Saptaparni Cave

Saptaparni Cave
Saptaparni Cave
	Saptaparni Cave
Location	Rajgir, Bihar
Coordinates	25°00′26″N 85°24′39″E / 25.007175°N 85.410792°ECoordinates: 25°00′26″N 85°24′39″E / 25.007175°N 85.410792°E
Governing body	Archeological Survey of India
	Location of Saptaparni Cave in Bihar

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Saptparni Cave, also referred to as Sapta parni guha (Saraiki) or sattapaṇṇi guhā (Pali), literally Seven-leaves-cave (cognate with sapta, sept), is a Buddhist cave site about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southwest from Rajgir, Bihar, India.^[1]^[2] It is embedded in a hill. The Saptaparni Cave is important in the Buddhist tradition, because many believe it to be the site in which Buddha spent some time before his death,^[3] and where the first Buddhist council was held after Buddha died (paranirvana).^[1]^[4]^[5] It is here that a council of few hundred monks decided to appoint Ananda, Buddha's cousin, and Upali, who had accompanied the Buddha when he gave sermons in north India, to compose Buddha's teachings for the future generations. This was of special importance because the Buddha never wrote down his teachings. After the meeting in Saptaparni Cave, Ananda created an oral tradition of Buddha's teaching from his memory, prefacing it with "Thus have I heard on one occasion". Upali is credited with reciting the Vinaya (discipline), or "rules for the Bhikshus".^[1] This tradition is found in Vinaya Pitaka II.284 through II.287 and Digha Nikaya II.154.^[6]

Saptaparni cave entrance.

References[edit]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Paul Gwynne (30 May 2017). World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction. Wiley. pp. 51–52. ISBN 978-1-118-97228-1.
↑ Jules Barthélemy Saint-Hilaire (1914). The Buddha and His Religion. Trübner. pp. 376–377.
↑ Digha Nikaya 16, Maha-Parinibbana Sutta, Last Days of the Buddha, Buddhist Publication Society
↑ Kailash Chand Jain (1991). Lord Mahāvīra and His Times. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 66. ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8.
↑ Chakrabartia, Dilip K (1976). "Rājagriha: An early historic site in East India". World Archaeology. 7 (3): 261–268. doi:10.1080/00438243.1976.9979639.
↑ Peter Harvey (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-0-521-85942-4.

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[Gwynne2017-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Paul Gwynne (30 May 2017). World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction. Wiley. pp. 51–52. ISBN 978-1-118-97228-1.

[2] Jules Barthélemy Saint-Hilaire (1914). The Buddha and His Religion. Trübner. pp. 376–377.

[3] Digha Nikaya 16, Maha-Parinibbana Sutta, Last Days of the Buddha, Buddhist Publication Society

[Jain1991p66-4] Kailash Chand Jain (1991). Lord Mahāvīra and His Times. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 66. ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8.

[5] Chakrabartia, Dilip K (1976). "Rājagriha: An early historic site in East India". World Archaeology. 7 (3): 261–268. doi:10.1080/00438243.1976.9979639.

[6] Peter Harvey (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-0-521-85942-4.

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v t e Buddhist sites in Bihar
Sites	Bakraur Barabar Caves Bodh Gaya Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum and Memorial Stupa Kesaria Stupa Kumhrar Lomas Rishi Cave Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya Seen in the picture Nalanda inscription of Devapaladeva Nalanda mahavihara Odantapuri Rajgir Saptaparni Cave Vaishali (ancient city) Vikramashila
See also	Pataliputra Buddhist monasteries in India Hindu temples in Bihar
Monasteries in other states	Arunachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Ladakh Sikkim West Bengal
Sites, pilgrimage centres, caves in other states	Andhra Pradesh Gujarat Haryana Karnataka Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Odisha Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh

v t e Indian Buddhist caves
Andhra Pradesh	Adapur Caves Belum Caves Chandavaram Erravaram Caves Guntupalli Caves Kotturu Dhanadibbalu Pandavula Metta Caves Ramateertham Sankaram Undavalli Caves
Bihar	Indrasala Cave Vulture Peak Saptaparni Cave Lomas Rishi Cave
Gujarat	Dhank Caves Junagadh Buddhist Cave Groups Khapra Kodiya Caves Bava Pyara Caves Uparkot Caves Kadia Dungar Caves Khambhalida Caves Sana Caves Siyot Caves Talaja Caves
Karnataka	Aihole Badami cave temples Pandava Caves
Madhya Pradesh	Bagh Caves Dhamnar Caves Saru Maru
Maharashtra	Ajanta Caves Ambivali Caves Aurangabad Caves Bahrot Caves Bedse Caves Bhaja Caves Dharashiv Caves Ellora Caves Mahad/Gandharpale Caves Ghatotkacha Caves Ghorawadi/Shelarwadi Caves Karla Caves Karad Caves Khed Caves Kondana Caves Kuda Caves Nenavali Caves Nasik/Pandavleni Caves Panhalakaji Caves Patan caves Pitalkhora Pohale Caves Shirwal Caves Nadsur/Thanale Caves Wai Caves Yerphal Caves In the Mumbai area: Elephanta Caves Jogeshwari Caves Kondivite/Mahakali Caves Mandapeshwar Caves Kanheri Caves In the Junnar area: Lenyadri Manmodi Caves Shivneri Caves Tulja Caves
Rajasthan	Binnayaga Buddhist Caves Hathiagor Buddhist Caves Kolvi Caves