Help with a list of the geographical locations of the suttas

[josephzizys]

I am absolutely in love with the map here:

Is there a nice "literary" map of early Buddhism?

I’m looking for a nice map, which could be used in our SuttaCentral book series. There’s a good one here, but it’s a few centuries later: I’m looking for something with a but of style. Hand drawn, black and white line drawing (no shading or greyscale), some flair to it. A bit Tolkein-ish in that way! It’d have to be high resolution and free to use. Anyway, feel free to post whatever maps you may have! The one on Reading Faithfully is pretty close, but I was hoping for more … style?

And would love to get a sense of how often the buddha is thought to be where.

Is there any way to pull the locations from suttacentral? like anāthapiṇḍikassa will return DN9, DN10 etc, is there a list of such locations? any ideas?

appreciate any links or help.

[josephzizys]

Ok, so I have done DN:

rājagahe:

DN1
Then the Buddha took up residence for the night in the royal rest-house in Ambalaṭṭhikā together with the Saṅgha of mendicants.
Atha kho bhagavā ambalaṭṭhikāyaṁ rājāgārake ekarattivāsaṁ upagacchi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.

DN2
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Mango Grove of Jīvaka Komārabhacca, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati jīvakassa komārabhaccassa ambavane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ aḍḍhateḷasehi bhikkhusatehi.

DN16 DN19 DN25 DN32
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

DN31
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

7 Rājagaha suttas in DN

sāvatthiyaṁ:

DN9 DN10 DN30
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

DN14
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery, in the hut by the kareri tree.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme karerikuṭikāyaṁ.

DN27
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

5

kosalesu:

DN3
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Icchānaṅgala.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena icchānaṅgalaṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.
He stayed in a forest near Icchānaṅgala.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe.

DN12
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at Sālavatikā.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena sālavatikā tadavasari.

DN13
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Manasākaṭa.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena manasākaṭaṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.

DN23
At one time Venerable Kassapa the Prince was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a Kosalan citadel named Setavyā.
ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kumārakassapo kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena setabyā nāma kosalānaṁ nagaraṁ tadavasari.
He stayed in the grove of Indian Rosewood to the north of Setavyā.
Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā kumārakassapo setabyāyaṁ viharati uttarena setabyaṁ siṁsapāvane.

4

magadhesu:

DN5
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Magadhans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Magadhan brahmins named Khāṇumata.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā magadhesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena khāṇumataṁ nāma magadhānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.
There he stayed nearby at Ambalaṭṭhikā.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā khāṇumate viharati ambalaṭṭhikāyaṁ.

DN21
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans, where east of Rājagaha there is a brahmin village named Ambasaṇḍā, north of which, on Mount Vediyaka, is Indra’s hill cave.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā magadhesu viharati, pācīnato rājagahassa ambasaṇḍā nāma brāhmaṇagāmo, tassuttarato vediyake pabbate indasālaguhāyaṁ.

DN26
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans at Mātulā.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā magadhesu viharati mātulāyaṁ.

3

Mallesu:

DN17
At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his final extinguishment.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati upavattane mallānaṁ sālavane antarena yamakasālānaṁ parinibbānasamaye.

DN24
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Mallas, near the Mallian town named Anupiya.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati anupiyaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo.

DN33
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a Mallian town named Pāvā.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena pāvā nāma mallānaṁ nagaraṁ tadavasari.
There he stayed in Cunda the smith’s mango grove.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā pāvāyaṁ viharati cundassa kammāraputtassa ambavane.

3

kurūnaṁ:

DN15 DN22
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo.

2

sakkesu:

DN20
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, in the Great Wood near Kapilavatthu, together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ mahāvane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi;

DN29
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans in a stilt longhouse in a mango grove belonging to the Sakyans named Vedhaññā.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati vedhaññā nāma sakyā, tesaṁ ambavane pāsāde.

2

nāḷandāyaṁ:

DN11 DN28
At one time the Buddha was staying near Nāḷandā in Pāvārika’s mango grove.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.

2

Mentioned once each:

DN4 aṅgesu
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Aṅgas together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at Campā,
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā aṅgesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena campā tadavasari.
where he stayed by the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā campāyaṁ viharati gaggarāya pokkharaṇiyā tīre.

DN6 vesāliyaṁ
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

DN7 kosambiyaṁ
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

DN8 uruññāyaṁ
At one time the Buddha was staying near Ujuñña, in the deer park at Kaṇṇakatthala.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruññāyaṁ viharati kaṇṇakatthale migadāye.

DN18 nātike
At one time the Buddha was staying at Ñātika in the brick house.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe.

DN34 campāyaṁ
At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā campāyaṁ viharati gaggarāya pokkharaṇiyā tīre mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi.

the first 50 of MN is utterly dominated by Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery with 30 of the 50 suttas set there:

MN1 ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Forest at the root of a magnificent sal tree.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ viharati subhagavane sālarājamūle.

MN2 MN3 MN4 MN5 MN6 MN7 MN8 MN9 MN11 MN13 MN16 MN17 MN19 MN20 MN21 MN22 MN23 MN25 MN26 MN27 MN28 MN30 MN33 MN38 MN42 MN43 MN45 MN46 MN47 MN49 sāvatthiyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

MN10 kurūnaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo.

MN12 vesāliyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying outside the city of Vesālī in a woodland grove west of the town.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati bahinagare aparapure vanasaṇḍe.

MN14 MN18 sakkesu

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

MN15 MN50 bhaggesu

At one time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was staying in the land of the Bhaggas at Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.

MN24 MN44 rājagahe

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

MN29

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte.

MN31 nātike

At one time the Buddha was staying at Ñātika in the brick house.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe.

MN32 gosiṅgasālavanadāye

At one time the Buddha was staying in the sal forest park at Gosiṅga, together with several well-known senior disciples, such as

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gosiṅgasālavanadāye viharati sambahulehi abhiññātehi abhiññātehi therehi sāvakehi saddhiṁ—

the venerables Sāriputta, Mahāmoggallāna, Mahākassapa, Anuruddha, Revata, Ānanda, and others.

āyasmatā ca sāriputtena āyasmatā ca mahāmoggallānena āyasmatā ca mahākassapena āyasmatā ca anuruddhena āyasmatā ca revatena āyasmatā ca ānandena, aññehi ca abhiññātehi abhiññātehi therehi sāvakehi saddhiṁ.

MN34 vajjīsu

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Vajjis near Ukkacelā on the bank of the Ganges river.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vajjīsu viharati ukkacelāyaṁ gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre.

MN35 MN36 vesāliyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

MN37 sāvatthiyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

MN39 MN40 aṅgesu

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Aṅgas, near the Aṅgan town named Assapura.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā aṅgesu viharati assapuraṁ nāma aṅgānaṁ nigamo.

MN41 kosalesu

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Sālā.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena sālā nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.

MN48 kosambiyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

[josephzizys]

Ok, so I finished MN, but still need to format it, basically Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery continues to completely dominate across th whole volume:

MN2 MN3 MN4 MN5 MN6 MN7 MN8 MN9 MN11 MN13 MN16 MN17 MN19 MN20 MN21 MN22 MN23 MN25 MN26 MN27 MN28 MN30 MN33 MN38 MN42 MN43 MN45 MN46 MN47 MN49 MN59 MN62 MN63 MN64 MN65 MN72 MN78 MN80 MN86 MN87 MN88 MN93 MN96 MN99 MN102 MN111 MN112 MN113 MN114 MN115 MN117 MN119 MN120 MN123 MN127 MN129 MN130 MN131 MN132 MN134 MN135 MN137 MN138 MN139 MN143 MN145 MN146 MN147 MN148 MN149
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

70 suttas!

still adding up but I think the next most frequent is

MN24 MN44 MN61 MN69 MN73 MN77 MN79 MN97 MN124 MN125 MN126 MN136 MN144 MN151
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

and

MN37 MN107 MN109 MN110 MN118 MN121 sāvatthiyaṁ

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

[michaelh]

Based on some prompt engineering using GPT4, I produced this which was taken from all of Bhante Sujato’s EBT translations of the 5 nikayas: https://github.com/michaelh-sc/suttamap/blob/main/data/initial_geographic_locations.json

[josephzizys]

wow! thats amazing! how do you use GPT4 with the suttacentral data? can it read the site?

[michaelh]

Actually most of the Theravada vinaya is in that json too, I think it would be based on the first origin story if a place is mentioned but I haven’t checked.

Broadly for that file, it would have been a prompt to API with the text itself then please answer the question ‘where did this take place?’.

I think grouping by DPPN headword and producing a count would be doable, I could work on that this weekend if you like?

[josephzizys]

no don’t do that, let me try and get up to speed on chatgpt and see if I can figure out what i really want to know