MahÄjanapadÄ
The books frequently mention* the sixteen great countries (MahÄjanapada) that existed in the time of the Buddha. They are:
- KÄsÄ«,
- Kosala,
- Aá¹…ga,
- Magadha,
- Vajji,
- MallÄ,
- Cetiya,
- VamsÄ,
- Kuru,
- PañcÄla,
- MacchÄ,
- Sūrasena,
- Assaka,
- Avantī,
- GandhÄra and
- 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).
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