The Srataparna Cave, or Cave of the First Council. Legends. Suicide of a Bhikshu.
Out from the old city, after walking over 300 paces, on the west of the road, (the travellers) found the Karanda Bamboo garden,1 where the (old) vihara is still in existence, with a company of monks, who keep (the ground about it) swept and watered.
North of the vihara two or three le there was the Smasanam, which name means in Chinese “the field of graves into which the dead are thrown.”2
As they kept along the mountain on the south, and went west for 300 paces, they found a dwelling among the rocks, named the Pippala cave,3 in which Buddha regularly sat in meditation after taking his (midday) meal.
Going on still to the west for five or six le, on the north of the hill, in the shade, they found the cavern called Srataparna,4 the place where, after the nirvana5 of Buddha, 500 Arhats collected the Sutras. When they brought the Sutras forth, three lofty seats6 had been prepared and grandly ornamented. Sariputtra occupied the one on the left, and Maudgalyayana that on the right. Of the number of five hundred one was wanting. Mahakasyapa was president (on the middle seat). Amanda was then outside the door, and could not get in.7 At the place there was (subsequently) raised a tope, which is still existing.
Along (the sides of) the hill, there are also a very great many cells among the rocks, where the various Arhans sat and meditated. As you leave the old city on the north, and go down east for three le, there is the rock dwelling of Devadatta, and at a distance of fifty paces from it there is a large, square, black rock. Formerly there was a bhikshu, who, as he walked backwards and forwards upon it, thought with himself:—“This body8 is impermanent, a thing of bitterness and vanity,9 and which cannot be looked on as pure.10 I am weary of this body, and troubled by it as an evil.” With this he grasped a knife, and was about to kill himself. But he thought again:—“The World-honoured one laid down a prohibition against one’s killing himself.”11 Further it occurred to him:—“Yes, he did; but I now only wish to kill three poisonous thieves.”12 Immediately with the knife he cut his throat. With the first gash into the flesh he attained the state of a Srotapanna;13 when he had gone half through, he attained to be an Anagamin;14 and when he had cut right through, he was an Arhat, and attained to pari-nirvana;15 (and died).