Vaisali

Vaisali is hallowed with sacred memories of the Buddha, who is said to have spent a number of years here and delivered some of his most famous discourses in the city’s main groves. Buddha visited Vaisali first in the fifth year after his Enlightenment and spent the rainy season (Versa vasa ) there. The story goes that while Buddha was in Rajgir, there occurred a major famine in Vaisali, with people dying in large numbers. The people begged their king to invite Buddha to put an end to their sufferings. Buddha was welcomed by the Lichhavi rulers on his arrival and, that evening, he delivered the Ratna Sutta and requested that it be recited within the four walls of the city for the next seven days. He himself recited it religiously for the same period before leaving Vaisali. The city revived and many became Buddhists. Thereafter, Buddha paid a number of visits to Vaisali. It was in Vaisali that the Buddha announced his approaching Nirvana and it was here, a century after his death, that the Second Buddhist Council was held, where several theological problems were discussed. The sacred ashes of the Buddha were brought from Kshinagar to Vaisali in a stone casket and enshrined in a stupa here.