Vaiśālī

▪ ancient city, India

Pāli  Vēsalī 

      city of ancient India, north of Patna, northwestern Bihār state, on the Gandak River. In antiquity Vaiśālī was the capital of the Licchavi republic and was closely associated with the early histories of both Buddhism and Jainism. Roads connected it with Rājagṛha to the south and Kapilavastu and Śrāvastī to the north. Mahāvīra (Mahavira), the founder of Jainism, was born in Vaiśālī and spent much time there. The Buddha also visited the city on many occasions. Its several important monasteries and shrines were described by the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hsien in the 5th century AD. After the death of the Buddha (c. 483 BC) the second great council of Buddhists was held at Vaiśālī to provide rules of conduct.

      According to tradition, the city in early times was surrounded by three walls with gates and watchtowers. The site today is marked by two groups of mounds and has been partly excavated by archaeologists. The earliest occupation of the site is associated with black-and-red pottery of probably pre-Buddhist age; it was followed by the northern black polished ware of early Buddhist times. Vaiśālī is on the site of a village now known as Basarh.

* * *