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Chapter Fifty-Two
Fields of Merit
The following year Svasti spent the retreat season at Nigrodha monastery in Kapilavatthu. The Buddha had returned to his homeland prior
to the retreat after hearing about the conflict and unrest between the kingdoms of Sakya and Koliya. Koliya was his mother’s native land.
Princess Yasodhara was also from Koliya.
The two kingdoms were separated by the Rohini River. In fact, the dispute concerned the rights to the river’s water. Because of a
drought, neither kingdom had enough water to irrigate its fields. Both kingdoms wanted to build a dam in the Rohini in order to have what
little water there was. At first the conflict began as no more than angry words hurled back and forth across the river by farmers, but soon
passions escalated and farmers began to throw rocks at each other. Police were sent in to protect citizens, and finally, soldiers were lined
up on either side of the river. It looked as if the conflict could erupt into a war at any moment.
The Buddha wanted, first of all, to understand the causes of the dispute. He asked the Sakya generals by the river, and they accused the
citizens of Koliya of threatening the lives and property of Sakya citizens. Then he asked the generals on the Koliya side, and they accused
the Sakya citizens of threatening the lives and property of the citizens of Koliya. Only when the Buddha spoke directly to the local farmers
did he learn that the real source of the conflict was the lack of water.
Thanks to his close ties with both the Sakya and Koliya dynasties, the Buddha was able to bring about a meeting between King
Mahanama and King Suppabuddha. He asked them to negotiate a quick solution to the crisis, because both sides would lose in a war,
whether the loss was greater or smaller. He said, “Your Majesties, which is more precious, water or human lives?”
The kings agreed that human lives were infinitely more precious.
The Buddha said, “Your Majesties, the need for adequate irrigation water has caused this conflict. If pride and anger had not flared up,
this conflict could have been easily resolved. There is no need for war! Examine your hearts. Do not waste the blood of your people
because of pride and anger. Once pride and anger are released, the tensions that lead to war will disappear. Sit down and negotiate how
the river water can be shared equally with both sides in this time of drought. Both sides must be assured of an equal amount of water.”
Thanks to the Buddha’s counsel, the two sides quickly reached an agreement. Warm and cordial relations were re-established. King
Mahanama asked the Buddha to remain and spend the retreat season in Sakya. It was the fifteenth retreat season since the Buddha attained
Enlightenment.
After the retreat, the Buddha returned south. He spent the sixteenth retreat season in Alavi, the seventeenth at Bamboo Forest, the
eighteenth in Koliya, and the nineteenth in Rajagaha.
Whenever he stayed in Rajagaha, the Buddha preferred dwelling on Gijjhakuta Mountain. Because the peak resembled a vulture, it was
called Vulture Peak. King Bimbisara frequently visited the Buddha on Vulture Peak for Dharma instruction. He even had steps built into the
mountainside that led all the way to the Buddha’s hut. He also had small bridges built over the tumbling waterfalls and springs. He liked to
leave his carriage at the foot of the mountain and climb up the stone steps. Close by the Buddha’s hut was a rock as large as several
houses, and a clear stream where he could wash his robes and dry them on a smooth rock. The Buddha’s hut was constructed of stones
gathered on the mountain. The view from the Buddha’s hut was magnificent. He especially enjoyed watching the sunsets. Senior disciples
such as Sariputta, Uruvela Kassapa, Moggallana, Upali, Devadatta, and Ananda, also had huts on Vulture Peak.
The Buddha’s sangha now had eighteen practice centers in and near Rajagaha. In addition to Bamboo Forest (Venuvana) and Vulture
Peak, some of the centers were Vaibharavana, Sarpasundika-pragbhara, Saptaparnaguha, and Indrasailaguha. The last two were located
in enormous caves.
Jivaka, the son of Ambapali and King Bimbisara, was now a physician, and he lived in a hut close by Vulture Peak, having become one
of the Buddha’s closest lay disciples. He was already renowned for his skill in curing diseases that had always been fatal in the past. He
served as King Bimbisara’s personal physician.
Jivaka looked after the health of the Buddha and bhikkhus on Vulture Peak and at Bamboo Forest. Every winter, he organized friends to
offer extra robes to the bhikkhus to use as blankets for warmth at night. He offered a robe to the Buddha himself. Jivaka was interested in
the prevention of diseases as well as their cure. He suggested a number of basic sanitary measures to the bhikkhus. He suggested that water
taken from ponds and lakes be boiled before drinking it, that the bhikkhus wash their robes at least once every seven days, and that more
toilets be provided on the monastery grounds. He cautioned not to keep food overnight for consumption on the following day. The Buddha
accepted all of Jivaka’s suggestions.