A pavilion near the Karerikuṭikā, evidently a hall with a thatched roof supported by wooden pillars, but with no walls (D.ii.1; Dial.ii.5, n.2). Buddhaghosa calls it a sitting-hall (nisīdanasālā). Between this hall and the Gandhakuṭi was the Karerimaṇḍapa. Probably the term Karerimaṇḍalamāḷā was used to denote all the grounds within the Gandhakuṭi, the Karerikuṭikā and this hall (gandhakuṭīpi karerikuṭikāpi sālāpi — “karerimaṇḍalamāḷoti” vuccati) (DA.ii.407). Dhammapāla, however, says that only the pavilion and the hall were called Karerimaṇḍalamāḷā. He explains “maṇḍalamāḷā” thus: “tinapannacchadanam anovassakam maṇḍalamāḷo; atimuttakādi latāmaṇḍapo ti apare” (UdA.203).

The monks seem to have been in the habit of sitting out here and talking on various topics at the close of the day. One such topic is recorded in the Udāna (Ud., p.30 f), for discussing which the monks drew on themselves the Buddha’s stern rebuke.

See the Piṇḍapātika Sutta