Giñjakāvasatha untranslated

Giñjakāvasatha. A brick hall at Nādikā (Ñātikā). The Buddha stayed there on various occasions during his visits to Nādikā. It was during one of these visits that Ambapālī presented her park to the Buddha and the Saṅgha (Vin.i.232).

In the Giñjakāvasatha the Buddha preached the Cūḷa Gosiṅgasutta (MN.i.205), the Janavasabhasutta (DN.ii.200) and several discourses on maraṇassati (e.g., AN.iii.303f; 306f; 391f; iv.320f); also the sermons to the Elder Sandha of the Kaccānagotta (AN.v.322f) and the Elder Kaccāyana (SN.ii.153f; see also SN.ii.74; iv.90).

Both in the Janavasabhasutta and the Giñjakāvasathasutta (SN.v.356f), which was preached at the same place, the Buddha is represented as having answered questions regarding the destiny and the rebirth of several residents of Nādikā. Does this perhaps mean that the people of Nādikā were more interested in this problem than the people of other places? It was by way of finding a permanent solution to these questions that the Buddha preached to Ānanda at Giñjakāvasatha the Dhammādāsa (Mirror of Truth) on his last visit to Nādikā, as described in the Mahā Parinibbānasutta (DN 16) (DN.ii.91ff; see also SN.v.357).

The Commentaries (e.g., MN­a.i.424) state that once the Buddha arrived at Nādikā while travelling in the Vajjī country, and the people there built for him a residence entirely made of bricks (giñjakā), hence its name. Later, residences were also built for the monks, complete with all requirements. The bricks were evidently a special architectural feature, and this confirms the belief that buildings were generally of wood. The “Brick Hall” was, however, not designed for the Buddha and his monks alone, for we find mention of members of other sects staying there – e.g., the Paribbājaka Sabhiya Kaccāna (SN.iv.401). The building was probably a resting place for all travellers.