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The Jetavana Monastery was a gift for Buddha from the wealthy
merchant Sudatta also known as Anathapindika. When Lord Buddha
accepted Anathapindika's invitation to visit Shravasti,
Anathapindika was on the lookout for a place favorable to be
Buddha's residence and discovered the park which was located to the
south of the city of Shravasti (according to Buddhist scriptures) in
the process.
Sudatta asked to be allowed to buy it, from Jeta, the son of King
Prasenjeet, and Jeta refused to sell the park even if Sudatta
covered it with money; Anathapindika agreed to buy the park at that
price; when Jeta refused even after that, the matter was taken
before the Lords of Justice, who decided that if the price mentioned
were paid, Anathapindika had the right of purchase.
Anathapindika had gold brought down in carts and covered every inch
of the park with pieces of gold laid side by side. The money brought
in the first journey was found insufficient to cover one small spot
near the gateway and so Anathapindika sent his servants back for
more, but Jeta, inspired by Anathapindika's dedication and eagerness
to build a shelter for Lord Buddha, asked to be allowed to donate
that much land for the Jetavana Monastery.
Anathapindika agreed to his proposal and Jeta erected there a
gateway, with a room over it. It is said that Anthapindika paid
eighteen crores for the purchase of the site, all of which Jeta
spent in the construction of the gateway which was a gift from him
to the monastery. Jeta also gave many valuable trees for timber and
Anathapindika himself spent fifty-four crores in all for the
purchase of the land and building of the structures inside it.
Some of the chief buildings attached to the Jetavana were,
Mahagandhakuti, Kaverimandalamala, Kosambakuti and Candanamala.
Other buildings like the Ambalakotthaka-asanasala are also
mentioned. According to Tibetan sources the Jetavana Monastery was
built according to a plan sent by the Devas of Tusita and contained
sixty large halls and sixty small halls.
The grounds of the monastery were thickly covered with trees, and on
the outskirts of the monastery was a mango-grove. In front of the
gateway was the Bodhi-tree planted by Anathapindika, from a sapling
of the Mahabodhi Tree.
Getting There
Jetavana Monastery is located just outside the old city of Shravasti.
Shravasti is well connected to
the rest of Uttar Pradesh by roadways. The nearest mega terminus is at Gonda
that is 50 kilometers from the downtown Shravasti.
The nearest railhead is Balrampur that is 17 Kilometers from Shravasti. Nevertheless, Gonda railway
station that is also nearby is a better option when it comes to
connectivity. Gonda station is well connected to other cities in Uttar
Pradesh and India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Agra, Lucknow,
Bangalore and Ahmedabad etc.
Shravasti Airport has had
no scheduled services operating since 2013. The nearest airport from
Shravasti is Chaudhary Charan
Singh International Airport at Lucknow, about 170 kilometers from
Shravasti. The Airport is well connected to other cities in India such as
New Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Chennai and Bangalore.
From the Airport you can
hire cabs or take a train to reach Shravasti.
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