KañcanaguhÄ
A cave in the region of the HimÄlaya, according to one description (J.ii.176; but see J.v.357, where it is said to be near CittakÅ«á¹a) in the face of the CittakÅ«á¹apabbata. This cave was the abode of the Bodhisatta when he was born as a lion, as described in the Virocana JÄtaka (J.i.491f), and again in the SigÄla JÄtaka (J.ii.6). Near by was the Rajatapabbata. This cave was also the dwelling-place of the geese mentioned in the Kacchapa JÄtaka (J.ii.176), and in the cave grew the Abbhantaramba (J.ii.396), the property of Vessavana. In the scholiast to the HatthipÄla JÄtaka (J.iv.484), the KañcanagÅ«ha is mentioned as the abode of the spider UnnÄbhi and the ninety-six thousand geese who took shelter in it, waiting for the rains to clear. Near the cave was the Chaddantadaha and the Buddha, when he was born as the elephant Chaddanta, made the cave his headquarters (J.v.37f). In this context the cave is described as being in the Suvaṇṇapabbata (probably another name for Kañcanapabbata) to the west of the Chaddanta lake, and is said to be twelve leagues in extent. There lived the elephant king with eight thousand companions. NandatÄpasa once lived for seven days at the entrance to the cave, going to Uttarakuru for his food (J.v.316, 392).
The PÄkahamsas of great power also lived in the cave (J.v.357, 368), once as many in number as ninety thousand (J.v.381).
In the SudhÄbhojana JÄtaka (J.v.392), the cave is stated to have been on the top of ManosilÄtala.
The KañcanagÅ«ha is mentioned in literature as the dwelling-place of maned lions (kesarasÄ«hÄ) (e.g., UdA.71, 105).
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