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MahÄjanapadÄ


The books frequently mention* the sixteen great countries (MahÄjanapada) that existed in the time of the Buddha. They are:
  1. KÄsÄ«,
  2. Kosala,
  3. Aá¹…ga,
  4. Magadha,
  5. Vajji,
  6. MallÄ,
  7. Cetiya,
  8. VamsÄ,
  9. Kuru,
  10. PañcÄla,
  11. MacchÄ,
  12. Sūrasena,
  13. Assaka,
  14. Avantī,
  15. GandhÄra and
  16. Kamboja.

The first fourteen are included in the Middle Country of India (Majjhimadesa), the two last being in the Northern States (UttarÄpaá¹­ha).

    * e.g., A.i.213; iv. 252, 256, 260; a list of twelve is found at D.ii.200, in which the last four are omitted. The Niddesa adds the Kaliá¹…gas to the sixteen and substitutes YonÄ for the GandhÄra (CNid., p.37).

The Jaina BhagavatÄ« sutta gives a slightly different list: Aá¹…ga, Baá¹…ga, Magadha, Malaya, MÄlava, Accha, Vaccha, Kocchaka, PÄdha, LÄdha, Bajji, Moli, KÄsi, Kosala, Avaha and Sambhuttara (PHAI. p.60).


Dictionary of PÄli Proper Names • G.P. Malalasekera

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