The Council in the Srataparna cave did not come together fortuitously, but appears to have been convoked by the older members to settle the rules and doctrines of the order.

The cave was prepared for the occasion by king Ajatasatru.

From the expression about the "bringing forth of the King," it would seem that the Sutras or some of them had been already committed to writing.

May not the meaning of King {.} here be extended to the Vinaya rules, as well as the Sutras, and mean "the standards" of the system generally?
See Davids' Manual, chapter ix, and Sacred Books of the East, vol.xx, Vinaya Texts, pp.

370-385.
(5) So in the text, evidently for pari-nirvana.
(6) Instead of "high" seats, the Chinese texts have "vacant." The character for "prepared" denotes "spread;"-- they were carpeted; perhaps, both cushioned and carpeted, being rugs spread on the ground, raised higher than the other places for seats.
(7) Did they not contrive to let him in, with some cachinnation, even in so august an assembly, that so important a member should have been shut out?
(8) "The life of this body" would, I think, fairly express the idea of the bhikshu.
(9) See the account of Buddha's preaching in chapter xviii.
(10) The sentiment of this clause is not easily caught.
(11) See E.M., p.