

The remains of a shrine and an assemble-hall in front of it with entrances on the east, are the most conspicuous portions of the ruins. The edifice on the whole is the most ornamental of all the buildings at Jetavana.

Temple-2
the spot of Gandha Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

It is believed that Gandhakuti was, at one time, a wooden structure of seven storeys and that it enshrined a sandalwood image of Buddha. Fa-Hien saw, however, only a brick building of two storeys. Hiuen-Tsang found the brick structure in utter ruins.

The shrine-room is small, 2.85 M square, and contains a low brick platform. Evidently, it is the pedestal of a large statue.

details of Temple-2
the spot of Gandha Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

Temple-3
the spot of Kosamba Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

TEMPLE-3

Temple-3 lies to the north of Bodhi-tree and faces east. It is one of the most sacred edifices in Jetavana and is believed to mark the very spot where stood the original ‘Kosambakuti’ built by Anathapindika and hallowed by the personal use of Buddha.

In front of the temple are two brick terraces erected on the original promenade (Chankama) used by Buddha for his walks. A large Bodhisattava image discovered near the building bears an inscription of the First century A.D. recording that the statue was set up at Kosambakuti by Bala in the reign of a Kushan King. Hiuen-Tsang in the Seventh century saw the image within a small brick temple.

There seems to have been an earlier shrine on the spot before this edifice was erected as indicated by the remains of a ruined wall on a lower level than the present building. The wall is seen on the north and west sides.

details of Temple-3
the spot of Kosamba Kuti
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

Bodhi Tree
the spot where
Anathapindika planted Bodhi-Sapling
Jetavana
Katra, Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh India

The Double Stupa and Bodhi Tree

The tree is believed to mark the spot where Anathapindika planted a Bodhi-sapling. The Sinhalese chronicle Pujavaliya relates the story of this pious act. A double stupa, now visible as two rectangular rooms lies to the east of the Bodhi-tree platform. They are of the usual cruciform and possess relic-chambers. To the east of these stupas is juxtaposed a building, which probably represents goldsmith’s workshop. This presumption is based on the discovery of a lump of pure gold in a clay crucible and of ash within the building, the extant walls of which are 1.50 m. high. The height of the stupas is about 1.20 m. and their relic-chambers are square on plan.