1. Sarabhū Thera. A disciple of Sāriputta. When the Buddha died, Sarabhū recovered from the pyre the Buddha's collar bone, and, bringing it to Ceylon, deposited it in the Mahiyangana cetiya, covering the relic-chamber with medavanna stones in the presence of a large number of monks. He raised the cetiya to a height of twelve cubits. Mhv.i.37.
2. Sarabhū. One of the five great rivers of northern India. Vin.ii.237; Ud.v.5; S.ii.135; A.iv.101; SNA.ii.439; see also MA.ii.586.
It formed the boundary between the two divisions of Kosala, Uttara- and Dakkhina Kosala. The Acīravatī was its tributary. Sāketa was situated on the banks of the Sarabhū, which flowed through the Añjanavana (E.g., ThagA.i.104). The Sanskrit name is Sarayū. The Sarayū itself flows into the Ghanghara, which is a tributary of the Ganges. See also Gavampati (1).
3. Sarabhū. A channel which branched off to the north from the Punnavaddhana tank. Cv.lxxix.47.