Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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danieLion
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Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

In his note to his translation of Itivuttaka 1.24 and commenting on the "mountain ring" that surrounds Vulture's Peak, Thanissaro says,
Magadha was a kingdom in the time of the Buddha, corresponding roughly to the present day state of Bihar. Its capital city, Rajagaha, was surrounded by a ring of five mountains. Vulture's Peak, a secluded rock outcrop in the middle of the ring, was a spot frequented by the Buddha.
I can't find any maps online that show "a ring of five mountains" with "Vulture's Peak...in the middle of the ring."

Anyone know where I can find one?

Much obliged.
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drifting cloud
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by drifting cloud »

You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia:

Griddhraj Parvat

And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas to Google Maps and:

Vulture Peak Location
danieLion
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

drifting cloud wrote:You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia:

Griddhraj Parvat

And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas to Google Maps and:

Vulture Peak Location
Thanks. That's a little better, but I don't see the five peaks. Do know what they are?
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drifting cloud
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by drifting cloud »

danieLion wrote:
drifting cloud wrote:You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia:

Griddhraj Parvat

And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas to Google Maps and:

Vulture Peak Location
Thanks. That's a little better, but I don't see the five peaks. Do know what they are?
No, although as you can see from the Google Maps image it is surrounded by a range of other mountains, so it must be five of those.

If you are that interested I suggest traveling to India and looking for them yourself.
danieLion
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

drifting cloud wrote:
danieLion wrote:
drifting cloud wrote:You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia:

Griddhraj Parvat

And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas to Google Maps and:

Vulture Peak Location
Thanks. That's a little better, but I don't see the five peaks. Do know what they are?
No, although as you can see from the Google Maps image it is surrounded by a range of other mountains, so it must be five of those.

If you are that interested I suggest traveling to India and looking for them yourself.

I so want to. :broke: Also, I see those mountain ranges and assumed the peaks are in them. I'm just trying to figure out if the still exist "by name" as they did in the Buddha's time.
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cooran
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by cooran »

Hello Daniel,

Many of us have had the inestimable good fortune to visit Vulture's Peak during Pilgrimages.

I wouldn't describe the hills as 'mountains' - you walk to the top to get to Vulture's Peak. The Seven Hills are called Vaibhara, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Chhatha, and Vipula.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgir

Search in Google Images on Vultures Peak and you will get hundreds of images.

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
danieLion
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

cooran wrote:Hello Daniel,

Many of us have had the inestimable good fortune to visit Vulture's Peak during Pilgrimages.

I wouldn't describe the hills as 'mountains' - you walk to the top to get to Vulture's Peak. The Seven Hills are called Vaibhara, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Chhatha, and Vipula.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgir

Search in Google Images on Vultures Peak and you will get hundreds of images.

with metta
Chris
Thanks a bunch, Chris. VP's not literally surrounded by them as I imagined. Do you know which of five out of the seven corresponds the five in Thanissaro's note?
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cooran
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by cooran »

Hello Daniel,

Sometimes they are listed as 5 hills - sometimes as 7 hills. The names have changed back and forward over time.

Mentions 7 hills
http://wikitravel.org/en/Rajgir

Mentions 5 hills
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10. ... 3120304615

with metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
danieLion
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

Fantastic. Thanks agan, Chris. I've got to log off, but I'll look at them later.
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cooran
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by cooran »

Hello Daniel, all,

Very short video (44 seconds) showing Vulture's Peak and (towards the end) the surrounding hills.

Buddhists on Gridhakuta Rajgir's Vulture's Peak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4wRvwtjErk

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
danieLion
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Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

Post by danieLion »

Best view yet. Much obliged, Chris. I counted 6 maybe 7.
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