Āḷavī

DPPN: A town thirty yojanas from Sāvatthi and probably twelve from Benares. It lay between Sāvatthi and Rājagaha. The Buddha on several occasions, stayed at Āḷavī at the Aggāḷava shrine which was near the town. In the sixteenth year after the Enlightenment, the Buddha spent the whole of the rainy season at Āḷavī and preached the doctrine to 84,000 listeners. The King of Āḷavī was known as Āḷavaka and the inhabitants as Āḷavakā. The town later became famous as the residence of Āḷavaka Yakkha and of Hatthaka Āḷavikī. The therī, Selā was born in Āḷavī and was therefore known as Āḷavikā. There was evidently a large community of monks at Ālavī, some of whom seem to have chiefly occupied themselves with building vihāras for themselves.

Assapura

DPPN: A city in the kingdom of Aṅga. It was here that the Mahā Assapura and Cūla Assapura Suttas were preached by the Buddha.
According to the Cetiya Jātaka, Assapura was built by the second of the five sons of King Upacara of Cetī, on the spot where he saw a pure white horse. It lay to the south of Sotthīvatī, Upacara's capital.

Bārāṇasī, Benares

DPPN: The capital of Kāsi-janapada. It was one of the four places of pilgrimage for the Buddhists - the others being Kapilavatthu, Buddhagayā and Kusināra - because it was at the Migadāya in Isipatana near Bārāṇasī, that the Buddha preached his first sermon to the Panñcavaggiyā.
Benares was an important centre of trade and industry. There was direct trade between there and Sāvatthī, (the road passing through Bhaddiya,) and between there and Takkasīlā.
Bārāṇasī evidently derives its name from the fact that it lies between the two rivers Barṇā and Asi.
For greater detail see separate article Barṇā

Bhaggā

DPPN: The name of a tribe and a country, the capital of which was Suṃsumāragiri. The Buddha went there several times in the course of his wanderings [e.g. A. ii. 61, iv. 85., etc; Vin. ii. 127; iv. 115, 198.] and three rules for the monks were laid down there. [Vin. v. 145.] Bodhirājakumāra son of Udena of Kosambī [the C.H.I. (i. 175) says that the Bhaggā were members of the Vajjian confederacy.], lived there, apparently as his father's viceroy, in which case the Bhaggā were subject to Kosambī. The Bhagga country lay between Vesāli and Sāvatthi.
It was while sojourning in the Bhagga-country that Moggallāna was attacked by Māra entering into his stomach [M. i. 332.], and it was there that he preached the Anumāna Sutta [ibid., 95]. Sirimaṇḍa and the parents of Nakula were inhabitants of the Bhagga-country, and Sigāalapitā [ThagA. i 70] went there in order to meditate; there he became an arahant.
In the Apadāna [Ap. ii. 359] the Bhaggā are mentioned with the Kārusā.

See: AN 7 58; AN 8 30

Bhaddiya

DPPN: A city in the Aṅga kingdom. The Buddha visited there several times and stayed sometimes at the Jātiyāvana where Meṇḍaka who lived there, came to see him. It was there that the precept was laid down forbidding monks to wear sandals. Bhaddiya was also the residence of Bhaddaji Thera and Visākhā.

Campā

The capital of Aṇga noted for a beautiful lake and Campaka trees.
DPPN: "Campa is generally identified with a site about twenty-four miles to the east of the modern Bhagalpur, near the villages of Campanagara and Campapura."

Ceti, Cetiya

One of the 16 Provinces. DPPN: The people of Ceti seem to have had two distinct settlements: one, perhaps the older, was in the mountains probably the present Nepal...the other, probably a later colony, lay near the Yamuna, to the east, in the neighbourhood of and contiguous to the settlement of the Kurus...this part of the country corresponds roughly to the modern Bundelkhand and the adjoining region.
It was here that the first lie was told by the king: Apacara.^[1] Residence of Anuruddha.

See: AN 8.30

Gayā (Bodhi-Gayā)

The town now associated with the Buddha's enlightenment — in fact it was three gāvutas (5-1/4 miles) from the Bodhi-tree, located on the Nerañjarā River, fifteen yojanas (105 miles) from Benares. It was between the Bodhi-tree and Gaya that the Buddha first spoke to a human being (Upaka) after his enlightenment.

Bohd Gaya

Hatthigāma

A village on the road from Vesāli to Bhoganagara. It was the residence of Ugga-gahapati and is described as a village of the Vajjians. The Buddha stayed there and was visited by Ugga. On his last journey he again rested in the village.

Icchānaṇgala

DPPN: A brahmin village in the Kosala country. It was while staying in the woodland thicket there that the Buddha preached the Ambaṭṭha Sutta [DN 3]. From this sutta, the village would seem to have been near Pokkharasādi's domain of Ukkaṭṭhā. It was the residence of "Mahāsā'a" brahmins. The Sutta Nipāta (which spells the name as Icchānaṇkala) mentions several eminent brahmins who lived there, among them Caṇkī, Tārukkha, Pokkarasāti, Jānussoṇi and Todeyya. There were also two learned youths, Vāseṭṭha and Bharadvāja at Icchānaṇkala, who, finding it impossible to bring their discussion to a conclusion, sought the Buddha, then staying in the village. Their interview with the Buddha is recorded in the Vāseṭṭha Sutta [MN 98]. Buddhaghosa says that learned brahmins of Kosala, deeply versed in the Vedas, were in the habit of meeting together from time to time at Icchānaṇgala in order to recite the Vedas and discuss their interpretation.
According to the Saɱyutta Nikāya [SN 5.54.11], the Buddha once stayed for three months in the jungle thicket at Icchānaṇgala, in almost complete solitude, visited only by a single monk who brought him his food. But from the Aṇguttara Nikāya, it would appear that the Buddha was not left to enjoy the solitude which he desired, for we are told that the residents of Icchānaṇgala, having heard of the Buddha's visit, came to him in large numbers and created a disturbance by their shouts. The Buddh had to send Nāgita, who was then his personal attendant, to curb the enthusiasm of is admirers.

Isipatana

Outside Benares (Today known as Saranath). Location of The Deer Park, the place where Gotama taught The DhammaCakkappavattana Sutta, the first sutta, to the five friends who first accompanied him into homelessness.

Jetavana

A park in Savatthi, in which was built the Anāthapiṇḍikarama. When the Buddha accepted Anāthapiṇḍika's invitation to visit Savatthi, the latter, seeking a suitable place for the Buddha's residence, discovered this park belonging to Jetakumara. When he asked to be allowed to buy it, Jeta's reply was: "Not even if you could cover the whole place with gold coins. Anāthapiṇḍika said that he would buy it at that price, and when Jeta answered that he had had no intention of making a bargain, the matter was taken before the Lords of Justice, who decided that if the price mentioned were paid, Anāthapiṇḍika had the right of purchase. Anāthapiṇḍika had gold brought down in carts and covered Jetavana with pieces laid side by side. The money brought in the first journey was found insufficient to cover one small spot near the gateway. So Anāthapiṇḍika sent his servants back for more, but Jeta, inspired by Anāthapiṇḍika's earnestness, asked to be allowed to give this spot. Anāthapiṇḍika agreed and Jeta erected there a gateway, with a room over it. Anāthapiṇḍika built in the grounds dwelling rooms, retiring rooms, store rooms and service halls, halls with fireplaces, closets, cloisters, halls for exercise, wells, bathrooms, ponds, open and roofed sheds, etc.) The building, of which the Gandhakuti formed a part, was evidently called the Gandhakuti-parivena, and there the Buddha would assemble the monks and address them. The site, on which stands the bed of the Buddha in the Gandhakuti, is the same for every Buddha, and is one of the unalterable sites.)

In all the amount said to have been spent in establishing the Park was 72 crores — as I understand it the coin used was the Kahāpaṇa which was square, was of a fixed weight of about 146 grains, and was usually made of copper or silver, but my recollection was that the Jetavana was paid for in gold. So, depending on which metal was used, and taking into consideration the fact that copper, at the time would have been considered much more valuable than it is today and silver and gold would not have been subjected to the manipulation of central banks as it is today (Tuesday, April 01, 2003 12:22 PM; Gold @335/oz), the price of the Jetavana would have been about $80,280,000,000 (today — Saturday, November 20, 2004 6:17 AM — with Gold @446.90/oz that would be $107,095,916,417)(Today, Tuesday, April 05, 2016 4:54 AM with gold at $1216/oz that would be $291,404,417,910) if the Kahāpaṇa was made of gold; $105,840,000 if made of silver; and $1,080,000 if made of copper.

Kajaṅgala

A township which formed the eastern boundary of the Majjhimadesa (The country of Central India which was the birthplace of Buddhism and the region of its early activities). Beyond it was Mahāsālā. In the Buddha's time it was a prosperous place where provisions could easily be obtained. Once when the Buddha was staying in the Veḷuvana at Kajaṅgala, the lay followers there heard a sermon from the Buddha and went to the nun Kajaṅgalā to have it explained in detail. [AN 10.28] On another occasion the Buddha stayed in the Mukheluvana and was visited there by Uttara, the disciple of Pārāsariya. There conversation is recorded in the Indriyabhāvānā Sutta. In the Milinda-pañha, Kajaṅgala is described as a brahmin village and is given as he place of Nāgasena's birth. In the Kapota Jātaka mention is made of Kajaṅgala, and the scholiast explains that it may be the same as Benares. According to the scholiast of the Bhisa Jātaka, the tree-spirit mentioned in that story was the chief resident monk in an old monastery in Kajaṅgala, which monastry he repaired with difficulty during the time of Kassapa Buddha. Kajaṅgala is identified with the Kie-chu-hoh-khi-lo of Hiouen Thsang, which he describes as a district about two thousand li in circumference. It may also be identical with the town Puṇḍavardhana mentioned in the Divyāvadāna.

Kapilavatthu

Capital city of the Sākyan clan, location of Lumbinīvana, birthplace of Gotama. The country was a republic, governed by a sort of parlament or council of chiefs, ruled over by an elected "king" (we might say president); at the time of the Buddha's birth this king was the Buddha's father, Suddhodana. Location of the delivery of the Sekha Sutta,^[5] the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta,^[6] the 121. Mahāsuññata Sutta,^[7], and the Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta^[8]

Kammāsadhamma

A town of Potters in Kuru-land. The place where the Māgandiya Sutta, Mahānidāna Sutta, MahāSatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, and Āneñjasappāya Suttas were delivered.

Koliyā, Koḷiyā

DPPN: One of the republican clans in the time of the Buddha. The Koliya owned two chief settlements — one at Rāmagāma and the other at Devadaha. The Commentaries contain accounts of the origin of the Koliyas. We are told that a king of Benares, named Rāma, suffered from leprosy, and being detested by the women of the court, he left the kingdom to his eldest son and retired into the forest. There, living on woodland leaves and fruits, he soon recovered, and, while wandering aboüt, came across Piyā, the eldest of the five daughters of Okkāka, [the founder king of the Sakkaya Clan] she herself being afflicted with leprosy. Rāma, having cured her, married her, and they begot thirty-two sons. With the help of the king of Benares, they built a town in the forest, removing a big kola-tree in doing so. The city thereupon came to be called Kolanagara, and because the site was discovered on a tiger-track (vyagghapatha) it was also called Vyagghapajjā. The descendants of the king were known as Koliyā. According to the Kunala Jataka, when the Sakyans wished to abuse the Koliyans, they said that the Koliyans had once "lived like animals in a Kola-tree," as their name signified. The territories of the Sakyans and the Koliyans were adjacent, separated by the river Rohinī. The khattiyas of both tribes intermarried, and both claimed relationship with the Buddha. A quarrel once arose between the two tribes regarding the right to the waters of the Rohinī, which irrigated the land on both sides, and a bloody feud was averted only by the intervention of the Buddha. In gratitude, each tribe dedicated some of its young men to the membership of the Order, and during the Buddha’s stay in the neighbourhood, he lived alternately in Kapilavatthu and in Koliyanagara.

Attached probably to the Koliyan central authorities, was a special body of officials, presumably police, who wore a distinguishing headdress with a drooping crest (Lambacūḷakābhaṭā). They bore a bad reputation for extortion and violence.

See also: D.P.P.N.: Koliyā
AN 4.194

Kosala

DPPN [excerpts]: Northwest of Magadha and next to Kāsī. In the Buddha's time it was a powerful kingdom ruled over by Pasenadi, who was succeeded by his son Viḍūḍabha. At this time Kāsī was under the rule of Kosala. At the time of the Buddha Sāvatthi was the capital of Kosala. The Buddha spent the greater part of his time in Kosala, either in Sāvatthi or in touring in the various parts of the country, and many of the Vinaya rules were formulated in Kosala.

Kosambī

Capital city of the Vaṃsas. It's kings during the Buddha's time were Parantapa and his son Udena whom we hear of in connection with the Magandiya Sutta in the story of Sāmavatī.
Also delivered in Kosambī, Ananda's discourse to the Brahmin Uṇṇābha: SN 5.51.15.
DPPN gives the route from Mahissati to Rājagaha as: Ujjeni, Gonaddha, Vedisa, Vanasavhya, Kosambī, Sāketa, Sāvatthi, Setavyā, Kapilavatthu, Kusinārā, Pāvā, Bhoganagara and Vesāli.

Kuru Land

see: Kurus; below.

Kusāvatī

Kusāvatī was the name of a famous city mentioned as the capital of Southern Kusala in post-Buddhistic Sanskrit plays and epic poems. In the Mahābhārata it is called KuSavatī. It is said to have been so named after KuSa, son of Rāma, by whom it was built; and it is also called KuSasthalī (RD-BI)

Kusinārā

Where in the Upavattana of Kusinārā, in the Sāla Grove of the Mallians, between the twin Sāla trees, the utter passing away of the Tathāgata took place.
'The place, Ānanda, at which the believing man can say, "Here the Tathāgata passed finally away in that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever to remain behind!" is a spot to be visited with feelings of reverence and awe. [DN.16.5.20]
"This Kusinārā, Ānanda, was the royal city of king Mahā-Sudassana, under the name of Kusāvatī, and on the east and on the west it was twelve leagues in length, and on the north and on the south it was seven leagues in breadth."
(See: BS.1.5.42)

Lumbini

Birthplace of the Buddha.
From the Times of India THURSDAY, AUGUST 01, 2002 10:30:38 AM: BHUBANESWAR: Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism who attained enlightenment 2,500 years ago, was born not in Nepal but in Orissa, researchers here claim.
The Buddha, they say, was born at a village that was earlier known as Lumbini near Kapileswar village on the outskirts of this city and not at the famous Lumbini in Nepal, noted archaeologist Chandrabhanu Patel says.
Patel, who is also head of the Orissa Museum, bases his claim on the findings of a research team led by him that examined rocks, inscriptions and other materials found in excavations.
Orissa has a host of ancient Buddhist sites, including Ratnagiri, Udaygiri, Lalitgiri, Kuruma, Brahmavana, Langudi and Ganiapali.
Excavators have found large domes, monasteries, sculptures and other objects of archaeological importance at these sites. The team's finding is based on research carried out at these venues.
Kalinga, as Orissa was known in that period, formed an important geographical niche between northern and southern India and maintained close trade and cultural ties with Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other Indian Ocean islands.
The turning point in Buddhist history came with Emperor Asoka's conquest of Kalinga in 261 B.C. The emperor, who later converted to Buddhism, is said to have sent his children to propagate Buddhism in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka.
A stone pillar inscription of Asoka discovered at Kapileswar in 1928 and now in Ashutosh Museum at Kolkata points to the Buddha's birthplace being in Orissa, Patel said.
"Our scholars who read and deciphered the inscription found that it carries six lines in Prakrit language and Asokan Brahami script that say that in the 20th year of his coronation Asoka worshipped at Kapileswar as Lord Buddha was born here," Patel said.
While historians say that Buddha was born at Lumbini in Nepal, Patel said, a village near Kapileswar named Lembei could well be his birthplace. The ancient name of this village was Lumbini, he claimed.
The inscription says that Asoka exempted Lumbini village from all taxes in 240 B.C. because the Buddha was born there, Patel claimed.
A broken portion of Ashoka pillar nine feet high and 12 feet in girth was found in the Bhaskareswar temple located four kilometres from Kapileswar.
Broken bells and replicas of Asoka's famous four-lion emblem recovered from these areas are also currently at the state museum, he said.
Legend has it that the Buddha entered his mother's womb as a white elephant. At Dhauli, seven kilometres from Kapileswar, Ashoka carved out the statue of an elephant along with his edict.
Patel said researchers also found four sculptures of Ashoka in Kapileswar temple premises representing four stages of his transformation from a king to a sage.
Patel discounted the ancient inscriptions in Nepal identifying that kingdom as the Buddha's birthplace. He said Asoka had not installed those inscriptions.
Patel claimed the Buddha's relics in gilded stone caskets were found during an excavation at Lalitgiri in Orissa's Jajpur district in 1985.
Archaeologists had said the stone casket contains the ashes of the Buddha, who was cremated when he attained Nirvana at the age of 80.

Madhurā

DPPN: A city in South India, in the Madras Presidency, and now known as Madura. It is generally referred to as Dakkhiṇa-Madhurā. Dakkhiṇa-Madhurā was the second capital of the Paṇḍyan kingdom, and there was constant intercourse between this city and Ceylon. AN 5.220 The Five disadvantages of Madurā: the ground is uneven, there is much dust, there are fierce dogs and bestial yakkhas, and alms are obtained with difficulty.

Māgadha

Land of the Māgadhas. One of the main kingdoms of Buddha's India. It's capital was Rājagaha. Kings of the time were Bimbisāra and his son Ajātasattu. Boundaries were the River Campa on the east, the Vindhyā mountains on the south, the River Soṇa on the west and the River Ganges on the north. Sāriputta and Moggallāna were Magadhas.
Other places in Magadha: Ekanālā, Nālakagāma, Senāṇigāma, Khānumata, Andhakavindha, Macala, Mātulā, Ambalaṭṭhikā, Pāṭigāma, Nālandā and Sālindiya.

Mallā

One of the 16 provinces, with two major kingdoms whose capitals were Pāvā and Kusinārā.

Nālandā

A place that became famous as a center for Buddhist studies. 1 league from Rājagaha; the journey between Rājagaha and Nālandā is the scene of the Brahmajala Sutta, first sutta of the Digha Nikaya.

Nālagāma

Birth- and death-place of Sariputta.

Pāvā

A city of the Mallas near Kusināra where The Buddha ate his last meal, a gift from Cunda the Smith. Location for the Sangiti Sutta.

Rājagaha

The capital of Magadha, one of the six great cities. During the Buddha's time ruled over by Bimbisāra and later his son Ajātasattu.
Sāriputta and Moggallāna entered the Saṅgha here during the Buddha's first visit.
The location of Vulture's Peak, the Banyan Grove, Robbers' Cliff, Sattapaññi cave on the slope of Mount Vebhāra, Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili, Sītavana Grove in the mountain cave Sappasondika, Tapoda Grove, Bambu Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground, Jīvaka's Mango Grove, and the Deer Forest at Maddakukkhi.
The Āṭānāṭiya, Udumbarika, Kassapasīhanāda, Jīvaka, Mahāsakuladāyī, and Sakkapañha suttas were delivered here.

Sāvatthi

Capital of Kosala, located on the River Aciravatī. The Buddha spent twenty-five years in Sāvatthi and more suttas (844 according to Woodward)^[2] were delivered there than in any other single location.
It was in Sāvatthi that the Buddha performed the miracle called "The Twins."^[3]

Thullakoṭṭhita

A Kuru township

Tudigāma

Ruled over as by a king, by the Brahman Todeyya.

Ukkaṭṭha

A Kosalan township. Ruled over as if by a king by the brahman Pokkharasāti. Location of the SuBhagavana where the Mūlapariyāya Sutta was delivered.

Ujjenī

[from DPPN]: The capital of Avantī. In the Buddha's time, Caṇḍa-Pajjota was king of Ujjenī and there ws friendly intercourse between that city and Magadha, whose king was Seniya Bimbisāra. There was an old trade-route from Ujjenī to Benares and the merchants of the two cities showed healthy rivalry not only in trade, but also in matters of culture. Ujjenī was the birthplace of Mahā Kaccāna, Isidāsi, Abhaya and of the courtesan Padumavatī, mother of Abhayā.

Uruvelā

[DPPN]: "A locality on the banks of the Nerañjara, in the neighbourhood of the Bodhi-tree at Buddhagayā. Here, after leaving Āḷāra and Uddaka, the Bodhisatta practiced during six years the most severe prenances. ... In the neighbourhood of Uruvelā were also the Ajapāla Banyan-tree, the Mucalinda-tree, and the Rājāyatana-tree, where the Buddha spent some time afterhis Enlightenment, and where various shrines, cuch as the Animisa-cetiya, the Ratanacaṅkama-cetiya and the Tatanaghara later came into existence. From Uruvelā the Buddha went ot Isipatana, but after he had made sixty-one arahants and sent them out ton tour to preach the Doctrine, he returned to Uruvelā, to the Kappāsikavanasaṇḍa and converted the Bhaddavaggiyā."

It is here that Gotama hesitated to teach and Brahmā Sahampati entreated him to do so. A story told in several locations: SN 1.6.1, Vin. Texts. i, 84 f., Dialogues, ii, 29 f.

Uruvelakappa-town

A Malla town, location for the delivery of Kindred Sayings, IV, The Salayatana Book, #11: Lucky, pp 232ff., #12: Rasiya, ppp234; V, The Great Chapter, Kindred Sayings on the Faculties, vi, #1: Sala PTS, Woodward trans., and Gradual Sayings, IV: The Book of the Nines, The Great Chapter, x #41: Tapusa, pp293 PTS, E.M. Hare "Now what is the cause, what is the reason my mind does not leap up, calm down, stand upright and bend towards letting go even though I understand it to be "The Peace"? It is because the danger of pleasures is not seen by me, not made a big deal of, the advantage of giving up is not experienced by me!"

Vesāli

Capital city of the Licchavis, a clan of the Vajjians. Location for the delivery of the Ratana Sutta. and Vesali Sutta. It was here that at the request of Ananda, Mahapajapa' ti. plea that women be allowed to join the order was granted.^[4] It was here also, that Gotama renounced the remainder of his lifespan and determined that he would die at the end of three months. According to PDPN: "At the time of the Buddha, Vesali was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people and with abundant food. There were seven thousand seven hundred and seven pleasure grounds, and an equal number of lotus ponds."

Veḷukaṇḍa, aka Veḷukaṇṭa

A city in Avanti, birthplace of Nanda Kumāputta. Moggallāna and Sāriputta visited the place in the course of a journey in Dakkhiṇāgiri and were entertained by Nandamata. [AN 7.50] Buddhaghosa says that the city was so called because bamboos were thickly planted for protection round the walls and fortifications.

Verañjā

If you click on the small map linking to the large detailed map you can find Verañjā to the North West of Sāvatthī on the Yamuna River. It looks like it was in the state of Pañcāla. Suttas delivered there include AN 8.11 AN 8 19. It was at this place after the conversation recorded in AN 8.11, that Gotama endured three months of subsistance on oats as a consequence of an ancient mis-deed.