Kosambi, Kosambī: 7 definitions

Introduction:

Kosambi means something in Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Jainism, Prakrit, biology. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

The capital of the Vatsas or Vamsas (J.iv.28; vi.236). In the time of the Buddha its king was Parantapa, and after him reigned his son Udena. (MA.ii.740f; DhA.i.164f). Kosambi was evidently a city of great importance at the time of the Buddha for we find Ananda mentioning it as one of the places suitable for the Buddhas Parinibbana (D.ii.146,169). It was also the most important halt for traffic coming to Kosala and Magadha from the south and the west. (See, e.g., Vin.i.277).

The city was thirty leagues by river from Benares. (Thus we are told that the fish which swallowed Bakkula travelled thirty leagues through the Yamuna, from Kosambi to Benares, AA.i.170; PsA.491). The usual route from Rajagaha to Kosambi was up the river (this was the route taken by Ananda when he went with five hundred others to inflict the higher punishment on Channa, Vin.ii.290), though there seems to have been a land route passing through Anupiya and Kosambi to Rajagaha. (See Vin.ii.184f). In the Sutta Nipata (vv.1010-13) the whole route is given from Mahissati to Rajagaha, passing through Kosambi, the halting places mentioned being Ujjeni, Gonaddha, Vedisa, Vanasavhya, Kosambi, Saketa, Savatthi, Setavya, Kapilavatthu, Kusinara, Pava, Bhoganagara and Vesali.

Near Kosambi, by the river, was Udenas park, the Udakavana, where Ananda and Pindola Bharadvaja preached to the women of Udenas palace on two different occasions (Vin.ii.290f; SNA.ii.514; J.iv.375). The Buddha is mentioned as having once stayed in the Simsapavana in Kosambi (S.v.437). Maha Kaccana lived in a woodland near Kosambi after the holding of the First Council (PvA.141).

Already in the Buddhas time there were four establishments of the Order in Kosambi - the Kukkutarama, the Ghositarama, the Pavarika ambavana (these being given by three of the most eminent citizens of Kosambi, named respectively, Kukkuta, Ghosita and Pavarika), and the Badarikarama. The Buddha visited Kosambi on several occasions, stopping at one or other of these residences, and several discourses delivered during these visits are recorded in the books. (Thomas, op. cit., 115, n.2, doubts the authenticity of the stories connected with the Buddhas visits to Kosambi, holding that these stories are of later invention).

The Buddha spent his ninth rainy season at Kosambi, and it was on his way there on this occasion that he made a detour to Kammassadamma and was offered in marriage Magandiya, daughter of the brahmin Magandiya. The circumstances are narrated in connection with the Magandiya Sutta. Magandiya took the Buddhas refusal as an insult to herself, and, after her marriage to King Udena, tried in various ways to take revenge on the Buddha, and also on Udenas wife Samavati, who had been the Buddhas follower. (DhA.i.199ff; iii.193ff; iv.1ff; Ud.vii.10).

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Buddhism

Kosambī (कोसम्बी) is the name of an ancient city found by the son of Baladatta: an ancient king from the Solar dynasty (sūryavaṃśa) and a descendant of Mahāsaṃmata, according to the Mahābuddhavaṃsa or Maha Buddhavamsa (the great chronicle of Buddhas) Anudīpanī chapter 1, compiled by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw. Brahmadeva and his descendants in that city were fifteen. The last of these fifteen kings was named Baladatta. His son founded Kosambī and reigned. He and his descendants in that city were fourteen.

India history and geography

Source: archive.org: Geography in Ancient Indian inscriptions

Kosambī.—The earliest mention of Kosambī is found in Kauśāmbī Pillar Edict of Aśoka. During the time of Aśoka, Kosambī, Skt. Kauśāmbī, was the headquarters of a province. The place is identical with Kosam, a village twenty-eight miles south-west of Allahabad and about eight miles to the south of Karari, the chief town of Karari paxgana in the Manjhanpur tahsil of the Allahabad district. The spade of archaeologist has uncovered the ruins of the city of Kauśāmbī, which lie at Kosam. above mentioned village. Among other things, eight inscriptions of the Magha dynasty come from the village of Kosam. Five Bandhogarh inscriptionsof the third century A.D. mention a merchant, who belongs to Kosambī. One of the Bharhut inscriptions also refers to the city of Kosamba, i.e., Kauśāmbī. The city of Kauśāmbī was an important shopping place of the persons travelling along the great trade route connecting Sāketa and Sāvatthi in the north with Patiṭhāna or Paithan on the bank of the Godāvarī in the south.

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Kosambī (कोसम्बी) or Kausāmbī was the ancient captial of Vatsa or Vaṃsa: one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—The kingdom of the Vaṃsas or Vatsas is mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya as one of the sixteen great countries of India. The capital of the country was Kausāmbī (Kosambī) identical with modern Kosam near Allahabad. In the Dīgha Nikāya we find that Kosambī was suggested as one of the great cities where the Blessed one should attain Mahāparinibbāna. In the Sutta Nipāta Commentary we are told that the city of Kosambī was visited by the followers of Bāvarī, a leader of the Jaṭilas.

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

Kosambi in Indonesia is the name of a plant defined with Schleichera oleosa in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Cussambium oleosum O. Kuntze (among others).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Allgemeine Naturgeschichte
· Journal of Cytology and Genetics (1984)
· Species Plantarum.
· Journ. Arn. Arb. (1950)
· Interpr. Rumphius Herbarium Amboinenese (1917)
· Species Plantarum

If you are looking for specific details regarding Kosambi, for example chemical composition, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, health benefits, diet and recipes, side effects, have a look at these references.

Biology book cover
context information

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Kosambi in Pali glossary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

kosambī : (f.) name of the capital of Vatsas.

Pali book cover
context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

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Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

Kosaṃbi (कोसंबि) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Kauśāmbī.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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