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LEAVING VAISHALI
§ 1. Farewell to Vesali
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Before he set on his last journey the Blessed Lord was staying at Rajagraha on the Vulture’s Peak.
After staying there for some time he said: “ Come Ananda, let us go to Ambalathika.”
“ So be it Lord ! ” said Ananda in assent, and the Blessed One, with a large company of the brethren, proceeded to Ambalathika.
After staying at Ambalathika he moved on to Nalanda.
From Nalanda he went to Pataligama, the capital of Magadha.
From Pataligama he went to Kotigam and from Kotigam he went to Nadika.
At each of these places he stopped for a few days and delivered a religious discourse either to the brethren or the householders.
From Nadika he went to Vesali.
Vesali was the birth-place of Mahavira and consequently a stronghold of his faith.
But the Blessed Lord soon succeeded in converting the people of Vesali to his own faith.
It is said that owing to drought, a famine ravaged the city of Vesali to such an extent that people died in large numbers.
The people of Vesali complained of it in a general assembly convoked by them.
The assembly after much discussion decided to invite the Blessed Lord to the city.
A Lichchavi by name Mahali, a friend of King Bimbisara and son of the chaplain of Vesali, was sent to offer the invitation.
The Blessed Lord accepted the invitation and started with five hundred Bhikkhus. As soon as he entered the territory of the Vajjins there was a thunderstorm, rain fell in torrents and famine disappeared.
This is the origin of the welcome which the people of Vesali gave to the Blessed Lord.
Having won their hearts it was natural that the people of Vesali should give him a warm response.
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