Venue of the first Buddhist council was Kalsila cave.
Kalsila: In page 161 third para Huen Tsang writes, “To the south west of the bamboo garden (Venuvana), about 5 or 6 li, on the north side of the southern mountain is a great bamboo forest. In the middle of it is a large stone house. Here the venerable Kasyapa with 999 great Arhats called a concocation for the purpose of settling the three Pitakas. Before it is the foundation of the great hall. King Ajatshatru made this hall for the sake of accommodating the great arhats who assembled to settle the Dharma Pitaka.” Huen Tsang goes on to tell the story of how Kasyapa hears of the Buddhas death and hurries to the spot where his body lay. After his cremation he announces from Mount Sumeru that there would be a convocation where all the teachings of the Buddha would be gathered in three pitakas. He felt that this was necessary because some Bhikshus were happy that the Buddha was no more alive to scold them when they did mistakes. A huge gathering assembles from all over India and it becomes impossible to concentrate on the work. So Kashyapa forces the inexperienced and unlearned people to take their leave. Only 999 elder fully tutored arhats remain. In short the young ones are sent back and the old and wise ones are retained. This is what Jethian means. ‘Jeth’ means elder and ‘Jethian’ means a group of ‘elders.’ Anand wasn’t a fully educated elder so initially he wasn’t allowed into the convocation of elders or arhats. Next to Jethian in a bamboo forest is the Kalsila cave where the first convocation took place. Kalsila has been replaced with Pitaka by modern Buddhists. Kalsi is an expensive basket in which expensive items are kept. The expensive items were no doubt the three pitakas. Xuan Zang also says before the cave is Ajat Shatrus hall that accommodated the great arhats. This is definitely Bhojpur village infront of Kalsila cave. To feed 999 arhats, it was always a feast. That is what Bhojpur means so it is definitely Ajat Shatrus structure for arhats. Bhojpur village proves that Kalsila cave was where the first Buddhist council took place.
(34) Bhandari Dham: In page 164 second para Huen Tsang writes, “North west of the place where the great Kashyapa held the convocation is a stupa. This is where Anand being forbidden by the priests, to take part in the assembly, came and sat down in silence and reached the fruit of an Arhat. For this he joined the assembly.” The temple of Bhandari Dham on a stupa is certainly where Anand sat down and became an Arhat. Bhandari means a godown full of goods. Bhandari Baba will be the person incharge of that goods godown. Anand was incharge of the Buddha’s and the sanghas food etc. His mind was a godown full of the Buddha’s teachings. He automatically becomes the Bhandari Baba of the sangha. And the fact that in ancient India people of great status were known not by their birth name but by their deeds. Bhandari Baba is definitely Anand because the people living on his relic stupas also pray to Bhandari Baba which is definitely Anand. This proves that Anand Dham temple is on the stupa marking the spot Anand lay down and became an Arhat.
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