SRAVASTI or SAVATH was the capital of the mighty Kosala kingdom during Buddha's time. It is situated in the Uttar Pradesh and ten miles distance from Balrampur. It was at Sravasti that the Buddha displayed his great miracle sitting on a thousand Pettaled lotus in front of an audience consisting of the king of Kosala. There the Buddha displayed the multiplied forms of himself a million times going up to the highest heavens, in order to confound the Tirthikas and to established his supremacy. This was a unique feat performed by the Buddha and as the local of this unprecedented event Sravasti acquired foremost celebrity. Jethavanarama Monastery was built by Anathapindika whose family name was Sudatta. He was the wealthiest trader of Sravasti and later became the chief minister of King Pasenadi. When he visited Raj Griha he went to the Buddha, listened to his sermon, became a Buddhist and invited Buddha to Sravasti. He purchased a land and a seven stored building for the residence of the Buddha. The Blessed One spent twenty four Vassana (rainy) seasons here. Mangala Sutta and the Karaneiya Metta Suttas were preached by the Buddha at Sravasti. It is stated in history that the wealthy merchant Anathapindika, to purchase the site to built the splendid monastery laid many gold coins as would cover the ground. Ananda Thera, who was constantly with the Blessed One for twenty five years became His personal attendant at Sravasti. Ananda, from Kapilvastu was a kinsman of the Lord. He is one, ordained by Buddha when he first visited Kapilvastu after enlighten. It was here that a woman brought a false accusation saying that she was with child by the Buddha and trying a wooden bowl over her belly to pretext it. At the that very moment she came before the Buddha, the wind blew up her clock, and the bowl felt to the ground, and the earth opened and flame shot up and she was swallowed up as if in a scarlet blanket. And it was here that a bereaved woman came to the Buddha, begging healing for her dead son, and was told to get a grain of mustard seed from a house where son or daughter had yet died. Then she went house after house and asked "Friends", in this house has any son or daughter died ?" The house holders said "what ask you woman ?. As for living there are few. Only the dead or many. By this way the blessed one taught a lesson to the bereaved women at Sravasti. Upali, a member of low caste barber family came to the blessed One at Sravasti with Ananda and five others, became his disciple and later he became one of the greatest Buddhist teachers. This was one example among many of the way that Buddhism ignored caste.

The Buddhist scriptures consist of three 'Pitakas' according to tradition, they were recited and memorized at the council held at Rajgir just after the Buddha's death. Upali the barber reciting the first. Vinaya Pitaka and Ananda the second the Sutta Pitaka. Since the Buddha, except during the vas seasons was away from Sravasti and Rev. Ananda wanted an object to worship during the absence of Buddha. He obtained the Lord's permission to plant a sapling from the Bodhi tree at Boddha Gaya and it was called Ananda Bodhi. This Bo-tree was planted by Anathapindika himself in front of the seven storied monastery. There at Sravasti, lived a notorious robber Angulimala, who used to kill people and cut a finger of each person for a garland. He was later converted by the Buddha. The Purvarama Monastery built by Visaka who was also called Migara Matha, the wife of a very much rich merchant of Sravasti is situated at the east of the city. It is said in the history that when she decided to sell her necklace to put up a building for Buddha and since there was no one rich enough to buy it she her self fixed a price and put up a building to cover that amount. Through it is not yet identified, it said that this building is second to Jetavana Monastery only. There are two other important places where Dev Dutta and Chinchimanika were said to have been taken to hell. The Yamamaha Stupa is situated on the way from Balrampur to Sravasti about a mile before. It is the place where the Buddha performed the miracle called Yamamaha Perahera to confound the heretical teacher Purna Kasyapa. Having performed the miracle on a full moon day he ascended to Thusitha heaven to preach his mother. King Asoka visited the Jetavana and worshipped the Stupas there. At this place two Asoka pillars were seen by the Chinese pilgrim Hienutsang. It is recorded that he saw Stupa with the relics of Buddha, built by Asoka. In Srasvati, most notable are the remnants of the Jetavana which lie within enclosure wall. The Stupas and the temples belongs to the Kusana and Gupta periods. Presently there are two monasteries, six temples and five Stupas to be seen. Srasvati was one of the richest and greatest cities of ancient India and it is now preserved by the archeological authorities. Pakki Kuty, Kachchi Kuty, Angulimala Stupa, Sudatta Stupa, Purvarama monastery and the Punya Sala are other important places with in the city. Oan reach Sravasti city from Balramapur station and proceed by bus.