Sūkarakhatalena
Sūkarakhatalena:A cave on the side of Gijjhakūta,where the Buddha stayed.There he preached the Dīghanakha (or Vedanāpariggaha) Sutta to Dīghanakha.Sāriputta was also present,and the sutta led to his attainment of arahantship (M.i.497,501; DhA.i.79; UdA.189).
A conversation which the Buddha had there with Sāriputta is recorded in the Samyutta Nikāya (S.v.233f).The Commentary says (SA.iii.197) that,in the time of Kassapa Buddha,this cave was found as a hollow in the ground when the earth was yet growing,during the interval between the two Buddhas.One day a boar dug up the soil in the neighbourhood of the ground which concealed the cave.The sky god sent rain which washed away the soil,and the cave was disclosed.
A forest dweller saw it and looked after it,thinking it to be the dwelling of holy men.He removed the earth round it,fenced it in,cleaned it out,and,making it as beautiful as a golden bowl,furnished it with couch and stool and presented it to the Buddha.The cave was deep and could only be reached by climbing.