Original scientific paper
The Plague in Vesālī – Notes on its Cause and Buddha's Role in its Suppression
Višnja Grabovac
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
Relying on two sources, Paramatthajotikā and Mahāvastu, this paper offers a brief study of the plague in Vesālī. According to sources, the outbreak of the disease, which is called ahivātaka in Paramatthajotikā and adhivāsa in Mahāvastu, occurred during Buddhaʼs life. Summoned by the frightened and worried citizens of Vesālī, Buddha, at that time staying with king Bimbisāra in Rājagaha, agrees to come to the city and free it from the demons who caused the disease. The paper deals with the cause of the plague by showing that this kind of cause, for some reasons, was more convenient for buddhist authors than karmic one. Translation of selected passages from both sources is provided, together with the translation of Ratanasutta.
Keywords
Vesālī; plague; Buddhist literature; demons; Ratanasutta
Hrčak ID:
267357
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2021.
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